Are you thinking about making the move to become a Virtual Assistant? Kathy Soulsby, owner ofย Personally Virtual and author of Virtually Painless explains the fundamentals of making the move from a PA to a self-employed VA…
Firstly, letโs clarify what we mean by Virtual Assistant or VA for short. A true VA is a business owner. They run a business, which might well just be them. They are responsible for finding the work, doing the work and then getting the money in via invoices. Almost all VAs will have multiple clients. And we decide who those clients are, when we do the work and how we do it. And we bill by time, usually 5, 20 or 15 minute increments.
Being a VA is brilliant, it gives us great flexibility, variety and opportunities that we wouldnโt necessarily get in an employed role. But it isnโt all lie ins and Pilates at 10.00. Itโs hard work and takes dedication.
My top tips to get started on your move from a PA to a self-employed VA
Build your network
The biggest challenge most new VAs face when setting up is finding work. You can either find work directly with clients, or you can work as an associate for Lead VA who has too much work. Either way, you still have to find those clients which means you will need to build your network up.
Most people buy from people, the better connections you have, whether online on LinkedIn or in person with local networking meetings, the more opportunities youโll have to find work. Even before you leave your role, make building your network your number one priority.
Play to your strengths
There are VAs working in all sorts of interesting niches โ everything from canines to corporates. What do you love doing now? Who do you love doing it for? Can you articulate that in a way that makes you stand out?
Know your legals and make sure you have the right kit
As a VA, there are various things you need to understand and put in place to make your business, clients and yourself, safe.
Youโll need professional indemnity insurance, youโll need to register with the ICO and youโll need to buy some contracts. Youโll be pulling together a privacy policy and plans to keep your client data safe.
Setting up as a VA is relatively easy, however, you will need to ensure that the kit you are working on is robust, has professional level software and that you have a back up plan if that laptop dies (or is thrown on the floor by a puppy, I speak from experience!). And you may want to build a website and a brand for your business.
Thatโs my whistle-stop tour of things you need to set up as a VA. If you want to read more about the move from PA to VA, do check out the Virtually Painless book.
Kathy Soulsby is a regular judge on the annual PA Life Star Awards. Our 2025 awards are now open for nominations by EAs, PAs, VAs and Office Managers – see more and complete the short entry form by 3 October 2025.
