virtual assistant story

Tell us about you, your business and the story behind becoming a VA?

In The Beginning 

Hi there – I’m Sam, the founder of Escape From The City – Copywriter and Researcher.

I’m a very creative person and have transitioned my business from VA to Copywriter – as well as an all-round wordsmith, proofreader, editor and researcher as my business has grown.

I write copy for business owners (incl. VAs) who struggle with finding the right words to get their website, social media, emails/newsletters, blogs and other communication out into the world. I help them with anything they find difficult to convey or get tongue-tied with, in a way that tells their story, in their voice, from the heart. I am fascinated by human psychology and how we function as people – a big old subject that is essential to some of the best copy in the world.

I do still support a few clients with the more traditional VA stuff (and have a client who is ADHD and Dyslexic, who I support with his diary and contracts and I think I’ll always have a hand in that somehow (because I LOVE the VA community), and you never know, copy may become a service they need support with too.  

I also still do a bit of associate work for a couple of lead VAs – those roles are great for my creative side as they involve my copy skills and let me use my more creative side, ie, working with Canva graphics for presentations or anything else needed.

People are at the heart of everything I do. My biggest strength is being friendly, approachable and adaptable, and giving a shit about how people feel … while having a sharp gut instinct about what people might need as support in their business, especially with their marketing needs. This is matched with a natural ability to tap into how to say something without waffling on and on!

I spent almost 20 years as a PA / EA in the City of London from when I was in my early thirties. I had a life in Edinburgh before then, but that’s a whole other long and colourful story which involved me training in film and television production and waitressing to help me pay my rent and eat on top of a paltry college grant! I left Edinburgh to move to London on my own when I was a fearless 28-year-old. I’m not sure I’d do that now I’m approaching my 60^th birthday!

I originally started out as a Producers Assistant at Ealing Film Studios for a small independent film company, and I still remember six of us sharing a small Apple Mac computer in one small office! I was very poorly paid, spending my days reading books and all sorts of stuff, researching ideas and interpreting them into ideas for short films and television – the start of my writing career, I guess. I was also bookkeeper and all-round dogsbody (and have some stories that’d open your eyes very wide!), but I enjoyed those days and met some very interesting characters in the Ealing Studios bar after work! I was there for over three years.

However, the film industry was a very tough one and as I approached what ended up being the end of my film production career, the company I worked for folded.

And off to the city I went!

I started as a temp PA to the Managing Director of a small music company (where I met my now husband) before heading off to Warner Bros as a team PA (for the design and build of cinemas dept where I had some of the best times of my career), then to various other corporate organisations over two decades. Finally, I left a temporary job after four months in 2017 and never applied for a permanent job again. I had grown to hate the corporate world.

What or who inspired you to be a VA?

I loved working as a PA / EA but the corporate world didn’t suit me in the end.  It wasn’t creative enough, there weren’t enough opportunities for someone who wanted to get much more involved as a PA, the 3-4 hour round commute was killing me, I wasn’t paid enough, and I didn’t want to try to move into senior management roles either. What on earth would I do??  I really felt stuck for a long time.

After I left, I started researching what I might do next, and I came across the original VACT website. I started to read all about Amanda Johnson, and stalked her a little!  I deliberated for a long time about what I would do and who I could train with.  Also, at that time, I got a temp job at BUPA as a senior PA for around a year or so (maybe more) and I met some of the best people I think I’ve ever worked with – who are still friends.  And I was paid pretty decently. They kept getting me back time and time again – offering full time roles I kept turning down – and BUPA kept me going on and off until I made the leap to be a VA in 2018/19.

How did I go about establishing my business?

I was never a great planner – probably because I had to be so fast and reactive in the city for years – so mapping out a business plan and goals was pretty alien to begin with (and I admit I still struggle with it!) I made many, many, MANY mistakes – some very expensive ones.

