1 | Where did you work before you became a VA?

Before I became a Virtual Assistant, I followed my lifelong dream and worked in the fashion industry for 7 years. My last role was as an apparel technical designer for REVOLVE for the last 4 years. I was the liaison between fashion designers and the factories that produce our garments to make sure designs are executed properly and the best fitting garment is being approved to production. Before that I was a retail sales manager and a social media coordinator/assistant to a celebrity wardrobe stylist. All of these roles provided me with extensive knowledge of business as a whole that I utilize daily as a Virtual Assistant.

2 | When did you first hear about Virtual Assistants or became aware they even existed?

When COVID-19 hit earlier this year, I was working from home because Los Angeles, where I live, was placed on a safer at home order. I knew I didn’t want to go back to working in an office with a long commute so I started exploring what options I had for working remotely. After some google searching and exploring Facebook I found a FB group for Virtual Assistants and joined to learn more information.

3 | What made you want to become a VA?

I have always wanted to be my own boss and start my own business, I just wasn’t sure what that would look like. I wanted flexibility and the ability to make my own choices about my career. For so long, I had been so focused on my career that I let my personal life suffer. I wasn’t pursuing my passion for travel, and I didn’t have a good work-life balance. Having the opportunity to support women in their businesses while having the ability to make decisions about the work I was doing, how much I got paid, when and where I worked was a game-changer and made becoming a VA a no-brainer for me! It combined everything I loved about my former roles and allowed me to utilize my strengths to make a difference in someone’s business. 

4 | Did you leave your job or start working as a VA on the side?

Someone very wise once told me if you don’t listen to your intuition and pursue that desire you have deep down, one day it will force itself upon you. That rang so true for me. After I had ignored that gut feeling that I wasn’t fulfilled in my career anymore, fate (or God, as I would like to think) stepped in and made space in my life for me to find a fulfilling career. That space came in the form of being furloughed and eventually laid off from my job due to COVID-19. It wasn’t how I wanted it to happen at the time, but now I can see that it was the push I needed to finally start my own business.

5 | What or who helped you get started as a VA?

The one and only Karen! I found Karen after someone in a Virtual Assistant FB group recommended her course. I wasn’t ready to make a commitment yet but I followed Karen on Instagram. I would see her Instagram posts, look at the course, but I still wasn’t ready. The day before her next VA Course with group coaching started, I saw her post and it felt meant to be! I signed up within an hour of doors closing and we started the next day! On day 1 I knew I made the absolutely best decision by signing up for her course and that the course was more valuable than I could have imagined. Karen’s course changed my life and the trajectory of my career. She leaves no stone unturned and there is so much value to her course. Between the detailed course, tech trainings, personalized coaching, expert masterclasses and community of women to support each other, it is unlike any course I have taken. 

6 | Who was your first client and how did you get them?

My first client was a childhood friend’s mom! She is a small business owner, heard I had started my own business and called me when she lost all of her data on an external hard drive. She needed help getting all of her data stored in a cloud based storage system. Once I set up G-Suite for her and organized her files online, she shared that she needed a website of her own! I still work with her on a variety of different projects. That first client led to several referrals to her business friends. Never underestimate the power of word of mouth!

7 | What’s the best thing about being a VA?

Supporting women entrepreneurs build the business of their dreams is by far the best thing about being a VA. Seeing the difference I can make in someone’s business is so fulfilling and lights me up everyday! A close second is the flexibility and freedom to decide my services, prices, when, how and where I work. I have so much control over my career and it is so empowering!

8 | What’s the hardest thing about being a VA?

Being a Virtual Assistant takes really strong time management skills. This is something I struggle with and actively work hard to strengthen this skill. I try to combat this by time blocking my days and using Asana to manage my projects and clients. As a perfectionist, I can spend far too long on something trying to reach perfection. This helps me stay on track with deadlines and keeps me from overthinking my work.

9 | Are you working full time or part time now?

I am working full time! Since starting my business I have specialized into social media management and brand & website design. I am so grateful for Karen’s guidance through every stage of my business. If I hadn’t become a VA, I would never have become a Social Media Manager and Brand & Website Stylist.

10 | Do you like working from home as a VA?

I love working from home! Before starting my own business, I had a 90-minute commute, each way. I love being able to get more sleep, work in comfy clothes, take a break to cuddle my dog, and manage my own schedule. Once restrictions are lifted, I look forward to being able to travel and work from anywhere!

11 | What’s a typical day look like for you?

A typical day for me would look like:

8 am – Review emails, Asana, and time block my day

8:15 – Client Work (Pinterest Management and Instagram Marketing)

12 pm – Lunch

12:30 pm – Client Work (Website Development)

4:30 – My Instagram Engagement

5 pm – Asana/Email check-in + time block tomorrow’s schedule

I manage multiple clients by utilizing Asana to keep myself and my clients organized. For the ones on monthly packages, I do my best to create a schedule for myself. For example, each of my clients I have on monthly Pinterest packages have designated days each month where I batch out creating their pins and schedule their pins in Tailwind. For my clients I do Instagram Engagement for, I try to schedule that engagement at the same time each day, so they know when to expect me to be active on their account and I can create consistency in my schedule. My clients know when they need to provide me content and they know when they’ll receive the deliverables from me.

12 | What would you say to anyone thinking of becoming a VA?

Starting your own business is not easy, but it is worth it! Make sure you find a mentor who has been where you are. Now that you’ll be your own boss, you will want someone who can mentor and guide you. You will spend so much more time if you go at it on your own. Take a course (like Karen’s), hire a coach, or join a group coaching program. Having someone who has done it before in your corner for insight and to bounce ideas off of is a HUGE shortcut and something I believe is essential to starting your own business.

I would also say it is extremely important to find biz besties that are in a similar stage as you. Creating relationships with people who can relate to what you are going through as a VA and business owner has been so helpful in my first year of business. Your best friend or family might not understand your new business the way your biz besties will and they’ll be the perfect people to run things by when you need an opinion or to vent about a bad workday.