Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dominique Swanquist. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Dominique, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?
I had dabbled in the VA world for extra money in the past and decided to go for it full time. I needed to continue bringing money in for my family. I launched my business and began to apply for positions on job boards. I figured that I had office skills, people skills, and a “figure it out” attitude and I could make it work. I watched YouTube videos, took online training, and used templates to build out my brand and skill set. If I did not know how to do something, I told a potential client that I did (or that I could figure it out). The online community is wonderful and there are LOTS of people that want you to succeed.
My first client was my parents, my second client was a friend that owned a salon, my third client was a friend that was starting her own business, and my fourth client was from a job board. I was vocal about what I was doing. Each client was in a different industry and I learned what I needed to in order to succeed with each client.
Dominique, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I started off as a VA during the perfect time. When COVID hit, small businesses began to look for people to do the jobs from home. Many realized that it was more beneficial for them to hire a subcontractor and not pay benefits than it was to hire someone that they would eventually bring on in-house.
I started as a “general” VA – you needed it done, I would do it – research, email management, scheduling, social media, accounting, client communication, graphics creation, event planning, etc. I wanted to ensure that I built a client base that would last and did not want to limit myself to what I was doing, or who my client was. My first year in business I worked with a residential rental company, a ghostwriter, a non-profit, a book coach, a salon, an amazon seller, a bath & body product distributor, an emagazine, and a journalist. All very different clients with very different needs.
I am most proud of my “figure it out” way of doing business as well as my client communication. My business (to this day) has been built on the referral system. I provide THE BEST client service – my clients continue with me for a long time, and they refer people that they know to me.
I am now in my fourth year in business and my team is growing. I want to teach others how to “figure it out” and then, potentially, help them start to build their client base. My company still offers everything that I offered in the beginning – everything – now I have others to help do the work. They are trained, vetted, and overseen by me. I am still the person that communicates with the clients to ensure that what they need to get done, gets done. I take pride in the business that I have built and want to ensure that The Ninette Company gives clients what is promised.
The Ninette Company has different divisions, if you will:
– Virtual Assist Pro Alliance (VA/Online Business management side) where we “Do the back-end items that need to be done, but you as a business owner do not want to do, so that you can focus on doing what you love to do. The reason you started your business. We also train people to start their own Virtual Assistant company – we want to empower others to take charge of their careers and finances while being of service to others. Individuals that come through our training are the first in line to be the VA’s that our business uses for our clients. So, you get training, and a foot in the door with clients.
– The second is Publishing. I serve as the Director of Operations for a traditional publisher. Muse Literary is a small press traditional publisher that aims to work with the author to produce books that have an impact on the world, and allow the author to work with us on the production of their book. We work with all genres and accept unagented submissions all year long. Muse Literary was created by authors for authors that want the traditional publishing experience. When you submit to us – you will get a response 100% of the time, whether it is a fit or not for the press. AND, more often than not, our editors will provide feedback on your work.
– The third is Self-Publishing. Many up and coming authors do not want to go the traditional publishing route – whether that be because they want their own imprint for their books, or they want 100% control and 100% royalties – they all have different reasons. I work with authors that want to self publish, either through Amazon KDP or on their own imprint. I project manage, work with the author and the production team to ensure that the author gets what they want out of their publishing process, while still producing a quality book. I have worked with authors on assessing their book to gauge the salability and readiness to publish. I have worked with authors on the final editing, cover creation, and production of the book. My authors include fiction, non-fiction, and childrens book authors. I love helping get books out into the world.
Have you ever had to pivot?
My whole career has been a pivot! LOL
When I started, I started as a general VA. After I was in the business for a while I realized that I had more to give to my clients and I got certified as an Online Business Manager (it made sense due to my background in sales and team management.)
Two of my early VA/OBM clients were in the publishing industry – one was a ghostwriter and one was a book coach. I have ALWAYS wanted to work in publishing. I love books. Like, REALLY love books. I thought that I would never get a chance to work in publishing because I do not live in New York, or Boston, or London. Metro-Detroit does not have a huge publishing sector. In working with these women I learned more and more about publishing and wanted to 100% pivot my business to work in ONLY publishing.
Life has had other plans for me.
As much as I wanted to stick to publishing, I am good at the VA and OBM side – clients keep coming to me (I had one client that I wanted to test run and she would not take no for an answer – she needed to be my client. LOL). I also noticed that more and more people were asking me what I did, and more and more people were continuing to post online that they wanted extra income or to be able to work from home. The VA/OBM side continued to be pushed my way.
I knew that I could not continue to do everything on my own – so the agency/VA course was born. At the end of 2023 – I hired an additional VA for my team (I already had one at capacity), I hired an accountant for my team, and I hired my husband. I need(ed) more people to help with the work and I needed my own Business Manager. I was at capacity – but did not want to turn down being able to help others.
I still have a hand in all of my clients jobs – I am slowly giving more and more tasks to my VA’s, my husband runs the backend of the VA course – I do the training and sales for it, but he does the rest, my husband built my website, and I run the publishing side (both with Muse and Self-publishing).
Life has shown me that you do not turn down opportunities – especially when they can help others grow. My first VA was able to quit her full time job after working with me and I cannot send her anymore clients. She is capped – I want to do that with others.
Our next adventure is real estate investing… because why not. Pivot & grow as life throws things your way.
Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?
I have two business partners.
The first is my husband Rick. I started my business on my own, but I cannot continue to grow it in the direction that is needed without him. Rick and I are both visionaries, but due to his background, he is able to look at business differently than I am. My business grew quickly (doubling revenue every year in business) and I did what I needed to do to grow. With Rick on board, we are now tracking KPI’s and planning strategies, and expanding. I knew I could expand, but I knew I could not do it alone. I held out on hiring anyone in a management position because I was waiting for him to join me.
I mention in the above section how I always wanted to be in Publishing. I love books and think that the world can not have enough of them.
I am the Director of Operations for Muse Literary – number two in line. I met Patti the CEO through a past client of mine. Patti had heard about me through many mutual acquaintances and knew that she wanted me on her team. I had actually only ever talked to Patti on the phone when I joined her team – we had never met in person or even on Zoom. LOL She knew I was the best person to join her on her journey, and I knew that she had a business that was going to do amazing things. I did not actually meet in person until Muse Literary was a vendor at an event eight months after we began working together. I knew other people on the team, but not her.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.theninettecompany.com
- Instagram: @domninette
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNinetteCompany
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dswanquist/
- Other: https://www.facebook.com/virtual.assist.pro.alliance
Image Credits
Hannah Duncan