Welcome back! Today I have a special treat for you. An interview with a VERY successful mompreneur who is the sole breadwinner for her family. She does this all from the comfort of home.
You’ve heard all about Virtual Assisting. Incredible stories of how people make $10,000 a month or more from this type of home based business. Are you curious if the stories are true and how to get started?
If so, today you hit the jackpot! If you are looking for a lucrative home based business that allows you set your own hours and make as much as $10,000 (or more) a month then keep reading!
I have teamed up with a gal who is the MASTER of doing just that. Let me introduce you to Gina Horkey. Gina has created her very own Virtual Assisting business that generates thousands from the comfort of her own home.
Let’s get down to it! If you are sick and tired of your current situation, then it is time for a massive change.
Here is my interview with Gina Horkey:
CMM: Gina, tell us who you are and how you got started with virtual assisting.
Hi, I’m Gina [waving]. I started a freelance writing business on the side of my full-time job (in personal finance), in the spring of 2014 to “test the waters” for a potential career change.
At the time, I was (and still am) the sole breadwinner of our little family of four and my husband was (and still is) a SAHD to our two kiddos. Our youngest was less than a year old at the time!
That fall I added in virtual assistant services as a way to stabilize my income, make it more predictable and use some of my other skills to help small business owners. Landing my first VA client is what gave me the confidence to put in my notice and quit my day job.
CMM: WOW! Sole breadwinner and a SAHD! That’s crazy incredible success! So, for those who might not know what a Virtual Assistant is can you give us more info so my readers understand what it is that you do.
A virtual assistant is really just anyone that trades a task for pay from afar. Or in other words, an individual that offers services virtually (from home) as a contractor or self-employed individual (a work at home mom) to clients.
Services offered can include everything from email management, content creation, bookkeeping, graphic design, social media and more! There are tons of services you can offer as a VA – check out this list of over 150 to learn more!
CMM: I am amazed at how many things a Virtual Assistant can offer from home! Share with my readers what kind of person would be best for this type work.
What I hear from clients over and over is that they’re looking for someone that’s:
- Communicative
- Organized
- A self-starter
- And reliable
So while they’re looking for people that can provide select services, they’re mainly looking for the above. As long as you’re trainable, you’ve got a shot!
You also need to have a computer (desktop or laptop, doesn’t matter) and reliable internet. Don’t worry about having any fancy programs or applications – most clients will give you access to their cloud-based tools and software programs that you need to complete your work for them.
CMM: So, what I am hearing is as long as I have a computer and possess these qualities I am a great fit for this type work. I guess the big question is what kind of money can a VA expect to make starting out, and long term?
From the little research that exists, the average North American virtual assistant earns between $25-40 per hour.
This is going to depend on your experience, skill-set and areas of expertise. I.e. The more specialized your services and the more experience you have, the more you can charge.
I’ve seen people in our community charge as little as $15 per hour and others earn more than $100 per hour (including myself). Ultimately it comes down to being really good at what you do and finding clients that value what you’re offering them.
How quickly you start earning honestly depends on how quickly (and frequently) you start putting yourself out there for hire. Click here for some real live examples of VA’s in our community that have built successful businesses.
In my opinion contracting and working virtually is the way of the future.
People (clients and virtual assistants alike) crave increased flexibility. And what better way to obtain it than to build a business and/or team virtually?
Clients (typically small business owners, entrepreneurs, etc.) aren’t always looking to manage people or take on full-time help. Instead, they’d like to contract out for specific services they need help with. It makes it a win/win for both parties. 🙂
CMM: Making $15 an hour from HOME is great money! Knowing that is just entry level pay would be a HUGE motivation to work hard, increase your services and make more. Another big question would be how does a VA find clients that are looking for someone with their skill set?
