Welcome to another episode of the podcast that teaches you how to be a ridiculously good virtual assistant.
Today we are talking about struggles VAs face – and often don’t even talk about … part two!
Today’s Quote: Find a great mentor, someone who has already been through the many challenges of being an entrepreneur. – Jodi Levine
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Connect with Tracey D’Aviero, VA Coach and Trainer
Episode Notes:
We are back with part two of struggles VAs face, and how to fix them.
A quick reminder, a few years ago I hosted a VA conference in Calgary.
I asked the VAs in the room to privately share with me their biggest struggle in their VA business (they filled in a form at their table that got collected).
Usully the reason I ask for this at my live events is so that I can tailor the content of the event to help them the most.
This was eye-opening because most of the responses (seriously most of the 56 responses!) were not about getting clients.
To contrast this, when VAs answer my FB group entry questions, or when I post in the group asking what their issue is, they say getting clients most of the time. Overwhelmingly.
I think the reason the answers were different at the conference was that it was confidential.
VAs struggle with a lot of stuff. And we don’t talk about it enough.
I think that’s why I got such awesome shares, because this was a confidential ask.
So I wanted to dedicate an episode or two of my podcast to helping you with the struggles you may be facing but not talking about.
When I know what you need help with, I can help.
Today I’m going to focus on 4 more things that VAs struggle with – that ARE NOT RELATED to finding clients or getting clients.
Today we are going to talk about:
- Finding a niche
- Overcoming the fear of starting
- Working with creatives who do not finish what they start
That last one might sound a bit specific but it was a real issue for one of my conference attendees, and I’ll broaden it a bit so it is relevant for a larger group of VAs.
1 – Finding a Niche
One of the reasons that choosing a niche gets a bad rap is that we think we have to turn down work to ‘specialize’.
Niching down isn’t always about that.
You will find people who tell you specialize in something and charge crazy rates to build your business.
But what if you don’t want to do social media or marketing?
And other people will tell you to choose a target market but then to learn new skills to support them with.
I’ll teach you that when you are niching down that it’s about finding what you do best and finding the best clients that you can support.
It’s much less daunting than the way others teach it.
Probably because I’ve actually done it myself.
I’ve specialized, and I’ve niched. I’ve been a VA for over 25 years, guys, I’ve done a lot of stuff!
I’ve had a team, I’ve worked alone, I’ve worked with millionaires, I’ve worked with startups, I’ve gotten paid huge money and I’ve gotten stiffed.
I like to think I am able to impart advice from experience. That’s why I called my training persona Your VA Mentor way back in 2010.
What does all this mean? Finding what you do best and who you can best support …
You got into business doing something that you are amazing at.
We always say, whatever comes easiest to you is what you should be charging the most for.
Think EA versus receptionist or admin assistant. An EA is a highly specialized assistant, and they look after the guys who run the companies.
But it’s not about learning a skill like social media or digital marketing – it’s admin!
Most of us excel at administrative skills and that’s what I want you to continue to do in your business. Just find what you do really well (and love!) and build your business around that.
Next, figure out who needs those services and target a market – an industry, a group … whatever. Find your people who are at the same level as each other, and who all need your services. Bam. Niche.
Connect with those people every and get amazing clients easily.
Why are we scared to niche? Because people are telling us to do something that doesn’t feel natural to us – or that we have to spend money to learn – and then somehow figure out how to sell to people with no experience.
You don’t have to do that. Do it my way. You’ll get clients so much faster!
2 – Overcoming Fear of Starting
Now obviously you may have already started your VA business so you may think this isn’t a topic for you – but we all start new things. Some of us do it often.
We all do things we haven’t done before. We have to start many things as a business owner.
And it can be scary. Why? Because we can never be sure of how it’s supposed to work until we have done it.
At least I never could. Starting is scary – sometimes really scary.
With starting our business, there are so many things we need to think about. We worry about making a mistake, looking foolish, saying or doing the wrong thing.
But here’s something really cool. When I talk to a VA on a coaching call, and I ask them what they do – like how they help clients – they sometimes ramble a bit, trying to make sure they say exactly the right thing (don’t worry, it happens to everyone!).
