Corey Kibort is a go-getter. After 10 years of service as a special education teacher, and the the birth of her precious daughter, Corey set out to find a way to have a career flexibility. It was a must-have, not a want! So in February of this year, Corey became a female founder and launched her own small business, Corey Kibort Virtual Assistant, where she offers a variety of services to business owners and managers carve out more time to grow their business. Get to know Corey and how she can help your growing business in this exclusive interview, only on Chicago North Shore Moms.
Photo credit: @alishatova
Hi Corey! Please introduce your endeavor. When did you start your virtual assistant (VA) practice and how does it work?
Hi! My name is Corey Kibort and I am a virtual assistant. I started Corey Kibort Virtual Assistant in February, 2023. Prior to that I was a teacher for the last 10 years in special education. I help support clients (companies, larger or smaller businesses) with backend items such as customer management, email management, setting up systems, putting systems in place, invoicing, etc.
What was the impetus behind starting this business?
I had a baby last April and wanted to be home with my daughter more. I was exhausted after a full day of teaching and then coming home to take care of her. I was losing energy and love for the job, while also taking care of my daughter. There was no room to grow or make more money, no matter how many hours I put in or how hard I worked. So pivoted my skills into a flexible job that could both alleviate workloads and allow more time to grow their businesses.
Photo credit: @alishatova
What VA services to you provide?
- Email management
- Calendar management
- Client communications
- Administrative tasks
- Proofreading & Editing
- Organization
- Spreadsheets
- Data Entry
- and more!
What are one or two pieces of advice for maintaining a healthy work/life balance?
- Not saying yes to everything and truly figuring out what you can manage.
- Putting a stop time on work in order to be present with your family.
I am in control of my schedule now. If I want to spend a few hours with my daughter in the morning, I can do some work at night when she goes to bed. This way I am not missing out on any time with her, or missing getting any work done.
What’s on the horizon for Corey Kibort Virtual Assistant?
I would love to become a director of operations or business manager. I am looking into a course to take to help me figure out which path to take.
Who would you like to thank for making the formation of your business or non-profit possible and why?
Micala Quinn! I took her course- she is a former teacher and started this course of how to move into the freelance world. She is such a great resource.
How do we get in touch with you to learn more or get started?
Let’s start a conversation. My email is [email protected]. You can learn more about how I can help your business here: https://coreykibort.my.canva.site/
Photo credit: @nicolelukemeyerphotography