Welcome to another episode of the podcast that teaches you how to be a ridiculously good virtual assistant.
Are you stuck? or frustrated? you know you have the experience, the knowledge, and you have done all the research, but you still don’t have amazing VA clients.
Today I want to talk what could be holding you back – it’s actually you. Your mindset, to be exact.
Today’s Quote: “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.” – Henry Ford.
Click the play button above to tune in, or choose your favourite podcast player below:
Connect with Tracey D’Aviero, VA Coach and Trainer
Episode Notes:
Mindset isn’t just some fluffy concept reserved for self-help books and vision boards. It’s the foundation of your business. Your beliefs, your self-talk, your expectations. These are the things that shape your actions every single day. And the actions you take determine the results you get.
In this episode, I want to talk about the one mindset shift that I believe every VA needs to make in order to grow a truly successful business. Not just a side hustle. Not just a bit of extra income. But a sustainable, fulfilling, well-paying VA business that you’re proud to run.
Let me start with a quick story.
I knew a VA once who had a very clear vision of the services she wanted to offer, the clients she wanted to work with, and the rates she wanted to charge. It was refreshing to see all of these decisions had been easily made by her – these are the ones that often trip up VAs and keep them stuck.
She had it all, but she didn’t have the mindset piece in place, and she really struggled with it. She couldn’t figure out how to connect with the people that she wanted to help. And when we figured out how to connect with them, she couldn’t ‘sell’ what she had put together. She knew what she wanted to do, but her confidence was completely lacking because she had never actually offered these services before.
We had to work through a lot of things including benefits of service, and market research, so that she could get having actual conversations with people that helped her confidence grow.
Mindset is a tricky thing – it keeps you stuck for so long. I say it all the time, if you don’t believe that you can help your clients, they will never believe it.
You might tell yourself you believe it, but until you actually make those connections and have those conversations, your mindset will remain stuck.
Most of the VAs I work with already have the knowledge. They’ve taken the courses, they’ve learned the tech, and they’ve even started putting themselves out there. But they still find themselves playing small. They second-guess everything. They hold back from raising their rates. They hesitate to pitch themselves, to post content, to set boundaries. And when you dig into why—they always say something like, “I don’t feel ready,” or “I’m afraid I’ll lose the client,” or “Why would they hire me?”
The truth is, it’s never really about the tools or the systems or the marketing. Those things matter, yes—but they only work when your mindset is aligned with growth. You have to believe that you deserve success before you’ll actually take the actions that create it.
So what is this mindset shift I keep talking about?
Stop Thinking Like an Employee
It’s this: Stop thinking like an employee or a freelancer… and start thinking like a business owner. A real CEO.
When you first become a VA, it’s natural to think like an employee. After all, that’s probably the environment you’ve come from. You’re used to being told what to do, how much you’ll be paid, what your schedule looks like, and whether or not you’re performing well.
But when you start your VA business, that role doesn’t exist anymore. You’re the one making the decisions. You’re the one deciding your pricing, your services, your hours, your boundaries, your direction. You are not applying for a job—you are offering a solution. You are not hoping to be picked—you are positioning yourself as a business owner who can help solve a problem.
This might seem like a small distinction, but it changes everything.
Because here’s what happens when you think like an employee or a beginner freelancer:
You undercharge. You hesitate to raise your rates, even when your work has clearly outgrown your pricing.
You say yes to every client and every request, even when something doesn’t feel right.
You wait for permission—to launch something, to show up more confidently, to say you’re an expert.
You doubt yourself constantly. You wonder if you’re good enough. You assume other VAs know more than you.
You downplay your business to friends and family, maybe even to yourself.
But when you shift into that CEO mindset—when you own the fact that you are running a business—things start to feel very different.
You start setting boundaries.
You begin to value your time and expertise.
You see client work as collaboration—not submission.
You talk about your business with pride.
You become selective about who you work with and how.
Here’s the reality: if you’re still thinking like an employee, you’re going to attract clients who want to treat you like one. They’ll micromanage. They’ll expect you to be on call. They’ll resist your rates. They’ll question your decisions. And eventually, you’ll burn out—or worse, you’ll quit altogether, believing that business ownership just wasn’t for you.
But if you shift your mindset first—if you truly begin to see yourself as a business owner—then you’ll show up differently. And clients will respond to that energy.
Let’s talk about some signs that you might not have made this shift yet.
If you’re still charging hourly and constantly working just to break even, you might be stuck in an employee mindset.
If you keep saying yes to clients who aren’t a good fit—or work that doesn’t light you up—because you’re afraid of losing income, that’s a clue.
If you feel nervous every time you introduce yourself as a virtual assistant, or if you struggle to talk about what you do with confidence, that’s another sign.
If you’re constantly researching and learning, but rarely implementing or promoting your offers, that’s often mindset.
