82. Ready to Start Your Business as a Virtual Assistant?

Want to start making money as a virtual assistant but don't know where to begin? Well you are in the right place AND doors are officially open for Beginner to Booked VA®!

In this episode, I'm sharing all about why I created our signature program and how exactly it teaches you how to launch a profitable VA business from scratch. Plus, I give you all the details about what you will find in the program, share some student results with you, and *hopefully* clear up some of the questions you might have!

| LINKS |

✹ Join our waitlist for Beginner to Booked VA® and get $200 off your enrollment AND 3 months FREE of our VA Network Membership!

(Discount and bonus end on 1/19 at midnight!)

✹ Want to send us a voice note with a question you have or a win you want to share?! Click here!

| RELATED EPISODES |

71: What Does a Virtual Assistant Actually Do? (And Why You're More Qualified Than You Think)

82: $0-$4k in 1 Month as a Virtual Assistant and SAHM

47: How Becoming a Mom was the Catalyst to Start Her Own Virtual Assistant Business

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:00

When I first became a virtual assistant, I had very little idea of what I was doing. It took hours of Googling and watching YouTube videos to start to kind of put the pieces together in a way that made sense. And even then, some of the information was confusing because it was contradictory or a little outdated. And then I started to work with clients and many things needed to be tweaked or changed. Eventually, though, people started to ask me what I was doing and how I was making money as a virtual assistant or how they could get started. And that is when I got the idea to create what is known today as Beginner to Booked VA. It is our step-by-step signature program where I teach you exactly how to use the skills you already have to start making money as a virtual assistant without all the guesswork. In this episode, I'm going to share why I created the program, what you'll learn inside, and even give you a little perspective on some of the thoughts that might be holding you back from getting started. So let's dive in. Welcome to the Virtual Assistant School podcast. I'm your host, Kate, a teacher-turned entrepreneur, mom of two, and I teach women how to use the skills they already have to make money from home as a virtual assistant. Every Tuesday and Thursday, you'll get step-by-step strategies, behind-the-scenes insights, and hear honest, unfiltered conversations about making money and growing an online business so you can stop feeling stuck and start taking action toward your goals. Whether you're looking for a flexible side hustle or want to take your business full time, this podcast is for you. Building a business or starting something new can be super overwhelming at times, but here you don't have to do it alone. So grab your coffee or make another cup and let's dive into this week's episode. Hello and welcome back to the Virtual Assistant School podcast. I am so happy that you are here. We are already to the middle of January, and I don't know about you, but I feel like every year I think January feels like a whole year itself. But this year, January seems to be flying by. And maybe that's just me, but that's how I feel. I am so pumped because doors are officially open for beginner-to-booked VA in 2026. And I wanted to do a little episode that talked more about the program specifically and how it actually supports you in your journey to becoming a virtual assistant. And hopefully, in this episode, I'll answer some questions that you might have when it comes to starting your business as a VA or even the program itself. And this can also live as a resource for anyone that is wanting more information or wants to hear me talk about the program. So, as you heard a little bit in the beginning of this episode, I created Beginner to Book VA after I had started my virtual assistant business and I was working with clients back in 2022. And people were really starting to ask me how I did it. And you know, I was sharing a little bit about it on social media. I was talking about what I was doing for my VA work. At that point, I wasn't really marketing a ton on social media, I would say, but I enjoyed sharing like bits of my life and things that I was doing. And so a lot of that was work as a virtual assistant. And so I was kind of sharing the behind the scenes of that. And as people started to ask me more about how I got started and how they could get started, I saw this as a really cool opportunity that kind of came up because of my background in education. For those of you who don't know, I used to be a teacher. I actually had my master's in education. And so creating curriculum and, you know, teaching, it's just in my DNA, I think. I kind of always thought that I would be a teacher the rest of my life. And at first I thought that that would look like in the four walls of a classroom. And now I know that it doesn't have to look like that. And I actually feel so grateful that I get to teach every single day. It just looks a little different than what I thought it was gonna be. Um, so creating a course and this group program that it is now really just made sense. Now I created the program with the mindset of what do I wish I would have known when I was thinking about becoming a VA and starting my business? And also, like, what do I think