Episoder
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Youâre not an expert at everything â and no one expects you to be! We all have our zones of genius and we all need help occasionally to succeed in the things we donât know yet.
But even if intellectually we know this, we still discount â or outright ignore â great advice.
(And yeah, right now weâre specifically talking about our advice that youâre ignoring!)
So the question is why? Why are you ignoring our expert advice? âCos 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, thereâs 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 youâve 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 youâd 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 youâll learn:
The most ignored pieces of advice VAs love to ignore, and the reasons why they shouldnât.Why we only want you to join us inside the next intake of Launch in 30 Days if youâre willing to listen to ALL of our advice!Join us inside the next intake of Launch in 30 Days here.
Sam + Jo xo
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Witnessing a virtual assistant's journey to going all-in on a niche or speciality is a truly beautiful thing, and weâve had ringside seats for Transcend Adminâs rise to VA fame.
VA biz owner Mandy Purdie has found not only her niche â but her calling, and sheâs reaping the benefits both personally and professionally that come from scaling New Zealandâs first (and only!) ADHD-friendly virtual assistant agency.
In this episode youâll 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
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Mangler du episoder?
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Are you an aspiring or established virtual assistant agency owner wanting to grow a team while remaining âaffordableâ?
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 youâre worried leads will balk at your rates?
If this sounds familiar - you aren't alone!
Itâs 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 youâll learn:
The team, client and financial issues youâll face as a VA agency owner if you donât have premium pricing.The only agency model that works with pricing that isnât considered âpremiumâ.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
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Itâs likely you became a VA âcos you were over the 9-5 grind.
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 letâs be honest, you also became a VA to earn a decent income from home!
Otherwise, why bother? đ€·ââïž
So why are there so many virtual assistants out there having to work MORE hours than a 9 â 5 in order to pay the bills?
Why are there so many virtual assistants earning less than minimum wage?!
In this episode youâll learn the 9 reasons why you arenât 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.
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Are you really a fully-fledged virtual assistant unless youâve received a âIâve been ghosted đ»" badge?
If being ghosted by a lead, client (or yes, even team member!) hasnât happened yet, in the words of Alexander Hamilton ⊠âJust you waitâ đ€Ș
Being ghosted can often trigger VAs into a spiral of self doubt. Itâs common for the VA to take it personally, question everything and make some massive assumptions.
Having been there, done that, and got the đ» 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% canât be helped âcos they're Dicks ghosting you whose dick-ness can't be helpedđ.
Youâll learn:
The 5 most common reasons VAs get ghosted and the steps you can take to prevent it from happening.Why âQuick Winsâ and âNice To Dosâ 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
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Itâs a cold hard fact that people do business with people, and this couldnât be any more true than inside the virtual assistant industry.
The quicker you can build the know, like and trust factor online the quicker youâll 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.
Youâll learn:
The most common reasons youâre 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
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Last year we released the Whatâs Your VA Pathway Quiz to help guide aspiring virtual assistants to find their perfect pathway to success.
Those that take the quiz get one of four results: Sub-contractor, Freelancer, Agency Owner, and âŠ. Not Ready.
Every time someone receives the ânot readyâ 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, doesnât mean your journey is over!
In this episode youâll learn:
The 3 reasons you will have received this result.Why this result doesnât 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
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The knock-on effect of the introduction of AI is HUGE. No one is immune â least of all virtual assistants.
We may not have a crystal ball that will predict the future (wouldnât 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 âthanksâ to AI.
Look, itâs 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 donât 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? đ
In this episode youâll 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
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Do you pay your friends to hang out with you?
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 thatâs when things can get tricky.
You may assume that this type of close-knit VA/client relationship is one to celebrate. Weâre here to tell you that in most cases itâs one to avoid and that having defined, professional boundaries will protect you BOTH.
In this episode youâll 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
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Shouldering the responsibility of running a business, wearing all the hats and knowing the buck is always going to stop at you can feel heavy.
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 wouldnât 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.
Youâll 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 Joâs failed business partnership youâve never heard.Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?
Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the quiz here.
Sam + Jo xo
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Itâs real talk time!
