A Business You Can Run From Anywhere

 

Bianca Smith from Simplified VA Services needed a business you can run from anywhere. 3 years ago, she did just that. Then the whole thing took off like a wildfire.

Ever tried building a career when you have to pack up and nest in a different spot every couple of years? It’s a struggle.

Ask Bianca Smiths about her experience.

When you’re a military spouse and mum of three, there are other things that take priority over your own professional wishes and desires. It’s complicated and frustrating.

So … Bianca decided she would not take it sitting down.

The solution was a business she can take with her.

Considering she has a Masters in Accounting and a past career in the banking industry, bookkeeping would have been the obvious choice. But it didn’t quite suit Bianca’s lifestyle.
So, she naturally rolled into a business for Virtual Assistants (or VAs). Her clients relate to her background in finance.

Ta-da!

Business Your Way – A Business You Can Run From Anywhere

But that’s not the only way in which Bianca decided run her business HER way.

The way Simplified VA Services is set-up, she can organise her work whichever way suits her. At 5pm she clocks off to be with her family. 9pm and she’s back on for meetings with her clients in the USA.

In summer, there’s a ‘ban’ on new clients. (In Bianca’s world, summer is for travelling and family. Christmas too, by the way. I’m with her on that.)

Come September and the waiting list floodgates open up and the entire team steams ahead at full speed.

Did I mention you can find her in Madrid, Spain, despite the fact that her clients are USA based? It’s her happy place because of the pace of life. But if tomorrow she needs to transplant, that’s not a big deal either.

Envious? Wait until you hear the rest of the story.

From One-Woman-Band To VA Services Agency

It’s only been three years since Bianca started her business. She found out first-hand that business seldom runs in a straight line.

On came the pandemic and her business exploded. I’m talking rollercoaster, hold-on-to-your-seat EXPLODED.

Bianca is manager material, and she always knew she wanted her business to become an agency. However, she could never have dreamt up the speed at which things happened.
As recent as a year ago, at risk of burning out, Bianca hired her first contractor. The second one followed within the same month.

Fast forward a good year or so and the employee double digits are looming.

Her entire team is made up of contractors; some project-based, some full time.

Bianca herself eagle-eyes the finances and KPIs (Nothing you wouldn’t expect from a CPA with a military background, I guess). She also holds the vision for the company and takes care of the networking.

Like talking to people on podcasts. Wink, wink.

Outsourcing Packages Of All Kinds

But the VA services is not where it all ended.

While things started off with that, as a logical extension, Social Media Services followed soon after. Recently a Repurposing Content part was added as a third service. All three sides of the business are available as packages that are fully transparent. Bianca is a fan of packages (as opposed to a bespoke service) because it streamlines the workflow.

The team is as tireless and diligent as Santa’s Christmas elves.

Bianca’s VA’s are client-facing and therefore matched with the client. She has a Social Media Manager who distributes the work to other contractors and an Online Business Manager who oversees a team of specialists that work on the content repurposing side of the business.

But … that’s still not the end.

In the meantime, the VA agency also sprouted a VA coaching business that naturally feeds talent back into the agency.

Add some Trello and a batch-working content strategy into the mix, and the whole set-up is a well-oiled machine.

Also… VA Coaching

But why VA, I ask.

Bianca explains that demand is very high for VA services because of the pandemic.

Many people lost their job, and the pull of online work is real. You know, working from home while juggling home-schooled kids.

But Bianca also has a warning for those keen to take the jump. People think it’s easy, but you have to run it as a business. That’s why I started the coaching side. It answers questions such as ‘How do I attract a new client?’ ‘How do I create a portfolio?’ ‘How do I write a business proposal?’

We give new VAs an opportunity to work from home. It’s a win-win.

While the VA coaching side of her business is something she’s passionate about, the outsourcing agency is still the bread and butter.

The Future For This Home Based Business Entrepreneur

As to what the future holds… considering the speed at which Bianca’s business evolved from a fledgling VA business to a six-figure agency, she would like to keep the boat steady for a while. I can see why.

‘I love where the business is at now. But then again, because we’re an agency, there’s no real cap on how much we can grow. The good thing is that we can do it at our own pace.’

It sounds to me like Bianca has this whole business adventure sussed!

If you’re a Virtual Assistant yourself, or like the idea of a remote business, then this Business Your Way podcast is for you. You can subscribe here.

Also, check out Bianca’s FREE resource, “Grow Your Business Through Outsourcing”.

Connect with Bianca Smith

simplifiedvaservices.com

www.facebook.com/SimplifiedVAServices

www.instagram.com/simplifiedvaservices

www.linkedin.com/in/biancamarissasmith 

 

The Virtual Assistant Journey Facebook Group for fledgling VAs: www.facebook.com/groups/851773738727401/