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Laura Nicole: 00:02

Welcome to Your Virtual Assistant Coach, the podcast for moms who want to make money from home on their own terms. I'm your host, Laura Nicole, a successful six-figure earning VA and coach who replaced my college professor's salary in just five months back in 2020 after my daughter was born, and I have never looked back. I'm here to help you build a profitable, flexible VA business that fits into your family's lives so you no longer feel like you're living just to work. Let's dive in. Alrighty, y'all. I asked you guys on my Instagram stories a couple of weeks ago if for my next guest podcast y'all wanted to hear from a current student of my program, the Superstar Assistant Academy, or if you'd want to hear from my VA, Caitlin, who has worked with me for three and a half years now inside of the Superstar Assistant Academy. And while it was a very, very, very tight poll, it kept switching from like 48-52 for each option. Ultimately, we landed on wanting to hear from Caitlin first.

Laura Nicole:  01:05

 So lucky for y'all, I have her here joining me with us today, all the way from freezing cold Alberta, Canada, where they are currently covered in snow while I like a sunny sky in Arizona. And welcome to the podcast, Cait. Thanks. I'm excited to be here. I know. This has kind of been a long time coming. We've thought about doing an episode like this for a while now. Yeah, since the podcast started, really. I know. Crazy. So crazy. Okay. I'm so excited that you're here. I think it's going to be really cool for people to hear not about our working relationship because it's us specifically, but I think it will be cool for women to hear about like working with a client long term because we are a very prime example of that, right? We have been working together for three and a half years, which is a really long time. You know, people ask me all the time, like, could this be a steady income? And I'm like, yeah, it can. Like, this is as long as people work at corporate jobs and nine to five jobs, you know what I mean, before switching somewhere new. So there is a lot of steadiness and stability to be found in this industry when you work with aligned clients that you enjoy, that you can grow with over time, which is what I preach all the time, right? Um, and so I think it will be cool for women to hear how our relationship and your responsibilities and all of the things have developed over the course of that time. Um, because like this is the ultimate goal, right? Is to find clients in this scenario. So before we dive

Laura Nicole: 02:40

 in, I would love for you to give, give the people, right, uh just a little bit of background. Um, you know, what were you doing before becoming a VA? What drove like drew you to VA work? What made you want to have this become your form of income? Like just a little bit so they kind of know where you were coming from before stepping into this space.

Caitlin: 03:02

Yeah, for sure. So I have done honestly a little bit of everything. Um I have a Bachelor of Science in Math, and I with that I had a corporate job and I worked in the restaurant industry for years, and I've done call center jobs, like a little bit dabbled in little bits of everything. Um, but when I became a mom, everything changed, as it does for a lot of us. And I realized that um I needed something that was going to be able to keep me at home with my boys. And at first I didn't realize that that even existed. Like I said for a long time, there isn't a job out there that's going to allow me to do this and actually bring in a good amount of money while using my brain because that Alfender job that I mentioned, I did not use my brain. It was mind coming. So finding VA work was honestly, like I didn't think it existed. So it was like magic when I found you. And um, since then, yeah, I like now I'm able to be at home with my boys and we've shifted into homeschooling them, which I never thought was going to be possible. And through working as a VA, I've exceeded all of the goals that I had for it.

Laura Nicole:  04:17

Well, look at you. I know it's so cool. I I mean, I talk to women all the time who have a similar goal in mind that they're either on maternity leave currently or they are heading in to maternity leave soon and they already are just like, I know I don't want to have to go back. Like, I don't want to, but I need to be making an income. Um, and so it's it's very common and it's really cool to have this opportunity as a way um to create that income so that you don't have to go back, right? Okay, so one question because once I knew that this was going to be the guest podcast we were doing, I also posted a question box on Instagram and was like, all right, those of you who wanted to hear from Caitlin, what questions do you have, right? What things do you really want to hear her talk about? And like 75% of those answers were women wanting to know how you and I ended up working together in the first place. So if you want to share, because you were the one who took the initiative and had you not, then we probably wouldn't be working together now.

Caitlin: 05:25

Um, so I first came across you because I put I was following the decluttered mom, and she posted about you creating the academy. And I you had a masterclass that you were offering, and so I wanted to, I immediately was pulled to watch that. And after watching that masterclass, I signed up for the academy, and things were still like in the really beginning phases. Not all of the modules were in the program yet. You were still working on building. And we started chatting. Um, I was just I just felt pulled to start a conversation with you, get to know you better. And then as we were chatting, it became clear that you were looking for help with the academy. And so I kind of threw it out there that hey, maybe I could help you. And it just worked on both sides, and now here we are.

