Lessons from a Unicorn Digital Marketing Assistant who actually does the work
- I would have raised my prices sooner.
- I would have promoted myself and not waited until 2019 to start Instagram… Doh!
- I would have treated it like a legit business.
- My bank account would reflect the above efforts.
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But you, my friend, are sitting pretty with a big clue in your freelancer life just by being here on my site, reading through my blogs & content, and learning from me. (Kudos to you, sister!)
I didn’t have that.
So for years, I worked quite happily and ignorantly. I was able to put my nose down, do the work and not be distracted or feel the pressure of my own impatience and need to rush to the finish line.
I was successful in my work, I hired and trained other women to work with me and take on their own clients. I replicated that path for my students inside my digital marketing course.
Here’s what I want you to know:
A successful freelancer or virtual assistant business doesn’t happen overnight
And any Freelancer/VA Coach who promises you instant gratification and success is yanking your chain with lies.
To become exceptional at anything, it takes:
- work, dedication, and time in grade
- making mistakes and learning from them
- discomfort
I didn’t realize the journey I was on because I was an accidental freelancer. I wasn’t intentional. I wasn’t strategic. I was oblivious to what I was building and how to level up for years.
If I had known where I was going, that it would lead to an agency with bigger clients, day rates, bigger projects, and a digital course, I would have tried to rush it. I would have been sooooo impatient.
I see other new freelancers and virtual assistants struggling with this right now. They want the quick income replacement, rewards and to be charging premium prices… before they’re ready.
So my BIG advice to you in business is to give it time.
You can’t rush experience, confidence, and competency.
All of that comes with each task, each client, each new challenge.
And before you know it, you will FEEL it in your bones. It will pay off.
You have a gift of someone else’s roadmap and experience. You don’t need to make the same mistakes I did.
The hardest thing you will deal with is remembering your patience with the process.
This is your reminder. To say yes to the client work, show up doing your best, and keep going.
🎙️ Podcast for Freelance Digital Marketing Virtual Assistants
If you want a high-level dose of what to do in your own freelance virtual assistant business, listen to my Unicorns Unite Podcast.
This podcast is for the digitally curious, smart go-getters, virtual assistants, and freelancers who want the freedom and flexibility of working from home as a higher-paid marketing assistant.
On the show, industry expert guests and I share marketing tips and strategies, mindset, encouragement, best practices and stories of how your fellow freelancers achieved their dreams. It’ll help you on your journey to building a sustainable, profitable independent contractor business on our terms.
Check out this playlist to see what the podcast is about. It’s full of practical advice and strategies for new or aspiring VAs. Plus, real success stories from UDMA School students who built their own freelancing businesses.
Subscribe here: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio | Amazon Music
▶️ Related YouTube Videos
In this quickie video is pulled from our Unicorns Unite Podcast, email marketer & agency owner Allea Grummert sheds light on the virtual assistant hiring process, what you can do to stand out and get to the interview round… and eventually, book the client!
Discover 10 Profitable Niches for Virtual Assistants that will help you level up your virtual assistant business and bring in more money in your business.
Not a course. A collective for marketers already doing the work.
Our Digital Marketer’s Workgroup is a vetted peer community where marketing specialists get real business support and talk shop with people who actually get it. Applications are open now ⬇️
You can tap into more of my freelance experience and digital marketing expertise here:
Ready to learn the digital marketing skills to kickstart your freelance service provider business?
If you’re brand new to the online space, or you’ve been working online for a while but are still struggling to get where you need to be, this is the course you need.
Because investing in your own growth and development is vital to finding (and getting hired for) those high-end virtual assistant online jobs.
My course will not only give you a solid foundation of digital marketing knowledge and tech skills – it will also give you loads of insider tips and direct job leads from my own network.
I can’t usually take on any new clients of my own, and that’s why I need more unicorn VAs in my network! I need smart go-getters that I can connect with all of these business owners who are reaching out to me.
Or, are you just starting to explore the idea of working online as a virtual assistant and aren’t quite ready to dive right in?
Then you might want to start in my free FB group – the Digital Marketing Assistant Lab.
