Should you offer discounts or free work as a virtual assistant?

It feels like a strategic move at first, doesn’t it? You think maybe offering a free trial or a discounted rate will help you land your first few clients.

You imagine those clients being so impressed with your work that they’ll stay on, pay full price later, and send you referrals.

But does it really work like that? What do you think?

Time to look at this with a fresh perspective - in this episode I want you to get a clear, confident answer to this question - and more importantly, a pricing approach that supports your long-term success, not just your short-term comfort.

Because that’s really what wanting to work for free is all about.

Confidence comes from charging what you’re worth. It comes from setting boundaries. It comes from building a business that actually supports your life. It comes from a strategy and daily actions that work to get you clients.

And if you don’t know how to do that yet—that’s okay. That’s what I’m here for.

If this is something you’ve been struggling with, if you’ve been offering free work, undercharging, or second-guessing your prices, let’s fix that together.

If you need support to move faster and with more clarity, I’m here…

It’s the only reason I’m here at all, is to help you become a ridiculously VA. Drop me a DM to chat about where you are stuck. I’m on all the social media channels, so find me where you are. Or go to YourVAMentor.com/links to connect with me.

We can work together to look at your pricing, packages, and positioning, and we align everything to the business you want to build.

No guesswork. No fear-based decisions. Just clear steps and real confidence.

And great clients!!!

You deserve better than “just getting by.” Let’s build something stronger for you - and for your clients.

I’m Tracey D’Aviero, The Confidence Coach for VAs - and I’ll see you next time!

What is the illusion that readiness creates?

Let’s get something clear right from the start: “Feeling ready” is a myth. It’s not a real thing. It’s a feeling.

But it’s not a milestone you suddenly arrive at. It’s not a box you check off. It’s not something you get handed after watching 10 webinars or reading a few books. It’s an illusion. And the longer you wait for it, the longer you stay stuck.

What you actually need is courage and a decision. That’s it.

It’s easy to think you need more training, a better website, more confidence, or even more time before you can truly start your business or move it forward.

But what you're actually doing is using “not ready” as a shield. A form of protection. If you never launch, you never fail. If you never promote yourself, no one can judge you.

But the flip side? You never grow. You never help anyone. And you certainly don’t build the VA business you say you want.

I’ve seen it over and over again with the VAs I coach, and I’ve experienced it myself.

I remember struggling to have the VA business that I wanted.

I took every course I could find (free of course), and I kept adding to my arsenal of learned stuff.

I didn’t really set goals, because I didn’t feel ready.

I didn’t do any networking, because I didn’t feel ready.

I didn’t promote my business, because I wasn’t quite …. ready.

Well, I’m here to tell you now that the longer you stay your own little secret, the more you will struggle.

Stop waiting, and start being a ridiculously good virtual assistant.

If you need support to move faster and with more clarity, I’m here…

It’s the only reason I’m here at all, is to help you become a ridiculously VA. Drop me a DM to chat about where you are stuck. I’m on all the social media channels, so find me where you are. Or go to YourVAMentor.com/links to connect with me.

Let’s talk about something that’s not acknowledged enough in the VA world, but that’s almost always at the root of the biggest struggle new and growing virtual assistants face.

You’re not getting hired. Not because you’re not talented or capable. But because your confidence hasn’t caught up to your potential yet.

There’s a reason this episode is called Confidence First, Clients Second.

Because it’s the truth. Your confidence is the foundation and everything else flows from that.

Without it, you’re going to hesitate, procrastinate, and undercharge.

You’ll be afraid to promote yourself, unsure how to talk to potential clients, and second-guess every decision you make.

And when that kind of energy shows up in your business, it’s also what potential clients pick up on, even if you don’t realize it.

Now, I want to be really clear here. This doesn’t mean that you have to feel 100% confident before you can land your first client. That comes with experience.

But if you’re stuck in a place where you’re doing all the things... posting content, scrolling job boards, applying to RFPs, and nothing is working, the issue probably isn’t strategy. It’s probably YOU.

If you’re struggling to get clients right now, I want you to take an honest look at how you’re showing up. Are you confident?

Clients are secondary. Confidence is the starting line. That’s the shift that turns effort into results.

Believe in you and your clients will too.

Remember that quote we started with: With confidence, you have won before you have started. Approach each conversation you have as that winner! That's your key.

If you need help finding your confidence I can help.

It's the only reason I'm here at all is to help you become a ridiculously good VA.

Reach out to me on social media to chat. Let’s have that conversation where I can make that light bulb come on for you, to remind you of how amazing you are!

And if you want to work with me, check out all of the ways you can do that, from free stuff to private coaching options at YourVAMentor.com/links

Thanks for tuning in this week, I’m Tracey D’Aviero The Confidence Coach for VAs - I’ll see you next time!

Let’s talk about money. More specifically, your rates. If you’re still charging the same hourly rate you started with, this episode is going to give you the confidence boost you need to raise your prices and own your value.

You’ve likely heard this quote before. Warren Buffett said, “Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.” And that mindset is exactly what we’re digging into today.

We'll begin with something that might be hard to hear.

When you undercharge, it hurts more than just your bank account. It affects how you show up. It chips away at your confidence. And it attracts the kind of clients who don’t really see the value in what you do.

When you price yourself too low, it sends a message — not just to clients, but to yourself. That message says, “I’m not sure I’m worth more.”

And over time, that becomes a belief. A belief that you’re only capable of earning a certain amount. A belief that clients won’t pay more. A belief that you have to hustle harder just to stay afloat.

In this episode we talk about how to reframe the way you think about your prices, and how to communicate an increase to your clients.

