Before becoming a Virtual Assistant, I was a trainer in the hospitality industry. When I launched my Virtual Assistant training in September 2020, it was something of a milestone for me.
I had wanted to produce a course for a while. So many people, mainly mums, would ask me how I became a Virtual Assistant and the trainer in me knew I had so much to give. The lockdowns gave me the time to write and produce. So here we are 18 months and 449 students later!
I’m a realist and accept my Virtual Assistant course won’t be for everyone. But wow, the feeling I experience when you get a student like Michaela Assists who is able to now earn a living around her young family, in part due to my course…..well it knocks me sideways! I was so pleased when she agreed to write the very first guest post for my blog, so here she is….
Michaela Assists Virtual Assistant blog
Firstly, I must thank Jen for asking me to do a guest blog for her page. As someone I look up to in the Virtual Assistant community, I feel very privileged.
I have always wanted to be self-employed, but this desire strengthened when I became a mum in 2018. After trying a few work-from-home ventures and starting my own Event Planning business part-time, I wanted to do something that I felt ‘qualified’ in. I have 12 years of experience as an Administrator, so I looked into becoming a Virtual Assistant. However, doing a broad Google search only brought up American results. After looking through some Facebook groups, I saw a post about Jen’s course How to Become a Virtual Assistant and Work from Home, and enrolled.
The Virtual Assistant course
The course is so full of information. It is clearly set out, with each section giving you aims and objectives, so you know what to expect. Each video is clear and easy to follow. Jen gives real-life examples from her life, which makes the course relatable. Resources are available in every section and are useful and helpful, especially when setting up. The resources helped me to really dig deep before starting as a VA, exploring both the pros and cons if you like. Plus thinking about my brand, how I want to portray my business, and things I need beforehand, such as insurance.
What I like about the course is the order it is set in. It was like having a To-Do List already set out and I could just go through each step when I was ready and get everything set up. The recommendations that Jen gives in the course take away the pressure of researching different companies (such as website platforms, scheduling tools, insurance companies, etc) and I used most of them when setting up. I still go through the topics and use the resources (especially the planners) as they are a great help.
Thanks to Jen’s course, I am nearly 4 months into being a Virtual Assistant. It gave me the confidence I needed to take the leap of faith, but it wasn’t as scary because the course provided the tools I needed and answered a lot of questions I had.
The Virtual Assistant book
When I saw that Jen had produced a book on how to find your clients, I instantly bought it! Even though I had set my business up, I had no idea how to attract clients. Trying to get people to trust you without showing your CV is a skill in itself! But Jen’s book goes into great detail and explores a good range of ways. Again, I found the format easy to follow and used it as a To-Do List (I love lists can you tell!). It’s not full of big fancy words that are hard to understand either! It’s a book that I will revisit every 6 months as the tips can never get old and trying different methods throughout the year will attract new clients.
Conclusion
From the course and the book, you can tell that Jen has great experience in the Virtual Assistant industry. It is nice to see someone with a similar background to myself doing so well. It gives me hope that I too can do it. Jen is an inspiration and an asset to the VA community and anyone who is considering becoming a VA should invest in Jen’s course and book!
About Michaela
Michaela Dyer is a Virtual Assistant from West Yorkshire. After becoming a mum to her first child and then being let go from her job mid-pregnancy with her second child, she decided to use her 12 years of Admin experience and become a Virtual Assistant. Michaela is new to the VA community and is steadily building her client base, with her focus on helping small businesses just like herself, with tasks such as diary management, data entry, and social media assistance. Being a VA brings great flexibility to Michaela’s life and when she’s not working, she’s making memories with her 2 daughters aged 4 and 2 and planning her summer wedding to her soon-to-be husband.
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