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This episode, Cydelle is joined by Virtual Assistant & Virtual Assistant Coach, Michelle Eshelman. With over 13 years of experience in Administrative and Customer Service roles, when Michelle learned that she was pregnant with her first son Ryan, in 2020, she decided to put her knowledge and experience to good use by becoming a Virtual Assistant. Her ongoing mission is to help as many people as possible.  Cydelle and Michelle talk about ways to stand out by being organic and not just some cookie cutter VA.  What you will learn in this episode: Ways to assert your boundaries from the beginning of a working relationship How every role you have prior to becoming a Virtual Assistant provides you with excellent, transferable skills that you can draw on Why paid training is beneficial at the start of your VA journey How to have a real work life balance as a Virtual Assistant by building a business that works for you You never stop learning as a Virtual Assistant This episode forms part of our VA Diaries series, where we dig into the careers of Virtual Assistants who have made the transition from employed business support roles, to the heady heights of self-employment as a VA, and explore how they found themselves in the online space. Connect with Michelle on IG @outdoor_chell or on Facebook Michelle is offering courses and mini courses to Virtual Assistants who are struggling to get their business off the ground as well as anyone wanting guidance in getting started in the Virtual Assistant world. “Basics 101 Intro to the VA World” is soon to launch. Follow Michelle to find out more. Like it? Please leave a comment, follow the pod, and share! ---------- Virtual Duality is brought to you by FromPAtoVA.com the Global Empowerment Hub from Cydelle Stewart, for Aspiring & Emerging Virtual Assistants (VAs). Visit. Download. Invest. Excel.  Connect with us on IG @FromPAtoVADotCom

This episode, Cydelle is joined by Virtual Assistant & Founder of The VA Lounge, Hayley Hudson. Hayley launched her VA business at the height of the pandemic and has spent the last 2 years building a sustainable offering that kicks entrepreneurs into productivity, in a proactive, dynamic way. Loving every minute of being part of the VA industry, Hayley is a keen advocate that one-size does not fit all, and she’s enjoying trailblazing the virtual world, on her own terms. January 2021 saw her launch The VA Lounge, a supportive, collaborative network that steers fellow VAs and business owners on a similar path.  Cydelle and Hayley discuss the options available for VAs when it comes to growth and how a sustainable business is the key to creating the lifestyle that you really want.   What you will learn in this episode: The best ways to transition from employee, to self employed Virtual Assistant Why it’s necessary to do a little homework before becoming a VA and what to avoid How networking and collaboration over competition with other Virtual Assistants is a great way to build your knowledge, reputation and client base How learning new technology can help you to determine your niche   This episode forms part of our VA Diaries series, where we dig into the careers of Virtual Assistants who have made the transition from employed business support roles, to the heady heights of self-employment as a VA, and explore how they found themselves in the online space. Connect with Hayley on her Website, on IG @hudson.admin.support, on LinkedIn or on Facebook Find out more about Hayley’s group The VA Lounge Hayley is hosting The Big VA Meet-up on Thursday 24th March. Find out more via Hayley’s social media channels Like it? Please leave a comment, follow the pod, and share! ---------- Virtual Duality is brought to you by FromPAtoVA.com the Global Empowerment Hub from Cydelle Stewart, for Aspiring & Emerging Virtual Assistants (VAs). Visit. Download. Invest. Excel.  Connect with us on IG @FromPAtoVADotCom

In this episode, Cydelle is joined by Founder & Director of RH Brand Building, Rachel Humphrey. With over 15 years’ PR experience across consumer brands, Rachel builds brands for progressive, digital businesses and develops clear messaging for their unique stance in the market by delivering powerful and thoughtful strategic PR plans for long-term brand credibility that is relevant to inclusive and diverse audiences. Rachel is also an Associate Lecturer at the London College of Fashion, leading sessions on organic demand and often focusing on her expertise in beauty subscription and community building. When Rachel embarked on sourcing a Virtual Assistant, she knew what she needed and looked to a professional to take her and her business to the next level. Rachel and Cydelle talk about all things process. What you will learn in this episode: Why a solid infrastructure coupled with clear and consistent processes can help clients to decide that you are the right fit for them and their business The broad range of support that a business owner may need from a VA How, as a Virtual Assistant, you are integral in shaping a business owners professional and personal life, by increasing your client’s bandwidth The benefits of building a relationship with clients through effective communication, rather than simply completing tasks   This episode forms part of our VA Hirer series, where we speak with VA hirers about the ins and outs of what decisions they took to find and onboard the right VA for them. Connect with Rachel on her Website or on IG @rhbrandbuilding Like it? Please leave a comment, follow the pod, and share! ---------- Virtual Duality is brought to you by FromPAtoVA.com the Global Empowerment Hub from Cydelle Stewart, for Aspiring & Emerging Virtual Assistants (VAs). Visit. Download. Invest. Excel.  Connect with us on IG @FromPAtoVADotCom

