First Steps to Becoming a Virtual Assistant: What You Need to Know

Business Tips

Apr 3

First Steps to Becoming a Virtual Assistant: What You Need to Know

So you’re thinking about becoming a Virtual Assistant?
You’re in the right place and you don’t need a fancy setup, a massive website, or ten years of experience to get started.

You just need a willingness to learn, a few simple tools, and a commitment to showing up consistently.

Here’s a simple guide to help you take your first steps with clarity (and a little extra confidence).

Decide Why You’re Starting

Before you dive into the technical pieces, get clear on your why.
Ask yourself:

Are you looking for more flexibility?
Do you want to work from home?
Are you craving a career that gives you more freedom to travel, spend time with family, or build something for yourself?

Your 'why' becomes your anchor on the hard days, because let’s be honest there will be hard days.

Also, it’s your reminder that you’re not just starting a side hustle, but you’re creating a life you love on purpose.

The Essentials

You don't need a lot to start a VA business, but you do need a few basics:

A reliable laptop
A solid internet connection
A professional email address (ideally not @gmail but honestly I use my @gmail account and I work with multi 6 & figure business owners)
A payment method (PayPal, Stripe, or bank account)

Helpful starter tools:

Zoom for video calls
Canva for basic graphic design
Google Drive or Dropbox for file sharing
Trello, Asana, or ClickUp for task management

Start simple.
You can upgrade later as you grow.

Pick a Starting Service (or Two)

Think about your natural skills and what you enjoy doing.

A few easy services to start with:

Email management
Calendar management
Data entry
Blog formatting
Social media scheduling
Customer support emails

Start with 1–2 services you feel confident offering.
You can always add more later.

Create a Simple Pricing Structure

Don’t get stuck overthinking your rates.
Decide on a starting point that feels good and honors your experience.

Options to consider:

Hourly Rate: Good for brand-new VAs (Example: $25–$35/hour)
Project Rate: Flat fee for a specific task or project (Example: $150 to set up Kit - this is an email services provider)
Monthly Retainer: Set hours or services for a consistent monthly rate ($350 for 10 hours per month)

Remember:
It’s easier to lower your rates later if needed than to underprice yourself and feel stuck.

Set Up Your Basic Systems

Before you sign your first client, get a few systems ready:

Client Contracts: Protect yourself legally (The Contract Shop is a great resource!)
Payment Invoices: Set up templates in PayPal, Stripe, or QuickBooks
Simple Portfolio: A one-page document with your services, rates, and how to contact you

You do not need a full website to get started — but you do need clear communication and a professional first impression.

Start Telling People

You don’t need a viral social media presence to land your first client.

Here’s where to start:

Update your Instagram or Facebook bios to reflect your services.
Share a post announcing you’re taking new clients.
Tell your family, friends, and old coworkers — you never know who knows someone who needs help.
There are plenty of free Facebook groups where people are always looking for support—so don’t be afraid to jump in and introduce yourself!

Consistency is key.
You’ll need to talk about what you do more than once and often, before it clicks for others.