Laura Nicole: 06:18

Yeah, it's so funny. I honestly had totally forgotten that you were following my sister first. So, those of you who don't know, the decluttered mom on Instagram, that's my older sister Diana. Um, and I totally forgot that piece. So I guess I should send her a thank you text after we record this podcast. That's really funny. What a what a full circle moment. Um, and the other piece of that, people were asking, how did you both ultimately decide it was a good fit? And I know from my side, as because this was my first time being the client, right? I had always been the VA reaching out to business owners to work with. Um, and so it was my first time being on this side of the experience. But honestly, it felt very similar to how I knew I wanted to work with people when I was the VA and they were the client. And I think it's an answer a lot of women aren't going to love because at least for me, it's not a very concrete, like cut and dry. It's not like I was like, oh, she checks this box and checks this box. And like, it wasn't truly like a super logical decision. It was like there was a connection, the communication was easy. You were obviously very interested, very motivated. Um, and this is something, again, y'all have heard me talk about this a lot that when you find those aligned clients, it's not so much a matter of like,

Laura Nicole: 07:45

 does this person check the boxes? Can they do all the things I need? It's like, do I enjoy this person as a human? Are they easy to communicate with? Are they someone who like I like their energy and I would want them to be a part of my business? And so, at least on my end, which honestly part of me too is like three and a half years ago, I can barely remember like what I ate for lunch yesterday. Um, but it it just felt to me on my side like a no-brainer because of how we just clicked on a personal level. And I could tell that like you had a drive to you and that you had the brain to do the things I needed. But more importantly, you know, you had the right personality to blend in with my mission and my goals and and me as a just a human, you know. So maybe there was something that was a little more logical on your side, but for me, it was just kind of a like it just made sense and it was just easy.

Caitlin: 08:39

Yeah, it was very similar on my side. Like as we were talking, the amount of things that we said, oh hey, that's the exact same way that it happened for me. Like in our previous jobs, we were always promoted to manager, and like we have kids that are the same age, and just like all these little things that just it just lined up. And I knew that I was excited about the idea of working for someone that was helping moms better their lives, and with how many problems this solved for me, uh like working as a VA, I knew that being able to help other moms find this too was going to be incredibly fulfilling and that working with you was gonna just line up really well. So yeah, similar thing. It was there was no like check boxes, it just felt right.

Laura Nicole: 09:25

Yeah, absolutely. And in terms of like the types of things that you actually do, right, as my VA, the types of tasks and responsibilities that you have in the business. That was another question people were really curious about was kind of like, what did you start with? What were you doing at the beginning? And kind of how has that changed and evolved over time? Um, and again, y'all, trying to think back three and a half years is like a struggle. I texted Cait and I was like, what the hell did you even do to start? Like, I don't, I literally don't remember because it just feels like a lifetime ago. But I do remember distinctly that we started really small. We started with like two or three hours a week because my business was a baby. Like you said, the program wasn't even finished. It was still in beta. Like I was actively creating the modules for the program. Um, and so I didn't have a big budget. I didn't have, you know, a lot of money to bring in a support team, but I knew how valuable it would be to have somebody helping me as I was kind of in those trenches. So, what do you what do you remember about what you did in those early days where it was two or three hours a week?

Caitlin: 10:35

I mean, I had to go back and look at my notes from then because I couldn't quite remember either. But like when I started working with you, my youngest was three months old. So this like two to three hours a week that I was doing was absolutely perfect for me too. So even that lined up. But in terms of what I was doing, is like you were still recording the modules, and so I would handle the transcription and loading it into Kajabi and helping make the Canvas lives the way you wanted them, and just like little things that came up like that. But yeah, it was pretty minimal at first, which was perfect for my health, and then it's really just like gradually grown since then. Like a couple summers ago, I took over the customer service email and I've been helping with Facebook group moderation and launch support. Like, I'm on the like the master classes at the Discover Your Superstar VA skills. I hop on those calls sometimes too, tracking um like any failed payments that happen. We've got a bunch of spreadsheets to track like new academy signups or how many social media followers you have in all of those spreadsheets. I keep those up to date. I uh update your highlights on Instagram, make sure those are all up to date too, and send out some of the initial reach outs. Like any anyone that follows you on Instagram, I'll send them a new follow message. Anything else comes from you, but I it saves you time to send out those first messages. And um, I also help support in the accelerator, the group coaching program, which I love. I love actually having hands-on, hands-on work that it's actually gonna help these women to.

Laura Nicole: 12:10

Yeah, I mean, you do a lot of just like the consistent behind the scenes things where it's like numbers that need to be tracked. Like I can literally just think about something and drop in and be and send her a text and be like, hey, what is this number at? And like she knows the answer, or we'll find it in like four seconds and send it back to me. Um, which is really nice because my ADHD brain loves to just, you know, have random questions at very random times. But you do a good mix of things, I would say. Like you have a lot of forward-facing responsibilities. You also have a lot of kind of behind the scenes and tracking responsibilities. And from the client point of view, right, being the business owner, again, this is these are all things y'all like, this is just a real life illustration of the things I tell you guys all the time that clients love about having a VA on board, is that I don't have to mess around with the muddy details. I can have access to them to make decisions when I need to make them, but I'm not having to spend the time like actually going into the system and and running the reports and doing all those things. And it's also really nice too because

Laura Nicole: 13:20

 Caitlin has a very healthy pulse on the business. And so when I have an idea or I have a thought, or hey, what if we adjust this? Right? Like she also has a pulse on how things are going, what things are performing well, what things aren't. And so she also serves as like a sounding board to me that I can say, hey, do you think this is a good idea, or like, is this terrible and I should just let it go? Right. Like, and I trust her opinion because she knows my business some in some ways better than I do, right? Because you're in it in the trenches with all the behind the scenes details, which is super, super helpful. And one thing I think would be cool for people to hear too is like, how do we go about adjusting what responsibilities you have or adding new things to your plate? Because it is evolving, right? You have things that you do consistently all the time, but then there's kind of you almost always have like a project going as well, like a new project going as well. Um, so if you want to kind of just share with people what that looks like when I have another idea that I that I want to want to have you do, like how does that actually work in terms of conversation and deciding if it's something you're gonna take on?

