Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

 

Answers to the most commonly asked questions.

       

About Us

 

Q:  What is VCOMA?

A:  The Venture Capital Office Managers Association (VCOMA) is a trade group that gives office management professionals in the venture capital and private equity industry a place to exchange ideas, find best-in-class vendors and service providers, and share best practices and resources.

 

Q:  When was VCOMA founded?

A:  VCOMA was founded August 15, 2005

 

Q:  Who founded VCOMA and why?

A:  Tracey Miles founded VCOMA in 2005 after many years working for Venture firms in Silicon Valley.  To read more about VCOMA and its origins, read the 2008 PEI Manager article by

Rob Kotecki.

   

Membership

 

Q:  Who can become a VCOMA member?  Do I have to be an "Office Manager" to join?

A:  Since each firm handles the office management role differently, members are those responsible for facilities, human resources, event planning, travel (decision maker), and/or technology (any level of support). While this can certainly be an Office Manager, it is often a Director of Administration, a CFO or Controller, operations manager, or even several EAs that share the role.  See About Our Members for statistical information about our members.

 

Q:  What industies do members belong to?

A:  Members work in the financial industry, primarily for Venture Capital, Private Equity, Fund of Funds, Hedge Funds, Wealth Management, Investment Banking, and equivalent firms.

 

Q:  What if more than one person from my firm wants to join?  Is membership by company or by person?

A:  VCOMA currently offers both an Individual membership and a Firm memberships.

• Individual membership is for individual within a firm who would like to join. The individual owns the membership and if the individual leaves the firm, they take the membership and it's benefits with them. However, the members' firm receives benefits from the many discounts it can utilize through the member as long as the member works at that firm. 
• Firm membership is for companies wanting to add 3 or more members per location. Firm membership means that the firm decides who will be assigned to membership and can change assigned members at any time. This ensures that the discounts and other benefits of membership stay with the firm even as employees come and go.

Q:  What happens to my membership if I leave my firm?

A:  If you have an Individual membership, you retain the membership for the twelve month period until it expires. If you move on to another qualifying firm, you may update your information, move the discounts to your new firm, and renew it when it expires.

If your membership was part of a Firm membership, or paid by the company, the membership stays with the firm and would roll to the person who replaces the position.

 

Q:  What do I get for the annual membership fee?

A:  Members can make back their membership fee within a matter of weeks due to the many discounts membership offers its members and their firms.  See Benefits of Membership for a complete list of benefits. Benefits include:

• Recommended Vendor List created by member referrals
• Salary Surveys for key administrative positions
• Member Discounts on products and services
• Jobs Board - members post for free!
• Best Practice Discussions through events, email LISTSERV, forums, and LinkedIn
• Networking Events in select areas nationwide
• Monthly Drawings for spa services and gift cards
• Content & Resources on our areas of focus

Q:  Is this just a networking group?

A:  Not at all, however that is a huge benefit to membership. Membership benefits include discounts, salary surveys, a jobs board, recommended vendor lists, drawings, events, and dozens of pages of content on your areas of focus.

 

Q:  Where are meetings and events held?

A:  Currently there are meetings and events being held in the key geographic areas and as membership expands in other areas events will be added.  See the Events Calendar for a list of current events in all regions.

 

Q:  What positions does the salary survey cover?

A:  We have ongoing salary surveys for key administrative positions: Office Manager, Executive Assistant, Administrative Assistant, and Receptionist. The surveys reflect a rolling twelve month period.

 

Q:  How do the discounts work with VCOMA corporate partners?

A:  Each corporate partner program is uniquely structured for VCOMA members.  VCOMA has negotiated rates based on the group as a whole (nationwide) so that all members get the benefit of best pricing ("volume" pricing) regardless of the company's size or purchasing history.

 

Q:  Can potential members check VCOMA's references?

A:  If you would like to receive references from VCOMA members, send the request to questions@vcoma.com and it will be forwarded to our membership for response.

 

Q:  How much is membership to VCOMA?

A:  Membership plans start at $35 per year.  Please view the detailed list of membership levels and pricing at www.vcoma.com/join.

  

Q:  How do I join VCOMA?

A:  Join VCOMA by accessing our Register for Membership section.

 

Q:  What forms of payment do you take for membership fees?

A:  We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, PayPal, company and personal checks.

 

Q:  Can I have my firm send you a company check for my membership dues?

A:  Yes. Register for membership, select the "manual" payment option, and print the invoice to submit to your accounting department.  Membership becomes active once payment is received and cleared.

 

Q:  What is Affiliate Membership?

A:  Affiliate Membership is a limited membership for vendors and service providers.  See our "Affiliates" page for full details.

 

Q:  How do NVCA members sign up for VCOMA?

A:  The National Venture Capital Association provides one complimentary VCOMA membership to each of its members.  NVCA members can register by accessing our Register for Membership section and selecting the "NVCA Complimentary Membership" level.  Only one complimentary membership per firm is permitted.

   

Sponsorship, Recommended Vendors, and Speakers

  

Q:  What is the description of a vendor or service provider?

A:  A vendor is a person or company that provides services such as travel agents, recruiters, caterers, etc.

 

Q:  How does a vendor become a recommended vendor on the recommended vendor list?

A:  A vendor may be added to the recommended vendor list through a recommendation from any client in the Venture Capital / Private Equity industry. The client does not have to be a VCOMA member but they must work in the industry. The recommendation must be a referral based on direct experience with the vendor and a review of the vendors work must be included. Vendor recommendations may be submitted from our "Vendors" section.

 

Q:  What is the description of a sponsor?

A:  A sponsor is a person or company that supports VCOMA events or activities. You can find sponsorship opportunities and details at Sponsorship.

 

Q:  What are the benefits of becoming a VCOMA sponsor?

A:  The benefits include exposure to both members and potential members, as well as, with certain levels of sponsorship, interacting face-to-face with members to further promote your business. See our Partner with Us section for full details on each opportunity.

 

Q:  Does VCOMA take "services in-trade" for sponsorship?

A:  Yes, as appropriate. Contact us at sponsor@vcoma.com for more details and to discuss how our two companies may work together.

 

Q:  How do I become a speaker at an upcoming VCOMA event? 

A:  If you are interested in becoming a potential speaker contact us at sponsor@vcoma.com. We will contact speakers we feel are appropriate for the upcoming events calendar. 

     

Advertising & Jobs Board

    

Q:  Can my company advertise to VCOMA members without becoming a sponsor?

A:  Yes. See our Advertising section for details on all opportunities.

 

Q:  I am a recruiter or a VC firm that is not a member. How do I advertise my open positions or current candidates to the VCOMA membership?

A:  VCOMA's jobs board gets hundreds of hits from prospective applicants each month.  Positions posted must be either in the financial, venture capital, or private equity industry (any position) or seeking an office manager (any industry).  Advertise your open positions, for a small fee, at http://www.vcoma.com/JobsBoard.

 

Members post to the VCOMA jobs board for free.

    

      

Still have Questions?  Contact us at questions@vcoma.com.