Giving My Notice: How to Become a Virtual Assistant, Quit Your 9-5 & Work From Anywhere as a Digital Nomad

Ready to build your VA business? DM me the word PODCAST on Instagram @lucyjasminecole

What if my virtual assistant business fails?

If that question is the thing stopping you from handing in your notice, this episode is for you.

When I got denied a pay rise in corporate, I honestly felt like such a failure. I'd given that job 110% for two years, and in one meeting with my manager and HR, my self-worth hit an all-time low.

And unfortunately, that feeling of failure followed me into starting my very first business as a virtual assistant.

"Are you capable? Can you actually do this? What if you fail?"

I had all of those thoughts. But the next thought that followed was always the same: you have to at least try.

In this episode, I'm sharing the mindset shifts and reframes I truly needed to hear at the very beginning of my business, and the ones I now share with every client inside the VA Academy.

In this episode, I'm talking about:

How a denied pay rise became the catalyst for leaving corporate
Why that fear of failure followed me into my virtual assistant business
What a virtual assistant actually does
The Thailand treetop café moment that changed everything
Why a "stable" 9-5 is actually the riskiest option in life
Option 1: what if your business does fail? (And what failure actually means to you)
How losing a big retainer client turned out to be the best thing for my business
Why building a business is 90% mindset and 10% strategy
Meeting your 2.0 self and why the how gets easier when your why is clear
Why I invested in my first business coach
Option 2: what if it actually works?
The plane take-off analogy for starting your business
My very first goal as a virtual assistant
A visualisation exercise: your dream life one year from now

If you're currently thinking...

"What if my virtual assistant business fails?"

"How do I overcome my fear of failure in business?"

"Am I actually capable of becoming a business owner?"

"Is it too risky to quit my 9-5?"

"What if I try and it doesn't work out?"

You're not alone. It's a valid fear, but it doesn't have to be all-consuming.

Let's connect

If this episode resonated with you, send it to the friend who keeps saying "I'd love to start a business, but what if it fails?"

And if you loved the episode, I'd absolutely LOVE if you could leave me a 5-star review. It helps me get this podcast in front of more women who are ready to quit their 9-5, become a virtual assistant and build a freedom-filled life of their own.

I'll see you in the next one, future business owner. 💻✈️

Follow me on TikTok 👉 @lucyjasminecole
DM me the word PODCAST on Instagram 👉 @lucyjasminecole
Take my FREE Virtual Assistant Skills Quiz
The VA Services Blueprint (only £11!!)

• Follow me on TikTok 👉 @lucyjasminecole
• DM me on Instagram 👉 @lucyjasminecole
• Take my FREE Virtual Assistant Skills Quiz 
• The VA Services Blueprint ( only £11!!)
• Ready to build your VA business? Join the Virtual Assistant Academy to learn how to sign clients, earn a sustainable online income, and create more freedom.

Join my FREE LIVE Masterclass: How to Get Started as a Virtual Assistant on September 27th.👉 SIGN UP HERE 

You’ll learn the exact first steps to start building your VA business — even if you’re starting from scratch.

We’re covering:

• What a virtual assistant actually does day-to-day
• How to figure out if a VA business is right for you
• How to turn your existing skills into valuable VA services
• What industries and businesses are hiring virtual assistants
• How to start identifying your dream clients

👉 Grab your FREE spot HERE

Times:
🇬🇧 10:00 AM London
🇦🇺 7:00 PM Sydney

✨ Ready to start your VA business? Join my FREE live masterclass on September 27th and learn the exact first steps to becoming a virtual assistant.

• Follow me on TikTok 👉 @lucyjasminecole
• DM me on Instagram 👉 @lucyjasminecole
• Take my FREE Virtual Assistant Skills Quiz 
• The VA Services Blueprint ( only £11!!)
• Ready to build your VA business? Join the Virtual Assistant Academy to learn how to sign clients, earn a sustainable online income, and create more freedom.

⚡️ Join my FREE live masterclass on September 27th and learn the exact first steps to becoming a virtual assistant.

 I actually build a VA business while working full time? Yes. The majority of my clients are doing exactly that right now.

I'm breaking down how to build a successful virtual assistant business alongside your full-time job, even with only a few hours a week to give it.

