The current concept of a virtual assistant has been in practice since the early 1990s, though outsourcing has been in practice for as long as history has been written.  Virtual Assistant, Inc. is on the cutting edge of business resource development, outsourcing business processes to virtual assistants, also known as VAs. This organization is devoted to providing small businesses with the tools to level the playing field while saving them time and money on overhead, enabling them to compete in a larger market.  The following examples of outsourcing and virtual assistants in the news media document solutions, advantages and benefits that businesses such as Virtual Assistant, Inc. provides.