After 7 years, 234 podcast episodes, 100k downloads, hundreds of hours of recordings, 7 business planners, 3 global online summits, 5 national industry awards, 5 international VA Day celebrations, 2 overseas retreats and countless coaching sessions .... we’re hanging up our headsets and passing the reins to the next generation of leaders in the VA space.

This episode is a love letter to the journey - to the people, the lessons, the late nights, the belly laughs, and the “what on earth are we doing?” moments that shaped who we are today.

We talk about how it all started, the highlights that still give us goosebumps, and the life-changing decision to step away from something that’s become such a huge part of our identity.

Because sometimes growth means letting go. And saying goodbye doesn’t mean it didn’t matter - it means it mattered so much that we’ll never forget it.

To everyone who’s listened, learned, laughed, cried, and built a business alongside us - thank you from the bottom of our hearts. You’ve changed our lives in ways we can never put into words.

Here’s to the future of the VA industry - it’s bright, it’s bold, and it’s in very good hands.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The origin story some of you may never have heard.
• Our biggest “pinch me” moments and proudest achievements.
• What we’ve learned about business, bravery, and burnout.
• How we made peace with stepping away from something we love.

Thank you for being part of our world. Thanks for all the incredible memories. Thanks for letting us be part of your VA journey.

Sam + Jo xo

Don't be strangers! Follow our Seea journey here:

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That episode literally saved lives and marriages.

One year on, we’re back with an update.

In true Sam + Jo style, we’re diving in deep as we compare how differently this mid-life hormonal chaos showed up for Jo this time around.

Cos YES! Jo’s officially joined the perimenopause club! (Welcome, Jo. Membership includes night sweats, tears, and a newfound appreciation for magnesium haha).

In this episode it's Jo's turn to open up about her journey as someone who wanted to manage it naturally, and how much faster she found answers given the knowledge she was equipped with.

And Sam also shares what’s changed since her diagnosis a year ago, and how life looks on the other side of getting help.

This episode is for every woman who’s been told to “suck it up”, for every partner struggling to understand, and for everyone who deserves to feel seen, supported, and a little less alone.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why perimenopause doesn’t look the same for everyone.
• What happens when you stop fighting and start listening to your body.
• How knowledge and honesty can change everything.
• Why we need to stop whispering about women’s health and start shouting.

Sam + Jo xo

Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns or treatment options

As well as being crowned VA of the Year for 2025, Marianne also took home Top Performing Team Member and Top Creative VA. Talk about a trifecta of excellence that celebrates her incredible talent, determination, and creativity.

Has it all sunk in yet? Not quite! Marianne’s still riding that “is this real life?” wave, and we don’t blame her.

Just days after her big wins, Marianne joined us to chat about her journey from uncertainty to clarity, how Launch in 30 Days was a game-changer for her business, the power of niching down, and how she’s learned to build a thriving VA business while managing chronic pain - turning what could’ve been a setback into one of her biggest strengths.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How Launch in 30 Days helped Marianne completely transform her business.
• The pivotal moment she found her niche - and why it changed everything.
• How she’s built a sustainable business model that supports her chronic pain journey.
• Marianne’s advice for VAs ready to stop second-guessing themselves and start owning their zone of genius.

Connect with Marianne from Mickie Digital here and see how she can take your coaching from one-on-one to one-to-many with Kajabi.

Sam + Jo xo

In this episode we’re talking about the messy, emotional, not-so-glam side of building a team. You know – the stuff that no one posts about on Insta:

• When a team member lets you down and leaves you to pick up the pieces.
• When you’re still doing client work, managing a family and now … dealing with shitty HR issues.
• When you’re exhausted and wondering, “Is this even worth it?”

Running a VA agency isn’t for the faint hearted, but if you go into it with realistic expectations, knowing that your resilience will be tested, and you’re open to growing into a leader your team deserves, then it’s totally worth it!

Get comfy while we talk you through the real challenges you’ll face as an agency owner, the mindset shifts you’ll need to make, and the practical ways you can lead with more confidence, boundaries and breathing space.

This is your reminder that your journey doesn’t have to be lonely or overwhelming – especially with the right support.

Find out more about the Scale It Mastermind here.

Download the Free Pre-Scale Checklists here.

Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?

Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the quiz here.

Sam + Jo xo

This episode is your sign to explore it… the smart way.

We’re joined by Alick and Vicki from Thankyou Payroll who break down exactly what it takes to build a payroll offering that’s profitable and stress-free (for you and your clients!).

What you'll learn:

•  Why payroll can be a powerful recurring revenue stream
•  How to package and price it like a pro
•  What you must know to stay compliant (and protect your client)
•  Where to get trained up if you’re new to the game
•  How to grow this service through referrals and collaboration

If you’re looking for a sticky, high-trust service to add to your offering - or you’ve been asked about payroll and not sure what to say - this convo is packed with gold nuggies.

Whether you're side-eyeing payroll as your next service or you're already doing it and want to do it better, this one’s for you.

Book a call with Vicki to chat about adding payroll services to your business 

Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner? Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the quiz here.

~ Sam + Jo xo

But it doesn’t have to be this way.

‘Connection’ may have become a bit of a buzz word in recent years, but there’s a good reason for it.

Connection is absolutely vital for overall our well-being and longevity not just as business owners – but as human beings!

Connection provides us with a sense of belonging and purpose and the emotional support it brings cannot be underestimated.

Connection is a choice, but it’s a choice every virtual assistant needs to make – even if it means stepping out of your comfort zone to do so.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why virtual assistants are prone to feelings of loneliness and isolation, and how to combat it.
• How Jo beat loneliness from the outset and what Sam did to ensure no VA had to feel alone again.
• The big benefit of connecting with fellow VAs that may surprise you.
• The 2025 events you need in your diary.

2025 International VA Day

2025 VA Bali Retreat

2025 New Zealand Virtual Assistant Awards

Virtual Assistant Network NZ

Scale It Mastermind (for established virtual assistants)

Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?

Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the quiz here.

Sam + Jo xo

Think again!

Ironically your fear of failure (that’s holding you back from launching for real) has put you on a path that’s doomed to fail.

It’s time to take control of your destiny, to take the bull by the horns, to put your fear of failure and judgement aside and to stop allowing assumptions to hold you back.

It’s time to take courageous action. 'Cos stepping out of your comfort zone is where you'll truly thrive.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why soft launches don’t work.
• The VA soft launch story that had us SHOOK!
• Why your fear of failure will become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Find out more about Launch in 30 Days here.

Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?

Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the quiz here.

Sam + Jo xo

Then this episode is for YOU!

Grab a pen and paper, and get ready to learn the exact steps you need to take to create a profitable side hustle while remaining present for your kids.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How to remain present for your kids while supporting your clients.
• Our very different SAHM/VA journeys.
• Why there’s no such thing as a side hustle hourly rate!
• The best way to figure out your services and hourly rate as a SAHM VA.
• Why you may only need to find 1 client.

Wanna tip your toes in? Check out the 7 Step Formula and Pricing Calculator.

Ready to go all in? Launch in 30 Days is exactly what you need.

Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?

Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the quiz here.

Sam + Jo xo 

Why?

‘Cos virtual assistants seem hardwired to appease their leads and clients – to the detriment of their own success and mental health.

Please don’t feel embarrassed if you’re doing one (or more!) things on our Sh#t List!

Remember. We don’t know what we don’t know!

The important thing is that now you DO know, it’s your responsibility to take action, make change and learn from the mistake/s that have put you on a path of high client (or team!) turnover, low profits and where you’re asking yourself “is this really worth the hassle?”.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why you’re forgetting your non-negotiables and how it’s led to having a business you no longer love.
• Why all those unbilled phone calls are causing more issues than you realise.
• Why you’ve got to stop making assumptions about leads and clients.
• Why it's time to accept the need for having a robust client contract and onboarding process that protects YOU.
• The client management reminders you didn’t know you needed to hear.

Find out more about Scale It Mastermind here.

Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?

Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the quiz here.

Sam + Jo xo

Personality profiling has been the single best investment in Jo's VA agency - hands down. The Process Communication Model (PCM) is a globally renowned tool (trusted by companies such as NASA, Pixar, Air NZ) for understanding personality, motivation, and communication, helping build teams, resolve conflicts and enhance relationships.

Certified PCM Facilitator and Trainer Teesha Vee joins us in this episode to share how you can learn how to meet the psychological needs of your team members and clients. Hello increased profitability!!

In this episode you'll learn:

• Why equality isn't a guiding principle you want in your biz (yep you read that right)
• Why you gel with some clients, and others it just feels hard (and what to do about it)
• The right way to praise your team and have it make them feel valued
• The 100% predictable distress behaviours of you, your team and your clients.

Get your personalised PCM profile here

Sam + Jo xo

In this episode you’ll:

• Play the Naughty or Nice List game (2024 VA Edition).
• Hear Sprinkles McHustle masterfully re-write the narrative to ensure she’s on the Nice List.
• Support the official petition for Jingle Bossbells to remain on the Naughty List FOR LIFE.
• Learn what you can do to ensure you move from the Naughty to Nice List in 2025.

Find out more about Scale It Mastermind here.

Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?

Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the quiz here.

Sam + Jo xo

We first met Kylie earlier this year when she joined May’s intake of Launch in 30 Days and within just 10 short months have witnessed her transformation from a little bit lost, generalist freelancing VA, to an award winning, thriving specialist VA agency owner!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How to build a spiritually aligned business.
• Why energies in business matter.
• The incredible outcome of niching within a niche.
• The impact the Launch in 30 Days course can make on an already launched virtual assistant business.

Find out more about Launch in 30 Days here.

Connect with Kylie and find out more about her services here.

Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?

Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the quiz here.

Sam + Jo xo

In this episode you'll learn:

• The most in demand services for virtual assistants in 2025.
• What leads and clients are looking for when outsourcing in 2025.
• Why the brave VAs who specialise in 2025 will reap the rewards!
• The biggest mistakes virtual assistants will make in 2025 when it comes to either embracing (or ignoring) AI.
• Why all VAs need to get comfortable with Support Stacks.
• The pitfalls of the rise in 'Accidental VA Agency Owners'
• Plus so much more!!

Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?

Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the quiz here.

Sam + Jo xo 

Think of your Word Of The Year as your guiding word for the year ahead. It’s the word that will help you stay aligned with your vision, it’s the intention behind everything you’ll do, and it’s what will keep you grounded in what matters most.

It's easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of client work and before you know it, you’re saying YES to everything and everyone, leaving nothing left in the tank and ending up with a business (and life!) you’re not entirely sure you recognise (or want).

Setting yourself word for 2025 is a perfect addition to your goal-setting for the year ahead and could be the single most powerful decision you make this year.

In this episode you’ll learn why setting a Word of The Year is such a transformative exercise and how to do it in a meaningful and intentional way.

Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?

Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the quiz here.

Sam + Jo xo

We know how easy it is to get caught up in day-to-day client work, but ignoring vital elements like your website copy, contracts, socials, systems and processes will only make it harder to catch up later.

The solution?

Regularly reviewing your business fundamentals typically requires only minor tweaks. But let things gather dust too long, and those tweaks can turn into major overhauls.

Remember folks: keeping up is always easier than catching up!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The reasons why nothing in biz is set and forget – as much as we wished otherwise.
• The triggers reminding you something you set and forgot needs revisiting and revising.
• The list of things in your VA biz to review, tweak and update regularly.
• Why the transition from Freelancer to Agency Owner puts a spotlight on your-out-of-date messaging, tools, pricing and more.

Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?

Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the quiz here.

Sam + Jo xo

We’re not here to bullsh*t you or beat around the bush. There are virtual assistants who are thriving, and others who are barely surviving.

Want to know exactly what the VAs who are thriving are doing? Then hit play, cos we’re spilling all the not-so-secret trade secrets.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• What you need to do to have a thriving VA business in an uncertain economic climate.
• Why confirmation bias could be the end of your business.
• How to avoid the feast and famine cycle.
• Why referrals only get you so far.

Book your private Coaching Call here.

Find out more about Launch in 30 Days here.

Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?

Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the quiz here.

Grab your tissues and get ready to have your misconceptions challenged around this often-misunderstood phase of life.

With honesty and vulnerability, Sam bravely addresses the mental health challenges that can accompany perimenopause and dispels the myths surrounding hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Our hope is that this episode provides clarity and support to women in their 40s who are facing similar struggles.

Join us for a conversation that aims to empower, enlighten and educate, breaking the silence around perimenopause for those who may be suffering in silence.

Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns or treatment options.

Trigger Warning: This episode briefly touches on topics related to suicidal thoughts, which may be sensitive to some listeners.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The perimenopause symptoms that will surprise you.
• The defining moment when Sam realised she needed help.
• How one documentary saved Sam’s marriage, and her life.
• Why hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is not the villain it’s been made out to be.

Resources:

• The 34 Symptoms of Perimenopause by Happy Healthy You
• Must watch/listen to Diary of A CEO Podcast Interview with Dr Mandy Pelz (Fasting, Hormones, Cycles, Perimenopause)
• Sex, Myths And The Menopause documentary (Davina McCall)
• Sex, Mind And The Menopause documentary (Davina McCall)

Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?

Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the quiz here.

Sam + Jo xo

As well as her deserving win of VA of The Year, Tania is also in the possession of Top Performing VA Freelancer AND Best VA Speciality or Niche for 2024!!

Has it all sunk in yet? Not on your life! Tania is well and truly still in a 'pinch me now, this can't be real' phase of her success.

But that didn’t stop one of the most loved VAs in Aotearoa from sitting down with us just days after her big wins to share her inspiring 9 year (and counting!) business journey, the gold nuggies she has for other VAs who are experiencing the same struggles she’s overcome, and why community and connection are so important in the VA space.

#itsavibe!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The niche that changed EVERYTHING!
• The structured business planning system that helped Tania become an award-winning VA.
• The reasons Tania kept entering the NZ VA Awards despite never getting past finalist status for 3 years straight.
• Why Tania moved from an embarrassing low casual hourly rate to fixed fee packages, and how it enabled her to reach $15k revenue months.
• The perimenopause/menopause symptoms that lost Tania clients and what she advises all VAs do in order to prevent the same happening to them.

Connect with Tania from Virtually There here and see how she can help you create epic events that captivate and inspire:

Website

LinkedIn

Instagram

Facebook

Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?

Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the quiz here.

And because of all those hours spent scrolling, reviewing and providing feedback we know first-hand the #1 most common mistake VAs are making time and time again when DIYing their site.

Today we’re sharing with you the simple tweak you can make to your website copy guaranteed to ensure you're not losing leads online.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The #1 mistake VAs make on their website and how to fix it fast!

Build your website in a day! Check out The Essential Website Template (plus tutorials!) for Virtual Assistants here.

Sam + Jo xo

Sam isn’t sharing her journey to shame you into making similar changes in your life or to tell you her way is the only way – ‘cos it’s not!

Sam is opening up about her journey to getting healthy in all the ways in the hope it will help (maybe even inspire) other women in their 40’s who are having similar struggles.

There is so much overwhelming ‘wellness’ noise online that it can do more harm than good, so if this episode helps cut though the stress of not knowing where to start, then we reckon it’s worth opening up so vulnerably.

Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns or treatment options.

Trigger Warning: This episode very lightly touches on topics relating to eating disorders which may be sensitive to some listeners.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How Sam lost 35kgs in 9 months without setting foot in the gym or breaking a sweat.
• Why gut health matters.
• The life-style changes Sam has made in 2024 to work towards a healthy body, mind, business and family.
• The downsides of dramatic growth and how to overcome the guilt of being ‘selfish’ when investing in yourself.

The resources and products mentioned in this podcast:

Love Ya Guts Foundation Box (Culvic Humic Concentrate, Organic Bentonite Clay, Methyl Sulfonyl Methane, Liver Detox Tea, Collagen)

Magnesium Oil Spray, Salt Lab

Must watch/listen to Diary of A CEO Podcast Interview with Dr Mandy Pelz (Fasting, Hormones, Cycles, Perimenopause)

Live Cultured Goodness, Wildly

Turmeric Supplements

HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy)

(Although it wasn't mentioned specifically in the podcast, we want to make it very clear that throughout this journey Sam has been seeing her GP regularly for observation and testing ensuring the lifestyle changes she has made were safe ones for her personally.)

Sam + Jo xo

Lucky for our overthinking listeners, we’re not just telling you to stop overthinking, we’re telling you WHY your overthinking has made you overlook the very obvious solution to your service offering woes.

You’re welcome 😉

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The reasons EA services are are fabulous and in-demand niche for the right VAs.
• The types of virtual assistants who shouldn’t call themselves a virtual EA.
• The benefits for going all in on your virtual EA services.

Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?

Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the quiz here.

Sam + Jo xo

This is your friendly reminder that no matter the VA pathway you’re on, it’s likely you can be doing better.

We know you both have your unique frustrations with one another, and boy do we feel for you when the shit hits the fan or you’ve simply reached the end of your rope after being let down and disappointed one too many times.

We get it. It's not easy. In fact some days/weeks are so far from easy you may have one foot out the door already. But you've come this far - too far to give up now!

Sam has a unique insight into the issues that often take place between the two of you due to her ring-side seat as Founder of the Virtual Assistant Network of NZ.

To help save Sam’s sanity (and your own!) let’s all take a moment to understand both sides. Let’s step into one another’s shoes so next time something doesn’t go the way you expect you can understand why, learn from it, and do better next time around.

Or even better, pre-empt it!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The most common complaints agency owners have about potential team members.
• The most common complaints potential team members have about agency owners.
• The things both sides can be doing better so everyone’s happy!
• What aspiring sub-contractors can do to ensure they're making a great first impression on the VANNZ Sub-Contractor/Employee Directory.

Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?

Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the quiz here.

Sam + Jo xo 

Just cos you may be available to work X number of hours a week, doesn’t mean all of those hours will be spent supporting clients.  Anyone that tells you otherwise is delulu.

The reality is, in order to make this VA gig a profitable, successful one where you’re not working more hours than you were in your 9-5 and you're earning more than minimum wage, you can't be spending 100% of your available working hours on billable client work.

It's time to take your head out of the clouds when it comes to your available working hours and how they will be spent so you're accurate when forecasting your future revenue.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The percentage of your time you’ll need to spend on non-billable work as a Freelancer and Agency Owner.
• The non billable tasks you need to make a priority.
• Why your non billable hours increase even more as an Agency Owner.
• Why working ON your business is equally as important as working IN your business.
• How to ensure you’re pricing profitably, working at capacity and avoiding the dreaded Feast and Famine Cycle.

Get the Ultimate Pricing Calculator for Virtual Assistants here.

Download the Pre-Scale Checklists here.

Sam + Jo xo

You loved Part 1 so much we decided to record Part 2, this time focussing on the untold, after-dark stories from July’s VA retreat in Bali.

Nothing (and we mean NOTHING) was left on the table.

These are all the stories from Bali you didn’t know you needed to hear, and stories you probably don’t need to hear, but we’re over-sharers, so you’re welcome!

In this episode you’ll hear all about:

• The meaning behind all the giant wooden 🍆
• The dude that picked a fight with a wild monkey.
• The ‘Daddy’ travel strategy that works.
• The drug dealer who saved the day.
• The cute AF dog that Sam kept dribbling on (yup, you read that right).
• Plus sooooo much more!

Join us at our next lux Retreat for VA business owners here.

Sam + Jo xo

The reason we decided hit record on this very honest, behind the curtain convo?

Well, it turns out this (our regular weekly podcast recording session) was our first opportunity to sit down together since returning home from beautiful Bali, and we thought it would be fun to share the highs (and lows!) of taking 11 VA biz owners along with us for a life-changing retreat experience full of self-discovery and business breakthroughs.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How Jo's control freak tendencies almost derailed Bali.
• How we got the balance right between business and woo-woo.
• All the reasons we're doing it again in 2025.
• What we definitely won't be doing again in 2025!
• Who's having a baby and who needs to shower differently.
• How you too can lose 4kgs physically and emotionally.

Join us at our next lux retreat for VA business owners here.

Sam + Jo xo

Well, you’d better stop breaking our #1 online networking rule then!

If you’ve been guilty of dropping links and running instead of building meaningful relationships and showcasing why you’re the right VA for a potential client, then keep listening …

And if you’re a VA who DMs potential clients without permission or an invitation … watch out ‘cos Sam’s about to slap you sideways!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The online networking lead generation strategy that works!
• Why your unwelcome, spammy DMs are the equivalent of an unsolicited d**k pic.
• Why dropping links and running is lazy and losing you leads.
• The biggest mistake you're making with your personal Facebook profile if online networking is part of your lead generation strategy.

Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?

Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the quiz here.

Sam + Jo xo

There’s no pussy footing around in this episode virtual assistants! Coz whose got time for fluff and beating around the bush? Not you that’s for sure!

In this episode you’ll learn what to do if:

1. You’ve got clients, but not making money.
2. Clients are saying they can’t afford you.
3. Leads are ghosting you.
4. You can’t get work out of clients.
5. You’re only attracting iddy-biddy clients.
6. You have late paying clients.
7. You don’t know what to set your prices at.
8. You’re not getting any leads from social media.
9. You’re working way more hours than you were in your 9-5.
10. You’re struggling to find reliable team members.
11. You keep losing clients.
12. You’re not getting any work from the VANNZ Sub-Contractor/Employee Directory.
13. Your lack of confidence is holding you back from launching your VA biz.
14. Your lead is questioning your contract.
15. You can’t find any clients.

Take the What’s Your VA Pathway Quiz here.

Get the Ultimate Pricing Calculator for Virtual Assistants here.

Buy the Virtual Assistant Service Agreement Template here.

Join us inside Launch in 30 Days here.

Download the Pre-Scale Checklists here.

Join us inside the Scale It Mastermind here.

Sam + Jo xo 

Since its launch 2 years ago other competitors have come to the market, but there’s no doubt ChatGPT is the most well-known of all the AI tools, and we’re certain it’s the one the majority of VAs are cutting their AI teeth on.

Like any new technology, it's taking users a while to get their heads around how to get the most out of it, so in this episode ChatGPT Queen, Jess Clark, joins us to share her biggest hacks to ensure VAs are training their AI tools to sound like THEM – instead of the 'generic robot on emoji steroids' content currently being pumped out 🤦‍♀️.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The biggest ChatGPT mistakes we see VAs making.
• Our crystal ball predictions for AI over the next 1 and 5 years.
• The anatomy of a great prompt.
• How to get content out of Chat GPT that sounds exactly like you.
• Jess's biggest Chat GPT hacks.
• How to use Chat GPT as your biz bestie and save 10+ hours a week.

Join the $7 GPTea Party to learn how to create on-brand, sounds scarily like you business content.

Learn how to Build-A-Bot on Chat GPT in 30 minutes - zero tech skills needed. Build bots that work so you don't have to.

Follow Jess Clark on Instagram

Sam + Jo xo

But even if intellectually we know this, we still discount – or outright ignore – great advice.

(And yeah, right now we’re specifically talking about our advice that you’re ignoring!)

So the question is why? Why are you ignoring our expert advice? ‘Cos we may not know everything there is to know about everything, but what we do know inside out and back to front is the VA biz. This is OUR zone of genius.

Well, there’s generally two reasons aspiring and established VAs ignore our advice (even those that pay for that advice!).

The first is that the more confident you are in life, the more you feel like you’ve got your shit together, the more likely you are to ignore the advice of others. Yeah, it's an ego thing.

The second reason is fear. You HEAR the advice, you UNDERSTAND the advice, but the actions required to TAKE the advice are scary and hard and you’d rather self-sabotage your success than step out of your comfort zone.

But no matter the reason, if you're struggling with something in your VA business, chances are you simply can't afford to ignore us any longer.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The most ignored pieces of advice VAs love to ignore, and the reasons why they shouldn’t.
• Why we only want you to join us inside the next intake of Launch in 30 Days if you’re willing to listen to ALL of our advice!

Join us inside the next intake of Launch in 30 Days here.

Sam + Jo xo

VA biz owner Mandy Purdie has found not only her niche – but her calling, and she’s reaping the benefits both personally and professionally that come from scaling New Zealand’s first (and only!) ADHD-friendly virtual assistant agency.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Mandy's secret to an inbox flooded with referrals.
• How to increase your conversion rate through deeply understanding your ideal clients' concerns, worries and fears.
• How Mandy sustainably scaled to a team of 5 over 3 years.

To find out more about ADHD-friendly virtual assistance, connect with Mandy here:

Website

LinkedIn

Instagram

Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?

Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the quiz here.

Sam + Jo xo

Are you struggling to scale, unhappily working all the hours, unable to fully switch off while taking time off and sick and tired of juggling client work alongside recruiting and managing your team?

Are you reluctant to put up your prices because you’re worried leads will balk at your rates?

If this sounds familiar - you aren't alone!

It’s cold hard truth time: For the majority of VA agency business owners, it's impossible to scale without premium pricing. And the longer you fight us on this, the longer you will continue to struggle.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The team, client and financial issues you’ll face as a VA agency owner if you don’t have premium pricing.
• The only agency model that works with pricing that isn’t considered ‘premium’.
• How to work out a profitable premium rate.
• How to access the exact steps required to scale your agency successfully.

Download the FREE Pre-Scale Checklist for Virtual Assistants here.

Buy the Ultimate Pricing Calculator for Virtual Assistants here.

Join us inside the Scale It Mastermind here.

Sam + Jo xo

You may have wanted to have more freedom and flexibility than a traditional corporate role allowed you.

Or perhaps your priorities changed since starting your family?

But let’s be honest, you also became a VA to earn a decent income from home!

Otherwise, why bother? 🤷‍♀️

So why are there so many virtual assistants out there having to work MORE hours than a 9 – 5 in order to pay the bills?

Why are there so many virtual assistants earning less than minimum wage?!

In this episode you’ll learn the 9 reasons why you aren’t earning a minimum wage and how to turn things around so that you aren't working all the hours with nothing to show in your bank account.

Sam + Jo xo

Buy the Ultimate Pricing Calculator for Virtual Assistants here.

Join us inside the Scale It Mastermind here.

If being ghosted by a lead, client (or yes, even team member!) hasn’t happened yet, in the words of Alexander Hamilton … “Just you wait” 🤪

Being ghosted can often trigger VAs into a spiral of self doubt. It’s common for the VA to take it personally, question everything and make some massive assumptions.

Having been there, done that, and got the 👻 badge more often than we'd like to admit, we can confidently tell you to stop second-guessing and blaming yourself, and start putting some very simple steps in place to prevent it from happening again.

Disclaimer: The ghost prevention strategies mentioned in this episode work 97% of the time. The remaining 3% can’t be helped ‘cos they're Dicks ghosting you whose dick-ness can't be helped😉.

You’ll learn:

• The 5 most common reasons VAs get ghosted and the steps you can take to prevent it from happening.
• Why ‘Quick Wins’ and ‘Nice To Dos’ need to be part of your client onboarding process.
• What to say in your discovery call that makes following them up post-Proposal soooooo much easier.

Join us inside the next intake of Launch in 30 Days here.

Join us inside the Scale It Mastermind here.

Sam + Jo xo 

The quicker you can build the know, like and trust factor online the quicker you’ll become fully booked with a steady stream of leads knocking at your door.

And the best strategy to achieve this fast is being the face of your business.

The worst strategy to achieve this is hiding behind your business name and logo.

But we get that this is easier said than done for a lot of virtual assistants more comfortable in behind the scenes roles.

This episode is for all the aspiring and established virtual assistants who'd rather make a thousand cold calls than show their face online.

You’ll learn:

• The most common reasons you’re reluctant to be the face of your business.
• Why your lack of confidence on camera is holding your business back.
• The reframe you need to make in order to feel the fear and do it anyway!

Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?

Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the quiz here.

Sam + Jo xo

Those that take the quiz get one of four results: Sub-contractor, Freelancer, Agency Owner, and …. Not Ready.

Every time someone receives the ‘not ready’ result a little part of us dies.

We know seeing these two words pop up on the screen is disappointing for some who receive it, and for others it reinforces what they already know.

But just because you may not be ready right NOW, doesn’t mean your journey is over!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The 3 reasons you will have received this result.
• Why this result doesn’t mean you should give up.
• What you can do now to prepare for success in the VA space.

Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?

Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the quiz here.

Sam + Jo xo

We may not have a crystal ball that will predict the future (wouldn’t that be nice!), but we do have a decade plus of industry knowledge and hundreds of hours of research, testing and speaking with other experts in our greater network under our belt.

All of which has culminated in us being able to confidently predict how the VA space will look in the future ‘thanks’ to AI.

Look, it’s not all doom and gloom! In fact, we believe there are some incredible opportunities for virtual assistants ready to embrace AI in order to stay relevant!

Being the first coaches in the industry to talk about the future of VAs in an AI world is a responsibility we don’t take lightly. And finding the balance between sharing our knowledge so you can start prepping without freaking you out can be challenging.

But when have you ever known us to shy away from speaking out and telling it like it is? 😂

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Our predictions of how AI will change the VA industry.
• What VAs need to do in order to stay relevant and future proof their businesses.
• Why AI doesn't have to be the 'villain' in our story.

Register for the next FREE 'Future-Proof Your VA Business in An AI World' Webinar here.

Get The AI Survival Kit here.

Sam + Jo xo

Do you expect your friends sign contracts before hanging out with you?

No?

Then why are you treating your clients like friends?

It's only natural you'll get close to certain clients, especially the long-term ones who you feel comfortable having a laugh, coffee or a cheeky wine with.

But when the lines start blurring between professional and personal, when you start questioning whether or not you should put your timer on, and when you can no longer decided whether to introduce this person as a client or a friend … well that’s when things can get tricky.

You may assume that this type of close-knit VA/client relationship is one to celebrate. We’re here to tell you that in most cases it’s one to avoid and that having defined, professional boundaries will protect you BOTH.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The VAs most at risk for allowing/encouraging the lines to blur.
• The unexpected consequences of treating your clients like friends.
• How to be friendly but not friends with clients.

Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?

Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the quiz here.

Sam + Jo xo

So heavy that it often puts aspiring VAs off from moving from lurker to launcher.

Too heavy some days that even well-established virtual assistants feel the temptation of bringing on a partner to lessen the load.

On paper, who wouldn’t want to go into business with a ride-or-die biz bestie who will always have your back?

Imagine having someone at your side to bounce around ideas, keep you motivated & inspired, do all the things you aren't great at, and who is as excited and committed to the business as you are!

Sounds like a bloody dream ... right?

For anyone considering entering a business partnership, we urge you to listen to this episode first.

You’ll learn:

• The conversations you must have before going into business with someone.
• The alternatives that will provide you with what you are seeking.
• The parts of Jo’s failed business partnership you’ve never heard.

Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?

Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the quiz here.

Sam + Jo xo

Yessiree, it’s time to share some of our biggest biz “icks” as virtual assistant coaches, mentors and business owners.

Some of these icks are instant turn-offs; our personal deal breakers. Others however aren’t as black and white as we initially thought they'd be prior to hitting record.

But whether you agree with our Ick List or not, there’s no shying away from the fact that if they are on our ick radar, then some will also be your potential clients’ icks too.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The icks that have some potential clients running for the hills.
• The two icks that will offend you.
• Jo’s unexpected ick that had Sam SHOOK!

Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?

Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the quiz here.

Sam + Jo xo

And you know what they say about highlight reels?

They’re a bunch of baloney, that's what! They only showcase one side of a much bigger, more complex story.

We reckon it’s time for us all to get comfortable sharing the lows as much as the highs. ‘Cos this is real life and real life is not always sunshine and rainbows.

So it’s time to share some not so bright and shiny things about us.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The online content that makes us feel like shit.
• How to not get sucked in by big numbers and big results.
• Our most recent failures and facepalms 🤦‍♀️🤦

Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?

Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the quiz here.

Sam + Jo xo

It’s time to talk all things … stock photos. In particular:

• Why we hate them.
• Why your leads are being put off by them.
• The only time you can get away with using them.
• What you can use instead of them.
• The things to look out for if you have no other choice but to use them.

It may seem like a funny thing for us to get our knickers in a knot about, but if you only knew how many leads you’re losing cos you’re hiding behind cheesy, off brand, boring, unauthentic stock photos 😭

Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?

Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the quiz here.

Sam + Jo xo

There’s also no ‘quicker’, ‘faster’ or ‘better’ (in case you were wondering that too).

Every aspiring virtual assistant is different.

You have different skills, experience, personality types, available working hours and financial responsibilities.

So instead of asking us which pathway is easier, ask yourself which are you better suited to?

And if you don’t know, then we’ve made it SUPER easy for you to find out!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The differences between being a sub-contractor and being a freelancer.
• The pros and cons of both sub-contractor and freelancer pathways.
• Why you may assume the sub-contractor route is easier and quicker.
• How to find out which pathway you’re best suited to.

Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?

Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the quiz here.

Sam + Jo xo

It’s easy from the outside looking in for other virtual assistants to assume you’re successful, on top of things and freaking loving life!

But the reality couldn’t be further from the truth.

