The Sam + Jo VA Show

Who remembers The Teddy Bears’ Picnic song from when they were kids?

You know the one! It’s catchy as all get-out and makes you really want to go have a picnic with something cuddly.

“If you go down to the woods today, you’re sure of a big surprise.”

Except we’re going to swap that out for:

“If you post a job ad on Seek today, you’re sure of a big surprise!”

Surprise numero uno being the fact that 97% of those applying to work with you will NOT be suitable.

Surprise number two is that good portion of that 97%’s applications will be filled with spelling mistakes, grammatical errors and bad formatting.

At this point you’re asking yourself:

“Are my standards too high? Am I the problem?”

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Whether or not your standards are too high (spoiler alert: they aren’t!)
• Our quick and brutal shortlisting process for recruiting team members.
• How to not get distracted by the time wasters and wrong-fit applicants.

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

Is recurring revenue on your radar?

It should be!

Our wish is for all virtual assistants to avoid getting trapped in the feast/famine cycle so many freelancers and small business owners find themselves in.

One step in breaking your feast/famine cycle is - you guessed it! - making recurring revenue a priority.

Recurring revenue creates predictable revenue and predictable capacity.

And who doesn’t want THAT?!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The benefits to recurring revenue.
• Our top 3 ways to bring recurring revenue into your business.
• How to ensure predictability in your business for VAs offering project work.

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 know that annoying friend/family member/colleague/neighbour/acquaintance who’s a chronic naysayer?

The one that has no idea what the term ‘virtual assistant’ really means, doesn’t get why you need to be so active on social media, makes you second guess your goals ... and who’s negativity knocks your confidence and has you second guessing your decisions?

It sometimes comes from a place of jealously, but more often than not it’s simply down to their lack of knowledge around the VA space, the online business world and entrepreneurship in general.

This episode is our reminder to you that it’s okay to ignore the naysayers and push their opinions aside because the opinions of others are their beliefs, not necessarily truths.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How to identify the naysayers around you.
• How to tell the difference between constructive criticism vs destructive opinions
• How to ignore the naysayers in your life.

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

From the outside looking in, everything may look peachy.

But there’s a reason why 8 out of 10 virtual assistants head back to their 9-5 jobs within 2 years.

And the truth of the matter is that the majority of VAs out there are surviving, not thriving.

We’ve both been there, barely holding it together. Overworked, overwhelmed and ready to call it quits.

But we switched things around … and you can to!

No time ... this will SAVE you time.

No funds … this will GET you funds.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The jaw dropping business stats you need to know.
• How to go from surviving to thriving!
• The step you have to take if you want your VA biz to succeed.

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 asking for what you need?

Whether it’s more clients, more hours, a referral, a piece of content you’re desperate to receive, or that overdue time-sheet from your slow-coach team member, unless you’re specific with what you need from your client/team member/partner/mentor … it’s likely you won’t get it.

So starting asking for what you need! (The simplicity of this proven to work strategy is utterly mind-blowing.)

And the next time you’re getting frustrated or feeling resentful because you aren’t getting what you truly need … we urge you to ask yourself: ‘Have I communicated specifically what I need from this person?’ No? Then it's time to have a conversation!

‘Cos as much as we love the woo-woo, even we don’t rely on the people around us having mind-reading abilities ;)

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why you can’t expect your clients to be mind-readers.
• Why you’re not getting referrals.
• How to lessen the mental load you carry as a business owner and running a household.
• How to avoid being a martyr.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with The VA Foundry Framework!

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

Not only is comparisonitis a real word (we checked!), it’s a word you want to avoid at all costs.

Why?

Because instead of creating a business by design - one which they love and attracts their ideal clients - the VAs we see stuck in a vicious cycle of comparing themselves unfavourably to others in the industry, unsurprisingly end up with a cookie-cutter business that gets lost in the crowd.

And when there is nothing unique about your business … is it really your business? Or does it actually belong to the VA down the road you’ve accidentally ended up copying?

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The danger zone of ‘market research’ and how to avoid it.
• How comparing herself to other VAs almost derailed Sam’s own VA business.
• Why you don’t want to be a cookie-cutter VA.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with The VA Foundry Framework!

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 an on-the-fence sub-contractor with a foot in both camps (e.g. you want to work for other VA businesses AND grow your own client base) then we’re here to tell you that it’s time to pick a path and go all in.

It’s time to decide whether you’re content to help grow someone else’s VA biz rather than your own.

Because right now it’s likely that you’re either too time poor to find your own clients OR you’re putting off VA business owners from hiring you as they’re worried your commitment lies elsewhere.

So, what’s it going to be? What path will you be taking?

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why some VAs work for established VA businesses AND actively grow their own client base.
• The signs it’s time to get off the fence and pick your path.
• Why having a foot in both camps should not be a long-term strategy.
• Whether or not virtual assistants can be employees too.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with The VA Foundry Framework!

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

Does it feel like you're putting in the work - and checking all the boxes - but you're STILL not seeing the results in terms of clients knocking at your door?

Or maybe leads aren’t the problem, but converting those leads to actual paying clients is?

It sounds like you’re missing a vital piece from your own personal Finding Clients Puzzle.

But don’t despair! In this episode we share with you the questions you need to ask yourself in order to find out where that pesky missing puzzle piece is hiding. The questions for you need to answer HONESTLY to figure out where you’re going wrong.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How to figure why clients aren’t lining up to work with you.
• Why marketing your business can’t just be a tick box exercise.
• How to measure data in order to figure out the missing piece of your Finding Clients Puzzle.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with The VA Foundry Framework!

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

Did you know that pulling cards has become an integral part of our morning routine?

Not only does it fill our woo-woo cup, it provides us with direction for the day ahead, and ensures we’re taking a moment to pause, breathe and reset to work with intention and purpose.

So, if you’re in need of some direction, if you’re feeling unmotivated or if you're in a bit of a sticky situation, let us pull a moonology manifestation oracle card for you!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The message and guidance you’re seeking RIGHT NOW.
• Where we get our woo-woo goodies from.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with The VA Foundry Framework!

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 an aspiring virtual assistant who feels like you need to have some sort of certification pronouncing you to be an officially trained VA you need to listen to this episode before you start handing over money left right and centre!

We’re here to remind you that it’s VERY likely the skills and experience you already have under your belt are MORE than enough to go out and find yourself clients.

We’re also going to share with you why potential clients really don’t give two hoots about your lack of certification.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why we decided NOT to become certified virtual assistants.
• The experience you do and don’t need to enter the VA space.
• Which one of us is the high school drop-out.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with The VA Foundry Framework!

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