VA TIPS - Five Powerful Lessons I Learned Starting A Virtual Assistant Business

I started my Virtual Assistant business as a ‘side hustle’ in October 2016. Little did I know then that it would grow to become my sole work, that my Husband would be my Business Partner and we’d find a team of amazing people who got my vision and work incredibly hard to support it! 

 

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not all been roses. It’s been an insanely steep learning curve. 

I’ve laughed, I’ve cried, I’ve screamed ‘I give up’ many, many times…but I never have and I’ve learned and grown so much, so quickly! 

 

 

Alchemy Virtual Assistance will celebrate its third business birthday this year and I’ve recently found myself reflecting back on my journey so far. I often get asked what are the biggest lessons I’ve learned – a great question, one I love to ask too. I think you can tell a lot by how a person faces and embraces their challenges. 

So, here are the five powerful lessons I’ve learned: 

 

If it feels wrong, it probably is. Starting up a business can be terrifying, but you need to get a handle on separating your anxieties and your instinct. Your instincts (or your business brain, as I like to call it) need sharpening. The best way that I’ve discovered to strengthen intuition is by ignoring it and learning the hard way. 

 

I promised myself on day one that I wouldn’t pin my self-worth on my professional success. What I should have promised myself instead was that regardless of what laid ahead I would value myself, my skills, my time and knowledge. Always honour and carefully guard that. People don’t always have the same standards, morals and ethics as you… but that’s a story for another day. To me, knowing your worth is quiet confidence. No matter what, have courage and faith in yourself and your abilities because you’re probably a lot better than you think. 

 

Seek all the advice you can, listen to it and digest it but please remember that you don’t have to act on it. 

Forgive me for sounding super cynical but pretty much everyone wants to sell you something…something to make you bigger, better, faster, taller, quicker, slicker… 

 

I’ve been given some amazingly good, sound advice and some pretty terrible advice too. Take all the advice onboard but, as valuable as it can be, don’t forget to do your research and form your own conclusion. 

About everything. I mean EVERYTHING. 

Ask as many questions as you can, even the so-called ‘stupid’ ones. 

 

Fear is a natural and healthy emotion. When you’re self-employed you have to learn to embrace your fear as it will keep showing up. When I feel the discomfort, dread or anxiety creeping in I like to remind myself that we’re only born with two natural fears; loud noises and falling. Everything else we pick up along the way. 

 

So, don’t let baggage slow you down, you are and always have been limitless. 

 

If you'd like to learn more about what life is like as a Virtual Assistant or how you can become one, get in touch. 

 

Suzy