The reality is that you really want to love your business, but you’ve found yourself working ALL the hours, your mental and physical health is suffering, you’re finding it difficult to maintain boundaries and you may have even started to resent some of your more ‘difficult’ clients.

It's a situation we're all too familiar with, so we’re here to tell you how you got yourself in this situation (cos yeah, this one's on you) and the exact steps you need to take to turn things around.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• What to look at in your business in order to fall back in love with it.
• Why it’s the people-pleasing VAs amongst us that find themselves in this situation.
• Why gold plating is costing you money.
• The boundaries to hold and courageous conversations needed to maintain your health.

Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?

Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the quiz here.

Sam + Jo xo

Have you ever considered incentivising your team members with fixed fees instead of hourly rates?

There are so many benefits to both you and your team member that it Just. Makes. Sense!

But there are some clear dos and do nots to making it work well so that everyone involved is as happy as Ken hanging out in his Mojo Dojo Casa House.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The benefits of fixed fees for you AND your sub-contractor.
• How fixed fees can work for client facing AND non-client facing sub-contractors.
• When fixed fees DON’T work.

Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?

Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the quiz here.

Sam + Jo xo

Why?

Because skipping straight to ‘Agency Owner’ is not for the faint hearted, and you’ll need a very particular set of skills, skills that you will have acquired over time in your corporate 9-5.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Who can skip straight to ‘Agency Owner’.
• What your role would look like as an ‘Agency Owner’.
• What you need in place if you’re thinking about skipping straight to ‘Agency Owner’.
• What can go wrong when skipping straight to ‘Agency Owner’.

Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?

Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the quiz here.

Sam + Jo xo 

Spoiler alert: WE’RE 99% SURE THEY ARE!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why downplaying your skills & experience as an admin support is doing you a disservice.
• The transferable skills that will make you a standout, in-demand VA.
• To celebrate your generalist VA status – cos niching isn’t for everyone straight off the bat.
• How you can ‘sell’ your admin skills and experiences to potential clients.

Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?

Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the quiz here.

Sam + Jo xo

Is your chair as wonky as Sam’s? Is the copy on your website not converting leads to clients? Maybe you’ve got an underperforming team member you’ve been avoiding having to deal with?

It's time to say goodbye to not only those niggly little daily annoyances, but also the elephant in the room issues that can no longer be avoided.

'Cos the start of a new year is a great time to identify where you’re going to put your energy in to make substantial changes in your business!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The reason you’ve been putting up with shitty equipment, tools, clients and team members.
• How to plan for upgrades in your business.
• Why avoiding tough conversations is harming your business.

Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?

Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the quiz here.

Sam + Jo xo

“Man, it’s really tough finding clients – no one is hiring!”

“It’s a slow time of year for sure”.

NOPE! Stop it!

It’s cold hard truth time lovelies.

It’s NOT slow. Clients ARE hiring. We know first-hand this to be true. We’ve got evidence to back this up.

So enough of the excuses.

If you’re finding it hard right now, it’s certainly not due to the lack of clients looking to outsource.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why it’s easy to use all the reasons under the sun as to why you aren’t fully booked.
• What you can do to turn things around.
• Why this time of year is often the BUSIEST for successful virtual assistants.

Be your own boss, replace your 9-5 income and get the freedom and flexibility you’ve been searching for.

Launch in 30 Days is the step-by-step course that’ll see you launch your dream VA business and land your first-ever *well paying* client in just 30 days.

Join the next intake of Launch in 30 Days!

Are you ready for the next iteration of your business?

The one where you work less hours, make more money, have a clear vision of where you’re going and can safely say you’ve kicked overwhelm and burnout to the curb?

Consider the Scale It! Mastermind your shortcut to efficiently, painlessly and sustainably scaling your VA business to align with your version of success.

Join the exclusive mastermind for established virtual assistants today!

Get a 2024 VA Business Planner - an invaluable resource in your business toolkit, disguised as a yearly planner

PS: If you're unsure as to which pathway you're more suited to right now, then we'd recommend you do our What's Your Virtual Assistant Pathway Quiz

Sam + Jo xo

.

A fortnight after completing Launch in 30 Days Bri had onboarded 4 clients. Days later she resigned from her 9-5, and within a month she was fully booked and had replaced to her 9-5 income.

But the icing on the cake …. 3 months after launching her brand spanking new VA business, Bri was announced as a finalist for Top Performing Newcomer at the 2023 NZ Virtual Assistant Awards!

See what we mean?! The action taking required to reach this type of success, this quickly, is next level and to say we’re proud mumma hens is an understatement.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How Bri was able to quit her 9-5 just two weeks after launching her VA biz.
• The course Bri invested in that led to her replacing her 9-5 income in just 3 months.
• What Bri would do differently … cos it hasn’t been all rainbows and unicorns!
• Why having a supportive partner in your corner makes ALL the difference.

Connect with Bri here to find out more about The Admin Place’s top class virtual assistant services.

LinkedIn

Instagram

Facebook

Ready to ditch your 9-5? Launch in 30 Days is your step-by-step guide to launching your dream VA business, and landing your first-ever *well-paying* client (...in just 30 days!) 

Sam + Jo xo

Do you have any back up eggs if the worst was to happen and you lost the majority of your revenue in one big ugly hit?

You might be riding high right now, fully booked with one or two great-fit, chunky clients, but we want you to be fully aware of the risks around putting your all your client eggs in just one or two baskets.

We want you to have a Plan B so when the unexpected happens (cos trust us - it can happen!), you’re not thrown into panic mode, desperate to find clients.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The risk involved in having a client providing you with 50% or more of your total revenue.
• The ideal client hour/revenue split to ensure you don’t lose it all.
• What to do if your client eggs are currently all in one risky AF basket.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with our step-by-step playbook! We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

In this episode, we’re sharing stories sent in by our awesome listeners on which episodes packed the biggest punch and why.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with our step-by-step playbook! We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo 

But what happens if you don’t like the thought of sharing everything with everyone on social media in order to be truly ‘authentic’?

Or what if you’ve never given any thought to creating a unique brand voice for your business and don’t know where to start?

And for those VAs with teams - you may be wondering if you need to show up differently now you’ve grown your team? Is it time to switch your personal brand to an impersonal one?

Communications Consultant and Brand Designer Courtney Haines joins us on the podcast to talk about how to navigate showing up authentically in order to build trust, whilst still maintaining energy and protecting boundaries.

‘Cos showing up ‘authentically’ may not mean what you think it means.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why personal branding and a finding your brand voice is important for virtual assistants.
• How to use AI to create content without losing your brand voice.
• How to transition your brand voice from freelancer to agency owner.
• Whether or not you really need to be active on social media to find clients.

To find out more about how you can get personalised communication and branding support, connect with Courtney here:

Website

LinkedIn

Instagram

Courtney’s Personality Trifecta Template here!

Access Courtney's Personal Brand Photoshoot Strategy and Checklist to help you prepare for a brand shoot with a photographer. Use the code VANZ1 to get it for FREE!

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with our step-by-step playbook! We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

Sure, there are industries (especially in this part of the world) that shut their doors for an extended summer break. But that doesn’t mean business owners aren't scrolling through social media, pondering the year ahead, dreaming about what they want to outsource and stalking who they’re going to put feelers out to.

And if you’re thinking virtual assistants aren’t signing up and onboarding new clients right up to the Xmas break – you’d be wrong.

Don’t get caught up in someone else’s holiday slump. There’s work for the taking in December and January, so if you’ve got spaces to fill now is NOT the time to disappear!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The holiday myth we don’t want you to buy into!
• How to protect your holiday leave by automating your discovery call bookings.
• How to ensure you’re keeping leads warm during the holiday season.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with our step-by-step playbook! We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

 Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

But before you let loose on the internet with your credit card, we want to talk with you about keeping to budget and making it personal, because no matter how big or small your budget is this year, it’s the thought that counts.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why tiered client gifting is smart gifting.
• How to decide on your Christmas gift budget.
• The cheeky gift idea that will have you blushing.
• Our favourite gifts guaranteed to put a smile on your client's dial.

Woo-Woo Box

Knight Inspired

Yoga and Oils

Virtual Print

Grounded Minds

B1G1

Huski

Good George

Moustache Milk & Cookie Bar

Girls Get Off

Pressie Box

Edible Blooms 

Celebration Box

Follow Your Legend

Bento Ninja

Trees That Count

Tree Gifts New Zealand

Zealong Tea

Forget Me Not Journals

Peg Creative

Caliwoods

Metal Bird

Hinza Bag

Champagne Direct

Wine Time

Bite & Delight

The Cookie Collective

Happy gift giving!

Sam + Jo xo

This episode is raw and vulnerable. Recording it was as uncomfortable as wearing a turtleneck in the middle of a heat wave.

But as much as we both wanted desperately to skulk away and hide under the blankets instead of hitting record, we know it’s important for us to share more than just our highlights with you.

Because burnout is not to be taken lightly.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The signs you may also be experiencing burnout.
• Why sometimes ‘pushing through’ isn’t the answer.
• The gratitude rants that help raise our frequency.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with our step-by-step playbook! We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How you can integrate ‘doing good’ into your everyday operations.
• The impact integrating social impact can have on your business.
• What the triple bottom line is and why it’s important.
• Why communicating your paying it forward initiatives has impact.

Connect with David here to find out more about Thankyou Payroll's commitment to paying it forward.

LinkedIn

Website

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with our step-by-step playbook! We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo 

Because no matter the reasons, excuses, stories you're using to validate your decision, stealing clients is not the answer.

Is putting your reputation on the line for a short term gain really worth the risk?

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The serious ramifications of stealing clients.
• Why the client technically isn’t YOUR client.
• The importance of reading the fine print of your contract.
• What to do if a client wants to work with you directly.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with our step-by-step playbook! We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

Why tough?

Because assuming your recruitment process is a great one, the top 5 reasons your team members keep leaving all come down to … YOU.

Like it or not, you’re the common denominator.

But the good news is once you identify your lack of leadership skills, systems and processes mean that you’re the problem, changes can be made so that you become the leader your team members need.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The reasons why your team members keep leaving.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with our step-by-step playbook! We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Download your FREE Pre-Scaling Checklist here.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Scaling your business isn't complicated but there's absolutely no shortcuts!

It's going to require your time and attention, and it's going to mean putting work into areas of your business you've been ignoring until now.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• What scaling your business really means.
• The different ways we scaled our businesses.
• The biggest mistakes we see VAs make when scaling.
• Why you need a Pre-Scale Checklist.

Download your FREE Pre-Scaling Checklist here.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How being faced with a life-threatening illness changed Chantelle’s outlook on life.
• The reason Chantelle has employee team members vs sub-contractor team members.
• How to deal with the guilt of not doing client work anymore.
• The role goal setting and planning has played in Chantelle’s success.
• Chantelle’s advice around becoming a great leader and the importance of having difficult conversations.

Connect with the Chantelle and the award winning Varntige team here to find out more about their bookkeeping, admin and design services.

Website

Instagram

Facebook

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with our step-by-step playbook! We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Download your FREE Pre-Scaling Checklist here.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

Often these are courageous conversations caused by an unhappy client, a mistake that’s been made or a miscommunication. But more commonly they are also your discovery calls and onboarding discussions.

It’s impossible to convey your value to a lead via email. It’s difficult to calm ruffled feathers via text. And there’s no way you’ll ever convince us you can build truly meaningful relationships hiding behind your keyboard.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The crucial conversations all VAs must have either on the phone or on a Zoom call.
• The fears that cause virtual assistants to hide behind their keyboards.
• Why so much can get lost in translation via email.
• Why picking up the phone is the professional move clients respect.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with our step-by-step playbook! We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

We’ve met countless virtual assistants who have put off time tracking because they thought it would be clunky and take them too long to log everything.

And we’ve come across many more who think a client asking to see a breakdown of their hours is a red flag, micromanaging alert!

But let’s be really clear on three things straight off the bat:

1. All virtual assistants must be time tracking – no matter how they package up their services.
2. It’s not a red flag if a client asks for a breakdown of your time.
3. The only time we don’t advise you to provide a breakdown of your time is if you’re providing a fixed fee package.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The reasons it benefits you as a business owner to time track everything.
• The reasons why a client may be requesting break down of your hours.
• The assumptions and fears we have around time tracking.
• The level of detail you should be noting while time tracking.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with our step-by-step playbook! We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

Look don’t get us wrong. Nothing gets our engines purring harder than a great converting website with clear messaging and a strong personal brand. This type of website can do wonders for an established virtual assistant’s credibility.

BUT … the cold hard truth of the matter is that 99% of the time this ^^^ is not the reality of a virtual assistant’s attempt at DIYing their website too soon in the game.

We’re here to ensure you’re not wasting your time, energy and money on something that will repel clients rather than attract.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why a website isn’t a silver bullets for clients finding you online.
• The ONLY virtual assistants that need a website early on.
• Why having a website too soon will only end in disappointment and frustration.
• How to get your website up and running quickly, affordably and without the stress

Sam + Jo xo 

PS: The Essential Website Template is now available for $199 NZD and is specifically designed for virtual assistants. Plus, with step-by-step tutorials included, you can finally put an end to your website woes and start showing your credibility as a business owner.

But we’re here to assure you that the VA space is anything but a ponzi or pyramid scheme.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The differences between a dodgy get rich scam and starting a genuine online business.
• What to do if you’re unsure about an online business opportunity.
• Jo’s pet hate about how the term ‘affiliate marketing’ is being used.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with our step-by-step playbook! We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

The way we see it, you have two options:

Be open, honest and have a courageous conversation that paves the way for you to truly succeed; or

Not do any of that, allow the secret to eat away at you from the inside, find it more difficult to find clients, AND run the very real risk that your boss may find out anyway … and THAT’S a conversation we know you’d rather avoid!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The only things your boss cares about regarding your side hustle
• The language to use when telling your manager about your VA aspirations
• Why your fears around this conversation are usually unfounded
• Why honesty truly is the best policy

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with our step-by-step playbook! We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

Because unfortunately not even the best VAs in the business are guaranteed to succeed long-term in the industry.

The actions required of a great VA business owner are relatively simple, but you may be surprised to hear the mindset shifts needed to close the gap between great VA and great VA business owner can be mammoth.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The differences between a great VA and a great VA business owner.
• What to focus on to ensure you don’t become a flash-in-the-pan virtual assistant.
• Why it’s imperative you take control.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with our step-by-step playbook! We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Download your FREE Pre-Scaling Checklist here.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

The virtual assistants who are booked out with clients who RAVE about them.

The virtual assistants delivering incredible value to their clients.

The virtual assistants who bend over backwards to make their clients happy.

The virtual assistants who prioritise their clients' needs above their own.

The virtual assistants working all the hours, all the time.

The virtual assistants who care so f&#king much they end up stressed out, overwhelmed, burnt out and unhappy.

Do you see where we’re going with this?

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The signs you’re one of the best VAs in the business.
• Why there are major downsides to being a cracking hot, in demand virtual assistant.
• What you need to do to ensure you stay happy, healthy and profitable while still delivering great service.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with our step-by-step playbook! We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

Implementing and managing a client waitlist is a breeze! A breeze that has countless benefits if you’re working at capacity and having to turn down leads.

There aren’t many things in business that have NO downsides whatsoever, but having a waitlist is one of them.

This no brainer strategy not only helps put an end to your feast and famine cycle, but it’s also really attractive to leads. Who wouldn’t want to work with a VA who is obviously in such high demand?!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why waitlists dramatically improve your credibility.
• Why your assumptions about waitlists are likely to be unfounded.
• Why leads are willing to wait.
• How to communicate to leads about your waitlist.
• How to keep your waitlist warm

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with our step-by-step playbook! We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Download your FREE Pre-Scaling Checklist here.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo 

Package up downloadables to sell they advise!

In theory these are potentially solid passive income options … but not for the majority of virtual assistants.

Passive income is being thrown around a lot lately as the answer to all your feast and famine woes.

A way to ensure that even in slow periods of business you’ll have a steady stream of income trickling into your bank account while you sleep.

A strategy to move you away from trading your hours for money.

But passive income is NEVER a silver bullet and we’re here to bust some myths, expose the realities of passive income, and talk through a few options that COULD work, some that WILL work and those you should AVOID like the plague.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The popular passive income pipe dreams that aren’t worth your time.
• The advice other VA coaches aren’t giving you.
• The two biggest passive income reframes that will have your earning more money, working less hours.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with our step-by-step playbook! We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Download your FREE Pre-Scaling Checklist here.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

We are so grateful to have recently stumbled across the most beautiful soul who we immediately connected with.

