Welcome to another episode of the podcast that teaches you how to be a ridiculously good virtual assistant.
I’ve got a very special episode for you today especially if you are just trying to figure out whether the VA industry is the place for you.
Today’s Quote: “You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
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Connect with Tracey D’Aviero, VA Coach and Trainer
Episode Notes:
Today, we’re talking about whether becoming a virtual assistant is actually the right fit for you. I’ve had so many conversations with brand new and aspiring VAs that I figured this was a great time to do an episode that helps.
If you are here listening it is probably because you are teying to figure outbwhether becoming a virtual assistant is the right decision for you.
Because the truth is, it’s an incredible opportunity, but it’s not for everyone. And my goal today is to give you the clarity you need to decide.
There are a lot of things to think about, and I hope to cover all the most important ones today!
Now, if we haven’t met before, my name is Tracey D’Aviero. I am The Confidence Coach for Virtual Assistants, and I’ve been working from home for over twenty five years. I’ve been training and coaching VAs since 2010, helping people just like you start and grow their businesses.
And through all of that, what I’ve really become known for is helping VAs build confidence. Confidence in their services, their pricing, their marketing, and their ability to actually run a business.
Because here’s what I’ve learned. Most people don’t struggle with ability. They struggle with belief. And that’s what keeps them stuck.
Most of the VAs who come to me for help don’t need to learn anything new, they just need to know why someone should work with them. They need the confidence to connect with the clients who need them, and to make good decisions in their business.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves yet. You need the confidence to believe that you CAN do this (you can!).
So today, we’re going to walk through a few key things. What a virtual assistant actually does, what you need to know before you start, what you don’t need to know, and most importantly, how to decide if this is right for you.
Let’s start with one of the biggest questions I get.
What Does a Virtual Assistant Actually Do do?
A virtual assistant provides support to business owners. That support can look like a lot of different things. It can be general admin, email management, scheduling, client care, social media support, tech support, graphics, websites, event support, course creation, and so much more.
But here’s the part that I really want you to hear.
You do not need to learn a bunch of new skills to get started.
You can (and should) build a business based on what you already know how to do.
If you’ve worked in an admin role before, in any capacity, you already have skills that business owners need. And that’s because most business owners are not good at admin. That’s not their zone of genius. That’s yours.
One of the biggest mistakes I see is people thinking, “I need to learn social media before I can become a VA.”
And I always ask, where are you hearing that?
And the answer is almost always… social media.
Of course people are talking about social media services on social media. That doesn’t mean that’s the only service you can offer.
Every single business owner needs admin support. That is not going anywhere.
So if you take nothing else from this episode, take this.
Start with what you already know.
There is enough to learn about setting up a business. You already know how to help your clients.
When you start with what you know for your services, the conversations are much easier. And that’s what will get you your first clients.
Now, the next thing we need to talk about is your why.
Why Do You Want To Start a VA Business?
And I’m not asking this in a fluffy, surface-level way. I mean really, what is driving you?
For some people, it’s flexibility. They want to be available for their family. For others, it’s the ability to set their own schedule. Maybe you want to work part-time. Maybe you want to earn more money. Maybe you’re just done working for someone else.
All of those are valid reasons.
And you don’t have to choose just one.
But you do need to be clear on what your reasons are. Because there will be days when things feel hard. And on those days, you need something to come back to.
You need to be able to say, “This is why I’m doing this.”
So I want you to actually take a few minutes after this episode and write that down. Your reasons matter more than you think.
Your why will drive you, and it’s very very important to identify feom the start.
How Does Being a Virtual Assistant Actually Work?
Being a virtual assistant is very similar to working in an admin role, but with one major difference.
You are the business owner.
That means you set your hours. You set your rates. You decide what services you offer.
Your clients don’t get to dictate those things.
They can make requests, of course. But you get to say yes or no.
You also get to choose who you work with.
And this is one of the most powerful parts of running your own business. You are not stuck with difficult clients. You are not stuck in situations that drain your energy.
But, and this is important, you have to think like a business owner.
You are not an employee anymore.
Even though someone is paying you, you are their equal. You are providing a service. That mindset shift is huge, and it’s one that a lot of people struggle with at the beginning.
It’s essential that you find that confidence when you are starting your VA business. Sometimes you need to get help to find it. But when you are aware that you need it, you an check yourself along the way.
