Are you on the lookout for a versatile approach to earn a living from home and earn a full-time earnings? Changing into a digital assistant is perhaps precisely what you want. At present, I’m excited to share an interview with Laura Nicholls from Absolutely Booked VA. Laura began her work-from-home profession in 2017 after leaving her day job and has since…
Are you on the lookout for a versatile approach to earn a living from home and earn a full-time earnings? Changing into a digital assistant is perhaps precisely what you want.
At present, I’m excited to share an interview with Laura Nicholls from Absolutely Booked VA. Laura began her work-from-home profession in 2017 after leaving her day job and has since constructed a thriving on-line enterprise that allowed her to assist her household, design her best schedule, and work with shoppers she loves.
In our interview, Laura shares how she bought began, how she discovered her first shoppers, and the steps she recommends if you wish to turn out to be a digital assistant. She additionally talks in regards to the expertise you want, how a lot you possibly can realistically earn, and the way the Absolutely Booked Foundations course has helped others go from zero to completely booked in lower than a 12 months.
In case you’ve been serious about turning into a digital assistant however aren’t positive the place to start out, this interview is a good information that can enable you to take your first step.
Additionally, Absolutely Booked has a extremely useful digital assistant information that you would be able to join by clicking right here. This information provides you an inventory of over 275 companies you possibly can promote as a digital assistant and in addition teaches you tips on how to discover your first shoppers.
How I Make Cash as a Digital Assistant
If you wish to discover ways to begin a digital assistant enterprise and earn a living from home, this interview is a good place to get began!
Advisable studying: How To Discover Newbie Digital Assistant Jobs
1. Inform me your story. Who’re you, and what do you do?
I began my enterprise eight years in the past in 2017. Earlier than that, I labored in psychological well being for 14 years – most of that point as a therapist – and I’ve all the time had the ability set of writing. Writing performed an enormous function in my work as a therapist and psychological well being employee, so it was a ability I had cultivated in my “9-5 profession.” When I discovered myself needing to generate earnings and wanting to remain house with my then-infant daughter, I took stock of what I might do from house.
I had simply come out of a ladies’s shelter and was in disaster, rebuilding my life after dropping my house and all my possessions. I had nowhere to go however up. I had tried community advertising in earlier years, however I knew that wasn’t a viable mannequin for me. I wanted one thing reputable that will enable me to assist us full-time as rapidly as doable.
I began as a contract author and rapidly started working as a digital assistant, specializing in content material companies. Working with quite a lot of companies helped me learn the way completely different companies perform and gave me perception into advertising, operations, and a lot extra. Providing extra various companies outdoors of content material additionally allowed me to develop my earnings sooner than writing alone.
Through the years, my work developed. Now I specialize as a copywriter, content material advertising strategist, and ebook coach. I’ve formed my companies to align with the form of shoppers I wish to work with and the charges I wish to cost. I used to be capable of assist us financially from the beginning, and about three years in, I used to be incomes sufficient to pay lease on a three-bedroom house and ship my daughter to non-public faculty.
Whereas I don’t share particular numbers, I’ve earned a full-time earnings for the final six years.
2. What precisely does a digital assistant do?
A digital assistant can do virtually something a enterprise must function.
It’s somebody who offers companies from a distance in alternate for fee. That may embrace administrative assist, customer support, content material writing, advertising assist, tech assist – actually something a enterprise proprietor would possibly wish to outsource.
3. Why did you determine to turn out to be a digital assistant? How did you get began?
I touched on this in my first reply, however I bought began as a contract author. Then I obtained teaching that inspired me to increase into digital assistant companies so I might work with shoppers in additional methods. I all the time centered on content material companies, however I wanted one thing reputable, versatile, and absolutely on my phrases.
As a single mother or father, I knew I wasn’t going to depart my daughter to return to the standard workforce – and I didn’t wish to. I wanted a approach to earn secure, constant earnings that supported our life.
I began by taking stock of what I might do and what I loved. I reached out to individuals I knew within the writing and freelancing world, though not everybody was encouraging. Some household and buddies discouraged me, however I went for it anyway.
Having frolicked in community advertising and on-line advertising, I knew there was potential in working on-line – I simply hadn’t discovered the correct mannequin. The aggressive gross sales ways and fixed advertising didn’t go well with me and didn’t really feel sustainable or reliable.
Then I discovered what was then known as Horkey Handbook (later Absolutely Booked VA, now Absolutely Booked). I scraped collectively the cash to take my first course and instantly began taking motion, implementing all the things I discovered step-by-step.
4. How did you discover your first consumer? Any recommendations on discovering preliminary shoppers or what labored effectively for you?
My first shoppers got here across the similar time. One was somebody from my present community – somebody I hadn’t spoken to in years. I wrote a weblog submit that referenced him, shared it with him, and we reconnected. He ended up hiring me, and we labored collectively for nearly three years. We nonetheless often work collectively now. That relationship introduced in different referrals and helped me construct confidence.
The second consumer got here from the Absolutely Booked consumer leads. The leads program was new on the time, and I responded to one of many very first leads they posted. It was for a venture I hadn’t completed earlier than, however I knew I had the abilities to determine it out. I despatched a video pitch and landed the job.
After the venture ended, he continued to pay me for a number of months, though there wasn’t a lot left to do. I noticed he valued me as an individual – my assist, perception in him, and encouragement – extra than simply the precise activity I carried out. We solely communicated by cellphone and e-mail, by no means in particular person or by way of video, but it surely was extremely validating.
Individuals typically assume they don’t have a community, however they do. You simply have to achieve out. My greatest tip is to lean into your present community. Individuals who know and care about you typically wish to assist you – and also you don’t should be in disaster for that to be true. Most individuals within the Absolutely Booked neighborhood discover their first shoppers this fashion.