Caitlin: 14:43

I mean, the first thing that you do is ask, do I have any interest in taking something else on? And specifically that new thing that you're talking about, and do I have the capacity to take it on? And it's very much a conversation instead of just someone saying, Oh, this is your task now. Like it's I get to decide if I want to do it and if I have the time to do it.

Laura Nicole: 15:05

Yeah, I mean, it's a really good point that not only is it a conversation about if you have an interest in actually doing the work, but if you even have the capacity and the time and the bandwidth to do it, which is so different, right? Than like a nine to five, where it's just like, hey, here's your task, here's something else that you get to do. But it's actually like a mutual decision, right? And that's something that in the VA space, I mean, it's not, it's not just an us thing. Again, this is all an illustration of how things tend to work with most clients. It's how I've experienced it with all of my clients over the past six years. Because it actually doesn't benefit a client to just throw shit on your plate, right? Like it's it's not going to benefit them or their business for them to overload you or give you something that you have no interest in doing because you're probably not going to do a very good job at it, right? If that's the case. And then they're just wasting money. Um, so again, this is like an industry-wide example or an industry-wide thing as to how these conversations are usually handled, um, which is really nice because then you both feel good about what work is being done. And something that we do specifically, I think because we've worked together so long, I would say probably once a quarter, maybe like every four months at the most, but we kind of just do a touch-in conversation of like, hey, how are you feeling? How are you feeling about your tasks? How are you feeling about your hours? How are you feeling about your rate? And like just open a conversation of like, where are we both at? Do we both feel good about our productivity, about the tasks that you have? Is there something I want to take? Is there something you're just hating doing that you want to offload? You know? Um, and I think those conversations are equally as important because we both need to be in a good spot and like feeling fulfilled by the work that we're doing. Yeah, absolutely.

Laura Nicole: 17:06

 And a lot of times those conversations, especially um, I mean, I would say typically it's me who initiates those conversations, um, but you also have as well. And a lot of times those conversations also like they come to mind for me when it's a point where I'm like, Cait's probably due for a raise. Like I should probably be upping her rates uh a little bit. It's been four months or six months or whoever. We don't have like a set time frame. A lot of it tends to be either just once, you know. I I feel like we haven't ever gone more than six months, probably. I don't think so. Since starting. And then a c in a couple of instances, like you had mentioned a couple summers ago, you took over um my customer service email. And like I believe at that point we had recently done a rate increase, but then taking over that task was such a big added responsibility on your plate that it also came with a rate increase, right? It wasn't like a, oh, you just got one, so we're just gonna leave it. It was like, no, that's a big task. Like, that's a big responsibility. So I'm also going to increase your rate. And this is not by any means me tooting my own horn, but I also don't believe you've ever had to ask for a rate increase. Not once.

Caitlin: 18:27

Not once. And there's been like I've had thoughts of like, oh, hey, maybe it is time to like start this conversation. And before I can even do it, you're already initiating.

Laura Nicole: 18:37

Yeah. So I know there's a couple times that you've been like, oh yeah, I was thinking about messaging you this week. And I'm like, nah, I got you. We're here. And that's the same thing in my experience as a VA. Um, I there's only been one client in six years that I had to ask for a rate increase. And honestly, it was just my bad because I wasn't thorough enough in setting like my scope of work when we first started together. And so, like a month in, I was like, holy shit, this is so much more work than I thought. And so I had to, I had to circle back. But with the like very aligned long-term clients I've worked with, I also never had to ask. It was just like they would pay me and I would look and be like, that's too much. And I would text her and be like, yo, you did some crappy math today. And she's like, nope, that's your new rate. And I'm like, oh shit, okay, cool. Right. Like, again, y'all, when you find these aligned clients and they they want you to be happy, right? Like they, it's not just about a budget or a line, like you're not just a line item. Your clients really want to make sure that you're happy and you're feeling adequately rewarded for your work because they want you to be with them long term. Okay, another big thing people wanted to know was um what our working relationship looks like on a daily basis.

Caitlin: 19:58

So our communication is quite frequent, honestly. Like, we chat a lot. That's just because that's what works for us. So we check in a lot, like multiple times during the day. And we have recently started doing like I will send you my priority list for the day, and you'll adjust anything that you think, like, oh, actually, I need this other thing first. Can you switch the order of that or whatever? So that we make sure that we're on the same page with what I'm working on. And I send you like updates as they're done or uh when I'm at a certain step. And then when I reach a point where you uh you are the one that needs to look at something, I will let you know so that you know to pop in there and finish the task out or give me feedback so that I can continue moving forward with it as well.

