I still get a pit in my stomach.
when I think of all the stressed-out nights I was up at 3 AM, nursing a tiny baby while using my free hand to google
“How to Make Money Online”.
As a brand new mom, you can imagine this was a less than ideal way to be spending my maternity leave.
Maybe you’ve Googled the exact same phrase?
I found things like MLMs (tried ‘em), tinkered with being a health coach (turns out, kind of a pain in the ass to convince people to eat more broccoli), and even tried frantically to work with my full-time job to see what I could do remotely (which, they were less inclined to figure out since MOST of my job included being onsite at events).
I even went down the “virtual job” rabbit hole on Indeed (which is the rabbit hole of ALL rabbit holes y’all).
You know what I mean…desperately searching for work from home opportunities that let you telecommute from the comfort of your pajama pants and messy bun...
…BUT THE RESULTS THAT CAME BACK WERE LESS THAN DREAMY.
I’m quite sure you’ve found them, too.
- Data entry.
- Customer service.
- Sales reps.
- English as a second language tutor.
NO, NOPE, NAH, NOT REALLY INTERESTED.
It’s not that they’re bad jobs. It’s just that…
They were not as flexible as I needed.
They didn’t pay as much as I wanted to earn.
They weren’t creative enough.
They didn’t make me do a happy dance or want to invest my precious time into learning more.
And honestly?
They just didn’t work with my new life as a momma (even if I got to be in pajama pants).
“Then I finally found the thing that would ACTUALLY let me stay at home with my sweet son, make (really freaking good) money , and get back the balance and peace of mind that was HUGELY lacking from my current life.”
It was being a Virtual Assistant.
Now, that might not sound like the sexiest thing you’ve ever heard, but hear me out.
After trying so many other work from home options, I finally and thankfully learned that there is not another online business that gives you more freedom, more flexibility, more sustainability, and frankly, more quick cash than being a VA.
Also?
The skill set needed to be a VA is probably one you already have.
- NO 6 month long training program required.
- NO fancy certification needed.
- NO $10K advanced course involved.
Just LITERALLY the skills you’ve already acquired from doing what you do in your current or past career (and if you’re anything like me, from googling like a pro with a newborn on my hip).
NO, NOPE, NAH, NOT REALLY INTERESTED.
This business gave me my life and family back. It also gave me six figures in income.
Basically, it brought the MAGIC back into my life at a time when I wasn’t sure how I was going to make it all work without losing myself.
But it wasn’t as simple as I thought it would be…
WHEN I FIRST FOUND OUT ABOUT VIRTUAL ASSISTING IT WAS A TOTAL ACCIDENT.
I wasn’t searching for it. It didn’t come up on Indeed back in 2017, and no one in the MLM world knew about it.
A friend casually mentioned it to me over a latte at our local coffee shop and I decided to give it a try.
While it was amazing and I’m so glad I jumped at the idea quickly, it was also challenging for so many reasons.
“I didn’t have anyone to look up to, there was no clear path to follow, and let me tell you how easy it was to explain to my VERY practical husband how I was leaving my $50K per year steady corporate job to “help other people with their businesses” online. ”
Surprisingly, he was less than sold.
BUT HERE’S THE THING ABOUT ME…
I’m REALLY resourceful when I want something. So I started figuring out the ropes by myself.
And not only did I figure them out, but I climbed them in 5 seconds flat. We’re talking going from zero clients (while in a FT job and nursing a newborn… have y’all heard enough about me nursing yet?) to fully replacing my salary in 6 weeks flat.
Then that sweet, skeptical husband of mine? Let’s just say he was singing a different tune and poppin’ a bottle of champagne with me as I handed in my resignation letter at my corporate job. 🥂
But here’s the thing… almost EVERYONE in my life was still skeptical.
They didn’t get what I did.
They didn’t think I should be leaving the security of a steady paycheck so quickly.
And there were plenty of whispers at family gatherings, if you know what I mean…
BECAUSE BECOMING A VA IS ONE OF THE LEAST KNOWN PATHS TO MAKING GREAT MONEY ONLINE.
But that’s also why it was PERFECT for me (and is for you too).
