Business Growth Tips for Your VA & OBM Business: Soulpreneur Scaling Stories

When Colleen Florendo's sisters called her selfish for not lending her clothes, she didn't realize that word would become the foundation of her entire business philosophy. 

Today I'm talking with Colleen, an embodied messaging strategist and selfish(ish) leadership guide, about her journey from blog writing on Upwork to creating a totally unique offer that didn't take off for six months, but when it did, she couldn't keep up. 

We're diving into why she stuck with an offer nobody understood at first, how she transitioned from done-for-you to mentorship (and why that was terrifying), and why portfolios might actually be commoditizing you instead of helping you stand out.

Plus: What "selfishly express" actually means and why AI makes going deeper non-negotiable. 

Connect with Colleen: 

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Instagram

TikTok

Freebie: Work of Heart (purge all the shoulds on how to show up)

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Your income shouldn't be capped by your capacity.

FREE RESOURCE
Uncap Your Revenue: Find out what's capping your revenue & what to tackle first.

BOOK A FREE OFFER STRATEGY SESSION
Free 45-min call. We’ll identify 2–3 shifts to help you grow revenue without adding more client hours.

WORK WITH ME

Expansion: 6-month 1:1 coaching to design a strategic offer ecosystem for VAs, OBMs, and DFY service providers who want more revenue, not more hours.

Website | Instagram | Threads | YouTube 

Podcast produced and edited with love by @FerAssists

I had a client ask me recently: "Do I need to get an OBM certification?"

I didn't say yes or no. Instead, I asked why she was asking. And through that conversation, she realized she already had the knowledge, what she was actually looking for was confidence.

Here's the thing: The VAs and OBMs who are growing their businesses versus the ones stuck at the same income level for years? It has absolutely nothing to do with how much they know. It has to do with what they do with the knowledge they already have.

9 times out of 10, the answer is no, you don't need another certification. Because clients don't hire certifications. They hire people who can solve their problems.

In this episode, I'm breaking down when certifications actually help versus when they're just a bandaid on a deeper issue, and what you should focus on instead.

🚀 Free business audit calls (45 minutes): dancingleafsolutions.com/business-audit

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Your income shouldn't be capped by your capacity.

FREE RESOURCE
Uncap Your Revenue: Find out what's capping your revenue & what to tackle first.

BOOK A FREE OFFER STRATEGY SESSION
Free 45-min call. We’ll identify 2–3 shifts to help you grow revenue without adding more client hours.

WORK WITH ME

Expansion: 6-month 1:1 coaching to design a strategic offer ecosystem for VAs, OBMs, and DFY service providers who want more revenue, not more hours.

Website | Instagram | Threads | YouTube 

Podcast produced and edited with love by @FerAssists

I've done maybe a dozen business audits since I started offering them, and I've seen the same three things come up as the undercurrent of every single one.

So today I'm sharing the framework I use so you can audit your own business right now. Because here's what I find nine times out of ten: what you're building now is not actually going to get you to your goal. Sometimes it's a placeholder. Sometimes you're working really hard toward something you haven't actually consciously chosen.

In this episode, I'm breaking down the three questions to ask yourself that will reveal what's really going on in your business, plus real examples of immediate shifts that came from these audits.

Because awareness is the first step. You can't fix what you don't know is broken.

Free business audit calls (45 minutes): dancingleafsolutions.com/business-audit

Send us Fan Mail

Your income shouldn't be capped by your capacity.

FREE RESOURCE
Uncap Your Revenue: Find out what's capping your revenue & what to tackle first.

BOOK A FREE OFFER STRATEGY SESSION
Free 45-min call. We’ll identify 2–3 shifts to help you grow revenue without adding more client hours.

WORK WITH ME

Expansion: 6-month 1:1 coaching to design a strategic offer ecosystem for VAs, OBMs, and DFY service providers who want more revenue, not more hours.

Website | Instagram | Threads | YouTube 

Podcast produced and edited with love by @FerAssists

I took on my last OBM client even though I saw red flags on the discovery call. I needed the income, so I dismissed the tingles and took her on anyway. It was not great. Not great at all.

Here's what nobody tells you about discovery calls: You're not a candidate hoping to get picked. You're a business owner deciding whether this is someone you want to work with. It's a two-way decision.