In this episode, Cydelle is joined by Virtual PA, Rachael Dalton. Rachael Dalton is an Executive level Virtual PA specialising in Business and Personal Lifestyle support, to High Net Worth Individuals (HNWI). As an Executive PA for over 14 years to the CEO & Senior Partner of a world leading hedge fund, Rachael is familiar with working in exciting, high-pressure, fast-paced environments. However, following the growth of her family, she sought a better work life balance and decided to branch out as a Virtual PA. This episode forms part of our VA Diaries series, where we dig into the careers of Virtual Assistants who have made the transition from employed business support roles, to the heady heights of self-employment as a VA, and explore how they found themselves in the online space. Rachael and Cydelle discuss a broad range of online business areas, from finding and managing your clients, to key things you need to know when working as a Virtual Assistant.   What you will learn in this episode: How to transition into a self employed, virtual role, after years in employment The benefits of building a network and client base from your existing contacts Why it is so important to trust your instincts when selecting new clients Key things that can help you create a sustainable Virtual Assistant business, whilst setting yourself apart from the crowd Why you should build a network of other VAs around yourself   Connect with Rachael on her Website, on IG @RachaelDalton or on LinkedIn Like it? Please leave a comment, follow the pod, and share! ---------- Virtual Duality is brought to you by FromPAtoVA.com the Global Empowerment Hub from Cydelle Stewart, for Aspiring & Emerging Virtual Assistants (VAs). Visit. Download. Invest. Excel.  Connect with us on IG @FromPAtoVADotCom

In this episode, Cydelle is joined by Digital Marketing Virtual Assistant, Shiela Pialago. Shiela Pialago is a Digital Marketing VA from the Philippines, mostly serving the healthcare and tech industries, for the last 10 years. Shiela is also host of virtual career-focused show, The Rockstar VA Podcast, which aims to help Virtual Assistants, freelancers and business owners, by addressing concerns on professional rapport and providing real-time, real-life insights on the ever-changing dynamics of online communications.  With it, she shares tips that help internet-based connections and relationships, to achieve longevity and stability. During this episode that forms part of our VA Diaries series, where we dig into the careers of Virtual Assistants who have made the transition from employed, business support roles to the heady heights of self-employment as a VA and explore how they found themselves in the online space, Cydelle and Shiela discuss all things remote working and virtual business support. Shiela shares how she got started as a Virtual Assistant, how her career has developed over the last decade and why she is so passionate about the virtual business support industry.   What you will learn in this episode: Why your professional title can differ depending on your audience The importance of working in your Zone of Genius to bring out the best for your clients How to use professional development to stand out from the crowd What going the extra mile with existing clients can do to help to grow your client base Why communicating your value and rates should not be tied to your self worth Season 2 of Shiela's podcast, The Rockstar VA Podcast, is currently streaming on Spotify. Tune in now and listen back to Cydelle’s episode that was broadcast in 2021.  Connect with Sheila on her Website, on IG @ShielaPialago or on LinkedIn Like it? Please leave a comment, follow the pod, and share! ---------- Virtual Duality is brought to you by FromPAtoVA.com the Global Empowerment Hub from Cydelle Stewart, for Aspiring & Emerging Virtual Assistants (VAs). Visit. Download. Invest. Excel.  Connect with us on IG @FromPAtoVADotCom

In this episode, Cydelle is joined by Co-Founder of Niche on Demand, Consultant, Executive Producer and Board Trustee, Zena Tuitt. Zena, a former PA herself, is a change agent with more than 20 years creative business experience spanning professional services, financial services, publishing, television, film and theatre. Cydelle explores Zena’s experiences of hiring a Virtual Assistant for her business, an essential commodity that Zena says she now could not live without!  This is a fascinating opportunity to get inside the mind of a VA hirer - who also has life experience of working within Business Support - to hear first-hand exactly what a VA hirer is seeking and what you, as a potential VA hire, can do to stand out to win clients.   What you will learn in this episode: How communication can cultivate a successful Client/Virtual Assistant relationship Why a VA is a strategic business partner rooted in skill and knowledge transfer, not hierarchical How to use your own business model as a portfolio Why managing expectations enhances a great Client/VA working relationship Why industry knowledge is not as important as you may think Zena has very generously offered listeners of our podcast career coaching. For more information, book a Discovery Call and be sure to mention the Virtual Duality Podcast.  Connect with Zena on her Website or on LinkedIn Like it? Please leave a comment, follow the pod, and share! ---------- Virtual Duality is brought to you by FromPAtoVA.com the Global Empowerment Hub from Cydelle Stewart, for Aspiring & Emerging Virtual Assistants (VAs). Visit. Download. Invest. Excel.  Connect with us on IG @FromPAtoVADotCom