they need to know now in order to have a solid foundation going into this? But also, like, what can I share with you through this program that will help you get to where you want to go faster? Now, over the years, we've made a bunch of updates. We've added to it. It didn't, it actually started out. I think the name was like just the BTS BFF VA course. Like, I don't think that it was anything fancy. And then it's had a couple of names since then. Um, but last year we were actually able to trademark Beginner to Booked VA and we have ownership over that name now, which is really, really exciting. And so there's been changes, there's been shifts. We've added a bunch of stuff to the program since the first time that it, you know, went live because I learned things in my business that I was like, oh, you know, VAs need to know this, and this is gonna help them kind of skip over the messy parts that I had to go through in order to learn that lesson. Um, also, online business naturally shifts all the time. And I wanted to keep the content relevant and as up to date as possible. And I still strive for that. The idea is that it helps you get to where you want to go faster. And if I can take out, like I said, all that like messy part or, you know, just give you all the lessons that I have learned and just pass them on to you, then if you're starting out, you are starting out so much further ahead than I did when I first started because I didn't have that. I didn't have a mentor, I didn't go through a course, I didn't have something kind of telling me step by step what I should do. I thankfully had a background in like online business in general. My first business was in network marketing. So I knew a little bit, and I also knew a little bit because I had had a VA in that business. So I had been on the client side before, and that helped me kind of figure it out along the way. Um, but I didn't have anything telling me like, here's what you need to set up for your contracts, here's what you need to set up for your invoices, here's what systems to use, you know, here's what you should charge. Like, I didn't know any of that. I had to do a bunch of research trying to figure that out. Um, and like I said, it changed over time, especially as I started working with clients. So we continue to make updates as well. In fact, I actually have a list of things in my phone, like in my notes app, that I'm adding to the program in the next month or so that everyone who's inside will get access to right away, whether you're someone who joined, you know, two years ago or someone who joined a few months ago, or you jump in today. So we are always making updates. We're always trying to make it better. The idea is that this course isn't something that just collects dust in your inbox. It's something that you actually go through, you implement, and you see results. Like you are successful. I know that that's what you want when it comes to starting your business as a virtual assistant. You want to be successful, and that's what I want for you too. I want to see you win. And that's something that I'm really, really passionate about. So we're constantly looking at ways to make it better. So I wanted to talk a little bit quickly about what's actually inside the program because I think it's helpful for me to maybe walk you through that a little bit. So there are over 20 video lessons inside the program. I call this a program, first of all, because it's not just a course, it is a course, but then there is also a live group coaching element that I think is very, very valuable. And that's why it's not just, I don't just call it a course. Okay. So you get a course, you get these video lessons, and also there's all these other things. So I just want to point that out. So, first and foremost, you get the video lessons. Okay. This teaches you everything that you need to know in terms of, you know, what services to offer as a virtual assistant and what to charge and how to find clients. Um, some of the modules that we have are things like, you know, identifying your ideal client and determining those services. Um, we have a module all about marketing and client acquisition, which just basically means how do you actually get clients? We have a module all about client onboarding. So once you get the clients, that's great. But like what happens after that? How do you onboard them in a way that makes sense and is professional and you know sets you apart from all the other VAs out there? So we have a lot of pre-recorded content that you get access to within the program. And all of this is self-paced. So you can go through the course content as quickly or as slowly as you want to. All right. But you also get 12 weeks of live group coaching. So it actually used to only be six weeks. And in 2026, I doubled it and changed it to 12 weeks without changing the price of the program. I just feel like 12 weeks really gives you not only the support to get your business off the ground and launch your business, which really you can do in about six weeks or less. People have definitely done it in less, more like, you know, two to three weeks sometimes, just depending on where you're at. But also, I was like, what if we offered more support after you launched the program? Or sorry, you launched your VA services. So, like, what if you, you know, got your program, your your program. What if in the program you got your business up and going