Reaching out to that previous contact was uncomfortable, but it surely laid the inspiration of my enterprise. That one motion led to referrals, monetary progress, and the boldness to maintain going.
5. What do you get pleasure from most about being a digital assistant?
Though I not name myself a digital assistant, what I liked most was the individuals I labored with. I supported solopreneurs who had constructed their very own companies. It felt like an honor to step in and assist convey their imaginative and prescient to life.
The work was energizing – however greater than that, I liked the life-style it allowed me to create. After I realized it might simply be me and my daughter after the disaster we went by, I dedicated to constructing the perfect life I might for us. That meant being current, working from house, and residing on our phrases. I’ve been capable of do precisely that.
6. How a lot cash can somebody realistically earn as a digital assistant?
I’ve seen digital assistants earn into the six figures. It relies on how they apply themselves and what path they take. I not too long ago interviewed somebody who began simply over a 12 months in the past. Inside eight months, she was absolutely booked. Lower than a 12 months in, she began an company and employed 5 individuals from our neighborhood.
Some individuals undervalue themselves at first, however the reality is it’s doable to earn a full-time earnings as a digital assistant. For some, it’s a long-term profession. For others, it’s a stepping stone into one thing else. Being a VA provides you the chance to study whilst you earn, which opens up many potentialities you may not have imagined whenever you first began.
7. What expertise or {qualifications} are wanted to succeed as a digital assistant?
That’s certainly one of my favourite questions.
Being a digital assistant is about taking what you already know – expertise out of your earlier jobs or life expertise – and making use of them to assist enterprise house owners.
Essentially the most important expertise are perseverance, perception in your self, and the willingness to take constant motion. You additionally want to speak effectively, be skilled and dependable, and have integrity.
This work is relational. Individuals rent individuals greater than they rent ability units. I’ve been employed simply because somebody needed to work with me. We didn’t even outline the function upfront – we figured it out collectively. That occurs extra typically than you’d assume.
8. What sort of tools does somebody have to get began as a digital assistant?
A pc and a dependable web connection. That’s actually all you want.
You may get began with free instruments: Calendly for scheduling, PayPal or Wave for invoicing, and Google Docs for sharing recordsdata. As what you are promoting grows, you possibly can spend money on software program, however the entry level could be very accessible.
9. What’s your typical work schedule? What number of hours do you’re employed every week, and the way versatile is your schedule?
Today, I take my daughter to highschool within the morning, stroll my canine within the woods, and sit right down to work round 9 or 9:30. I wrap up round 2 p.m. when it’s time to select her up. Throughout summer season or earlier than holidays, I work longer days to get forward.
I earn a full-time earnings working 20 to 30 hours per week – normally nearer to twenty. My schedule is extraordinarily versatile as a result of I’ve designed it that means. I’ve by no means labored with shoppers who anticipated me to be accessible at set instances outdoors of scheduled conferences.
At one level, I might solely work at evening when my daughter was asleep. I additionally lived on a 40-acre horse ranch, caring for 30 horses. I wanted a enterprise that match my life, not the opposite means round. And that’s what I created.
10. Is there room for brand spanking new digital assistants within the trade?
Completely. Greater than ever.
The demand for freelance and distant companies has solely elevated, particularly because the pandemic confirmed us there are higher methods to work. Companies proceed to outsource companies, and digital assistants are a giant a part of that shift. We see individuals come into Absolutely Booked on a regular basis and discover shoppers. That hasn’t modified in over a decade; it’s solely elevated.
11. Are you able to checklist the steps to get began as a digital assistant?
- Resolve and commit.
- Determine what you possibly can provide – your expertise, pursuits, and experiences.
- Begin speaking to individuals. Your community is extra highly effective than you assume.
- Arrange a fundamental approach to bill shoppers.
- Start taking motion – little by little.
If you wish to construct one thing long-term, I like to recommend studying tips on how to run a sustainable enterprise. In any other case, you threat recreating the identical burnout you had in a standard job, simply from house.
12. What are your greatest suggestions for somebody who needs to turn out to be a digital assistant?
Simply begin. That’s the most important factor. Don’t spend years serious about it – many individuals do. The demand isn’t going away.
Take constant motion. Don’t get caught in analysis mode. Attempt one thing, see the way it works, and alter. Keep curious as a substitute of judgmental. If one thing doesn’t work, do one thing completely different.
And encompass your self with assist. Absolutely Booked was an enormous useful resource for me – not simply the programs, however the teaching and neighborhood. Typically we’d like another person’s perspective to assist us see the subsequent step.
13. What can an individual study out of your course? Are you able to inform us about among the individuals who have efficiently taken your course?
In Absolutely Booked Foundations, you’ll study the core parts of beginning a profitable service-based enterprise as a digital assistant. That features establishing infrastructure (like contracts and invoicing), studying tips on how to discover and land shoppers, and creating the correct mindset.
You’ll additionally study greatest practices for working with shoppers: onboarding, dealing with suggestions, navigating difficult conditions, structuring conferences – stuff you may not know to consider but. The course takes the guesswork out of these early steps.
One in all our latest members joined to earn some facet earnings and be extra accessible to her youngsters. Inside eight months, she was absolutely booked. Inside a 12 months, she’d began an company and employed 5 different Absolutely Booked members. She’s not the one one – we’ve seen so many individuals are available in simply wanting one thing completely different from the 9-5 and find yourself constructing thriving companies. Some construct companies. Others specialize like I did and develop into high-level, high-income work. There’s nobody proper path – simply the one which works for you.
Are you curious about beginning a digital assistant enterprise? What different questions do you could have?
Advisable studying:
