Advertise on podcast: Hire the Right Virtual Assistant

One of the most common questions business owners ask is, "How much does a virtual assistant cost?" It's an important question, but by itself, it doesn't lead to the best hiring decisions.   In this episode, Melissa Smith, The PVA, explains why hourly rates only tell part of the story. Hiring the right virtual assistant requires understanding how cost, time, expectations, and business goals work together. She shares why many business owners need fewer hours than they expect, how to reduce hiring risk before making a long-term commitment, and why hiring based on price alone often creates far greater costs down the road.   If you're considering hiring a VA or recovering from hiring the wrong one, this episode will help you approach the process with greater clarity and confidence.   HIRING RESOURCES: The PVA Self-Assessment Podclass: https://thepvaselfassessment.com/ The PVA Interactive Hiring Workbook: https://thepva.com/complimentary-hiring-workbook/ Book a complimentary consultation with Melissa Smith, The PVA: https://go.oncehub.com/thepva   Website: https://thepva.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissasmiththepva/ X: https://x.com/thepva YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thepva

Many business owners believe delegation is the key to growth. Yet for many entrepreneurs, delegation becomes another responsibility that requires constant oversight, clarification, and management.   In this episode, Melissa Smith, The PVA, explains why delegation is often misunderstood and how the right VA can eliminate the need for constant task management.   In This Episode You'll Learn: - Why delegation often increases your workload - The hidden mental burden of managing delegated tasks - Why energy—not time—is the true driver of productivity - The difference between a task taker and the right VA - How expectations create independence and ownership - Why strong job descriptions matter when hiring a VA - The role ownership plays in an effective VA relationship - How the right VA anticipates needs instead of waiting for instructions - Why delegation keeps responsibility on your plate - How to build a support system that grows with your business   HIRING RESOURCES: The PVA Self-Assessment Podclass: https://thepvaselfassessment.com/ The PVA Interactive Hiring Workbook: https://thepva.com/complimentary-hiring-workbook/ Book a complimentary consultation with Melissa Smith, The PVA: https://go.oncehub.com/thepva   Website: https://thepva.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissasmiththepva/ X: https://x.com/thepva YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thepva

Are you searching for the perfect virtual assistant? You might be setting yourself up for disappointment. In this episode, Melissa Smith, The PVA, explains why the mythical "unicorn VA" doesn't exist—and why that's actually great news. Instead of chasing perfection, successful business owners focus on realistic expectations, clear responsibilities, and the qualities that truly matter. Melissa shares the mindset behind her 98% successful match rate and explains why reliability, resourcefulness, and alignment are far more valuable than finding someone who supposedly does everything. If hiring a VA has felt frustrating in the past, this episode may completely change the way you approach the process. HIRING RESOURCES: The PVA Self-Assessment Podclass: https://thepvaselfassessment.com/ The PVA Interactive Hiring Workbook: https://thepva.com/complimentary-hiring-workbook/ Book a complimentary consultation with Melissa Smith, The PVA: https://go.oncehub.com/thepva Website: https://thepva.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissasmiththepva/ X: https://x.com/thepva YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thepva

Are you actually productive… or just exhausted? In this episode of the Hire the Right Virtual Assistant podcast, Melissa Smith, The PVA, breaks down one of the biggest lies business owners believe: that productivity is about doing more. Instead, she explains why energy—not motivation—is the real driver of consistent progress. Melissa shares why she avoids “productivity hack” culture, how routines conserve mental energy, and why many entrepreneurs stay trapped doing tasks they were never meant to do. In this episode, you'll learn: •  Why motivation is unreliable for long-term success •. The difference between productivity and energy management •. How routines reduce mental fatigue •. The “2-minute rule” Melissa uses at home •  Why checking off tasks does not always equal progress •. The difference between a VA mindset and a CEO mindset •. How hiring the right VA protects your energy •  What true productivity looks like for business owners •  Why sustainable success requires consistency over intensity HIRING RESOURCES: The PVA Self-Assessment Podclass: https://thepvaselfassessment.com/ The PVA Interactive Hiring Workbook: https://thepva.com/complimentary-hiring-workbook/ Book a complimentary consultation with Melissa Smith, The PVA: https://go.oncehub.com/thepva Website: https://thepva.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissasmiththepva/ X: https://x.com/thepva YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thepva

