“Reese, how did you stay motivated when you were just getting started, and you weren’t making a lot of traction?”
🤔
A lot of people ask me how I grew a successful virtual assistant business online.
I didn’t just hit the scene making 5k-10k months.
In reality, it was a few hundred here and a few hundred there, before things really started to snowball.
It took some trial and error, a lot of patience, and massive mindset shifts to get to where I am now. (And I’m still learning!)
But above all, here are the top motivations I had when I first started, that kept me from throwing in the towel. Can you see yourself in any of these?
1.I took one step at a time
I started working as a VA in 2008 and made $18 an hour while working full-time. Without any resources or mentors to help along my way, I wasn’t able to quit my job for almost two years after I became a VA.
And when the excitement of being able to work from home wore off, I realized that $18 is really $13 an hour after taxes. I needed to charge more, but I didn’t just decide to raise my rates to what they are today. That process took time.
I began immersing myself into every training I could get my hands on to begin learning new skills that I could charge more for.
Things like building websites, marketing strategies, and tech services.
I learned how to create proposals on the spot. I learned how to run sales calls and walk away with money in hand. As my experience grew, so did my confidence.
2.I craved unlimited growth
Years ago, my life was ripped apart and left me broke – I wasn’t certain I’d even have a place to live. I was so broke that I couldn’t afford to take a bus to an interview.
I felt beaten by life and swore to myself that if I got that job, I would NEVER allow myself to be in that situation again. I would never allow anyone or anything to have that much control over my life. I needed security.
When I started my VA business, I was fiercely driven by the idea that I could forge my own career path and create financial security and stability for myself and my family. I never wanted to worry where the next paycheck would come from or if I could afford the bus ride to my interview.
I also didn’t want to end up in a career that I hated, so I continued to find my path and realized that the only person I could bet on was myself.
I had to make this work. I leaned on my family, friends, and my passion for the work and was inspired by the results I was getting for my clients.
Knowing that I was finally working for myself is what truly funded my success.
3. I knew that THIS. WAS. IT.
If I didn’t pour myself totally into my Virtual Assistant business, what were my options?
Sure, I could have gone back to work full time, but by that point, I had four kids, one with a severe congenital heart defect that needed my attention. And when I was working full time – I rarely saw them.
Plus, who would want someone like me with ALL my requirements (home by 4 pm each day and all the sick days I need for my kids)?
I don’t know how many times I googled, ‘work from home…online jobs…how to make money from home.’ Let me save you the hassle – dog walkers, babysitters, call center lines – they all pay crap. It’s no way to support a family.
Ultimately, I really didn’t see any options in front of me other than to make my VA business work.
I took comfort by seeing more and more businesses launch online – this meant there was a growing need for more online support. It was clear that this industry was only growing and showed no signs of slowing down. If that isn’t a lucrative market, I don’t know what is.
I jumped into the world of virtual assistance and started finding problems online and fixing them for a price tag. I didn’t have the luxury of a lot of excess planning because I HAD to make this work. I had to market hard and fast – for not only myself, but for my family.
xx
Reese
