I’m an entrepreneur at heart. My dreams of owning a business started a long, long time ago!
My first attempt as an entrepreneur was a bath and body business selling my handmade glycerin soaps in fun shapes, fruity smelling body lotions and bubble bath. I mainly sold them to people I worked with because the internet was pretty new back then and I could hardly send an email! #embarrassed
In 2005 I started making jewelry and selling it on Etsy, in retail stores and at craft shows. This is when I learned a lot about entrepreneurship and online business.
Then, in 2013, I created Desire to Done. At first it was just a blog to help women bring their dreams into fruition. It eventually evolved into a consulting biz where I worked with women one-on-one to bring their dream businesses to life.
I loved coaching but there was one big problem: finding clients! My business was growing more slowly than I’d hoped and I was getting impatient. I so desperately wanted to quit my job as an office manager and run my biz full-time.
I wanted to work from home and I was going to make it happen (I just needed to make enough money to justify the leap)! So, I took the skills I learned from building my businesses and started helping overwhelmed entrepreneurs with theirs AKA I became a virtual assistant!
Related: What is a Virtual Assistant and How do I Become One?
STEPS I TOOK TO GO FROM DAY JOB TO FULL-TIME ENTREPRENEUR
1) I got clear on WHY I wanted to have my own business and be a VA.
Knowing my Why helped me stay focused on my goals and kept me going when things got tough.
Related: The Very First Step to Starting a Virtual Assistant Business (It’s a Fun One!)
2) I went part-time so I could focus more on my biz.
Luckily, I had the opportunity to work part-time at my day job. It meant less money at first, but I kept my eye on the prize and knew it would be worth it. I made a strict budget and I stuck to it.
3) I worked on my business any chance I had which meant mornings, lunch breaks, evening and weekends.
I was determined to make it happen so I dedicated any free time I had to working with clients, fine-tuning my services and skills, setting up client processes, etc.
Time-blocking is a technique that really helped me manage my time (mapping out my daily schedule, from the time I woke up till the time I went to sleep). I knew exactly how much time I had available to work with clients and I focused on filling that time with them! It also helped me see where I was wasting time.
Related: Four Client Processes You Need Before Bringing on Your First Client
4) I got my business organized.
Being organized is very important, especially when time is limited. By creating processes and systems I could use my time more efficiently and get more done.
Related: Client Organization Tips for Your Virtual Assistant Business
5) I created monthly, weekly and daily goals.
Goals kept me focused on what I needed to work on. I owe Trello BIG TIME for keeping me organized and on top of my goals and to-do’s!
6) I stayed focused on the tasks I needed to get done that day.
I knew what I was going to work on, before I sat my butt down on the sofa to work. I turned off the dings on my phone and computer, turned off the t.v., and solely focused on my work for a good hour or so, then took a 10-15 minute break before I got back to work.
7) I invested in ebooks and courses to learn new skills and improve my business.
I didn’t have time to waste, so when I needed to learn something I usually found an ebook or course to help me learn more quickly. I also worked with a business coach who helped keep me accountable and get me out of my comfort zone.
Related: 6 Tips for Overcoming Fear and Putting Yourself Out There
How I Became a Virtual Assistant and Quit My Job in 3 Months Click To Tweet
8) I created daily rituals that supported me.
My daily morning ritual was having a cup of coffee, snuggling with my pup, and doing my “Morning Pages” (writing 3 pages in my journal about my goals, frustrations, wins, etc.). This ritual alone had such an impact on my success, I don’t know how I could have done it without it! Seriously powerful. Even though I was busy, I knew it was important to have self-care and down-time because I’m an introvert.
Related: Tips for Introverted Virtual Assistants
9) I was active in Facebook groups so I could meet other entrepreneurs.
The first course I ever invested in was B-School. It was expensive and I had to do the payment plan, but I KNEW in my heart it would pay off. And it did. Not only did I learn how to start an online business the right way, but I received lots of referrals from other B-Schoolers.
I invested in other courses along the way and was active in those Facebook groups too. When people needed a VA they knew who to reach out to because they knew who I was and what I did.
10) I created an amazing sales page for my service.