We're covering:

✨ My six-month roadmap for starting and growing a VA business
 ✨ Why your foundations come before your website and Instagram
 ✨ How to choose your virtual assistant niche based on your skills and what businesses actually need
 ✨ Why networking starts from day one
 ✨ How to research your dream clients and turn speculation into fact
 ✨ The three priorities you cannot skip when starting your freelance business
 ✨ How to manage your time around a full-time job
 ✨ Why two focused work blocks a week beats trying to work on your business every day
 ✨ How one client handed in her notice after five months
 ✨ The mindset shift you need to commit to your business and your future
 ✨ How to work towards replacing your 9-5 salary with a full-time online income

If you're looking for a VA business podcast, a career change podcast, or a remote work podcast UK with practical advice for building a business alongside your job, grab your laptop, get comfy, and let's get into it.

Your 9-5 does not have to be your forever. 💻✨

✨ Ready to start your VA business? Join my FREE live masterclass on September 27th and learn the exact first steps to becoming a virtual assistant.

• Follow me on TikTok 👉 @lucyjasminecole
• DM me on Instagram 👉 @lucyjasminecole
• Take my FREE Virtual Assistant Skills Quiz
• The VA Services Blueprint (only £11!!)
• Ready to build your VA business? Join the Virtual Assistant Academy to learn how to sign clients, earn a sustainable online income, and create more freedom.

• Follow me on TikTok 👉 @lucyjasminecole
• DM me on Instagram 👉 @lucyjasminecole
• Take my FREE Virtual Assistant Skills Quiz 
• The VA Services Blueprint ( only £11!!)
• Ready to build your VA business? Join the Virtual Assistant Academy to learn how to sign clients, earn a sustainable online income, and create more freedom.

⚡️ Join my FREE live masterclass on September 27th and learn the exact first steps to becoming a virtual assistant.

If you're currently working in a job that feels uninspiring, and you're dreaming of working from your laptop in Bali, this episode is your motivation from someone who did exactly that.

Today I'm joined by Tanya , a previous coaching client of mine who I helped build her virtual assistant business. Tanya went from working nights on an oil rig in the North Sea to building a business she runs from Bali, and along the way, she became my own first virtual assistant.

In this episode, we're talking about:

• What it was actually like living and working on an oil rig
• The moment Tanya realised that life couldn't be her forever
• How she found virtual assistant work, and why it felt accessible with no experience
• Why she chose to work with a coach instead of teaching herself
• Finding her real niche after her first idea didn't work out
• What it was like being hired as my own first virtual assistant
• The real, honest lows of building a business, not just the highlights
• Handing in her notice for good and flying to Bali
• How her business evolved into podcast management
• What it's really like inside a community of women building this together

This isn't just a highlight reel. We talk about the anxiety, the doubt, the bad days, and what actually got Tanya through them. If you've ever wondered whether someone like you could really build this kind of life, this episode is proof that you can.

If this episode resonated with you, come find me on Instagram @lucyjasminecole and message me the word "PODCAST."

 I'll help you look at your own transferable skills and start mapping out what your own virtual assistant business could look like, the same way Tanya and I did right at the start.

And if this made you think of the friend who's also done with her 9-5, send this one to her.

Love you, future business owner. 🤍

• Follow me on TikTok 👉 @lucyjasminecole
• Follow Tanya on Instagram 👉
  DM me on Instagram 👉 @lucyjasminecole
• Take my FREE Virtual Assistant Skills Quiz
• The VA Services Blueprint (only £11!!)
• Ready to build your VA business? Join the Virtual Assistant Academy to learn how to sign clients, earn a sustainable online income, and create more freedom.

Connect with Tanya:

