Overnight Success

One week ago today, my husband Greg and I bought a farmhouse in Virginia.

From the outside, it might seem like the whole thing happened quickly, but it was a long road.

The process began 13 years ago when I started to rebuild my credit, file my back taxes, pay off my debt, learn how to be a successful business owner, and shift my mindset to believing that owning a home again was possible.

It was emotional and messy, and no part of it was easy. My determination was tested daily. I had to learn to be consistent, keep my word to myself, stretch outside my comfort zone, and believe in myself - no matter my circumstances. It felt endless, but I stuck with it.

Once my credit was healed and our savings in place, finding our home was a huge undertaking. We took many trips to Virginia, looking at dozens of houses we saw in endless online searches. We debated the pros and cons of each one, trying to make the best investment possible and set ourselves up for the next chapter in our lives. Once we found the perfect home for us, there was the long and stressful process of getting approved for a mortgage. Not for the faint of heart.

Yet, to some, it appeared our home purchase happened in just a couple of months and was an effortless “overnight success.” It was not.

The trap of “overnight success” is seductive when building a new business as a Virtual Assistant. Some believe that if they do X, they’ll be successful; they think, “I just have to figure out what X is, and I’ll be set.” They spend their time looking for shortcuts and workarounds and get discouraged when they don’t produce results.

It's human nature to think this way, so don’t beat yourself up; just know that’s not how you’ll achieve the success you’re looking for.

Being a successful business owner is a gradual process that happens over time. That doesn’t mean you can’t start making money immediately, but to have a sustainable business, you must consistently work on your business and stretch outside your comfort zone. There’s no way around it.

When you’re ready to start your journey toward a successful Virtual Assistant business, start here:

• Reach out to everyone you know and add them to your email newsletter list; continue to build your list every single week by adding at least 1-3 new names
   
• Attend in-person or online networking events at least once a week and follow up with the people you meet
   
• Consistently publish an email newsletter featuring information about the work you do as a Virtual Assistant for clients or insights you’ve gained in setting up your own business

When you stop looking for a quick fix and dive into the work, I promise you’ll see sustainable results over time.

There is nothing more satisfying than looking back and celebrating the long road to success. There’s no better time to get started than now. I’m here to support you every step of the way.

If you’re not already a member of our Facebook Group, The Virtual Assistant Connection, and would like to join, here’s the link: https://www.facebook.com