The VA Lounge ®

Yesterday at Coffee Club we celebrated our wins from October, big and small. Be proud of your achievements and confidently tell others about them so they can celebrate them with you. Some of our members, have gained new clients, filled their pipeline, decided to raise their prices, won awards, been finalists at awards, finally got a permanent floor to their house and, one of the favourites from yesterday, taken care of themselves. What have you done this October that you are proud of?

It was a bit of a quieter one at Coffee Club yesterday, but there were still some meaty conversations. One of the main ones being about contracts and notice periods. Now a contract is a VAs best friend. We don't look at them that often, but sometimes we have to refer back to the terms and conditions to remind ourselves, and our clients of those boundaries we have put in place and to ensure everyone's expectations are in alignment. It’s super easy for lines to blur when loving what you do and want to deliver top service, and also be a decent human by understanding life pressures! Setting boundaries isn’t just about protecting your sanity, it’s about protecting your business. Contracts can sound a bit official and stiff, but they are essential. Here’s why: 1. They Set Clear Expectations A good contract lays out exactly what you’ll do, when you’ll do it, and (most importantly) what you won’t do. This makes sure there’s no awkwardness when a client asks for “just one extra task” that isn’t part of your agreement. 2. They Define Your Hours We’ve all been there—getting messages at all hours of the day and night. With a contract, you can set clear working hours. If you’re not available after 5 pm, that’s in black and white, no guilt needed. 3. They Help You Avoid Scope Creep Ever had a project that starts simple but suddenly balloons into something way more complicated? That’s scope creep—and it can eat up your time if you’re not careful. With a contract, you can specify exactly what’s included in your service package and what would count as extra (and chargeable). 4. They Protect You Financially Contracts aren’t just about protecting your time; they also safeguard your income. Set clear payment terms, outline how and when you get paid, and what happens if there’s a delay. Also what happens and the terms if you and your client need to part ways. 5. They Show You Mean Business Using contracts shows clients you take your role seriously. You’re not just someone who “helps out”—you’re a professional running a business. Mutual respect! But....... Boundaries are also about communication. You have to enforce your boundaries. You can have the world’s best contract, but if you don’t stick to it, clients won’t either. It’s okay to remind clients of your agreed hours, or gently push back on tasks that weren’t part of the deal. It is also ok to bend your contract to suit your needs. One of the biggest examples is if client relationships aren't working out and you both agree to terminate early it can do your headspace and business a whole load of good. It's your business, so run it your way! Do you refer back to your contract often?

We all go through different stages in our business. At The VA Lounge we've found from running our own businesses that these stages are a constant loop. As we try out new things to fit our businesses each stage is relevant. Where are you now in your VA Journey?

Last week was a special one for The VA Lounge THE Amanda Johnson hosted the annual VA Conference and Awards in Bournemouth. The VA Lounge had members that were (extremely worthy) finalists and members that were award winners. And our very own Founder, Hayley Hudson, was awarded Lead VA with Small Team 🥳 We are so proud of our industry and the VAs within it. All VAs are winners in our experience. Congratulations to all the nominees, finalists and award winners 🥳 Yesterday at Coffee Club we talked about the value of attending events such as the VA Conference and Awards. Things like: 🧡 Spending time with (and learning from) your peers 🧡 Reminder that you are a business owner 🧡 New ideas for your business 🧡 Make new business friends 🧡 Find out about new products to explore 🧡 Learn about extremely relevant areas of our industry such as AI 🧡 Remember your business why 🧡 Have some fun with real people 🧡 Allow yourself some self-recognition of just how far you have come, or see examples of how far you can go 🧡 Celebrate the successes of your peers #NoCompetition A roomful of VAs is quite a special (and extremely supportive) place to be. A vibe like nothing else! Would you add anything to this list? #VirtualAssistant #VirtualAssistance #VA #Networking #VAConference2024 Image description: Hayley Hudson in a blue dress receiving her award for Lead VA with Small Team 2024 presented by the lovely Daniel Skermer at The VA Conference and Awards 2024

