Why Become a Virtual Assistant? 5 Reasons This Can Be a Perfect Career for Stay-at-Home Moms

Have you ever daydreamed about bringing in some extra income for your family without needing to leave home to do it? If so, then you might want to consider a career as a VA (virtual assistant). Why become a virtual assistant? Keep reading to learn more about this incredibly flexible work-from-home business that lets you make the most of talents and skills you already have. Who knows – this might be the perfect career choice for you and your family!

Did you know that VAs are in high demand? This article from Forbes explains several ways virtual assistants can help entrepreneurs and small businesses become more efficient. A VA can be like an extra set of hands, an extra brain, and a time machine for a solopreneur used to doing everything themselves.

But why would becoming a virtual assistant be right for you? We have five reasons:

1. Why Become a Virtual Assistant? It's All About Flexibility!

If you're like many stay-at-home moms, especially those with young kids, you never know what's going to happen next. That means you really need a flexible schedule in order to have a work-from-home business. Starting your own VA business offers that flexibility.

You get to decide:

• How many clients you want to take on
• How many hours you want to work per week
• What services you offer
• How much to charge for your services

The beauty of building your own virtual assistant business is that you get to choose when, how, and where to work, whether it's during naptime on your laptop or from your smartphone while waiting to pick up your child from school, or after everyone's tucked in for the night.

You are also the one who chooses how many clients and exactly how much of what type of work you want to take on. For example, do you want one or two regular clients for whom you do the same set tasks each week or month? Or would you rather take on project clients, with each one offering you new challenges and learning opportunities?

Your business = you decide!

There are no wrong answers, unless they don't fit your goals. It's the same with what services you offer to your clients, too. If you don’t know anything about social media or just hate being on it, then don't offer social media management. And, if you're great at handling customer complaints and comments, then add customer service to your list of services. You can also start out only offering one simple service if you want. The list of what businesses are looking for is vast. From content creation to graphic design to email and project management, there's sure to be several things you're great at.

Another reason why you might want to become a virtual assistant is that you get to set your own rates and how you are paid for your work. Want to work by the hour? Decide what your time is worth and charge that amount. Or would you rather charge per project or service? Go right ahead! If you want to work on a monthly retainer and offer packages, you can do that, too. Even better, you can raise your rates as you gain experience. No need to wait for an employer to offer a pay increase.

2. Becoming a VA has a Low Start-Up Cost

If you want to offer general services (writing, administrative help, graphic design, or management), all you really need to get going is a computer and high speed internet access. While training is very helpful and can mean you're able to charge higher rates right from the start, it isn't a requirement. And even when you add in training, such as that offered by Freelance University or Fully Booked VA, it's still a drop in the bucket compared to the start-up costs of most businesses.

Beyond having a computer and internet access, the most important thing you will need is the confidence to seek out clients and to trust in your skills. And those don't require any money – just a solid look at what you can already do well.

3. Why Become a Virtual Assistant? Because You Can Start Out with Skills You Already Have!

This one may surprise you. But it's true. You can start out with skills you already have. For real. So, if you’re thinking you don’t have the skills it takes to be someone’s go-to virtual assistant yet, think again!

There are so many services you can offer. This article outlines 101 different tasks entrepreneurs can outsource to a virtual assistant. These services range from entry-level to advanced. And you're not limited to these. Odds are, if you can think of it, some business owner is looking for someone to do it! So make a list of your skills, and see what marketable skills you've already got!

The following list includes a ton of options that are great for moms just starting out. Take a look at these options and see which services you could offer right away:

• Email management
• Personal “errands” (So much can be done virtually! Even ordering groceries.)
• Customer service
• Calendar management/Scheduling
• Event planning (Booking the venue, sending invitations, scheduling catering)
• Travel arrangement (Booking the hotel, ordering plane tickets)
• Transcription of video and audio files
• Preparing Powerpoint presentations
• Data entry
• Online research
• Moderating blog comments
• Facebook group moderation
• Creating images
• Proofreading
• Curating content for social media
• Writing blog posts

So, are you surprised at how many on the list you can already offer? If you can pick one or two that look easy for you, you can be on your way to becoming a sought-after VA.

4. You Can Scale Your Business Quickly If You Want

Once your business is established and you start bringing in money, you have the option to grow. How do you do this? One way is by investing some or all of your profits in training. If you develop high-level skills, you can increase your income in a short period of time. Another big reason why becoming a virtual assistant is great for SAHMs is that you aren't an employee. And that means you don't have to wait for an employer to decide to give you a raise.

You learn a new skill, get good at it, find a client who needs what you offer, and before you know it, you're ready to raise your fees. This article gives a great breakdown of how to set your rates.

5. You don’t need a ton of clients to have a successful VA business

You will build trust with your clients if you make it a point to develop excellent communication and to deliver the work you've agreed to do. Keep your focus on freeing up their time so they can grow their business without worrying about whether your assignments are being completed. And, as their business grows and you build a strong working relationship, they may offer you more work.

In an interview about making an income as a virtual assistant, Gina Horkey, creator of Fully Booked VA, revealed that she provided for her family with her three VA clients alone. Only three!

So, Why Become a Virtual Assistant? Here's a Final Thought for Stay-At-Home Moms

If you've been out the workforce for a while, it can be easy to forget what you’re capable of. Even if you don’t realize it's happening, it's easy to get lost in the endless cycle of work as a stay-at-home mom. 

Sometimes we need to take a step back and evaluate our abilities. Think about how much you manage and how much you accomplish in a given day. You manage all the things. At the same time. So why can’t you be someone’s go-to VA?

The key is being willing to put yourself out there, offer your services, and trust that you have what it takes to deliver. Then continue to grow!

Ready for more information on becoming a virtual assistant? Then be sure to read this interview with Gina.

Ready to dive deeper and learn more about what it's like as a virtual assistant?

Here's your next step: Everything You Need to Know about How to Become a Virtual Assistant.

Why become a virtual assistant? Because you'll earn money in a flexible way while reminding yourself of all the amazing things you can do! If you've got questions, send us an email or drop a line below!