Build Your Business... Change Your Life!

Think you’d love to become a Virtual Assistant, but you don't have any experience? You might be more qualified than you think.

If you're a stay-at-home or homeschooling mom, you've probably developed valuable skills without even realizing it.

You organize schedules. You manage details. You solve problems. You communicate with people. You learn new things because, well…someone has to figure it out!

Those are skills, and they can be a great foundation for becoming a Virtual Assistant.

What makes a great VA?

A Virtual Assistant helps business owners with tasks like email, scheduling, social media, graphic design, websites, organization, customer service, and more.

You don't need to know how to do all of those things.

In fact, some of the best foundations for becoming a VA have less to do with experience and more to do with who you are.

Natural Skills

Are you organized? Creative? Detail-oriented? A problem solver? Good with people?

Start by looking at what comes naturally to you. Those skills may translate into valuable services for a business owner.

A Love for Learning:

You don't have to know everything before you begin. Tools and technology can be learned.

If you're curious, willing to learn, and not afraid to try something new, you're already off to a great start.

A Love for Serving:

At its heart, being a VA is about helping someone else.

Business owners hire VAs because they need someone to come alongside them, take things off their plate, and help their business run more smoothly.

If you enjoy helping people and making their lives easier, that matters.

So, how do you get started?

Start by identifying your natural skills and the types of services you'd enjoy providing. Then get the training you need, practice those skills, and begin looking for opportunities to serve your first clients.

You don't need years of experience before you can begin.

You can start with what you already know, learn what you don't, and grow from there.

Becoming a VA isn't a get-rich-quick scheme, and building a business takes time and effort. But with training, encouragement, a willingness to learn, and a heart to serve, you can build a VA business from the skills you already have.

You don't have to have it all figured out.

You just have to be willing to start.

Interested in seeing if you’d be a good fit? You can take this VA Quiz! → https://www.jenhickle.com/va-quiz

What if making money from home didn’t mean choosing between your income and your kids?

There are plenty of work-from-home jobs out there. But like anything, they often come with caveats.

Maybe you’re still tied to specific working hours.

Maybe the job requires a specific degree or years of experience.

Maybe it comes with a HUGE startup cost.

Or maybe it’s technically “work from home,” but it still requires 40 hours a week - on top of homeschooling, caring for a baby, chasing a toddler, or simply trying to keep your household running.

That can feel frustrating.

Because you didn’t choose to work from home so you could recreate the 9-to-5 schedule in your living room.

You want flexibility, and you want to be available when your kids need you.

You want to contribute financially to your family without sacrificing the very reason you wanted to stay home in the first place.

And on top of all of that, the hustle culture is out of control.

Work harder. Do more. Wake up earlier. Stay up later. Scale faster.

But what if we stopped measuring success by how much we can cram into our already-full days?

It’s time to rethink "work from home."

I’m on a mission to redeem work-from-home jobs and cancel hustle culture.

I’m on a mission to help families put family first while still having the opportunity to contribute financially.

And one of the ways I know that can happen is through virtual assisting.

As a Virtual Assistant, you can provide valuable services to business owners from your home. You might help with administrative tasks, social media, graphic design, websites, email management, customer service, or countless other things.

And unlike a traditional job, you have more flexibility to build your services and schedule around your life.

That doesn't mean building a VA business is effortless. It takes learning, work, consistency, and time. But you don't have to work 40 hours a week or build your business around someone else's schedule.

You can start with the skills you already have, learn new ones, and build from there.

Maybe the goal is to build something that actually fits your life.

If you're a stay-at-home mom, a homeschooling mom, or simply a mom who wants more flexibility in how you work, becoming a Virtual Assistant may be worth exploring.

Check out my FREE book, where I talk more about this:
Work from Home Without the Hustle: https://www.jenhickle.com/book-download

Have you ever been nursing your baby in the middle of the night, and your brain is scrambling to figure out ways to contribute financially so you can stay home with them?

You get on Google and search “work from home jobs,” and all that pops up are MLM opportunities and ads that sound like a scam.

Been there, done that!

MLMs work for some people, but if you don’t want to “hustle,” constantly sell something, or build a team, they may not be the right fit for you.

Enter virtual assistant work.

“What IS a virtual assistant? It sounds like an AI robot!”

I’m so glad you asked.

A Virtual Assistant is pretty much exactly what the title says: you’re an assistant, but your work is done virtually.

A business owner might need someone to help manage their inbox, schedule appointments, organize files, create graphics, update their website, manage social media, or keep projects moving.

And that's where you come in.