This market is SO untapped. More businesses are showing up online every.single.day. And the #1 thing those businesses need?
Virtual Assistants to do remote work to help them grow their business.
I am literally INUNDATED every day with requests for referrals, connections, jobs, etc. because the demand is high and the supply is low (especially for good VAs that actually know how to run a business and make their customers happy!).
So guess what that means?
It means it’s not only the LEAST KNOWN path but it’s the fastest, easiest, and most sustainable.
If this burnt out momma can build a VA business at night, leave her corporate job 6 weeks after starting the business, and go on to make six figures online in one year…
…I promise it’s possible for you too.
But here’s the thing, there are a lot of other “virtual jobs” you could pick, and what you’ll learn about me is that I ALWAYS want you to do what’s best for you.
So let’s talk through those….
Yup, you TOTALLY could, but the truth is this - your LIFE still isn’t taken into consideration there.
Just because you’re out of the corporate office doesn’t mean you’re out of the corporate mentality.
You know the one… where you’re supposed to not be a human with needs outside of work, be constantly connected to your email, and definitely never EVER have a sick kid or take a vacation.
The reason I love VA work is all of that IS taken into consideration because you’re the boss (and luckily, you’re a really nice one who gives yourself the time off you want and the vacation you crave).
Sure, you’ll still need to let your clients know when you’re going to be out, but because you’re a contracted worker, you make the schedule and are ultimately in charge of your time and clients are almost always happy to work with that.
And if they’re not?
As I said, you’re the BOSS. Kick ‘em to the curb.
Remember there is no shortage of clients out there and you can easily replace clients when you need to.
Been there, done that, and also worked for a TON of coaches.
Here’s the thing about coaching:
It takes most coaches 6 months to a year to even get their business off the ground and turn a profit.
Sure, the numbers they share are big. But the truth is, it’s such an incredibly small percentage of them that are actually making the big bucks.
The rest? Often end up quitting before they hit their first $5K (or actually leave the business significantly in debt - ouch!). I don’t know about you, but I didn’t want to go massively in debt to start this business and I sure as hell didn’t have 6 months of my son’s life to miss.
The VA’s that I mentor in my high-ticket 1:1 program?
A whopping 84% have over a 100% ROI in their investment in mentoring, 72% have completely full client rosters, 63% are making a minimum of $5K per month and another 22% are making a minimum of $10K per month.
Because the best part?
All of them are working on their terms, during the hours they want, bringing in the financial stability that they desire. While some of my mentees desire to make $1-$2K per month in their business, others make upwards of $20K.
The sky is the limit and the only person who gets to choose how far you aim is you.
Yeah, also been there done that.
Are you noticing a theme? Consider me your own personal guinea pig.
THE THING ABOUT MLMS IS…
That your success is so dependent on your upline (or the person who you sign up for the MLM under). If they’re amazing and are willing to put in the massive amount of time required to teach you how to start a business from the ground up and be profitable in that very specific industry, you might stand a chance at creating a successful business in the first year (but remember, you’re gonna need a big network to do this!), except that the truth is the smallest percentage actually do (1%).
If your upline and network aren’t thebomb.com and actually follow through on all the training and hand-holding promises they make? Well…you can say buh-bye to that sign up fee and starter package you hoped to recoup your costs on.
The majority of my 1:1 VA clients?
They make $50K in their first year.
Or even sell products on Amazon.
I mean, you could… but... do you want to?
I’m totally not hating on this if it’s your passion but it’s not the place you’ll find sustainable income and it’s certainly not the place you’ll have uncapped income. And I don’t know about you, but sustainability and revenue that grows each year?
That’s a non-negotiable for this momma.
If I’m going to dedicate time and effort to something, I want to make sure it’s something that will pay me back for years to come, not just a few small paychecks.
Lastly, it takes learning a WHOLE new skill set.
Being able to teach others is a SKILL y’all. Being able to teach others who don’t speak your language? A skill most of us don’t have (I know I don’t!). And the Amazon bit? TOTALLY a skill most of us haven’t learned (and usually requires a HEFTY upfront investment, not only to learn but supply products).
