How to Make a Smooth Transition Into Virtual Assistance

One of the keys to my success as a Virtual Assistant is that when I first made the decision to start my business, I mapped out a detailed transition plan. I’ve always been a “checklist”, “step-by-step” kind of person and although I didn’t entirely know or understand everything I needed to do, having a plan was a source of comfort to me. My transition plan changed and evolved over time, but it served as my road map towards getting my business up and running. And looking back I can see how having a plan kept me from feeling overwhelmed with all of the tasks I had in front of me.

Following are a list of 8 tips that will help you in creating and moving forward with your own transition plan:

1. Set a date to start your business and stick to it! But, be reasonable. Take a good look at everything going on in your life and set a goal that you can easily achieve.
2. Make sure your financial matters are in order (health insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, taxes, retirement plan, etc).
3. Decide on your daily, weekly, monthly schedule for giving attention to your business and stick to it.
4. Review your plan regularly and make adjustments as needed, but don’t hinder yourself by striving for perfection. Good is good enough! You can always make improvements later.
5. When you decide to quit your job, be sure to give plenty of notice. Be honest about what you’re doing. You may very well find your first client in your current office.
6. Maintain your budget and spend wisely. Don’t buy things for the business you don’t need. (i.e. expensive stationary, laser printer, etc.)
7. Don’t become discouraged if things don’t progress at lightning speed! Be happy with steady progress.
8. Don’t undermine your progress by second-guessing yourself. You’ve made the decision to become a successful Virtual Assistant. Own your decision, stick with it and trust your instincts.

Starting your business can seem like a daunting task at first, but it doesn’t have to be. Focusing on achieving just a few goals at a time and breaking large projects into small bite sized chunks will help tremendously.

I’d love to hear about your plan and how it’s working for you. Drop me a note at Questions@EAtoVA.com and share your story with me!