When I hit on something that they know how to do, their voice changes. Their intonation changes. Their confidence comes shining through, as they describe the steps or the outcome of doing that thing for someone.
Something that they know how to do. They can describe it so effortlessly.
I always point that out to them, to let them know that their confidence IS there. Right there. I just heard it.
And guess what? We did that thing we are describing for the first time once a long time ago too. We just did it over and over and got better at it.
You’ll get better at being a VA too – thinking of yourself as one -making confident decisions – speaking confidently about how you can help clients.
If you are stuck on getting started, think about all the things that you have already done for the first time, and just got better at. You can do this too!
I promise you can. I’m here to help you do it.
3 – Working With Creatives Who Do Not Finish What They Start
Okay so you might think, I don’t have this problem, but I’ll broaden it in a minute here for you.
This was a real issue, and it is a real one. I had it myself with several clients.
I honestly was not the best person to support creatives, but I did have many of them as clients over the years.
From the publishing industry, interior designers, and even some speakers and authors to a point.
Others I worked with might not have been creatives, but they changed their minds. A lot.
It’s an issue. Probably a more common one than you realize.
We all think our problems are just ours, but really they aren’t.
Right now there is someone else with the same problem as you. As I said earlier, we just aren’t talking about it.
Is it okay for clients to change their minds? Sure it is.
Do we go with the flow? Yep, we can.
Should it upset us if they don’t ever finish it or launch it? Nope.
I mean I get it. It does bother us, but it shouldn’t.
We are not responsible for their business – they are. We are responsible TO their business, to do what they need us to do … what they pay us to do. But we can not take on the responsibility FOR their business. It’s theirs. It’s not ours. That is not our role – and it’s not our place.
I had a client once who reincarnated a program six times and never really sold it. She paid me to help her redo it each time, and I felt bad but it was what she needed and that was my role.
It’s not up to us to get upset if their business isn’t going the way we think it should.
If it bothers you, then stop working with them. Plain and simple. Whether they are creatives or just indecisive people.
I had a client who had ADHD. He was wonderful, loved him. We hung out at events and had so much fun. But I could not help him. It drove me bananas to do his newsletter every week because he would make SO many changes. Sometimes he would even give me a whole new one at the last minute. I was not the best person to support him. He made me angry all the time – -but it had nothing to do with me. It was his business, and his money.
He didn’t like it when I referred him to another VA but I explained why and he totally understood.. He went through a few VAs after me. He missed me and I missed him, but it made no sense for me to support him.
Other VAs who excel at supporting clients with ADHD know how to organize them, how to manage them, and that’s their area of specialty. It’s not mine. If it’s not yours, then be aware of what kinds of characteristics, personality traits and more you need your clients to have so that you both work well together.
There ya go. There are three more struggles VAs face, and how to fix them.
And like I said they are unrelated to getting clients. Well of course they are in a way, but if these are the things that you are having trouble with, then let me help you work through them.
It’s not hard to do – and it will help you move forward in your VA business!
Let’s circle back quickly to today’s quote from Jodi Levine: Find a great mentor, someone who has already been through the many challenges of being an entrepreneur. 🙂
That’s me. I have struggled. I have succeeded. That’s why I know you are struggling with something – and I am here to help. It’s the only reason I’m here at all, as you know. To help you become a ridiculously good VA.
What You Need to Do Next:
I’ve helped hundreds of VAs through challenges just like yours, and got them on their way to growing their business and the lifestyle that they dream of. That you dream of.
I’d love to do the same for you.
Let’s work together privately to get you to your really big goal. It’s the fastest way to get results and we can start right away. Learn more about private coaching here.
The Virtual Circle (TVC) is a monthly mastermind group for Virtual Assistants just like you. We get together 3 times a month for group Zoom sessions to talk about what you are struggling with, working on, or celebrating. It’s a close knit community of your VA colleagues that provides the best kind of support for your VA business. Learn more about TVC here.
My self study program Getting Started as a VA can help you get your VA business started easily and quickly too. You can sign up right away and be on your way to getting clients by the end of the program, with all the right foundations in place. Check out the program here.
Reach out to me if you need to talk about where you are stuck and what the right option might be to get you moving. It’s literally all I’m here to do is help you get to where you want to go. Book a complimentary Cut to the Chase call with me here.