And if you’re waiting for someone to give you permission to charge more, to specialize, or to grow—then this episode is for you.
How Do You Make This Mindset Shift?
First, you have to start making decisions like a business owner. That means asking yourself: what is best for my business—not just what feels easiest or least scary in the moment? If you’ve been undercharging, it might feel easier to just stay where you are. But what’s best for the business? Raising your rates.
If you’ve been saying yes to every client, even the red-flag ones, it might feel safer not to rock the boat. But what’s best for your business is to work with clients who value you and respect your boundaries.
Second, start thinking in terms of value, not time. Business owners don’t get paid for the number of hours they sit at their desk. They get paid for the results they provide. So if you’re constantly trying to justify every minute or track every hour, it might be time to reframe how you offer your services. You are not just a “pair of hands.” You are a partner, a strategist, a contributor to your clients’ success.
Third, take control of client conversations. A lot of VAs think of discovery calls as interviews where they have to prove themselves. But when you’re in the CEO mindset, you approach those calls as equals. You ask questions. You assess whether the client is a good fit for you. You’re not hoping to be chosen—you’re deciding if this relationship makes sense on both sides.
Fourth, invest like a business owner. That might mean investing in coaching, training, tools, or systems that save you time and help you grow. Business owners don’t wait until everything is perfect or until they feel “ready.” They take calculated risks. They invest in the next level version of themselves—even before they fully feel like that version yet.
And finally, create daily habits that reinforce this mindset. Track your wins—even small ones—so you start to build confidence in your own results. Practice saying no to things that don’t align with your goals. Remind yourself daily: “I run a real business. I’m building something meaningful. I make decisions that support growth.”
When you make this shift, you begin to attract better clients. You start to feel confident promoting your services. You stop underpricing and overworking. You begin to feel proud of the business you’re building—because it reflects you, your values, and your long-term goals.
And here’s the best part: you don’t need a huge audience or perfect branding or a long list of services to make this shift. You can start today, right where you are, with a simple decision.
What To Do Next
So here’s what I want you to do next.
First, write down one belief that’s been holding you back in your VA business. Something like “I’m not experienced enough to charge more,” or “I need to say yes to every client to keep my business going.” Once you have that belief written down, challenge it. Ask yourself: is this actually true? What’s a new belief I could choose instead?
Second, I want you to practice introducing yourself this week—not as “just a VA” or someone “trying this out”—but as the confident business owner you are. You don’t need to fake anything. Just start owning what you’ve already built.
Third, look at your current services. Are they aligned with the kind of business you want to run? If not, you don’t have to change everything today—but take one small step. Whether it’s changing your rate, refining a package, or simply saying no to a task you’ve outgrown, it counts.
To make any changes in your business, you have to take steps forward.
You can do it yourself, or you can do it with help. One of my colleagues always says something like we pay to take the faster path. I’m butchering her very eloquent message, but you get the point. Investing in help means you get to where you want to go faster.
Often because the person you are working with has the strategy, but also because they are supporting you all the way.
Taking steps you have never taken before can be challenging, and your mindset can make you move forward at a snail’s pace.
Do You Need Help?
If you want some help, I’m here for you.
It’s the only reason I’m here at all, to help you become a ridiculously good virtual assistant.
If this episode resonated with you, this is the exact kind of work we do in my coaching programs. I help VAs just like you shift into that confident business owner mindset—and combine that with practical strategies to attract clients, price your services, and grow sustainably. If that’s something you know you need, reach out to me. I’d love to support you.
You can find me at YourVAMentor.com/links – you can book a complimentary Cut to the Chase call with me or we can get you into some private coaching to move quickly.
Remember, you don’t have to wait until you feel confident to act like a business owner. Confidence comes from taking action. From showing up. From deciding that you’re done playing small.
Let’s circle back to today’s quote: Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right. Love this one!
The shift starts with a choice. And you get to make that choice today.
That’s all I’ve got for you this week – thanks so much for tuning in. I’ll see you next time!
So stop asking yourself, “How do I become ready to get my first client?”
Start asking, “Who can I help, and how can I start a conversation with them?”
That is where things start to change.
And remember, you don’t need to know everything.
You just need to know enough to help the person in front of you. Then you learn. Then you improve. Then you help the next person.
And before you know it, that first client isn’t the scary, impossible milestone you were imagining.
It’s simply the first step in building your VA business.
And that is exactly where I want you to start.
Let’s circle back to today’s quote: You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.
Trying to find a client, whether it’s your first or next, is about taking action right now, with what you have and where you are.
You don’t need to become someone else, you don’t need to learn anything new, you just need to start those conversations.
Talk to people about what they need, and let them know if you can help.
If you need help figuring out how to begin those conversations, reach out to me.
You can find me at YourVAMentor.com/links.
That’s all I’ve got for you this week, thank you so much for tuning in. I’ll see you next time!