Instant gratification feels productive, but it’s often the very thing holding your business back. In this episode, Melissa Smith, The PVA, breaks down why the constant pull of emails, notifications, and quick wins keeps business owners stuck in a cycle of busyness instead of real growth. It’s not laziness that slows you down; it’s choosing what feels easy over what actually compounds. You’ll hear why tasks like inbox management and scheduling create the illusion of progress, while the work that truly builds your business, writing, selling, and creating, gets pushed aside. HIRING RESOURCES: The PVA Self-Assessment Podclass: https://thepvaselfassessment.com/ The PVA Interactive Hiring Workbook: https://thepva.com/complimentary-hiring-workbook/ Book a complimentary consultation with Melissa Smith, The PVA: https://go.oncehub.com/thepva Website: https://thepva.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissasmiththepva/ X: https://x.com/thepva YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thepva

If you wouldn’t do it for 10 years… why are you doing it for 10 hours? That single question has the power to completely shift how you run your business. In this episode, Melissa Smith, The PVA, unpacks a powerful concept inspired by Cameron Scott’s idea of long-term thinking and what it reveals about how business owners are spending their time today. Because the truth is… most business owners don’t struggle with working hard. They struggle with working on the wrong things. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: - Why short-term thinking is quietly shaping long-term burnout - How routines can trap you into doing work you’ve outgrown - The hidden cost of doing “just 10 hours” of low-value work every week - Why being your own assistant is the most expensive role you can take on - Hiring the right VA isn’t just about now; it’s about your future - The mindset shift that moves you from operator → owner HIRING RESOURCES: - Cameron Scott – A Practical Path to Financial Freedom by 2030 - The PVA Self-Assessment Podclass: https://thepvaselfassessment.com/ - The PVA Interactive Hiring Workbook: https://thepva.com/complimentary-hiring-workbook/ Book a complimentary consultation with Melissa Smith, The PVA: https://go.oncehub.com/thepva Website: https://thepva.com/ LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissasmiththepva/ X: https://x.com/thepva YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thepva

Show Notes:  Most business owners think they need better interview questions. They don’t. They need better preparation. In this episode, Melissa Smith, The PVA, breaks down the real questions business owners are asking before hiring and, more importantly, what those questions are actually trying to solve. Because hiring the right VA isn’t about finding someone who can do the work. It’s about finding someone who fits your workflow, your expectations, and your business. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: - Why most “top VA questions” online are misleading (and what to ask instead) - How to identify the tasks that are draining your energy  - The truth about part-time vs. full-time VAs - Why hiring for your biggest project first is a mistake - The difference between hiring a VA vs. hiring the right VA - How to determine if your needs require one VA or multiple - The 3 interview questions every business owner should ask HIRING RESOURCES: - The PVA Self-Assessment: https://thepvaselfassessment.com/ - The PVA Interactive Hiring Workbook: https://thepva.com/complimentary-hiring-workbook/ - Book a consultation with Melissa Smith, The PVA: https://go.oncehub.com/thepva Website: https://thepva.com/ LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissasmiththepva/ X: https://x.com/thepva YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thepva

