I will never forget back in 2016 when I opened a fortune cookie at a get together and as usual I cracked the cookie open, took out the fortune and read it to myself. Normally I don’t think much of them but this time something felt different. I ended up hanging on to it, and truly feel this is where my whole business journey began.
I decided back in 2016 to leave my job with no real plan in place as to what I would be doing next. It was a risky move for me, I’m not someone that ever took many risks when it came to work – but I knew I needed a change and that I was being pulled towards entrepreneurship. I had been working with a few local businesses and started researching how to turn what I was doing for them into a virtual assistant business. This type of business was a somewhat new concept 4 years ago, especially here in Canada. In researching how to start a business, I found and started following Jenna Kutcher.
I remember seeing a post she had written in response to a question she had kept getting over and over again about how she hired her virtual assistant Caitlyn – I read through the post and immediately thought I need to get in touch with Caitlyn to see if she has advice, tips, guidance on how she got started in her business. Now, I’m not normally one to just reach out to strangers on the internet but something in me decided to just go for it knowing that I may not get a response back – but what did I really have to lose?
Related: How to Hire a Virtual Assistant
Sure enough a week or so later, Caitlyn’s named popped up in my inbox, it was the first week of September 2016 and she graciously gave me some advice on how to get started, also saying she had received about 80+ messages in regards to that post Jenna did. I figured that was that and I was off to figure out how to build this business. I will never forget receiving that next email from Caitlyn, it was my daughter Ella’s 7th birthday party and I was covered in glitter and sprinkles cleaning up the aftermath of a little girl party. I read her email and in it she asked if I would be interested in taking over her business as she had just taking on a full-time position with Jenna. I had a hard time believing what I was reading given we had just connected but I remember feeling this immediate trust with Caitlyn like we had known each other our entire lives. I knew I had to pursue this opportunity even though it felt strange at first given we had never even met. I remember my husband being like “what do you mean you want to purchase a business from someone you met on the internet?” It took some convincing, but I truly feel things happen for a reason and thankfully Dave also felt the same.
There was a lot of back and forth and nitty gritty details we had to work out but it was such a seamless process you couldn’t help but think this had all been meant to be. Once details were settled, I trained with Caitlyn for months prior to officially taking over in January 2017. We decided to plan a little trip to meet each other before all the final details were in place because I felt like it was only right that we meet in person, we already felt like best friends and that was the best part of all of it – on top of getting to take over this amazing business she had built, I also gained an amazing friend. I flew to Wisconsin and stayed with Caitlyn and her family, got to meet and spend an afternoon with Jenna and even managed to have her to take a few photos for my brand new business! Talk about the ultimate Bonus!
Catch more of my story and coaching session with Jenna Kutcher on The Goal Digger Podcast HERE!
Here I am 3+ years later and I’ve seen ups and downs and twists and turns in this journey, my business has evolved from offering virtual assistant services to becoming an online business manager to now helping creatives build, manage and lead their virtual teams. I am so thankful for Caitlyn who trusted me enough with her business baby and for the opportunity to create this life for myself and my family. I truly would not be where I am today without her! So, are you curious to know what that fortune cookie said all those years ago? It still gives me goosebumps when I look at to this day – I have it framed in my office as a constant reminder of where things all began.
It read: “You will have an exciting business adventure” and boy have I ever!
I would love to know if you are just starting in your virtual assistant business, let me know in the comments below the biggest thing holding you back from getting started.
