What does virtual mean?

By definition, being a Virtual Assistant means you provide professional administrative, technical, or creative assistance to clients from a location that is different to that of the client. Usually, a VA will work from a home office, providing remote support to several different clients, all in differing locations.

This means a VA may well be working with clients they have never met in real life. Meetings are carried out via zoom, teams, googlemeet etc, work is handed over through a data storage program, and all conversations take place via email, social media, or even text. However, being a VA does not just mean you are remote to your clients; it also means you can be in a location that is remote to your usual office too.

Virtual Assistant: Virtual office

The beauty of being a VA is that you can work from anywhere. As long as you have a laptop and a reliable internet connection, your office is wherever you want it to be. That might be a dedicated room in your house, but it can also be as far afield as you like.

I recently spoke with a VA who was working from the deck of a yacht in the Caribbean. She was enjoying a beautiful location while still providing high level support to her clients – while I was sat in Dorset in the rain! If you prefer company, you can sign up for a co-working space to share an environment with other professionals. Even a local coffee shop works well, provided you do not have private calls booked in.  I have another client who is travelling the world, while running her VA Agency.

A warning on digital security

The freedom to work from anywhere comes with a heavy responsibility: protecting your client data. Working from a yacht or a coffee shop sounds glamorous, but it is a security minefield if you are careless.

• Never use free or unsecured Wi-Fi: Public networks are a gift to hackers. If you are working away from your private home network, use a personal hotspot or a trusted, password protected connection.

• Use a VPN: A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is non-negotiable for the nomadic VA. It encrypts your data, ensuring that your logins and client information remain private.

• Secure data transfer: Do not send sensitive files via basic email or unencrypted messages. Use professional, secure data storage and transfer programs that you control.

• Be mindful of where you log in: Avoid accessing banking or sensitive client portals on shared computers or public networks. Your professional reputation depends on your ability to keep client data safe.

Know what you want

One of the biggest decisions you need to make to have a successful business is getting clear on what it means for you. What do you want your VA business to give you? Why are you going it alone? What does virtual mean to you? Do you want a solid home business that enables you to spend time with your family, or do you want the freedom to travel whenever the urge arises? You need to be honest about your goals.

Structure your business accordingly

Once you have a clear idea of your vision, you must structure your business to support it. The services you offer should be chosen specifically to suit the lifestyle you want.

If you are working from a static location, like a home office, your tasks are only limited by your preferences. However, if you plan to travel extensively, you may face periods with no internet access. In that case, you are better off opting for tasks that do not rely on a constant connection, such as content writing or audio and video editing.

Working as a VA gives you the opportunity to work with clients from around the globe on the tasks you enjoy most. More importantly, it gives you the opportunity to work from wherever you choose. If you are ready to build a business that offers this kind of freedom while maintaining the highest security standards, the VA Momentum Course provides the roadmap to get you there. It is the best of both worlds: a career you love in a location of your choice.

To give you some confidence though, I have worked from Canada while visiting family and them while spending a few weeks there after the death of a parent, I have worked from most European countries and most years I have camped in Europe for extended periods over the summer and still worked without any drama.