What I love about being a VA is that the skills I already had were so applicable.
I was organized, detailed and was awesome at project management.
I find the same to be true for all of my clients.
I KNOW HEARING “WORK FROM HOME” AND “MONEY” IN THE SAME BLOG POST CAN MAKE YOU WONDER
if what you’re reading is too good to be true — especially when you look at the other options we just went through (not so great!) and hear all the big numbers being thrown around!
“Really, Susan? Are you actually bringing in $8,000 a month working from your laptop? That can’t be real!”
Well, I can’t vouch for Susan (though you should check out my client testimonials here). But I can tell you from personal experience that it’s absolutely possible to make that (and more) as a Virtual Assistant.
So let’s just get right to the nitty gritty and talk about why this is better than alone time at Target with a Starbucks latte and an unlimited gift card.
The thing that was most important to me when I was a new mom ready to leave corporate was to have flexibility with my work hours. Though my employer thought 9-5 was ideal…
My crying child didn’t agree.
That’s why being a Virtual Assistant was the best decision I made. Because I set my hours and I could work when I COULD work (you get me?).
- I didn’t have to be somewhere besides my own couch.
- I didn’t have to be on calls all day long.
- I didn’t have to work during “business hours”.
Here’s the thing… In this industry you can really make what you want to make.
- I have some clients who want an extra $5k a month coming in to their family and enjoy the rest of their time off.
- I have clients who are making $13k + and growing each month.
- Personally, I was able to make six figures in my first full year.
I can’t tell you how much it means to my family to know that if we need more money for something, I got it and can make that happen (more on how to get clients on repeat in part 5!). I never ONCE felt like that in my corporate job. I felt like we had to “make do” with what we had. Today? That is not our reality at all.
We went on 9 vacations last year and I had some serious fun at Lululemon. Why? Because I can, and because I control my income.
Maegan’s Bay - Saint Thomas
Kennedy Space Center - Cape Canaveral, Florida
On a trolly tour of Cadillac Mountain - Bar Harbor, Maine
OK, this one might be my fav.
I’m about to blow your mind.
There is NO online business with income as sustainable as being a VA.
- If you’re a coach? You have to find new clients each time one of your 3 month or 6 month packages end.
- If you have a group program? You gotta keep filling it.
- If you’re in an MLM? You gotta push your team to hit those numbers each month (and income can vary WILDLY).
- Same goes for an amazon seller. You have to keep selling more of your product to new people.
But as a VA?
If you’re giving your client excellent service you could be with them for YEARS.
Some of my clients have even been with their clients for 5 years. That not only means you have a TON of sustainability but you truly have security.
Knowing you’re working with the same clients month over month that you love (and knowing them and their businesses really well) gives you ALL the pros of a corporate job (like ease in your position, feeling like you’re part of a team, and knowing you have that money coming in) with NONE of the cons (like the shitty boss, shittier hours, and total lack of freedom and fulfillment).
(AND YOU GET TO REPLACE THEM REALLY SLOWLY!)
I think I already pointed out a couple of times that I REPLACED my corporate income in 6 weeks right?
Ok, cool. Just checking.
But seriously, there is NO other online business I know of where you can get clients that quickly. Most businesses require not only a LONG timeline to success but a HUGE investment to get there.
But in this industry?
The demand is just SO dang high and it costs you SO little to get started (especially compared to what you can make)
I have clients who book out their VA client load in 2 months time.
But the best part?
It’s like I said above, these clients STAY with you (if you’re awesome – which I know you are if you’ve gotten this far!). That means…
- no marketing around the clock
- no constantly wondering where next month’s cash is coming from
- and no replacing clients every 90 days
If it sounds like a dream, it’s ‘cause it is!
I could go on and on about this one and the TRAP I see so many considering working online fall into.
They think…
- they have to learn all of these new things
- invest THOUSANDS into new certifications or trainings
- that the skills they have can’t POSSIBLY be good enough
I’m here to tell you the exact opposite.
The best thing about being a VA is that YOUR skills are all you need. Skills like communication, organization, and basic admin tasks you likely can already do.