Some VAs are administrative assistants who handle a little bit of everything for a client.

Other VAs niche down and focus on one particular area, such as graphic design, web design, social media management, bookkeeping, email marketing, or another skill they enjoy.

The best part?

YOU can decide.

You can build your services around your skills, your interests, and the type of work you actually enjoy doing.

But can you actually make money as a Virtual Assistant?

This is the question that usually comes next.

Yes.

But I want to be honest with you: becoming a VA isn't a magic button you push to start making money tomorrow.

Building a VA business takes learning, practice, consistency, and time.

You have to learn how to find clients, communicate professionally, price your services, manage your time, and actually deliver great work.

But with the right training, encouragement, and a willingness to use the skills you already have, it can absolutely become a real source of income.

And you may have more skills than you realize.

Maybe you're naturally organized, or you love making things look pretty.

Maybe you're the person who can figure out how to make technology work when everyone else is ready to throw the computer out the window.

Maybe you love writing, or you're great at keeping track of details.

Have you spent years managing a household, homeschooling your kids, volunteering at church, working in an office, running a business, or simply learning things because someone needed you to figure them out? 

Those experiences can give you skills that are valuable to a business owner.

You don't necessarily need to start from scratch.

You can start with what you already know and build from there.

So, how does a VA actually make money?

A VA provides services, and your skills are those services.

Let's say a small business owner is spending hours every week trying to keep up with social media.

They could hire you to create and schedule their posts.

Or maybe an entrepreneur is drowning in emails and administrative tasks.

They could hire you - someone who has done this every day around the household - to manage their inbox, organize their calendar, and take care of routine tasks.

Maybe a business owner needs someone to create Canva graphics, update their website, send emails, organize their files, or help with customer service.

Those are services businesses are willing to pay someone else to handle.

As your skills and experience grow, you can potentially take on more clients, offer additional services, or specialize in an area where you have developed expertise.

There isn't one magic formula.

You Don't Have to Know Everything Before You Start

If you're reading this and thinking,

“That sounds great, but I don't know how to do any of that.”

Take a deep breath; you don't have to know everything today!

If you can learn, and love serving people, you can be a VA!

Instead of trying to piece everything together from random Google searches and YouTube videos, you can learn from people who have already built VA businesses and understand what it takes to get started.

And, just as importantly, you can have people encouraging you along the way.

Maybe Working From Home Doesn't Have to Look Like You Thought

If you've been searching for a way to contribute financially while still being home with your family, I want you to know that there are options beyond the traditional work-from-home opportunities you've probably seen online.

You don't have to sell products.

You don't have to recruit your friends.

You don't have to build a downline.

You can build a business around serving other business owners with skills you already have - or skills you're willing to learn.

With training, encouragement, perseverance, and a willingness to grow, becoming a Virtual Assistant can become a very real way to earn money from home.

Check out my FREE book, Work from Home Without the Hustle: www.jenhickle.com/book-download

I've always loved technology. The first time we got a computer lab in school, I ran home and told my parents we HAD to get a computer. My dad took me to Best Buy and told the sales guy: “Listen to her. She knows what we need.”
After we got it in our home, I typed my papers, my homework assignments, and even journaled on it constantly.

When AOL came out, I was on it. I was checking out chat rooms and forums. I got on Facebook as soon as it was released to the general public. I built a website before anyone really knew what we would use websites for!

Sometimes you just have a natural bent towards your talents.

If you're someone who easily understands your phone, apps, your laptop, editing photos, creating graphics, or creating spreadsheets, don't think it's a small thing! It’s your gift!

Does your mom, sister, or friend ask you questions about their phone or computer problems?
Maybe they can see clearly what you can't-- that you have a natural bent for all things techy!

Busy business owners don't have time to slow down and figure out why their spreadsheet is all wonky.
They don't want to take the time to update their website.
And that's why they will pay YOU!

The first hire of any small business owner should be a virtual administrative assistant! They need someone to do the things that they can't do or that they don't have time for!

As an entrepreneur's business grows, they run out of TIME. 

The best investment they can make is paying a Virtual Assistant (so there's no overhead of hiring an employee in a physical location) to manage their calendar, email, social media, and spreadsheets.

YOU get to choose the services you want to offer. 

YOU get to choose how much you get paid. 

You are NOT an employee. 

You own your own business!

