I have an entire website on how to set up and run a successful Virtual Assistant business, but I recently realised I didn’t have a post that explains what a VA actually is and what they do as I kinda assumed you knew! So, if you were wondering what a VA is and the kinds of tasks they do for clients, here’s a simple breakdown.
Being a Virtual Assistant is awesome. I have a fantastic lifestyle and have worked in countries all around the world. But the life of a freelancer isn’t all unicorns and fairies, and it’s definitely not a “side hustle” or a way of making easy money. Let me tell you what’s actually involved in setting up and running a VA business so you can decide if it’s for you.
Having a Virtual Assistant niche comes with numerous benefits, not least because you want to be the irreplaceable VA whose clients would pay anything rather than lose, rather than an average do-it-all VA who can be easily interchanged with a cheaper one. You definitely have an area of expertise in your repertoire, so let me help you work out what it is!
If you’re still in the setting-up phase of your VA business wouldn’t it be great to receive some personal advice from established Virtual Assistants who have walked the path before you? I mean, imagine how helpful it would be to hear some words of wisdom, get some pointers and find out what the best course of action would be? Oh wait… there is!
I know from experience that when you first discover Virtual Assistants exist and you suspect you might want to be 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.
Whenever the world experiences a period of economic and political uncertainty, people who work for themselves aren’t as worried about their options. In fact, historically, freelancers usually do quite well during these periods because they are more in control of the situation and can use their flexible business model to create opportunities for themselves.
One of the most popular questions asked by members of my VA Handbookers Facebook group is which laptop they should buy. Because I thought it would be easier to have a source to point people to when they asked this question, below is a comprehensive list of all the things you should consider when choosing a laptop for your VA business.
One of the reasons people become Virtual Assistants is so they can fit work around their family life. Because I don’t have any children I asked my VA Handbookers Facebook group how they handle childcare whilst running their business so you could gain an idea of how they manage their day and see how freelancing would fit your current situation.
Picture the scene. I’m 17 years old, it’s around 8.45 in the morning and I’m on a bus on my way to work. It’s one of my very first jobs out of school, I work from 9 to 5.30 every day in a huge airless room at a faceless call centre in a massive building with hundreds of other people. As I look out of the window, the bus passes a tree in the park… and it suddenly hits me.
As you don’t need any formal qualifications to become a Virtual Assistant, there’s often confusion and misunderstanding in the VA Handbookers Facebook group around what being one entails. Because I sometimes see it described as an “easy side hustle”, I want to explain what it actually means to be a Virtual Assistant.
