Blog – VA Training Academy®

Marketing your VA Business in 2026 when it feels quiet

13th November 2026

If your VA business has gone quiet this year, you are not imagining it and you are not on your own. When enquiries dry up, the instinct is to do more: post every day, join more groups, learn Reels, redo the logo. But being busy is not the same as marketing. In this post I share what actually keeps VAs booked in a tough market: getting clear on who you help, starting with the people who already know you, showing up where your clients are, proving what you can do, and turning marketing into a weekly routine rather than a panic.

Why Clients Choose One VA Over Another

7th November 2026

You’ve learned the skills, set up your business and you’re showing up, pitching and applying. Yet time and again, someone else gets the client. It’s one of the most frustrating parts of building a VA business, and it’s rarely talked about honestly. The truth is that clients are not choosing the most skilled VA. They’re choosing the one who feels easiest to trust, easiest to talk to and easiest to work with. In this post I break down exactly what clients weigh up when they compare VAs, why piling on more skills won’t fix the problem, and the practical changes that will make you the VA who gets chosen.

Christmas Client Gifts and Cards: What You Can and Cannot Claim

1st November 2026

Sending Christmas cards and gifts to clients is a lovely gesture, but do you know what you can actually claim back? Here is a straightforward guide to the HMRC rules, so you can say thank you without any nasty surprises in your accounts.

Guest Blog: What online threats do virtual assistants need to protect themselves from?

27th October 2026

Your clients trust you with their inboxes, invoices and systems, and that makes you a target. In this guest blog, Policybee explains the biggest cyber threats facing VAs right now, from AI-generated phishing to ransomware, and what cyber insurance does (and does not) cover when things go wrong.

Access to work funded coaching for Virtual Assistants

26th October 2026

Neurodivergent and running your own VA business? Access to Work can fund one-to-one coaching to help you plan, focus and stop the overwhelm. Here’s who qualifies, what happens after you apply, and what coaching with me actually looks like. Straight answers, no fluff.

Leadership Is Lonely: Why Business Owners Need a Safe Space to Think

24th October 2026

The bigger your business gets, the fewer people really understand what you’re dealing with. Here’s why leadership gets lonely, what a safe space actually looks like, and how to build your own board.

Can Virtual Assistants offer Black Friday Promotions in 2026?

23rd October 2026

Can VAs get involved in Black Friday? Yes, but slashing your hourly rate is not the way to do it. Here is my no-nonsense guide to Black Friday and Small Business Saturday 2026 for UK VAs: smarter offers, looking after the clients you already have, and getting your capacity sorted before you sell a thing.

Training, coaching or mentoring

21st October 2026

I call myself a VA coach, trainer and mentor, and I know that can sound like someone who couldn’t pick a lane. Here’s what each one really means, why none of them is enough on its own, and how I use all three across VA Momentum, the Membership, one-to-one coaching and Mastermind Days.

Why New VAs Should Not Start With Packages

10th October 2026

You will have seen the advice to package your VA services from day one. I disagree. Until you know how long the work takes you, a package price is a guess, and you are the one who pays for getting it wrong. Here is why new VAs should sell their time first, and when packages do make sense.

Should Virtual Assistants Use Their Home Address on Business Documents and How to Avoid It!

13th September 2026

If you’re a UK Virtual Assistant setting up as a sole trader, there’s a good chance you’ve hit this exact wall: your website’s nearly finished, your contract template’s ready to go, and then you realise every legal template wants an address. The only one you’ve got is your home. So do you have to put it online? Do clients need it on contracts? Will you get in trouble if you don’t hand it over? In this guest post, Clare Veal of Aubergine Legal breaks down exactly what the law requires, where a virtual business address does the job perfectly well, and how to set your business up so your home stays yours.

About AMANDA

Amanda Johnson is not just a mentor; she is a catalyst for transformation in the Virtual Assistant industry, helping professionals not only start but scale their businesses to new heights. Her dedication to her clients’ success is matched only by her commitment to integrity, honesty, and empowerment.