Want a New Service You Can Charge a Premium Rate For?

If techie-type services aren't your thing, you'll be pleased to know there's a highly sought-after traditional service that will earn you a fantastic income throughout your career.

Minute taking is a premium skill needed by numerous organisations but hardly anyone knows how to do it or offers it on a freelance basis. So the VAs who do are raking it in!

More About The Minute Taking Course:

WRITTEN BY A PRO

As a highly experienced traditional PA and expert minute taker, Rachel Brown was the perfect choice to write this course. Here she shares her extensive knowledge along with invaluable insider tips and tricks.

FIRST THEORY PRESENTATION

This covers the who, what, where, when and why: what to write, how to write it, lettering and numbering formats, how to manage the meeting, your relationship with the chair and other meeting etiquettes.

SECOND THEORY PRESENTATION

The theory presentation also covers seating plans, protocols, how to structure the agenda, editing and revising, and how to make sure the minutes make sense to someone who wasn't at the meeting. 

TRAINING VIDEO & DISCUSSION

This video covers how to take the minutes of a real-life meeting. You follow the video in stages with Rachel while she shows you what you should be writing and why. Afterwards, you compare your notes with hers.

NON-COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISES

This is an additional presentation on the protocol of how to take minutes from non-commercial enterprises including voluntary organisations, charities, AGMs and community groups.

PLUS: PROSPECT EMAIL TEMPLATE

Because we want to make sure you get work at the end of the course, I even provide you with an easy-to-customise prospect email to send to local organisations offering your new-found skill as a minute taker.  

£179 - See Payment Options

These VAs love taking minutes


"
When I set up my VA business I offered minute taking and since lockdown, that side of the business has grown massively. I now have 15 Associates doing minute taking with me." Sarah W

"It’s my niche. I love minute taking! I’ve offered minute taking as my niche service for years and I am never out of work. I take minutes for different types of businesses. Academies, board-level minute taking for charities and other organisations and HR minutes for disciplinary meetings, appeals etc via Zoom or in person. Minute taking skills are so sought after... it’s my best seller!" Sharon S

"I'd really recommend it as a service to offer. I recently did my first assignment and though it was hard going, the meeting (an industrial tribunal type thing) was 6 hours (on the phone taking minutes), and then the typing up took about 7-8 hours , so basically 2 days work, but I got £200 per day so £400 in total, and they've already offered me 3 more days in the next 2 weeks, which equals 6 days pay at £200 a day! Minute taking is definitely the best easy money option I've come across as a VA." Emma J

"There's definitely a demand for minute taking. I left employment determined never to minute another meeting again! However, it was requested by clients over and over." Nancy B

"Doing minutes was actually MY WHY I got into the VA business. I've been a board coordinator/corporate secretary for over 20 years and have been sitting around a board table the entire time with the C-Suite level. Not only do I take shorthand, I do the transcription, prepare draft agendas, follow up on action items and follow through with reports. It is what I LOVE doing and I love offering this service. It is my niche." Kate S

"I offer minute taking and am getting enquiries weekly from my website. I have a completely separate page for minute taking compared to other services so the SEO is concentrated on that page. The work is definitely out there if you want it." Sarah W

"I actually quite enjoy it as you learn lots about different areas of business!" Louisa R

"When I set up, I swore I would NEVER EVER take minutes again. Having worked in the public sector as PA to the chief and chair, I felt like I was constantly taking minutes. My first client was someone referred to me by a lady I met networking. It was minute taking... turns out I’m quite good at it!" Joanne M

FAQs

How much money can I make and how do I quote a price?

The author of this course charged £30 an hour for taking minutes and the going rate in London is around £40 p/h. As a rule of thumb, if a meeting is 2 hours long then you charge for 4 hours: 2 for the meeting plus another 2 for the time it will take to create the document from your notes with further editing and revisions.

One-day minute taking courses range from £400 - £520 + VAT, but with this course, you can recoup your money in just a couple of meetings AND have the content to refer back to forever.


Is minute taking the same as transcription?

No, minute taking and transcription are actually two different things. A transcription is a verbatim report of exactly what was said in a meeting whereas minutes are a summary of what was discussed and agreed and the reasoning as to why a decision was arrived at. Minute takers need to record the salient points of a meeting rather than writing every single word that was spoken.

What types of businesses need minute takers?

School governor board meetings, charity trustee meetings, community group AGMs and many public and private sector organisations hire impartial and independent minute takers. Some could use staff members but due to confidentiality, they have to hire a freelancer instead.

