Unexpected Things I Have Learned in Two Years Being a Virtual Assistant

​When you start a business it’s easy to think you know everything that will come up. And it is easy to find a checklist of “Things To Do When Setting Up a VA Business”. So you can fairly easily find out that you need contracts; insurance; registration with the ICO. You know that you’re going to have to do a tax return by the end of January.  You know that you will have to find clients and do work that they’re happy with.

Things I didn’t know:

• The VA community is really amazing. People are so supportive and generous with advice and time. I honestly never expected to feel so supported as a sole trader. No matter how strange a situation arises, I know there are people I can talk to about it!
• Finding new clients is partly about being seen online, particularly where your “ideal client” hangs out, but honestly? Referrals and networking is a much bigger part of that. The majority of my clients have come from either someone I knew personally saying to a friend “Oh, I know someone who’s a VA!” or a referral from a current or previous client. Which is probably why I have a box of beautiful business cards that is more or less untouched. I can live with that!
• When clients move on, it makes me sad. Client relationships come and go, whether because the client’s business needs have changed; we were working together on a finite project; or a business has ceased trading. It’s just the way things go, but I take feeling sad about it to be a good sign that the relationship was working well!
• When people ask what you do for a living, saying “I’m a virtual assistant” can cause confusion. Lots of people have heard of the job, but crossed wires have also led to people thinking I’m a vet or a healthcare assistant, neither of which I am remotely qualified for!!
• It is not the easy option. It is hard work, and takes a lot of time. There’s finding clients; doing client work;  and keeping up with all the paperwork, bookkeeping, registrations, etc. As I’m working from home I have the same challenges others have – people assuming you don’t work at all; having to be strict with yourself when you think “Oh, I need to do the washing”; loneliness. And of course, some of the time I have a two year old at home. Which I’ll talk more about in the next post.

Like every job, it has ups and downs. Good days and bad days. I really love my work and my clients though, and really wouldn’t change it for the world.

Reminder about my birthday special offer: Any one off projects booked in during May will get a discount of £2 an hour off my standard rate, or 5% off a package rate (e.g. mailing list setup). This will apply even if the work is to take place after May is over. And the good news for my current clients with whom I have an ongoing arrangement, I will honour the £2 an hour discount for charges incurred throughout May.

So, if you are looking for some help, let’s have a chat! And in any case, I’ll see you here on the blog again next week!