How to start a virtual assistant business in 2025

Learn how to start a virtual assistant business step by step. Discover services to offer, how to price yourself, and the tools you need to succeed as a VA in 2025.

The global workforce is booming, and it's never been easier (or more profitable) to start a virtual assistant business.

Low startup costs? Check. No formal qualifications needed? Check. Total freedom to work from anywhere? Yup. It's no wonder this gig is blowing up.

However, on that note, VAs everywhere are competing for the best clients, so you'll need to put in the effort to stand out.

Not sure where to start? We've broken it down into 6 simple steps, covering everything from picking your services to finding the right platform to operate your business on.

Let's get into it.

What is a virtual assistant?

So, what does a virtual assistant actually do?

Virtual assistants (or VAs) are professionals who provide administrative, creative, or technical support to businesses or individuals. 

We spoke to seasoned virtual assistant Matthieu about his career. He says the real value of a VA is in taking time-consuming tasks off a client’s plate and streamlining the way their business runs.

“CEOs and companies usually hire virtual assistants to take on tasks that eat up their time. A VA can also refine workflows and processes to make the way a business runs smoother and more efficient.”

What does a virtual assistant do?

Usually, you'll be offering the following tasks:

• 📅 Scheduling appointments
• 📧 Managing emails
• 📊 Data entry
• 🤝 Customer service
• 📱 Social media management
• ✍️ Content creation
• ✈️ Travel arrangements
• 🔍 Research tasks
• 📚 Bookkeeping and invoicing

So if you have office or any sort of admin experience, you'll find VA work pretty simple. The roles and tasks vary based on the needs of the employer and a virtual assistant’s areas of specialty (think content creation or bookkeeping). 

Pros and cons of becoming a virtual assistant

No job is without its pitfalls, and VA work is no different.

We've done the heavy lifting for you and drawn up a pros and cons list with the key advantages and drawbacks associated with the job.

6 steps to start a successful virtual assistant business

Ready to get started as a VA?

Keep reading to find out how you can launch your virtual assistant career.

1. Decide on your services

First things first: decide which services you'll offer.

Sure, a VA can handle all kinds of tasks, but you'll save yourself a lot of confusion by knowing exactly which services you're confident offering and which you aren't. Clear boundaries help you avoid awkward client requests that push you out of your comfort zone.

So start with your strengths. Even if you've never worked in admin, you've likely got plenty of transferable skills – tech know-how, sales speak, customer service.

Write them all down, look for overlaps, and focus on the skills you enjoy most.

Once you're up and running, you can reinvest time and money into further training, which allows you to offer more services and charge a higher price point.

2. Create a business plan

A solid plan for your online business will be your best friend.

Think of it as a roadmap: flexible enough to tweak as you go, but clear enough to keep you on track. It doesn't need to be stiff or corporate, just answer the big questions about your business and goals.

Here's what to include: 

• Mission statement: Why you're diving into the virtual assistant market, and what makes you and your services different.
• Your services: The exact tasks you can complete for clients (e.g. email management, social media management, customer service, research, bookkeeping, appointment scheduling.)
• Ideal client: Your dream customer or 'target persona'. Maybe it's small business owners, social media creators, or solopreneurs in specific industries.
• Marketing plans: Marketing strategies to attract clients: social media, blogging, networking, etc.
• Short-term goals: What you want to achieve in your first 3-6 months (landing your first three clients, building a website, etc.)
• Long-term goals: Your 1-3 year vision (more revenue, a bigger client base, new services).
• Business expenses: Consider setup costs, software, marketing, and whether you'll need a website.

The level of detail included in your business plan is totally up to you, but it should paint a clear picture of what your business stands for, where it aims to go, and how you'll get there.

Check out these business plan templates, then read our guide to creating a business plan from scratch.

3. Fulfill your legal obligations 

Like any business, you'll need to tick off a few legal checkboxes before you start. Just because VA is a remote business idea it doesn't mean that you get to skip past the legalities.

First off, register your business and choose a structure (sole proprietor, LLC, or corporation). Most VAs go with sole proprietor because it's simple, cheap, and requires minimal paperwork. Plus, you can file your taxes under your own name.

Other boxes to check:

• Required licenses or permits
• Create client contracts
• Follow data-privacy laws
• Consider business insurance (even low-risk businesses can get hit with claims)

Insurance might feel optional, but it can save you from hefty legal costs and income hits if a client accuses you of causing financial harm. A business attorney with experience in service-based businesses can help you here.

4. Decide on your hourly rate

Pricing your services is one of the most important decisions you'll make as a VA.

Starting out, a ballpark rate is somewhere from $20 to $40 an hour, but if you have experience and specialist skills? Don't undersell yourself; charge more.

Remember: As an independent contractor, you have to cover your taxes, tools, and supplies. You need to factor those into your rate so you aren't just breaking even, but actually making a profit.