Laura Nicole: 20:46

Yeah, for sure. And I mean, like you said, we have a pretty consistent back and forth. Like we just text, and every VA handles these types of conversations and their communication in general, but their clients differently. So, even for an example, y'all, I have actually have two VAs. I have another VA who's been with me for a year and a half now. Um, and her and I only communicate in Telegram. But like Cait and I do not communicate in Telegram. We text each other, we're sending voice notes back and forth. It's very casual. It's at like all times of day. Um, and I know some of y'all

Laura Nicole: 21:20

 might hear that and be like, hell no. Like, I don't want that at all. And that's fine. You don't have to set up your communication with your clients that way, right? This is what works for us, and I think it works so well for us, partly because we both have ADHD. And so we love to be able to just like pop a text over whenever something pops into our brain. But we both also know that there's not an expectation of an immediate response. Um, and so that I think helps to keep it very chill. It would be a very different dynamic if I sent a text to you and like within 15 minutes, if you didn't reply, if I was like, Caitlin. Hello? You don't even like that would be very different. Um, but we are just very chill about it. If there's something, I feel like I don't even ever really say, like, hey, can you get back to me on this by X time? If there's something like super urgent, I might. Um, but even when I send a message over, if you see it and you'll be like, oh, hey, I'm with the boys, we're doing co-op for the next three hours. Like, I'll get back to you this afternoon. I'm like, cool, bet. Like, that's fine, right? And the nice thing about the way that we work together specifically is that we both tend to be more of like night people. And so we both do some work throughout the day and get back and forth to each other. But a lot of times in the evening, we're both in and working at the same time. And so it's really nice just to be able to have that kind of back and forth as we're both kind of like in work mode, and that's where our where our brains are, usually after the kids are in bed, hopefully for the night. Both of our kids are not great sleepers, but you know, we're working on it. Which kind of leads me into the next thought, which is someone asked if we have, because of how long, especially we've been working together, if we have a personal relationship as well as a professional relationship, or kind of like where that boundary is.

Caitlin: 23:16

Yeah, I mean, we definitely have a personal relationship as well as professional. Like, you know, we when you go on vacation, I know where you're going, you know like what sports my boys are doing, and you know, we get updates about each other's kids and stuff like that. But yeah, we don't, I think just like the overall vibe of our working relationship is just chill. Like there's not a ton of really stiff boundaries because that's just what works for us.

Laura Nicole: 23:46

Right. And I feel like we have, I feel like we have a very healthy mix of like personal conversation as well as the professional, where it's like, it's very obvious that we both just care about each other as humans, right? Like, yeah, it's not just like a, oh, can Caitlin get this job done for me? It's like, is she happy? Are things going well? Like, I want to hear about the homeschooling. We both have things going on with our kids that we both know about in each other's lives, right? Because those affect our day-to-day life. They affect our motherhood. That affects our capacity with work. And I think it's also really nice because we do both just care about each other as humans too. Like we're very, very willing to give each other grace when either of us is going through a funk. Cait can attest to this. I love a good like week or two-week funk, probably every quarter, where like I just, it's like my brain melts completely for a hot second. And I just I have a hard time showing up and doing all the things, and like she can tell when it's happening because my responses change and my quickness change and my voice notes reduce. And I send more text messages instead of voice notes. And like I'll recognize it and be like, dude, sorry, like give me a couple of days, right? Or if Cait's sick, or if she's just having a tough week, or you know what I mean? Like, life happens. It doesn't stop happening just because we're working together, right? And so I think that's a really cool part of our relationship as well, is that we both are very understanding and there's never like a there's never a um like a guilt or like hanging it over each other's heads, like, why aren't you showing up? Or why didn't you get this done when you were said you're going to? You're

Laura Nicole: 25:35

 like a great example. Cait texted me, was it last night or the night before? And she was like, hey, I wholeheartedly plan on writing this email tonight, but like I'm exhausted. I have a killer headache. I'm wiped out. Like, could I write it tomorrow and send it the next day? And my answer is absolutely like go for it. Like, number one, the world's not gonna burn if I don't send an email out tomorrow morning, right? Like life will be fine, the business will go on. It's not about like pushing and pressure and hard and fast, you know, rule. Like there's always that flexibility. And it goes both ways because there's times where I take too long to get shit back to you, right? And you're like waiting on me, like, hey, Laura, you said you were gonna proof this. Like, I think it was what maybe a month ago, you sent me the same Google link five times because I kept losing it. And I was like, hey, I still need to prove that. Can you send me the link? And you never were like, Laura, I already sent it. You're just like, yep, here you go. And it still took me another two weeks to freaking look at the document, right? And it's like there's just that that grace. And again, I sound like I'm beating a dead horse, but those are the kinds of things, those are examples of why it matters to find clients that you actually just get along with on a human level. Because if you don't, then things like that grace and that flexibility are not going to be there.

Caitlin: 27:01

And or if they are there, they're going to be forced and fake.

Laura Nicole: 27:05

Yeah, which you can tell when that's the case. A hundred percent. Um, okay, someone else asked, How do we handle it if a mistake is made in our work?