Follow her on Instagram: @_lumanova

Check out her Website

0:00 Intro: meet Tanya, from oil rigs to Bali
 0:56 A day in Tanya's life in Bali now
 1:49 Back to the beginning: growing up in Elgin, working in admin
 3:58 How Tanya ended up working offshore on an oil rig
 4:16 What it was really like living on an oil rig
 7:05 The moment Tanya knew this couldn't be her life
 7:35 Hiding in the locker room, and finding Lucy on TikTok
 9:00 Why Tanya chose virtual assistant work specifically
 11:03 Why Tanya wanted a coach, not a self taught course
 13:15 Building the business: the early days and first ideas
 14:48 Finding her niche (and ditching the wrong one)
 16:57 Building real relationships with her first clients
 18:16 Comparing the oil rig to life as her own boss
 19:35 Hiring Tanya as her own first virtual assistant
 20:06 Learning on the job in someone else's business
 22:58 The mindset it takes to build a business
 24:50 The hard moments: anxiety, doubt, and bad days
 27:31 Handing in her notice for good
 28:52 Meeting in Bali for the first time
 29:33 "If I can do it, anyone can do it"
 29:58 What could have been: the life Tanya almost lived
 31:15 Building a life she actually loves
 31:51 Evolving the business into a community manager role
 34:04 The power of a supportive women's community
 35:21 Moving to Bali and starting again in podcast management
 37:25 Becoming a podcast manager she never imagined
 38:39 Tanya's one year goal: coaching podcast managers
 40:28 Advice to her old self on the oil rig
 41:58 Thank you and where to find Tanya

• Follow me on TikTok 👉 @lucyjasminecole
• DM me on Instagram 👉 @lucyjasminecole
• Take my FREE Virtual Assistant Skills Quiz 
• The VA Services Blueprint ( only £11!!)
• Ready to build your VA business? Join the Virtual Assistant Academy to learn how to sign clients, earn a sustainable online income, and create more freedom.

⚡️ Join my FREE live masterclass on September 27th and learn the exact first steps to becoming a virtual assistant.

You Really Make £3,000+ a Month as a Virtual Assistant?

Is it actually possible to trade the grey corporate office, sweaty commutes and fluorescent lighting for working from your laptop, choosing your own hours and having the freedom to work from wherever you want?

Yes, and in this episode, I'm showing you the numbers.

I'm breaking down exactly how you can build a £3,000/month virtual assistant business, how you can work towards £5,000/month, and how you can eventually scale beyond those income ceilings.

If you're currently sitting in a 9-5 wondering if there's more for you, this episode is your sign to start looking at the skills you already have in a completely different way.

As a virtual assistant, you don't need to start from scratch. You can take the transferable skills you've already built in your career and turn them into a profitable freelance business that gives you more freedom, flexibility and control over your time.

In this episode, I'm breaking down:

• What a virtual assistant actually is and how a VA business works
• Why you do NOT need to learn a million new skills before becoming a VA
• How to use your existing transferable skills to build your business
• Why having an in-demand niche and clear strategy is so important
• The UK virtual assistant hourly rates you can realistically work towards
• How £30/hour × 100 hours/month = £3,000/month
• How retainer clients can create recurring monthly income
• Why charging hourly can actually be useful when you're just getting started
• How to use your early client work to figure out your future bespoke packages
• The difference between hourly support and specialist packages
• How you can build towards £5,000/month with just five £1,000 clients
• How to turn your transferable skills into higher-value services
• Why learning on the job can be one of the best ways to grow your skillset
• How niching down can help you move beyond the £3,000/month income ceiling
• Why your 9-5 experience may be MUCH more valuable than you realise
• And, most importantly, why you absolutely can build a business around the lifestyle you actually want

I also share the exact way I think about moving from generalist VA support into more specialist, bespoke packages, so you can start increasing your income without simply adding more hours to your calendar.

Because the goal isn't to create yourself another job.

The goal is to build a business that gives you your time back.

If you've been looking for a career change, dreaming about becoming a digital nomad, or wondering whether you could actually quit your job and build something of your own, I really want you to listen to this one.

You already have skills that businesses are willing to pay for. You just need to learn how to package them, position them and get them in front of the right people.

💌 Want to know what YOUR transferable skills could be worth?
 👉Come and find me on Instagram @lucyjasminecole and message me the word "PODCAST."

I'll help you look at your work history and start pulling out the skills you could potentially turn into your own virtual assistant business.

And if this episode made you think of your best friend who is also done with her 9-5, send this episode to her.

Finally, if you enjoyed the episode, I'd absolutely love for you to leave me a 5-star review. It helps this podcast reach more women who are ready to build their own business and create a life with more freedom.

