I’ve learned that there a lot of common questions that people have about starting out in digital media. Like, do you need experience or a degree to work as a virtual assistant? Can you do VA work if you’ve been out of the workplace for years? So is there really enough work out there for VAs? And now I’m going to answer another common one from people looking for success stories from my digital media VA crash course…Are there real people like me who actually find success as a VA?
YES.
And Natasha is one of them. She’s a military spouse and stay at home mom with 4 & 6 year old daughters. Prior to starting as a VA, she worked for a company to place international university students on temporary work visas in the US.
Natasha began working as a digital media specialist and virtual assistant last summer. She had studied electrical engineering in college, but didn’t finish her degree because her husband commissioned in the military. She’s also a Digital Media VA Crash Course graduate!
Here’s her story…
Emily: So how did you get started in digital media?
Natasha: I met you while we were stationed in Colorado Springs together. For a while since then I had been reading your blog and receiving your emails, and then finally took the plunge. I took your VA Crash Course over the summer and didn’t look back.
“This course has changed my life…“
-Natasha
Emily: And now you’ve successfully established yourself in the digital media online world! How many clients are you working with right now, and what are you able to charge?
Natasha: Right now I’ve got three great clients, and I’m working about 10 hours a week. I normally charge $15-$20 an hour, depending on the specific tasks that the client needs.
Emily: And where are you working during the week?
Natasha: I am lucky and have a home office. It is great because I don’t have to feel guilty about long vacations. I can just take my work with me and do it wherever I have wifi!
Emily: What has been your favorite part of this new online career?
Natasha: It is flexible. I can set my hours when it works for my family. As a military family, I don’t have to start over every time we move. And I have the option to grow this into more, if I want to, as my kids get older.
“I was told by a client that I was ‘leveling up her business!'”
-Natasha
Emily: Tell me about your favorite tasks you do for your clients:
Natasha: I like Webinar & LiveStream monitoring. It is fun to interact with people in real time and I like the planning and prep work that goes into launching a webinar. My least favorite of all the common VA tasks is social media management.
Emily: What is your most requested task? And do you feel that the Digital Media VA Crash Course has given you the right skills to succeed in your work?
Natasha: Definitely! This course is so well rounded I felt like it touched on everything I would ever need to know. The tutorials are easy to follow, and so many extra resources are provided if you need to delve deeper into a specific topic. And I would say that email and newsletter creation are my most requested tasks.
Emily: You’re really using a lot of those skills! So what aspect of the Digital Media VA Crash course did you find most helpful and useful to your work?
Natasha: Honestly, the support you offer. In every training video in the Crash Course, you reassure us that we can do this, and then show the training. You have weekly Q&A’s so I didn’t feel like I was left in the lurch, and I could get answers in a timely manner. I love that you have your Facebook group where we can ask anything and other VAs can also jump in and offer help and advice. Plus, after the course, your Workgroup is a great way to continue learning new skills.
Emily: Thank you! I love building a sense of community where we can work together. It’s one of the reasons I started my free Facebook group for digital VAs and marketers too!
“There are so many different things you can do as a VA…“
-Natasha
Emily: So would you recommend the Digital Media VA Crash Course to others?
Natasha: Absolutely. I have looked into other courses, and The Digital Media VA Crash Course is the best bang for your buck. It covers so many different topics and you give us examples and ways that each skill set can be tailored and used.
Emily: And what feedback have you gotten from your clients regarding your skills learned in the course?
Natasha: I was told by a client that I am, “Leveling up her business.” Being able to see her vision and help her execute it with the skills that the Crash Course taught me has been key to my success.
“Being a VA allows the flexibility to grow into more later on down the road.”
-Natasha
Emily: What advice would you give someone thinking about being a VA?
Natasha: Do It! It is scary and intimidating at first, but the VA Crash Course doesn’t leave you high and dry once you complete it. Finding something to help you continue to grow and be encouraged is important to staying motivated.
Also, it’s ok to say no to clients. At first I snapped up any work and quickly found myself overwhelmed. There are so many different things you can do as a VA, be sure the work you are taking actually does interest you, or provides you the opportunity to learn the skills you want.
Emily: You’re exactly right! As a unicorn VA, you can pick and choose the areas that are exciting to you, while still being able to offer your clients a “whole package.” So what are your best and worst client stories?
Natasha: Best: I was hired by a client to monitor a LiveStream class 2 hours a week. That was it. We talked about how she wanted to grow her business and polish her product. I made some suggestions, and now my position has grown to 5-6 hours a week.
Worst: I didn’t actually take this client on, but during a discovery call a potential client told me she had another call earlier in the day and couldn’t remember the lady’s name. I happened to know the “lady” she interviewed and was shocked she forgot her name after only an hour. Seeing signs like this is a good indicator that you will not be a partner, you will be a pawn. Not worth the money.
Emily: I totally agree. There are so many other clients out there that will value you and make you feel part of their team. Anything else you want to add?
Natasha: This course has changed my life. I know that sounds cliché, but it has. I enjoy raising my children, but I have always wanted more. It is hard to start over every time we move, but this has provided me a way to change my business as my life changes. My kids are young and taking on a full time job was daunting. Being a VA allows the flexibility to grow into more later on down the road.
Emily: Thank you Natasha for sharing your story with us! I know it can be intimidating to jump into something new, and stories like yours are so encouraging. As more and more students graduate from my course and begin their own success stories, I feel motivated to reach out to even more potential new students. So many people just like you are eager and ready to find their own new path into the online space!
What about YOU?
So if you’re inspired to find your own opportunities for flexibility, creativity, and a new income-making business at home just for you, you’re in luck! I’m excited to meet a new group of go-getters who are ready to make it happen for themselves! Head over to my Digital Media VA Crash Course right now and make sure you take advantage before enrollment closes and the course begins without you!
Can’t wait to see where your story leads…
-Emily, Digital Media Consultant (and Virtual Assistant …)
“I will make an army of unicorn VAs to help these online business owners!”
Join: My Digital Media Specialist & Virtual Assistant Lab {a free facebook group for up-and-coming VAs}
Where to Get Started Online as a Virtual Assistant
I have a list of 10 virtual job tasks for you here…. this will help you get started in the online space and let you in on exactly what clients coming to me are asking for help with and willing to pay a VA for… take a look!
If you’re interested in learning more about what I do as a social media manager, digital marker and virtual assistant helping small business owners remotely, please fill out this form here, and I’ll tell you more.
