Ontario-based entrepreneur, Janice Byer, owner of Docu-Type Administrative & Web Design Services and Equine Web Design, has won the prestigious Thomas Leonard International Virtual Assistant of Distinction award for 2012. The coveted international award was bestowed on Ms. Byer for her extensive contributions to the Virtual Assistant Industry worldwide, her dedication to helping other administrative professionals realize their dream of becoming small business owners, and her passion for helping her clients get the assistance they need to build their own businesses.
“We appreciate Janice’s efforts and strongly believe her contributions represent the best of the best and exemplify the positive influence we all can have on the growth and development of the industry and many aspiring Virtual Assistants” said Sharon Williams, key organizer of the IVAD (International Virtual Assistants Day). This annual event brings Virtual Assistants from around the world together to honour the outstanding achievements of their peers.
“I am truly honoured and humbled to be the recipient of the Thomas Leonard International Virtual Assistant of Distinction award,” Byer said in her acceptance speech. “It is a milestone in my career that I will never forget. I am blessed to walk in the path of the other VAs before me that have won this award and hope I am inspirational to those in the future who will one day also be recognized for their contribution to the VA industry.”
Byer founded her company, Docu-Type, in 1998 and struggled to not only build her administrative and web design business but also increase public awareness of the fledgling Virtual Assistant industry. In 2001, she partnered with fellow VA, Elayne Whitfield-Parr launching the Canadian Virtual Assistant Connection offering an online venue where up-and-coming Virtual Assistants can access resources to start and run their new virtual ventures.
Since then, Byer has also co-written “How to Build a Successful Virtual Assistant Business” now in its second edition and is used as the text book for VA training programs including Red College in Alberta; written hundreds of articles; facilitated dozens of online “How To” webinars; and volunteered on numerous committees all aimed at helping other VAs build successful practices.
More recently (2009), Byer combined her love of horses and her passion for web design and started another company, Equine Web Design, where she helps horse related businesses gain an online presence that will help them attract clients and a second pair of hands to keep those clients happy.
More information can be found at http://docutype.net/TL-VAawardWinner.htm including copies of my award submission package, testimonials from both my clients and VAs I have worked with, 2 versions of this PR, a headshot, logo and more. Feel free to share this wonderful news!
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