On top of that, you can even specialize as a certain type of Virtual Assistant, showcasing your own unique talents and using them to get more clients.
And because I’m awesome I’m going to give you my super secret bonus tip here:
GOOGLE IS YOUR BESTIE.
Client wants you to do something you’re not quite sure how to do? Google ALWAYS has your answer. I’ve trained myself on everything from Mailchimp to WordPress using nothing more than Google and free training videos.
It is SO possible and SO much more simple than you think (and free!).
Here’s some little known magic about being an amazing VA.
EVERYONE is going to refer business to you.
And because we know you’re going to KEEP your clients you’re going to be wondering what the heck to do with all the new business banging down your door.
The answer to that is to SCALE.
You can easily add team members to your business that you train to do what you’re doing so not only can you serve MORE clients and make MORE money, but you can actually step BACK from your business even more too.
At the height of my VA business I had 8 amazing women on my team. That meant more time off for me, fulfillment knowing I was supporting 8 other amazing women to live THEIR best life, and so many opportunities and clients.
It was truly life-changing.
Don’t want to scale your team? You can scale your skills instead.
I’m talking about teaching all you’ve learned and what you’re best at (trust me, you’ll find it working with clients) to others and getting paid for your knowledge and expertise (it’s a pretty sweet deal)! So don’t think when you get “full” with clients you’re capped.
The possibilities in this industry are endless, and so is your income.
As if this one wasn’t already obvious, right? But trust me, I’ve saved the best for last.
While the freedom, income, and the ability to make money quickly and sustainably are all REALLY amazing reasons to be a VA… being your own boss is the BEST one. There’s nothing I love more than knowing that I don’t have anyone else I’m answering to.
If my son needs me? I’m there.
If I want a raise? I can give it to myself.
If I need time off? I can take it.
If I don’t like a certain client? I can move on.
If a specific task isn’t my favorite? I can outsource it.
If I want to make my website pink?
Done and done.
The list goes on, but what I want you to know is that being in charge of your own time, income, and day to day life is the most empowering thing I’ve ever experienced. I know it has been for every single one of my clients, and it can be the same for you too.
It’s not REALLY about the pink website (though I REALLY love me some pink). It’s about being at choice and being in charge of my own life and happiness. For me, that’s the ultimate marker of success.
I’m assuming by this point you’re like: “Ok woman. I get it. You sold me, but how the actual heck do I make this VA business happen?”
To which I’d reply:
Thanks so much, you’ve made my dad the happiest man on the planet knowing his daughter is good at sales (I legit spent childhood weekends making paperclip banners in a dealership while my dad sold cars) 😉
But seriously, this is the easiest thing in the world to sell because I believe in it with all my heart. I’ve lived it, I’ve gained SO many benefits from it, and I’ve walked so many other women through doing the same.
SO NOW’S THE PART WHERE I TELL YOU
EXACTLY HOW TO DO IT AND HOW TO START.
EXACTLY WHERE TO START IS AN INTERESTING QUESTION.
It was REALLY confusing for me when I did it back in 2017. I didn’t have anyone else to look up to that had done what I wanted to do, there was no clear roadmap, and I was literally figuring it out on my own one step at a time (well, and with my bestie Google of course).
And while I’m SO PROUD of that version of myself with the baby on her hip and the phone in her hand, I gotta tell you… it wasn’t pretty.
It looked like a lot of stress, a lot of wondering if I was “doing the right thing”, and a whole lot of crying to my husband that I just wished there was someone who could point me in the right direction (especially in those early days).
Been there, done that, and also worked for a TON of coaches.
One of the decisions I made was that if and when I figured all this stuff out, that I’d make it WAY more accessible for the women who came after me to do the same.
And that’s exactly what I’ve done.
Why?
→ Because it was what I needed, and didn’t have.
→ Because while I love helping other people in their businesses, what I really love the most is empowering other women to build their own.
→ And finally… because I just love me a system that WORKS, ya know what I mean?