Numerologist Sandy Atkins has gently guided us the past few months on a journey of using numbers to explore our talents, strengths, weaknesses and has helped us immensely in uncovering our purpose and future potential.

And in this episode we're sharing how numerology can provide inspiration, insights and clarity in not only your personal life but also your business.

Listen in to get a sneak peek behind the woo-woo scenes of The VA Foundry.

Connect with the Sandy here to find out more about her numerology readings, workshops and more!

Website

Instagram

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with our step-by-step playbook! We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

Ummm, why?

It’s time to cut those apron strings, stop being amateur and start portraying yourself to be the credible virtual assistant you are!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• All the reasons why you need to get yourself a branded email STAT!
• What having a Gmail email is doing to your brand
• Why your fears around putting off this job, are unfounded.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with our step-by-step playbook!We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

In fact, your subconscious money stories are likely to be holding you in a money comfort zone. And this money comfort zone of yours means you’ll never break through the money ceiling you keep butting up against.

Money Mentalist Lynda Moore joins us on this episode to chat about how your money beliefs show up and hold you back.

Listen in and be empowered by Lynda to change your relationship with money and take control of your financial future!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How to identify your money ceiling
• Why you need to know your money personality
• How to uncover your money stories
• Why your money comfort zone is holding you back

Connect with the Lynda here to find out more about her coaching, programmes and her book ‘Conversations With Money’.

Website

Facebook

LinkedIn

Instagram

Take the money personality quiz here.

Sam + Jo xo

Unsure if you're charging too much or too little?

Struggling to find the sweet spot that guarantees a steady income while not scaring away clients?

In this episode, you’ll learn our not-so-secret solution to pricing profitably!

Spoiler alert: It’s the Ultimate Pricing Calculator for Virtual Assistants and New Zealand and Australian VAs can grab it here for just $7 NZD!

The Ultimate Pricing Calculator is designed to help you:

• Determine your desired income - We know you've got goals, and we want to help you achieve them!
• Calculate the number of client hours you want each week - Because balance is everything!
• Plan your capacity - So you know exactly when to say yes, and when to say no to potential clients.
• Figure out your perfect rate - Say goodbye to undercharging or overpricing!
• Know exactly how much you need to put aside for tax - No one likes an unexpected bill from the tax man.

Get the Ultimate Pricing Calculator for just $7 NZD here.

Sam + Jo xoxo

Unfortunately we were right!

It pushed us to step outside our comfort zones. It pushed us into throwing out the window our biz boundaries. It pushed our relationship to the limits.

Yup! Launch in 30 Days pushed us HARD!

There’s a good reason we put it off for 3 looong years. We thought we were finally ready. But are you ever really ready for what's to come?

We thought we knew what to expect, but reality was so much … MORE.

More tension and tears. But also more growth and greatness.

We survived (albeit barely). And we’re ready to tell our tale and to share the highs, lows and lessons learnt from what we both agree was the biggest challenge we’ve undertaken to date.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The simple practice that lifts your frequency into the joy zone
• Why you need to set an end date to your overwhelm and stress
• How to kick imposter syndrome to the kerb
• The importance of starting before you’re ready

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with our step-by-step playbook! We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

Look, there’s no doubt there are some virtual assistants from certain parts of the world doing well on Fiverr. But there’s a reason why we’ve never signed up to Fiverr or recommended any of the VAs we’ve coached over the years to sign up to Fiverr either.

There is a certain type of client on platforms like Fiverr who are looking for a certain type of virtual assistant.  The BIG question you need to ask yourself is whether YOUR ideal client is on there (unlikely).

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The types of clients Fiverr attracts.
• Why Fiverr will never be a silver bullet or magic pill to finding clients.
• The places to look closer to home to find clients.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with our step-by-step playbook!We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

What is it that you’re pretending to do?

What’s the one thing in your business that you’ve gotten so good at either avoiding or half assing that up until reading this, you’d even fooled yourself into thinking you were doing it?!

We'll all got something. Yup, even us.

• Are you pretending to find clients when you’re actually sitting on the couch watching Oprah re-runs waiting for the phone to call?
• Are you pretending you’ve niched to a speciality service when in reality your entire online messaging proves otherwise?
• Are you pretending to show up online but you’re hiding behind your logo, you’re copying other VAs content, you’re pretending to be someone you’re not and you’re doing all of this inconsistently to boot?

It’s time to stop burying your head in the sand and actually do the thing you know you need to be doing!

It’s time to stop pretending.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with our step-by-step playbook! We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

But there are some common pitfalls we see sub-contractors in the VA space fall into time and time again. Pitfalls we want you to avoid to ensure you’re making a great first impression.

We also share the shocking NO-NOs that are guaranteed to destroy your reputation.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• All the things sub-contractors looking to work for virtual assistant business owners should avoid doing – from the recruitment process all the way through to the client work.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with our step-by-step playbook! We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo 

Is it making you second guess your pricing?

Or maybe it’s got you worried. Do all clients expect to pay low rates for their virtual support?

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why you’re attracting leads who want discounts and work done for free
• The language shift you need to make to STOP attracting these unwanted types of leads

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with our step-by-step playbook!

We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

Professionally our views and the ways we've approached this mind blowing AI tool are very different, but we’re both on the same page about one thing … the impact Chat GPT will have on the VA space.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The impact Chat GPT will have on virtual assistants
• Our unfiltered views on Chat GPT.
• How we use Chat GPT in our own business

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with our step-by-step playbook! We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

But Sam's rants aside, there are some very clear dos and do nots when it comes to successfully networking in online groups.

Want to know if you’re causing Sam to either puff up like a proud mother hen or curl up in a ball of shame when it comes to how you’re showing up in Facebook groups?

Then listen in!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The things that will attract clients when networking online.
• The things that are putting off potential clients.
• How to find the right online networking group/s to focus on.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with our step-by-step playbook!We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

You know the one! It’s catchy as all get-out and makes you really want to go have a picnic with something cuddly.

“If you go down to the woods today, you’re sure of a big surprise.”

Except we’re going to swap that out for:

“If you post a job ad on Seek today, you’re sure of a big surprise!”

Surprise numero uno being the fact that 97% of those applying to work with you will NOT be suitable.

Surprise number two is that good portion of that 97%’s applications will be filled with spelling mistakes, grammatical errors and bad formatting.

At this point you’re asking yourself:

“Are my standards too high? Am I the problem?”

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Whether or not your standards are too high (spoiler alert: they aren’t!)
• Our quick and brutal shortlisting process for recruiting team members.
• How to not get distracted by the time wasters and wrong-fit applicants.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with our step-by-step playbook! We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Download your FREE Pre-Scaling Checklist here.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

It should be!

Our wish is for all virtual assistants to avoid getting trapped in the feast/famine cycle so many freelancers and small business owners find themselves in.

One step in breaking your feast/famine cycle is - you guessed it! - making recurring revenue a priority.

Recurring revenue creates predictable revenue and predictable capacity.

And who doesn’t want THAT?!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The benefits to recurring revenue.
• Our top 3 ways to bring recurring revenue into your business.
• How to ensure predictability in your business for VAs offering project work.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with our step-by-step playbook! We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

The one that has no idea what the term ‘virtual assistant’ really means, doesn’t get why you need to be so active on social media, makes you second guess your goals ... and who’s negativity knocks your confidence and has you second guessing your decisions?

It sometimes comes from a place of jealously, but more often than not it’s simply down to their lack of knowledge around the VA space, the online business world and entrepreneurship in general.

This episode is our reminder to you that it’s okay to ignore the naysayers and push their opinions aside because the opinions of others are their beliefs, not necessarily truths.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How to identify the naysayers around you.
• How to tell the difference between constructive criticism vs destructive opinions
• How to ignore the naysayers in your life.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with our step-by-step playbook! We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

But there’s a reason why 8 out of 10 virtual assistants head back to their 9-5 jobs within 2 years.

And the truth of the matter is that the majority of VAs out there are surviving, not thriving.

We’ve both been there, barely holding it together. Overworked, overwhelmed and ready to call it quits.

But we switched things around … and you can to!

No time ... this will SAVE you time.

No funds … this will GET you funds.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The jaw dropping business stats you need to know.
• How to go from surviving to thriving!
• The step you have to take if you want your VA biz to succeed.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with our step-by-step playbook. We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

Whether it’s more clients, more hours, a referral, a piece of content you’re desperate to receive, or that overdue time-sheet from your slow-coach team member, unless you’re specific with what you need from your client/team member/partner/mentor … it’s likely you won’t get it.

So starting asking for what you need! (The simplicity of this proven to work strategy is utterly mind-blowing.)

And the next time you’re getting frustrated or feeling resentful because you aren’t getting what you truly need … we urge you to ask yourself: ‘Have I communicated specifically what I need from this person?’ No? Then it's time to have a conversation!

‘Cos as much as we love the woo-woo, even we don’t rely on the people around us having mind-reading abilities ;)

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why you can’t expect your clients to be mind-readers.
• Why you’re not getting referrals.
• How to lessen the mental load you carry as a business owner and running a household.
• How to avoid being a martyr.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with The VA Foundry Framework!

We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

Why?

Because instead of creating a business by design - one which they love and attracts their ideal clients - the VAs we see stuck in a vicious cycle of comparing themselves unfavourably to others in the industry, unsurprisingly end up with a cookie-cutter business that gets lost in the crowd.

And when there is nothing unique about your business … is it really your business? Or does it actually belong to the VA down the road you’ve accidentally ended up copying?

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The danger zone of ‘market research’ and how to avoid it.
• How comparing herself to other VAs almost derailed Sam’s own VA business.
• Why you don’t want to be a cookie-cutter VA.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with The VA Foundry Framework!

We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

It’s time to decide whether you’re content to help grow someone else’s VA biz rather than your own.

Because right now it’s likely that you’re either too time poor to find your own clients OR you’re putting off VA business owners from hiring you as they’re worried your commitment lies elsewhere.

So, what’s it going to be? What path will you be taking?

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why some VAs work for established VA businesses AND actively grow their own client base.
• The signs it’s time to get off the fence and pick your path.
• Why having a foot in both camps should not be a long-term strategy.
• Whether or not virtual assistants can be employees too.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with The VA Foundry Framework!

We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

 Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

Or maybe leads aren’t the problem, but converting those leads to actual paying clients is?

It sounds like you’re missing a vital piece from your own personal Finding Clients Puzzle.

But don’t despair! In this episode we share with you the questions you need to ask yourself in order to find out where that pesky missing puzzle piece is hiding. The questions for you need to answer HONESTLY to figure out where you’re going wrong.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How to figure why clients aren’t lining up to work with you.
• Why marketing your business can’t just be a tick box exercise.
• How to measure data in order to figure out the missing piece of your Finding Clients Puzzle.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with The VA Foundry Framework!

We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

Not only does it fill our woo-woo cup, it provides us with direction for the day ahead, and ensures we’re taking a moment to pause, breathe and reset to work with intention and purpose.

So, if you’re in need of some direction, if you’re feeling unmotivated or if you're in a bit of a sticky situation, let us pull a moonology manifestation oracle card for you!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The message and guidance you’re seeking RIGHT NOW.
• Where we get our woo-woo goodies from.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with The VA Foundry Framework!

We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

We’re here to remind you that it’s VERY likely the skills and experience you already have under your belt are MORE than enough to go out and find yourself clients.

We’re also going to share with you why potential clients really don’t give two hoots about your lack of certification.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why we decided NOT to become certified virtual assistants.
• The experience you do and don’t need to enter the VA space.
• Which one of us is the high school drop-out.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with The VA Foundry Framework!

We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

If you’re always putting your clients’ work, financial needs, goals and success before your own, your misplaced loyalty means you’ll never truly feel fulfilled.

So let’s create businesses that we love, which are financially healthy, with healthy boundaries in place, where there’s always time for our own admin, and our clients are just as happy as they were when you were always putting them first!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why we call BS on “the customer is always right”.
• The reason why your loyalty may be misplaced.
• Why you can’t afford to be putting your client’s financial needs before your own.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with The VA Foundry Framework!

We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to securing (and onboarding) your first client.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

Get set to throw everything you’ve ever heard about stuffy lawyers and their confusing lawyer speak out the window after listening to this episode on how to navigate the legal bits of your VA business.

There’s was nothing left off the table …. even Sam’s infamous trademark enforcement ‘saga’ which Simmi successfully handled with both professionalism and dogged determination.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The contracts you need in your VA business.
• What to do when you get push back on your contract/service agreement.
• The dos and don’ts of going into business with another virtual assistant.
• How to sell your VA business.
• What ©, ® and ™ really mean.
• When to get a Trademark for your business.

Connect with the Simmi and the iCLAW team for a no obligation chat about your business and personal legal needs here:

Website

Facebook

LinkedIn

Just starting out on your VA journey?

The 7 Step Start Up Formula to Setting Up Your Virtual Assistant Business is the mini-course that’s helped thousands of aspiring VAs launch and land their first client!

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

And boy do we have some doozies to share.

So, listen carefully, take notes and get prepped to build a BETTER VA business FASTER – without making the same expensive mistakes we did.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The biggest mistakes we’ve made in business.
• The pricing strategy we wish we’d known about and implemented.
• Sam’s biggest energy waste she regrets.
• Jo’s big debt that landed her in trouble.
• Our #1 piece of advice for VAs thinking about a business partnership.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

 The 7 Step Start Up Formula to Setting Up Your Virtual Assistant Business is the mini-course that’s helped thousands of aspiring VAs launch and land their first client!

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo 

Kick start your VA dreams by learning the very simple, specific and practical steps that we would take if starting our own VA businesses from scratch today.

All without the need for a website, social following or client reviews!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The most underestimated social media platform that would be our main focus.
• Our brand design choices that might shock you.
• The services we would choose today if starting from scratch.
• The lead generation strategy we would use to find clients.

Want to start your own VA business?

Option 1: Mini-Course (for you if you want to tip your toes in)

The 7 Step Start Up Formula to Setting Up Your Virtual Assistant Business is the mini-course that’s helped thousands of aspiring VAs launch and land their first client!

Option 2: Full Step-By-Step Playbook (for those wanting to go all in and get the exact steps laid out in a comprehensive course)

Launch your very own virtual assistant business in just 30 days with our step-by-step playbook! We'll guide you every step of the way, from setting up your business to landing (and onboarding) your first client.

Sam + Jo xo

‘Cos we don’t know about you, but we’re mightily sick of all the assumptions and misinformation out there about the wonderful world of virtual assistants ... some of which are even coming from those inside the industry (sigh).

Just starting out on your VA journey?

The 7 Step Start Up Formula to Setting Up Your Virtual Assistant Business is the mini-course that’s helped thousands of aspiring VAs launch and land their first client!

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

We’re unaware of just how important these fundamentals are because more often than not we’ve come from corporate roles where it’s been someone else’s responsibility to worry about them.

If you’re struggling to find clients and if you’re not reaching your financial targets it’s time to STOP getting distracted by the latest shiny new thing that’s going to (supposedly) save the day, and instead get back to basics.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The 7 business fundamentals that you must focus on to succeed.
• Why shiny object syndrome happens to the best of us and how to avoid it.
• How to know whether something new is a good opportunity or one that will just waste your time, energy and money.
• Why 'more' isn't always better and just holds you back from achieving your goals in business.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

 The 7 Step Start Up Formula to Setting Up Your Virtual Assistant Business is the mini-course that’s helped thousands of aspiring VAs launch and land their first client!

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

Do you compare yourself to VA business owners with teams … only to find yourself lacking?

Does it feel like you’re never going to be successful/credible/earn enough by keeping your freelance status and NOT growing a team?

Then boy-oh-boy, THIS episode is for you!

Just starting out on your VA journey?

The 7 Step Start Up Formula to Setting Up Your Virtual Assistant Business is the mini-course that’s helped thousands of aspiring VAs launch and land their first client!

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

In this episode we share the top 10 quotes we love to hate, and why they could be causing damage to your VA business.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

The 7 Step Start Up Formula to Setting Up Your Virtual Assistant Business is the mini-course that’s helped thousands of aspiring VAs launch and land their first client!

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

Do you wish you could bring back those feelings of enthusiasm and excitement when thinking about the day, week, month or year ahead?

Sounds like you’ve lost your mojo … so let’s get it back!

There are oodles of reasons you’re currently feeling unmotivated. It could be anything from having taken time off for sickness or leave, to having your confidence knocked by a lead or client.

The difference between a high achieving virtual assistant and the rest is their ability to self motivate, so in this episode we’re sharing out top ways to find your mojo (and motivation!) again.

