Technology links virtual businesses. Advances spur rise in collaborative work

Schaumburg-based Insight Design Solutions is a one-woman design boutique. Or is it?

Owner Anastasia Athans-Stothoff has no full-time employees but relies on as many as 35 independent contractors each year to help create catalogs, annual reports, corporate logos and product labels.

Like Athans-Stothoff herself, the vast majority of those she hires are sole proprietors who operate their companies via computer. And they frequently tag-team a job, with each contributing a special talent, such as copywriting, editing or photography.

"Everything is done virtually," she said, noting that several contractors are located in foreign countries. "It has really brought the world together. It’s so easy."

International Virtual Assistants Association- http://www.ivaa.org/

By Ann Meyer
Special to the Tribune

Full Story: http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0605220142may22,1,2557891.story?coll=chi-business-hed