How many plates are you spinning? 🤪 Business 🤪 Kids 🤪 Life admin 🤪 Pets 🤪 Home renovations 🤪 Illnesses And the rest! It can be hard when you run your own business alongside everything we have to get done. Different areas will require more attention at different times. 💡TOP TIPS💡 Get your sanity back by re-examining priorities...... ❓What can wait? ❓What absolutely has to happen? Sometimes you just have to accept that you can't do it all ❓Do you have any boundaries that have slipped and you want to put back in place? ❓Is there someone who can help to relieve some of the pressure? VAs are great at spinning plates but, as with everything, there is a limit, and awareness is what's needed for you to take action before it gets past the point of manageable. #VirtualAssistant #VirtualAssistance #VA #Networking #Balance Image description: Picture of spinning plates with VA Lounge logo

Testing a cheeky social media scheduler today! Social schedulers can be frowned on, they can kill reach, the algorithms can tell, and who wants to be that organised?! Erm us, please. 🙋🏼♀️ Planning and scheduling your content helps you keep in line with your marketing strategy, ensures you get your marketing done and most importantly gives you time back for crucial social engagement. So what are you currently using as a social media scheduler? This post has been scheduled by Postly today and we like it!

Find the joy The topic of losing your mojo comes up at regular intervals at Coffee Club. It's impossible and unrealistic to be filled with joy every second of every day, but when you are really not feeling it, it's a good idea to listen to that voice and ask yourself what you need to do about it. ❓ Do you need to take a break and go do something for yourself? ❓ Do you need to drop a particular client or a type of work? ❓ Do you need to look at your business plan (or write one) to help you with your sense of direction? It's about listening to your gut, and doing regular check-ins with yourself. ❔ Where is the joy for you in your business? ❔ Are you following your joy? ❔ What needs to change if you aren't? If you need to plan your goals for 2025, we have a Skills Session on 17th October to take you through that process. Check us out here (or drop us a DM): https://lnkd.in/eJw_Npik #VirtualAssistant #VirtualAssistance #VA #Networking Image description: Bunch of awesome VA Loungers

I (Hayley, hello everybody) have recently gone back to basics when looking at improvements to the lounge and that meant revisiting the original purpose of The VA Lounge. Why did I start it? Because I needed it. I missed those work colleagues Those people to talk to about work issues, about life woes and about celebrating the amazing things that happen. I needed a whole load of sounding boards not just one person’s opinion. I needed to listen to actual experiences from actual business scenarios. And that is what The VA Lounge is. Actual business owners riding the rollercoaster, sharing what has worked and what hasn’t worked. We keep each other going, we encourage and learn from each other and most importantly we share our successes and grow our businesses with each other. What is your biggest benefit from being part of a community?

Why do VAs come to our Coffee Club? 💡 To get valuable input on their business ideas #CollaborationOverCompetitionEveryTime 💡 Share and discuss stressful business situations 💡 Share the highs and the lows with a roomful of VA cheerleaders 💡 Canvas opinions on their logo design 💡 Share stories like sitting next to a stranger on a plane who turns out to be considering getting a VA! You never know where that random conversation will take you. Need to plan your goals for 2025? Join before 17th October and come along to our extended Skills Session all about 2025 Goal Setting. Join us here: https://lnkd.in/eJw_Npik Drop us a DM if you have any questions. #VirtualAssistant #VirtualAssistance #VA #Networking Image description: Orange background, white text that shows what's on in The VA Lounge during October (Coffee Club every Tuesday, Skills Session on 17th, and Coworking Session on 23rd)

Does the clients' way of working work for you (we are not all suited to all styles of working)? Often when we first begin our VA journey we accept any type of work and working style, but as time passes we get to know our preferred working style and type of work (and finding that match is better for both parties and can lead to longer lasting working relationships). What is your preferred way of working? #VirtualAssistant #VirtualAssistance #VA #Networking