However, I was a prolific networker – I went to every single network meeting there was, face to face and online, and its reaped rewards for me because I know so many people in my local & surrounding area as well as online and a lot of my clients have come as recommendations.  I also have big connections in the Wirral – up near Chester and Wales and now have 5 clients from there.  My weakness in business is not being visible on social media – but I’m working on that! I’m a very private person and do find it difficult to “put myself out there” so I do struggle with it.

Completing the VACT Mastery (now called the VA Momentum Course) gave me all I needed in training to be a VA, and I’m still a member of the VA Membership.

In the last five years years I’ve also completed three fantastic copywriting courses – The Content Writing Mastermind run by Tara Louise Stych (The Word Professor) and the VA Copy College and The Copywriting Business Course run  by Chantelle Davison – and I’m a reader of copywriting masters and storytellers including Donald Miller’s Building a Brand Story and Stephen King On Writing: A Memoir of The Craft – which are ace books.

I also follow and read emails from quite a few great copy and marketing people such as Drayton Bird, Laura Belgray, Adil Amarsi – and quite a few more. There’s always something to learn and improve on in our businesses – and I also am a bit addicted to learning about SEO too, so I can incorporate all of that into what I do for clients – and share that knowledge with them as we work together.

Did you have any savings or financial support in order to start your business?

None except for some savings (that soon vanished into the ether) and a husband Ben who has a full-time job he loves in (classical) music.  Ben was head hunted for a new job with Naxos Classical Music in 2020, so he took that job with an increase in salary – which was a godsend.

Ben and I had some incredibly challenging times over the years (with added stress of me having health challenges and nearly losing everything financially in 2022) – but together, we’ve got through it somehow and we both know that with perseverance – it’s starting to come good. We take each day as it comes and literally pray it’s working out as it should!

Was there ever a point where you thought it wouldn’t work out?

I soon realised that the only way to succeed was to be determined, tenacious, bloody minded and driven and to just keep going. I learned never to lose sight of where you want to be even if you don’t have a clue how to get there or even what that looks like exactly. The thought of going back to office work or being employed by anyone else also keeps me motivated to succeed! 

I hadn’t really planned to be a copywriter as such, but hearing clients complain about struggling to know what to say – and how to – increased my natural ability to know what to do to help them. That and my love of writing and words soon whetted my appetite for more.  I’m sure Amanda remembers this from our VACT Mastery training weekend that we had quite some years back now – me talking about how I wanted to write more.  It’s taken a while but here I am, building on that.  Rome wasn’t built in a day – even if it feels like it!

What support did you have around you when you set up your business?

My husband Ben has always been my biggest supporter (and is also a writer about music mainly) – and a few good friends and of course the wonderful VA community including Amanda.  To be honest, that’s really about it.  My family (still) never ask me how it’s going, and most don’t know what I do at all – which I’ve given up feeling sad about – though my lovely old Dad does ask me how it’s going from time to time – with trepidation in his voice!

If you could go back and change one thing that you did when you started out, what would that be?

To start sooner!  And to get organised and have a frigging plan – and to get all my financial ducks in a row, including getting an accountant at the start.  I’ve been a bit of a rebel over the years, but you do need to have a plan in place, to take action and to be consistent in order to achieve goals – including financial goals.

What is your best advice for someone starting out or someone who is considering becoming a VA? 

Start with a few simple steps, do what you love and don’t offer everything under the sun.  I think that’s the biggest mistake a lot of VAs still make – still to this day in 2025.  They offer too much and then come unstuck.  If you don’t know how to do it, don’t offer it.  I know we learn as we go but even with the best of intentions, you can’t and will never know everything.

If you can, find a good mentor or coach. That is one of the best investments you can make for your business starting out and as you grow.

How would you describe the good, the bad and ugly of being a Virtual Assistant? / Or what is the best and worst part about being a Virtual Assistant?

The good – freedom from being told what to do, when to do it and how to be!

