Episodes

Sometimes the best Virtual Assistant isn't the person who knows all the answers. It's the person who genuinely enjoys figuring them out. In this episode of VAs After Dark, Rachael sits down with tech VA and problem-solver extraordinaire, LeAnn Erimli, to talk about her nearly three decades in the virtual assistance industry, how she built a business around helping clients untangle technology challenges, and why she still loves learning something new every day. LeAnn shares how becoming a VA b...

Sometimes finding the right Virtual Assistant isn't about a list of services. It's about connection. In this episode of VAs After Dark, Rachael sits down with Bree BV to talk about her journey from running a childcare business for more than 20 years to building a thriving virtual assistant business focused on strategy, support, and helping clients create meaningful change. Bree shares how a simple desire to help a friend organize her business led her to discover an entirely new career path. O...

We couldn’t have asked for a better guest to wrap up Season 4 –our season of experts– than Sue Gresham to talk about LinkedIn and how VAs can help! Sue Gresham is a LinkedIn Coach and strategist who helps coaches, consultants, and service providers get seen, get clients, and grow with confidence. With her signature Link to Success Framework and Midwest warmth, she makes LinkedIn feel doable—even fun! Sue’s all about real strategies, real results, and real relationships If you’re interested in ...

This week, our special guest is none other than Rachael Davila herself! You probably know her as the wonderful host of this very podcast and author of the book, Hey, Do I Need a VA? For this episode, Quinn steps into the role of host, asking Rachael questions about organization along with the rest of the cast, LeAnn Erimli and Bree BV. If you’re interested in the physical, digital, and mental organization/decluttering that hiring a VA requires, this is the episode for you! We dive deep into a...

This week, special guest Rachel Anzalone will be talking about how to grow your business! As a Sustainable Growth Advisor and Satisfaction Strategist, Rachel Anzalone pioneers a revolutionary approach for purpose-driven entrepreneurs seeking to expand their impact and profitability. With 25 years of experience spanning entrepreneurship, corporate leadership, and digital marketing, she combines strategic business acumen with deep wisdom to help leaders build sustainable, soul-aligned enterprises ...

We’re back to our regular cast this week as we talk about some of the key differences between working with VAs in Canada, the United States, and overseas countries! Bree BV brings her expertise as a VA operating in Canada, and Rachael talks about her experience working with a VA overseas. It’s short, but sweet! Have a question? Email us at heyvapodcast@gmail.com, join our Facebook group Find, Hire and Work with a Virtual Assistant (VA): https://www.facebook.com/groups/findavirtualassistant or ...

This week, we have special guest Carrie McWherter with us to talk about networking! Carrie is the founder of All in Order with Carrie, a business that’s devoted to helping you feel more organized and excited about your business. This episode is all about how to network! If you’ve ever felt like you’re in a rut when it comes to making new connections, this is the episode for you. Carrie is full of tips and tricks to making meaningful new relationships in a way that’s manageable for you. Plus, sh...

This week, our beloved cast member LeAnn Erimli helps us with all things tech! LeAnn Erimli, AKA That Geeky Lady, is the founder of Handling Business, where she geeks out and fixes technology for those who’d rather not. If you’ve ever struggled with knowing where to start when it comes to your tech stack, password sharing, or website decisions, this episode is for you. During our conversation, LeAnn guides us through the most important things for a business owner to consider when tackling their...

This week, we’re joined by special guest Lynn Lambrecht, AKA The Living Planner®. Lynn created The Living Planner® by drawing from her global aviation career and emergency response experience. Responding to three aviation crashes taught her invaluable lessons about preparedness and resilience. With her business, she helps people proactively prepare for life's challenges rather than just reacting to crises. Her focus is on guiding clients through difficult transitions with preventative strategies...

Are you thinking of hiring a newbie VA? Well, you’re in luck! This episode is all about hiring a newbie VA from the perspective of Quinn Hubbard, our very own newbie. Quinn talks about the pros and cons of hiring someone who is just starting out, along with different considerations to take into the working relationship. They share their unique perspective as someone who has just joined the industry within the last few years. If you’re a newbie VA yourself, they also have some tips for you! Hav...

In this episode we welcome our first Specialist Guest of the season. Sometimes a client has to make room for a VA, or in this case, work through the mindset of money before hiring someone. That’s where the wonderful Jessica Kleine from MindSET Financial Coaching can help. Jessica Kleine is a money coach who helps women entrepreneurs get rid of guilt and shame around money so they can make confident, aligned decisions. When she’s not rewriting money stories, she’s homeschooling, competing in arch...

Welcome back for Season Four of Hey! Do I Need a VA?! We’re so happy to have you. In this episode, we start the season strong by discussing what it means for business owners to cultivate safe spaces in their businesses and beyond! Bree BV shares her wisdom and knowledge through real examples of how this practice has helped her team grow in a sustainable way. If you’re interested in Naqsmist to learn how to cultivate a safe space for your business, check out these links: https://www.naqsmist.c...

