From Kayod to Keyboard by VA Masters

The Dark Side of Being a VA: Burnout, Bad Clients, and Getting Let Go💼 Ready to work with vetted international clients?Apply today: www.vamasters.com/careers📱 Follow us:@vamasters_jobs_ph (TikTok • Instagram • YouTube)🎧 LISTEN ANYWHERE, ANYTIMEApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-kayod-to-keyboard-by-va-masters/id1870772303Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hRPeAuiF4zlMs87TBFb4Player FM: https://player.fm/series/from-kayod-to-keyboard-by-va-mastersPodbean: https://fromkayodtokeyboardvamasters.podbean.comCastbox: https://castbox.fm/channel/id6972317💬 Drop your questions below, Tata might answer them in the next episode!

What if leaving your 10-year career could completely change your income?

Myla spent more than a decade working in the corporate world, eventually becoming a Quality Lead and earning around ₱30K per month. But after years of feeling stuck, she decided to take a chance on becoming a Virtual Assistant.

Today, she’s earning six digits per month as an e-commerce VA. 💻💰

In this episode of From Kayod to Keyboard, Myla shares the real story behind her career transformation—from leaving a stable job without a perfect backup plan to starting as a VA, learning skills outside her comfort zone, and becoming more valuable to her international client.

And the biggest lesson? You don't always need to know everything before you start. Sometimes, you just need to be willing to learn, take opportunities, and prove your value.

In this episode, you'll learn:

✅ How Myla went from a 10-year corporate career to becoming a Virtual Assistant

✅ How she went from earning around ₱30K/month to six digits as a VA

✅ How she landed her first e-commerce VA opportunity despite having no VA experience

✅ Why being willing to learn unfamiliar skills helped her increase her income

✅ How bookkeeping, Amazon FBA, Excel, and other skills helped her become more valuable

✅ Why taking initiative and finding ways to improve your client's business can lead to more opportunities

✅ What aspiring VAs should start doing—and what they should stop doing

Most people think becoming a Virtual Assistant means putting your own dreams on hold.But what if your VA career actually helped you build your own business?Meet Gabriel Rondain—an Executive Assistant for an international client and the CEO of New Generation Label, a music label he's building while continuing to grow his VA career. In this episode, Gab shares how he balances both worlds, why he chose to stay a Virtual Assistant despite owning a business, and the lessons he's learned from working alongside CEOs while becoming one himself.In this episode you'll learn:✅ How Gab balances being the CEO of a music label while working as an Executive Assistant for an international client✅ Why becoming a Virtual Assistant doesn't stop you from building your own business✅ How he landed his first Executive Assistant client—and why his current client is already his fourth✅ The mindset clients secretly love: taking initiative instead of waiting to be told what to do💼 Ready to work with vetted international clients?Apply today: www.vamasters.com/careers

Dither discovered YouTube after his aunt gifted him a cheap laptop upon graduating high school. What started as a hobby playing the mobile game Growtopia turned into a gaming channel that hit 17,000 subscribers in just 2–3 months — back when you only needed 1,000 subs to monetize.Today, Dither has grown a channel to 400,000+ subscribers, gone viral with a video that hit 1 million views, and worked with clients like Direk Lester Pimentel and other well-known artists — all off skills he learned for free on YouTube. His message? "Everything is free now. You just need to watch it, apply it, and believe in yourself."In this episode you'll learn:✅ How he hit 17,000 subscribers in under 3 months — and the monetization opportunity he almost missed✅ Why bank tellers refused to believe he earned money online (the Google + AdSense story)✅ How he learned VA and freelancing skills from watching YouTuber James Tristan Luis — someone he never met in real life✅ The journey from a ₱9,000 graphic design job to burnout in a healthcare call center — and why he finally went all-in on YouTube✅ How his second video on the Katawa Family channel exploded to 1 million views✅ Why "giving value" beats fancy editing every single time✅ His TikTok case study: 5,000 followers and 1 million views in just 30 days — and how he turned it into a portfolio✅ Why he never built a website portfolio — and what he shows clients instead✅ The mindset shift every aspiring VA needs: you don't have to be an expert before you start

