There are so many different ways for moms to make money from home. You may think you need to make a huge investment. What if I told you that you could be making money from home within 30 days? You might not believe me. You’d be amazed by the different skills you have right now that can earn you an income – whether you’re looking for full-time or part-time work.
I’m guessing you’re here because you’re looking for ways to make some income from home. Maybe you need a few hundred extra dollars per month or maybe you want to make enough money from home to be able to quit your job. I want you to know that it is possible … you can make a better life for your family or even just for yourself.
One way to make a little extra income from home is to become a VA – a Virtual Assistant. Virtual Assistant jobs are on the rise and I’m sure that since we are full-on in the digital age, they will continue to rise for quite some time.
Most people that are looking for work from home just don’t know where to start, though. That’s exactly why I’m bringing my friend, Gina Horkey from Horkey Handbook on to talk with you about her success as a virtual assistant.
I met Gina last year at a conference and she is amazing. She’s so fun and lively, but more than that … she knows her stuff. Follow along to learn about her success and see how it can be a good fit for you, too.
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Q. Hi Again, Gina. Could you give us a little background on yourself and how you got started as a virtual assistant?
A. Hi, I’m Gina [waving]. I started a freelance writing business on the side of my full-time job (in personal finance), in the spring of 2014 to “test the waters” for a potential career change.
At the time, I was (and still am) the sole breadwinner of our little family of four and my husband was (and still is) a SAHD to our two kiddos. Our youngest was less than a year old at the time!
That fall I added in virtual assistant services as a way to stabilize my income, make it more predictable and use some of my other skills to help small business owners. Landing my first VA client is what gave me the confidence to put in my notice and quit my day job.
I haven’t looked back since!
Q. What does a VA do?
A. A virtual assistant is really just anyone that trades task for pay from afar. Or in other words, an individual that offers services virtually as a contractor or self-employed individual to clients.
Services offered can include everything from email management, content creation, bookkeeping, graphic design, social media and more! There are tons of services you can offer as a VA – check out this list of over 150 to learn more!
Q. How much money can a VA expect to earn?
A. From the little research that exists, the average North American virtual assistant earns between $25-40 per hour.
This is going to depend on your experience, skill-set and areas of expertise. I.e. The more specialized your services and the more experience you have, the more you can charge.
I’ve seen people in our community charge as little as $15 per hour and others earn more than $100 per hour (including myself). Ultimately it comes down to being really good at what you do and finding clients that value what you’re offering them.
How quickly you start earning honestly depends on how quickly (and frequently) you start putting yourself out there for hire. Click here for some real live examples of VAs in our community that have built successful businesses.
In my opinion, contracting and working virtually is the way of the future.
People (clients and virtual assistants alike) crave increased flexibility. And what better way to obtain it than to build a business and/or team virtually?
Clients (typically small business owners, entrepreneurs, etc.) aren’t always looking to manage people or take on full-time help. Instead, they’d like to contract out for specific services they need help with. It makes it a win/win for both parties. 🙂
Q. What kind of person is a good fit for VA work?
A. What I hear from clients over and over is that they’re looking for someone that’s:
- Communicative
- Organized
- A self-starter
- And reliable
So while they’re looking for people that can provide select services, they’re mainly looking for the above. As long as you’re trainable, you’ve got a shot!
You also need to have a computer (desktop or laptop, doesn’t matter) and reliable internet. Don’t worry about having any fancy programs or applications – most clients will give you access to their cloud-based tools and software programs that you need to complete your work for them.
Q. How does a VA go about getting clients?
A. We cover more than a half dozen prospecting methods in 30 Days or Less to Virtual Assistant Success, but a few of our favorites are:
- Using social media
- In person networking
- Tapping into your natural market
Methods for finding and attracting high-quality clients haven’t changed much over the last decade, but really understanding what they are, which you’re best suited for and how to go about them in the right way are important. Luckily for our students, prospecting and building effective client relationships are kind of our speciality.
Q. What is your favorite thing about being a virtual assistant?
A. The list is long!
What ranks at the top of mine is probably:
- Flexibility to work from anywhere on my schedule (i.e. you don’t have to keep banker’s hours in most cases when working with clients)
- Freedom (that comes with the whole flexibility thing I guess!)
- Unlimited income potential (you choose how much to charge and can raise your rates as you gain more experience, look into other ways to make money online, etc.)
Q. How can someone interested in VA work get started?
A. We’d be honored if you’d consider enrolling in 30 Days or Less to Virtual Assistant Success.
This 13 module course will literally walk you through starting your new business – it’s perfect for newbies, but existing VAs have taken it and moved their business to the next level as a result too.
We cover everything from:
- What services to offer
- Who to offer them to
- How much to charge
- Where to find clients
- How to setup your website (including what should be on it!)
- How to effectively pitch clients
- Invoicing
- Contracts
- Working with clients
- And a deep dive into about a dozen services you can offer
Plus, much, much more!
Q. Who is the course for?
A. You need to be motivated, disciplined and have a desire to be self-employed.
While the course provides a great framework for you to plug yourself into, there’s still work to be done on your part. If you like to read all of the things, but don’t really enjoy taking action, this course is NOT for you.
Point blank, you’ll get results if you do what we tell you to. But if you think that all it takes to start a new business is spending a little bit of money to purchase a course (and not doing anything as a result), you’re going to be sorely disappointed.
We do offer a very generous 7-day money-back guarantee. Meaning if you find out right away that the course isn’t the right fit for you, just send us an email and we’ll refund your purchase in full.
Q. What kind of results can you expect to obtain from the course?
A. Most students make their way through the material in a month or less.
Many end up getting hired by their first client before they finish. Results will vary based on the time someone has available, the amount of action they take and the skill-set they enter the course with.
Some students have the goal of bringing in a few hundred extra dollars each month, while others want to replace a six-figure salary. We’ve watched numerous students accomplish both goals over the last several years – most land somewhere in between.
My personal favorite is when someone sends me an email or tags me on Facebook that they’ve just quit their soul-sucking job. 😉
Q. What is your number one piece of advice for someone who wants to break into VA work?
A. You’ll never know what you’re capable of if you never try.
Don’t think about what the worst case scenario could be – instead think about what’s the BEST POSSIBLE OUTCOME that can come from trying something new?
Why not YOU, why not NOW?
Thank you so much, Gina, for taking the time to share with us. I know that you have given hope to so many other moms out there who are trying so hard to provide a better life for their families.
Gina Horkey is a married, millennial mama to two precocious kiddos from Minnesota. Additionally, she’s the founder of Horkey HandBook ← insert affiliate link to site, a website geared towards helping others find or become a kickass virtual assistant. Gina’s background includes making a living as a professional writer, an online business marketing consultant and a decade of experience in the financial services industry.
As you can see, there are so many opportunities for finding VA jobs out there. You can use skills that you already have, ie. writing, doing Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram to name a few. Don’t feel like you’re stuck at your current income level – there is hope for you to break out and create something of your own.
Can you even imagine the freedom you could experience by working a schedule that you determine? From home? With your kids?
Remember, a goal without a plan is just a wish. It’s time to take a step forward.
Get your free list of 150 Services you could offer as a VA right here.
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