The Skin You’re In

I am an Online Business Engineer. I tried telling people this over the summer – you know the glazed-over-eyes look? Uh huh, I got it! But I really do apply my technical knowledge and utilize resources in order to design and implement systems and processes that realize a desired objective and meet specified criteria – namely, my client’s desires and goals. Plus, I think it makes me sound cool! Well, I dropped it and just kept the VA desigation – much easier.

Why is it important to define one’s business? I can think of many reasons, both practical and philosophical. I do it to maintain my integrity – further, to build trust. I see my business as an extension of myself – my attitude, my values, my personality, my ethics. I put my business up against a checks and balances test every so often, like I do my life. Putting definitions to my business gives me something tangible with which to measure the mental health of my business.

Throughout the summer, the most important one to me became misrepresentation – I was in the process of redefining the laundry list of services I offered. If I said I was just a Virtual Assistant, I would be selling myself (and my clients) short – if I began calling myself an Online Business Engineer, I would… yep… get that glazed-over-eyes look. If I said I was an Online Business Manager, I would be misrepresenting myself. For now, in the spirit of the virtual business world, tell the truth and make sure you are comfortable in the “skin” you choose for your business.

What do you do? How do you define your business? Are you selling yourself short? Are you misrepresenting yourself? Is your business an extension of you, or not at all? Do you perform regular business health maintenance? I encourage everyone to regularly review their own online business skin.