Caitlin: 27:19

So that is, I mean, it all depends on how you handle what happens after you realize you made the mistake, you know, like we are all going to make mistakes. Mistakes happen on both ends. And the as long as the person owns up to it and like if the mistake is on my end, I own up to it, and I'm like, hey, this happened, like this is my plan to fix this, and this is my plan to make sure that it doesn't happen again. And then we move on.

Laura Nicole: 27:45

Yeah.

Caitlin: 27:46

There's no like there's no resentment that carries forward through because of it. It's just, oh shoot, that happened. Like, that sucks. Let's move on.

Laura Nicole: 27:54

Yeah. And I think because we both have the ability to acknowledge and like take ownership, like you were saying, um, that that makes it easier to be like, okay, like let's make a plan to make sure we don't repeat this thing again in the future. But I think that is something that's really helpful to allow us to not carry resentment or carry frustration or like let it linger into other parts. Like we truly are able to be like, okay, like it's done, move on, like, you know, and can just move on to the next thing because it's not gonna do either of us any good.

Caitlin: 28:31

Yeah, to linger in it. This is this is one part that we hear a lot of people, a lot of women mention, like, oh, I'm so scared that I'm gonna make a mistake. And it almost feels like like the answer that we gave to this was very short because it's just really not a big deal. Like, yeah, the individual mistakes like can feel like a big deal in the moment, but you just fix it and move on, and that's that. Like, it's really not as much of a thing as people think it's going to be.

Laura Nicole: 28:55

Yeah, especially when you're first starting, right? Like, number one, it's just more likely that you're gonna make mistakes, probably smaller things, and not even necessarily mistakes, but like maybe it just like wasn't done like a hundred percent because you're learning. But truly what clients care more about is not the fact that like the mistake was made. I can tell you from being on both sides of it, that again, just being willing to take ownership and like boss up and be like, yeah, so sorry, that was my bad. If you do make a mistake as a VA, just acknowledging it and apologizing for it goes so far with your clients. And then again, being proactive to say, like, hey, this is what I see I could do differently next time. Like, if we put this parameter or, you know, guardrail in place, it won't happen again. And that shows that you're being proactive, that you're trying to, you know, rectify the mistake and fix it and move forward. But I was thinking as you said it, I was like, man, we should mention because I hear that from women all the time. They're like, I'm so scared to mess up. Like, I'm so scared I'm gonna do something wrong. Yeah, you are. Like, if we're being honest, you are. You're gonna make mistakes. So are your clients. That's life, that's running a business. Like that's any job. Any right, any job. We put so much more pressure on ourselves, I think, as VAs, because it's just us, right? Like, so it feels like we have to be so perfect. But like in reality, at any other job, you make errors all the time, and you don't get fired for them. Well, usually, right? There's exceptions to every rule, but I think it's easy to forget what those experiences are like in other work environments when we become a VA and we're freelancing because we just put so much pressure on ourselves because it's just us. Okay, so we're gonna shift now because that covered most of the questions people had about like our working relationship, and then they had some questions for you. Let's see.

Laura Nicole: 31:00

 Okay, someone asked to have you talk about what it's like to learn your work with a new client. Um, because we haven't touched on this yet, but over the course of our three and a half years working together, I don't think you signed another client until maybe like a year in. And then there was about a year there that you worked with like two other clients on and off.

Caitlin: 31:23

Yeah. So they were more short-term. Um, I think, yeah, the most I ever worked with at one time was you and two other clients, but I think there were four or five in the mix there before that year. Yeah.

Laura Nicole: 31:37

And there was one client that you were with for a while that I feel like was going to be like an ongoing working relationship, but then you made the decision to stop working with her.

Caitlin: 31:50

Yeah, we just weren't as aligned and it just didn't feel right. So I walked away from that one. Um, and that was just very coincidentally when you were looking for more help too. So it was made the decision easy to like do more work with you and walk away from the client that I didn't feel aligned with.

Laura Nicole: 32:07

So yeah. And when you like we were working together, right? And you because at the time, when you first brought on another client as well, I remember having a conversation because you checked in with me first, not as like a get permission, right? Obviously, you don't have to, you're a freelancer. Um, but this is something I always recommend women do too is check in with your current clients first to see if they have anything more that they can give you, right? If you're wanting more hours, if you're wanting more income, start with the people you're already working with and see if they have more. And I didn't at the time. Um, I just didn't, I didn't have the budget for it. I would have loved to give you more, but I didn't have the money to give you more at the time. Um, and so then you went out uh and people were kind of curious how you found those clients and then also just like how you balanced doing the things for me and then like onboarding and learning another person's systems and kind of like balancing that.