Do I feel confident that this is the right decision? Rate? Service? Marketing tactic? And so on and so on.
Confidence is going to be your key to making decisions and moving forward one step at a time.
What You Need To Know Before You Start
First, you need to understand your skills and your services. What do you want to offer? What do you enjoy doing? What are you good at? At first we think we can do anything and help anyone, but that is not the way to build a sustainable business that you love. The sooner you can set your service offerings based on your expertise and your fabourite things to do, the happier you will be.
Second, you need to know your why, like we just talked about. Before you start. What are the reasons you want this to haooen? That you want it to work?
Third, you need to be willing to do the work. Not just the tasks for your clients, but the work of building a business. Making decisions, showing up, learning what you need to learn, and taking action.
And that brings me to something really important.
There are things you need to learn as a business owner. Things like marketing, networking, communication, money management, and planning.
But here’s what you don’t need to do. You do not need to learn a brand new service before you start. You do not need to say yes to every client just to make money. You do not need to help everyone. And you definitely do not need to spend months building the “perfect” website before you begin.
I have seen so many VAs delay starting their business because they think everything has to be perfect first. It doesn’t. You need to get started. You need to get money coming in the door.
You can improve things as you go. Everything will always be a work in progress. You can change anything at any time. You are the boss.
Now, one thing I always recommend is that you start by charging hourly. Don’t jump into packages right away. You need to understand how long things take you first. Once you have that data, then you can move into packages.
It is so much easier to start doing work with clients so you can set parameters, understand different work styles, and working with a clock, than setting a package price and then having everything take longer than you thought.
Start smart. And please, don’t go down the rabbit hole of trying to learn everything at once. You don’t need to know everything to get started. You just need to know enough to take the next step.
Another reason the VAs come to me, feet frozen in place, is that they think they have to learn more and more.
You do not. You need to get started. One client at a time!
Now, let’s talk about staying in business, because starting is one thing, but sustaining it is another.
To stay in business, you need to consistently think like a business owner. You need to have conversations with business owners regularly. You need to be proactive with your clients. You need to get better at what you do over time.
And eventually, you’ll want to specialize.
Not because you have to, but because it makes things easier. When you become known for something specific, people start to refer you. And that’s when your business really starts to feel more stable.
Now, if you’re sitting here thinking, “Okay, this sounds great, but I still don’t know where to start,” let me simplify it for you.
Start With A Plan
A simple business plan that helps you identify what you know and what you still need to figure out.
You choose your services. You set your rates. You figure out who you want to work with. You start thinking about where those people are and how you can connect with them.
And then you start talking to people. Because at the end of the day, that is how you get clients.
Not by hiding behind your laptop. Not by endlessly tweaking your website. But by having conversations.
Do You Need Help?
Now, if you’re feeling excited about this, but also a little overwhelmed, that’s completely normal.
And it’s exactly why I created my Getting Started as a Virtual Assistant program.
This program walks you through everything we talked about today in a clear, simple, step-by-step way. It helps you create your business plan, set your rates, define your services, and start finding clients.
It’s designed to help you stop overthinking and start taking action.
And one of the things I’m really proud of is that it doesn’t just give you information. It helps you build confidence as you go.
Because again, that’s the piece that makes the biggest difference.
So if you’re ready to move forward, I would absolutely love to support you inside that program.
It’s just $97CAD. It is a self paced program that you go through at your own speed. You can do it quickly if you have some decisions made already. You can take your time if you are just starting.
By the end of the program you will have the framework you need to start your VA business.
And if you’re not quite there yet, that’s okay too.
Take what you learned today. Think about it. Reflect on your why. Look at your skills. And ask yourself honestly, is this something I want to pursue? It is a big decision to start a business.
But if the answer is yes, you don’t need to have it all figured out. You just need to take the first step. And the first step is picking up my Getting Started as a VA Self Study. It has helped hundreds of VAs just like you get their business off the ground, confidently and quickly.
Go to GetStartedVA.com to register today!
And if you still aren’t sure if being a VA is right for you, get in touch with me to talk about it.
I’m here to help. It’s the only reason I’m here at all, to help you become a ridiculously good virtual assistant.
That’s all I’ve got for you today. Thank you so much for tuning in. I’m Tracey D’Aviero, The Confidence Coach for VAs. I’d love to chat with you soon!