About us and the website
If you’re here, something probably isn’t quite clicking.
Maybe you want more flexibility – without taking a financial hit.
Maybe you’re done with roles where you’re stretched, reactive and undervalued.
Or maybe you’ve already started your VA business… and it’s not as straightforward as you expected.
The good news is we can help you build a Virtual Assistant business that actually works.
Not a side hustle.
Not a scramble for clients.
A proper business – with structure, direction and real income potential.
That’s where most people get stuck.
Not because they’re not capable – but because no one showed them how to build this properly.
A better way to do this
The VA Handbook is here to change that.
We focus on helping you build a business that:
- Brings in consistent, reliable income
- Attracts the right clients
- Runs with structure (not chaos)
- Actually supports your life – not takes over it
No fluff. No hype. No “just get started and see what happens.”
Just straight-talking guidance on what actually works.
Hi, I’m Holly
I’m leader of the VA Handbook community and in 2018 I walked away from life as a City EA to start my own kick-ass VA business, Virtually Priceless.
We went through a period of rapid growth and quickly transitioned to an agency model, building a team of 30+, reaching multi-six figure turnover and winning the UK VA Awards Large Team of the Year.
I’ve spent the last 8 years building and leading a team to deliver executive support to busy founders and leadership teams, so I’ve plenty of real-world experience to draw upon that will help you from making many of the mistakes that I did.
I’ve also seen first-hand what separates VAs who struggle from those who build strong, sustainable businesses. The difference isn’t talent – it’s structure, standards and how you position yourself.
The VA Handbook is where I share everything I’ve learned to help YOU succeed.
You’re in the right place if…
- You want to build a real business – not just pick up a bit of work
- You’re ready to charge properly and work with better clients
- You’re thinking longer-term
- You want guidance that’s honest, practical and grounded in experience
If that sounds like you – The VA Handbook is exactly where you need to be.
What you’ll find on this site
Useful information
We will tell you what you need to do to become a Virtual Assistant and then how to work better once you’re up and running, so you can expand and adapt as your business grows.
Setting up is just the first step.
You need to continually learn new skills to build a profitable Virtual Assistant business. There’s no point putting in a ton of hard work to set up a business only to lose it because you ended up prioritising your client’s business over your own.
Integrity and honesty
We sometimes recommend products and services that we know you’ll find useful. These are always things that we use ourselves or wholeheartedly endorse.
You’ll always know when something is an affiliate link, and everything we recommend will be 100% useful to you. Some things are more important than money, and our reputation is one of them.
More than just business advice
Working as a Virtual Assistant and being a business owner are two very different things.
A VA has to be detail-oriented to support their clients, but they need bigger-picture skills in order to make decisions that steer their business in the right direction.
The first one will come naturally (you’re a freaky bullet point and stationery-loving admin machine, after all), but the second one won’t.
This is why much of our content focuses on how to be a successful business owner, in addition to setting up a Virtual Assistant business.
Because you need both.
And what you won’t find on this site
Fluff and bullsh*t
Excuse our French, but we prefer to cut through the plethora of waffle and nonsense out there and deliver useful information.
We want you to have a successful business and a happy work-life, so we will give you clear and honest facts about working for yourself so you can see what it’s actually like to run a Virtual Assistant business.
Fairies and moondust
It’s not our style to write in a cutesy kinda way. We are direct, and we’re not everyone’s cup of tea – and that’s okay.
We just prefer to say what we think and not waste time tarting up a blog post so people will like us.
We are assuming you’re just as busy and want clear and simple information.
We have two main products to help the two types of people who visit this website.
Our DIY VA Course (for aspiring VAs)
If you don’t have the time or energy to figure out how to set up your VA business on your own, take the short route and let us guide you through the entire process.
Our flagship DIY VA course will have you up and running in next to no time. You’ll avoid all the mistakes we made when we first started out. We support you all the way, and you can even pay in instalments.
The course has trained well over 1000 Virtual Assistants (many of whom now run VA agencies).
We’ve been doing this for a while, and we can get you where you want to go.
Espresso AI (for everyone)
Most of the VAs in your VA Handbookers Facebook group say they’re using AI with their clients, but they also say they could be using it far better.
The problem is that everything’s changing so fast (sooo freakin’ fast 😩), it’s hard to keep up or know what’s actually useful.
But as your job is to make life easier for your clients and improve their business in whatever way you can, you have to at least kinda know what’s going on.
That’s where our Espresso AI newsletter comes in.
Espresso AI is a monthly email written specifically for VAs, where we show you how to use AI to improve your business and add so much value that your clients will pay anything to keep you.
We also throw in some tips to make your personal life a bit easier – cos frankly, life’s tough enough as it is.
Each newsletter is packed with prompts, reviews, updates, and real-life examples of how VAs are using AI to streamline their systems, find work, create content, save time and impress their clients.
