We were lucky to catch up with Carla Louis recently and have shared our conversation below.

Carla, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

I am a breast cancer survivor, and I found myself immunocompromised at the height of the COVID pandemic and couldn’t return to my career as a sales consultant as planned. While I qualified for disability, I could not imagine sitting at home not doing anything, or being solely dependent upon that income. So I decided to google my skillset to see what I could do from home. I stumbled across the virtual assistant role and noticed that many of the tasks they did were tasks that I’d done in previous roles. I launched my consulting/ virtual assistant business in April 2021. Through my research, I discovered that the virtual assistant role was expected to be one of the fastest-growing industries, and I gave it a shot. Once I started advertising my services, a handful of people said they’d been waiting for me to finally decide to offer my services, which boosted my confidence.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I am a triple-negative breast cancer survivor. And I created my company because I was immunocompromised at the height of the Covid pandemic.

I was diagnosed and began treatment in 2019. I’ve been cancer free since 2020. But my body is still recovering from the trauma it experienced through chemotherapy and radiation.

While I worked for an empathic employer, there’s nothing like being my own boss. There’s no one to request time off through. There’s no fear of missing too much work. Instead, I’m driven by beating the odds. I’m driven by inspiring anyone with a disability and wanting to be a boss.

Carla Marie Consulting is an online business management and virtual assistant business dedicated to helping clients achieve their goals by providing the comprehensive support they need to streamline their operations, increase productivity, and find more time for what matters. Our customized solutions are designed to meet their unique needs, and we take pride in delivering high-quality services that are efficient, cost-effective, and reliable. Our support lets our clients focus on what they do best and trust us to care for the rest.

Some of the tasks that we offer are
Document Editing
Document Creation
Pitch Decks
Inbox Management
Calendar Management
Expenses & Invoices
Training/ Facilitating
Social Media Strategy
Research
Data Entry
Marketing
Travel Booking
Website Management (minor updates and changes to the website)
Amazon Marketplace Management
and more!

I’m most proud of being known as a results-driven business owner. My clients trust me to provide my services concisely and timely.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Although I earned my MBA in 2012, I had no desire to own a business. I made great money in commission sales and planned to continue in those industries. However, my health and COVID had other plans. My entrepreneurial journey began because the world was forcing us all to pivot.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I overdeliver. Each of my clients has been amazed by the results they receive when purchasing my services. They post about their experiences on social media or refer other clients to me.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.carla-marie.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/carlamariellc
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/carlamariellc
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/carlamariellc
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/carlamariellc
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/@carlamariellc

Image Credits
Photographer: Farryn Cortes of Farryn Cortes Photography