Welcome to another episode of the podcast that teaches you how to be a ridiculously good virtual assistant.
Today I want to talk about what type of VA you are.
Today’s Quote: “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” – Confucius
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Connect with Tracey D’Aviero, VA Coach and Trainer
Episode Notes:
Today we’re diving into one of the most important topics for any VA … figuring out what kind of VA you are.
This is something I see so many VAs struggle with, especially when they’re starting out, but also even years into business. The question comes up again and again: What services should I offer? Should I niche down? Should I just try to learn something that’s in demand?
I’m going to walk you through some of the thought processes that can help you get clear on this, without giving you a one-size-fits-all answer. Because the truth is, the “right type of VA” looks different for everyone.
And by the way, at the end of this episode, I’ve got a fun resource for you that will help you figure out your VA type quickly and easily. Stick around for that.
Why Knowing Your VA Type Matters
Let’s talk about why this is so important.
When you’re not clear on your VA type, you end up offering a mishmash of services to anyone who will pay you. That might get you some clients in the short term, but it almost always leads to stress, undercharging, and burnout.
But when you know who you are as a VA – what you do best, what lights you up, and who you serve – you stop chasing random work and start attracting clients who value what you do. You feel more confident, you market yourself with ease, and you’re more likely to build a sustainable business.
I know what you are going through. Who wants to turn down money? Who wants to feel limited, or like they are losing out on clients because they are looking for someone in particular? I definitely used to feel like that. I said yes to lots of people, even if I didn’t like what they wanted me to do.
But you know who DOES get this concept? The ones who have made the decision and changed their way of thinking – yes, like I eventually did. Because we know it’s the better way.
It’s so much more fun to work every day when you are doing what you love, working with clients who value and appreciate your experience and skills – and making good money doing it of course.
As soon as I figured out what I loved to do and who needed that service, I realized that not everyone knew how to do what I did. I honestly didn’t realize that before. And everything changed. I doubled my rates, and I became booked out with a waiting list all year long.
Step 1: Do a Skills Inventory
The first thing to do is take stock of what you already know. We often underestimate just how much experience we bring to the table.
Think about your previous jobs, your volunteer work, and even hobbies or passions. What kinds of tasks did you handle? Did you create spreadsheets, write content, manage schedules, or organize events?
Don’t leave anything out. You might think, “Oh, I just answered phones, that’s nothing special.” But guess what? Communication skills and managing multiple conversations at once are highly valuable for VAs.
My skills inventory exercise opens a lot of eyes. Just like it opened mine when I first did it. You know how to do so many things.
You are not just whatever you did at your last job.
You are definitely not whatever you THINK clients are hiring VAs for (unless that’s your specialty already).
You are not a new VA – and therefore starting out with general admin.
When you lay everything out in a skills inventory, you start to see patterns. You realize you have way more to offer than you thought.
Step 2: Choose What You Love and Are Best At
Now, this step is key. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.
A lot of VAs get stuck in this trap. Maybe you can do bookkeeping. Maybe you can figure out Canva graphics. But if you don’t enjoy those tasks, forcing yourself to do them every day will drain you.
The sweet spot is when your skill set overlaps with your interests. Those are the services you’ll not only do well, but also do happily and consistently.
When you are figuring out what services to offer, it’s important to think about what you do well.
I didn’t realize when I was getting started that I had expertise that others didn’t have. I literally thought that everyone could do the things I knew how to do.
It wasn’t until a colleague of mine pointed out things that I did exceptionally well that she did NOT do particularly well, that I realized that I had been telling myself a lie all along.
Everyone I looked at did NOT know how to do the things I knew how to do. They had their own expertise but they needed me to be their good communicator, their organized assistant, their ‘Columbo’ to figure out the difficult stuff, their ‘Radar’ to anticipate what they needed next, their planner and executor. I had no idea until someone told me.
So what do you do that you think everyone else can do? I’m here to tell you, they can’t. You are exceptional!
One of my coaches once said ‘The thing that comes easiest to you is what you should be charging the most for.’ And I have learned to absolutely agree with that!
When you choose services you love, your energy shines through in your work. Clients notice that enthusiasm, and that’s what keeps them coming back.
Step 3: Don’t Chase “In Demand” Services
This one is a biggie. Yuge.
