I left school at 16 and now earn over £50k AND spend more quality time with my kids – I don’t even have a degree
LIKE so many new mums, Kirsty Holden put her career on hold to look after her kids.
With full-time nursery fees estimated to be around £13,000 a year for a child under two, it made sense both personally and financially.
At least, that's what she thought at the time.
But when her two children, now aged nine and 12, started school and Kirsty went back to work, she realised the decision had put a serious dent in her earning potential.
The 37-year-old, who lives in Hull, told The Sun she felt colleagues saw her as "a part-timer".
It led to her being overlooked for certain job opportunities, she said, and to top it all - less pay.
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"Like many women, I had to temporarily set aside my professional aspirations to focus on raising my kids but this choice came with consequences," Kirsty said.
"The decision to reduce my working hours and take a pause led to missed job opportunities as I was perceived as having 'responsibilities' - my children."
Then five years ago, in 2018, Kirsty decided enough was enough.
"I took a leap of faith and started my own virtual assistant business, drawing upon my 16 years of administration and corporate experience," she said.
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"To my delight, within the very first month, my earnings exceeded what I used to make in my part-time corporate job, all while providing the flexibility and balance my family needed."
Now Kirsty's earning over £50k a year - and she did it all without a degree.
On the job
Kirsty left school at 16 after realising "there was just no way I could write essays, exams or do tons of course work you have to do at college or uni".
She said: "Looking back I don’t really remember anything I learnt from the classroom other than what I learnt in IT surprisingly.
"I went looking for something in that as I knew I was good at it."
In 2002 she joined the sales department of a small family-run paint manufacturer.
It was an apprenticeship where she earned just £55 a week - just £11 a day.
Three years later, in 2005, Kirsty was covering for the office manager and went on to work in that role at a number of other companies.
Going virtual
Kirsty spend the next few years working in various administrative roles, taking a break to look after her kids when they were small and returning to a part-time office manager job.
But, fed up with juggling motherhood and her office-based job, in 2018 she decided to go it alone.
"I wanted to pursue both my career ambitions and the desire to be present for my children," she said.
"My virtual assistant venture proved to be a rewarding path that not only allowed me to excel professionally but also enabled me to cherish precious moments with my loved ones."
Now Kirsty helps other women hoping to become a virtual assistant (VA) to get on their feet.
"I strive to create environments and opportunities where women can thrive professionally while maintaining a healthy work-life balance," she said.
"Whether that’s supporting scaling small businesses who are struggling with the juggling or helping new and aspiring VAs to create what I’ve created too."
What is a virtual assistant?
A virtual assistant (VA) helps other business owners with anything and everything.
Some of the most common tasks include taking phone calls, managing someone's diary, handling their social media, creating presentations and doing basic book-keeping.
It's well-paid, with the average VA charging £30 or more an hour.
We recently told the story of Catherine Gladwyn, who now earns over £200k after becoming a virtual assistant.
She said virtual assistants can earn £3,000 a month working six and a half hours a day with no qualifications at all.
How to become a virtual assistant
You don't need a degree to become a VA and, while Kirsty provides office management and admin services, you can offer services that suit your skill set.
That could be helping companies to:
- write content for their website or social media
- graphic design of workbooks, social media graphics, logos and stationary
- website management, sales funnels, course creation
- diary management, client bookings
- or even running errands the way a personal assistant would
It's easy to find out everything you need to know, along with tips and guides to help you get set up.
And there are some free training courses - Kirsty offers one called Beginners Guide to Starting Your Own Virtual Assistant Business.
Catherine also runs training for anyone wanting to make the switch - she charges a small fee.
There are several much more expensive courses, but both Kirsty and Catherine say it's not necessary unless you really want to go that route.
"You can doing this," said Kirsty. "In fact, that's why I love it - I'm always learning."
There are a few things you must legally have to be a VA and a couple of things that are not mandatory but are an essential part of ensuring your success.
These prices are correct at the time of writing:
- GDPR registration: £35
- Contracts: £60
- Insurance: £10 a month
- Website: £150
Kirsty is also a member of the Federation of Small Businesses, which costs her £195 a year.
"It's worth it for me as they can provide new virtual assistants with contracts, legal advice and networking opportunities," she said.
Finding clients
Because the work is digital, the majority of clients are likely to come from social media or through Google when people search for a VA online.
Kirsty said: "It was purely through discussions with existing connections I’d made online and the building of new ones that I found my first clients.
"I joined online communities and surrounded myself with people who had already achieved what I wanted to achieve.
"Networking is also a big yet under-utilised marketing tool for Virtual Assistants: because ultimately everyone there already has a business."
Kirsty's five tips for becoming a VA
Think about what you enjoy
Out of all the jobs and experiences you’ve had in the past, what stood out for you as far as things you were good at, you enjoyed and that people perhaps were grateful for your knowledge?
Write them all down and don’t rule anything out just yet.
Remember too you can always learn new things as you go - you’re not stuck with what you do today forever but start with what you know - it’s easier.
Get support and ask for help
Being good at what you do is only part of it. This isn’t a hobby, this is a business and you need to run it as a business as early as you can.
There are not many VAs who go into the entrepreneurial world knowing how to do business - and that’s okay.
If there was one thing Kirsty regretted on her journey it would be trying to figure it all out alone.
Join the communities, take the courses and download all the freebies but don't get stuck in information overload.
Get in the world of those who are where you want to be - see what other people are doing - and don't forget your legals.
Sign up to Fiverr or Upwork
While these platforms are unlikely going to provide you with a substantial or sustainable income, it will give you some experience.
There are people that need what you offer and it’s the perfect place to test the water as far as what you feel comfortable offering.
Just don’t stay on there too much - there are others out there that will pay you more.
Remember why you do what you do
If you’ve decided you want to become a virtual assistant for the flexibility, don’t set up your business or offer 24/7 tech support if you’re unable to sustain it.
Your schedule is now your schedule so bear it in mind and know what you have available to you or your clients from the off.
Market yourself
And don’t stop even if you’re busy.
One client likely won’t be a client forever. So get out there and constantly look to create new conversations, a bigger network, and build relationships with people.
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Let people know who you are and what you do.
People buy from people so be sure to share a little of your behind the scenes - it's how you can build up that "know, like and trust" element of a relationship.