Here are 10 skills that stay at home moms can turn into income:

1. Organization → Administrative VA
   If you love organizing schedules, files, lists, and details, administrative support could be a great fit.
2. Planning → Calendar & Scheduling VA
   Good at keeping everyone’s schedules straight? Businesses need help managing calendars, appointments, meetings, and deadlines, too.
3. Writing → Email & Content VA
   If you enjoy writing, you could help businesses draft emails, blog posts, newsletters, social media captions, and other content.
4. Creativity → Canva & Graphic Design VA
   Love making things look pretty? Businesses need graphics for social media, presentations, lead magnets, flyers, and more.
5. Social Media → Social Media VA
   Already comfortable creating posts, sharing Stories, making Reels, and keeping up with social media? You can turn those skills into a service.
6. Problem-Solving → Online Business Support VA
   Are you the person who figures things out when nobody else knows what to do? Business owners value someone who can troubleshoot, research, and find solutions.
7. Technology → Website VA
   If you enjoy learning new platforms and figuring out how websites work, you could help with website updates, blog uploads, links, images, and basic maintenance.
8. Communication → Customer Service VA
   If you're patient, friendly, and good at communicating with people, you could help businesses manage customer emails, inquiries, and support.
9. Attention to Detail → Data & Research VA
   If you notice the little things and enjoy working behind the scenes, data entry, online research, spreadsheets, and database organization could be a great fit.
10. Teaching & Encouraging → Course or Community VA
    Moms who love teaching, encouraging, and helping people may enjoy supporting online courses, memberships, communities, or coaching programs.

The fun part? You don't have to pick just one. You can start with the skills that come naturally to you, learn new ones along the way, and eventually create a VA business that fits your strengths, interests, and family life. 

Not sure if being a VA is a good fit? Take this quiz, and find out! https://www.jenhickle.com/va-quiz

For years I wanted to be a mom SO badly.
I longed for the day that I could hold a baby in my arms.

When my first baby arrived, I could not imagine bringing him to daycare in just 6 weeks. 

At that moment I knew more than ever before that I wanted to work from home.

I also wanted to get us out of our tiny apartment that smelled like weed.
I wanted a yard for my baby to play in when he started to walk.

And that baby became my motivation.

I worked while I nursed.
I worked while he slept.
I worked whenever I could, just sneaking it in.

And one year later, my dream came true.
We moved into a beautiful new townhome! 

2 years later, I had my second baby. My arms and heart were full! 

All because of my drive and determination.

I LOVE being at home with my babies. 

But I also LOVE working. 

It fuels me. It delights my brain. Taps into my creativity. And it’s sooo rewarding!

And it’s also flexible!

I can work when I can.
I can say YES to projects and squeeze them in.
I’m not bound to specific hours and I am my own boss!

It’s the best thing I’ve ever done. And you can do it too!

Check out my FREE book, Work from Home Without the Hustle: https://www.jenhickle.com/book-download

Dreams DO come true. 

I’m proof.

17 years ago, I stepped into Heppner's Legacy homeschool store, a new baby strapped on my chest and my 3, 5, and 7 year old in tow. I told the owner, Nancy, "This is the only child-friendly place I could think of to visit! I need to have some adult conversation!"

Several years later, through tears, I called Nancy on the phone and asked, "Are you still open?" She wasn't. In fact, she was leaving soon to have a movie night with homeschool teenagers at her house. But she told me to drive to the shop. "Come on in," she said, when I arrived. She sat down and listened to me, encouraged me, and made me a cup of tea.

Today, I returned to Heppner's Legacy homeschool store, a retired homeschool mom, all 4 of my babies launched into the world.

As I pulled into the parking lot to work a shift, to encourage other moms, to help them choose curriculum, to make their kids smile, to ring up the register, and straighten the store during one of the busiest times of the season, unexpected tears started to fall down my face. All the memories rushed back. All the worries, all the wondering. Would they master reading? Learn to spell? Did I choose the right curriculum? Was I failing them? Would they turn out?

"Yes," I whispered, to my former self, "it all worked out. It ALL worked out. They turned into amazing human beings. We did it. We made it."

I brushed away my tears, turned off my car, and entered the store-- blessed to be able to give where I once received so much.

In the fast-paced world of business, leveraging a virtual assistant can be a game-changer.

However, you can't just hire and throw tasks at the VA and then ghost them.

There are some essential elements to make this partnership successful!

Here are some tips (from years of experience!) to help your VA help YOU get more organized!  

1. Time Management: The Heartbeat of Efficiency

The first rule of the virtual assistant game is mastering time management.
Here's how you can make the clock work in your favor:

• Set Deadlines: Clearly defined deadlines help create a sense of urgency and keep tasks on track. Whether it's a project milestone or recurring daily work, deadlines set the rhythm for productivity.

