When I started my Virtual Assistant business ten years ago, I had a pretty clear idea of what I wanted.
I wanted to work for myself, earn my own money and have more time for my family.
What I didn't have was a complete understanding of everything that came with being self-employed.
I knew how to do the work. That wasn't really the problem.
It was all the other things.
Finding clients, deciding what to charge, managing several people's expectations and working out how to switch off when your office is also your home.
There are quite a few things I've learnt over the years that I wish someone had told me at the beginning.
So, if you're thinking about becoming a VA, here are some of them.
1. You don't need to have everything ready before you start
I think it's very easy to get caught up in preparing to start a business rather than actually starting one.
You spend weeks choosing a business name.
Then you need a logo.
Then a website.
Then you decide your branding isn't quite right, so you start all over again.
And before you know it, three months have passed, and you haven't spoken to a single potential client.
Now, I'm not saying those things aren't important.
I've spent plenty of time working on my own branding and website over the years.
But they're not what makes a business successful.
You need clients.
And you don't need the perfect logo or a beautifully designed website to start having conversations with people.
Get the practical things in place, work out what you're offering and start letting people know.
You can improve the rest as you go.
2. Finding your first client might take longer than you think
This is something I think people need to be more realistic about.
You can set up your business, create a LinkedIn profile, announce that you're now a VA and hear absolutely nothing.
That doesn't mean you've failed.
It means people don't automatically know who you are, what you do or why they should work with you.
Building those relationships takes time.
You might need to contact people you've worked with previously, reconnect with old colleagues, join networking groups or approach small businesses.
And you'll probably have conversations that lead nowhere.
That's normal.
Not everyone needs a VA right now.
Not everyone has the budget.
And some people might be interested but won't be ready to work with you for another six months.
The important thing is to keep having conversations without expecting every single one to turn into a client.
3. Please don't charge too little just to get work
I understand the temptation.
When you're starting out, and someone asks for your hourly rate, it's very easy to panic.
You worry they'll think you're too expensive.
So you come up with a number that feels safe.
And often that number is far too low.
Here's what you need to remember.
When you're employed, your salary isn't the only thing your employer pays for.
There's holiday pay, pension contributions, equipment, software, training and all the other costs involved in employing someone.
When you're self-employed, those things become your responsibility.
You also won't necessarily be billing clients for every hour you work.
There's your own administration, marketing, bookkeeping and the time you spend finding new business.
So if you want to earn a particular amount each month, you need to work backwards and calculate what you actually need to charge.
Don't just pick a rate because you've seen another VA advertising it.
And don't assume that being new to freelancing means the experience you've built up in previous jobs suddenly has no value.
4. Not every client will be right for you
This one took me a while to learn.
When you're trying to build a business, it's tempting to say yes to every opportunity.
Someone needs help? Brilliant.
They want you to work evenings? You can probably manage.
They need something urgently every Friday afternoon? You'll make it work.
But before long, you've built yourself a working week that looks nothing like the one you wanted.
I've learnt that a good client relationship needs to work both ways.
Of course, there will be times when you need to be flexible.
That's part of providing a good service.
But if a client regularly expects you to be available outside your agreed hours, or keeps adding work without discussing the time involved, you need to have that conversation.
And sometimes you need to accept that a particular client isn't the right fit.
It's not always easy, especially when you're relying on that income.
But taking on work that doesn't suit you can end up costing you more than you realise.
5. Having several clients can be harder than having one job
This might sound strange, because one of the benefits of being a VA is being able to work with different businesses.
And I genuinely enjoy that variety.
But managing several clients isn't the same as having one employer.
Every client has different systems, different priorities and different ways of working.
One might communicate through Slack.
Another prefers email.
Someone else wants a weekly call.
And they all have their own deadlines.
I've had days where I've been switching between completely different projects, from social media and marketing to executive support and events.
It keeps things interesting, but it also means you need to be organised.
You can't just rely on remembering everything.
You need a way to track your tasks, monitor your hours and make sure nothing gets missed.
