Ruth Martin is the owner of Maplewood Virtual Assistance, LLC (recognized across the web as MaplewoodVA), a western Maryland-based online business support services firm as well as the head writer at her blog. Her virtual services began in August 2000 operating as an independent contractor locally. She spent eight Christmas seasons being an official Santa helper at her letter writing business, U Write Santa (now a retired business), assisting Santa with sending letters to children across the U.S. and Canada.
Throughout her professional career, Ruth Martin has always been the go-to person due largely in part to her keen attention to detail and organizational skills plus her way of being able to grasp a situation quickly, assess it, and formulate results-driven action plans. Numerous clients have sought her out for her strong ability to be a strategic-thinker and affectionately call her, “The Details Diva.”
Her administrative, business management, and retail-influenced sales and marketing backgrounds of 25+ years’ experience have given her the ability to lead, view projects in the long-range, and stay focused. When it came time to make the move to being an entrepreneur and work-at-home mom, Ruth had a vision to build a home business that satisfied her craving for results, was grounded in exceptional customer service, and provided meaningful, impactful outcomes to those she interacted with. She knew working with other like-minded entrepreneurs as their online business manager and go-to person would free them to pursue their business goals and put her into a position of working in her strengths. It’s proven to be a winning combination for all.
She makes her home in western Maryland with her family. When she’s not in the office you’ll find her reading her Kindle on the porch, sitting in front of a sewing machine stitching a quilt, or working in the flower garden.
Her awards include:
- 2020 – A Plaque of Appreciation from the Long Meadow Volunteer Fire Company presented for serving as project manager, copywriter, and webmaster for their new website.
- 2014 – Awarded the Washington County My Business Award (during the 4th Annual Economic Development Week) presented by the Dept. of Washington County and Economic Development Commission
- 2012 – Awarded the CWAHM (Christian Work-at-Home Moms) Blogger of the Week Award
- 2010 – Awarded VAnetworking’s VAccolade Business Entrepreneur of the Year
- 2007 – Awarded VAnetworking’s VAccolade Business Entrepreneurial Award
- 2007 – Awarded VAnetworking’s Blog of the Week Award
Ruth was a regular feature blogger writing the Life as a Virtual Assistant segment at Christian Work-at-Home Moms Network (CWAHM) for 3 years. She was a feature writer on the VAnetworking Partnering with a Virtual Assistant blog for 2 years and served 4 years as a forum moderator. Her own blog discusses what it’s like to be a virtual assistant and work with one as well as is a hub to meet VA colleagues across many specialty niches and service areas.
She consecutively served as an IVAA (International Virtual Assistant Association) Mentor in the Mentorship Program (2012-2017). A listing of Ruth’s mentor packages can be found here.
She is an acknowledged contributor to these books and projects:
- The President’s Shadow (The Culper Ring Series, Book 2) by best-selling author, Brad Meltzer
- Compendium of Education Technology Research Funded by NCER and NCSER: 2002-2014 (Institute of Education Services)
- Compendium of Social-Behavioral Research Funded by NCER and NCSER: 2003-2013 (Institute of Education Services)
- Compendium of Math and Science Research Funded by NCER and NCSER: 2003-2013 (Institute of Education Services)
- An American Virtual Assistant by Cindy Freland
- Virtual Assistant: The Series – Become a Highly Successful, Sought After VA – 4th Edition by Diana Ennen and Kelly Poelker
- The Virtual Business Startup System (VBSS) – an informative business resource and procedural manual for virtual assistants by Tawnya Sutherland, founder of VAnetworking
She has authored the following Kindle eBooks:
- Sweet Bites to Satisfy Your Marketing Cravings: Marketing Do’s Not To Be Ignored
- From Start Up to Living It: Busting 17 Myths About Becoming a Virtual Professional
Being virtual means media moments all around the nation and Internet:
- Interviewed multiple times on The Inspired Entrepreneur’s Guide podcast hosted by Darlene Victoria; Episode 7: Choosing Your Niche, Episode 20: Mentoring
- Interviewed on the Metropolitan Organizing: Managing Modern Life blog
- Recognized as Christian Work-at-Home Ministries (CWAHM) Blogger of the Week, 2-1-2012
- Interviewed on Christian Work-at-Home Ministries (CWAHM)
- Interviewed in Smart Company Magazine: Support Via Cyberspace: Virtual Assistants Offer Help Without The Overhead
- Interviewed on the Virtual Perceptions Blog
- Appeared in The Herald-Mail Newspaper (Hagerstown, MD) Business Briefs: Local Woman Participates in Valentine’s Day Broadcast
- Appeared in the Ventura County Star Newspaper (Ventura, CA) ‘Sinister’ E-mails Target Recipient For Assassination
- Appeared in The Herald-Mail Newspaper (Hagerstown, MD) Business Briefs: Local Virtual Assistant Receives Entrepreneurial Recognition
- VAnetworking Presents Seminar on Networking Like a Superstar
Additional writings authored by Ruth Martin:
- The Hello Maple blog (formerly The Naked VA blog)
- A feature blogger of the Life as a Virtual Assistant series at The Christian Work-at-Home Ministries blog
- A feature blogger at VAnetworking on the Partnering with a Virtual Assistant blog