In this episode, Cydelle is joined by two more members of the Onit! Communications team, Jo Mower and Laura Mitchell. This episode is part of our VA Diaries series where we dig into the careers of Virtual Assistants who have made the transition from employed, business support roles to the heady heights of self-employment as a VA and explore how they found themselves in the online space. Jo Mower, a Virtual Assistant, has been working with VA Agency Onit! Communications for a number of years as a client-facing Associate Virtual Assistant. Jo started her VA career with a variety of associate roles, gaining the knowledge and confidence to build her own business and now has her own team of associates. Laura Mitchell specialises as a Tech VA and Business Consultant, working with small business owners to put systems and structure in place. Laura started her business during the first lockdown of the Coronavirus pandemic and has seen her business go from strength to strength. This episode is a great insight into two different approaches to starting out in the world of a VA, through the eyes of those who are living, breathing and smashing it!   What you will learn in this episode: Having a niche doesn’t lock you down to only one type of task Why the option of starting as an associate VA can help grow your knowledge and confidence Ways in which you can grow your own VA business to develop a great work life balance Why building relationships with clients and other VAs will support profit growth How everything you do is an advertisement for your own business Connect with Jo on her Facebook or on IG @mrs_jo_m_va Connect with Laura on her Facebook or on IG @findyourflow.consulting Like it? Please leave a comment, follow the pod, and share! ---------- Virtual Duality is brought to you by FromPAtoVA.com the Global Empowerment Hub from Cydelle Stewart, for Aspiring & Emerging Virtual Assistants (VAs). Visit. Download. Invest. Excel.  Connect with us on IG @FromPAtoVADotCom

In this episode, Cydelle is joined by long-time Executive Assistant, Jeremy Burrows. As well as a very successful career as an Executive Assistant, Jeremy is also an international Speaker and Trainer, founder of The Leader Assistant Community and Premium Membership, author of the #1 Amazon Bestselling book, The Leader Assistant: Four Pillars of a Confident, Game-Changing Assistant, and host of the #1 podcast for assistants – The Leader Assistant Podcast. Jeremy and Cydelle discuss life as an Executive Assistant and how the pandemic has contributed to the changing shape of the Business Support Professional role. They also take some time to dig deeper into what makes a good Leader Assistant and how skills as an EA can transfer to the role of Virtual Assistant.   What you will learn in this episode: How Business Support roles are often seen as stepping stones rather than a career in its own right The definition of a Leader Assistant The post-pandemic role of an Executive Assistant and what changes the position has seen How you can make the transition from Executive Assistant to Virtual Assistant Top tips for stepping up in your role as a Business Support Professional Jeremy has very generously offered our listeners a free download of the first 3 chapters of his #1 Amazon Bestselling book, The Leader Assistant: Four Pillars of a Confident, Game-Changing Assistant at leaderassistantbook.com and click the button “Download Free Chapters”.  Connect with Jeremy on his Website, on LinkedIn, IG @go.burrows or on Facebook Like it? Please leave a comment, follow the pod, and share! ---------- Virtual Duality is brought to you by FromPAtoVA.com the Global Empowerment Hub from Cydelle Stewart, for Aspiring & Emerging Virtual Assistants (VAs). Visit. Download. Invest. Excel.  Connect with us on IG @FromPAtoVADotCom

In this episode, Cydelle is joined by two members of the Onit! Communications team, Gemma Baxter and Louise Sam. This episode is part of our VA Diaries series where we dig into the careers of Virtual Assistants who have made the transition from employed, business support roles to the heady heights of self-employment as a VA and explore how they found themselves in the online space. Gemma Baxter, an Online Business Manager, works with a number of clients but her work with Cydelle centres on the operational and day-to-day functions of VA Agency, Onit! Communications. Louise Sam is a Wellbeing centred Virtual Assistant and shares her client-facing Associate VA insights including how her experience in wellness helps her support her clients better and how being a VA helped her to become location independent. This episode is a great insight into the world of a VA through the eyes of those who are living, breathing and smashing it!   What you will learn in this episode: Why you don’t always need to have an administrative background to be a successful Virtual Assistant How a skills audit can help you to prepare to become a Virtual Assistant What you need to focus on in addition to administratively servicing your clients, in order to make it as a successful VA How to use networking to compliment your marketing efforts   Connect with Gemma on her Facebook or on IG @gembaxtervbm Connect with Louise on her Facebook or on IG @louisessam Like it? Please leave a comment, follow the pod, and share! ---------- Virtual Duality is brought to you by FromPAtoVA.com the Global Empowerment Hub from Cydelle Stewart, for Aspiring & Emerging Virtual Assistants (VAs). Visit. Download. Invest. Excel.  Connect with us on IG @FromPAtoVADotCom