This is a great place to dip into the online space whether you’re brand new to the idea of working from home or trying to build your virtual assistant biz.
Here you’ll discover free trainings, regular live videos from me and guest interviews with industry experts, and links to lots of relevant content.
Inside the group, you can also connect with plenty of online business owners and other work-from-home VAs who are building their new success stories.
Or maybe you’re already hustling as a successful virtual assistant and just need more opportunities to find those high-level jobs and opportunities?
Then check out The Digital Marketer’s Workgroup!
This members-only group is open (by application only) for highly skilled and successful unicorn VAs. We only open this group a couple of times each year.
Inside you’ll make invaluable connections with other top-notch digital media professionals.
Not to mention the regular top-shelf tech trainings and virtual brainstorming sessions!
The insider networking with other working freelancers and virtual assistants is a golden opportunity.
Working from home definitely has its perks, but there are challenges too. Sometimes it feels lonely and isolating, right?
Not only do our members support and encourage each other, but I see so many job leads popping up there too.
There are frequent posts like, “Hey – my favorite client needs more help with XYZ but that’s not really my thing. Who here can help her?!?”
This group is intentionally kept small and personal and is one of my own favorite places to hang out online. If you think you might be a good fit – reach out and apply!
Further Reading:
>>How to Get Started as a Unicorn Virtual Assistant
>> In-Demand, Profitable Niches for Virtual Assistants
>> Create a Services Guide with Virtual Assistant Packages to Book Better Clients
>>What is a Social Media VA?
>>What is a Tech VA, and What Do They Do?
>>Do I Need Experience or a Degree to Work From Home as a VA?
The Takeaway:
Your journey to becoming a successful freelance digital marketing virtual assistant takes time, dedication, and patience. You can’t rush the process, but you can learn from those who have been there before. That’s where my Unicorns Unite Podcast comes in.
Tune in for insider tips, strategies, and success stories that will guide you on your path. Each episode is packed with practical advice, expert insights, and inspiration to help you build a sustainable, profitable freelance business. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to level up, this podcast is your go-to resource as a VA or marketing assistant.
Enjoy listening and I hope to see you in my network soon!
-Emily, Digital Marketing Consultant and Implementer
Emily Reagan is a mom of four, board game pro, freelance digital marketer and Marketing Assistant Mentor who has helped over 450 go-getters, including military spouses, stay-at-home moms, and professional women learn in-demand skills and find flexible remote work as digital marketing assistants and specialists. She’s shared 3,000+ job leads with her freelancer community The Digital Marketer’s Workgroup.
Ask her any questions over on IG @emilyreaganpr
“I help smart women learn the in-demand digital marketing strategies and profitable tech skills to get hired as a unicorn digital marketing assistant.“
3 ways we can work together:
1. Join the Unicorn Digital Marketing Assistant School. My signature course on digital marketing implementation will give you the confidence and teach you HOW to do the work that’s in demand and highly marketable. This is the secret weapon to getting booked out. Start learning digital marketing services and building your digital service business right now.
2. Already doing marketing work and have a few clients? Want a stronger referral network? Apply for our Digital Marketer’s Workgroup—a tight-knit community of freelancers just like you. Inside, you’ll get behind-the-scenes support, advanced trainings, and troubleshooting that every solo marketer needs. Plus, I’ve shared over 3,000 job opportunities with this group—exclusive leads you won’t find anywhere else. If you’re ready to grow your business and connect with a supportive network, join us here!
3. Looking to hire a Digital Marketing Assistant? If you want to expand your team & grow your business, submit your job opportunity here. I’ll share it with the skilled unicorn marketing assistants inside my workgroup totally free.
Yes, you really can work online.
Feeling overwhelmed about how to start working from home or build your own digital marketing business? Take a deep breath — you can do this!
Start with my list of 10 in-demand tasks that online business owners are constantly asking for help with. These are the exact skills clients look for when hiring a virtual assistant. Grab your free download now, update your VA toolkit, and see where you might want to grow next as you build your freelance business with confidence and purpose.