Yessiree, itâs time to share some of our biggest biz âicksâ as virtual assistant coaches, mentors and business owners.
Some of these icks are instant turn-offs; our personal deal breakers. Others however arenât 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, thereâs no shying away from the fact that if they are on our ick radar, then some will also be your potential clientsâ icks too.
In this episode youâll learn:
The icks that have some potential clients running for the hills.The two icks that will offend you.Joâs 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
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Some days social media seems like one massive highlight reel of gorgeous influencer-esq biz owners, working part-time hours from their spotless all-white WFH offices, who in their spare time enjoy baking with their well behaved cute AF children and make money while sleeping soundly in their super king sized beds alongside their super king sized partners đ
And you know what they say about highlight reels?
Theyâre a bunch of baloney, that's what! They only showcase one side of a much bigger, more complex story.
We reckon itâs time for us all to get comfortable sharing the lows as much as the highs. âCos this is real life and real life is not always sunshine and rainbows.
So itâs time to share some not so bright and shiny things about us.
In this episode youâll 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 đ€Šââïžđ€ŠSub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?
Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the quiz here.
Sam + Jo xo
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We want to preface this episode by apologising to our American listenersđ
Itâs 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 youâre losing cos youâre hiding behind cheesy, off brand, boring, unauthentic stock photos đ
Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?
Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the quiz here.
Sam + Jo xo
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Dude! There is no âeasierâ.
Thereâs also no âquickerâ, âfasterâ or âbetterâ (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 donât know, then weâve made it SUPER easy for you to find out!
In this episode youâll 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 youâre 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
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On paper your business looks great! Youâre fully booked (or close to it), your bank balance isnât looking too shabby and you may even be growing a team âŠ
Itâs easy from the outside looking in for other virtual assistants to assume youâre successful, on top of things and freaking loving life!
But the reality couldnât be further from the truth.
The reality is that you really want to love your business, but youâve found yourself working ALL the hours, your mental and physical health is suffering, youâre finding it difficult to maintain boundaries and you may have even started to resent some of your more âdifficultâ clients.
It's a situation we're all too familiar with, so weâre 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 youâll learn:
What to look at in your business in order to fall back in love with it.Why itâs 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
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Hey there VA Agency ownersđ
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 youâll 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 DONâT work.Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?
Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the quiz here.
Sam + Jo xo
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There are a few pathway options aspiring virtual assistants can take, one of which is very uncommon.
Why?
Because skipping straight to âAgency Ownerâ is not for the faint hearted, and youâll need a very particular set of skills, skills that you will have acquired over time in your corporate 9-5.
In this episode youâll learn:
Who can skip straight to âAgency Ownerâ.What your role would look like as an âAgency Ownerâ.What you need in place if youâre thinking about skipping straight to âAgency Ownerâ.What can go wrong when skipping straight to âAgency Ownerâ.Sub-Contractor, Freelancer or Agency Owner?
Your perfect virtual assistant pathway is just minutes away! Take the quiz here.
Sam + Jo xo
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We're officially dedicating this episode to all the admin superstars out there wondering whether their skills and experience are enough to move into the VA space.
Spoiler alert: WEâRE 99% SURE THEY ARE!
In this episode youâll 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 â cos niching isnât for everyone straight off the bat.How you can âsellâ 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
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What are you putting up with?
Is your chair as wonky as Samâs? Is the copy on your website not converting leads to clients? Maybe youâve got an underperforming team member youâve 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 youâre going to put your energy in to make substantial changes in your business!
In this episode youâll learn:
The reason youâve 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
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âBut itâs just so hard for VAs right now!â
âMan, itâs really tough finding clients â no one is hiring!â
âItâs a slow time of year for sureâ.
NOPE! Stop it!
Itâs cold hard truth time lovelies.
Itâs NOT slow. Clients ARE hiring. We know first-hand this to be true. Weâve got evidence to back this up.
So enough of the excuses.
If youâre finding it hard right now, itâs certainly not due to the lack of clients looking to outsource.
In this episode youâll learn:
Why itâs easy to use all the reasons under the sun as to why you arenât 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 youâve been searching for.
Launch in 30 Days is the step-by-step course thatâll 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 youâre going and can safely say youâve 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
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