Your First Year In Business As A Virtual Assistant: Members Share Their Wins!
Your first year in business as a virtual assistant can be hard work. It doesn’t mean you won’t have any big wins! In fact, there are few things that feel as good as your hard work finally paying off.
In the Association of Virtual Assistants, one of our favorite things to do is share our wins in our private Slack community. There is nothing like the support and encouragement of your peers who know and face the same challenges and struggles you face in business. It also means they are the perfect people to raise a glass and cheer you on for all your efforts!
If you missed the last few blogs, catch up here!
- Part 1: The AVA celebrates its 1st birthday and all its accomplishments
- Part 2: AVA members share their stories about their inspiration and the benefits of being employed or not being employed when they started their businesses.
- Part 3: AVA members share advice and the services they offered when they first started
Let’s get to the wins!
Q. What was the biggest win in your first year in business?
Kim Carlisle of A Plus Assistants, “Getting 5 clients within the first month!!!”
This is a huge win! Many VAs struggle to find and get clients but this is proof it can be done, even in your first month.
Bonnie Schutz of Tandem Resource Solutions, “My biggest win in the first year was discovering all of the supportive VA communities that existed out there, learning from them, and determining that if I wanted this thing to grow into something big, I needed to give it 100%. (Which I didn’t actually do until 2017. Two years in).”
You can only get what you give to your business. Making the choice and decision to go all in is usually the difference between becoming a successful VA and working to get your VA business off the ground.
Asa Tassdal of Virtea, “When the CEO of a rather large company spontaneously reached out after seeing me in a comments section on LinkedIn. Great client today!”
While Asa’s win is exciting it also makes a great point, how visible are you? More importantly when potential clients search for you what will they find? Don’t just wish for clients. Be prepared to receive them.
Marissa Fedorow of Marissa Fedorow Virtual Assistant Services, “Signing my first $1000 monthly contract!”
Show me the money! Let’s be real, we love what we do, but love doesn’t pay the bills.
Bambi Ortiz of Ortiz Virtual Services, “Keeping my clients. Getting clients got to be easy, but keeping them month after month was the real win.”
Great business sense and knowledge sharing here. If you have to search for new clients each month it’s a drain on your time, resources, and bank account.
Wins are great. Sometimes they do come after losses. However, you can only ever win if you start the race.
Q. Is there a quote, book, or mantra that you used during your first year in business? If so, please share.
This is a very popular question. It’s because you can do so much. How do you decide what to do? Here’s what our members had to say. We’ll also learn if they are still offering those services.
Kim Carlisle: “If you build it, they will come” & “If God leads you to it, he will lead you through it”
Bambi Ortiz: “I said something to my 20-year-old daughter about the business in my first year and one day I was having a bad day and she repeated to me what I had said to her and it’s become our company’s mantra. “If you want a dynasty, you have to do dynasty s**t!”
Bonnie Schutz: “I have always used this one and it still applies. Carpe Diem! / Seize the Day! “
Marissa Fedorow: “Big rocks first!” I remind myself that I need to schedule my priorities first and not get distracted by the smaller. I became a VA to have more time at home with my family. I always try to keep this in mind.”
Asa Tassdal was inspired by the book, The Go-Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann
It may seem like a small thing, but small shifts make big changes. This includes your thinking as well.
Q. What kind of support system did you have that was crucial when you first started? Or what kind of support system did you wish you had?
Even with your favorite motivational quote, mantra, or book, there is no substitute for a support system.
“I created a network of other VA’s so we could all contact each other to offer support or guidance.” – Kim Carlisle
“A mentor in the same industry helps tremendously!” – Bambi Ortiz
“The support of my then business partner, and my husband, were paramount in my first year of business. I wish I’d known about associations like the AVA that first year! Legitimate, and reputable.” – Bonnie Schutz
“I have a lot of great connections on LinkedIn that have helped A LOT when I needed advice or support, but I wish I had found a business mentor.” – Asa Tassdal
“Honestly my family. Both my husband and my kids have been amazing and supported all the work and time I have had to put into it.” – Katie Ehle
“My husband was so crucial. He encouraged me. Never made me feel guilty when I had to work at night. Supported me. Believed in me. Reminded me I’m worth it!” – Marissa Fedorow
Q. Why did you join the AVA?
Kim – “I’m hoping to keep up-to-date with all things VA!”
Bambi – “To join a group of VAs like me. To get to know them, support them, cheer them on, and learn and grow from each other.”
Bonnie – “It’s important to have a network of like-minded people. It’s important to feel comfortable with that network – that there is not “competition”, only people there to help one another. I am always wanting to get in on things from the start and proud to be a founding member!”
Asa – “I work in Sweden where VA’s are still fairly uncommon. I thought it would be good to network with other VA’s.”
Katie – “For community and education (job leads were a nice bonus).”
Marissa – “I joined the AVA to be connected to other VAs and gain from the wisdom of those further down the road than I. I also felt it could be a great place to find clients in the future if needed.”
The Association of Virtual Assistants is your like-minded community.
We see you. We hear you. We value you.
Join the AVA get the help, support, encouragement, and mentoring you desire in your virtual assistant business.