In this episode, we sit down with Ralph Caputolan, the founder of VA Rookies PH. One of the most well-known VA communities in the Philippines with over 215,000 followers. A marine engineering graduate from Davao del Sur, Ralph's dream of becoming a seaman was crushed when he was scammed out of a promised vacancy in Cebu back in 2015.Today, Ralph runs Awesome Plugins Media, leads free VA workshops across Mindanao churches, and his viral post "10 Reasons the VA Industry is Overly Romanticized" hit nearly 1 million reactions on Facebook. His motto? "There is no opportunity inside the box."In this episode you'll learn:✅ How Ralph went from marine engineering graduate to BPO agent to VA to business owner✅ The heartbreaking scam that killed his seaman dream and led him to Cebu's call centers✅ How he survived 8 months of lockdown with no income and rebuilt from scratch with an SSS loan✅ Why other VAs blocked him when he asked for help — and how he turned gatekeeping into fuel✅ The story behind the viral post that earned nearly 1 million reactions and skyrocketed his following✅ How a self-proclaimed introvert went from shaking on stage to leading workshops across Mindanao✅ Why he doesn't believe in rushed success and what the "river vs. pond" mindset means for your career✅ His sticky note + calendar system for turning goals into daily action✅ How he went from cloud chasing to purpose-driven content creation✅ The advice every bullied, rejected, and overthinking aspiring VA needs to hear right now

In this episode, we sit down with Ara, a 21-year-old student and Virtual Assistant from Cebu City who started her freelancing journey at just 19 years old with zero experience, no portfolio, and no laptop of her own.Losing her parents at the age of 13, she grew up alongside her four siblings learning what it means to be independent early. Today, Ara is a Virtual Assistant at VA Masters and the new face of the company's content. She balances school, weekend trips home to the province, and her growing career, while continuing to inspire other young Filipinos who think they're "too young" or "too inexperienced" to start.In this episode you'll learn:✅ How Ara started as a VA at 19 years old with zero experience or portfolio✅ The real story behind her coffee shop breakdown while building her first portfolio✅ How she almost got scammed for $10 and the red flags every beginner VA must know✅ Why YouTube and AI tools are enough to teach yourself video editing from scratch✅ How she handled her first client conflict and what she learned from it✅ Realistic income for a beginner VA (and how viral videos can earn you bonuses)✅ How to balance VA work with being a full-time student✅ Why rejection is not a stop sign but a redirect for every aspiring freelancer✅ The mindset shift every Gen Z VA needs to take their first big step

In this episode, we sit down with Roi Caturla, a seasoned Digital Marketer and Virtual Assistant with over 6 years of experience in freelancing, social media, and remote work.Roi’s journey didn’t start with perfect conditions. It started with curiosity, a corporate job, and the desire to explore better opportunities online. In 2020, he landed his first freelancing client while still working in a digital agency, eventually transitioning into full-time remote work through social media marketing, SEO, and digital consulting.What began as experimentation turned into a career shift, a passion for teaching, and eventually building a freelancing community that helps aspiring VAs learn how to land clients and grow online careers.Today, Roi is not only a freelancer but also a community builder, mentor, and creator of weekly webinars focused on resume building, portfolio creation, client positioning, and using AI tools to stay competitive in the VA space.In this episode of From Kayod to Keyboard, Roi shares his full journey, from commuting life in corporate, to building his first client roster, to helping others break into freelancing through practical, real-world strategies.

In this episode you'll learn:✅ How Roi transitioned from corporate agency work to freelancing in 2020✅ The real experience of landing your first VA client with no perfect setup✅ Why social media marketing and digital marketing skills are still in high demand✅ The essential skills every beginner VA should focus on (without overwhelm)✅ How AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity are changing the VA industry✅ Realistic income expectations for part-time and full-time Virtual Assistants✅ Common mistakes beginners make when trying to enter freelancing✅ How to properly position yourself to land your first international client.

He left corporate with ₱4,000 in his ATM and a loan. No mentor.