You don't have to use an hourly rate pricing model, either. You can also offer packages:

• Service-based packages: Bundle related tasks (e.g, a social media package including posts, community management, and analytics review).
• Tiered packages: Offer different levels of service (e.g., basic, mid-range, premium) with increasing hours or task load.
• Time-based packages: Sell a set number of hours per month under an agreed retainer amount (e.g., 10 hours for $350, 25 hours for $800, etc.)

Whatever you choose, be clear about your payment terms, put them in writing, and have clear contracts.

Check out these pricing strategies used by the experts.

5. Create your portfolio 

Your portfolio is your virtual assistance highlight reel. A place to show off your skills, past work and clients, and the services you nail best – email management, social media, content creation, general admin.

Along with work samples, include:

• Time management: A quick intro to you, your background, experience, and POD (point-of-difference).
• Work philosophy: How you approach client relationships, time management, and problem-solving.
• Hard and soft skills: From software expertise (hard) to communication and organization (soft).
• Certifications: Any relevant training or qualifications (VA certs, social media courses, degrees).
• Testimonials: Client praise is worth its weight in gold, collect it any chance you can.

Skip hosting your portfolio on sites like Upwork and Fiverr – they can take up to 20% of your earnings.

Instead, create a portfolio hub on Whop. It's transparent, easy, and fee-friendly. You can even upload your portfolio as a PDF or build it out with the course app for clients to browse through.

6. Market your business

You can be the best assistant in the world, but if no one knows you exist? Well, you’ll have a lot of free time.

Here’s how to get noticed:

Branding

Start with a business name that speaks to your ideal clients and accurately represents you.

Make it short, memorable, and clear about what you do (words like “assistant,” “solutions,” or “support” work well).

Check out these company slogans for inspiration.

Once you've locked it in, grab the domain (if you're building out a website), and the social handles. Then, it's time to create your logo.

There are several types of logos to choose from, including:

• Wordmark: This consists of your business name in a professional, stylized font.
• Lettermark: An acronym of your business name. 
• Icon or symbol: A graphic symbol representing your business. This could be either abstract or literal. 
• Combination mark: Combines text and an icon/symbol. 
• Emblem: A more detailed logo that often includes text inside a symbol or shape. 

If you’re struggling to devise an identity for your brand, why not check out our guide to personal branding examples (and how to create your own brand identity).

Social media

Show up where your clients are already hanging out – LinkedIn for professionals, X for solopreneurs, Instagram for content creators.

Start sharing helpful tips, behind-the-scenes posts, case studies, testimonials, and day-to-day content. Make sure you consistently softly advise followers how virtual assistants can benefit small businesses.

Engage with comments and DMs, and join Facebook groups to network with other VAs and potential clients.

A study called 'Using Social Media in the Recruitment Process' found that half of all employers check job seekers' personal social media accounts, and 64% hirers look at someone's LinkedIn or similar profiles when considering them for jobs.

Read our guide to marketing yourself on social media and discover simple steps to achieve all your marketing goals. 

Start a blog

Another great way to market yourself is by starting a VA-inspired blog.

You can use it to create eye-catching and informative blog post titles that encourage readers to click (e.g., ‘12 reasons why every business can benefit from a virtual assistant’).

Write helpful, SEO-friendly posts on topics your audience cares about. Add images, keywords, and internal links, then finish with a call-to-action for your services.

Use your blog to grow an email list and send newsletters with tips, client wins, and promotions. Sending out regular newsletters helps you stay in front of potential clients, establishing your expertise and building your audience's trust over time.

Explore these ecommerce niche blogs and discover how you can use a blog for your business.

Network 

Don’t underestimate the power of connections. Attend local business events or meetups, as these often attract small business owners who may need your services. 

And if in-person isn’t an option, join online industry groups, attend virtual conferences, and engage in networking communities.

Also, consider starting a referral program and offering discounts or freebies to current clients who send new business your way. 

You can also team up with complementary service providers like marketing agencies or web designers to cross-promote each other’s services.

Offer a service trial

Offering a free trial is a good opportunity to showcase your value to prospective clients.

Trials can convert business owners into paying clients by allowing them to witness your expertise first-hand, and there are a few ways to do this:

• Free trial: A free trial gives clients an experience of what your services might look like and how they could benefit. This trial could include anywhere between 1-2 hours of service, and is useful for businesses unsure about employing a VA. 
• Free consultation: A free (15-30-minute) consultation gives you time to chat with prospective clients and show them what you have to offer their business. You can treat this like an ‘interview,’ showcasing relevant skills and answering any questions they may have. 
• Testimonials: After the free trial or consultation, you can follow this up with an offer to help them further. You can show them success stories from previous work or testimonials provided by other clients.

Wondering how to collect reviews from previous employers? Don’t sweat it, just read our guide, How to ask for a review: Tips, templates, and timing that work.

Ads 

If you have the budget, paid ads are great at generating leads quickly, cutting out a lot of time and effort that many small business owners don’t have to spare. 