You’ll learn:

• The main causes of unmotivated VAs.
• Why a lack of motivation doesn’t just happen overnight.
• Our unconventional way of enthusiastically returning to client work after taking time away from the office.
• Why your mind is more powerful than you think and that you can trick yourself into feeling motivated.
• Why you don’t have to feel unmotivated due to feelings of isolation in the VA space.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

The 7 Step Start Up Formula to Setting Up Your Virtual Assistant Business is the mini-course that’s helped thousands of aspiring VAs launch and land their first client!

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

She had been following us for a while, had come across the podcast, recognised Sam and wanted to share just how much value and knowledge she’d received from listening in.

Now as surreal as these moments are for both of us, and without trying to sound like we’ve got big heads, we actually get this a lot.

Which is amazing because the purpose for starting the podcast in the first place was because it would be the best way to share all our tips, tricks and industry knowledge with as many people as we could.

But guess what?

We had no idea when recording episode #1 (almost 3 years ago) that WE would learn so much from it.

We’ve had some great AHA moments of our own that have come from sitting down every week and chatting about the incredible VA space, and they are far too good not to share.

It just goes to show, you CAN teach an old dog (or two) new tricks!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Our most surprising AHA moments from the past 134 episodes.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

 The 7 Step Start Up Formula to Setting Up Your Virtual Assistant Business is the mini-course that’s helped thousands of aspiring VAs launch and land their first client!

 Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo 

The topic of holidays never used to be a subject worthy of our rants. Oh, how things have changed!

3 years ago, when we first started coaching virtual assistants, we had NO clue as to the mind blowing number of VAs NOT taking regular time off.

But nowadays every week we’re hearing stories of VAs who are burnt out and falling out of love with their clients and businesses.

More often than not these same VAs have not taken a proper holiday (let along a long weekend off!) in years! YEARS!!!!!!!!!!!

This is absolutely unacceptable.

Stop putting your clients’ business growth and personal wellbeing before your own!

There's a very good reason that most countries have laws ensuring they are giving their employees regular time off.

You did not come into the VA space to have LESS freedom and flexibility than you did as an employee.

NO. MORE. EXCUSES!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why there is no excuses for not taking regular time off.
• How you can regularly take holidays without losing income or neglecting your clients.
• What will happen if you continue to put your client’s health and wellbeing before your own.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

The 7 Step Start Up Formula to Setting Up Your Virtual Assistant Business is the mini-course that’s helped thousands of aspiring VAs launch and land their first client!

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

It’s easy to blame our shitty clients when things aren’t going smoothly.

When clients don’t pay us on time, value our knowledge, respect our boundaries or are poor communicators it’s frustrating … we get it!

But 95% of the time there are things you could be doing to foster a healthy relationship where both you AND your client are left feeling respected, understood and appreciated.

Are you sacrificing your own wellbeing and business growth by staying silent? Are you hesitant to bring up your unhappiness with a client for fear of rocking the boat?

Sounds like it’s time to pull up your big VA pants and make some changes, because it’s absolutely possible to transform a shitty client into a great one!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• When labelling a client ‘shitty’ is unwarranted.
• How to turn a shitty client into a great one.
• Why every single problem in your business is caused by …. you.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

The 7 Step Start Up Formula to Setting Up Your Virtual Assistant Business is the mini-course that’s helped thousands of aspiring VAs launch and land their first client!

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

Get ready to listen to THE most difficult episode we’ve recorded to date.

This one may have physically made us squirm, but it’s important for all virtual assistants to know that business can be grey and murky and that SOMETIMES (but not often and definitely not always!) the best thing for YOU is to compromise on your contract terms, the hours you work, the services you provide … and yes – EVEN your pricing and payment terms.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why there is no black and white in business.
• When red flags can turn green.
• Real life examples of when Sam + Jo have compromised.
• Why compromising doesn’t always mean broken boundaries.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

The 7 Step Start Up Formula to Setting Up Your Virtual Assistant Business is the mini-course that’s helped thousands of aspiring VAs launch and land their first client!

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

Tom and Donna’s magical Treat Yo Self Days are without a doubt one of the best types of self-care practices.

Yes, they may have taken it to the extreme … but there’s actual science backed evidence that shows rewarding yourself and making upgrades in your business boosts your wellbeing, encourages productive working habits and promotes an abundant and successful environment ... and mindset.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How to trick your brain into performing well in business.
• How to boost your happiness and wellbeing with scientifically backed methods!
• How to upgrade your environment for the business you WANT, not the business you HAVE.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

The 7 Step Start Up Formula to Setting Up Your Virtual Assistant Business is the mini-course that’s helped thousands of aspiring VAs launch and land their first client!

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

So why is it so many virtual assistants are more focused on impressing the shiny new leads than they are on knocking the socks off clients who already want to work with us?

Client satisfaction needs to go to the top of the priority list, because happy, loyal clients mean more referrals, more money and more chance of longer-term relationships.

Seems like a no-brainer to us!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How you’re underestimating the cost of bringing on new clients.
• The #1 reason clients leave.
• The strategies we use to keep clients coming back for more.
• What you need to do more than just once a month.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

The 7 Step Start Up Formula to Setting Up Your Virtual Assistant Business is the mini-course that’s helped thousands of aspiring VAs launch and land their first client!

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

But don’t just take our word for it ...

Long-standing member of the NZ VA community Debbie Mills-Robertson joins us in this episode to share her story of going from being a disheartened generalist virtual assistant, days away from throwing in the towel, to becoming a fully booked, in demand specialist virtual assistant with a wait list!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How Debbie chose her specialist service
• What made Debbie decide to finally go all in and niche
• The massive impact becoming the ‘go-to VA’ had on Debbie’s VA business.
• Debbie's biggest business lessons

Connect with Debbie Mills-Robertson from Task Diva here:

Instagram

Facebook

LinkedIn

Website

Just starting out on your VA journey?

The 7 Step Start Up Formula to Setting Up Your Virtual Assistant Business is the mini-course that’s helped thousands of aspiring VAs launch and land their first client!

Download your FREE Pre-Scaling Checklist here.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

Not only do we love it, we embrace it, are empowered by it and we're proud of it! There’s no doubt in our minds that our lives and businesses are all the more successful for it.

As crazy as using divine intervention, mystical ideas, visualisation and energy transmissions to grow your business may sound to some, we know not everyone reacts with a stinky side eye or eye roll.

But let’s make one thing clear, we don’t rely on the woo-woo to succeed. We have learnt to incorporate the magic into our businesses. And you can too - if you’re open to it.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The modern business woo-woo practices we love.
• Our go-to gurus for all things woo-woo.
• How the Universe put a stop to Jo’s drug fuelled 20s.
• Why hypnotherapy worked for Sam, but why it won’t work for everyone.
• Real-life examples of how woo-woo has impacted other virtual assistant’s lives.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

The 7 Step Start Up Formula to Setting Up Your Virtual Assistant Business is the mini-course that’s helped thousands of aspiring VAs launch and land their first client!

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How Tracey achieved her 5 year goals within just 6 months
• How Tracey replaced her full-time income in just a few weeks
• Tracey’s big lesson in dishonesty
• How Tracey deals with anxiety and self-doubt
• The story of Tracey’s mid-meeting epiphany on her service offerings.

Connect with Tracey Lock from Your A Team here:

Instagram

Facebook

LinkedIn

Website

Just starting out on your VA journey?

The 7 Step Start Up Formula to Setting Up Your Virtual Assistant Business is the mini-course that’s helped thousands of aspiring VAs launch and land their first client!

Download your FREE Pre-Scaling Checklist here.

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

Don’t worry, no trigger warnings needed here!

In this episode we’re definitely NOT talking about lust, gluttony and greed.

Instead, we’re talking about the 7 deadly sins we see merrily leading established virtual assistants down the path of unhappiness, resentfulness, and exhaustion.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

The 7 Step Start Up Formula to Setting Up Your Virtual Assistant Business is the mini-course that’s helped thousands of aspiring VAs launch and land their first client!

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

So let’s help you avoid those mistakes in order reduce the risk of a bad hire.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Our controversial opinions on sub-contractor rates!
• Why Jo reckons your job ads with minimal hours suck (and why Sam doesn’t think they ALWAYS suck).
• Why you’re setting yourself up for hiring the wrong person.
• The quick and dirty way to shortlist.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

The 7 Step Start Up Formula to Setting Up Your Virtual Assistant Business is the mini-course that’s helped thousands of aspiring VAs launch and land their first client!

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

The other half is our habits.

Whether they are healthy or unhealthy, our habits shape who we are professionally and personally and can be the different between success and failure.

Let’s kick those unhealthy ones to the kerb!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The 9 unhealthy habits holding you back.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

The 7 Step Start Up Formula to Setting Up Your Virtual Assistant Business is the mini-course that’s helped thousands of aspiring VAs launch and land their first client!

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

It flies under the radar until ... BOOM! ... before you know it that project (or secret nuclear underground bunker) you’ve just spent weeks working on is sadly now an unprofitable one (aka blown to smithereens).

In this episode we’re talking about the top causes of scope creep in the virtual assistant space, and how to avoid them.

You’ll learn:

• How gold plating eats your profits.
• The specific parameters to including in your project proposals.
• Why you must become a Boundary Boss to prevent scope creep.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

The 7 Step Start Up Formula to Setting Up Your Virtual Assistant Business is the mini-course that’s helped thousands of aspiring VAs launch and land their first client!

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

Are you an accountant? Nope? Then why are you providing accounting advice?

Are you an HR manager or payroll expert? Nope? Should you REALLY be sharing HR and payroll advice so casually?

Just like mechanics probably shouldn’t be fitting out the plumbing in your brand new house build, and doctors don't offer 6 weekly cut and colours, virtual assistants also need to stay in their lane when it comes to the advice they are providing clients.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The types of advice you need to avoid giving.
• The biggest risk you’ll take in your business, and how to avoid it.
• Why people pleasing can get you in trouble.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

The 7 Step Start Up Formula to Setting Up Your Virtual Assistant Business is the mini-course that’s helped thousands of aspiring VAs launch and land their first client!

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

It's natural to want to be 'affordable' (although we hate that term - just saying) in order to stand out from the crowd. But does being 'affordable' mean you're not charging for all the things you need to charge for in order to be profitable?

Figuring out exactly what work/time/expertise you should be charging for is as easy as ABC and 123 - so long as you follow our advice.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• All the things you could be charging for in order to stop giving your work and expertise away for free.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

The 7 Step Start Up Formula to Setting Up Your Virtual Assistant Business is the mini-course that’s helped thousands of aspiring VAs launch and land their first client!

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

Unlike a traditional corporate job interview, YOU are in charge of running these discussions with potential clients so it’s absolutely vital you are prepared.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The 12 must-ask questions for you to ask in discovery calls.
• How to take the selling out of your sales calls.
• Who should be doing the majority of the talking.
• How to gauge whether your lead in on board.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

The 7 Step Start Up Formula to Setting Up Your Virtual Assistant Business is the mini-course that’s helped thousands of aspiring VAs launch and land their first client!

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

You didn’t come into the VA space to work MORE hours for LESS money than you did in your corporate role.

So why are you?

Now is your chance to turn it all around.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why there’s just no need to do it all yourself.
• Why you need to get rid of the people pleaser within you.
• How the itty-bitty clients hold you back.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

The 7 Step Start Up Formula to Setting Up Your Virtual Assistant Business is the mini-course that’s helped thousands of aspiring VAs launch and land their first client!

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

If you find yourself withholding the truth from clients, avoiding uncomfortable conversations, hiding mistakes or making empty promises, you’re on a slippery slope No-Clients-Ville.

Because if you’re not being honest then you’re not acting with integrity. And without honesty, trust and integrity it's pretty much impossible to build long-lasting client relationships.

Like the saying goes people, honesty truly is the best policy!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why trust is the most important asset in your client relationships.
• What to do if a client’s competition approaches you.
• The language to use when you don’t understand.
• How to handle being sick, away or expecting.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

The 7 Step Start Up Formula to Setting Up Your Virtual Assistant Business is the mini-course that’s helped thousands of aspiring VAs launch and land their first client!

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

The key to building a sustainable business is learning to ride out both without spewing – or panicking – or both.

It’s not unusual for the work to dry up or for multiple clients finish up simultaneously - so be prepared.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The easiest ways to bring in more work – FAST!
• How to avoid projecting the desperation you’re feeling.
• How Jo’s team responds to a down-turn.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

The 7 Step Start Up Formula to Setting Up Your Virtual Assistant Business is the mini-course that’s helped thousands of aspiring VAs launch and land their first client!

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

Listen in to find out whether your personality traits, attitude, work ethic, quirks, mindset and skill-set mean you’ll be a flash-in-the-plan VA or a long-lasting one.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why you need to prepare for rejection.
• The harsh reality of managing clients.
• The level of tech savviness that just won’t cut it.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

The 7 Step Start Up Formula to Setting Up Your Virtual Assistant Business is the mini-course that’s helped thousands of aspiring VAs launch and land their first client!

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How to stand out amongst the sea of virtual assistants.
• How to stop being a slave to your inbox.
• The easiest way to make more money
• How to bring joy back into your business.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

The 7 Step Start Up Formula to Setting Up Your Virtual Assistant Business is the mini-course that’s helped thousands of aspiring VAs launch and land their first client!

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

Starting up your VA biz whilst juggling your full-time day-job is going to push your mental and physical limits, will test your relationships and will have you second guessing your virtual assistant aspirations.

The good news is that with the right support, motivation and mindset you can absolutely do it!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How to have it all.
• Why you can’t do it alone.
• How to be intentional with your time.
• Why boundaries are your biggest asset.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

The 7 Step Start Up Formula to Setting Up Your Virtual Assistant Business is the mini-course that’s helped thousands of aspiring VAs launch and land their first client!

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

Do you find yourself comparing yourself to other VAs, only to find yourself lacking?

Are you tired of your self-sabotaging behaviours kicking your butt?

Then listen in to Confidence Coach Gina Hubbard’s expert insights on recognising your triggers and moving past your fears.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• 3 unexpected signs you’re lacking confidence.
• Why as humans we can’t help but to compare ourselves to others.
• Why affirmations don’t work for everyone.

Gina Hubbard, Gina Hubbard Coaching

Gina is a confidence coach who helps women increase their confidence, take their power back & reconnect with their careers after workplace trauma.

Sign up to Gina's VIP newsletter here and get her FREE What You Really Need to Change Your Career Guide, plus top tips on how you can create your dream business without worrying about getting it wrong.

Connect with Gina here:

Facebook

Instagram

LinkedIn

Just starting out on your VA journey?

The 7 Step Start Up Formula to Setting Up Your Virtual Assistant Business is the mini-course that’s helped thousands of aspiring VAs launch and land their first client!

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

We’ll tell you why …

You’re worried you’ll be too expensive. You’re worried you’ll lose clients. You’re worried no one will ever want to hire you at a higher rate.

But can we let you in on a secret?

If you DON’T start charging what you’re worth, and if you DON’T start making money from your clients … you won’t ever be truly profitable enough to pay yourself what you need and grow a sustainable VA business.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why an employee mindset will rob you of your VA dreams.
• How loyalty can hold you back from being profitable.
• Why being told you’re too expensive is a GOOD thing.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

The 7 Step Start Up Formula to Setting Up Your Virtual Assistant Business is the mini-course that’s helped thousands of aspiring VAs launch and land their first client!

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

And more credibility means … you guessed it … MORE leads and clients!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why winning isn’t everything – although it is pretty cool!
• How the process of entering awards will benefit you.
• How to get expert business advice … for free!

Check out all the details about the upcoming 2022 NZ VA Awards here!

Sam + Jo xo

It’s super tempting to keep adding to our list of services in the hope it will attract more leads.

Because surely the more we offer the more we attract …. right??

WRONG!!!!!!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why you DON’T want to end up being a general, all-purpose paint brush.
• Why you DO want to be the VA equivalent of a fine dining restaurant.
• Why you’re going to end up with the polar opposite to what you want by adding services to your current offerings.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

The 7 Step Start Up Formula to Setting Up Your Virtual Assistant Business is the mini-course that’s helped thousands of aspiring VAs launch and land their first client!

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

Hold on to your hats VAs!

It doesn’t happen often, but this is one of those rare topics that we have different advice on!!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why we have such differing opinions on this topic.
• Why it’s your clients’ perspectives that matter most.
• The types of ‘mum in biz’ social media posts that make both of us cringe.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

 The 7 Step Start Up Formula to Setting Up Your Virtual Assistant Business is the mini-course that’s helped thousands of aspiring VAs launch and land their first client!

 Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

It hasn’t been all rainbows and unicorns, but Taylor’s early struggles with uncertainly around her age vs her value are a distant memory and she’s now killing it online (Instagram being her platform of choice!) and is going from strength to strength.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why Gen Zs have a competitive advantage in the VA space.
• Taylor’s top tips when preparing to leave your 9 – 5.
• Why your age has nothing to do with your hourly value.

Taylor Bignall, Tasks By Tay

Taylor Bignall is an in-demand Gen Z Virtual Assistant based in New Zealand offering a variety of administrative and creative services.

Connect with Taylor here:

Instagram

LinkedIn

Website

Just starting out on your VA journey?

The 7 Step Start Up Formula to Setting Up Your Virtual Assistant Business is the mini-course that’s helped thousands of aspiring VAs launch and land their first client!

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

If you look at red flags as being potentially detrimental to your mental (and financial) health, then consider green flags to be the polar opposite.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The 5 top green flags to look out for when chatting with a new lead.
• Why having no green flags is a big red flag.
• How to separate the dream clients from the nightmare ones.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

The 7 Step Start Up Formula to Setting Up Your Virtual Assistant Business is the mini-course that’s helped thousands of aspiring VAs launch and land their first client!

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

It's healthy to give our homes a regular spring clean, so why not treat our businesses the same way? Just like the clean, fresh and decluttered feeling a house cleanout gives us, the same goes for saying goodbye to clients that are no longer a great fit.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The benefits of spring cleaning your client list.
• The point system that determines which clients are no longer a right fit.
• The fastest way to spring clean without firing clients.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

The 7 Step Start Up Formula to Setting Up Your Virtual Assistant Business is the mini-course that’s helped thousands of aspiring VAs launch and land their first client!

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

Coming across as a credible virtual assistant means that leads will feel confident that you're someone to trust, that you’re going to fulfil your promises to them, that you’re reliable, professional, and that you’re going to do a great job for them.

And the more credible you're coming across to potential clients, the more likely it is that potential client will turn into an actual client. Hello! Who doesn’t want another client or three?!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why credibility is key in the VA space.
• What VAs can do in order to gain credibility.
• Why having a website builds on your existing credibility.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

The 7 Step Start Up Formula to Setting Up Your Virtual Assistant Business is the mini-course that’s helped thousands of aspiring VAs launch and land their first client!

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

Or maybe you’ve already got a team but it’s time to take a step back from client facing work in order to focus on growing your business?

Either way, there’s a major mindset shift you need to make when bringing on client facing team members AND a language shift too.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why this language shift needs to happen before you’ve made your first hire.
• How to avoid new leads getting attached to the idea of working with you instead of one of your team.
• Why your job title now matters.

Just starting out on your VA journey?

The 7 Step Start Up Formula to Setting Up Your Virtual Assistant Business is the mini-course that’s helped thousands of aspiring VAs launch and land their first client!

Are you an established VA looking to scale?

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

Whether it’s broaching the subject with your existing manager so they become your very first client, or applying for a new position you’ve seen advertised online, there is definitely language you can use which showcases a VA hire as a great option.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The benefits of hiring a VA over a full-time (or part-time) employee.
• Why showcasing a VA hire as an annual investment rather than an hourly rate increases the appeal.
• How to really WOW your boss when selling the VA concept to them.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

But the burning question is … how do you transition your current clients, who are used to working with YOU, across to new team member/s?

How do you best approach this conversation? How are your clients going to react? What if they say no and flat out refuse to work with anyone else other than you?

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The limiting belief holding you back from stepping away from client facing work.
• How to make it all about them (the client) and not about you (the VA biz owner).
• Why it’s all about trust building and baby steps.

Download your FREE Pre-Scaling Checklist here.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

Unlike service plans provided by mobile phone providers, virtual assistants need to stop allowing any unused hours rollover to the next month (or beyond!).

And before you freak out, having a no rollover policy is very common practice in the business world - especially for freelancers.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The knock-on effects that can be detrimental to your business if you are allowing unused hours to rollover with multiple clients.
• Why this is not an unreasonable or immoral boundary to have with clients.
• How to move past the fears you have around introducing a no-rollover policy.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xo

In this special 100th episode Sam and Jo celebrate by looking back at the past two years of podcasting and play back some of their best bits from 100 consecutive weeks of episode releases.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

But how do you know what marketing strategy is working for you, and what’s not?

How do you ensure your precious ‘on your business’ working hours are actually helping you reach your marketing goals?

It's time to pinpoint the activities that are creating the biggest impacts on your business, the things that need tweaking, and the strategies that are simply no longer worth your time.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How to stop wasting time on marketing strategies that don’t work.
• The key question to ask all leads upfront.
• Why hope is not an effective marketing strategy.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo

So, without further ado, we give you … the Top 10 In-Demand VA Services for 2022!!!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The top 10 In-demand VA services in 2022, and WHY they’re on the list.
• What to do if the services you provide aren’t on the list.
• Why Sam reacts so strongly when we’re asked what services are in demand right now.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo

A premium client is one who won’t tell you you’re “too expensive”. They aren’t strapped for cash, but they are very much time-poor.

But premium clients have high expectations and are likely to put the quality of the service you’re providing above anything else.

They firmly believe in the 'you get what you pay for’ motto.

So, if you’re wanting to attract premium clients, you better have the nous to impress them from the get-go and meet their high expectations.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• What premium clients expect, how to attract them and keep them.
• Why money isn’t the driving factor for most premium clients.
• Which airport lounge to hang out in.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo

But when there’s not enough supply to meet the demand, you're going to end up overwhelmed and possibly burnt out.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• What to do when you’ve got more clients than you can handle.
• The 3 simple words you need to get comfortable saying.
• How to figure out how many clients is too many.
• Our predictions on human cloning.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo

• Get you fully booked?
• Increase your engagement online?
• Turn your website visitors into paying clients?
• Have your phone running off the hook and inbox full to the brim with leads?

Then keep listening …

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo

This week we chatted with personal brand specialist Peti Morgan about how virtual assistants can become more visible online with an unapologetically authentic personal brand.

Peti shares with us some top personal branding tactics and strategies, as well as her own outsourcing experiences, how she found her very own right-fit VA and why their own personal brand shone through in her shortlist of candidates.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How to create a stand out personal brand.
• Whether VA agency owners need a personal brand, or only freelancers.
• What happens if you continue to hide behind your logo.
• What to do if you hate having your photo taken.

Peti Morgan, DIY Pro Brand Photography Coach

Peti Morgan is an online business owner who haaates having her photo taken, a DIY Brand Photoshoot Expert and host of The Personal Brand Elevator Podcast!

Instagram

Website

Podcast

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo

The bad news is that you’re going to get it wrong. You’re likely to underestimate the time it will take, and you’ll forget to charge out for certain things.

But the good news is that it’s okay to get it wrong! With the correct process in place you’ll very quickly learn and tweak so the next time you’re asked to quote for a similar task, you’ll be prepped with a proposal that will be well worth your time.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How to quote for tasks you’ve never carried out before.
• Why you’re going to get your prices and quotes wrong to start with, and that’s okay!
• The must-have tool that ensures accurate estimates and quotes.
• The things you may be forgetting to charge for.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo

If you’re guilty of paying for courses you never watch and summits or workshops you never attend, if you’re reading all the books and listening to all the podcasts but not making any changes to the way you’re doing things, or if you belong to a membership or have signed up for coaching but you’re not truly making the most of your investment, then this episode is the pep talk you need to get unstuck and start taking action!

Join us at the 2022 Virtual Assistant Online Summit where you’ll learn AND take action alongside expert speakers and your fellow virtual assistants.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo

Learn how you too can reach your financial goals – even in the uncertain Covid environment we find ourselves in – as Jo opens up her books and shares with us the secrets to her million dollar success (including what brought in a whopping 70% of that revenue).

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How you too can create a $1m virtual assistant business!
• The things holding you back from earning the big bucks as a VA.
• How transitioning from Freelancer to Agency owner can be smooth sailing.
• The mindset shift all VA Agency owners need to make.

Join us at the 2022 Virtual Assistant Online Summit and upgrade at checkout to an All Access Pass to get access to the bonus session ‘Mapping Out Your Smooth Transition From Freelancer To Agency Owner’!

Download your FREE Pre-Scaling Checklist here.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo

However, there is one tool on our Must Have (and yes, pay for it) List, and that’s a password manager.

Not only does a robust password manager strengthen security for both your own biz and those of your clients', but it increases your productivity!

No more memorising passwords.

No more coming up with insecure passwords that can be compromised.

No more forgetting passwords.

No more writing down passwords on sticky notes or in notebooks!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The question you’ll get asked in most discovery/consultation calls.
• Why it’s not just about security.
• Our recommended password managers.

Check out the 2022 VA Online Summit happening 14-18 February to create your next 30 days of social content, create your website and copy, package your services, grow your confidence, learn how to sell and so much more!

Sam + Jo xoxo

The most powerful introduction to the ‘above the line’ concept is the OARBED model, and in this episode we share real life examples of how falling below the line can lose you clients and break your business.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The key EI concept every VA must use.
• How to deal with unhappy clients.
• Why being a slave to your business is a choice you’ve made.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo

Have you tried it all but still not seeing the results?

Are you considering giving up on your virtual assistant dreams?

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The alternative options that mean you don’t have to give up.
• Why giving up doesn’t make you a failure.
• How to know if you have a victim or victor mindset.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo

And it’s no surprise that one difference is a mindset one.

The longer you resist making this mindset shift, the longer it will take for your business to move from ‘meh’ to ‘wowzers!

’If you’re a VA Agency owner, or you’re thinking about growing your team, then this is the most important podcast episode you’ll listen to this year.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• What held Jo back for 6 years in her business.
• The counterintuitive shift that goes against what you’re focused on right now.
• What you’ll need to be ready once you make the shift.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo

Our very wise friend and planning & mindset coach Tracey Hancock often talks about the importance of regularly looking back on what’s been and done with curiosity and kindness.

We both do this on a weekly, monthly and yearly basis and decided this year we’d share our yearly wrap-up session with you!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Our biggest lessons from 2021.
• The lowlights that broke us.
• The highlights that surpassed our expectations.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo

Not charging for everything, always discounting, inconsistently invoicing, working for free … no matter how your personal money blocks are showing themselves in your business you’ve got to put a stop to them.

And if you can’t do it for the sake of your own business, then it’s time to think about how it’s affecting your clients.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How to reframe your fear around charging out for your time.
• How you are training your clients to undervalue you.
• The effects of inconsistent invoicing on your clients.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo

We’re human. We make mistakes. We get sick. We burn out. We sometimes have other priorities in life.

But there’s nothing we can’t bounce back from. In fact, we learn more from the lessons we learn along the way than we do our wins.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The fears that are holding you back from giving it another shot, and how to overcome them.
• The reason why it won’t work out a second time.
• How to look back with curiosity and kindness.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo

Stop downplaying the incredible impact you are making in your clients lives.

We want to hear less of this:

“I’m just a VA”

“I just help out a few people with their admin”

“I only work part-time”

“It’s only a wee side gig”

And more of this:

“I’m a kick ass VA and business owner. I’m proud of my skills, experience and impact I make in other’s lives’.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The reasons why some VAs are reluctant to call themselves ‘business owners’.
• Why this is holding you back from reaching your full potential.
• Why shifting your mindset from employee to business owner is important for all VAs wanting to succeed.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo

Your dream clients are out there. They’re even actively looking to hire a VA to outsource to. So why is it taking longer than expected for you to become fully booked out?

If you’re one of the many virtual assistants who find themselves hiding behind their business name, logo and pretty social media graphics then it’s time to show up and be the face of your business.

It can be scary for some. It can be uncomfortable for others. For a few they may have not even realised they’ve been doing it.

But no matter the reason, now is the time to step out and shine.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The 6 ways to attract your dream clients – fast!
• Why it’s going to be uncomfortable, but you need to feel the fear and do it anyway.
• The reason we share embarrassing photos and don’t ever edit out mistakes made in our podcast

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo 

EAs just like Monique Venn from Virtually Venn who in 2021 attended the VA Online Summit, was then awarded The VA Foundry Scholarship, before quickly resigning from a very well-paid full time corporate role in order to focus on her very own VA biz! 

All this within a space of less than 6 months!

Monique made the most of every minute of the coaching, support, accountability, training and business planning The VA Foundry’s Scholarship provided, and her hard work has certainly paid off!

In this episode Monique shares her inspiring story of transitioning from EA to VA.

You’ll learn:

• What made Monique finally throw in her 9-5.
• Monique’s biggest mindset shift taking her from EA to VA.
• Why Monique said NO to her first very lead.
• How winning The VA Foundry Scholarship changed Monique’s life.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo 

PS: Want to apply for the 2022 Scholarship? Applications are open until 15 December 2021. Apply here.

But letting go of some of that control, adding people to your team to take over the things on your to do list that aren’t part of your core business, can be daunting.

We get it! 

It can be time-consuming to teach someone what, when and how you want things done.

But it’s MORE time-consuming to try do it all yourself - especially if you're attempts at doing so are unsuccessful.

We often hear virtual assistants say “I can’t afford to outsource.”

Our reply: “Can you afford not to?”

Is it time to practice what you preach to your own clients? 

Is it time to let go of those tightly held reigns in order to grow your own business?

In this episode you’ll learn:

• What to outsource and when.
• Why business owners spend money in order to make it.
• When DIYing is best.
• Why you can’t do it all.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo

That feeling of panic that comes immediately after being hired by a new client.

Don’t get us wrong. You’re initially over the moon and super excited! Being hired is proof that all your hard work in promoting your business, in networking, in ensuring your online presence shines and in building relationships is working!

It’s usually a few minutes later that the panic hits you. 

It’s afterwards that imposter syndrome raises its ugly head, whispering in your ear that this whole thing is a complete and utter fluke and that your client is going to be horribly disappointed in you from here on out.

It’s at this point that you realise that you’re horribly unprepared for the ‘what’s next’ questions your client has.

You’ve got the client (yay!), but what the heck are you supposed to do now?! 

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why the first 48 hour after being hired are the most important.
• How to overcome your new client’s ‘buyer’s remorse.
• Why the most success virtual assistants have a streamlined onboarding process.
• How to WOW your clients with quick wins.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo

In fact, when done well planning not only gives you a greater sense of confidence about what you’re doing and why, it can absolutely be enjoyable and fun.

Having a plan written down on paper, with goals that are measurable and actionable, helps you focus and keeps you moving forward in order to grow.

Now, combine this planning with the magic of mindset and the power of accountability and boom, it won’t take long for you to crack the success code!

In this episode we share the recipe for success we’ve both used in order to grow multiple businesses and it’s the same recipe we share inside Your Success Lab alongside our friend and Mindset & Planning Coach, Tracey Hancock.

Listen in to learn:

• Why you need to plan in order to succeed
• Why accountability works
• Why your mindset will either make or break your business

Find out more about Your Success Lab and say YES to success in 2022.

Sam + Jo xoxo

Tracey Hancock, Mindset & Planning Coach

Over the years, Tracey has learnt a lot of lessons including trying to be and do what she thought was expected of her.

A significant health scare in her mid-20s jolted Tracey to look at the way she was living and working with fresh eyes.

That new perspective got her thinking about who she was and what living well meant.

The difference was undeniable and since then she’s passionately guided others to step into the driver's seat of their own life and set a course for living well.

Website

LinkedIn

Pinterest

Your Success Lab

Join us inside Your Success Lab for 12 months of coaching where Sam, Jo and Tracey combine practical planning, mindset magic and the power of accountability. You'll get laser focused and propel your virtual assistant business forward in 2022.

Doors open just once a year for a limited time – so don’t miss out!

If you're not fully booked out with client work, and find yourself attending ALL of workshops, courses, conferences, masterclasses and summits that show up on your newsfeed, but yet never have the time to take any ACTION from your learnings, then you need to stop.

RIGHT NOW!

This type of learning is holding you back from focusing on what really matters … finding clients.

This type of learning is fear disguised as learning.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why learning is not the most important part of building success.
• How the 5 Second Rule can help get you past the fear.
• The difference between a successful and unsuccessful virtual assistant.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo

You could be the highest performing, most professional, incredibly charming VA super-star around and there will still be clients that won't:

• Book a consult with you.
• Hire you.
• Keep you on long-term.

Maybe the consultation was amazing and you thought you had it in the bag.

Perhaps you've been working with the client for a little while and you had a feeling it was coming.

Sometimes you don't see it coming at all.

Whatever the reason you can’t take it personally. 

The fact of the matter is that in our line of work with every consultation you book, every project you take on and every client you sign up there is a risk of it simply not working out.

