I appreciate your discussion of Brickwork. I am looking for a VA and I don't have much time. I need assistance with a company newsletter: preparing content, mailing list, mailing of the newsletters, etc. Any recommendations for a smaller VA that can get this done quickly and without the same problems you encountered? Thanks, Sean

This is hilarious to me — Tim Ferris expounds at length in his book about how it's best to hire a firm like Brickwork rather than one individual for outsourcing tasks, so you don't get caught by their schedule and timeline. I can't even get a timely price quote from this firm b/c the one person who has apparently been assigned to the task has gone on vacation for a week. ?

This little project was going to be my test case, trying them out for much more work I need to get done. But so far I can't see any advantage to going with an agency like Brickwork rather than one good freelancer in the US or elsewhere.

I assigned them a second task of searching for content writers and this time I gave them a limit of 2hrs and I specified the rate and other details, they gave me a doc with 10-15 writers a few of them just elance profiles. Frankly this would have taken me 15 mins or less to find out. The reason I gave them this task is because I've totally lost faith in their ability to perform most of the tasks I give them.

I still have 10 hrs in my account with them but I don't know what to use it for.

I asked them to create a pricing model for a company of a friend. They sell adhesive gum and just wanted a simple pricing model. When I contacted BW about this they asked for a write up of the company, a write up of the product and some other vague details. I don't know how this is relevant, we gave them our profit margin and production cost and the price that the product should retail for.

I've had tons of communication which was mostly over the phone, but it's of no use. They just don't seem to understand any of the new business models.

My experience with Brickwork has been terrible, their communication is good, but their basic grasp of business seems to be different. The first person I spoke to Pradeep, said I was his first Indian client in his 4 yrs of experience. They seem to like complicating simple tasks, rather than simplify them. Every person I spoke to in Brickwork, this includes Pradeep J,Kalyani P, Sanjeeth were puzzled when I spoke about a muse or information product. I assumed that since they were so familiar with foreign markets, they'd know what I'm talking about but contrary to popular belief laid down by Tim Ferriss, they are nowhere as good as claimed.

I'll be happy to answer questions about Brickwork to the best of my knowledge, if I can save anyone the hassle and money I'd love to. I just wish I had found this before paying them.

Just reply here and I'll get back to you.

Note: I posted this same review on another blog.

In general, I have been very frustrated with the Brickwork service–I have had a serious problem communicating with the staff about projects and expectations. No one I've spoken with or communicated with at Brickwork has understood what I am trying to do, but they have also NOT made an effort to learn more, ask questions, clarify anything. From the beginning, I tried to make my project/the task clear yet it seems as though Brickwork did not understand what I was asking for.

When I received results from someone at Brickwork over the last 6 weeks, the work has been bad and the time used enormous. What they said would take their staff about 16 hours took me only 3. And this last project should have been far less time consuming than the results have shown. In fact, rather than be a user-friendly service to help facilitate my project, Brickwork made it about 10 times MORE difficult for me because I've had to spend time reviewing their work, which has had many errors, version control issues and a clear lack of concern of the result.

I have come to the conclusion that I should have done it myself the first time and saved the money or hired someone locally. It's too bad. I had high hopes for using this service, but instead, have been sorely disappointed at every turn.

A 2009 update would be great.

I wish I'd read them before trying Bpovia for a month.

$100 paid up front for 10 hours over a month.

Poor communication;little produced in 5 hours of billed time and what was wasn't useful.

When I pointed this out there was no reply.

Then the month expired and they've kept the unused $50 without offering me another VA to try again.

That's good money in China.

Money for old rope.

Keep away from these people.

Thanks you

fabio