The Sam + Jo VA Show

We’re wrapping up 2023 with this look back at the episodes from the past 12 months that made meaningful impact and changed the way virtual assistants do business.

In this episode, we’re sharing stories sent in by our awesome listeners on which episodes packed the biggest punch and why.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with our step-by-step playbook! We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo 

You’ve probably heard a lot about the importance of having an authentic and genuine personal brand as a virtual assistant in order to attract clients.

But what happens if you don’t like the thought of sharing everything with everyone on social media in order to be truly ‘authentic’?

Or what if you’ve never given any thought to creating a unique brand voice for your business and don’t know where to start?

And for those VAs with teams - you may be wondering if you need to show up differently now you’ve grown your team? Is it time to switch your personal brand to an impersonal one?

Communications Consultant and Brand Designer Courtney Haines joins us on the podcast to talk about how to navigate showing up authentically in order to build trust, whilst still maintaining energy and protecting boundaries.

‘Cos showing up ‘authentically’ may not mean what you think it means.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why personal branding and a finding your brand voice is important for virtual assistants.
• How to use AI to create content without losing your brand voice.
• How to transition your brand voice from freelancer to agency owner.
• Whether or not you really need to be active on social media to find clients.

To find out more about how you can get personalised communication and branding support, connect with Courtney here:

Website

LinkedIn

Instagram

Courtney’s Personality Trifecta Template here!

Access Courtney's Personal Brand Photoshoot Strategy and Checklist to help you prepare for a brand shoot with a photographer. Use the code VANZ1 to get it for FREE!

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with our step-by-step playbook! We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

Are you cruising into the Christmas/New Year break assuming no one is hiring virtual assistants this time of year?

Sure, there are industries (especially in this part of the world) that shut their doors for an extended summer break. But that doesn’t mean business owners aren't scrolling through social media, pondering the year ahead, dreaming about what they want to outsource and stalking who they’re going to put feelers out to.

And if you’re thinking virtual assistants aren’t signing up and onboarding new clients right up to the Xmas break – you’d be wrong.

Don’t get caught up in someone else’s holiday slump. There’s work for the taking in December and January, so if you’ve got spaces to fill now is NOT the time to disappear!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The holiday myth we don’t want you to buy into!
• How to protect your holiday leave by automating your discovery call bookings.
• How to ensure you’re keeping leads warm during the holiday season.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with our step-by-step playbook! We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

 Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

With Christmas fast approaching now is the time to be thinking about how you’ll be saying ‘thanks’ to your clients for choosing you over all the other VAs they could be working with.

But before you let loose on the internet with your credit card, we want to talk with you about keeping to budget and making it personal, because no matter how big or small your budget is this year, it’s the thought that counts.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why tiered client gifting is smart gifting.
• How to decide on your Christmas gift budget.
• The cheeky gift idea that will have you blushing.
• Our favourite gifts guaranteed to put a smile on your client's dial.

Woo-Woo Box

Knight Inspired

Yoga and Oils

Virtual Print

Grounded Minds

B1G1

Huski

Good George

Moustache Milk & Cookie Bar

Girls Get Off

Pressie Box

Edible Blooms 

Celebration Box

Follow Your Legend

Bento Ninja

Trees That Count

Tree Gifts New Zealand

Zealong Tea

Forget Me Not Journals

Peg Creative

Caliwoods

Metal Bird

Hinza Bag

Champagne Direct

Wine Time

Bite & Delight

The Cookie Collective

Happy gift giving!

Sam + Jo xo

We’ve talked about burnout in the past, but it’s never been when we’ve both been experiencing it in real time.

This episode is raw and vulnerable. Recording it was as uncomfortable as wearing a turtleneck in the middle of a heat wave.

But as much as we both wanted desperately to skulk away and hide under the blankets instead of hitting record, we know it’s important for us to share more than just our highlights with you.

Because burnout is not to be taken lightly.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The signs you may also be experiencing burnout.
• Why sometimes ‘pushing through’ isn’t the answer.
• The gratitude rants that help raise our frequency.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with our step-by-step playbook! We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

Thankyou Payroll does business beyond profit and in this episode their CEO David Morrison shares the sustainable framework that allows them to ‘do good’ both close to home and at a national level, and how they measure the success in three key areas: People, Planet and Profit.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How you can integrate ‘doing good’ into your everyday operations.
• The impact integrating social impact can have on your business.
• What the triple bottom line is and why it’s important.
• Why communicating your paying it forward initiatives has impact.

Connect with David here to find out more about Thankyou Payroll's commitment to paying it forward.

LinkedIn

Website

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with our step-by-step playbook! We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo 

If you’re a sub-contractor working for a VA business who's trying to justify cutting out the ‘middle man’ in order to work directly for a client you're supporting … then we’ve got some cold hard truths for you.

Because no matter the reasons, excuses, stories you're using to validate your decision, stealing clients is not the answer.

Is putting your reputation on the line for a short term gain really worth the risk?

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The serious ramifications of stealing clients.
• Why the client technically isn’t YOUR client.
• The importance of reading the fine print of your contract.
• What to do if a client wants to work with you directly.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with our step-by-step playbook! We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

If you’re a VA biz owner who’s tired of recruiting, onboarding and training team members, only for them to up and leave for greener pastures, this episode is going to be a vital but tough one to listen to.

Why tough?

Because assuming your recruitment process is a great one, the top 5 reasons your team members keep leaving all come down to … YOU.

Like it or not, you’re the common denominator.

But the good news is once you identify your lack of leadership skills, systems and processes mean that you’re the problem, changes can be made so that you become the leader your team members need.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The reasons why your team members keep leaving.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with our step-by-step playbook! We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Download your FREE Pre-Scaling Checklist here.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Are you ready to take your business to the next level?

Scaling your business isn't complicated but there's absolutely no shortcuts!

It's going to require your time and attention, and it's going to mean putting work into areas of your business you've been ignoring until now.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• What scaling your business really means.
• The different ways we scaled our businesses.
• The biggest mistakes we see VAs make when scaling.
• Why you need a Pre-Scale Checklist.

Download your FREE Pre-Scaling Checklist here.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

Just days after celebrating her multiple wins at this year’s Thankyou Payroll New Zealand Virtual Assistant Awards, Chantelle Good from Varntige sat down with us to share her journey to grow a thriving virtual assistant agency that would run without her.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How being faced with a life-threatening illness changed Chantelle’s outlook on life.
• The reason Chantelle has employee team members vs sub-contractor team members.
• How to deal with the guilt of not doing client work anymore.
• The role goal setting and planning has played in Chantelle’s success.
• Chantelle’s advice around becoming a great leader and the importance of having difficult conversations.

Connect with the Chantelle and the award winning Varntige team here to find out more about their bookkeeping, admin and design services.

Website

Instagram

Facebook

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with our step-by-step playbook! We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Download your FREE Pre-Scaling Checklist here.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo