Nearly ten years ago, I walked away from my corporate job because I wanted something different. I wanted to be there for the school runs, the holidays and all those little moments that are so easy to miss when you're working around someone else's schedule.

I didn't have it all figured out. I started working through a VA agency, found my feet and gradually built up my own clients. These days, I work with a handful of businesses, helping with everything from executive support to marketing, social media and keeping projects on track.

But I've made plenty of mistakes along the way. I've undercharged, said yes when I should have said no and learned that "it'll only take five minutes" very rarely means five minutes!

That's why I created these guides. They're full of the practical things I've learned over the years, the mistakes I'd avoid if I were starting again and the advice I wish someone had given me back then.

Because starting your own VA business doesn't have to mean figuring everything out the hard way. And you certainly don't need to have it all worked out before you begin.