In 2018, I started mentoring other women to build their own Virtual Assistant business, and honestly? The results were INSANE. Over the last two years I’ve helped my clients to:
- Go from 0 clients to a full roster with $5K+ months in less than 2 months
- Have their first $100,000 year as a Virtual Assistant
- Build profitable businesses working nap-time hours
- Triple their monthly income in 2 weeks
- Have so much work they retired their partners from their corporate jobs and brought them on in their business
But the problem is when you get results like that you get full REAL fast (I mean, great problem to have, but when you’re here to make an impact on as many women as possible it kind of cramps your style).
Finally, after lots of women coming to me that I simply had to turn away I decided to make something that EVERY single person that wanted to start their own VA business, and have the amazing results my clients and I get, could have access to.
Been there, done that, and also worked for a TON of coaches.
And that’s where THE START comes in.
I’ve taken...
EVERY. SINGLE. THING.
I’ve learned from building my own business and spending the last two years helping other women do the same and put it into a single system (The Start) that will help you start and grow your business in record time.
- No late nights with Google.
- No crying to your partner.
- No wondering if you’re doing it “right”.
- How about just KNOWING exactly what to do to get the result you want?
I got you.
It’s been my mission to teach other women the essentials for creating a thriving Virtual Assistant business of their own. One that allows you to be more than just an overwhelmed worker bee. Where you can be the dedicated mama bear, the loving wife, the nurturing best friend, the amazing dog parent, the supportive sister, the part-time yogi — where your business is an extension of your life, not the whole darn thing.
But to be honest…
…when I began teaching The Start I was worried women going through it wouldn’t get the same great results as the women I’d been mentoring and teaching personally. I mean, surely I was the magic right?!
Turns out, not exactly true (though I still think I’m pretty wonderful).
- The MAGIC is in a system that actually works.
- The magic is in this information being in the hands of the right women.
And the magic got them results like this (and in 6 weeks flat, no less):
“WITHIN A MONTH OF FINISHING THE PROGRAM, I OFFICIALLY LEFT MY 9-5.
This program will give you everything you need to get started as a Virtual Assistant ASAP.
During The Start, I became more confident in pitching myself because I felt like my business was real. Because of that, I booked a paying client while I was still in the program.
My plan was to use the tools I learned in the program to set myself up for success from the beginning and make this business my full-time career.
Within a month of finishing the program, I officially left my 9-5. And now just 6 short months after beginning The Start I have a booked out roster of clients, just had my biggest month in business yet at $8K and have Discovery Calls still rolling in. I’m in the process of hiring my first intern to keep my business running while I’m on maternity leave.
I am so glad I decided to start my VA business with the support of The Start and 100% recommend it to everyone I know.”
— Devan Kessler
Devan Kessler Digital
YOU’RE LITERALLY HANDED TO TOOLS TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL DONE-FOR-YOU SERVICE
While in The Start program I realized that I was charging too low for my done for you services. Sara provided templates for us to literally explore our reservoirs of skills, experience, and passions. With this information, I was able to formulate high-ticket service offerings that brought in ideal clients that had no problem paying top tier rates.
I can say without hesitation that Sara has a way of empowering you with both information and motivation. If you take The Start you’re literally handed the tools to have a successful done-for-you service, but often the mind-fog gets in the way of you actually succeeding or even executing. Sara (The Start) debunks the limiting myths that we so often tell ourselves and empowers us with tools to “see it” for ourselves. While I’m grateful for the content, I’m most grateful that I now have the absolute confidence that I can have a very successful done-for-you service that works for me completely.
— Reisha Reynolds
Creative Ops
I ACTUALLY CREATED A BUSINESS FROM GROUND ZERO WITH THE START!
I officially have a name and a package of services to offer & it’s really exciting! I liked how the information was given each week in manageable increments. A lot of VA’s starting out have other full time jobs, careers and families. The Start’s 6 week course was the perfect amount of time to implement each lesson, leaving you feeling accomplished and motivated to continue!
During The Start I actually had 2 discovery calls and booked a client! The Start has given me the confidence to sell my services, believe in my value & go out there and get it!
— Amanda Sparks
Sparks + Co.
Remember when I said that I wasn't about going into serious debt to start a business? This is where I put my money where my mouth is and the reason I made this program super affordable.