AND THAT'S OK!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The reasons why you might not be the right fit for a client.
• Why you can’t take it personally when you’re let go or not chosen.
• How to learn from the experience.
• What not to do when parting ways with a client.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo

But what happens when the services you WANT to offer (or think you SHOULD be offering) aren’t things you currently have any skills, experience and know-how in?

The good news is that you’ve got a few options, and in this podcast episode we talk you through them all.

But be warned. There are more than a couple of cold hard truths shared. 

So you'd better buckle up buttercup!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Whether you’re picking your niche for the right reasons.
• How to know if it’s the right niche for you.
• Why you can’t half ass it when specialising.
• How to transition from general VA services to your niche service/speciality industry.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo

But not only is it absolutely possible to take regular time away from the office, it’s essential that you do so.

Regular time off throughout the year to switch off and recharge is essential to avoiding burnout. 

And burnout is baaaaad! 

In fact, it’s the number one reason virtual assistants go running back to their 9 – 5s. Because at least when they are employed by someone else they’re getting paid leave away from the office!

Still not convinced you can take vacation time without losing clients?

Think of it this way - how can you successfully run a business and support your clients like they deserve if you’re sick (either mentally or physically) or feeling resentful?

Yeah, you can’t. At least not long term.

It’s time to ditch the guilt and throw away the misconception that your clients can’t survive without you on call 24/7.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How to take holidays without hiring sub-contractors.
• How to navigate maternity leave.
• How to take holidays so that they don’t affect your income stream.
• How to WOW your clients by prioritising their holidays as well as your own.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo

Probably too many!

Always saying sorry for things you shouldn’t be apologising is not only annoying for those on the receiving end to hear, but it actually lessens the impact of when there comes a time something happens that you really do need to apologise for.

So today we’re taking about the 7 things we often see virtual assistants saying sorry for … when they shouldn’t be!

It’s time to stop apologising for taking control of your business.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why you’re losing your clients' respect by over-apologising.
• How to go from being a weak Wilma to a confident Carol.
• The 3 alternatives to using ‘sorry’.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo

The 2021 NZ VA Awards was an online event like no other.  There was laughter, tears, banter, llamas, in-jokes galore … but most importantly it brought together and celebrated the incredible virtual assistants of New Zealand!

The night may not have been the in-person extravaganza we had originally planned, but boy-oh-boy – Plan B was pretty bloody impressive!

Watch the replay of the Awards here!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How Kellie runs her thriving VA Agency.
• Kellie’s secrets to writing an award winning entry form.
• Why even the most successful business women still feel unworthy at times.
• Sam, Jo and Kellie’s Award night highlights!

Connect with Kellie and the Released team:

www.released.co.nz

Facebook

Instagram

LinkedIn

Download your FREE Pre-Scaling Checklist here.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo

In fact, for the majority of VAs, having a LinkedIn presence is a must!

Not only is it where many of our ideal clients are, but when done well a robust LinkedIn profile will knock the socks off new leads.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• What other VAs are doing on LinkedIn to stand out from the crowd.
• Why 500 connections is the magic number.
• How to nail social proof on LinkedIn
• A critical step in building the know, like and trust factor on LinkedIn.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo

Having recruited too many to count VAs in her own business over the past decade, in this episode Jo shares the red flags she’s learned never to ignore when bringing on team members.

You’ll learn:

• The surprise red flags that we bet you wouldn’t have thought of (Sam certainly didn’t!).
• Why putting yourself in your client’s shoes is key in the recruitment process.
• What the question “Is full training provided?” really means!

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo

The virtual assistants we see nailing it on Facebook are the ones that have embraced the fact that it’s primarily a social platform and use this to their advantage, posting and engaging with intent and giving leads a great sense of their business’s personality and professionalism. 

The flip side of this is that we see an equal number of virtual assistants making huge mistakes when on Facebook. Cringe-worthy mistakes easily avoided.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• 5 things to do on Facebook right now to get clients that don’t cost you a cent.
• Why hiding behind your logo is losing you clients.
• Why being a dick on Facebook is putting off both leads and fellow VAs.
• Why pretending you’re writing to your bestie can make you a better content creator.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind to fast track your VA journey with done-for-you templates, tutorials and support from us!

Sam + Jo xoxo

Are you working all the hours you can spare but still not seeing the profitable results you'd expect?

Increasing your productivity isn’t just about giving you more time in the day, it can also improve the quality of work you are producing, and helps you avoid traps that can dwindle away your time, which often leads to frustration and burnout.

Being mindful of your productivity is key to ensuring that you’re not spending 40 hours a week at your desk only to see 20 hours of paid client work come into your bank account.

The moral of the story … we need to be more intentional with our time, our tools and our processes.

Ask yourself this: Were all the tasks you carried out today really necessary or were some a result of bad habits or your lack of automation and streamlining? 

Thought so. 

Scary aye?

Recently we reached out to our community of VAs to ask them what productivity secrets they were willing to share that helped them become productive virtual assistant business owners, and in this episode we're sharing them all with you!

You’ll learn:

• Why increasing your productivity saves you time and increases your bank balance.
• How to kick that mindless scrolling habit.
• Scheduling methods and task management tools that bring more focus to your day.
• Jo’s super cool sleep tool purchase she can’t live without.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo

But in recent years we’re seeing a shift in what some clients are looking for when hiring local VAs, especially for services such as minute-taking and event management.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The best way to charge if traveling out of town.
• The options to offer clients when charging for travel.
• Why it’s really important to talk with clients about travel time up front.
• When charging for travel can go wrong!

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo

Some men and women simply aren’t cut out to be a VA and/or business owner, but more often than not all that’s needed is a mindset shift in order to break through the blocks that are holding you back.

In this episode you’ll learn the reasons why your VA business won’t ever:

• Launch
• Grow
• Thrive
• Be profitable

You'll also learn how to change your mindset to turn things around. It's never too late!

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo

Jo’s secret ingredient to running her own successful VA agency (with over 30 team members) is that she doesn’t focus solely on her clients’ needs, she works hard to ensure her sub-contractors and employees are happy and productive.

If you thought recruiting your team of VAs was tough, managing them and creating an inclusive workplace that ensures they stay motivated and stick around takes a whole different set of skills including the all important self awareness and EQ.

In this episode we share 7 easy and effective solutions to help keep your team happy and productive.

Because remember – happy people make happy teams, and happy teams make even happier clients!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why sub-contractors aren’t a ‘set and forget’ tool.
• The leadership mindset mistakes you’re making.
• The tough conversations you’ll need to get comfortable having.
• How to inject fun into your business.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo

Whilst you’re not alone in your overthinking and worrying about all the ‘what ifs’, your inability to get out of your own head is holding your business back.

“Paralysis by analysis” is not only real, it’s super destructive and it’s the cause of you either not launching your biz or taking it to the next level in terms of growth and profit.

So whatever it is that has you frozen - whether it’s your services, pricing, business name, job title or even your branding - it’s time to take some imperfect action.

Remember - making the wrong decision is better than making no decision at all.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why nothing is set in stone.
• That everyone gets their prices wrong to start with.
• Why it’s time for a mindset shift.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo 

We talk a lot about the 'know, like and trust' factor being key in converting leads to paying clients. 

Social proof is the trust part of this equation.

Showing leads that your VA biz has supported x number of happy clients through testimonials, online reviews, case studies and statistics, highlights that your business is legitimate, credible and yes – trustworthy.

Social proof is a powerful psychological factor when it comes to sales and when done well will showcase the part you’ve played in your clients’ successes and will counter any objections leads may have when it comes to hiring a VA.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why social proof is so important.
• How to make your social proof credible.
• How to make it easy for clients to provide testimonials.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo 

In fact, there is so much work out there right now that if you’re not getting clients and growing then there is something significantly wrong.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The things you need to be laser focussed on in order to get clients.
• The shiny distractions that are distracting you and holding you back from finding clients.
• Why you need to get past the fear and self-doubt in order to grow.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo

This is because a certain global pandemic put a big, bright spotlight on our country’s virtual assistants and their incredible value/potential.

Businesses across the country who have never before considered hiring a virtual assistant are now on the look-out for flexible, scaleable resources to outsource to (aka VAs!!).

There's no doubt about it. The VA industry is booming and there’s no sign of it slowing down any time soon!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Jo and Sam’s exact number of new leads right now.
• The contributing factors to the incredible boom we’re experiencing.
• How Covid-19 has affected the VA industry.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo  

When experiencing issues with either clients or team members, VAs are often surprised that our very first piece of advice to them is …. ‘pick up the phone – you really need to talk to them.’

We’re so used to using Email, FB Messenger, Trello, Slack, Asana (and all the other online comms tools) that we’ve forgotten that the quickest and most nurturing way to solve issues with anyone is to pick up the phone and have an actual conversation.

Those VAs relying solely on written correspondence run the risk of things getting lost in translation. And no amount of emojis will ever replace the care and understanding your voice can portray.

It’s time to stop hiding behind the keyboard when issues arise. Just pick up the phone!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why you always benefit from a personal touch.
• How best to rectify an unhappy client situation.
• How to stand out amongst all the other VAs out there.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo

If you’re a VA making an impact online and are successfully getting eyes on your business, get ready to be copied.

Like it or not, there’s no escaping copycats. So remember, it’s not your competition that will end your business, it’s your inability to put on blinders and block out the outside noise. 

Whilst there are definitely some circumstances whereby confronting copycats is necessary, you can’t let them get inside your head. 

You’re better off staying focussed on your own business - because no-one can ever be you – that’s YOUR superpower.

As much as someone may try to imitate you, your style and your content - they will NEVER become you.

It's YOU that your clients are attracted to. It's your work ethic, your professionalism, your skills, your experience and your personality.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• When to ignore copycats and when to take action.
• Why copycats will never be YOU.
• Why copycats won’t be stealing your clients.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo

All VAs (even the super successful ones) had to start somewhere. Most of them felt exactly what you're feeling right now. 

But they didn't let what they DON'T have hold them back from what they COULD have.

Don't allow fear to stop you from achieving your goals. 

You're only going to look back one day and regret it if you do.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why no one expects you to know ALL the tools clients are using.
• Why being laser focused will get you clients.
• How to get rid of the self-doubt and overwhelm you’re feeling.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo

Now we absolutely do NOT have favourite students.  

In fact, there are so many talented VAs and aspiring VAs inside our Scale It! Mastermind that it was hard to pick just one to chat with this week!

But Amy is a stand-out and we wanted to share her VA story to inspire you.

Not only is her passion, motivation and work ethic second to none, but she takes every piece advice we provide and puts it into practice.

This is often what make the difference between a VA's success and failure. 

You can learn until the cows come home, attend all the courses, workshops, networking events and training out there … but it’s a total waste of time if you don’t actually DO anything with all that knowledge.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How Amy transitioned over 12 months to become a booked-out VA.
• Why Amy doesn’t have a website.
• How Amy’s LinkedIn strategy finds her clients.

Connect with Amy:

LinkedIn

Facebook

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo

So much uncertainty. 

So many fears.

Will I get clients? Will I make money? Do I have enough skills and experience? Can I afford this?

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why what you’re feeling is very normal and that you’re not alone.
• Why you ARE good enough.
• Why other people’s believes and fears don’t have to be yours.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo

The Prime Minister didn’t come and cut a ribbon to our office doors, and we didn’t have reporters calling to interview us about our exciting new ventures.

Despite the lack of fanfare and confetti, within months we were both fully booked with waiting lists.

It’s time to forget about your damn launch, let go of the need for everything to be perfect, and just bloody well go for it!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why your obsession with a launch date is all about fear.
• Why you can’t put off the hard stuff any longer.
• Why no-one cares (harsh but true!).

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo 

Ending client relationships badly means best case scenario you don’t get any referrals – and worse case you have someone out there bad mouthing you whenever outsourcing is brought up in conversation.

It's simply not worth the risk ... or the drama.

Sometimes we just have to suck up our real feelings about clients and their behaviour for the greater good.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why burning bridges is shortsighted.
• How one bad experience will follow you around for years.
• How to end relationships ‘above the line’.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo

But no matter the reason for saying adios, there is a serious of steps you need to take in order to off-board your client successfully and professionally.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Whether or not you should stick to your notice period.
• What you’ll need to hand back on your last day.
• What to do if your client is leaving on bad terms.
• When to provide a refund.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo

In this episode you’ll learn:·       

• How to get comfortable with selling yourself.
• Why you need to be deliberately repelling clients.
• How introverts can put themselves out there.
• What your secret sauce is.

Natalie Tolhopf

Business coach, Author, Podcaster, Speaker and staunch supporter of our VA community, Natalie Tolhopf teaches women in business how to drop the self-sabotage and take consistent imperfect action to sell with confidence and grow their businesses!

Nat’s Coaching & Book:

The Confidence Collection: Get the tools and the clarity that you need to hit the next level in your biz.

Allergic To Perfect: How to ditch your doubt and take imperfect action to grow your biz

Connect with Nat:

Website

LinkedIn

Facebook

YouTube

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo

Desperate to appear page one of Google and get thousands of eyes on your business?

Working hard to improve your website’s SEO?

These are all reasons to get yourself featured on a high ranking online directory.

A legitimate online directory listing can get countless eyes on your business each month, but it’s up to YOU to make your first impression count.

In this episode you’ll learn:·        

• Why online directory listings improve your SEO.
• How to make the best first impression thanks to a well thought out directory listing.
• Why all your directory listings shouldn’t be the same.

Check out the NZ VA Online Directory here. 

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam + Jo xoxo

Well-paying, regular clients are literally slipping through your fingers due to not following up at all, or not enough.

What a waste!

Given 80% of sales take 5 follow up calls or emails we’d put money on the fact there is at least 1 follow-up call you could be making right now!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why having a follow-up process in place will put you ahead of the pack.
• How to follow up persistently without being a nuisance.
• Which communication channels are the best to use when following-up a new lead.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo

Newsflash! 

All those VAs out there running profitable businesses, bringing in clients they love working with and providing services that fill them with joy are NOT successful because of luck.

Do the work. Put in the time. Learn the skills. Step out of your comfort zone.

Because luck has NOTHING to do with it.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo 

We see many VAs putting a lot of time and energy into networking, marketing and promoting themselves in order to find shiny new clients, with very little thought about how they plan on keeping their current ones happy, thus ensuring they stick around long term.

So not only does shifting your focus to keeping your current clients satisfied make financial sense, but we all know that a happy client often means lots of lovely referrals.

In this episode you’ll learn:·        

• The 12 sure fire ways to lose clients.
•  Why following the ‘OARBED’ model is key to managing your reactions during tricky client situations.
• That clear and consistent communication with your clients and new leads needs to be at the top of your priority list.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo

Spoiler alert!

Option #3 is our favourite, go-to route to take, and the one we both personally used when launching our own VA businesses many moons ago.

In this episode you’ll learn:·        

• The three options for gaining experience.
• Why boundaries are vital when offering discounted rates.
• Why confidence is holding you back.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo

There are a number of reasons why we have to be proactive and timely when it comes to saying a final goodbye to clients that are no longer a great fit.

But no matter the reason for saying farewell, Au revoir or addio, the good news is that you’re opening up space for a better fit client to come into your life.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How to know when it’s time to fire a client.
• The dos and do nots of firing clients.
• Why it’s just not worth going ‘below the line’.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo

No matter the environment you’re in, coming across as desperate is not a look you want to be wearing.

It’s time to treat potential clients the same way as you would someone you’d fancy going on a first date with.

Business owners looking to outsource aren’t dumb. They are quick to judge and can gauge accurately if you are just wanting any old job, not caring whether or not you’re actually going to be the right fit for their biz.

In this episode you’ll learn:·        

• Why business is just like dating (but without the smooching)
• Why being everywhere and offering everything to everyone is losing you clients.
• Why you need to stop being lazy in Facebook groups.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo

Unfortunately, she wasn’t getting any new leads. 

This VA shared with us that she’s already taken our advice, and that she’s ticked all of our boxes on how to find clients. It just wasn't working for her.

It was time for us to take a deeper look at things.

We checked out her LinkedIn profile, her website, her social media accounts and having chatted with her face-to-face we got a good idea of how she was coming across when meeting people.

It got us thinking.

Our systems are proven to work. When done well they work 100% of the time.

So if you’re a VA who is still struggling to get clients DESPITE taking all of our advice then there’s something not quite right.

You may be saying you’re doing it all, but we’re here to tell you that you aren’t.

In this episode you’ll learn:·        

• Why you still aren’t getting clients.
•  The mistakes you don’t even realise you’re making online.
• How to make a great first impression in networking groups.
• Why VAs should treat '90s clip art like it’s got COVID-19.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo

If you’ve never done it before, working with a sub-contractor can be overwhelming.