Caitlin: 33:10

Right. So yeah, when I had asked you if you had more hours for me and you said that you didn't, um, I think it was like, I don't know, a couple weeks after that you ended up sitting with someone on an airplane and they were chatting about how they needed more help in their business. And you said, Well, hey, I actually have my VA who needs more work. So that just like fell into your lap and you passed it over to me because you were happy to share like how hard I worked for you and how much you're how happy you are with the work that I do. And so I started working with her, and then the other clients were referrals from that second client. So um once you have that first client and you are doing good work for them, the referrals come quite easily from that. I mean, as a general rule, not everybody's gonna have the referrals to hand over like that, but that's how ended up working for me. And for how I balance it all, I knew the whole time working through this process that Laura was my like number one client, that if she had more work, I was gonna do it. She's literally like doing like raising her fist in the hair. But so I knew like I did my work for Laura first and then fit in the rest around it as I could. And I started working with the other clients like pretty minimal hours with them at first, too. So it was easy to balance it all. Um, but yeah, I set my priorities with the clients that I wanted to work with most and then fit the rest in as I could, and it just it ended up working out really well.

Laura Nicole: 34:47

Yeah, and I think the referral point is a good one too. Um, because a lot of women I think feel awkward and they're like, why would I ask my current client for a new client, right? Like that feels weird. It's not in it, and it's a gold mine. Like your clients, because you're working with a business owner, I guarantee you they have a lot of business owner friends, right? Especially when you're working with online business owners, they don't tend to live in a vacuum, right? They online business owners tend to build a support network of other online business owners because there's so much to learn. A lot of us are just kind of like bootstrapping the shit and figuring it out as we go. So having other business owners to bounce ideas off of and like brainstorm, like they know people who probably need help. And again, as long as you're asking the client if they have anything more first, or like it'd be weird to be like, hey, I'm looking for like 10 more hours a week. Do you have a friend that would want to hire me? Like, yeah, that would be weird. But if you're checking with your existing client first and they just don't have anything at the time, ask them for a referral. Ask them if they happen to know anybody who might be needing similar work to what you're doing for them. Um, and again, they might not, but maybe they do, or maybe they don't at the time. And then one of their friends texts them two weeks later and is like, oh my God, I need to get rid of my email. Like, I need someone to do this shit for me. And they can say, Oh my gosh, my VA is looking to take on more hours, right? That happens so frequently. And I know Cait is not the only one who's experienced that. We have a lot of students in the academy who have had that same example, that same experience, right? Where it's like, once you sign that first client and you're wanting to expand, it becomes very easy to get those referrals and like have that bring in business. Um, because it also is already giving you some extra credibility, right? Like when I, that's

Laura Nicole: 36:45

 funny, my memory really does suck because I totally forgot that conversation on the plane. 100% forgot it. But it definitely happened, right? And so when that potential client connected with you, you already had a level of credibility because I vouched for you and gave her examples of all the things you do to make my life easier, etc. And so it was a warmer connection instead of a cold connection, which goes um a really long way. Oh, okay. And then because I know, like you, and we didn't like talk about your clients in like great detail or anything, but I knew who you were working with, right? And just kind of chatted, like, hey, I signed a new client. This is what they do. And I was interested too, because again, we have a personal relationship as well. So I was like, oh, who are they? What do they do? Like, that's cool. I want to check them out. Let me go see. Um, and your clients at the time where you did have several on your roster, we offered different things, right? Like our businesses were very different things, um, different services, different products, different niches. And so I'm curious if you noticed a difference in how much you enjoyed working with the different clients based on obviously like your alignment with them on a human level, but also just your interest in their business and what what they were offering, who they were helping, etc.

Caitlin: 38:16

It was a bit of a variety. Um, like the a few, a few of them that I worked like less hours with overall. Like I the plan was to work for them like short term. Um, they had very interesting businesses. All of them were uh geared towards helping women improve their lives in some way. Um, one of them was a coach that was helping women deal with menopause. And so that was very interesting to me because uh, you know, obviously hopefully not in the near future, but in the future. Um so I learned things from them that I otherwise wouldn't have learned. Some of them were like I don't think any of their businesses were things that I thought, oh, I'm you know, not terribly interested in that because I just wouldn't have worked with them. Um but some of them were more that I didn't connect with them personally as much and I didn't enjoy working with them because of that. But each of their businesses were pretty interesting and geared towards helping women. So that is one of my favorite parts of working with you as well, and so those parts of it were still enjoyable too.

Laura Nicole: 39:34

And how freaking cool is it that like if you just end up working with someone and you're like, okay, maybe it's not the best fit that like you can just stop working with them. Like you can just stop working with them and go find someone else who you do enjoy working with more. Like, how nice is that? You don't have to deal with like the toxic ass coworker or the micromanage boss, like you can just change it. Cool, right? Like how freaking empowering.

Caitlin: 40:04

Yeah, it really, really is like, oh, this isn't working for me anymore, so I'm gonna move on. That is that's the whole thing.

Laura Nicole: 40:11

Okay, so shifting to some challenges. Someone asked um what the biggest challenge for Cait was to overcome. Um, so like when you started VA work and shifting into having this be the way that you earn income, what was or has been the biggest challenge for you to manage?

