I know from experience that when you first discover VAs exist and you suspect you might want to become one, you research the subject to death and then quickly become overwhelmed with information. So, here are the most frequently asked questions about becoming a Virtual Assistant to help you decide if it’s the right career for you.
Being a Virtual Assistant is awesome. I have an incredible lifestyle and have worked from countries all around the world. But the life of a freelancer isn’t all unicorns and fairies and it’s definitely not a way of making ‘easy money’. So, let me tell you what is actually involved in setting up and running a Virtual Assistant business so you can decide if it’s for you.
When you decide that you’re going to become a Virtual Assistant and take over the Universe, one of the things you’ll need to do is tell the Government you’re no longer working for The Man but for many men (and women) instead. The information below is based on current UK tax laws so please check what your own government requires if you live outside of the UK.
If you’re anything like me, then you love learning new things. In fact, it may even be one of the reasons you decided to set up your own business. But whether you’re a Virtual Assistant looking to upskill or you simply want to know all the things, I know you’re going to flip over this carefully curated collection of online courses I’ve put together for you.
Winter can be hard for freelancers. If you’re not careful you could slip on ice and break your wrist, spend months freezing your butt off or end up crying over a massive heating bill. But there’s no need to worry about staying safe and warm this winter because I have some fail-proof ways to get through it without falling foul to frostbite or fractures.
This is a Virtual Assistant case study and interview with Toks Coyle (née Adebanjo) from TAVA Services. Winner and runner-up of a number of VA awards, Toks lives with her husband in East Lothian, Scotland and set up her business in the Autumn of 2016 after struggling to find a career path she was truly passionate about.
This is a Virtual Assistant case study and interview with Michelle Dowsett from Discovery PA Solutions. Specialising in providing a bespoke personal service, Michelle lives with her family in Kent in the UK and set up her VA business in August 2018 so she could ditch her long commute and spend more time with her children.
As I write this post in response to the global Coronavirus pandemic, I feel lucky that the VA industry is so robust. Virtual Assistants have numerous transferable skills; we can work with any type of business, in any location, in any timezone and in any currency. Virtual Assistance is a highly agile business model that withstands turbulent times.
Having a niche comes with numerous benefits not least because it’s far better to be the irreplaceable Virtual Assistant whose clients would pay anything rather than lose, than the average do-it-all VA who can be easily interchanged with another one. I know for a fact that you have an area of expertise in your repertoire, so let me help you work out what it is.
I’m sorry to tell you this, but some unpleasant and unexpected events are likely to take place during your freelance career. To help you anticipate what these events could be and to prevent them from impacting your business, I’ve created a disaster recovery exercise so you can implement steps and future-proof your business against every eventuality.
After you set up your Virtual Assistant business, you may struggle to effectively manage your time. It’s actually quite tricky to complete the work of multiple clients as well as undertake your own business activities and family responsibilities. But don’t worry, I know a multitude of tricks to help you juggle the lot, without losing your sanity.
