The VA CORNER

I started with no VA skills online. Just only my BPO background. I couldn’t freelance. I couldn’t compete with experienced VAs or freelancers.

So I chose to work full-time with clients with paid me very little to build my foundation.

And I made a lot of mistakes.
Big ones.

I even lost a client and got terminated after three years. That moment could have ended everything for me. But instead, it changed how I worked.

I became more careful.
More aware.
More accountable.

I learned not to rely on kindness alone.
Not every colleague who looks helpful wants the best for you. I was replaced by someone who barely showed up, even slept during work, while I had built everything from scratch.

I didn’t fight back.
No revenge. No bitterness.

I left quietly. Wished the client well. Took the lessons with me.

A few months later, I landed where I am today.

I found a client who valued one thing: my ability to solve problems. Not just follow tasks.

At first, he doubted me. That’s normal. So I offered to start small, with low risk. I proved myself step by step.

From there, we built everything from scratch.
Today, that team has grown to more than 50 people.

And recently, we had something I never imagined before.
Our Mindanao VA team met the client in person for the first time during a Samal Island getaway.

From being terminated… to building something real.

The lesson is simple:
Tasks can be replaced.
Problem solvers cannot.

If you want to grow online, don’t just wait for instructions. Think. Solve. Improve.

Because the people who solve problems are the ones clients keep, trust, and grow with.

Don’t rush to change clients, unless you’re freelancing short-term.
Long-term relationships will always beat short-term wins.

You keep a client by proving your value.
Clients keep VAs who make their lives easier.

If you come in late, you make their life harder.
If your output is low, you make their life harder.
If you’re always absent, you make their life harder.
If you don’t improve, you make their life harder.
If you promise and underdeliver, you make their life harder.
If you ask for a raise without increasing profit, you make their life harder.
If you complain, make excuses, or stay distracted, you make their life harder.

These are the exact reasons clients replace VAs.

Here’s the truth:
You don’t lose clients because they are bad.
You lose clients because you stopped being valuable.

So instead of chasing new clients, become the VA no one wants to lose.

Show up on time.
Deliver more than expected.
Improve constantly.
Think like an owner.

Because the VA who makes a client’s life easier will always be kept, paid more, and trusted more.

Working online can be tiring sometimes. There are days you don’t feel like working. That’s normal. You’re human. You don’t have to feel motivated all the time.

But understand this: that feeling should be temporary, not permanent.

It becomes dangerous when it turns into a habit. That’s when things start to fall apart. You lose clients. You struggle to get hired again. Your resume becomes messy. You start covering gaps with excuses, then excuses turn into lies. For some, lying becomes normal.

You begin to notice inconsistencies. Your Facebook says one thing. Your LinkedIn says another. Your story changes depending on who you talk to. And that costs you trust. And once trust is gone, good clients walk away.

Recovery takes time.

So don’t work based on feelings. Work based on discipline.
Show up even when you don’t feel like it.
Do what needs to be done, not what you feel like doing.

Feelings change. Habits stay.
Build the right habits, and your career will follow.

I believe in working long term with a client that acknowledges your worth than chasing every new client and found out clients do not to stay long term with you too. Learn with every new one you work with. 😃

There’s a difference between knowing your worth and treating every job like a short term rental.

The "never stay more than 2 years" crowd isn't wrong that job-hopping can accelerate your income.

The data actually backs that up. People who switch jobs strategically often out-earn loyal employees by a significant margin over a decade.

But here's what that advice leaves out.

Some of the most valuable career assets you'll ever build take MORE than two years to develop.

• Deep institutional knowledge that makes you genuinely irreplaceable
• A reputation that follows you into every room before you walk in
• Mentors who will go to bat for you when it actually matters
• The kind of trust that leads to equity, partnerships, and real upside

Job hopping for a 10% raise every 18 months isn't a wealth strategy. It's a treadmill with better scenery.

Know your worth. Negotiate hard. Leave when the ceiling is real and the opportunity cost is clear.

But don't confuse movement with progress.

Working online will always have ups and downs. You may think once you find the “perfect” client, everything will be smooth. You’re wrong. Expect the unexpected. That’s why you prepare for the worst-case scenario.

That mindset is why I was uncompromising in my first five years. I focused on building a strong foundation. I saved aggressively. I delayed some enjoyment. I didn’t buy a car, not even second-hand. I drove a dilapidated motorcycle I borrowed for years for over 7 years from my wife's parents. People thought I was just a driver. I didn’t mind. I was at peace, because I knew I was building something bigger.