And most importantly, you need to be realistic about how much work you can actually take on.
6. You need boundaries from the beginning
When you work from home, it's surprisingly easy for work to creep into every part of your day.
Your laptop is sitting there.
Your phone pings with a message.
A client sends an email at 8 pm.
And you think, I'll just reply quickly.
Before you know it, you're working when you hadn't planned to.
I've definitely been guilty of this.
But one of the biggest lessons I've learnt is that flexibility doesn't mean being available all the time.
If you've agreed to work certain hours, those are the hours your clients should expect you to be working, unless you've arranged something different.
You can still be helpful and responsive without being permanently on call.
And if you're starting a VA business because you want more time with your family, this is particularly important.
Otherwise, you'll end up replacing one demanding job with another.
7. You don't have to offer every service under the sun
When you look at other VA websites, it's easy to think you're missing something.
Someone offers bookkeeping.
Someone else offers podcast management.
Another VA is advertising website design, email marketing, project management and social media.
And suddenly your own list of services looks rather small.
But you don't need to compete with everyone.
There are businesses looking for someone who can simply manage their inbox, organise their diary or help with day-to-day administration.
Those are perfectly good services to build a business around.
You can specialise in one area or offer a combination of things you're confident doing.
I've expanded my services over the years, but that's happened gradually as I've gained experience and developed new skills.
There's no need to rush.
8. You have to learn to talk about what you do
I think this is one of the hardest things for people who aren't naturally comfortable selling themselves.
You can be brilliant at your job, but if nobody knows what you offer, they're unlikely to hire you.
And I don't mean you need to spend every day posting on social media or sending hundreds of messages to strangers.
Sometimes it's as simple as telling people what you're doing.
Let your old colleagues know.
Talk to people in your network.
Update your LinkedIn profile.
Explain clearly what services you offer and the types of businesses you can help.
And when someone asks what you do, don't just say, 'Oh, I'm a VA.'
Tell them what that actually means.
Because a surprising number of people still don't fully understand what a Virtual Assistant does.
9. You need to plan for the quieter months
One of the biggest differences between employment and freelancing is that your income can change.
Some months you might have more work than you can comfortably manage.
Other months might be quieter.
Clients go on holiday, projects finish and businesses change their priorities.
That's why I think it's important to build some financial breathing room into your business.
You need to put money aside for tax, allow for time off and think about what happens if a client suddenly reduces their hours.
I also like the stability that comes from having regular clients and agreed monthly hours.
It makes planning much easier.
But even with retainers, things can change.
So don't assume that because you've had a brilliant month, every month will look the same.
10. Remember why you wanted to do this in the first place
This is probably the most important one.
When I started my VA business, I wanted more flexibility and time with my family.
That was the whole reason I made the change.
But when you're running your own business, it's easy to get caught up in wanting more.
More clients.
More income.
More services.
More hours.
And there's nothing wrong with wanting your business to grow.
But I think it's worth regularly asking yourself whether the business you're building still gives you the life you wanted.
Because success doesn't have to mean having a huge team or earning six figures.
For some people, it might mean working twenty hours a week and earning enough to contribute comfortably to the household.
For someone else, it might mean replacing their full-time salary.
Or perhaps it's simply being able to collect the children from school without having to ask permission.
That's the lovely thing about working for yourself.
You get to decide what you're working towards.
Would I do anything differently?
Definitely.
I'd have been more confident about my pricing.
I'd have been clearer about my working hours.
And I'd have spent less time worrying about whether I was doing everything the 'right' way.
But I don't regret making the decision to become a VA.
Ten years later, I'm still doing it.
I still enjoy the variety, the clients I work with and the fact that I can organise my working week around my family.
It hasn't always been straightforward, but it's been worth it.
And if you're thinking about starting your own VA business, my biggest piece of advice would be this:
Don't wait until you feel completely ready. But don't go into it without a plan either.
Take your time, work out what you want to offer, understand your numbers and start building from there.
You don't need to change your whole life overnight.
You don't have to build the biggest VA business.
You just have to build one that works for you.
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