Career Chat // What I Wish I’d Known Before Becoming a Virtual Assistant (VA)

When I launched The VA Office in November 2024, my son Arthur was just five months old. To say life was busy would be an understatement! But in many ways, that timing shaped how I’ve built the business. It pushed me to create something flexible, efficient and sustainable.

Now that I’ve been running my business for a while and working with clients across different industries, I’m often asked what it’s really like being a VA. The truth? It’s an incredible career option for women who want flexibility and control, but it comes in different forms. Some women thrive building their own VA businesses, others prefer the stability of being part of an established team. Both paths are valid so the key is finding what works for you.

If you’re considering becoming a VA, here are 5 things I wish I’d known before I started!

1. It’s not “just admin”, it’s a career

There’s a misconception that being a VA is just ticking off tasks behind a laptop. In reality, it’s about becoming the right-hand support for entrepreneurs and leaders, helping them keep their businesses running smoothly. Whether you’re working independently or as part of a VA business, you’re building a professional career that’s in high demand.

2. Know your strengths and play to them

A VA doesn’t need to know everything, but you do need to know what you’re good at. For me, it’s organisation, communication and building systems that make life easier for clients. Other VAs are brilliant at social media, bookkeeping or tech. Whether you’re running your own clients or working within a team like mine, being clear on your strengths helps you find the right fit and deliver real value.

3. Boundaries are everything

When I started, I said yes to everything. The result? Stress, late nights and blurred lines between work and home. What I’ve learned is that boundaries aren’t just for business owners, they’re essential for every VA. Clear working hours, realistic turnaround times and sticking to your scope of work are what keep you thriving, not just surviving.

4. Clients want clarity, not just tasks ticked off

The biggest value a VA brings is creating order out of chaos. Business owners don’t just want someone to “do stuff”, they want someone who can step in, see the big picture and keep things moving. That’s true whether you’re working directly with your own clients or supporting them as part of a bigger team. If you can make your client’s life easier and free up their headspace to work on other things, you’ll always be indispensable.

5. You don’t have to do it alone

Working virtually can feel isolating, which is why community and support matter so much. When you’re building your own business, that might mean networking, joining groups or finding a mentor. If you’re part of a VA team, it means having colleagues to bounce ideas off, share knowledge with and feel part of something bigger. One of my goals for The VA Office is exactly that - to create a community of women who can grow, learn, and succeed together.

What I’ve Learned Along the Way

Becoming a VA has given me flexibility, purpose and the ability to design work around my life, not the other way around. For me, that meant starting my own business. For others, it might mean joining a team where the clients, systems and support are already in place. Both paths are valid and both can offer the balance and opportunities that so many women are searching for.

If I could go back and tell myself one thing before I started, it would be this: you don’t need to have it all figured out from day one (no one does!). Whether you’re building your own VA business or working as part of one, the demand for good VAs is only growing. There’s space for women to build meaningful careers in this field that work around their lives, not against them.

// Daisy Primett, Founder of The VA Office