Angela opened a new browser window and typed, start a virtual assistant business.

The first 4 results in her search were adverts from popular platforms like Fiverr, Upwork and Udemy.

As she scrolled further down the page she saw results from popular sites such as Time Doctor and Business Insider.

She spent some time quickly reading through each result one at a time.

Angela quickly took notes as she read and digested the content.

She was listening to a podcast on her way to work and she heard about someone like her who makes $5,000 a month online.

This person was working as a virtual assistant (VA) and Angela never heard of this role before.

Let me know if you can relate to any of these.

* You've always wanted to be a virtual assistant but you're not sure how to get started

* The thought of leaving your secure corporate job scares you to death

* You're not sure if you have the skills to succeed as a VA

* Fear of failure is your number one barrier to getting started

If only there was a way to safely dabble and become a virtual assistant part-time just so that you can try it out.

In this post, you'll learn the pros and cons of becoming a virtual assistant and what it actually takes to get started and become successful this year.

What is a Virtual Assistant

In case you've never heard of a virtual assistant before let's spend some time looking at who is a VA.

According to Wikipedia, a virtual assistant is also known as a virtual office assistant. They are self-employed and provide professional assistance to an organisation.

Another name for them is administrative assistants for online businesses.

The services they provide can be administrative, technical or creative in nature.

Generally speaking, these assistants provide support while working from home.

Administrative Support

This kind of administrative support can include calendar management, inbox support, email management, customer support, issuing invoices and client management. People who provide this support are normally called personal assistants.

Technical Support

While the phrase technical support may seem obvious a VA can assist with answering technical queries, troubleshooting software, software migration and technical set-up.

Creative Support

For those who prefer the creative side of the business, their services can include social media management, graphic design, social media strategy, copywriting and marketing.

You might be surprised because none of the services provided by a VA is new or different from ordinary jobs.

What makes virtual assistants unique is the fact that they mainly provide support to digital businesses compared to the familiar brick and mortar businesses.

Virtual Assistant Pros

So, let's spend some time looking at the advantages of becoming a virtual assistant.

Looking at the VA pros will give you the motivation you need to step out in faith.

* Be your own boss

* Work your own hours