The bad – the roller coaster, the feast or famine nature of earning and lack of confidence and not taking chances has held me back on occasion.  Some call it Imposter Syndrome and I’ve had a few chronic bouts of it over the years. And my health has been, quite frankly, crap. Nothing life threatening – but really debilitating. So, when you know you have to get up and show up no matter what (as a business owner), that’s not an easy thing to do. And as I approach my 60^th birthday this Sept 2025, the menopause has thrown me quite a few curve balls too!

The ugly – the wrong clients. I have had a few (one in particular was awful and just happened to be a man) but now I know that I what I need to do in order to spot the red flags sooner. I have no fear of saying no now, have much better boundaries in place – and take no shit from anyone these days!

How do you find your clients? 

I network online and face to face mainly. I’m only really on LinkedIn (never use Instagram or FB for my business right now …). I also get referrals – word of mouth and my reputation precedes me. It’s a good one and it’s healthy but we always need new leads in our funnel.

What is the best business book you’ve ever read and how did it impact your business?

I used to be a hugely avid reader but with the online world it started to decline. I’ve vowed to change that (like switching to Audible) and have lots I still want to delve into now. I did love reading You Are A Badass by Jen Sincero (and she has some fab follow-on books) and as referenced above, a great read is Building A Brand Story (2.0 update is also available) by Donald Miller – and Stephen King’s On Writing: A Memoir of The Craft. Both books are great.  It has really opened my eyes about storytelling in business and I love the psychology behind stories.

I’ve still yet to read “Profit First” by Mike Michalowicz, one that business mates recommend I should read. Donald Miller has also written a really good book about marketing called: Marketing Made Simple (a gem).  I have had a lot of Aha! moments with these books and they’ve given me so many ideas for my business let alone how I can help clients grow theirs.

And there are quite a number of copywriters I dip in and out of but want to read properly, so watch this space! I have piles of books dotted around the house.

How do you stay on top of your own professional development?

I really love to learn and there are plenty of things you can do for free to keep on top of things. If you’re a member of the VA Members group, you’ll know the trainings are excellent.  I may not read a lot of books, but I read a lot of stuff online and I watch videos or trainings. I also sign up to newsletters from fellow business owners to learn a lot (see above) and if I’m ever going to financially invest in something again, that won’t be until I grow my business as a writer. 

I have a business mentor (who is also a digital marketer and an expert in her field) and I’m also a member of a membership called The Confident Content Hub, which is all about mindset, building your confidence and getting really clear with your message to your audience. The community is fab and I love it. And I’m also a member of my copy coaching group, which has many trainings, co working days and it also offers feedback on copy which is like gold.

I’d still like to invest in a proofreading course, but I’ll look into that in time if I have the energy to do so!  And always, ALWAYS listen to other business owners and what they have to say – new and experienced.

What do you love to do when you’re not working?

My husband and I love music – all kinds of music (Ben’s a classical music boffin) and we love going to gigs when we can.  When we can afford it, we love eating out in different restaurants especially when we’ve been on holiday to places like Ibiza.  We haven’t had a holiday for ages now, but we plan to go to a number of places in future. I also love to cook and am often doing something different at the weekends.

And we are both huge fans of a dark dramas and detective series that we watch with our tomcat Fry – I especially love a horror story too! It’s our escape in the evenings and the weekends.

Tell us one thing you can tell us about that not many people know?

I trained as a classical guitarist (and toured!) from the age of eight until I was about 16 – until when I left home. I don’t play anymore but I do love classical music still. My hubby Ben and I bonded over classical and prog rock music.

What does the future hold for Me?

Long term – to establish myself as a creative copywriter and business owner and just to be happy with what I do.  Maybe I’ll be an award-winning copywriter one day, so with that in mind I have a lot of work to do … as long as I still love it. I’ve no idea if I’ll think about retiring in my late 60’s but I say, as long as I’m fit and healthy, I may never want to. 