Love you, future business owner. 🤍

• Follow me on TikTok 👉 @lucyjasminecole
• DM me on Instagram 👉 @lucyjasminecole
• Take my FREE Virtual Assistant Skills Quiz 
• The VA Services Blueprint ( only £11!!)
• Ready to build your VA business? Join the Virtual Assistant Academy to learn how to sign clients, earn a sustainable online income, and create more freedom.

⚡️ Join my FREE live masterclass on September 27th and learn the exact first steps to becoming a virtual assistant.

If you've fallen down the research rabbit hole trying to figure out how to create an online income, and keep landing on the same question "can I actually do this with no experience?" then this is the episode with the real answer.

I went from zero virtual assistant experience to fully booked in three months, scaled into an agency, and now I help other women do exactly the same. In this episode, I'm breaking down my VA Niche Formula - the exact business strategy that means you don't need years of experience to become a virtual assistant, you just need the right foundation.

We're covering:

• The VA Niche Formula: transferable skills, dream clients, and in-demand services
• How to find your transferable skills, even from your hobbies and personal life
• How to choose the industries and dream clients you actually want to work with
• Why "you can work with anyone" is bad advice, and what to do instead
• The difference between positioning and marketing, and why it's make or break
• What attraction marketing actually means for a new VA business
• How to gain real hands-on VA experience before you even launch, with beta clients
• Why the research phase is non-negotiable if you want to avoid wasting time
• Why a virtual assistant business is the safest way to test what you actually enjoy

If you've been Googling how to become a virtual assistant with no experience, wondering what skills actually transfer into a VA business, or trying to figure out your niche before you get started, this episode gives you the real strategy behind it.

DM me "podcast" on Instagram if you want to chat through your own VA niche formula - I'll help you work out your transferable skills, your dream clients, and your business strategy directly in the DMs.

• Follow me on TikTok 👉 @lucyjasminecole
• DM me on Instagram 👉 @lucyjasminecole
• Take my FREE Virtual Assistant Skills Quiz
• The VA Services Blueprint (only £11!!)
• Ready to build your VA business? Join the Virtual Assistant Academy to learn how to sign clients, earn a sustainable online income, and create more freedom.

• Follow me on TikTok 👉 @lucyjasminecole
• DM me on Instagram 👉 @lucyjasminecole
• Take my FREE Virtual Assistant Skills Quiz 
• The VA Services Blueprint ( only £11!!)
• Ready to build your VA business? Join the Virtual Assistant Academy to learn how to sign clients, earn a sustainable online income, and create more freedom.

⚡️ Join my FREE live masterclass on September 27th and learn the exact first steps to becoming a virtual assistant.

If you’ve ever sat at your desk thinking “Is this really it?” or dreamed about quitting your 9-5, becoming your own boss and having the freedom to work from wherever you want… this episode is for you.

Today, I’m answering the question I get asked all the time: is it actually possible to quit your 9-5 and become a virtual assistant?

And my answer? Absolutely.

But this episode isn’t just about becoming a VA. It’s about questioning whether the traditional 9-5 is actually the safest option for you - and what could happen if you decided to build a business instead.

I’m breaking down why becoming a virtual assistant can be one of the easiest ways to transition into business ownership, especially if you’re starting with no experience, because chances are you already have skills you can turn into a profitable service.

We’re talking about:

• What a virtual assistant actually does and how the VA business model works
• Why you probably already have the skills you need to become a virtual assistant
• How to turn your existing corporate or employment skills into VA services
• Why you don’t need to be an expert to start your virtual assistant business
• The difference between being a generalist and becoming a specialist
• When you can start charging premium virtual assistant rates
• Whether a 9-to-5 really gives you the stability and security you think it does
• The earning potential and freedom that comes with becoming your own boss
• Why your first business doesn’t need to be your forever business
• How becoming a VA can be your first step towards a bigger online business
• The freedom to travel, move abroad and create a location-independent income
• The hidden cost of inaction and what staying in a job you hate could actually cost you
• My own experience handing in my notice while backpacking in the Philippines
• Why you don’t need to have the next 10 years of your life mapped out
• And why sometimes you just need to take the leap and see where it takes you

If you’ve been Googling how to become a virtual assistant with no experience, wondering “Can I actually become a VA?”, or searching for ways to quit your 9-5 and start a remote business, I want this episode to give you the perspective shift you might need.

Because you don’t need to know exactly what step 10 looks like.

