Looking to start your own VA business can seem difficult, especially if you’re still working fulltime for someone else. You need to stability and income from your employer to help fund your own VA business during this setting up stage, but you also want the time to work on your own business – and juggling the two can leave you frustrated and overwhelmed.

However, there is a simple way to set up your own VA business and still work for your current employer – without jeopardising your income, stability or sanity – it just means getting disciplined with yourself!

Change your view on your current employment

When you want to strike out on your own, but for whatever reasons, you’re tied to still working for someone else, it can be easy to let the resentment build – but don’t. Instead, look at your current employment as enabling you to fund your own business. Be grateful to have your finances covered, whilst you’re setting up and be thankful that this leaves your mind free to focus on your business – without you getting into debt or passing feelings of financial desperation onto your clients.

Set aside time for your business

You need to dedicate blocks of time to your new VA business, so look to see where you can implement these chunks of time. It may mean you need to adapt your usual routine, such as staying up late or getting up earlier, but if you want to have a business, you need to find time to work on it.

Learn to focus

When it comes to working two jobs, you need to keep your focus firmly in check. Whichever job you are working at, keep your focus on only that one, at that time. Not only will this help you make the most of the time you’ve set aside for your own business, it will also prevent you from letting your mind wander whilst in your current employment and your quality of work drop on both.

Build your client list, portfolio and testimonials

Whilst you’re in your current employment and have your finances covered, you have the opportunity to build your client list, without worry. You can look to offer an initial introductory rate or look to swap skills, in order to attract clients in and subsequently help you build your portfolio and testimonials – and you can then use this to help you get even more clients.

Build your reputation and presence

You can easily start working on your online presence now, whilst you have the time. Look to buy your domain URL based on your name and/or that of your VA business and install WordPress on it. You can also start building your own mailing list, using free and low-priced autoresponders, such as MailChimp and ActiveCampaign.

I’d also suggest you get yourself a Facebook business page, Twitter profile and/or LinkedIn profile, to start interacting with potential clients, potential referral partners and to raise profile.

Remember to register as self-employed

As soon as you start earning money from your own business you MUST remember to stick to register your self-employed status with the HMRC. You’ll then need to keep an accurate record of your own business’s income and expenditure and, if relevant, get the necessary insurances you need (personally I suggest investigating the insurance but not buying until you get the first client onboard).

Following this simple plan will enable you to get you up and running, whilst still in your current job. Over time, you’ll eventually be in a position to start cutting back on your current employment (maybe going to compressed or part time hours) and dedicating more hours to your own business – without giving yourself more stress and frustration!

Do you feel these steps help make the transition from your current employment to that of being self-employed a less overwhelming one? Maybe you have another worry regarding making that leap, that hasn’t been covered in these steps? Why not share your thoughts in the comments box below so that we can be sure to cover it in a forthcoming blog?

Image courtesy of Mila Supynska/Adobe.stock Photos