DSV Digital Management Corporation aims to provide creative and coherent marketing strategies that will help our clients reach their marketing goals on time with the highest quality service possible.

Under DSV are GoVirtuals and LeadIncrease. GoVirtuals is a Virtual Assistant Services company based in the Philippines. We offer a wide range of virtual services to our clients from administrative works, social media management, digital marketing, research, graphic design, web development, and many more. Our aim is to clear our clients’ to-do-lists.

LeadIncrease, on the other hand, is a lead generation and prospecting company designed to help entrepreneurs, small to medium-sized businesses, and thought leaders in their LinkedIn lead generation and prospecting needs. We have a strong team composed of well-trained and well-experienced marketers that bring lead prospecting to the next level.

What I’m most proud of about my company is the fact that we are consist of 100% top vetted virtual assistants from the Philippines that are well-versed in our respective skills. Personally, I believed that what sets us apart from others is that I, as a Filipina myself, fully understand the Filipino culture, and knows exactly what to look for when hiring the best virtual assistants. And that is why every candidate is individually screened and hired by me.

Tell us about what led you to starting your own business. What adversities did you experience, and what did you do to overcome them?
I believed that every business has its own story to tell about. I can still recall the time when I first asked for assistance from one of my neighbors back in my province, she’s a pregnant woman and unable to travel for work. A thought just suddenly struck my mind about the possibility of providing work opportunities that can be done at home. And I guessed that’s what led me to start my business.

I guessed the range of options, problems, and conflicting advice were some of the major adversities I’ve experienced. The organizational weaknesses and imperfections that I have to confront would cause me to panic during those good old days. But eventually, I managed to overcome them by continuously asking myself what business I really want to be in, and what capabilities I would like to develop. This resulted in me creating clear and logical strategies, developing competitive strengths, getting talented employees, sufficient control of every situation, and a solid relationship with my team and clients.

Has starting your business been a smooth road? If not, what were some of the struggles you experienced along the way?
It has never been a smooth road. We have experienced many obstacles since we launched. We have faced challenges in every single possible area – from keeping up with the technical skills, competition in the digital industry, time zone issues, language barrier, lacking communication skills or gaps, cultural attitude, client expectations versus virtual assistant expectations, to financing to finding the right team – but being an entrepreneur means you are constantly on a rollercoaster. One moment you are celebrating, and the next you‘ll be in a situation that would make you think to shut down your business. You have to be able to deal with the madness and be able to be nimble, no matter what gets thrown your way.

What has been the driving force behind success?
For me, the driving force behind my success is my need to become successful. That simple. I have already kept it in my mind that it is a necessity and not just an option. For how can I help others in becoming successful if I am a failure?

But what really keeps me focused and motivated in my life is my burning desire to help fellow Filipinos by providing job opportunities, particularly during this pandemic situation.

How do you market your business, and which tactics have been most successful?
Nowadays, it is not surprising to know that digital advertising has become a very essential element of our modern-day marketing techniques, and I believe that it should be a part of every business strategy.

And speaking of digital advertisement, there is a vast of free tools and strategies that I’ve been using ever since. But I guess one of the most important things to consider is knowing your target audience because fully grasping who your audience is and how to best market to them is the most critical part.

And before I forget, word-of-mouth is one of the best and effective ways I market my business. I’m proud to say that most of our clients were referred to us by either our previous or current clients. I believe that this kind of free advertising was triggered by my clients’ experiences from our services.

How have you managed the stress that comes with being an entrepreneur?
I think being fully aware of stress is of utmost importance in managing negative effects. That is why I religiously follow 9 stress management strategies recommended by experts. I want to take this opportunity to share them with your readers.

1. Paying attention to our bodies’ stress’ signals

2. Dealing with the stress head-on rather than procrastinating

3. Pausing and taking short breaks when stress seems coming on

4. Healthy lifestyle, of course

5. Achieving work/life balance

6. Proper delegation of work to reduce the workload

7. Looking for people you trust and talk to them

8. Total control of business’ financial situation

9. Vacation! Vacation!

What do you do to develop your self as an entrepreneur, do you recommend any books, people, podcasts etc?
There are many ways on how to develop oneself to become a more successful entrepreneur. For me, I always challenge myself since no one else would go to push me as much as I do. I always prepare myself and constantly looking for the next challenge to come. By doing this, I am always prepared for what comes my way.

“How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie is perhaps the no. 1 book I can recommend, along with “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” by Robert Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter, and “The 4-Hour Workweek” by Timothy Ferriss. These books are great reads for every entrepreneur.

When it comes to people, there are countless of them; Elvis Presley, Stephen King, Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jordan, Walt Disney, J.K. Rowling, Albert Einstein, Charles Darwin, just to name a few. All of these guys failed before they reach success. My point here is, if you want to succeed, don’t be afraid to fail.

Do you believe there is some sort of pattern or formula to becoming a successful entrepreneur?
There may be some broad patterns of capabilities, attitudes, and skills that make up the profile of an entrepreneur. But certainly, there is no step-by-step formula that guarantees success as one. Otherwise, everyone will be a successful entrepreneur. If you have the willpower and grit to succeed, you’ll surely become successful.

What has been your most satisfying moment in business?
Actually, I have a couple of them. One is when a client would send me a thank-you message saying how grateful he/she is for partnering with us and how we were able to help him/her successfully, and two is when I learned that my virtual employees are happy working with me. Nothing beats these most satisfying moments in my business.

Was it all worth it?
Absolutely! Everything’s along the way has its own purpose. There’s nothing more worthy than having a taste of the experience.