We’ve taken the overwhelm away by sharing with you the exact process and tool Jo uses when handing over work to her team of 20+ VAs.

It’s a tried and tested system, and one that Jo has perfected over the past decade.

You’re welcome!

In this episode you’ll learn:     

• The best tools to help streamline the handover process
• Things that can go wrong
• How to sell the concept to clients

Download your FREE Pre-Scaling Checklist here.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo

Bringing together 15 international speakers at the top of their game, for a live and interactive 5 day online event for hundreds of VAs from across the globe, is a pretty mammoth undertaking. 

But we bloody well did it!

And we did it in style thanks to our amazing speakers, some pretty mad organisational skills, and our new favourite tool ... Airmeet!

You'll be pleased to know we’ll be doing it all again 14 – 18 February 2022! So lock the dates in your diaries NOW people! 

In this episode you’ll learn:·        

• How to run an online Summit
• Our key takeaways from the 2021 VA Summit
• What we’d do differently
• Why we chose Airmeet

If you missed out on attending this year’s Summit, it’s not too late to watch the recordings! Get access now.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo

Successful businesses that suit our very unique business and life goals, family commitments and personality types.

We all start out with great intentions, but it’s easy to lose track along the way of WHY we got into the VA biz in the first place.

In this episode you’ll learn:·        

• Why your ‘WHY’ is so important.
• How to create a VA business that is perfect for YOU (not Bob from across the road).

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo

Advice that comes from a place of wanting to help, but that (in our minds anyway) is off the mark for one reason or another.

Whose advice are you listening to? Do they know the VA industry well? Are they successful VAs themselves?

In this episode you’ll learn:·        

• The worst pieces of advice we’re seeing thrown around lately.
• Who to take advice from.
•  Who NOT to take advice from.
•  How much money you should be making in your biz.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo

Now that’s out of the way, we’re going to assume that you’re listening in because:

1.      You’ve been in business for a while;

2.      You’ve already got some regular clients under your belt;

3.     You get regular enquiries coming through via networking & word of mouth referrals; and

4.      You've got some time up your sleeve to figure out why your website isn’t converting its visitors into paying clients.

In this episode you’ll learn:       

• Who actually needs a website.
• The reasons your website isn’t converting.
•  How to improve your SEO.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo

A funny question for us to be asking … right?

Wrong!

Making a great first impression starts with the basics. And it doesn’t get more basic than your phone’s voice mail message.

In this episode you’ll learn:·        

• What new leads expect to hear when you can’t answer the phone.
• Why you could be losing out on new clients due to your current voice mail message. 

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo

We don’t blame you!

Having to chase consistently late payers, month after month after month, is costing you time AND money.

This is not acceptable behaviour. You deserve better! It’s time to nip it in the bud … right now!

In this episode you’ll learn:·        

• The simple tactics to get clients to pay immediately.
• Why following up late payers is key.
• When to let clients go.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo

Well … it’s trueeee!

Having a plan written down on paper, with goals that are measurable and actionable, helps you focus and keeps you moving forward in order to grow.

It’s time to give those VA business dreams of yours an actual shot at becoming a reality by getting your ‘plan’ on!

In this episode you’ll learn:·        

• Why all VAs should have a business plan
• Simple steps for planning

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo

Don't worry though because you are in complete control and with the right strategies, you can turn things around and get that flexibility back.

In this episode, you’ll learn:·        

• The business models that can support a truly flexible lifestyle
• Why knowing your 'why' is so important
• The services to offer or avoid
• How to set expectations so you can take holidays

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo

In fact, Sam + Jo would put money on the fact that a lot of our VA community aren’t even aware of just how much time they aren’t charging out for.  

What you’ll learn:·        

• How you’re giving away your time for free without even realising it.
• The tools and habits that will prevent overwhelm and burnout.
• Why doing freebies for friends, family and not-for-profits isn’t always a great idea.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo

Women (and men!) failing to launch their VA businesses as they can’t afford the latest laptop, office rent, accounting subscription, qualification, fancy logo and professionally designed website.

Breaking news peeps! You can absolutely get started with the bare minimum of tech, tools and subscriptions.

In fact, anything not on Sam + Jo’s must-have list is just going to hold you back.

What you’ll learn:·        

• The must-have FREE tools that won’t cost you a penny.
• The bare minimum must-haves you ACTUALLY need (it’s a short list).
• Why everything else on your list can wait.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo

A hundred times YES!

Virtual assistants should never, EVER start work until a contract (aka Service Agreement) is signed by their clients.

Sam + Jo are incredibly passionate about this as they have seen first-hand what can happen if you don’t.

What you’ll learn:·        

• The reasons your clients should always sign a contract.
• The types of things your contract should include.

If you're in New Zealand and looking for a robust Contract then check out the Service Agreement Template available over on the VANNZ website. 

It's an affordable and ROBUST legal document created by a team of lawyers specifically for NZ Virtual Assistants. 

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo

It's a common question because everyone knows having a standout portfolio is a powerful thing to have under your belt, and done well, it has the potential to knock the socks off new leads!

What you’ll learn:·        

• Why not all VAs need portfolios
•  How best to showcase your work
•  What not to include in a portfolio
•  How to take your portfolios to the next level! 

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo

Why?

Because building meaningful relationships with your clients is proven to increase referrals and means higher retentions rates. 

And showing them your care about them and their business is part of achieving this.

HOWEVER, there is no point breaking the bank and going into the red in order to show your appreciation and loyalty.

In this episode, you’ll learn Sam + Jo’s favourite (and simple!) ways to love your clients throughout the year that don’t have to cost the earth.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo

“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes … Including you.”

But despite knowing it to be true, burnout is VERY real in the VA world. 

In fact, it’s certainly one of the main reasons VAs return to their 9 – 5.

The good news is that balancing your workload can absolutely prevent virtual assistant exhaustion!

In this episode Sam + Jo share their top 5 ways to get that balance right to keep you in the VA game.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo

And with the VA industry in the midst of a pandemic BOOM, there’s been a huge increase in VAs looking to growing their teams.

What you’ll learn:·        

• The expectations VA business owners have of their sub-contractors.
• Common fears established VAs have around growing their teams.
• What to expect as a sub-contractor (from pricing to the interview process and everything in between).

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo

That very first consultation/discovery call with a new lead is your time to shine! 

In fact, your #1 priority is to make that potential client walk away knowing you’re a professional business owner who WANTS to work with them.

We've heard first hand some seriously shocking stories of VAs making the WORST first impressions imaginable, and although we got a wicked case of the giggles whilst recording this episode, underneath the laughter are some serious warnings.

What you’ll learn:

• What you need to do to prepare for a Zoom call with a lead
• Why making a poor first impression is a wasted opportunity
• What not to do during a Zoom meeting

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo

But standing out online can be daunting, especially when you look around at other VAs who seem to be nailing it.

In this episode you'll learn the 10 actionable steps you can take RIGHT NOW to improve your online presence. 

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo

Love it or hate it, the term ‘VA’ is one that is easily recognisable and is a search term that business owners are typing into Google right now.

Sam + Jo discuss the pros and cons of using such a broad (and sometimes undervalued) title and why being overly clever when naming your business can back-fire.

What you’ll learn:·        

• Why VAs are ditching their job title?
• Should you join them?
• The reasons to keep calling yourself a virtual assistant

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo

What you’ll learn:

• That you may already be an OBM
• The differences between a VA and an OBM
• That it might be time to raise your rates

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo

In this episode, Sam + Jo share with you the do's and do nots if you’re wanting to stand out from the crowd, make a great first impression and get hired by a Virtual Assistant agency.

What you’ll learn:·        

• The best ways to approach VA business owners
• How to make a good impression
• What makes a good first impression
• Whether you should let your personality shine though

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo

Some manage it in a matter of hours. For others it’s weeks – months even.

But we’re going to let you in on a not-so-secret secret … having a launch party, designing your website, hiring an office space, and even registering your business name isn’t what makes you a bona fide VA. 

It may seem very anticlimactic and not very official, but you become a VA the very first time a client pays you for your services!

What you’ll learn in this episode:·

• The things that will speed up creating an in-demand VA biz
• The things that will hold you back from becoming a VA
• The bare minimum tools and equipment you need to get your VA biz started

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo

A pretty innocent question right? Who knew the responses this query would receive in The VA Foundry group would be quite so polarising!

If you’re looking to make more money as a virtual assistant, then value based pricing is the way to go, and Sam + Jo’s chat with pricing expert Natalie Coombe is a must listen-to episode.

Natalie Coombe

Natalie Coombe empowers women entrepreneurs, running client-serving businesses, to sort out their pricing so they can finally pay themselves what they're worth.

As a single-mum-by-choice running her own online business, Natalie understands first hand the challenges women entrepreneurs face when setting up and scaling their own business.

Today Natalie works 1:1 and runs an online 6 week programme How To Nail Your Pricing And Pay Yourself What You're Worth teaching women entrepreneurs how to pay themselves what they're worth, without burning out in the process.

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Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

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Entrepreneur, Author, Speaker, Coach and Podcaster Natalie Sisson has been outsourcing to virtual assistants for almost 10 years - with both good and bad experiences.

Sam + Jo sat down with Natalie for a very honest chat to find out exactly what it is that most potential leads are looking for, how to make the BEST impression, and what you need to do in order to keep them coming back.

What you'll learn:

• How to wow your client after a sales call
• Why saying no actually builds a better client relationship
• Tips for being proactive and using your initiative
• How to impress the pants off your new client
• How to show your credibility even without any clients
• What not to say in a sales call

Natalie Sisson

Natalie is a New Zealand entrepreneur, bestselling author, speaker, host of the ‘Untapped’ podcast, and lover of handstands and dogs.

She’s passionate about helping women entrepreneurs leverage their unique set of skills, knowledge, and experience to get paid to be them, and make an income and impact they desire, simply by being them.

Check out Natalie's $10K Club and her Launch Your Damn Course Accelerator 

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Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo

In this episode, Sam + Jo discuss the five options in detail, the pros & cons of each, and share which routes they personally took.

But remember – there really is no right or wrong way. 

Only you can decide what’s best for you, your family and your personal financial circumstances.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo

We’re currently witnessing a never-seen-before growth in the number of new VAs entering the market, which is undoubtedly causing worry the industry will become over-saturated.

But there’s actually an incredible upside to this COVID-19 VA boom we’re experiencing right now.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo

Most Virtual Assistants know what it takes to do that successfully through networking, but there are many yet to tap into the huge potential of email marketing.

Expert guest and copywriter extraordinaire Hayley Maxwell shares with us her tips and tricks to nurturing those new leads signing up to your lead magnet or freebie.

Your own email list (or email community as Hayley likes to call it) is just as important as the ones you look after on behalf of your clients, and now is the time to start giving it the love and attention it deserves.

Hayley Maxwell, Website & Email Sequence Copywriter

Thanks to her mad copywriting skills, Hayley helps businesses grow their impact and income with copy that speaks to their dream clients' desires.

Take the stress out of writing your welcome sequence and build meaningful relationships with new subscribers from day one. 

Sign up to Hayley’s Nail Your Nurture Sequence With Ease course

Check out Hayley here:

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Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo

In this episode Sam + Jo chat to business and life coach Tracey Hancock who has been a supporter and cheerleader of the VA industry for many years, and knows from experience why we often feel like we’re only succeeding due to luck.

Don’t let imposter syndrome become a hot mess of harmfulness. Listen in to hear Tracey’s tips to overcoming your fear.

Tracey Hancock, Business & Life Coach

Over the years, Tracey has learnt a lot of lessons including trying to be and do what she thought was expected of her.

A significant health scare in her mid-20s jolted Tracey to look at the way she was living and working with fresh eyes.That new perspective got her thinking about who she was and what living well meant.

The difference was undeniable and since then she’s passionately guided others to step into the driver's seat of their own life and set a course for living well.

Find Tracey online here:

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Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo

Will there be fireworks? Will there be tears? …Nope. It’s just a calm discussion where opposing views are shared, leaving it up to you to decide which option is right for you.

(Fireworks and tears would have been entertaining though right?)

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo

Sam + Jo, along with special guest Pallas Hupe Cotter from Pop With Pallas, discuss what VAs around the world need to be doing well in order to stand out.

Get your copy of Pallas' ebook 'Make Your Life POP' on Amazon here.

Pallas Hupe Cotter, Pop With Pallas

Anyone can live an extraordinary life. It’s about being true to yourself and it starts with one simple step: pop that bubble you’re hiding in and live your life out loud!

Emmy Award Winner and TEDx Speaker, Pallas helps you discover your passion, purpose and personality with much of her coaching based on a proven model called The POP Process®.

Check out Pallas via the following links:

Website

LinkedIn

YouTube

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo

Their current top things to rant about … clients that don’t value their VAs, the inability to get in touch with a real person at Google, the WORST pieces of advice for VAs going around right now … plus loads more!

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo

If you are new to the Virtual Assistant world we recommend you start off by simply offering an hourly rate. Only after you’ve got some clients under your belt should you move on to other pricing options.

For established VAs looking to increase your profitability then it’s a no brainer! Offering packages and service plans is a MUST.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo

After years in the business, one of the biggest lessons Sam + Jo learnt early on is that saying ‘NO’ is not only more powerful than saying ‘YES’, it’s a necessary skill every virtual assistant business owner needs to master.

Join the Scale It! Mastermind for established virtual assistants looking to level up their business. Make more money, get more clients and grow your team today!

Sam & Jo xoxo 

And throw in a whole bunch of uncertainty and an economic crisis and everything changes!

In this episode, Sam + Jo share where all of those elusive clients are hiding and how best to get in front of them.

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Want help finding clients?

Check out the 'Finding Clients For Introverts' Masterclass Bundle here. 

Why? Because you can’t expect potential clients to KNOW your value until you start to OWN it.

If you’re worried that VAs who charge less than you are going to get all the clients … then you need to listen to this episode.

If the thought of hearing the words “You’re too expensive” fills you with dread and makes you want to drop your prices … then you REALLY need to listen to this episode!

Sam & Jo xoxo

Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?

Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the free quiz here.

The downside to this is that it can often lead to overwhelm when it comes to selecting the services that you will be offering clients.

Our advice … stay in your lane! 

Stick to what you know. And NEVER offer services you have no skills and experience in.

Sam & Jo xoxo

Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?

Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the free quiz here.

In this episode Sam + Jo talk about the pros and cons of both options and the personality style best suited to each.

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Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?

Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the free quiz here.

But it takes more than having a laptop, mobile phone and internet connection to become a successful VA. Just because you CAN, doesn’t mean you SHOULD.

Sam & Jo xoxo

Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?

Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the quiz here.

“Where shall I build my website? What’s the best platform nowadays?”.

Our answer is always the same … Rocketspark!

Rocketspark’s Head of Partnerships, Jason Tiller, joins Sam + Jo in this episode to discuss why exactly Rocketspark is the best website platform for virtual assistants.

Discount Code: Use FOUNDRY1 when you make your site go live to pay just $1 NZD for your first month.

Jason Tiller, Head of Partnerships at Rocketspark

Rocketspark was founded in New Zealand in 2009 and now has thousands of customers in over 27 countries across the globe.

The team at Rocketspark love seeing their clients achieve business success and makes it easy to deliver a beautifully simple, code-free web design service. You'll spend less time trouble-shooting and more time designing.

Check out the Rocketspark website here

Sam & Jo xoxo

Virtual Assistant Website Template

Build your very own website in just one day, using our fully-customisable website template (and step-by-step tutorials) designed especially for virtual assistants. View here

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Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?

Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the free quiz here.

In this episode, Jo shares her warts-and-all journey from stay-at-home, wanting-more-mum to award-winning VA industry leader.

Connect with Jo on LinkedIn here

Sam & Jo xoxo

Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?

Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the quiz here.

Owner of My Girl Friday, Founder of the Virtual Assistant Network of New Zealand, and co-owner of The VA Foundry, you could say that nowadays Sam pretty much eats, sleeps and breathes all things VA.

Connect with Sam on LinkedIn here

Sam & Jo xoxo

Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?

Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the quiz here.

On the face of it, it’s a pretty easy one to answer … right?  

Virtual Assistants provide remote business support services to a wide range of businesses throughout the world. 

See – that wasn’t so hard.

But where it gets confusing is that the virtual assistant industry is evolving fast and the term ‘VA’ has become a pretty broad one. 

So where do you draw the line? When is a virtual assistant no longer technically a virtual assistant?

Listen to this episode to find out.

Sam & Jo xoxo

Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?

Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the free quiz here.