Caitlin: 40:34

Um, the biggest challenge has been fitting everything in as my kids' schedules change. Like when I first started working with you, my youngest was three months old. Now he is three and a half. Like those are very different stages, obviously. So trying to fit everything in as their lives change and their activities change. And you know, we started homeschooling this year, and I had to figure out what that looked like along with everything else. So fitting all of the like just making the schedule work to the point where it was benefiting everybody. I was getting the work done without being drained. And there were times where I didn't have the schedule that was working for me, and I would end up working until past the time where I wanted to be sleeping, and so then I would shift it and try something else and see if that worked. And just managing that all alongside getting diagnosed with ADHD over the summer, like trying to manage all that. Um but even then it's like that just goes back to the understanding and the grace, you know, like if I'm working really late one night and I'm thinking like I prioritize what I need to do that day. And if I don't get to the rest of the list, I let you know, and you're like, okay, well, we'll try again tomorrow. But trying to get a good system that fits within all those different seasons has been the hardest, I think.

Laura Nicole: 42:00

Yeah, I experienced that too early on as a VA. I would say it took me a good, probably two to three years, honestly, to like really figure it out. Cause also Little Miss was five months old to even from five months old to a year old, right? Like totally different ballgame in terms of what's required of you as a mom. Um, and I don't know if this has been the case for you, but like, and I I know it sounds cheesy as hell when I say it, but there were times when it was honestly hard for me to stop working and like have that boundary, even though it was time for me to stop and like I should be shifting into mom mode at home. It was physically hard to like put the work away because I was like in it, like I was like I was on a project, or there was like that adrenaline going with it, and I just enjoyed what I was doing so much. And because I could do it from home, and I could do it from anywhere, that sometimes it was actually really hard for me to create a boundary. I mean, honestly, I still I still struggle with it now in terms of my business, right? Where it's like it's a blessing to be able to do this from anywhere, but also sometimes when you do it from home all the time, it can be kind of hard to like really create a separation and have that boundary. I don't know if you've experienced that.

Caitlin: 43:20

Oh, yeah, absolutely. Especially like with some of the projects that I've worked on for you. Like I get really invested into it. And like, I mean, there's that hyper-focus side of the ADHD that comes into play there too. Um, but like, how cool is that that for what I do for work actually allows me to get into that hyperfocus state? Like, I don't think that in any previous job that would have been true.

Laura Nicole: 43:43

Right. Because you're like, oh, this is actually fun. Like, let me and then I can do this, and then I can do this, and then it will be even better. Yeah, it's fun. And you had mentioned too um, you know, that idea again of just like having the flexibility and giving each other grace and Most days, um, and again, I'll just attribute this to our cumulative ADHD, but most days you and I both make maybe a lofty list of things that we'd like to get done, right? And I think it's rare that either of us ever actually accomplish everything on our list every day. So we just know there's like a rollover, right? But the fact that we re-prioritize, um, not necessarily every day, but like every couple days, it's like, okay, I'm working on this. What are you working on? Where are we at on it together? But also because we both give a damn about each other as people, like there's been times where I'll check in and like you're messaging me about something at midnight, and I'm like, bro, you just said two weeks ago that you were gonna try to stop working at 10. Like, what are you doing? And you're like, I know, but X, Y, and Z. And I'm like, close it. Like, close it, go to bed. Or, you know, two nights ago, because we both, y'all, we both do this. It's a battle. You would think as grown-ass adults, we could just like make ourselves go to bed when we're supposed to, but we don't. Well, two, maybe three nights ago, you had sent me a text and I hearted it at like 11 o'clock, and your response was like “aren't you supposed to be off your phone?” And I was like “Okay, I just hearted it. I didn't actually do anything with it, chill out”. But it's being able to know each other and respecting the boundaries that both of us are trying to set, right? Because they are in flux all the time, they're changing all the time depending on our kids and our schedules and what life is throwing at us. Um, but the fact that we both respect what the other person is trying to establish in terms of boundaries, I think is a really nice aspect of it as well. So you mentioned earlier, too, that as of this year, you started homeschooling both of your boys. And something we haven't mentioned, or you haven't mentioned so far, too, is that y'all love to camp. Okay. And here's the cool thing, y'all. Cait and I are actually very different people in a lot of ways. But we're very similar in a lot of other ways. Like her dream trip is like road tripping across Canada with a trailer and like camping for a month. And I'm like, absolutely the fuck not. Like, you're not gonna find me in the woods with no Wi-Fi with like bears. Like, it's not gonna happen, right? Like, I'm gonna be in like a nice hotel with a cushy bed, right? So we don't have to be like the same person to like we I think we balance each other too in a lot of ways. Um, but I know that that is something having that freedom. So I would love for you to just kind of elaborate for people listening, how making this shift into VA work, how that has affected the way that you get to tap into parts of life that you enjoy that fill your cup, the way it's affected your motherhood, this ability to homeschool. Because I think, and I, you know, it's true for me, and I would, I'm not gonna speak for you, you can tell me if I'm wrong. But I would think too that if you had pictured what life would be like as a mom prior to finding this, you never in a million years would have thought that this is what it could actually look like and be like on even a day-to-day basis. Um, so yeah, just would love your thoughts on that jumbled map mix of a question I just asked you.

