The F Word: Going Freelance w/Virtual Assistant Jessica Hawks
IT WAS DURING A LATE-NIGHT SCROLL
THAT JESSICA HAWKS CAME UPON A VIRTUAL ASSISTANT ROLE. HAVING TOTAL JOB FLEXIBILITY AND CHOOSING YOUR CLIENTS FELT TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE. SOON SHE BEGAN A VIRTUAL ASSISTANT BUSINESS FOR WEDDING CREATIVES AND HASN’T TURNED BACK SINCE.
In our Going Freelance series we interview creative freelancers who are “knee deep” in it. What was once a side hustle is now one of - if not the main focus in their careers. Freelance is a calling for many people, it’s the freedom to work as hard, work smart and whenever they want.
So, how did they get there, why and is it all worth it?
TELL US HOW YOU GOT STARTED AS A VIRTUAL ASSISTANT
I started working full time when I was 16. I worked as a barista, dog walker, in a clothing store and eventually as a Chiropractic Assistant. I went to college for Nursing for two years because I felt like I had to. I knew I wanted to work online so that I could create my own schedule, travel & enjoy what I did but I had no clue how to make that happen. In late 2019, a friend introduced me to the world of Virtual Assisting. It all clicked and sounded like exactly what I was looking for. I began doing as much research as possible but was incredibly nervous to start a business of my own. In March 2020 I came to a crossroads. I either had to continue working at my corporate job that I knew held no true future for me, or I needed to take the plunge and become a VA. I decided to invest in a program to teach me everything I needed to know and within 4 months I was booked out with clients and making 9k/month which was quadruple my corporate income.
IN YOUR EXPERIENCE DO YOU FIND THAT PEOPLE MAY THINK IT AS AN ODD JOB TO HAVE? WHAT ARE SOME MISCONCEPTIONS PEOPLE MAY HAVE ABOUT THE TITLE AND JOB ITSELF?
Oftentimes, people confuse being a service provider (like a VA) with being in a MLM (multilevel marketing) when that isn't the case at all. As a Virtual Assistant, there's no recruiting of others necessary and your income is solely yours. The online business space has only really started to take off massively within the last year, so it's still a new concept in many people's eyes. It doesn't seem possible to be able to create your own business and start making income quickly, but starting a business online is more accessible than ever now.
WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN A CLIENT?
As a VA, I worked with Wedding Creatives + Brand Designers. It's important to niche down on who you want to work with so that your marketing is clear. I looked for clients that I truly connected with. In the beginning, I was working with anyone that I could for the experience but as time went on and I became more in demand, I was able to get picky about who I wanted to work with. I looked for clients that I truly loved their work, that were hard working & innovative and who respected me.
DESCRIBE AN ALMOST TYPICAL DAY
Every day looks completely different for a Virtual Assistant which is one of the reasons it's such a fun career path. I typically took mornings to myself since I'm not an earlybird and would start work around 11 AM. I always checked in with all of my clients and took a peek at our Trello boards which is what we used to manage projects. From there, I would make a to-do list of my tasks for the day and categorize those based on type. For example, I would work on all of my client's Pinterest scheduling at once and then move on to the next task which may be something like social media content planning or strategizing for their email marketing. I usually took a break mid-day to have lunch and get outside and then resumed client work. I thrive working in the evening/night so I would oftentimes get a majority of my work done then. The amazing thing about being a VA is that you have nearly complete control over your schedule.
WITHOUT NAMING NAMES, DESCRIBE A FAVORITE CLIENT YOU HAVE OR HAD, AND HOW THEIR WORK STYLE MAKES YOUR WORK LIFE EASIER
My favorite client owned a brand design agency. She offered brand/web design, but had also scaled her business into offering education for new designers as well. I learned so much about being an amazing business owner from working by her side. She was prompt with responses and always made sure that I had what I needed in order to do my job well which is integral in a working relationship. Being able to work side by side with amazing business owners teaches you so much about what it really means to be one.
WHAT ADVICE OR TIPS CAN YOU GIVE SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO START AS A VA?
If you're interested in starting your own business as a service provider, the most important thing is that you JUST START. That may seem a bit vague, but you quite literally have to take it one step at a time. It's so easy to get overwhelmed when you're looking at the big picture and what it entails (like I did), so it's far more doable when you focus solely on what the next step is. Everything can be figured out as you go. Investing in a class or course to help you (I offer a Masterclass as well as a more intensive 10 week program) is also ALWAYS worth it if you're willing to apply yourself. So many of my students are incredibly nervous to make an investment in themselves but they push through and work hard then end up making the investment back and then some before the course is even over. Another huge aspect in finding success as a VA is to be yourself. Find ways to make yourself stand out from others and provide a client experience so amazing that they want to tell ALL of their friends to work with you.
👍🏽 DO’S
Be unique and focus on yourself rather than others. Do your best to create more than you consume. It's far too easy to start comparing yourself to others, especially in the beginning, so you have to put your blinders on and work hard or else you get consumed with trying to be like someone else.
👎🏽 DON’TS
Don’t get discouraged in the beginning. Easier said than done, I know, but the most important thing about entrepreneurship is that you stick with it. You will have bad days, you will have ups and downs, but if you keep pushing forward you will change your life in ways you dreamed of before.
DO YOU EVER MISS BEING IN AN OFFICE WITH OTHER PEOPLE?
Nope. ;) I enjoyed certain aspects of working in an office job but the benefits of working for myself outweigh them a thousand times over. I frequently interact with my students & it's more rewarding than anything a corporate job offered me. I also now have more time to socialize with my friends and family, travel and take care of myself. I always struggled to find the time for those things before whereas now I'm able to prioritize them. It's enriched my life and boosted my confidence more than I thought possible.
Jessica offers a Digital Millennials Masterclass covering how to start an online service-based business, how to find the right clients and other resources to jump start you on the VA path. There’s also Digital Creatives Academy, a 1 on 1 education and group coaching to learn more about the logistics a VA has to know and more valuable resources.