Limited companies legally have to file board minutes as part of their registration, property management and right-to-manage (RTM) companies also legally need to record the minutes of their meetings and all kinds of voluntary organisations and community groups require their AGMs to be minuted.

The FAQs doc in the course outlines even more organisations that need minute takers and even where you can find them. Sending out an email offering your services to prospects is really simple and the course comes with an email template you can tailor and send to prospects.

Is there really that much demand for this service?

There really is. The demand is actually so high that the author receives enquiries from all over the UK and can pretty much charge what she likes because there is such a shortage of independent minute takers.

Minute taking is also one of the most commonly outsourced work posted in my trainee-only group when the members do not have either the knowledge or capacity.

Do I need this course if I've taken meeting notes at work?

Even if you've taken minutes in an employed position, do you feel confident to walk into a room full of people you have never met before and take minutes at a meeting on a subject you are not familiar with?

This is quite daunting and you really have to think on your feet (and interrupt if necessary); that is the main difference with being a freelancer. Rachel created the minute-taking course to help those who had some experience to take it up a level or two – including some tips and tricks along the way to assist.

Can I take minutes virtually?

While it's preferable to be present at a meeting, the pandemic created a huge surge in remote minute-taking, so the answer is most definitely yes! There is a lesson within the course on how to take minutes remotely because minute taking is not the same thing as transcription.

Do I need to know shorthand?

Rachel does not use shorthand for taking minutes. She learned to touch-type and has mastered the art of being able to listen to a discussion, process the salient points and type them straight onto her laptop - that way the document is half prepared when she starts to create it.

Rachel says using shorthand is actually counterproductive because when you type directly onto your laptop, you leave the meeting with most of the work done. Instead of having to rewrite your shorthand notes, you simply tidy up your typed ones.

How long does the course take to complete?

You can complete the training course in half a day and then you need to practice. How long you want to practice is up to you though! You have lifetime access to the content so you can work through it at your own pace and refer back to it whenever you like.

How is the content delivered?

Once you click the button to buy you'll be taken straight to my dedicated courses website where you will pay. You will have immediate access to the lessons so can start straight away. You download the supporting documents, work through the 3 videos and then practice your little socks off!

I have another question.

No problem! Email support(at)thevahandbook(dot)com and ask away.

Happy Buyers


"I'm finishing up the Minute Taking Course this week and have found it really easy to follow. I like the conversational flow of the lessons as it makes it easy to take in without feeling overwhelmed by a bunch of new information. I wish I had known about this course when dealing with a challenging situation with someone else who took on a crucial minute taking position for a board I facilitated and became very contentious with the board and community. I think this would have been a very easy way for them to learn how to do it effectively (or at all as was the case!). "
Beth McGee

"This course is revolutionary! The information you gain with the downloadable PDFs and FAQs are priceless. Easy to follow and explanatory, this is a great course for those who have never taken minutes and excellent as a refresher for those who have. This is one minute taking course I highly recommend because it covers everything you need to know." Valerie Hay

"I’ve taken minutes for meetings that I’ve attended for years and didn’t know whether or not to buy this course - I’m so glad that I did! You take minutes of a video and boy it’s hard - it’s totally different when you don’t know the people, the company or the subject. I thoroughly recommend it - when you take minutes in a firm you know you get a bit blasé and that training brings you back to reality. It’s excellent." Jasmin Cooper

"I've done the course and it is very thorough. I would honestly say if you live in London you will be beating clients off with a stick." Jill P

"I can say from experience that this is the way to go if it's your niche. I also specialise in this and am always busy. So lucrative too if you choose the right clients and believe me, there are many that will come your way. I had lots of minute taking experience before becoming freelance but I still took Rachel's course and picked up loads of useful tips. Highly recommend it. It's all I do now!" Julie F

"This course taught me more in one afternoon than I'd learned in over 15 years in administration. The course explained best practice right from the theory behind a successful meeting, all the way through to practice scenarios broken down into bite-sized chunks. Hearing Rachel's own thoughts on what could have and should have been noted down was hugely valuable and steered me back on track when I found myself scrambling to type superfluous waffle. I finally feel confident about offering minute taking as a service and wholeheartedly recommend the training to anyone wanting to add a profitable string to their VA bow." Victoria T

"I had taken minutes before but only in a minor way. The course gave me the confidence to offer it as a service and also explained how to take minutes for large groups of people. It gave me tips and hints I hadn’t thought of and I now regularly offer this as a service - particularly to HR professionals and solicitors. It takes you through everything step by step, and you can take as long as you like so you feel ready before you take on your first job. I was nervous at first but once I got into the swing of it, with the knowledge of the course behind me, I felt much more confident." Lisa D

