Maybe you have been thinking about working with a Virtual Assistant mentor for a while, but you’re worried whether the investment will be worth it and you’re just not sure how to choose who to work with.
Choosing the right mentor for you can feel like a minefield because there are so many out there and you’re never quite sure if someone just has a great copywriter who has hooked you in with your pain points, or whether that person can actually help get you to where you want to be.
Do I need a VA mentor to be successful?
First off – I would never tell you that you NEED a coach to be successful, because honestly that just isn’t true! And don’t ever trust anyone who tells you any differently. You can build your own business and be successful without a coach, it just might take you a little longer and you will learn from your own mistakes rather than someone else’s.
Unfortunately there are people out there who will try to convince you to purchase their online course, or work with them directly even if you can’t afford it.
The Guardian wrote a shockingly true article stating that:
Over one week last year Wheeler was contacted by more than 20 people, all desperate to exit a 12-month contract with the same business coach. “They were getting next to no benefit or coaching. For some, the monthly instalments were more than their mortgage payments. Those involved were putting the payments on to credit cards, or had borrowed money from the family, and many were hiding the escalating debt from their husbands.”
Suzanne Bearne – The Guardian
But, and that is a big but, not everyone who is a mentor or a business coach is out to exploit you and if you do choose to work with the right one, your results can be more than you would ever have even dreamed was possible – I promise! I have learnt this through my own experience and have seen it through the clients that I have worked with.
So how do I choose the right VA mentor?
Working with the right coach who has been in your shoes is invaluable and can excel your journey so much faster and further than you ever even imagined was possible.
So how do you pick which coach or mentor to work with when they all seem so great?
There are SO many amazing coaches and mentors out there, it can be hard to pick which one to work with. So here are some questions to ask yourself when picking who you are going to invest in:
👉 What experience do they have being in my position?
Someone who has been where you are now and is in the position currently that you want to be in the future, is going to be a great place to start when choosing who to work with. They have walked in your shoes, overcome the same issues that you are facing and have proven that they know how to get to where you want to be.
👉 How long have they been a VA for?
I too often see VAs who pivot into being VA mentors after 3 or 6 months of being a VA because they think its a better way to earn more money or they are working with a business coach who is pushing them that way. And this is not to say that someone who has been a VA for only 6 months couldn’t add value to your business growth, but just be mindful of those who may not have had the years of experience you might need.
👉 Have they overcome the difficulties I am experiencing?
Look at their content or ask them directly whether they have ever experienced the difficulties you are having right now and need help with.
Have they only ever worked with amazing clients who have never pushed their boundaries for example? Or did they start out charging industry average and they’re not exactly sure how to raise prices with current underpaying clients.
👉 Does what they speak about resonate with me or are they just targeting people’s pain points to sell?
Is what they are talking about genuinely resonating with where you are now, or are they just very good at copywriting and targeting your pain points?
There are a lot of icky and sleazy sales tactics out there that use sales psychology in a manipulative way to make you buy into a service or a product. So try to read between the lines and beyond the sales copy and decide whether what they are saying is on your level.
👉 Do their values fit mine?
Most people speak about what their values are because they too want to work with someone whose values fit with theirs.
Try to find out what they believe in and what their why is, does it sit well with you or does it make you feel inadequate in any way at all. For example someone who talks about earning £10k months all the time – does this make you want to work with them because you feel rubbish that you aren’t earning that yet which makes imposter syndrome rear its head. Or does this make you want to work with them because a high income is one of your values too?
👉 Are they where I want to be one day in my business?
Ask yourself – what position are they in now and do I want to be there too one day? Are they running an agency model and that is what your goals are. Are they running a VA biz and also mentoring other online service providers which is also your goal? Or are they an Online Business Manager working closely with a small number of clients which sounds a bit of you?
👉 Do they genuinely care about my growth?
Most great business mentors will be so involved in your growth that they will genuinely celebrate your wins with you! They get excited for you and want to know all of your progress. Be mindful of people who are only asking targeted questions to their clients so they can screenshot their answers for their own gain.
Look out for genuine testimonials and feedback that has come straight from their clients e.g. someone creating an Instagram story about their experience with the mentor is a great way to spot a genuine mentor.
My answers
And if you’re wondering where I stand on these:
✨ I have been a VA / OBM for over 3 years and have grown hugely in that time
✨ I have been: overworked, undercharging, had boundaries pushed, dealt with difficult client situations, hired associates, broken up with clients – I have seen it all and come through it all on the other side
✨ My values in my mentoring biz are: communication, authenticity, excellence, compassion and expertise
✨ I work as an Online Business Manager and specialise in marketing, websites and process optimisation. I have 5 clients that I work with very closely and 2 associates.
✨ I failed to grow my OBM business as quick as I would have liked because I cared more about the growth of my clients’ business than my own 😬 so yes I genuinely care about allll your wins 💕
✨ My mission as a VA mentor is to work with motivated ladies to help transform you from feeling lost and overwhelmed, to being expertly guided with a focused path to your OWN definition of success. ✨
If you think you might be ready to work with a Virtual Assistant Mentor and any of the above resonates with you, check out my Mentoring support page here. Or if you want to do a bit more stalking first (also fine, I don’t blame you!) check out my Instagram. So if you are ready to get rid of that overwhelm, reach your full potential and know exactly how you’re going to reach your goals, book in a free chat here to have a cuppa with me and find out more about whether we are a good fit.