Some popular spaces to run VA ads are:

• LinkedIn: LinkedIn is primarily a business network, so it provides a good opportunity for targeting entrepreneurs and business owners. 
• Google ads: You can also run Google ads that contain specific keywords potential clients might be looking for, such as ‘virtual assistant for small business,’ as well as a list of specific services you have on offer, such as ‘administrative support.’
• Facebook ads: Another popular choice, Facebook ads offer a cost-effective way to reach a highly targeted audience. You can pinpoint specific clients according to demographics, interests, and behaviors, and do so with a relatively flexible budget. 
• Content Rewards: Set up a content rewards campaign on Whop and pay clippers to reshare and promote your content across socials for a fraction of the cost-per-view of traditional social ads.

How to create your VA business on Whop

We’ve talked about building your portfolio and setting up socials, but where should your online virtual assistance business actually live? 

If you’re looking for a central home base for your VA business, Whop is a no-brainer.

Create a professional online hub where clients can find, book, and pay for your services all in one place. And you’re not just limited to VA work either: you can also sell complementary digital products like templates, eBooks, online courses, and more.

Here’s how to make the most of it:

1. Set up your whop

Think of your whop as your home on the internet.

Setting up a whop only takes a few minutes to complete, and you can create your account using a Discord, Google, Twitter/X, or Apple account. If you don’t have any of these, you can simply sign up with an email address.

Don’t feel pressured to come up with a forever name right away, as you can change this whenever you like. 

2. Start adding in apps

Next up, start adding apps to your whop. This is how to design your VA business.

For example, if you want to have a hub to meet and talk with your clients, add the video calls app and the chat app.

To manage bookings and client calls, add the calendar app (you can add pricing per cal here, or keep them free).

To create an all-in-one home for your paid clients, add the files app to give access to your templates, and the forums app for client updates.

Check out this guide to Whop apps for more information.

3. Customizing your whop

Next up is the fun part: customizing your whop store page.

You can customize each of your apps with a unique name and logo to really make it your own. For client appeal, make sure that your branding is clear and professional.

Next, it's time to update the storefront for your whop. You can do everything from adding a logo to customizing the headline, creating a description, adding page names and URLs, and so much more.

This outlines how your store will look to the public. Check out these examples of whop storefronts:

4. Applying to the Discover Page

Next up, you’ll want to make sure you're on the Whop Discover page. This step is totally optional, but it’s a great choice if you want to increase your revenue. 

The ‘Apply to Discover’ button can be found at the bottom right of the screen while you’re editing your whop from the 'manage whop' tab.

And that’s it! We told you it was super easy. Once your whop goes live, you can start cashing in right away. 

For further customization and help setting up more business widgets, check out the Whop Tutorials YouTube channel.

Launch your virtual assistant business today with Whop

Launching your VA business is 100% doable (and way less complex than it sounds). 

You’ve got the blueprint: figure out your services, set your rates, nail down the legal stuff, create a portfolio, plan your business, and market yourself like a pro. 

Each step gets you closer to running your online gig on your own terms.

It's never been easier to launch your virtual assistant business. Simply sign up to Whop, list your services, and start selling - what are you waiting for?

FAQ

How much money can I make as a virtual assistant?

Honestly, it depends on your skills, expertise, and training.

Top earners in the industry make an average of $65,500 per year, while the average virtual assistant makes approximately $50,749 per year.

Bear in mind: this number can be much lower if you’re just getting started out; entry-level virtual assistants make less than those with more experience. 

Is it hard to get a virtual assistant job? 

Heaps of individuals and organizations hire virtual assistants on a regular basis, but it can be challenging to find these positions due to a competitive market.

Your best bet to maximise client work and retention is to specialize in a niche and advertise your freelance services on social media and platforms like Upwork or Whop.

How many hours do virtual assistants work?

It's up to you! But usually, virtual assistants will work around 40 or more hours a week, similar to other full-time jobs. This may be with one client or split between many.

Most people getting started out in the industry with a beginner skill set work part-time, with hours ranging between 20 to 30 hours a week, depending on their tasks and the agreement they’ve made with their employer. 

What is the average age of a virtual assistant?

There is actually a distinct age demographic for those working in a virtual assistant position.

It turns out the average age of virtual assistants is 40+ years, representing 78% of the virtual assistant population.

Despite this, people of all ages work in the industry, especially with Gen-Z VAs entering the market, offering new skills such as content creation and social media management.

Are virtual assistants still in demand?

Actually, the market and demand for virtual assistance are growing.

There has been a significant rise in full-time virtual assistant positions, and the role is taken more seriously for its expertise and professionalism.

Can a virtual assistant be a side hustle?

Yes, absolutely!

Many virtual assistants work as part-time employees. It allows you to work flexible hours from anywhere, utilizing your existing skills to provide administrative and technical support to a wide variety of clients.