In this episode, I'm sharing five questions to ask on discovery calls that will reveal whether someone is actually a good fit, what red flags to watch for, and why the real solution isn't better questions, it's having a clear offer that pre-qualifies people before they even book the call.

Because when your offer is clear enough, you shift from "audition mode" to "vibe check mode."

⚡️ New free resource: 10-minute Scaled Chaos Assessment at dancingleafsolutions.com/chaos

Send us Fan Mail

Your income shouldn't be capped by your capacity.

FREE RESOURCE
Uncap Your Revenue: Find out what's capping your revenue & what to tackle first.

BOOK A FREE OFFER STRATEGY SESSION
Free 45-min call. We’ll identify 2–3 shifts to help you grow revenue without adding more client hours.

WORK WITH ME

Expansion: 6-month 1:1 coaching to design a strategic offer ecosystem for VAs, OBMs, and DFY service providers who want more revenue, not more hours.

Website | Instagram | Threads | YouTube 

Podcast produced and edited with love by @FerAssists

A TikTok about learning Spanish through exposure therapy and humiliation got me thinking about business. Not in the way you think.

Here's the thing: I know you're already uncomfortable. You're already pushing through, hustling, saying yes to clients, taking on projects, showing up. That's not your problem. That's actually the part that's going to burn you out.

In this episode, I'm breaking down the difference between the wrong kind of uncomfortable (working harder, posting more, taking on more clients) and the RIGHT kind of uncomfortable, the kind that comes from changing the game completely.

Because you're already doing hard things. Let's just make sure you're uncomfortable in the right direction. 

Ready to identify the uncomfortable shifts that will actually move you forward? I'm offering free 45-minute business audit calls: dancingleafsolutions.com/business-audit

Send us Fan Mail

Your income shouldn't be capped by your capacity.

FREE RESOURCE
Uncap Your Revenue: Find out what's capping your revenue & what to tackle first.

BOOK A FREE OFFER STRATEGY SESSION
Free 45-min call. We’ll identify 2–3 shifts to help you grow revenue without adding more client hours.

WORK WITH ME

Expansion: 6-month 1:1 coaching to design a strategic offer ecosystem for VAs, OBMs, and DFY service providers who want more revenue, not more hours.

Website | Instagram | Threads | YouTube 

Podcast produced and edited with love by @FerAssists

Kim Vargo was a high school math teacher for 10 years. She had three-and-a-half-year-old twins. Her heart just wasn't in teaching anymore, and she was desperately Googling "what can I do besides teaching" while feeling completely pigeonholed. Then she found the world of virtual assistants and took the leap—even though she had no idea if she could make consistent money. 

In this episode, Kim shares how she went from general VA work to becoming a certified Dubsado specialist for wedding professionals, why she's not afraid to just try things and pivot if they don't work, and her biggest hurdle as a business owner (spoiler: it's not what you think).

If you've ever felt stuck in a career that's draining you, or if you're building a service business and struggling with consistent income, this conversation will give you permission to just start.

Connect with Kim:

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Instagram

Facebook

Resource Guide + Freebies

Guide to a seamless inquiry workflow

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Your income shouldn't be capped by your capacity.

FREE RESOURCE
Uncap Your Revenue: Find out what's capping your revenue & what to tackle first.

BOOK A FREE OFFER STRATEGY SESSION
Free 45-min call. We’ll identify 2–3 shifts to help you grow revenue without adding more client hours.

WORK WITH ME

Expansion: 6-month 1:1 coaching to design a strategic offer ecosystem for VAs, OBMs, and DFY service providers who want more revenue, not more hours.

Website | Instagram | Threads | YouTube 

Podcast produced and edited with love by @FerAssists

I left my nursing career specifically for slow mornings. I'm not a morning person, I wanted to wake up naturally, sip tea on my balcony, meditate, take long dog walks, and ease into my workday feeling centered.

That lasted for about a week. Then I had 8 clients, then 10, then 12. I was waking up to Slack notifications before I'd even opened my eyes. Working through breakfast. Responding to clients on Saturdays because I wanted to keep them.

 In this episode, I'm breaking down why slow mornings don't happen by accident, how I built my business backwards (and you probably did too), and the four questions that reveal what's actually blocking your slow mornings.

Because slow mornings aren't a luxury you earn after you "make it." They're strategic. And you have to design them.

Ready to see what's blocking your slow mornings? I'm offering free 45-minute business audit calls. 