I can help you through this whole process.

It’s the only reason I’m here at all, is to help you become a ridiculously good Virtual Assistant.

Reach out to me on social media to chat. Make me one of your daily conversations this week! I’m exciting to help you get to where you want to go.

And if you want to work with me, check out all of the ways you can do that, from free stuff to private coaching options at YourVAMentor.com/links

Thanks for tuning in this week, I’m Tracey D’Aviero The Confidence Coach for VAs - I’ll see you next time!

That’s it for today. Now go raise those rates.

Today I want to talk about what to focus on in your first 90 days as a VA - and what to ignore (for now!).

And even if you are already in business, this episode will serve as a reference to you to ensure that you are focusing on the right things.

When you're just starting out as a virtual assistant, everything can feel urgent.

You might have a mile-long to-do list, a dozen tabs open in your browser all the time, and your mind might be spinning - trying to figure out where to begin.

It’s really easy to fall in the trap of doing all the things, all at once, but that’s exactly what can slow you down.

Let’s walk through what your first 90 days should really look like.

Because there are just a few things that matter in those early weeks, and a whole bunch that can absolutely wait.

The biggest mistake new virtual assistants make in those first 90 days: focusing on the wrong things.

In this episode we'll talk about what's important to get you started, get you moving, and what will help you start to get great clients.

I can help you set up your plan to get it done.

It’s the only reason I’m here at all, is to help you become a ridiculously good Virtual Assistant.

Reach out to me on social media to chat. Make me one of your daily conversations this week! I’m exciting to help you get to where you want to go.

And if you want to work with me, check out all of the ways you can do that, from free stuff to private coaching options at YourVAMentor.com/links

Thanks for tuning in this week, I’m Tracey D’Aviero The Confidence Coach for VAs - I’ll see you next time!

If you’ve ever found yourself wondering why you keep landing clients who don’t value your skills, your time, or your expertise, you might need to revisit how you position yourself, how you communicate your value, and how you negotiate your role in your client’s business.

That's why today I want to talk about what high-level clients actually look for in a VA. And I’ll tell you right now, it’s not what you think.

It’s not about being the fastest or the cheapest.

It’s not about saying yes to everything or being available 24/7.

It’s definitely not about how many software tools you’ve used or whether you’ve done the exact same thing for someone else.

It’s about something deeper.

Something that, once you understand it, can completely change the types of clients you attract and the way they treat you. And it starts with knowing the difference between low-end clients and high-level ones.

Let’s start there!

And if you’re looking for more support in building a confident and profitable VA business, check out my programs and services on my website - the link in in the show notes but you can go to YourVAMentor.com/links for everything I do.

Thanks for tuning in to this episode - be sure to share it with a VA colleague if you think they would find it valuable.

That’s all I’ve got for you this week. I’ll see you next time!

First things first I want to say welcome to episode 150!! I'm so proud to have started this podcast back in July 2022, and I've come to you at least once a week since then. I've only missed a couple! So yay me and yay you too, I so appreciate you continuing to tune in every week. If you weren't here, I probably wouldn't be either!

Today I want to talk about attending business events to grow your VA business.

Getting out to business events is always going to be the number one way for you to get clients, become a better business owner, and even just enjoy your business more!

Now, when you hear the word “event,” you might immediately picture an expensive conference at a hotel, or maybe you think about sitting in a virtual Zoom room with your camera off, feeling awkward.

But here’s the thing. Events come in all shapes and sizes. Whether they’re virtual or in-person, free or paid, big or small, they can give you a real energy boost and a clear path to grow your business.

So in this episode, we’re going to walk through why attending events matters, how to choose the ones that are worth your time, and how to make the most of them once you’re there.

And if you’re looking for more support in building a confident and profitable VA business, check out my programs and services on my website - the link in in the show notes but you can go to YourVAMentor.com/links for everything I do.

Thanks for tuning in to this episode - be sure to share it with a VA colleague if you think they would find it valuable.

That’s all I’ve got for you this week. I’ll see you next time!

In today’s episode, we are jumping in to an unexpected source of business wisdom - The Pitt, the new medical drama on Max, or Crave here in Canada.

It’s one of our indulgences, and as I always tell you, look for business lessons in your everyday life - so that’s where this is coming from.

Are you watching The Pitt? It’s the new medical show starring Noah Wyle who was Dr. John Carter on ER. It’s super fast paced and exciting - well, maybe exciting is the wrong word to describe it, but it is interesting, shocking, sentimental and a whole lot more, all wrapped up in one.

If you aren’t watching it, you have watched medical dramas before, I’m sure. So you can liken these lessons to the show that you did watch - but if you aren’t watching The Pitt, you should check it out- I highly recommend it!

I know, you might be thinking, “What does a fast-paced emergency department have to do with running a virtual assistant business?” Well, surprisingly, quite a lot!

Just like in the ER, as VAs, we need to be adaptable, focused, and always learning. Okay I do understand that it’s not life and death, what we do, but there are still some very important lessons that we can draw on from the two industries.

So today I’m going to break down 10 lessons from The Pitt that you can apply to your VA business right now. Let’s get into it!

Which of these lessons resonates with you the most? I’d love to hear your thoughts! Send me a message or connect with me on social media.

And if you’re looking for more support in building a confident and profitable VA business, check out my programs and services on my website - the link in in the show notes but you can go to YourVAMentor.com/links for everything I do.

Thanks for tuning in to this episode - be sure to share it with a VA colleague if you think they would find it valuable.

That’s all I’ve got for you this week - But really, go check out The Pitt. It’s so good - and season one is nearly over!

I’ll see you next time!