We have another guest episode! Welcome to our second guest Belinda Sandor, owner of The VA Connection and trainer of the VA School. Through her business, Belinda has not only helped many virtual assistants find their way, but has also helped many small businesses find virtual assistants. Dive into the episode and find out what advice Belinda has for a client trying to find a VA! If you want to find out more information or work with her, check out her website: thevaconnection.com. Email us at h...

You are in for a treat! Welcome to our first guest episode with Anastasia Brice, founder of AssistU. Anastasia Brice has paved the way for many virtual assistants thanks to the training program and support that AssistU offers. I’m even lucky to call myself an AssistU graduate! Listen on to hear what advice Anastasia has for clients on the hunt for a VA! If you want to find her or work with her here’s her information: workwithava.com, Assistu.com, and Anastasiabrice.com. If you’re interested in...

It’s a special kind of episode! Today we’re getting into a case study. If you’ve ever wondered how a coach could use a virtual assistant, look no further! In this episode, we cover what a coach is and some of the things that coaches have asked us to do. We deep dive into how the VA relationship can work for coaches, and what we love about working with them! Have a question? Email us at heyvapodcast@gmail.com, join our Facebook group Find, Hire and Work with a Virtual Assistant (VA): https://w...

What is an ‘at will relationship’? In this episode, we talk about the ins and outs of what that term means and how it applies to the VA-client relationship. Sometimes, the work isn’t working, and that’s okay! It’s important to take steps early in the relationship to ensure that things are amicable when and if they do come to an end. Have a question? Email us at heyvapodcast@gmail.com, join our Facebook group Find, Hire and Work with a Virtual Assistant (VA): https://www.facebook.com/groups/fi...

This episode was also lovingly referred to as, ‘How Much Mom Do You Need?’ If you need someone to nag you, a VA can do that for you! From sending email follow ups to setting up workflows that work for you, VAs can offer a wealth of accountability. In this episode, we’ll walk you through how to figure out what you need and how to let your VA know. Have a question? Email us at heyvapodcast@gmail.com, join our Facebook group Find, Hire and Work with a Virtual Assistant (VA): https://www.facebook...

We’ve talked about communication a lot. But it’s so important that we’re going to talk about it some more! In this episode we talk about all of the ways that communication can break down and give you some advice on how to prevent it! From communication that’s just between you and your VA to managing multiple VAs at once, we cover it all. Have a question? Email us at heyvapodcast@gmail.com, join our Facebook group Find, Hire and Work with a Virtual Assistant (VA): https://www.facebook.com/grou...

Just because a VA doesn’t have the skill set you need doesn’t mean they can’t get the work done. Enter…VA collaborations! In this episode, we dive into the good and the bad when it comes to working with multiple VAs. We share stories and give advice so that your VA collaboration can be smooth sailing when the time comes. Have a question? Email us at heyvapodcast@gmail.com, join our Facebook group Find, Hire and Work with a Virtual Assistant (VA): https://www.facebook.com/groups/findavirtualas...

How long will it take for a VA to be worth it for your business? From budget to finding a flow, there are a lot of different factors that can impact how long it can take for the VA investment to pay off. In this episode, we share our own experiences with investment milestones and how they look different with different clients. Depending on what your budget is, some projects may take longer, and that’s okay! As Bree BV says, “you’ve got to make peace with your pace.” Have a question? Email us ...

Talking about money can be scary! When it comes to hiring a VA, we can have some advice that can help you out. In this episode, we discuss financial factors to consider beyond the cost of a VA’s hourly rate. What would your five-year plan look like if a VA was there to jump start your business? VAs can help you find hidden expenses, set up systems for producing income, invoice clients for you, and more! Have a question? Email us at heyvapodcast@gmail.com, join our Facebook group Find, Hire an...

Welcome to Season 3! We’re so happy to have you back. There are so many different ways to reflect on how your business is doing, and there are just as many ways to think about how things are going with your VA. In this episode, we discuss different ways to reflect and pause so that you and your business can grow! We talk about what that reflection looks like with a VA and without a VA. All of us have different approaches, so listen and see what works for you! Have a question? Email us at hey...

Throughout our many years of combined experience, we’ve learned a lot. In fact, every standard and boundary that we use to run our businesses today has been learned the hard way. In other words, we’ve struggled so that you don’t have to! So we thought we’d share some stories where things were more challenging than they should’ve been. In this episode, we discuss reactive vs. proactive client experiences, unrealistic expectations and the mindset piece of readiness. Give a listen so you can use o...

What’s the difference between depending on a VA versus being dependent on a VA? When working with a VA, there has to be a balance between trusting them to meet your expectations and needing them in order for your business to run. When a client finds themselves dependent on a VA, they’ll run into issues whenever their VA is on vacation or if their VA is sick. A business owner should always be able to step back into their business when a VA steps back. If you think you’re having trouble with depe...