Answers to Questions about starting a Virtual Assistant Business

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I get at least two calls a week from people I know ( or don’t know!) wanting work-from-home advice. These people have heard that I left my 9-5 job years ago in pursuit of a better way to earn a living. Most have a plethora of questions about starting a Virtual Assistant Business.

Within this last week, I was contacted by two friends who were both suddenly and unexpectedly faced with job loss and were frantic to figure out a way to work from home and make a living. I always help everyone the best I can with no ulterior motive than it’s the right thing to do. Not everyone is interested in being a VA, but a ton have the skillsets that are in high demand from business folks or companies all over the globe. These constant conversations about the next step in creating a job they love was perfect fodder for a post on the Answers to Questions about starting a Virtual Assistant Business. Enjoy!

Starting a Virtual Assistant Business | A Motherlode of Good Info

I direct them to the series of blog posts I did a while back called What It Takes to be a Virtual Assistant and any other resources or job leads I can think of.

I also tell everyone who asks me for Virtual Assistant advice that the FIRST THING they should consider is the Virtual Business Startup System from VANetworking. If I could do anything over again in regards to these last two amazing years, the only thing I would change is to buy this system FIRST. I would have saved myself time, embarrassment, and a ton of money. The following is an article thanks to Tawnya Sutherland from VANetworking. ENJOY.

Starting a Virtual Assistant Business | Qs and As

Q:How Much Can I Make as a Virtual Assistant?

A: The hourly rate a virtual assistant can charge depends on several factors.
•Your skillset.
•Your experience
•If you are “specialized in certain services or a particular industry. If you have any certifications (those who are “certified” by recognized institutions in a specific skill can command higher fees).
Virtual assistant fees vary widely. Depending on the above factors, your rates can range from anywhere from around $20 to $70 per hour. So you can see, it’s entirely possible for a VA to make a full-time income working at home.

Q: Where Is the Best Place to Start?

A: It’s the written by Tawnya Sutherland, a virtual professional and Certified Internet Marketing Virtual Assistant. It’s everything you ever wanted to know about starting a thriving Virtual Assistant business. This system contains the training procedures you’ve been looking for. All of the answers to your burning questions can REALLY be found here.

I resisted buying this training, in the beginning, thinking I could “save money” by piece-mealing my education together. MISTAKE. My learning curve was huge and I ultimately ended up spending more than the cost of this one-stop-shop training. Lesson learned.

This offering is the total package. You get a step-by-step workbook, 2 instructional VA books, and tons of business templates on CDrom. Everything you need to get your business up and running in just 30 days. Hands down it’s the most comprehensive action plan for aspiring virtual assistants. Download a 48-page sample HERE.

Click and you, too, will have all the answers you’ll need in one place.

Q: Why Would Anyone Want to Hire me?

A: I’ve noticed that people in general (males and females alike) tend to suffer from a little “can’t see the forest for the trees” syndrome when it comes to knowing their value. Everyone has a pool of unique talents and the skills-the trick is getting out of your own head and realizing them. My suggestion is to grab a blank sheet of paper and set aside some time to do a Brain Dump. List everything you know how to do; skills that someone else would be willing to pay you for. It could be newsletter or blog post writing, or it could even be life experience in adoption or divorce. You. Have.Value.

The skillset you’ll need as a virtual assistant depends on the type of clients you want to work with. Snoop around the job sites, VA forums and even ask business owners what types of tasks they would and could outsource. Build your skills to respond effectively to skills and I always tell people, the knowledge you have in your brain is like gold. Somewhere out there in the world is people willing to pay you for that knowledge!

Q: Where else can I go for information, tips, and support?

A: Lucky for you the Virtual Assistant community is HUGE. What was once a “huh?” career is now widely known and valued. Some of my favorite places to go for info and support are:

Alicia Jay’s New VA Advice site: Alicia is such a wealth of information and shares everything from how to charge to how to enhance your LinkedIn profile to attract clients. Love.Her.

Virtual Assistant Empowerment Facebook Group: There’s nothing more powerful than a brain trust of like-minded folks!

IVAA: IVAA stands for the International Virtual Assistants Association. It’s also a non-profit organization dedicated to the professional education and development of members of the Virtual Assistance profession, and to educating the public on the role and function of the Virtual Assistant. VAs will find cool training, job postings, and mentorship from some of the best-of-the-best in the VA world. Totally worth the yearly membership.

VAClassroom.com: Another great resource for ongoing education and training for VA’s.

My FREE VA Starter Kit

Tons of “getting started” info from what kind of gear will you need to where are the best places to find clients. Did I mention it was free?

Download this FREE Virtual Assistant Starter Kit and discover what you need to know to create your own VA business!

Best of luck to you on your new quest!

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