I’m also all about collaboration and that’s still a goal, to build really great collaborations with other VAs and fellow business owners so we support each other through the ups and downs (and ups again) and through all the exciting times ahead. I have some really good business buddies (some of whom have evolved in their businesses like I have) and we share all the highs and lows. A few of us have even gone on our own few days retreat which has been great to do.

In 2026, I’d like to have a re-brand and new website built and to get some automations working much better for me in my business. I also have lots of ideas for new packages (and low to mid-range ticket ideas) which I’d like to get off the ground. If there was 5 of me, I’d be rich by now surely??

 2025 VA Interview Update… 

Q1: Your business has evolved significantly since we last spoke. Can you share the pivotal moment or insight that led you to pursue this new direction?

It really started when I kept hearing clients say they were struggling to know what to say and how to say it. Helping them came naturally to me – and it reignited my love of writing and working with words.

I’d always loved writing when I was younger – I was good at essays and storytelling at school – but it never crossed my mind that I could study English Literature or build a career as a writer. When I realised that writing could actually be my profession, it felt like a real lightbulb moment. From there, I decided to pursue it properly, and that’s what set me on this new path.

Q2:         Looking back at your VA journey, what key skills or experiences do you feel were most transferable to your current business trajectory?

Running a business, no matter what service you offer, always comes down to a core set of skills – and a lot of what I learned as a VA still underpins what I do today.

For me, strong communication, a client-first mindset, and serious attention to detail (with a little perfectionism thrown in!) were the biggest assets. My time in the city gave me sharp organisational skills – managing diaries, projects, and keeping things moving efficiently – and those skills naturally transferred into onboarding clients, collaborating closely, and delivering real results.

In my experience, it’s the “soft skills” – the ability to connect, organise, and deliver – that truly build a successful business. Without them, the tech skills don’t matter nearly as much as people think.

Q3:         If you could offer one piece of advice to aspiring VAs or entrepreneurs who might find their paths shifting, what would it be?

Lean into it. If your gut is telling you that you’re moving into a new area – or discovering something you genuinely love doing – listen to it. Explore it. And if it feels right, invest in the training or coaching you need to make it happen, like I did.

Often, when we’re drawn to something new, it’s because we already have the natural skills for it – just like I did with copywriting. So go for it, and don’t be afraid. There’s plenty of room for everyone. People buy from people they know, like, and trust – and that human connection will always matter, no matter what path you choose.

Q4: Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently during your VA phase, knowing where you are now? On reflection are there any potential insights that could be valuable for readers considering their own career paths?

When I first left the city and my PA/EA role, I had no clear direction. I was still in “robot mode” from my corporate days – functioning, but feeling really stuck. Becoming a VA was a great step, but I ended up spending too much time on tasks I didn’t enjoy at all -things like tech setup, finance admin, and general back-end work that just drained me.

If I could do it again, I would have gotten proper financial systems and support in place from the very beginning. I also would have been much stricter about removing the services I didn’t enjoy, and focused earlier on the creative side of my business – especially my love of writing.

Back then, I thought I had to offer what I believed people wanted, rather than focusing on what I loved and was naturally good at. But over time, by doing more of what I loved, I became an expert in areas people genuinely needed – and that’s what naturally attracted my ideal clients.

Of course, it’s always easier to see these things looking back – but I hope it gives others permission to trust their strengths earlier. And to stop offering all the things under the sun!

Q5: How has your definition of ‘success’ changed since you transitioned from being a Virtual Assistant to your current business venture?

These days, success means doing work that feels true to who I am, rather than chasing financial targets for the sake of it. Money is important – we all need to live comfortably – but for me, it’s not the measure of whether I’m successful.

Starting out as a VA taught me a lot about what lights me up and what drains me. Now, success looks like finding that balance: doing work I genuinely love, being paid well for it, and building a business that feels sustainable because it’s built around my strengths and passions.

When you lead with what you love, the right opportunities – and the right income – follow naturally.