If your week feels chaotic, it’s not because you’re lazy—or “bad at time management.” It’s because you keep restarting: priorities, plans, momentum, and decisions. Those restarts are expensive, and they quietly steal 10 hours a week.  In this episode, Melissa Smith, The PVA, shares a simple system that changes everything: protect one hour of sacred time each week to plan like a CEO—then hire the right VA to turn that plan into execution. Because planning without support is just organizing your own workload. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why “no rhythm” in your business creates repeated decisions, interruptions, and work that multiplies How a weekly focus hour (sacred time) can save 10 hours of doing The 3-part sacred time framework: Close out the week (10 min): unfinished “must-do” items + open loops that steal mental space Plan like a CEO (40 min): your top 3 outcomes, what defines a “win,” and what the business needs most from you Batch decisions (10 min): yes/no/postpone/delegate/doesn’t matter—decide once, not all week Why open loops create anxiety and scattered effort The “Never Again” list: the tasks you should stop doing because they masquerade as “small things” How the right VA multiplies your sacred time by turning decisions into follow-through and vision into momentum HIRING RESOURCES: The PVA Self-Assessment: https://thepvaselfassessment.com/ The PVA Interactive Hiring Workbook: https://thepva.com/complimentary-hiring-workbook/ 1:1 Consultation with Melissa Smith The PVA Website: https://thepva.com/ LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissasmiththepva/ X: https://x.com/thepva YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thepva

In this episode of Hire Your VA, Melissa Smith, The PVA, challenges one of the most dangerous assumptions business owners make: believing they have more time than they actually do. Building on her earlier teaching around time debt, Melissa walks through a sobering but empowering reality check—how many true working days you actually have in a year, and how quickly those days get consumed by commitments, distractions, and reactive work. Melissa explains how reverse planning, calendar blocking, and protecting deep work days can radically change how your business grows, without sacrificing family, health, or clarity. You’ll learn why: You likely have closer to 200 real working days a year Time scarcity isn’t the problem—misalignment is A VA doesn’t save time, but expands capacity Urgency comes from deadlines you choose, not pressure you inherit Resources: Eliminating Time Debt: Spending Your Time To Invest In Your Future: https://youtu.be/UKYt190pLas HIRING RESOURCES: The PVA Self-Assessment: https://thepvaselfassessment.com/ The PVA Interactive Hiring Workbook: https://thepva.com/complimentary-hiring-workbook/ 1:1 Consultation with Melissa Smith The PVA Website: https://thepva.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissasmiththepva/ X: https://x.com/thepva YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thepva

What if the only thing standing between you and hiring the right VA is… actually creating the position? Not perfecting it, but creating it. In this episode, Melissa Smith, The PVA, shares why the most important step in hiring the right VA is simply making the role exist, even before you feel ready. From the scrappy origins of Airbnb to her own early days in business, Melissa shows how every great thing starts imperfect, and why your VA hire should, too. HIRING RESOURCES: The PVA Self-Assessment: https://thepvaselfassessment.com/ The PVA Interactive Hiring Workbook: https://thepva.com/complimentary-hiring-workbook/ Website: https://thepva.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissasmiththepva/ X: https://x.com/thepva YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thepva

Are you holding back from hiring the right VA because of common business myths? In this episode, Melissa Smith, The PVA, tackles four of the biggest misconceptions that keep entrepreneurs overwhelmed and overworked. From thinking it’s “too early” to hire, to believing “I don’t have enough work for a VA,” Melissa breaks down why these myths are costing you time, energy, and money. You’ll learn why success isn’t about doing it all yourself — it’s about creating space for opportunity. Melissa shares the truth about risk, investment, and the real return that comes from working with the right VA. HIRING RESOURCES: The PVA Self-Assessment / https://thepvaselfassessment.com/ The PVA Interactive Hiring Workbook: https://thepva.com/complimentary-hiring-workbook/ Website: https://thepva.com/ LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissasmiththepva/ X: https://x.com/thepva YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thepva