I already had a website, so I created a sales page explaining who I helped, how I could help them, the benefits of hiring me, my rate, and how to contact me.
Related: How to Build Your Virtual Assistant Business Before You Have a Website
11) I reached out to people I wanted to work with and asked if I could help them with their business for free.
After the free trial I asked if they wanted to continue working with me as a paying client. It helped me gain experience and confidence in my services, got me referrals and testimonials, and I got my first paying clients!
And to my surprise, I was able to quit my job within 3 months of landing my first paying client!
Related: How to Beta Test Your Services to Attract Clients
WANT TO START YOUR OWN VIRTUAL ASSISTANT BUSINESS?
Here are a few resources I recommend:
Beginner VA Bundle: This bundle includes the VA’s Guide to Starting a Business, VA’s Guide to Client Contracts, and VA’s Guide to Getting Clients. It’s 3 ebooks, 2 workbooks, 1 script book, and 4 contract templates! If you’re serious about starting your VA business, this is what I recommend. It will help you set up the important foundational pieces for your business, show you what to put in your client contract, and how to find clients.
VA Library: Sign up to receive a checklist of tools you’ll need to get your business off the ground, worksheets to help you figure out your services, and more!
VA Resources: I gathered some of my top resources to help you on your journey!
Starting my virtual assistant business helped me fulfill my dream of quitting my job and working from home. Follow the steps I took to go from day job to full-time entrepreneur and you’ll be on your way to creating a successful, thriving VA business!
RELATED ARTICLES:
6 Tips for Overcoming Fear and Putting Yourself Out There
The Fastest Way to Start Your Virtual Assistant Business
The Pros and Cons of Being a Virtual Assistant
How do you charge your clients? Is it by task or by the hr?
Great question, Dani! I currently charge my clients a retainer rate. I work with them month to month and charge them for a specific amount of hours each month. This reduces the need to have to constantly find clients. This is the way to go if you want a consistent income. :)
Ok, thank you so much for responding so quickly. Your article really caught my eye. Since I was a kid I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit and at this point in my life I would really love to work from home so that I could spend more time with my kids. I have a 6 year old and my youngest is 1, it’s killing me that I have someone with him witnessing all of his milestones instead of myself. I started making candles as a hobby and then began selling them, so when I read that you were into bath and body I got even more sucked into your article.
As I continued to read about some things you might do in your line of work I realized I do almost all of those things now at my current job. I’ve helped them grow a lot using my past experience in business and graphic design. I thought to myself I could do this for others starting off their businesses or just looking for their business to grow. My biggest fear was not having a consistent paycheck to help put food on the table. Reading your article brought me some peace of mind knowing that this is possible. Thank you again and if you have any other advice I am more than open to it!
I’m so happy this article inspired you! I absolutely love working from home. Having the freedom to go for a walk when it’s a pretty day or do things I want to do during the day feels amazing. I even make double what I made at my previous job.
I highly recommend looking into becoming a VA. It sounds like you have the skills and the drive to be super successful. I have a free course if you want to dive deeper into the direction you’d like to take your biz: http://bit.ly/21AkXnj
You may also enjoy this article where 4 VA’s and I were interviewed about our journey into becoming VA’s: http://bit.ly/1qnWZeB
There’s some great books on Amazon, as well, like The Bootstrap VA.
Best of luck to you and feel free to ask any other questions you may have!
How do you figure out your rate? Do they pay the retainer upfront then you charge for the hours later?
Hi Jessica!
There’s many different ways to figure out the rate that’s best for you. A couple ideas are to research other VA’s in your niche and pick a rate that’s in the middle – not too low and not too high. Also take into consideration that you’ll need to pay your own health insurance and taxes so make sure you charge an amount that allows you to pay your bills yet an amount your ideal client will pay. You can always start out on the lower end and increase your rates as you gain experience.
I have my ongoing clients pay my retainer rate on the 1st on each month. I work a set amount of hours each month so that works for me. Another idea is to have your clients purchase a package of hours up front and they can purchase more when they run out. I highly recommend sending an invoice before doing the work.
I hope that helps! :)
How do I get started immediately and what to I need to know
Hi Sarah!
Check out my post ‘The Fastest Way to Start Your Virtual Assistant Business‘, I think it will help. Best of luck!
