“Who do I think I am?” Sitting there, head in my hands as I wrote out my plans for my potential Virtual Assisting Business… I already felt like a fraud. This was something I’d never done before. Even in my corporate career, I had never been anyone that could be considered a “leader” or a “boss.” I had always been the perfect little worker bee. But I knew that if I wanted to be able to be home with my baby, there had to be a shift. I had to get out of my comfort zone and at least TRY to be the person who could make it happen.
If you are a new parent thinking about starting your very own virtual business, chances are there is a bit of a war going on inside your head. Those social “norms” and limiting beliefs tend to come in full force as you inch your toe toward the edge of your comfort zone. You might be wondering a few things…
“How will I be able to juggle it all?”
“Do I have the skills necessary to grow?“
“Are there even enough potential clients out there to actually create something sustainable?”
Well, I’m here to tell you: you can, you do, and there is!
Tell Those Limiting Beliefs to Zip It!
In case you didn’t know… limiting beliefs are the restrictive thoughts that you have about yourself, your abilities, and the world around you. For example, “I’m not good enough” or “I’m not smart enough.” The thing about these limiting beliefs is that they can be pretty freaking powerful. This internal dialogue shapes how we see ourselves and how we show up in the world. If you tell yourself you could never be confident enough to be a “leader,” chances are you’ll unconsciously make yourself smaller to fit that narrative. To prove yourself right.
But how do we move past these limiting beliefs if they are subconscious? We start paying attention to that voice inside of our heads a little bit more. Each day, we can choose to be conscious of our thoughts and catch ourselves when we start to slip into the negative. We can acknowledge the feeling that comes with something like “I’m not good enough,” and shift it into something empowering. Make the shift to something like “I’m still learning and have the ability to improve.” This helps us to take back some of that control and start creating the reality that we actually want.
Now is the Best Time to Start That Business, Mama
It might seem daunting at first, but starting a business as a new mom really is an incredible adventure. My business began when my son was 18 months old and I had to return to my corporate job. Dropping him off at daycare every single morning absolutely broke my heart. I knew that I needed to do SOMETHING so that I didn’t have to choose between making ends meet and being a present parent. So, I made a list of all the things that I knew I could do – the things I knew I was good at.
The experiences I had gained over a decade working in Customer Service and Administrative Roles could all be just as valuable in a virtual setting. All I had to do was put on my big girl panties and start actively putting myself out there. It took a little time and intention. I worked my corporate job during the day, cared for my son when I got home, and put on my CEO hat after bedtime. By utilizing Facebook Groups and platforms like UpWork, I found my first virtual client in under a month. Then another… and another. And within six months, I had replaced my corporate income while working less time.
I’m not going to sugarcoat it and say that it was EASY! There were a lot of late nights and days when I wanted to throw in the towel. But remembering my WHY and finding a support system, helped me to stay committed to myself and my vision. And it was absolutely worth it.
“How Do I know if Virtual Assisting is for Me?!”
The beauty of Virtual Assisting is that there are so many different things you can do when you begin. If you are a Social Media Whiz, you can help others to create a content strategy for their business or graphics. If you are coming from an Administrative background (like I did!), you can do things like Email Management, Customer Service, Content Scheduling, and more.
As you grow and discover what you like, there is an opportunity for you to specialize or narrow your focus even further. A year into my business, I transitioned to Copywriting work. That is where I found the most joy. I realized I absolutely LOVED helping my clients find their voice and create compelling copy + content. You can check out some of my current services here!
The coolest part is that you don’t need to know EVERYTHING as you get started. There are tons of free training resources online – like Hubspot Academy – to help you get off the ground until you are ready to invest in a course or coach.
So, if you’ve been feeling the call to transition away from your 9-5 and want to:
- Spend more time with your family
- Earn an income while doing what you actually love
- Work from anywhere (and ditch the morning traffic)
- And take back control of your schedule…
Virtual Assisting might be the perfect starting point for YOU! I’d love to chat and help you explore what this opportunity might look like for you. Click here to schedule your call TODAY!
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