In this episode of The Aligned Entrepreneur with Jenni Petersen, what do virtual assistants and plumbers have in common? More than you might think.

After a week and a half without hot water, Jenni found herself drawing an unexpected parallel between the plumber who arrives when everything has gone wrong and the role virtual assistants play in the lives of overwhelmed business owners.

In this episode, she explores why business owners often wait until they're in crisis before asking for support, what VAs are really being asked to carry beyond the task list, and why building proactive support systems is one of the smartest investments an entrepreneur can make.

Whether you're a business owner feeling overwhelmed or a virtual assistant constantly stepping into chaos, this episode is a reminder that support isn't just about getting things done. It's about creating stability, protecting capacity, and building a business that doesn't rely on constant firefighting.

What You'll Learn:

• Why Business Owners Wait Too Long to Ask for Help: Discover why so many entrepreneurs only seek support when they're already overwhelmed, and how proactive delegation can prevent unnecessary stress and burnout.

• The Hidden Responsibility Virtual Assistants Carry: Learn why the role of a VA extends far beyond completing tasks, often requiring emotional steadiness, quick decision-making, and the ability to restore order in moments of chaos.

• How Healthy Boundaries Create Better Businesses: Understand why sustainable support depends on clear expectations, proactive planning, and recognising that helping others should never come at the expense of your own wellbeing.

Connect with Jenni:

• LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennipetersen/
• Skivvy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/10290303/admin/dashboard/
• Instagram: Skivvy Virtual Assistants (@skivvy_va)
• Facebook: Skivvy
• Email: [email protected]

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In this episode of The Aligned Entrepreneur with Jenni Petersen, after more than a decade of running a virtual assistant business, Jenni has worked with every type of client imaginable. From the last-minute launcher making changes hours before a launch, to the calm planner who always seems one step ahead, every client has taught her something valuable about leadership, support, and the realities of running a business.

In this episode, Jenni takes a light-hearted but deeply compassionate look at five common business owner personalities and reminds listeners that there is no "perfect" way to lead a business. Whether you're highly organised, constantly overwhelmed, a visionary who forgets passwords, or someone who simply struggles to ask for help, this conversation is an invitation to embrace who you are and build the support you need around you.

Because aligned businesses aren't built by perfect entrepreneurs. They're built by supported ones.

What You'll Learn:

• The Five Client Personalities Every Service Provider Encounters: Discover the common traits behind the last-minute launcher, the calm operator, the disappearing email responder, the visionary, and the high-powered executive, and what each teaches us about leadership and business.

• Why Support Isn't Reserved for People Who Have It All Together: Learn why asking for help isn't a sign of weakness but one of the wisest decisions a business owner can make, regardless of where they are in their journey.

• How Partnership Creates Sustainable Growth: Understand why the best client relationships aren't built on perfection but on trust, honesty, communication, and allowing others to operate in their strengths alongside you.

Connect with Jenni:

LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennipetersen/

Skivvy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/10290303/admin/dashboard/

Instagram: Skivvy Virtual Assistants (@skivvy_va)

Facebook: Skivvy

Email: [email protected]

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In this episode of The Aligned Entrepreneur with Jenni Petersen, Jenni answers one of the questions she has been asked countless times over the last decade: Why Skivvy?

What began as a name inspired by a South African term for someone who quietly takes care of the behind-the-scenes work, has grown into something far more meaningful. In this episode, Jenni shares how Skivvy evolved from offering administrative support, to becoming a trusted strategic partner for business owners around the world.

She reflects on the power of humble beginnings, the importance of serving with excellence, and why leadership often starts by faithfully doing the work that nobody else notices. Through personal stories and lessons learned over more than ten years in business, Jenni reminds us that true partnership is built on trust, integrity, and a genuine desire to help others thrive.

Whether you're a business owner, a virtual assistant, or someone building a service-based business, this episode will encourage you to see the deeper purpose behind the work you do every day.

What You'll Learn:

• The Real Story Behind the Name "Skivvy": Discover the South African meaning behind the name and why Jenni chose it to represent the heart of her business from the very beginning.

• How Service Becomes Strategic Partnership: Learn how consistently showing up with excellence transforms you from someone who simply completes tasks, into a trusted advisor clients rely on for insight and leadership.

• Why No Work Is Ever "Small": Understand how approaching every responsibility with humility, integrity, and purpose creates opportunities for greater influence and long-term business growth.

Connect with Jenni:

• LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennipetersen/
• Skivvy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/10290303/admin/dashboard/
• Instagram: Skivvy Virtual Assistants (@skivvy_va)
• Facebook: Skivvy
• Email: [email protected]

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In this episode of The Aligned Entrepreneur with Jenni Petersen, Jenni continues the story of Skivvy's growth from a small virtual assistant business in South Africa to a thriving global team serving clients around the world. She shares how the business evolved beyond simply providing administrative support and became a platform for empowering women, creating opportunities, and building a values-driven culture rooted in excellence and integrity. 

Jenni also opens up about the challenges that came with growth, including relocating her family to the United States, navigating uncertainty, and facing moments when she questioned whether she should continue. Through each season, she reflects on how faith, perseverance, and surrender have shaped her leadership journey and strengthened her trust in God's provision. This episode is a powerful reminder that true success is not measured by milestones alone, but by remaining aligned with your purpose through every stage of the journey. 

What You'll Learn: 

• How Purpose Attracts the Right People
Discover how building a business around clear values and purpose helped Jenni attract team members who shared her commitment to excellence, integrity, and service. 

• Why Growth Often Requires Surrender
Learn how international expansion, relocating countries, and navigating uncertainty required faith, trust, and a willingness to let go of control. 

• The Transition from Doer to Leader
Understand the mindset shift required to move from doing all the work yourself to leading a team, casting vision, and empowering others to step into their gifts. 

Connect with Jenni: 

• LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennipetersen/ 
• Skivvy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/10290303/admin/dashboard/ 
• Instagram: Skivvy Virtual Assistants (@skivvy_va) 
• Facebook: Skivvy 
• Email: [email protected] 

Support the show

In this episode of The Aligned Entrepreneur with Jenni Petersen, Jenni takes listeners back to the 2015 road trip to Cape Town where the idea for her global virtual assistant agency, Skivvy, was first born. She candidly shares the "messy middle" of her journey, from the silence of a failed initial launch to the pivotal realization that clients value partnership and trust over anonymous task completion. 

It is a story of divine alignment, showing how small beginnings and a leap of faith can evolve into a thriving business that empowers women to find purpose and flexibility. 

What you'll learn: 

• The Power of the Pivot: Why Skivvy moved away from a purely task-based website to offering personalized administrative support built on human connection.
• Building a Value-Driven Team: How Jenni transitioned from a solo operation to a partnership by finding a teammate who shared her core values and heart for the business.
• Leading with Faith: The importance of trusting God’s timing and redirection, even when faced with business challenges like client departures or team resignations.

Connect with Jenni:
 

• LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennipetersen/ 
• Skivvy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/10290303/admin/dashboard/ 
• Instagram: Skivvy Virtual Assistants (@skivvy_va) 
• Facebook: Skivvy 
• Email: [email protected]

Support the show