One thing I never sacrificed was learning.
I kept paying for my Toastmasters membership.
I invested in tools, courses, and books.
I kept learning, even when it cost me.

And it paid off.

My client called me a “unicorn” because of the range of skills I built. I helped build operations from scratch, created departments, opened roles that didn’t exist before, trained teams, and now help lead our AI product development.

This is what learning can do.

So if you’re starting, or even if you’re in the middle of your career, be willing to sacrifice for learning. Invest in it. Prioritize it.

You don’t always know where it will lead, but it will expand your potential more than you expect.

Helping my wife:

Copywriter VA (Remote | Full-Time | $6/hour)

We’re looking for a Copywriter to create clear, engaging, and high-quality content for our marketing campaigns.

Schedule: 40 hours per week (Full-Time)
Pacific time
With time tracker

Responsibilities:

Write content for brochures, flyers, emails, landing pages, and social media

Create clear and engaging copy aligned with our brand

Work with the marketing team on campaigns and content plans

Edit and improve existing content

Meet deadlines and deliver tasks consistently
Requirements:

Proven experience in copywriting

Strong English writing skills

Attention to detail and ability to follow instructions

Able to meet deadlines and maintain consistent output

Experience using AI tools (e.g. ChatGPT) is a plus

Process:
* Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted

* An assessment test will be given to those who pass the initial screening

Send application to: [email protected]

Helping my wife's company... 👇

We’re looking for a Project Manager to oversee our marketing team and ensure all tasks and campaigns are executed on time.

Rate: $7/hour
Schedule: 40 hours per week (Full-Time)
Timezone: Pacific time
With time tracker

Responsibilities:
1. Manage daily tasks and workflows of the marketing team
2. Ensure all projects and campaigns are delivered on time
3. Track team activity, performance, and accountability
4. Coordinate between writers, designers, and other team members
5. Identify delays or issues and resolve them quickly
6. Improve processes and team productivity
7. Ensure all outputs meet company standards

Requirements:
Proven experience managing a team or projects

Strong organizational and time management skills

Experience using project management tools (Trello, Asana, etc.)

Detail-oriented and accountable
Good communication skills

Please submit your updated resume to [email protected]

Don’t forget this. When you start earning online, invest for your future. Or one day, you may have no future to enjoy.

Yes, it’s a sacrifice. But it’s a choice.
Enjoy everything today and risk suffering later, or sacrifice now and live with peace later.

As VAs, we don’t have guaranteed retirement like government workers with pensions. One day, we stop working. And when that day comes, what will you live on?

That’s why I made a decision early.
It was painful to set aside money for investments. I could have spent it. I could have enjoyed more. But instead, I started acquiring assets for rental. I studied real estate. I built good credit with banks.

You have to think ahead.
What will your life look like in 10, 15, or 20 years?

I’ve seen many VAs work for 10 years and still struggle to find a $5/hour job. No savings. No investments. No home. Bills unpaid. Debts piling up. Families affected.

Why? Because the first years were spent on pure consumption. Travel here. Travel there. Enjoy everything now. “Life is short,” they said.

But after 5 to 10 years, reality hits.
No investments. No stability. No way out.

Don’t let that be your story.

Build early. Invest early. Plan your exit early.
Because one day, your income will stop—but your life will continue.

You do not need to be highly skilled to start online. You just need to be ready enough to attract your first client.

Today, beginners actually have an advantage. AI tools did not exist when many of us started. We learned the hard way, through mistakes, especially in English and communication.

And yes, there were grammatical errors along the way.

But here is the truth most people miss: Clients are not looking for perfection. They are looking for reliability. Clear communication. Consistent output.

If you can show up, follow instructions, and improve as you go, you are already ahead.

Skills can be built. Confidence grows with action. But you cannot improve what you never start.

So start before you feel fully ready.

Because waiting for perfection is the slowest way to success.

Comfort feels safe, but it keeps your income small.

Growth starts the moment things feel a little uncomfortable.

When you send that proposal you are unsure about. When you speak up to a client. When you learn a tool that confuses you at first.

That tension is not a sign to stop. It is a sign you are moving forward.

Most VAs stay stuck not because they lack skill, but because they avoid discomfort.

But income does not grow in comfort. It follows courage.

The more you stretch yourself, the more you expand your value.

And when your value grows, your income has no choice but to follow.

Patience is your greatest asset in reaching the pinnacle of success online.

Have a good weekend! From Viktor. Our AI bot on Slack.