A butterfly fluttered in Carol's stomach as she took in her surroundings: a large convention hall with people strolling in…to see her speak. As she browsed to her PowerPoint presentation on her laptop, Carol noticed her beautiful manicure for a fleeting moment as she recalled that just two years ago, she couldn't afford to get her nails done.

Leaving corporate America hadn't been easy, but Carol felt so stifled. She knew that becoming a certified executive coach was going to make her heart sing, but her business wasn't where she wanted it to be. Carol's own coach advised her to get a virtual assistant (VA) so that Carol could meet her goals of creating an ezine, writing an ebook and selling it on her website. Ultimately she wanted to write a book.

Initially Carol tried to do it all: manage her clients, her home life, and write ezines, edit her website, and brainstorm about ebooks. Ultimately everything suffered and there was no time for self care. She hated seeing her athletic club fee on her Visa statement considering that she hadn't been there in months. She kept paying, though, because she didn't want to admit defeat by canceling her membership.

Then there was that gloomy day in November. She hadn't slept well the night before and had, for the first time, completely missed a client appointment. Another client had sent an email terminating their relationship. She knew it had been a bad day, but it reached new heights when her computer crashed. Carol slumped in her chair and dropped her head in her hands. "I have to get some help," she told her coach the next day. "Can you refer me to a VA?"

Six months later, Carol's third ezine was on its way to subscribers, her website was up-to-date replete with an ebook linked to an electronic shopping cart. Her client's schedule time with her on a web-based calendar appointment system that Carol synchs daily with her PDA. Each night her computer backs itself up, so no more lost files.

Carol looked up from her laptop to see that the room was nearly full now. She thought, "It'll be time to start that book when I get back from this trip." The clock struck 10 o'clock and she addressed her audience, "Hello my name is Carol Jones. I'd like to tell you about my journey."