Do you know of anyone in need of a Graphic Designer? I am currently searching for new clients.
Hi Megan!
What’s your website url?
Thanks!
Unfortunately my website is down / under construction at the moment. We can correspond through e-mail if you need anything! I apologize for the inconvenience.
My site should be back up in the beginning / middle of next month. I’ll leave the link below, but it’s just a GoDaddy landing page.
Hi there! I’m in the early stages of my virtual assisting career – Landed my first client, so that’s a plus! But definitely wanting to grow :) I do have a question about contracts…I utilize a basic one from Freelancer’s Union, but I was wondering if you had any suggestions. Do you use a template? Did you build one specific to your company? Any guidance would be helpful. Thanks so much!
Hi Asia!
Congrats on your first client! How exciting!
Thanks for your question, it’s one I get a lot. That’s why I created a 4-pack of contract templates for VA’s. It includes a template for hourly, service, retainer, and consistent hours retainer contracts. It also includes a detailed explanation of each of these rates. All you have to do is copy and paste the template of your choosing into a contract digital service, like Docracy, add your information, and send to your client. If you’re interested, you can purchase them here: https://desiretodone.com/virtual-assistant-contracts/
Thanks for leaving a comment! :)
Great post! I have been operating as a virtual assistant, and didn’t consider that this is what I’m doing, and how to make a business of it. Magnificient!
I have just a few questions that I hope you can answer.
1. How do you and your clients keep track of the time that you’re using for one of their projects? Is it a simple log?
2. I’ve been in a situation where I’m creating graphics for a client who asks for a revision. Would you typically charge a fee after the original assignment was completed? Does the retainer cover revisions, after an elapsed time?
Hi Moniqueca!
It’s fabulous that you’ve been operating as a VA already! Whoo hoo!
As far as logging your time, you can either keep track of it in a spreadsheet (if you make it in Google Drive you can share it with your client) or a time-tracking app like Harvest: http://try.hrv.st/9-74016. I think that keeping track of your hours in an app is the easiest and more organized way. You can even send invoices through Harvest (you’ll just need to connect Paypal to your account).
As far as graphic revisions, it all depends on what the terms were when your client started working with you. If revisions was not discussed and the original assignment has been completed, I recommend letting your client know that you’ll make one revision as a courtesy, but additional revisions will be $____ (insert your price). If you take on anymore graphic clients I highly recommend being upfront about how many revisions are included in your service. 1 or 2 revisions should be good enough and if they want more you can charge them for it (make sure you let them know how much it will be before working with them.) Having them sign a contract about the specifics is a good thing to do to make sure everyone is on the same page.
I hope this helps! Thanks for your questions! :)
So much information here! Thank you!
Just adding this comment to subscribe to replies.
I’m in the early stages of starting my virtual assistant business. I haven’t landed my first client yet. I was wondering if anyone was looking for a virtual assistant.
Hi Shannon!
Thanks for leaving a comment! I just wrote a post on 7 Tips for Finding Clients for Your VA Business, maybe it will help: https://desiretodone.com/7tipsforfindingclients/
Best of luck! xo
I live in Mexico. Is it possible that I also get a job as a VA? I speak English, Spanish and German fluently. Can you give me recommendations or examples? thank you so much and congrats on your website.
Yes! You can be a VA anywhere in the world! I recommend figuring out what type of services you’d like to offer. Since you speak a variety of languages you could maybe help online businesses doing something with that. You can do a Google search to see what others are offering for ideas. Best of luck to you!
Hello, I just started my website after doing VA work for websites for 3 years. Where can I start finding my own clientele?
Hi Shunnie!
Congrats on going out on your own! You can find a few tips for finding clients in my blog post 7 Tips for Finding Clients for Your VA Business. I hope this helps!
Hello! I am interested in VA work from home but I have no idea where to begin. Any suggestions?
Hi Shaela!
I recommend building a strong foundation for your business first. This includes knowing who your ideal client is, the types of services you’ll offer and your rate. I have an ebook that goes through all the basics, you can find it here: https://desiretodone.com/start-virtual-assistant-business-ebook/
Once you have the basics down you can start taking on clients.
Best of luck!