I see VAs hear that social media management, funnels, or tech support are “hot” services, and then they run out, take a quick course, and try to sell it, even if it’s not a natural fit.
The problem is, clients can sense when you’re not confident in a service. They can tell if your heart isn’t in it. That makes marketing harder, delivery harder, and your results weaker.
In demand does not automatically mean your demand. That’s a writer downer!
Yes, trends come and go. But if you build your business around skills you enjoy and excel at, you’ll create longevity. You won’t have to constantly reinvent yourself to keep up.
I took a course once on Facebook Ads. My clients all wanted to use them and I was like ‘yeah, I can do that, and I can charge a lot of money for them’. Nope. Invested, tried, failed, tried, failed. Didn’t like them, still didn’t really get them, and it was a huge waste of my time, my money, my clients money.
Because when you are running Facebook Ads for someone, not only are they paying you, but they are paying Facebook (Meta) for every piece of that real estate. Ick. Ooh. I totally stopped. And I went back to offer just high level client services, and marketing services.
Step 4: Think About the Clients You Want to Work With
The type of VA you are is also influenced by the type of clients you want to attract.
Different industries need different types of support. For example:
- Authors might need help with book launches and promotions.
- Real estate agents need someone who can manage listings, coordinate showings, and handle client follow-up.
- Coaches often need help with content creation, community management, or tech behind their programs.
- Nonprofits may need support with grant tracking, event planning, or donor communication.
When you picture your ideal client, think about what their day-to-day business looks like. What do they need most? And more importantly, what do you want to be the one providing?
I love to advise VAs to work with people who do something they are interested in. I often tell the story of my student who wanted to offer social media services (she had taken some training) and we were trying to figure out who her best clients were.
Through her skills inventory, she had indicated that she was a sommelier = a wine expert.
We found her clients – the small wineries near her home that desperately needed social media help to attract their guests. And that’s what she did.
See how you can make it work for you, and really stand out in your market? That’s the point.
She did what she was trained to do, in an industry that she had a deep interest in. She brought more enthusiasm and interest to her work every day and her clients appreciated that.
Step 5: Look at the Bigger Picture
Sometimes, figuring out your VA type isn’t just about your current skills. It’s also about where you want to go long-term.
Ask yourself:
- Do I want to specialize deeply in one area, like podcast management or bookkeeping?
- Do I want to stay more general and support business owners with a variety of admin tasks?
- Do I want to eventually move into consulting, coaching, or building a team?
The answers will influence how you position yourself today.
Knowing what you want to do in the future can really help you decide what to do today.
How can your business evolve?
My business started off as a general admin business. I loved the customer aspect of it and specialized there. Then I found the business coach industry and offered high level customer service there. I took marketing courses and helped them with marketing and then became a marketing and virtual events specialist. I eventually taught their clients how to work with a VA, and voila, started teaching the actual VAs like you. The rest is history! You can build and grow in whatever direction you want – but it will probably always be based in what you are best at or what you love to do (or it should be).
Putting It All Together
Let’s recap:
- Start with a skills inventory.
- Narrow down to the things you love and do best.
- Don’t chase trends just because they’re popular.
- Think about your ideal clients and their needs.
- Consider where you want your business to grow in the future.
When you look at all of these pieces together, you’ll start to see your VA type clearly.
Do You Need Help?
Now, if you’re listening and thinking, “Okay, I get this, but I still don’t know how to put all the pieces together”. Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered.
I created a fun and easy quiz called What Type of VA Are You? It’s designed to help you identify your natural strengths and figure out how those can shape your VA business.
It only takes a few minutes, and you’ll walk away with results that give you clarity about the services and direction that are the best fit for you.
Sometimes we get wrapped up in the ‘shoulds’ instead of what we really can do. What should you do? You should do what you want, what lights you up.
So after you finish listening to this episode, head over and take the quiz at YourVAMentor.com/quiz. I can’t wait to hear what type you get!
That’s it for today’s episode of The Ridiculously Good VA Show. Remember, the best VA business is the one that’s built around your strengths, your passions, and the clients you most want to serve. That’s what I tell you every week and I’m here to help. It’s the only reason I’m here at all, to help you become a ridiculously good virtual assistant.
Thanks for listening. That’s all I’ve got for you this week. I’ll see you next time.