You just need to decide whether you’re willing to take step one. 💻✨

Whether you're figuring out how to start a virtual assistant business for complete beginners, wondering how to become a virtual assistant while working full time, or just ready for a career change to freelance, become your own boss, and finally quit your job to travel - this episode is for you.

.

• Follow me on TikTok 👉 @lucyjasminecole
• DM me on Instagram 👉 @lucyjasminecole
• Take my FREE Virtual Assistant Skills Quiz 
• The VA Services Blueprint ( only £11!!)
• Ready to build your VA business? Join the Virtual Assistant Academy to learn how to sign clients, earn a sustainable online income, and create more freedom.

⚡️ Join my FREE live masterclass on September 27th and learn the exact first steps to becoming a virtual assistant.

You’ve probably heard the term virtual assistant while searching for how to create an online income, work remotely, or become a digital nomad…

But what does a virtual assistant actually do?

And more importantly - could you become one, even if you have no previous VA experience?

In today's episode, I'm breaking down exactly what a virtual assistant is, what services you can offer, how your existing skills can help you start a VA business, real UK virtual assistant rates and what a realistic starting income actually looks like, and why becoming a virtual assistant can be such a powerful first step into becoming your own boss.

I’m also sharing how I personally discovered the VA business model when I was trying to figure out how to replace my 9-5 income and create a life where I could work from anywhere.

Because if you’re sitting there thinking, “I want to leave my corporate job, but I have no idea what I could actually do online…” - this episode is for you.

In this episode, we cover:

• What a virtual assistant actually does
• What services you can offer as a VA
• The difference between being a virtual assistant, freelancer, and employee
• Why you don’t need years of experience to become a virtual assistant
• How to identify the transferable skills you already have
• How to turn your current 9-5 experience into VA services
• How to choose the right virtual assistant niche
• The types of businesses that hire virtual assistants
• Why VA clients often work with you on a monthly retainer
• How much virtual assistants can charge
• What VA rates can look like in the UK
• How a VA can create a sustainable full-time online income
• Why becoming a virtual assistant can be a great first step into business ownership
• How your VA business can eventually give you more time and location freedom

What Does a Virtual Assistant Actually Do?

A virtual assistant is essentially a freelancer who provides support to business owners who need help managing the growing workload in their business.

Rather than being an employee, you’re running your own virtual assistant business and supporting clients with the tasks they need to delegate.

That could include things like:

• Admin and inbox management
• Calendar management
• Social media and marketing
• Email marketing
• Creative and design
• Website and branding support
• Events
• Customer service
• Sales and outreach
• Projects
• Tech and systems
• Data and analytics

And if you’re currently dreaming about quitting your 9-5, becoming your own boss, and creating a full-time online income, this could be your first step.

Send this episode to the friend you’ve been having those “I hate my 9-5, I wish I could work remotely” conversations with.

And if this episode helped you, please leave the podcast a 5-star review. It helps me get this show in front of more people who are ready to create a different kind of life.

Love your future business owner. 🤍

• Follow me on TikTok 👉 @lucyjasminecole
• DM me on Instagram 👉 @lucyjasminecole
• Take my FREE Virtual Assistant Skills Quiz 
• The VA Services Blueprint ( only £11!!)
• Ready to build your VA business? Join the Virtual Assistant Academy to learn how to sign clients, earn a sustainable online income, and create more freedom.

⚡️ Join my FREE live masterclass on September 27th and learn the exact first steps to becoming a virtual assistant.

Have you ever been sitting at your 9-5 thinking, “Surely this isn't all there is?”

Today, I'm taking you all the way back to my corporate era  before I was a virtual assistant coach, before I had an online business, and before I was working remotely from wherever the hell I wanted.

I was working a corporate job in the UK, commuting THREE HOURS a day, living for the weekends and constantly wondering why I was spending so much of my life working towards... retirement?!

I knew I wanted more. I wanted to travel. I wanted freedom. I wanted to be my own boss. I just had absolutely no idea how I was going to make that happen.

Until I went backpacking around Southeast Asia and started seeing people working remotely from their laptops.

And I thought...

“If they can do it, why can't I?”

That's when I discovered the world of online business and, eventually, the virtual assistant business model.

And honestly? Becoming a virtual assistant felt like something I could actually do.