"This course was fab for me! I used to take minutes in my previous corporate roles but was a little bit on the rusty side - this course was a great way to refresh my skills." Victoria L

"I have some minute taking experience but the course is helping reinforce what I remember and giving me the confidence to offer it as a service later on." Nadine M

"I have taken Rachel’s course and can really recommend it. There are definitely times when minutes are required to be taken at the meetings because there are sometimes reasons why recording is not allowed." Rebecca H

"A clear, concise, professionally put together and delivered course and really easy to follow. Some really good advice and suggestions from Rachel and I can’t wait to put my training to good use! Being able to learn something online and refer back as and when needing a refresher is the perfect learning environment for me personally. Time is money and a whole day away from my own business is something I can’t yet afford the luxury of. I'll certainly be recommending this course to everyone!" Jo R

"I've found my minute taking skills help enormously with transcriptions from recordings too. So, two birds with one course!" Catherine G

"I've just completed the Minute-taking course. It was a bit like being back at school (that was a long long time ago!) but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I've always been a reluctant minute-taker but this has given me the confidence to include it in my services. I'll revisit the course frequently, as it is a valuable resource and I just know I'm going to need to refresh from time to time, even as I get more proficient. Please pass on my thanks to Rachel!" Penny C

"This course is invaluable. I have years of experience taking minutes but it's completely different when you don’t know the company. It gave me a whole new perspective in how skilled minutes taking is and it was really good to see how a professional minute taker does it." Emma C

"As a new VA I want to offer as many skills as I can to potential clients. Although I've written minutes whilst employed, after completing the course I think I missed a trick or two! I learnt so much more including layout, and what needs including and what doesn't. I like that the course is broken down and really clear examples are given. Rachel walks you through at a comfortable pace and holds your hand each step of the way. It's very user-friendly and all I need to do now is keep on practising! I would most certainly recommend this course to other VAs as an additional skill." Kimberley D

"The course has opened my eyes to a new service that I can offer as a VA that is very much in demand. Rachel clearly knows her stuff and the hints and tips she shares in the course will be very useful to me going forward." Sam R

"This is a great course offering superb value for money and delivered by an expert in the field. I have previous minute taking experience and found the course really useful to refresh my skills and increase my confidence in offering minute taking as a core service in my business. When I think back to the first time I did take minutes at board level, I think if I had completed this course prior to that I would have been able to take minutes straight away and then revert back to the material to ensure that the final minutes were fit for purpose." Laura C

"I took the course a month ago and really liked it. I've done minutes in the past but needed a refresher and there were some things mentioned I hadn't thought about." Krista K

"This course serves as a comprehensive guide to all aspects of minute taking. Many years ago I acted as Secretary for a volunteer group where my role including minute taking so I took this course as a refresher and after just a few hours I now have the confidence to offer this as a service." Jackie M

"I found the course to be really straightforward and easy to follow and it gave me a valuable insight into what is achievable. I thought I could take Minutes fairly OK until I did this course and now I realise there is so much more to it so it has made me aware that there is much more to taking minutes properly than I had appreciated. I would definitely recommend this course to anyone who is considering learning this new skill." Jan B

"I found the course easy to understand and navigate through. I would definitely recommend it to others as it is really good value for money and a new great skill to have." Ami N

"This course is a must if, like me, you have ever taken minutes at a meeting but never actually had specific training for the task. The course explains that you don't need to write every word that was said in the meeting as I used to try and do! The content is very clear, easy to follow and you can do it at your own speed. I would highly recommend this course to anyone who fears clients or employers mentioning the words 'can you take minutes?' This was just what I needed to feel confident about taking minutes properly." Jo M

Money Back Guarantee


The only way you can decide if this course is for you is by being on the inside, not the outside. So if you sign up and decide it’s not for you, as long as you let me know within 14 days and you have completed less than 20% of the course, just ping me an email and I'll give you a full refund. 

Because if you're not happy, I'm not happy.

About The Trainer

A fellow of the Institute of Administrative Management (FInstAM), Rachel Brown is now retired but was a freelance PA with a 30-year career spanning both public and private sectors who ran a small team providing traditional business admin and support services through her company Secretary Outsource.

"I honestly turned away so much minute taking work because I physically didn't have enough hours in the day to take it on. Once you are proficient, make sure minute-taking is one of your website keywords as that is how most people found me.

Minute taking is a great earner and once you have 2 or 3 regulars, the money will start flowing. And, don't forget, I'm here to help if you have any queries."

Learn a Highly-Paid, Premium Skill That Will Never Date.

£179 - See Payment Options