within those six weeks? And then you had another six weeks of support to help troubleshoot things or get feedback or advice or coaching. And so that's what we're doing now. You get 12 weeks of live group coaching calls. So there's a group call each week that you can come on to, ask questions, get coaching, all that good stuff. And then there's also a private Slack channel where you can connect with the other gals that are going through the program as well, like the other gals that are in there 12 weeks and have myself in your back pocket to answer any questions that come up, even in between calls, right? And also one thing that I think people get hung up on is the calls because they're like, okay, well, what time are the calls and can I make it? And if I work full time, you know, will I be able to get the value out of that? And we record every single call that we do because the majority of people that go through a program, they do work full time or they're a stay-at-home mom and the calls don't always line up with nap time, right? And so we don't expect everyone to be on the calls live. Obviously, if you can make it live, that's great. But if you can't, we will take your questions beforehand. We actually have a form that you fill out and you can submit your questions. And then we will answer your question on the call, whether you're there live or not, or we'll answer it in the Slack channel and then you can watch the replays. So don't let that be the thing that you're like, oh, like I can't make the calls, so this isn't going to be, you know, worth it, or I won't be able to get anything out of it. It that's not true at all. You're gonna get so much out of it, um, even with that. And then also with the Slack channel, you know, being able to group chat each other. You can send voice messages, you know, all the things. So you get a lot of support in those initial 12 weeks, okay? Um, also in the program, you get a 35 plus page workbook that helps you follow along with each lesson. I highly recommend printing this out and like getting it spiral bound at Staples or, you know, whatever office store. It just makes it so much easier to follow along with the lessons, um, take notes, all that good stuff, or you can actually download it digital digitally and use it that way as well. We also have a template library that's full of email templates, social media templates. Um, I'm actually updating our onboarding email template with what my current onboarding email template is. So, like the exact same email that I send to my VA clients, you are getting. Um, and we're making that update, right? And then we also have an attorney drafted contract template. So this is something that we added last year, like in spring of 25, no, spring of 24, spring of 24. Um, we added an attorney drafted contract template. And what this is, is my personal business attorney. She created a VA contract template, and you can use this with your clients. So it's not just a random contract that you download from the internet or chat GPT, like it is a attorney drafted contract template. It's approved by her, and she includes a 15-minute legal training showing you like how to use the contract. So that is a huge, huge value add for you guys. Normally, I think when I first got my contract, when I first started my business, I paid like$400 just for a contract template. That was it. Because I knew that I needed one that was attorney drafted, that you know, had everything outlined. And so that alone was like$400. And I've seen them for, you know, anywhere between probably three and$500. So that is just included in the program for you. And then when you complete the program and you submit your final project, you receive your your behind-the-scenes BFF certified VA certification. And what that is is basically the stamp of approval that it says, you know, you are client ready. And someone else besides you says so, right? So again, it sets you apart from all the other VAs out there. It says, hey, you know, she has the foundation of what it takes to start bringing on clients. Um, and once you get that certification, you can join our VA network membership. And so that membership is exclusive to the gals that go through our certification. They are vetted through us. Um, and that is actually where we not only do some more ongoing support. So after your 12 weeks of weekly calls and the group chat, you actually can opt into this membership. And you will get monthly calls, you get a community where you can ask questions still, um, you get discounts, you get bonus trainings, all that good stuff, and and and and you get leads. So we connect business owners with the VAs that graduate our program or get our certification and are in our membership. So if you are looking for a way to get leads and start connecting with clients, you know, um, this is a really, really great way to do that. Last year we connected 95, either 95 or 96. I can't remember off the top of my head now, business owners that were looking for a VA with people in our program. So that is a huge value add for that membership. And what's really cool, just a little plug right here, is that right now, as this episode airs, it's airing on January 13th, the doors for the wait list are open. So if you go to our show notes in the description of this podcast and you click on join the wait list, you actually can join the wait list and you'll be able to sign up for the program before