Industry Advisor

Barbara Lang

Industry Advisor

I’m very excited to be part of the VACertified committee as I firmly believe that its time is long overdue. By providing fair yet rigorous criteria for becoming Certified, the bar is raised on what constitutes a credible professional in the VA community. Many VA’s work very hard at improving their training, building their successful businesses and giving back to the community and what better way to recognize and display this effort than to obtain a VACertified designation.

BARBARA LANG is a bilingual Virtual Assistant and principal of Virtually Anything – Administrative Services, Toronto.  Barb obtained an Honours BA in Psychology from Glendon College, York University (1993) and is in the process of obtaining her Desktop Certification from George Brown College part time.  She gained her extensive Executive Assistance experience from working in various areas of the corporate Financial Industry from 1985 – 2002 as well as through continued software and business skills training.

Barb became aware of a need for remote administrative support otherwise not available to entrepreneurs, small businesses and busy executives.   After completing a 6 month Virtual Training Program, offered by one of the industry’s top Virtual Assistants finishing schools, AssistU, she launched her company full time in 2002.  She has provided services to clients in Canada, U.S., Australia and Europe, emphasizing that Virtual Assistance has filled a large gap in Small Business needs internationally.

Barb has taught (online) for Red Deer College in Alberta and serves on the Advisory Board for Georgian College in Barrie, ON.  She is a trainer for the Virtual Assistance Training Program (VATP) and is working on launching a Boot Camp 4 VAs in the future.  Barb has been a repeat guest on CKDO’s Small Business, Big Ideas Radio Show and has been invited as a guest speaker and chairperson at various conferences and training events.

She is a member of  the Canadian Virtual Assistants Network (CVAN) as well as the Canadian Virtual Assistance Connection (CVAC). Barb mentors emerging Virtual Assistants for the International Virtual Assistance Association (IVAA). Barb also co-leads the Canadian Chapter for AssistU members and is the Director of Education for IVAA. Her proudest achievement was the creation and very successful execution of the first Forum on Virtual Assistance (FoVA) which gathered 75 of North America’s top Virtual Assistants to spend 3 days networking and discussing the future of the industry. The event took place in Toronto May ’08. Barb continues to grow her business and plans to expand the Event and Association Management side of her practice.

Further Highlights About Barbara Lang:

Barbara is founder of The FORUM on VIRTUAL ASSISTANCE or FoVA that is a unique and private annual gathering of new and seasoned Virtual Assistants and VA industry leaders from all over the world. FoVA is an environment where a mutual exchange of ideas and sharing of business expertise takes place within a stimulating workshop-based five day program. It is the place Where VA’s Come to Meet, Learn and Grow!

At FoVA, many of the virtual assistance industry’s most important leading experts will meet to discuss the crucial challenges and exciting developments facing our fast paced and ever growing profession.