I always love sharing success stories as well as tips and resources provided by people who have found success in different work at home industries!
Chela Hardy has been working as a virtual assistant from home for over 20 years now, and she has a very helpful e-book along with a companion guide/workbook to go with it that I feel build on some of the other basic, general information you may find online. All drawn from her own experiences in this career path!
If you are interested in virtual assistance as a remote job option — specifically if you are more interested in working for yourself with a VA business rather than doing the work under a company that hires many virtual assistance — you are going to want to read the interview below with Chela.
And while you’re at it, I highly recommend downloading her e-book and workbook— I was given copies of these to look over myself, and I can vouch for it being very detailed and helpful!
Many thanks to Chela for taking the time to answer these questions for us all!
Can you share a little of your story? What led you to virtual assistance as a career path?
In 2001, I relocated to Northern Virginia, just minutes down the road from Dulles Airport. Lots of shiny glass buildings along the Dulles Corridor housed some of the world’s top corporate brands, as well as hundreds of innovative tech start-ups. With many years as an Executive Assistant under my belt, I felt confident I’d be able to land a job quickly.
But the dotcom bubble burst that had been affecting other parts of the country in the months before my move unexpectedly hit that area, and suddenly, those offices were emptying out at an alarming rate. Companies were closing left and right, which meant that even temp and staffing agencies were finding it hard to place contractors.
I didn’t know what to do! But I had a half-idea that I thought had potential: I pitched myself as a freelance administrative professional to small and midsize companies in the area. I was willing to work on-site if they still had offices, but if they were home based, I offered to work from my own home using my own equipment.
Without realizing it, I’d stepped into the world of virtual assistance, though the industry itself didn’t begin to really form until two years later in 2003.
Who do you think virtual assistance would be ideal for?
I love this industry because it’s ideal for anyone who wants more control and freedom over their schedule, work environment, finances, et cetera.
It works very well for moms, for example. And it’s perfect for people who are partly or completely homebound due to personal circumstances. I have several chronic illnesses, for example. My health has been an issue since 2005 when my heart failed for the first of several times, at which point I was also diagnosed with Type II Diabetes. And I’ve been an asthmatic since I was a child on top of that.
I’ve always had to be careful about my health, but since COVID came onto the scene, I’m pretty much stuck inside. Working at home as a Virtual Assistant full-time has been a godsend! I know there are plenty of other people out there just like me. Virtual assistance might be a viable career path for them too.
Is it expensive to get a virtual assistant business up and running?
I believe it is one of the least expensive business types to start! Depending upon what services you plan to offer, you may not need much more than a laptop/computer and printer to begin with basic services.
I’m a firm believer in the power of a website or some other type of publicly accessible online platform to help you market your business even when you’re asleep, and there are plenty of low-cost ways to make those a part of your business start-up.
You have to decide what you need in order to provide your specific set of services. Where you are unable to find free versions of whatever platforms or software you require, research alternatives and invest in these as soon as you can.
The quicker you have those things in place, the quicker you’ll be able to start bringing in income.
On average, how much hourly can a virtual assistant expect to make?
This can vary greatly based on experience, location (US-based vs. overseas), services, et cetera. I always recommend doing research to see what others are charging for similar services so you get a sense of the going rate, then factor in your own level of expertise.
There are no hard and fast rules, though I encourage my US-based coachees to consider starting at $25 per hour–and if they can package their services under a flat rate rather than an hourly rate, then that might be the way to go. It really is a personal decision, and everyone has an opinion on it.
The important thing, I believe, is to be competitive, as well as mindful of the value you bring in delivering your services to a business whose goal is to scale and grow, which they know can happen more quickly with an efficient team in place.
Once you’ve set your rate, stand by your decision!
Does a virtual assistant need to have a lot of admin skills prior to starting, or can you begin with just basic computer knowledge?
The wonderful thing about being a VA is that they can start with what they already know. If they have basic computer knowledge, they can identify what services they can deliver within their current skill set and pitch those to prospective clients.
If all they know how to do is answer a phone call and take a message–they can pitch that service! There are many small businesses that just need someone to take that task off their plate so they can focus on doing income-generating work for their clients.
It’s good to remember that VA services these days often go beyond typical admin work. There is a long, growing list of non-traditional services a VA can offer.
The important thing is to identify what those are, determine what the performance of those services looks like from beginning to end, then communicate them in a way that appeals to prospective clients.
Can you tell us a little about your virtual assistant resources?
I’ve been at this over two decades, and I’ve learned a lot along the way. Around 2013, I began teaching others (through the Adult Education department of the local school system) how to start and run their own home based VA business.
That began my coaching journey, so I now offer coaching, mentoring, and workshops through my company, AskChela.
I’m a writer, so I also wrote and published a book called Noted! Business Lessons Learned from Twenty-Two Years of Virtual Assistance, along with its companion guide Note It! Workbook Journal for Virtual Assistants.
I believe deeply in consistent business development, so I have an affordable membership group on the way.
And because I have so much to say about our industry all the time, I blog periodically at my site, AskChela.com.
I truly love what I do!
Thank you again, Chela! I hope this information is inspiring and helpful to you if you are interested in virtual assistance as a career path.
Anna Thurman is a work at home blogger and mom of two. She has been researching and reviewing remote jobs for over 13 years. Her findings are published weekly here at Real Ways to Earn.