Caitlin: 47:24

Yeah, so this was actually like the motherhood that I always wanted. I didn't, I had no idea how I was going to make it possible. But when I was growing up, my mom worked from home too. And she very hers was very structured. She had to work a certain amount of hours at certain times. Um, but I just always knew that that's what I wanted for my motherhood as well. And I had this dream that it would be more flexible and I would have more control, and that's exactly where we are now. Like, I that's what I always wanted, but I didn't think that it was possible. So that shift has been incredible. Like we have done uh three like month-long road trips with our trailer and our two dogs and our two boys and all the chaos that that brings. And instead of having to try and figure out vacation time and all of the things that go along with that, I just bring my work with me. And it's also not like working on those trips is not a pain in the ass. Like I work when we're driving when we have service, or I have very specific times. Like, if if we're not out exploring that day, I will stay back at the trailer while my husband takes the boys to the playground, and we still get to do these big, crazy, amazing trips without it being a struggle. And that has been absolutely amazing. Um my family has a cottage out on an island, and we get to go spend time there, and I get to work from there because there's Wi-Fi from there. And literally, we can just do whatever we want with our summers, and it's it's really incredible. I always wanted it, didn't know that it was possible. Um, and the ability to homeschool, like we even after homeschooling this year, I realized how much of a good fit it is for our family and how much of a struggle public school would be. And so knowing that now and knowing that the VA work has made that possible, like I literally I don't even have words for it. Like it's just amazing.

Laura Nicole: 49:35

Yeah, I know we have a lot of women who listen to this or who, you know, follow on Instagram or any of the things. I talk to women all the time who either do homeschool but also want to create an income, or they want to homeschool and they're like, but I don't know how to do it, right? Because like I don't know how I still need to make money. And a lot of y'all who are students of the academy um who are doing what you're doing now and homeschooling and able to fit this work in and bring in the income as well, which is really cool. Also, that's another big way we're different because holy guac, I could never homeschool. Never in a million years. Number one, she would not be smart because I can't teach science or math or any of the things. It would be a gong show. And number two, I just don't have the patience. So kudos to all you moms who have the patience for that. Cause not here. Not here. Um, okay, last question is how long do we think we'll work together?

Caitlin: 50:46

I mean, is there an end in sight?

Laura Nicole: 50:49

As long as the academy exists or evolves or whatever, right? Like, I truly don't people have asked me that before. They're like, oh, like, do you think you'll, you know, will that change this and that? And I'm like, I would curl up in a ball and just cry in a corner, probably, if I lost Cait. Like, obviously, if life took her elsewhere and that was important, like, okay, I'll, you know, I'll lick my wounds, I'll figure it out. But at the same time, it's like, this is why it's so, so, so good to find these clients that you want to work with for literally years to come, right? Like, we're both in our 30s. We got a lot of life left to live. We both have a lot of motherhood to live and a lot of things we want to do and accomplish. I feel like it's cool that we get to accomplish those things working together, whether it's on the business front or being able to see these changes in our parenting and you know, the experiences that we get to have with our spouses, with our kids, all the things is super cool. So you're pretty much stuck with me forever. And no, yeah, right back at you. Like, because I'll I would literally just cry in a corner. It would be so bad. Don't I really put you? Deal. All right, we're both in it. We're in it to win it. We're in it for the long haul. Awesome. Well, this was phenomenal. Thank you for coming to hang out. Hopefully, those of y'all listening, um, you know, it hopefully it's just cool and you know, interesting to hear about our working relationship, but also see y'all again. These are things that are truths across the board. If you are finding the right kind of clients to work with, like this experience, our experience as a unit working together is not an exception to the rule. I have had so many relationships like this where I was the VA with my client. It's all about the type of people that you choose to work with and setting yourself up to be in a position that you can have a working relationship like this. Um, but like it's great, obviously, like phenomenal. We have a great working relationship, but we are not like a unicorn. Like it is very common that this is the type of relationship that exists between client and VA. And there's that level of appreciation and you know, grace and flexibility and all those things, which just makes it an even better, in my mind, an even better way to choose to make your money because it's actually enjoyable. Weird. Imagine that. Exactly. A way to make money that's like fun.

Caitlin: 53:38

Yeah, yeah. Like when I see your name pop up on my phone, I'm not going like, oh, what does she want now? I'm like, oh, what is what does this say?

Laura Nicole: 53:46

Yeah.

Caitlin: 53:46

Exactly. The evenings where I'm like, I'm not working tonight. I'm like, oh, but if this person gets into the academy, you have to text me.

Laura Nicole: 53:54

Like, and there's even been times where you're like, man, I was having a shit day. And then you sent me X, Y, and Z or like some update, and you're like, now I'm in a good mood. Like I was able to switch my brain into this mode and like work on a project that I'm excited about, and like now I'm in a better mood. Now my day is better, right? Like, it's just so cool that this is that it's an option, that it's a way to support your family, but also like do something for you that you enjoy. And that's why obviously I'm passionate about helping other moms find this too. You are as well. Um, and without your help, we would never have reached as many moms as we have. So appreciate you. Thank you. And let's continue to go get shit done. Deal. Deal. Thanks for hanging out with me today on your virtual assistant coach. If you love this episode, be sure to share it with your best friend, your sister, or even your favorite coworker who you know wants to start making a flexible income. I'll see you all next time.