Do You Really Need to Niche? Let’s Talk About It.

You’ve probably heard this one before:
“The riches are in the niches.”
Or maybe: “Niche down to scale up.”

Sounds smart, right?

But here’s what I’ve seen over and over again—both in my own business and in the hundreds of Virtual Assistants I’ve mentored:

Trying to pick a niche too soon can actually slow you down.

Let’s back up.

There are three typical ways to niche as a Virtual Assistant:

1. By service (like social media, inbox management, or newsletters)
2. By industry (like coaches, therapists, or real estate agents)
3. Or by combining the two (social media for therapists, for example)

Now, if you’ve already spent years in a specific role or industry and want to lean into that, go for it.
But if you’re brand new to being a VA?

Don’t box yourself in too early.

When I first started, I thought my niche would be helping start-ups. They sounded exciting. Fast-moving. High energy. I figured I’d make a big impact and have fun doing it.

But once I landed a few of those clients, I realized I was totally drained.
Turns out, constant pivots and unclear direction? Not a good fit for how I like to work.

It wasn’t until I’d worked with lots of different types of clients that I saw my real sweet spot:
Established solo professionals who needed smart, steady, behind-the-scenes support.

These days, I teach my students the same thing:

Start broad. Learn what you like.
Say yes to general administrative work. Build a big, versatile skill set.
And pay attention—your niche will show up when you’re ready for it.

Your best work won’t come from guessing what you might enjoy—it’ll come from doing the work and learning as you go.

So no, you don’t need to pick a niche today.
You just need to start.

And trust that clarity will come with action.