No playbook.

Remote work wasn't even mainstream yet.

He tried restaurant consulting, Bigo live streaming, mukbang content, Shopee live, financial advising and whatever it took to survive. Then, one friend recommendation changed everything.Today, Jam Blauta is a full-blown digital nomad, talent sourcer, and founder of Barangay VA: a free community helping thousands of Filipino VAs land their first client and build real remote careers.In this episode of From Kayod to Keyboard, Jam shares everything, the pandemic grind, the multiple income streams, the viral TikTok content, the entitled applicants and why he believes positioning is the only thing standing between you and your first client.In this episode you'll learn:✅ How he survived the pandemic with zero stable income and still made it work✅ Why freelancing is not for everybody and how to know if it's for you✅ What talent sources actually see when you apply and what instantly gets you ignored✅ The biggest mistakes VA applicants make before they even get to the interview✅ How he went from general SMM to community builder to talent sourcer and found his craft✅ The truth about the digital nomad lifestyle they don't post on Instagram✅ Why "you are the niche" and how to position yourself even with zero remote work experience

She started online work 18 years ago at $1/hour sometimes less. Her first client ghosted her after 8,000 pesos worth of work. She knocked on neighbors' doors begging for overflow tasks at $0.25/hour. She commuted 7 hours a day while pregnant until her doctor told her to stop. And then she built something no one could take from her.Today, Sheena Santos is a Fiverr Pro marketing automation specialist earning $800–$1,000 per project, and clients come to her.In this episode of From Kayod to Keyboard, Sheena shares 18 years of the real homebased journey: the scams, the burnout, the agency collapse, the health crisis, and why investing 100,000 pesos in herself was the best decision she ever made.In this episode you'll learn:✅ How she went from $1/hour data entry to $1,000/project marketing automation specialist✅ Why she spent 6–8 years as a general VA before niching down and why it was worth it✅ How she became one of the first Filipina Fiverr Pro sellers in email marketing automation✅ What really happened when she lost her clients, her agency, and her identity all at once✅ How a 100,000-peso coaching investment (borrowed money) changed everything✅ Why her husband is now closing $1,000+ projects and she's proud he's better than her✅ What "life integration" looks like when work, wellness, and family finally fit together

She started online work in 2010, when there were no VA coaches, no academies, and no roadmap. She learned Photoshop by accepting a Photoshop job she wasn't qualified for. She built an agency of 10 writers. Lost it all when ChatGPT arrived. And then rebuilt — smarter, calmer, and on her own terms.In this episode of From Kayod to Keyboard, Maia shares 16 years of the real freelancing journey — the wins, the losses, the three hundred thousand peso months, and why she now chooses to work with only two clients.In this episode you'll learn:✅ How Maia built every skill from scratch — no coaches, just YouTube and stubbornness✅ How she went from freelancer → agency owner → academy founder → solo practitioner by choice✅ What it really looks like to earn ₱300K/month as a solo VA, and what it costs✅ How ChatGPT killed her agency and what she did next✅ Why her mentees are now earning more than she did, and why she's proud of that✅ What solo moms (and every aspiring VA) need to hear about resilience and career choice💼 Ready to work with vetted international clients? Apply to VA Masters: https://vamasters.com/careers📱 Follow us: @vamasters_jobs_ph (TikTok / Instagram / YouTube)🎙️ From Kayod to Keyboard is your weekly podcast for Filipino VAs building real remote careers. Real stories. No filter. No sugarcoat.🎧 LISTEN ANYWHERE, ANYTIMEYouTube: https://youtu.be/RZRQq6RTdigApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-kayod-to-keyboard-by-va-masters/id1870772303Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hRPeAuiF4zlMs87TBFb4B?si=4a62ff805ac545d0Player FM: https://player.fm/series/from-kayod-to-keyboard-by-va-mastersPodbean: https://fromkayodtokeyboardvamasters.podbean.com/Castbox: https://castbox.fm/channel/id6972317?country=us💬 Drop your questions below — Tata and Roxy might answer them in the next episode!