I already had skills from my corporate career. I didn't need to become an expert in something completely new. I could take the skills I already had and use them to build a business of my own.

So that's exactly what I did.

I quit my 9-5, came home from traveling, hired my first business coach, and built my virtual assistant business from scratch.

Within three months, I was fully booked and had replaced my 9–5 income.

And that was just the beginning.

In this episode, I'm sharing the full story of how I went from corporate girlie to full-time virtual assistant, to traveling around Europe with my laptop, to building an agency, and eventually becoming a virtual assistant coach helping other women do the exact same thing.

In this episode, I'm talking about:

• Why I knew the 9-5 lifestyle wasn't for me
• The corporate moments that made me think, “What on earth am I doing?”
• Why I decided to take a sabbatical and go backpacking around Southeast Asia
• The moment I realized I wanted to build an online business
• How I discovered becoming a virtual assistant
• What a virtual assistant actually does
• Why you don't need 10 years of experience to become a VA
• How I used the skills I already had from my corporate job
• Why I quit my 9-5 without having a perfect backup plan
• How I became fully booked as a virtual assistant in just three months
• How I replaced my corporate income with my VA business
• What it actually felt like to work remotely while traveling
• How becoming a virtual assistant became my first step into entrepreneurship
• Why I eventually started building an agency
• How people started asking me, “Lucy, how are you traveling?!”
• How I ended up coaching other women to build their own virtual assistant businesses
• Why you can start a VA business while still working your full-time job
• Why you don't need to have your entire life figured out before you start

If you're currently thinking...

“Can I become a virtual assistant with no experience?”

“How do I start a virtual assistant business?”

“What does a virtual assistant actually do?”

“Could I really quit my 9-5 and work remotely?”

“How could I make money online and work from anywhere?”

Don't worry it's possible, you just need to figure out the how.

Let's connect

If this episode resonated with you, send it to the friend you've been having those “I hate my 9-5 and want to do something different” conversations with.

And if you loved the episode, I'd absolutely LOVE if you could leave me a 5-star review. It helps me get this podcast in front of more women who are ready to quit their 9-5, become a virtual assistant and build a freedom-filled life of their own.

I'll see you in the next one, future business owner. 💻✈️

• Follow me on TikTok 👉 @lucyjasminecole
• DM me on Instagram 👉 @lucyjasminecole
• Take my FREE Virtual Assistant Skills Quiz 
• The VA Services Blueprint ( only £11!!)
• Ready to build your VA business? Join the Virtual Assistant Academy to learn how to sign clients, earn a sustainable online income, and create more freedom.

Giving My Notice Officially Launches August 25th! 

Giving My Notice is the podcast for anyone Googling "how to become a virtual assistant" at 11pm after another soul crushing day at their 9-5. 

Hi I'm Lucy Cole, a Virtual Assistant coach and this show breaks down exactly what a virtual assistant does, how much VAs actually charge, and how to get your first client, even if you have zero experience, zero certifications, and zero idea where to start. 

If you've ever wondered whether becoming a VA is worth it, whether the market's too saturated, or how people are really building freedom-first businesses from a laptop, this is where you'll get real, unfiltered answers.

Each week, we cover what it actually takes to start a virtual assistant business  from your first client to becoming fully booked  plus the mindset and identity shifts behind leaving corporate for good.

This isn't just a "quit your job" podcast. It's a practical, step-by-step roadmap for building a remote, location-independent income you can run from anywhere.

Whether you're a total beginner exploring online business ideas, working full-time and plotting your exit, or already freelancing and wondering if VA work is the better path you'll find real answers to the questions people are actually asking:

-What does a VA actually do? 

-What should you charge? 

-How do you find clients when you're brand new? 

-And is it really too late to start?

New episodes drops every Tuesday!! Hit subscribe and start building your corporate escape. 

Follow me for more on Instagram & Tiktok: @lucyjasminecole

• Follow me on TikTok 👉 @lucyjasminecole
• DM me on Instagram 👉 @lucyjasminecole
• Take my FREE Virtual Assistant Skills Quiz 
• The VA Services Blueprint ( only £11!!)
• Ready to build your VA business? Join the Virtual Assistant Academy to learn how to sign clients, earn a sustainable online income, and create more freedom.