We cover more than a half dozen prospecting methods in 30 Days or Less to Virtual Assistant Success, but a few of our favorites are:
- Using social media
- In person networking
- Tapping into your natural market
Methods for finding and attracting high-quality clients haven’t changed much over the last decade, but really understanding what they are, which you’re best suited for and how to go about them in the right way are important. Luckily for our students, prospecting and building effective client relationships are kind of our specialty.
CMM: I LOVE that your specialty is teaching your students how to find clients and build a connection! So, if you had to pick your top three favorite things about being a VA, what would they be?
It would be hard to pick just three! The list is pretty long but what ranks at the top of my list are probably these:
- Flexibility to work from anywhere on my schedule (i.e. you don’t have to keep banker’s hours in most cases when working with clients)
- Freedom (that comes with the whole flexibility thing I guess!)
- Unlimited income potential (you choose how much to charge and can raise your rates as you gain more experience, look into other ways to make money online, etc.)
CMM: Your answer to this question gets me excited! Flexibility, freedom and unlimited income potential. Isn’t that what most people want? I know my readers are excited about your story. Tell us how they can get started as a Virtual Assistant?
We’d be honored if you’d consider enrolling in 30 Days or Less to Virtual Assistant Success.
This 13 module course will literally walk you through starting your new business – it’s perfect for newbies, but existing VA’s have taken it and moved their business to the next level as a result too.
We cover everything from:
- What services to offer
- Who to offer them to
- How much to charge
- Where to find clients
- How to setup your website (including what should be on it!)
- How to effectively pitch clients
- Invoicing
- Contracts
- Working with clients
- And a deep dive into about a dozen services you can offer
Plus, much, much more!
CMM: What type of person would your course be perfect for?
You need to be motivated, disciplined and have a desire to be self-employed.
While the course provides a great framework for you to plug yourself into, there’s still work to be done on your part. If you like to read all of the things, but don’t really enjoy taking action, this course is NOT for you.
Point blank, you’ll get results if you do what we tell you to. But if you think that all it takes to start a new business is spending a little bit of money to purchase a course (and not doing anything as a result), you’re going to be sorely disappointed.
CMM: Do you have a money back option if the course isn’t a good fit?
We do offer a very generous 7-day money-back guarantee. Meaning if you find out right away that the course isn’t the right fit for you, just send us an email and we’ll refund your purchase in full.
CMM: If someone decided to take your course what kind of results can they expect after they go through the entire class?
Most students make their way through the material in a month or less.
Many end up getting hired by their first client before they finish. Results will vary based on the time someone has available, the amount of action they take and the skill-set they enter the course with.
Some students have the goal of bringing in a few hundred extra dollars each month, while others want to replace a six-figure salary. We’ve watched numerous students accomplish both goals over the last several years – most land somewhere in between.
My personal favorite is when someone sends me an email or tags me on Facebook that they’ve just quit their soul-sucking job. 😉
CMM: With all of your knowledge and expertise in this area, what would be the best advice for someone who is considering becoming a Virtual Assistant?
You’ll never know what you’re capable of if you never try.
Don’t think about what the worst case scenario could be – instead think about what’s the BEST POSSIBLE OUTCOME that can come from trying something new?
Why not NOW? And why not YOU?
CMM: Let’s close this out with a question for all of my readers.
If you don’t change anything in your life where will you be in the next 12 months? Where will you be with your current job? Where will your finances be? Where will your family be? Will you be able to take that vacation you have dreamed of? Will you be able to stay home with your kids? Will you still be at a job you hate?
The choices you make today will ultimately dictate where you are headed. So what you choose to do with this information COULD be the very thing that completely changes the trajectory of your life.
Decide today to take a LEAP! You have dreamed of working from home for years. The time is NOW!
Forever in your corner. XXOO
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Gina Horkey is a married, millennial mama to two precocious kiddos from Minnesota. Additionally, she’s the founder of Horkey HandBook, a website geared towards helping others find or become an incredible virtual assistant. Gina’s background includes making a living as a professional writer, an online business marketing consultant and a decade of experience in the financial services industry.
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