You can learn a lot from people who are doing what you want to do. That’s why I created the Behind the Scenes of a Virtual Assistant Business series. I hope these interviews inspire you to create your own successful VA business!
Today I’m interviewing Christine Gabrièlle of Christine Hill Design.
Christine has been a member of my membership program, the Introvert VA Club, for several years and won the Sparkly Unicorn Award in 2023 for being a friendly and active unicorn inside our community (we call our members unicorns 🦄).
She never expected to become a virtual assistant—but it turned out to be the perfect fit. After a family friend could no longer pay for her services, she explored new paths and connected with a few inspiring women who showed her how her skills could shine as a VA. What started as curiosity quickly grew into a fun business, blending her love of design with her knack for research, organization, and creative problem-solving.
Keep reading to discover more about her inspiring VA story.
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MY INTERVIEW WITH Christine Gabrièlle of Christine Hill Design
Why did you decide to become a VA?
After being told a family friend I’d been working with couldn’t afford to pay me any longer, I was searching for the next thing I could do. I was part of a couple of job networking groups, but hadn’t found anything yet. A lady in one of the groups had mentioned being a VA and I sent her a message to learn more about her journey. At the time, I didn’t even want to be a VA—I was a bit burnt out from admin work—but I thought if I could tailor it to my skills and goals it could be a viable option. After speaking to that woman and a couple of other incredible women I’d met during that time—one owned a design firm and the other was a coach for introverted women of color—I felt like I could really do the thing.
What type of services do you offer clients?
I do mainly design work now—social media graphics, websites and landing pages (Kit, Thrivecart, Wix, WordPress, Squarespace), marketing assets (handouts, brochures, speaker sheets, etc), and so on. I started out doing just about anything because I have experience in a lot of different areas, but I learned that I loved doing the design tasks way more than everything else, so that’s where I focus my work now.
What type of clients do you work with?
My clients have primarily been leadership coaches, but I’ve done projects for other types of small business owners as well. I love working with women who shape their business around helping others have more ease, joy, beauty, confidence… all the things that make life more enjoyable.
How did you find your first clients?
My first client had done a presentation during an online job summit I attended. I reached out to her on LinkedIn afterward (which I never do) because I really liked her talk and she invited me to book a call with her. It was totally about me and my job search, but I’d mentioned thinking about becoming a VA and she mentioned that she’d been thinking about getting some help in her biz, so we decided to work together. My second client was a former employer I proposed doing a project for, and my third client was a referral from my first. All my clients since have been referrals.
How did you prepare to become a VA? Did you take any courses, read any books, use skills from another job, etc?
I vaguely remember attending some kind of VA workshop when I was first considering becoming a VA, but I don’t remember it being particularly impactful. Mostly, I used the resources in the Introvert VA Club to help shape the skills I’ve picked up from my education (fun fact: I went to grad school to become a Librarian, so I’m really good at finding information) and previous jobs—research, writing, organization, project management, Canva design—into services. All those skills came from working in various industries over the years and I build upon them as I go.
What’s your favorite thing about being a VA?
I love being able to work with great people doing fun projects. I also love having a lot of flexibility with my schedule. I can show up for my people when they need me to, I can take breaks when I need me to, and I can enjoy my slow mornings without any pressure.
What do you struggle with as a VA?
My biggest struggle is second-guessing myself. I always question whether or not I’m able to do a thing until after I’ve gotten it done (and, usually, done better than I expected). I‘m also not great with marketing myself (hey, introvert!), which is why I’m always so grateful when clients refer me to others.
What tools or programs could you not live without?
The Introvert VA Club, for one (no, Billie did not bribe me to say that, haha). Seriously, I signed up for a month when I was first thinking about doing this VA thing and as soon as I saw the promo she had for a lifetime membership, I bought it before that first month was even over. Three years later and it’s still the best money I’ve ever spent in my biz. Nobody in my home life really understands this part of my world. I might not still be a VA if it wasn’t for the camaraderie, advice, encouragement, resources, and even just the fun discussions we have in the clubhouse.
Second, Canva. Hands down my most used tool. It is, quite literally, one of my favorite things that exist (for my biz and for personal use).
And email (obvi). I love being able to communicate with my clients without being on the phone (which I was on a lot in previous jobs and it was incredibly draining).
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Reading. Watching a good show or movie. Spending time with my people. I’m also a short story writer, so I’ve been working on my second and third collections.
What’s your advice for someone who wants to be a VA?
Do it! But don’t do it alone. I’ve been guilty of trying to do everything myself, but life doesn’t work like that and neither does business. It doesn’t have to be the Introvert VA Club (though it’s really fun over there), but get support somewhere from people who understand this specific journey.
Where can we find you (website, social media, etc.)?
I’m so bad about using social media, so I don’t have one for my biz, only my writing (@christinegabriellewrites on Instagram). But you can find out more about my services and get in touch with me via my website christinehilldesign.com. And you can always find me in the Introvert VA Club clubhouse (I think I check in there more than I do Instagram).
Thank you, Christine, for your kind words. I’m so proud and happy for you. Thanks for being an amazing unicorn!
Ready to start your Virtual Assistant business? The Introvert VA Club gives you access to the Passion to Profit Plan, tech trainings, templates, and ongoing support to help you grow with confidence.
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