• Prioritize: Make sure your VA knows what is priority and when you want things completed!

• Track Progress: Utilize tools and strategies to monitor the progress of tasks. Weekly check-ins and updates ensure that everything is moving according to plan. Always allow extra time for adjustments, too!

• Provide Support: Your virtual assistant is an extension of you! Be available to clarify, offer guidance, and take time to collaborate. Encourage open communication. (The time you take in the beginning will pay off for years to come!)

2. Task Delegation: The Art of Sharing the Load

Delegating tasks is an art form that can make or break your virtual assistant relationship.

It’s HARD to let go. Your business is your baby and it can be hard to believe (or trust) that anyone can do it as well as you can.

Here's your guide to help you let go (slowly):

• Set Expectations: Clearly communicate your expectations for each task. Provide detailed instructions, share project goals, and discuss any specific requirements to ensure your VA understands what you need. (When they ask for clarification, speak up! Take the time to think things through and give clear guidelines.)

• Provide Feedback: Regular feedback is the secret sauce to improvement. Acknowledge accomplishments, address any issues promptly, and create a feedback loop that promotes continuous growth and alignment with your business goals.

• Get Organized: Organization is the backbone of effective task delegation. You can use www.Monday.com, www.asana.com, www.todoist.com, shared Google calendars, or communication platforms such as Slack to ensure that everyone is on the same page. 

3. Tools and Resources: Building the Toolbox

To have successful collaboration with your VA, having the right tools is crucial.

Here's how to build your virtual toolbox:

• Find the Right Platform: Choose a platform that aligns with your communication preferences and provides the necessary features for task management. Whether it's email, project management software, or collaboration platforms, find what works best for you. (And your VA can share their favorite tools, too! You don’t have to find all the tools before you hire a VA. Your VA can help you research which ones are best!)

• Set Up a Payment Plan: Streamline the financial aspect by setting up a secure and efficient payment system. How often should they invoice you? How often will you pay the invoices? Being upfront about this will make things less awkward later! (We highly suggest hiring your VA on a retainer so you can both budget your expectations.)

• Get Organized: Organization extends beyond task delegation. It includes managing data, images, documents, and communication channels. Utilize Dropbox and Google Drive to share easily with each other! Use your VA to get organized— they love setting this stuff up!

We believe that every leader, entrepreneur, or CEO should stay in their unique strengths (and this includes leadership, brainstorming, problem solving, creating, speaking, and doing the work of the business).

Virtual Assistants come alongside these visionaries with their strengths (organization, filing, managing, communicating, systematizing) and as they shine, YOUR business benefits! 

If you have big dreams and lofty goals, you need systems and team members to help you get there! The only way to scale is to share the load.

VAs love to geek out about systems and organization. Don’t wait until everything is perfect before you hire. Find the right person and build the systems together!

I guarantee you’ll thank me!

If you need a personal recommendation for a VA (or 2 or 3!) to help build your dream, let me know! I’m happy to help. www.jenhickle.com/hire 

I received a great question via email the other day.
She asked: "I’m curious. how do you feel that AI is changing the freelance workspace, and does your course go over that?
Also, do you feel that Upwork is a good place to start working on some VA skills?"

I believe AI (artificial intelligence) is changing the landscape of business and marketing for sure. 2023 will go down as "The Year of AI." And we are just getting started with all of its capabilities. First it was ChatGPT that took my breath away. Now, AI is being woven into Canva, Kajabi, Facebook, and other tools that business owners use regularly!

Instead of being defeated or discouraged by it ("Will it steal jobs?!? Will it harm our industry??"), we have to choose to use it as a tool.

In the VA Academy, I regularly teach our members how to use ChatGPT to aid in research, create outlines, write captions, and create other copywriting as needed.

It's fast, it's fun, and it helps people who struggle with writing to generate content faster. 

(I love writing and I will always be a writer. But it's great for getting me going in the right direction for an outline of a new training I am creating. It can also generate a great proposal for a client when you're not sure what to write.)

I think visionary business owners will always be too busy to do everything themselves.
So VAs will always be needed.
And VAs who know HOW to use the right tools for the right job will be invaluable!

With the economy in turbulence, business owners are tightening their belts and lowering their overhead, which means they are more likely to hire a VA than a full-time employee.

So, no, I do not believe that the VA industry is in danger. In fact, I think VAs are in demand more than ever before.

I have a new (very affordable) training that can help you get a deeper understanding of what a VA does and how you can create stable and recurring income with just internet, a laptop, and a smartphone. This mini-course is a great first step if you are considering offering Virtual Assistant services!