In a culture obsessed with doing more, Melissa Smith The PVA makes the countercultural case for doing less—ruthlessly. This episode is your permission slip to subtract, simplify, and streamline your business so you can focus on what actually moves the needle. Melissa shares lessons from bestselling authors like Dan Pink and Gary Keller (The One Thing) and shows how successful entrepreneurs stay laser-focused on high-impact tasks. You’ll learn how to identify your MITs (Most Important Tasks), protect your golden hours, and train both your team and yourself to say “no” to low-value work. If your to-do list never gets shorter, this episode will challenge how you think about productivity—and how hiring the right VA can help you do less, ruthlessly. Resources Mentioned: The One Thing by Gary Keller Books by Dan Pink – including Drive, When, and To Sell Is Human HIRING RESOURCES: The PVA Self-Assessment / https://thepvaselfassessment.com/ The PVA Interactive Hiring Workbook: https://thepva.com/complimentary-hiring-workbook/ Website: https://thepva.com/ LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissasmiththepva/ X: https://x.com/thepva YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thepva

Amateurs Save. Pros Invest. In this episode of Hire Your VA, Melissa Smith, The PVA, unpacks the mindset shift that separates amateurs from pros in business. Whether you’ve been in business for 2 years or 20, your approach to time, energy, and hiring a VA reveals which side you’re on. Amateurs believe saving will somehow be enough. Pros know the truth: investment is what pays dividends. This applies to money, time, and especially VAs. Melissa shares why hiring a VA is not just a cost of doing business, but often the smartest investment you can make to grow new income streams, protect your energy, and position your business for the long run. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: The difference between saving and investing in both business and life. Hiring a VA is as essential as your laptop, internet, or software subscription. How pros use VAs not just to save time, but to create new revenue streams. The hidden cost of burnout and energy drain when you try to do everything yourself. Why Melissa “drinks her own juice” by investing in her own VA team and podcast production. HIRING RESOURCES: The PVA Self-Assessment / https://thepvaselfassessment.com/ The PVA Interactive Hiring Workbook: https://thepva.com/complimentary-hiring-workbook/ Website: https://thepva.com/ LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissasmiththepva/ X: https://x.com/thepva YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thepva

As a CEO or business owner, you’ve poured time, energy, and strategy into creating a thriving company culture, but what about your relationship with your VA? In this episode of the Hire Your VA podcast, Melissa Smith, The PVA, turns the focus back on you with one essential question: Are you satisfied with your current VA? Melissa shares from her own career journey as a former executive assistant and explains the difference between simply working with a VA and working with the right VA—someone who genuinely enjoys the work and prioritizes your satisfaction. You’ll learn why satisfaction matters, how to frame powerful hiring questions, and how to finally hire a VA who fits not just your task list, but your leadership style. If you’ve never been asked what you need from a VA, this episode is for you. HIRING RESOURCES: The PVA Self-Assessment / https://thepvaselfassessment.com/ The PVA Interactive Hiring Workbook: https://thepva.com/complimentary-hiring-workbook/ Website: https://thepva.com/ LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissasmiththepva/ X: https://x.com/thepva YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thepva

In this episode, Melissa Smith opens with timeless wisdom from Luke 11:9-10 and unpacks how this biblical principle applies directly to hiring the right VA. Whether you’re new to working with a VA or have tried hiring a VA before without success, Melissa walks you through the simple but powerful process: ask better questions, seek with clarity, and knock on the right virtual doors. Drawing from a memorable middle school lesson about how to frame questions, Melissa shows how hiring success starts by identifying what you need, not just what a VA can do. She also shares three essential resources to help you hire with confidence: The PVA Self-Assessment Pod Class – Uncover what you need from your VA The PVA Vetted VA List – Access qualified, vetted virtual assistants The PVA Hiring Workbook – Melissa’s proven step-by-step hiring process If you're tired of guessing, overwhelmed by options, or simply don't know where to start—this episode is your invitation to start asking better questions. HIRING RESOURCES: The PVA Self-Assessment / https://thepvaselfassessment.com/ The PVA Interactive Hiring Workbook: https://thepva.com/complimentary-hiring-workbook/ Website: https://thepva.com/ LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissasmiththepva/ X: https://x.com/thepva YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thepva