Katie at @KLWSocials on Instagram has overcome imposter syndrome and gone outside her comfort zones to thrive in her business. One way to help circumvent her imposter syndrome she has a work buddy, another VA who she can talk to, she also takes a step back to the journal, takes a walk, and just recenters herself. Remembering not to compare herself to anyone else as everyone is unique. Embrace your own power as a VA and celebrate small wins.

For this week’s podcast, we sat down with Virtual Assistant Shanna. Shanna is someone who prioritizes organization and focuses on understanding her clients’ needs and navigating the work around that. She began her small business by doing word of mouth marketing with family, friends, and through growing her social media.

Transition Due to Covid

When Covid hit, she was uncertain (like all of us) about navigating through that difficult time. For her, she was uncertain about charging people as most of us took a hit financially. Before becoming a Virtual Assistant, she worked with an Events company but her mentor advised her to pivot full time to Virtual Assistance.

Though unsure, she did it anyway because she had an inkling that this was what she was meant to do. After posting to social media, Shanna received a lot of inquiries and quickly put a team together consisting of her sister and other family members. Then, eventually expanding on that.

Setting Rates

When she started, she delicately increased her rates matching it with what she knew she was worth. Shanna recommends when getting started, you should look at what others are charging and charge a similar rate.

The question, though, is should you charge hourly or by project? There’s no reason why you shouldn’t do both! Shanna charges a higher hourly rate so clients will find the package more appetizing. Still, it’s a good idea to give the client an option between the two if possible.

What makes a VA Valuable and How to Set Boundaries

Shanna answers this by saying the fact that having a virtual business allows you to be flexible with your time. Also, another part of being a VA is knowing when to fill in the gaps of a client as they may not have the time to strategize or even necessarily cover all their bases. You need to be a second brain, as it were.

Though we love working with our clients, we do need to set aside time for ourselves. Having no boundaries leads to burnout. It’s up to the VA to be firm with their time and boundaries and communicating that to the client. Shanna and her team take Fridays off so they can have an extra day to recuperate and feel energized for taking on the work for Monday.

Traits and Tools of a Good VA

A good VA should be compassionate and have strong communication skills with clients. You should be able to mix and blend the two as some clients may not know exactly what they want nor how to communicate it.

As a VA, you should be able to use a whole range of tools. Some of the tools Shanna and her team use are: Telegram, Google Docs/Drive, ClickUp to track hours and tasks done as well as Airtable.

Having a Mentor

Shanna explains that having a mentor reminds you of what you’re capable of and what you can do. Shanna’s mentor helped her with her work and how to charge clients for her services. Some key takeaways from having a mentor include:

1. Learning from those in your field or niche

2. Paying attention to how they work

If possible, perhaps volunteer to shadow with them and see hands-on what you can learn. Another important aspect of having a mentor is being able to connect with someone and directly getting your questions answered.

Shanna says anyone looking to be a VA should dive right into it! Now’s the best time to do it so start putting yourself out there! We can attest that being an VA is absolutely amazing!

You can find Shanna on Instagram at Shanna_Antonio and her business account at askshannaandco and check out her website if you’re interested ins services at askshannaandco.uk

For this week's podcast, we sat down with Cymone, founder of She’s Virtual. Before pivoting to Virtual Assistance, she worked as an executive assistant in the beauty industry where you can find their products in Target. Cymone says part of running a successful business is remembering where your power lies, and surrounding yourself around good people. From clients to contractors, these people shape the businesses we have, especially for smaller businesses.

One of the takeaways from this week's podcast is virtual assistants have the power to choose who they work with and knuckling down and overcoming what Cymone calls the “desperate” phase of your business, where a va is on the prowl of finding their first handu of clients to supplement their income from a regular 9-to-5.

It's finally here! The much-anticipated podcast from AIM!

For this week's podcast, Monica sat down with Alicia who learned about Virtual Assisting when her friend sent her a TikTok video that sparked her interest. Wanting to know more, she took an online class and hired a business coach to help her make the pivot. Together, they set up a 12 week goal to turn virtual assistance into a full time career. Alicia’s niches include the fitness industry where she does lead generation and manages phone calls.

Being a Virtual Assistant can provide a wide range of career opportunities. There are, however, misconceptions that many believe about Virtual Assisting. If you feel that Virtual Assisting is your calling, then you should fully emerge yourself in it.

A quote from American Novelist Joyce Carol Oates said regarding new authors, "If you think you're a writer, then you probably are." That statement could be applied to almost any career out there!

For this month’s podcast, I sat down with Cassandre, the founder of Virtually Cass to discuss what holds people back from pursuing their Virtual Assisting career and how to power through and find the inner strength to deal with the challenges that come with the job.

Before starting her journey, Cassandre was a full time nurse for eight and a half years. But during COVID, she decided it was time for a career change. The podcast talks about holding that self-awareness when running your own business. She says, “ I’m always in tune with myself about how I'm feeling. If I'm feeling anxious, if I'm feeling tired, it really stems from knowing who you are.”

In our latest podcast, we talk with Debi, a Virtual Assistant who lives in upstate New York whose clientele is made of moms, small business owners, and individuals. For Debi, a self-confessed computer geek, her traditional job left no room for growth. S

he knew she had to take a leap of faith.

Virtual Assistant Services to Offer and Advice When Starting Out

If you’re thinking of getting into Virtual Assisting, always play into your strengths. For many, there are transitional skills a beginner Virtual Assistant can carry over to their small business. If you’re thinking of diving into the world of VA freelancing, you have to follow your “gut instinct.”

Don’t feel like you have to take a risk, though. If possible, schedule out Virtual Assisting as a way to make some extra income before embracing this career path. In our podcast, Debi does offer some pieces of advice when transitioning working from home:

It’s always a good idea to have a dedicated workspace regardless of location. It doesn’t need to be anything fancy or extravagant. It can be as simple as your dining table or your couch.

Second, high speed internet is a must. You want clients to know and trust you can be reliable and dependable. A strong internet connection can do that. Relying on WiFi isn’t always the best idea, so it’s good to have a LAN cable for faster speeds. You will notice a significant boost in your internet quality.

Always rely on your family and friends. Tell them of your new career aspirations and ask for them to share your business on social media. Also, be willing to network and spread the word with people you meet in public. Look for opportunities to strike up a conversation and get connections going!

Lastly, sign up for webinars and soak up as much information as you can. As a VA, Debi recommends learning new skills and strengthening old ones. As long as you have the fundamentals of communication: Reading, learning, listening, and talking, you don’t need any special degree to get started.

Set Expectations with Clients, and Know Who to Work With

According to Debi, many entrepreneurs struggle with knowing what work they can delegate. Because of that, it’s up to you to take the initiative with clients. Gently ask them what they’re working on and offer to take certain tasks off their plates.

Your goal as a Virtual Assistant is to help your clients streamline tasks and build trust. Your clients need to know that you are capable and can be relied on. When first starting out, it’s okay to roll with the punches as you're figuring things out. It’s part of the process.

When you're beginning your career, you might have a desire to take on any work you can. Unfortunately, this can lead to some roadblocks.

Even though you might think a client is a good fit, never accept aspects of the job you are unfamiliar with or simply cannot do. It’s okay to speak up for yourself and admit you can’t follow through on certain tasks. That’s okay. You save both yourself and the client time by being honest.

One lesson you should walk away with is: Know your worth and take that leap of faith. Life’s too short to have regrets. The worst a client can say is no.

Listen to AIM’s podcast here and don’t forget to follow Debi’s socials at the handle, “thebusybeeva” on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!