You can try getting clients on UpWork for sure, but lately it’s become very competitive. UpWork is now filled with contractors from all over the world and if you don't want to have the lowest price, you have loads of testimonials and experience to stand out.

UpWork is probably best if you have a strong specialty (like professional proofreading, managing Wordpress plug-ins, or running Facebook ads).

Be encouraged!

As people who love tech, we can dive into AI and use it to elevate our skills and work even faster. In fact, I've been telling the members to raise their prices because they are becoming so fast at the tasks their clients are asking them to do!

Any skilled worker will stand out with excellence based on the tools that they use.

AI is just that-- another tool.

Instead of being worried or concerned, we can be curious and keep expanding our services so we can continue to serve our clients well!

Check out the Mini-Course!

Hello beautiful creative business owners.

If you're like me, you love color. Creating. People. Concepts. Teaching. Writing. But math just might not be your strong suit.

I have made friends with any number with a dollar sign before it ($$$) and it's important to always have a good grasp on your numbers. But my time is far too valuable to reconcile accounts or put purchases into categories. Bookkeeping is something I can easily outsource while still keeping a good grasp on how much money is coming in, how much is going out, and how much I'm paying for my team.

There are so many numbers to track!

• Opt-ins
• Sales
• Facebook impressions
• Ad spend
• Cost of programs
• Cost of software
• Upsells
• Downsells

And as a savvy business owner, I absolutely watch these numbers.

But handling all the nitty-gritty details? No thanks!

So when is it the right time to hire a bookkeeper? 
Here are some warning signs to pay attention to!

• Your revenue is increasing and you can’t keep up with all of the data!
• You’re overwhelmed and know that your time is best spent on other things. 
• You’re behind on your taxes.
• You want to expand and grow— but you need someone to help you analyze your profit and loss to make the best decisions.

Can you manage your own books? For sure. At first. But if you want a healthy, thriving business, you better get a financial wizard on your side! (Especially someone who understands business— not just math.)

What Does a Bookkeeper Do?

Think of a bookkeeper as your trusty financial sidekick. They're the ones juggling all those financial records, making sure your income, expenses, and all the nitty-gritty details are in tip-top shape. By doing this, they basically hand you the keys to informed decisions, financial insights, and a hassle-free ride through regulatory hoops.

The Benefits of Having a Bookkeeper on Your Team

Imagine a world where your financial records are as organized as a perfectly curated playlist. That's what a bookkeeper brings to the table!

1. Time and Money Saver: With a bookkeeper in the mix, you're saving precious time. Plus, their financial ninja skills can help spot opportunities to save money and ensure your resources are wisely spent.

2. Accuracy and Compliance Guru: Bookkeepers are like Sherlock Holmes for financial rules. They pay attention to the details, reducing the chance of errors, and keep your business on the right side of tax laws and regulations.

3. Strategic Business Buddy: Armed with accurate financial info, you're not just making decisions—you're making smart decisions. Your bookkeeper can guide you on what's making bank and where you might want to cut some costs.

Different Types of Bookkeepers for Different Vibes

Bookkeepers aren't one-size-fits-all. They come in different flavors:

1. Full-time vs. Part-time: Depending on your business size and needs, you can go all-in with a full-time bookkeeper or keep it chill with a part-time arrangement.

2. Specialists in the House: Bookkeepers often have superpowers in specific areas like payroll or accounts. Picking one with the right skills for your business needs? That's the way to go.

Getting Your Bookkeeper Onboard and Rocking It

Ready to welcome your financial hero? Here's the lowdown on making it a smooth ride:

1. Create a Contract: Start with a laid-back contract that spells out what's what. It's the foundation for a trusting transparent partnership.

2. Set Expectations: Keep the lines of communication open. Decide about how often you'll be in touch, deadlines, and anything else that will make your working relationship a breeze.

3. Share the Financial Love: To let your bookkeeper work their magic, you'll want to hand them the keys to essential financial records like bank statements and invoices. It's like giving them the backstage pass to your business gig.

So, in a nutshell, a bookkeeper is not just a record-keeper, but a partner in your business adventure. Think of them as an investment in your business’s future, not just another expense.

If you’re wondering, “Is it time for a bookkeeper?” It probably is! Don’t wait until you are so behind that you have to pay thousands of dollars in catch-up fees! Better to start out on the right foot so your business can be strong and healthy. 

Most bookkeepers charge based on the amount of transactions, so your bookkeeping hours can grow WITH your business!

Here’s to financial success and smooth sailing!

Jen