Have You Got What It Takes To Become A Virtual Assistant – Part 2

Last week we talked about some of the skills and attributes you need to be a successful Virtual Assistant… Here are five more:

Are you prepared to work harder and longer hours?
Being your own boss is very rewarding but also a lot of hard work. You now wear all the hats and have to learn a lot of new skills. You need to be prepared to put in the work and hours to make your business a success.

Can you afford to start up?
One of the first questions many new VAs ask is: “How long does it takes to get clients?” Some people have clients lined up before ‘opening their doors’, others find it takes them up to six months. You need to make sure that you have sufficient capital to cover your expenses until your business is in a position to pay you a salary. I recommend that you have enough capital to cover your costs for approximately six months.

Can you be self disciplined with your time?
Your time is now money. However, you will find that not everyone values your time as you do. The main offenders will be your family and friends, who believe that you only work part-time and spend your time sitting at home watching daytime TV!

You need to be self-disciplined and create boundaries for your friends and family; they need to appreciate that your work time is just that.

Do you have support from your family and friends?
The support of family and friends will motivate you to make your business a success. You may need to make some sacrifices with your time in the early days. This will be easier if they understand why your business is important to you and how they can help.

Have you conducted all the research?
Starting up in business is a very serious decision to make, and is one that should not be taken lightly. The first steps you need to take are research, research and more research. This way you are fully prepared for the journey you will be taking towards a full, thriving and successful VA business.

By becoming a VA, you are entering an exciting industry, full of supportive people. Join the organisations and become involved – this way you will get to know your fellow VAs.