My journey to becoming a Virtual Assistant

If you’d told me a few years ago that I would be running my own business, working from whatever location I choose, and working with small business owners I genuinely admire, I’m not sure I would’ve believed you. For a long time, I knew I wanted something different, but I couldn’t quite work out what that “different” was supposed to look like.

I’ve had several jobs since leaving university, in different industries, and each time the pattern was the same: I’d start a new role, really enjoy it for the first few months, feel a burst of anticipation that maybe this would be “the one”, and then, around the 6-12 months in, I’d get itchy feet. I’d feel restless. Under-challenged. Like I was supposed to be doing something else, but I didn’t know what. What I did know though, was I wanted something more: more creativity, more flexibility, more of a sense of purpose.

The problem was, I didn’t see myself as an “expert” in anything. I wasn’t a specialist. I wasn’t deeply technical. I’ve always just been a generalist. So every time I thought about starting my own business, I’d shut the idea down with the same sentence: “But what on earth could I do?”

Finding my direction

It wasn’t until last year that I decided to really sit with that question instead of pushing it away. I started looking at my skills, my strengths, the things I’d naturally picked up over every job I’d ever had. I thought about what I enjoyed, what I wanted my week to feel like, and the kind of work that actually energised me and excited me.

I’d always loved supporting people. I’d always been organised. I’d always liked the behind the scenes work that keeps everything running.

And I’d always admired small business owners; the way they pour everything into what they do, the way they grow something from scratch, often wearing every possible hat along the way. I felt like maybe the way for me to be a small business owner, was to work with other small business owners.

I hadn’t heard of a Virtual Assistant before then, but once I started researching my idea of “small business support” I realised there was a whole industry of Virtual Assistants, doing exactly this. So I thought if there’s a whole industry of VAs, why couldn’t I be one too?!It felt like a natural fit, even before I had all the answers.

Why I chose to become a VA

There were two sides of becoming a VA that felt important to me:

The first was the work itself...

I loved the idea of supporting small businesses - helping them reduce their admin load, feel more organised, and get their time back to focus on what really matters most to their business. There’s something incredibly rewarding about being the person who makes someone else’s week feel easier. I wanted to be part of people’s growth behind the scenes, helping them do more of what they’re good at.

The second was my life…

I wanted a better balance. I wanted to choose my hours, work where I felt most inspired, and build something that didn’t require compromising my wellbeing. I wanted work to fit around my life, not the other way around.

Becoming a VA felt like the first time both sides lined up. Meaningful work and a life that made sense.

So I took the leap.

Starting my business

It wasn’t a dramatic moment, more a quiet simmering decision that built confidence as I went along. I didn’t have everything figured out. I didn’t have a long-term plan (or a strategy!). But I had clarity about the kind of work I wanted and the kind of life I wanted to build.

And that was enough to start.

I was very fortunate I was able to start my business alongside my full time employed role. This allowed me time to build up my client base and experience, while feeling financially safe still being employed. After 6 months I was then able to reduce my employed hours to 80% to give me one full day a week to fully dedicate to my business.

Some days were full of momentum; others were slow and uncertain. But I showed up. I kept learning. I listened to the people around me. And I allowed the business to grow in a way that felt natural rather than forced. After 8 months I then knew it was time for me to take my business full-time. I knew I wouldn’t be able to sustain both growing my business and working my employed job, so I took the leap to full-time self-employment!

For anyone thinking About Becoming a VA…

I get a lot of messages from people who feel the same way I used to - unsure, stuck, curious, but not quite confident enough to take the leap. If that’s you, here’s what I’d say:

You don’t need to be an expert. You don’t need a perfect plan. You don’t need everything set up before you begin.

You simply need to know what you’re good at, what you enjoy, and what kind of work you want more of in your day. The rest can be built slowly, piece by piece, just like any other business.

You can make being a VA whatever you want it to mean - there is no set list of job responsibilities you must be able to do, because you can write the list of services you want to offer!

There really is space in this industry for a wide range of skills and personalities. If you enjoy supporting others, staying organised, and helping things run smoothly, this path might suit you more than you realise.

Final Thoughts

Becoming a VA hasn’t just changed my work - it’s changed my life. It’s given me freedom, purpose, and a chance to work with people and businesses I genuinely care about. And if you’re feeling that same nudge I felt, the one that tells you you’re meant for something different, it might be worth exploring what this path could look like for you too.

You never know - it might be the exact change you’ve been looking for.