Send us Fan Mail

Your income shouldn't be capped by your capacity.

FREE RESOURCE
Uncap Your Revenue: Find out what's capping your revenue & what to tackle first.

BOOK A FREE OFFER STRATEGY SESSION
Free 45-min call. We’ll identify 2–3 shifts to help you grow revenue without adding more client hours.

WORK WITH ME

Expansion: 6-month 1:1 coaching to design a strategic offer ecosystem for VAs, OBMs, and DFY service providers who want more revenue, not more hours.

Website | Instagram | Threads | YouTube 

Podcast produced and edited with love by @FerAssists

Is it even possible to slow down and make more money as a done-for-you service provider? Because when you look at your business now and actually add up the numbers, you run out of hours in the day. But what if slowing down is actually how you make more money? Not in spite of it, but because of it.

I know that sounds backwards. Especially when you're drowning in client work, working all the time, and still not meeting your income goals. In this episode, I'm breaking down why the hustle harder approach is keeping you stuck at your current income level, and what to do instead. 

Because you can have income AND freedom. It's not opposites.

Ready to see where you're leaving money on the table? I'm offering a limited number of free 45-minute business audit calls, get yours below! ↓

Send us Fan Mail

Your income shouldn't be capped by your capacity.

FREE RESOURCE
Uncap Your Revenue: Find out what's capping your revenue & what to tackle first.

BOOK A FREE OFFER STRATEGY SESSION
Free 45-min call. We’ll identify 2–3 shifts to help you grow revenue without adding more client hours.

WORK WITH ME

Expansion: 6-month 1:1 coaching to design a strategic offer ecosystem for VAs, OBMs, and DFY service providers who want more revenue, not more hours.

Website | Instagram | Threads | YouTube 

Podcast produced and edited with love by @FerAssists

Picture this: You just finished a client call. You showed up, you delivered, you were professional. But now you're staring at your to-do list feeling resentful. Not because the work is terrible or you hate your clients, but because somewhere along the way, you started feeling like someone else's assistant instead of a business owner.

In this episode, I'm breaking down the difference between operating as an employee in your business versus stepping into the CEO role, the three things that create this dynamic, and why you can have the perfect offer and systems but still feel stuck if your identity hasn't caught up.

Because if you're working hard but feeling like your business is running you instead of the other way around, this isn't about working harder, it's about stepping into a different role. 

Ready to shift from employee mode to CEO? I'm offering a limited number of free 45-minute business audit calls, schedule yours below! ↓

Send us Fan Mail

Your income shouldn't be capped by your capacity.

FREE RESOURCE
Uncap Your Revenue: Find out what's capping your revenue & what to tackle first.

BOOK A FREE OFFER STRATEGY SESSION
Free 45-min call. We’ll identify 2–3 shifts to help you grow revenue without adding more client hours.

WORK WITH ME

Expansion: 6-month 1:1 coaching to design a strategic offer ecosystem for VAs, OBMs, and DFY service providers who want more revenue, not more hours.

Website | Instagram | Threads | YouTube 

Podcast produced and edited with love by @FerAssists

Here's a confession: I was not born a naturally brave person when it comes to change. My body's reaction was tight chest, nausea, the urge to stay exactly where I was, even if it kind of sucked. And that physical "no" reaction is what I want to talk about today, because there's a paradox I see constantly in business: we stay in situations that make us miserable because they're familiar.

In this episode, I'm breaking down the comfort zone paradox, why your nervous system would rather keep you stressed but predictable than move you toward something better, and what actually happens when you stop clinging to what's comfortable.

Because if your business looks successful on paper but feels brittle inside, you're not imagining it.

Are you stuck in your own comfort zone paradox? I'm offering a limited number of free 45-minute business audit calls to help you identify what needs to shift.

Send us Fan Mail

Your income shouldn't be capped by your capacity.

FREE RESOURCE
Uncap Your Revenue: Find out what's capping your revenue & what to tackle first.

BOOK A FREE OFFER STRATEGY SESSION
Free 45-min call. We’ll identify 2–3 shifts to help you grow revenue without adding more client hours.

WORK WITH ME

Expansion: 6-month 1:1 coaching to design a strategic offer ecosystem for VAs, OBMs, and DFY service providers who want more revenue, not more hours.

Website | Instagram | Threads | YouTube 

Podcast produced and edited with love by @FerAssists