How to answer every naysayer you’ll ever meet (including yourself

I’ve written about how to say no to “well-meaning” saboteurs called naysayers, but what I haven’t done is give you examples of what they might say so you know what to say no to! Whether you’re on the receiving end of a negative comment or battling your own negative thoughts, it will help to have a good response ready.

Please don’t freak out at the idea that someone may say negative things when you tell them of your plan to set up your own Virtual Assistant business.

Sure, some people may say these things to you, but equally, they may be incredibly supportive.

I just want you to be prepared for any doubts or questions that either you, a family member, a friend, or a colleague may have when you start setting up your Virtual Assistant business.

Because if you can answer every question or doubt that may arise, there will be nothing standing in your way aside from you.

Naysayer comments and how to reply

Naysayer: You don’t know the first thing about running a business

You: No one is born knowing how to run a business, just as we’re not born knowing how to walk. Everyone had to start somewhere.

However, I’ve been reading everything I can about running a business, and I’ve joined a fantastic Facebook group full of established Virtual Assistants.

So, I not only have a huge amount of inspiration and support from people already doing this, but I also have a ton of resources and a place to go when I need an answer to one of my questions.

Naysayer: I hear that a lot of businesses fail

You: I suppose a lot of businesses do fail, but many of them succeed as well.

To give myself the best chance of success, I’ve done my research, made a plan and intend to give it all I’ve got to ensure my business succeeds. Having the support of my friends and family will also help.

If you wanted to, you could always point out that:

• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was rejected 12 times, and J.K. Rowling was told: “not to quit her day job”.
• In 1977, Ken Olsen, the founder of Digital Equipment Corp, said there would be no need for a computer in the home.
• Jay-Z set up his own record company because not one label would sign him.
• Thomas Edison was told at school that he was “too stupid to learn anything”.
• In 1946, Darryl Zanuck said TV wouldn’t last because people would “soon get tired of staring at a plywood box every night”.
• Simon Cowell rejected the Spice Girls.
• In 2005, Alan Sugar said: “Next Christmas, the iPod will be dead, finished, gone, kaput”.

(What I’m saying is that most people don’t always know what they’re talking about!)

Naysayer: Are people actually going to pay someone to do their admin?

You: Oh yes, and they pay a helluva lot of money, too!

Most business owners don’t naturally have administrative and organisational skills, and many feel they are wasting a lot of time on administrative tasks when they could be using their time for more important things.

Business owners use Virtual Assistants to complete tasks they don’t know how to do, don’t want to do, aren’t good at, don’t enjoy, or tasks that take up a lot of their time.

Running a business involves an incredibly high number of repetitive, time-consuming tasks, so when business owners outsource those tasks (especially to someone who charges less per hour than they do), they can get on with servicing their clients, growing their business, and making more money.

After all, there’s a limit to what one person can do by themselves.

Naysayer: Wow, isn’t that a lot of money to charge?

You: Not really (£amount), is the going rate for Virtual Assistants, and I’m in a group full of thousands of VAs who charge at least that already.

Freelancers have to pay their own taxes. They also have no company pension, maternity pay, holiday pay, or sick pay. There are many expenses involved in running your own business, which is why VAs charge well over the minimum wage.

Plus, what you or I may think is a lot of money isn’t always what other people consider a lot.

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Naysayer: There’s no job security, you know

You: Yes, and that’s one reason freelancing isn’t for everyone and why our hourly rate is so high.

I’d say that there’s actually less security working for a company. Joanne Munro, who runs the VA Handbook website, says her best friend has been made redundant six times from her employed roles.

I’d rather be the one in control of my future than have someone else decide it for me.

Virtual Assistants have multiple clients and, therefore, multiple incomes, so they’re not putting all their eggs in one basket. Even if I lose a client, I won’t lose my income in one go, which is what would happen if I was made redundant.

In fact, Virtual Assistants have always done well in volatile or unstable times because they can work with any business, in any timezone, and in any currency. They’re also flexible and can adapt quickly to changes.

Naysayer: Isn’t the VA market saturated already?

You: I’m not sure where you heard that, but no, it isn’t. There are loads of web developers, accountants, solicitors, coffee shops, and hairdressers (continue with this list forever) in our town alone, and they’re all busy.

A saturated market would be if I lived in a town of 10,000 people, and 1,000 of them were Virtual Assistants. I even asked ChatGPT this question, and it said virtual assistance is a growing industry.

Naysayer: Isn’t it incredibly risky / a massive gamble?

You: Millions of people run their own businesses in the UK alone, which means I can easily be one of them. Also, I’m not going to just throw in my job; I’m going to slowly set up alongside my job to see how it goes.

If I like it and the signs are good, then I’ll carefully transition from one to the other. I will not gamble or risk anything.

Now, many of these questions are completely valid.

It’s true that you don’t yet have any experience running a business, there is no job security, and that many businesses fail.

But they’re definitely not good enough reasons to prevent you from setting up your business.

* Nobody has experience running a business until they do.
* A freelancer has more job security than an expendable employee who could be made redundant at any time.
* Many businesses fail because the owner had no plan, no discipline, and wasn’t sufficiently prepared.

You wouldn’t let someone else dress you in the morning, so don’t let someone else decide the course of your life.

Research as much as you can, make a plan, follow that plan (but adapt when needed) and don’t half-ass it.

Takeaways

Not everyone is going to be on board with you setting up your own business – but that is their concern and not yours.

Some people are scared of change, and when you start doing something exciting with your life, it can highlight their own failure (or lack of attempt) to do something with theirs.

You may be out of their comfort zone, and they want to keep you where you are, or it may be that they simply don’t see that there are other ways to live their lives and make a living.

You understand that as long as you can pay your rent and bills, you can earn a living however you choose, but they may not have worked that out yet.

Don’t let someone who gave up on their dreams talk you out of yours.

Instead of worrying about what other people might think or want you to do, your main focus should be to ask yourself, “What will happen if I don’t do this? Will I feel that I cheated myself?”.

Ready to stop reading and start doing? You don’t need to worry about a thing because my DIY VA course covers everything you need to set up a bulletproof Virtual Assistant business. From services and niches to branding, pricing and finding work. You get lifetime access and I guide you through the entire process. FIND OUT MORE

Related posts:

Why it’s always a great time to be a Virtual Assistant The best things about being a Virtual Assistant Don’t confuse your skills with your personality Advice for new Virtual Assistants from experienced VAs