doors open to the public next week. And you get$200 off your enrollment and three months free of that VA network membership. So that is a huge bonus for our wait list people. So if you are like, okay, say less, I'm in, that is where you can sign up and you can actually get started today and get the$200 off your enrollment plus those three months of that membership for free. Okay. Now I'm really excited because over the next few weeks, I'm gonna actually be sharing some podcast episodes with graduates from a program that I think you're gonna love. And I think you're really going to enjoy hearing their experience with the program and starting their business as a VA, the results they've seen, you know, after getting started. Um, but we have tons and tons of stories and testimonials that you can find on our website and Instagram as well. I will link some spots for you in the show notes if you want to, you know, kind of browse those. But a few that kind of came to mind that I wanted to share with you of grads that have gone through our program. So, Kiara, she was someone who came through a program back in I think 2023, end of 2023, um, into you know, early 2024. In her first three weeks as a VA, she made$1,500. Um, she is a stay-at-home mom, she's a homeschooling mom. At the time she had two kids. Now she has three kids, and you know, she was just looking for a little extra money every month, like$500 a month. And she ended up making$1,500 in her first three weeks. And then a couple months later, she replaced what was her full-time income before she was a stay-at-home mom. But she was now able to build this business as a virtual assistant in the pockets of her day and be at home with her kids. It's so cool. Um, we also have Kindle who is a full-time athletic trainer and a mom. And her first year as a VA, she paid off$12,000 of credit card debt because she decided to take this on as a side hustle. And that is like the power of having a really profitable side hustle, is that you can do it on the side of your full-time job and use that money to get you to where you want to go in your personal goals. And for her, that was paying off debt so that they could actually travel more, which was their real passion. Okay. Robin, which you will hear her podcast episode later this week, um, she had a goal of hitting$500 a month within like her first year. She was like, you know, okay, a year from now, I want to maybe make$500 a month as a VA. And she seven X'd that in her very first month. Seven. Seven X'd. So cool. Um, and then Carrie, she actually made$2,000 her first month as a VA and was able to use that to help pay for her family's Disney vacation. Okay. I could go on and on with these stories. And like I said, you're gonna hear some podcast episodes over the next few weeks of graduates who went through the program. But what I think is really cool about these women and other women that you'll hear about is that they all have different backgrounds, right? Some of them are teachers, some of them are nurses, some of them are um corporate gals, some of them are stay-at-home moms. They all have different backgrounds, but they all took a chance on themselves and decided to start something new. None of them had experience as a virtual assistant, but they all wanted something that becoming a virtual assistant could give them, like extra money in their budget, paying down debt, leaving a draining job, and having more time freedom, being able to be at home with their kids and still provide financially for their family, which is exactly why I started my business in the first place. And so this is how I know that it is so possible for you too. Okay. So hopefully this episode just kind of told you a little bit of. insider scoop on what the program's all about. Um we're gonna drop the link to the sales page for the program so you can read all about it. You can see more of those testimonials, like I said. But doors are open right now for the wait list until January 19th. And you can join that wait list through the link below. And then doors are going to open to the public on on the 19th. Calls start on February 2nd. So group coaching calls or sorry the calls actually start on the third. But group coaching in general the group chat all that support starts on the 2nd and don't forget and don't forget that if you do join the wait list you get the$200 off and three months free of the membership. Also that$200 off bonus can be used for the one-time payment or our payment plan. We also do have extended payment plan options through Afterpay and Klarna um this round. So if you're someone who wants to have a more extended payment plan outside of the three month payment plan that we offer that is available to you as well. So if you have any questions at all about the program, shoot me an email or even use the link in our show notes to send me a voice note. I would be so happy to respond. And don't forget to hit subscribe to this podcast because starting Thursday in just a couple days, we are going to be dropping some of those student interviews and I know that you're going to love them. So I can't wait to chat more with you about starting your business as a virtual assistant. Regardless of if you jump into Beginner to booked VA or not just know that as you go through this journey of looking into starting your business as a virtual assistant I am absolutely rooting for you. I'll see you in the next episode. Bye