In this episode, Cydelle is joined by Founder of Micro Power Marketing, Gemma Cormack. Previously a Customer Relations Manager with luxury brands, Bentley and Rolls Royce, Gemma set up her business to travel, whilst working alongside worldwide bloggers, globally acclaimed musicians and many others. She’s now the proud owner of the Micro Power Marketing membership; a safe and accepting space for misfits to boost their knowledge as a micro business owner and make more sales, without breaking the bank. Gemma shares with Cydelle some key things to consider when marketing on Social Media. This episode explores common mistakes that VAs make when starting to market their business, alongside some tangible actions to take your business from strength to strength.   What you will learn in this episode: What you need to know before you attempt to create your business branding How much of your shared content is actually seen by your audience Why showing up as your authentic self will attract the right clients for you How Gemma made great strides in her business, going from billing £240 per month to £4,000 per month Why the key to growth is implementing the skills that you learn, not just absorbing content The steps that lead to Gemma becoming an Approved Canva Designer Connect with Gemma on her Website or on IG @gemma_cormack Like it? Please leave a comment, follow the pod, and share! ---------- Virtual Duality is brought to you by FromPAtoVA.com the Global Empowerment Hub from Cydelle Stewart, for Aspiring & Emerging Virtual Assistants (VAs). Visit. Download. Invest. Excel.  Connect with us on IG @FromPAtoVADotCom

In this episode, Online Business Manager Gemma hosts a takeover and is joined by Cydelle on the other side of the table. Speaking about transitioning from VA to VA Hirer, Gemma presses Cydelle for the motivations behind her transition from Virtual Assistant to Consultant and what that meant for her business, Onit Communications. Cydelle shares some really key insights into the mind of a VA Hirer, including key qualities that she looks for in prospective Virtual Assistants, and also, what requirements she had of the partnership between her and her VA in order for her to feel comfortable handing over some key elements of her business. This is a great chance to get inside the mind of a VA Hirer who understands the VA world. Don’t miss it!   What you will learn in this episode: Organically transitioning within your business, while still achieving high results Some of the key qualities VA Hirer’s seek in order to have a successful working relationship Top tips for helping clients to transition from solopreneur to working with Business Support Professionals Why successful processes in a business breed excellent habits throughout the team   Like it? Please leave a comment, follow the pod, and share! ---------- Virtual Duality is brought to you by FromPAtoVA.com the Global Empowerment Hub from Cydelle Stewart, for Aspiring & Emerging Virtual Assistants (VAs). Visit. Download. Invest. Excel.  Connect with us on IG @FromPAtoVADotCom

In this episode, Cydelle is joined by Digital Consultant and Founder of Quantum Consultancy Services, Martin Riley. Martin knew for a really long time that he wanted to be freelance and after making the switch from 9-to-5, to entrepreneurship, Martin now works with other small business owners to create strong foundations in their technology and to provide them with a one-stop-shop for the digital tools needed to thrive in the online space. Using his many years of experience, Martin imparts gems of wisdom in this episode, around cyber security and exactly what VAs need to know when it comes to protecting their business, their tech and their data. This Cyber Security for VAs episode is going to help you build a great foundation on what you need to know about cyber safety and security, so grab your favourite note-taking tool and let’s dive in. What you will learn in this episode: How you can leverage technology for success in your business What measures you can put in place to prevent disasters around data storage for your online business Digital tools available to sup​​port business growth while keeping you and your clients safe Why disaster recovery and business continuity plans are not just for large corporations and why they should be included in your business strategy   Martin has very generously offered a 50% discount for a Cyber Security Assessment for the first 10 Virtual Duality listeners who make a booking. This consultation will assess the security of the computer you use for your day-to-day work. During this consultation, Martin will review cloud storage, backup strategy, security software and on-going support. To claim the offer, simply use the code coupon code: ONIT during the booking process. Connect with Martin on his Website, IG @QCSProfessional, Facebook or on LinkedIn Like it? Please leave a comment, follow the pod, and share! ---------- Virtual Duality is brought to you by FromPAtoVA.com the Global Empowerment Hub from Cydelle Stewart, for Aspiring & Emerging Virtual Assistants (VAs). Visit. Download. Invest. Excel.  Connect with us on IG @FromPAtoVADotCom