Carmen MacDougall, who has recently been described as ‘The Godmother’ of the VA industry, is a true entrepreneur, having established her first VA business during the pregnancy of her first daughter (now 12), studied life and business coaching and qualified 3 days before the birth of her second daughter, and then had her third child in 2010. She loves a challenge.
Carmen has owned to highly successful VA businesses, the first she sold in 2002 and the second she sold in 2011. She built her VA businesses to a lovel where she had a team of VAs supporting her clients whilst she focussed on providing business development and coaching to help her client’s business grow.
Carmen is an author, motivational speaker, Master in Neuro Linguistic Programming specialising in Confidence Coaching for Women, a guest presenter on internet radio and a regular presenter at the Office Show in London which is aimed at PAs and Office Managers.
Above all else, Carmen is a true Ambassador and very passionate about the VA industry, hence her creation of the first ever National VA Conference and Awards in 2007, now coming into the 7th year (May 2012). She was keen for the VA industry to have a boost in the UK and the Conference has created a raise in the profile of VAs as well as the opportunity to award VAs who deserve to be recognised for their outstanding business efforts. Carmen also co-founded The VA Times online magazine, the first ever magazine for the VA industry in the UK and then in April 2012 co-founded the first printed VA training journal “The VA Magazine” with Lucy Brazier (who is also the owner of Executive Secretary magazine).
In April 2012, Carmen was asked to join as the Training and Strategic Alliance Partner with The International Association of Virtual Assistants with the view of supporting the members with their business education. This also has enabled Carmen to provide business support and mentoring to the VAs.
“Carmen’s listening skills, coupled with her professionalism and sound advice, have equipped me with the confidence I needed to proceed with my venture. Anyone requiring a guiding hand in their business would certainly benefit from Carmen’s expertise – it was a pleasure listening to the ideas she had to share and I have no hesitation in recommending her.” S. Jalovaara.
Carmen is more than a coach and trainer, she is a real part of what she delivers and is highly enthusiastic about the support she provides. She is considered as one of the industry’s leading authorities on what it takes to be a remarkable VA. By fully employing her coaching skills and her passion in supporting people to move beyond what they would ever have imagined possible, Carmen’s clients find her truly inspiring and motivating as they experience achieving their life-long dreams or breaking through their personal or business barriers.
Penny Power, Co-Founder of Ecademy.com: “What a tremendous lady. Committed to the VA Industry and to VA’s in a way I have not experienced. So professional, so full of passion and a unique desire to help VA’s achieve their business goals and for their customers to be serviced professionally, thank you Carmen, great getting to know you.”
Prior to establishing VACT, Carmen excelled as a PA and office manager for over 15 years within Fortune 100 investment banking and legal companies, based in the City of London. Within three months of redundancy, Carmen had taken the plunge and created her own business, as a virtual assistant, building a thriving full-time business with 7 clients rising to 28 in less than a year, working mainly with life coaches and those in the personal and professional development industries, she then developed a team of VAs to support her clients.
A leader and innovator in the VA field, Carmen has made the Virtual Assistant Coaching & Training Company the premier provider and is seen as the original and market-leading VA coaching & training resource since its inception.
Carmen has trained, and coached over 1200 VAs which include some of the industry’s top VAs – with a few of whom were voted, by an independent judging panel, to be the country’s Outstanding VAs of the Year 2007 to 2012 including several finalists at the National VA Conference and Awards.
What’s next for Carmen..aha..watch this space!!
