WEBVTT
00:00:00.239 --> 00:00:05.360
So, most side hustle conversations on this show start in a classroom.
00:00:05.519 --> 00:00:09.599
This one starts in a language school in the south of France.
00:00:09.759 --> 00:00:22.800
Nicole is a fractional chief of staff, basically the right hand who runs the life and business behind a founder so that they can focus on the one thing that only they can do best.
00:00:23.039 --> 00:00:31.760
She has done this for nine years for entrepreneurs across Europe and the US from a life that's taken her through five different countries.
00:00:32.000 --> 00:00:35.439
And here's why I wanted her on a show for teachers.
00:00:35.600 --> 00:00:43.280
The skills this job actually runs on organizing chaos, managing people, keeping 100 plates spinning.
00:00:43.439 --> 00:00:46.399
Those are skills you already use every day.
00:00:46.560 --> 00:00:48.240
You just call it a Tuesday.
00:00:48.399 --> 00:00:51.679
So, Nicole, welcome to First in Class.
00:00:52.320 --> 00:00:55.119
This is Teachers with Money First in Class.
00:00:55.280 --> 00:00:58.880
I'm Krista Jones, founder of the Teachers with Money movement.
00:00:59.039 --> 00:01:06.879
And this show is for the educator who is done accepting the story that financial struggle is the price of a meaningful career.
00:01:07.120 --> 00:01:08.480
Let's get into it.
00:01:14.159 --> 00:01:15.680
Thank you so much for having me.
00:01:15.920 --> 00:01:17.120
I'm so glad that you're here.
00:01:17.359 --> 00:01:18.959
So will you take us all the way back?
00:01:19.120 --> 00:01:22.719
Before any of this, you were working at a language school in France.
00:01:22.879 --> 00:01:24.400
What was your actual role there?
00:01:24.640 --> 00:01:28.480
So I started as an intern uh in the administration.
00:01:28.640 --> 00:01:30.799
So I was not a teacher myself.
00:01:32.239 --> 00:01:44.000
And I was the receptionist, you can say, which was also like the phone person and also handling inbound sales and everything that comes up in box.
00:01:44.159 --> 00:01:59.280
And it was also sometimes when we had like minors and they would lose their passport and like how to get home, and it would be going to the embassy with them to get them the papers, or my phone got stolen, and I need to go to the police station with them.
00:01:59.519 --> 00:02:02.640
Or my host family and me are not vibing.
00:02:02.879 --> 00:02:05.439
Can you please look for another host family?
00:02:05.599 --> 00:02:09.680
So yeah, it was basically administration with everything brought, managing people.
00:02:09.919 --> 00:02:18.879
Yeah, well, anyone who's ever worked in a school knows that anyone sitting behind a desk in the front office is doing so much more than answering the phone.
00:02:19.120 --> 00:02:22.400
So yeah, I can I can only imagine how much your job entailed there.
00:02:22.639 --> 00:02:23.280
But I loved it.
00:02:23.360 --> 00:02:24.800
It was it was it was really nice.
00:02:24.960 --> 00:02:27.680
So it was like the the first thing you see when you enter.
00:02:27.759 --> 00:02:33.599
So it was also in the morning greeting everyone and setting the vibe, and it was something I really enjoyed.
00:02:33.840 --> 00:02:34.479
Yeah, yeah.
00:02:34.719 --> 00:02:37.840
Anyone who's who's there at the front really is the face of the school.
00:02:37.919 --> 00:02:39.680
So I'm sure they loved having you there.
00:02:39.919 --> 00:02:50.560
So then you told me a story about how you had a student at that school, a German entrepreneur who actually turned into your very first client and then your whole career.
00:02:50.639 --> 00:02:52.000
So let's back up a little bit.
00:02:52.240 --> 00:03:02.159
For someone who has never heard the term, what is a fractional chief of staff or a senior virtual assistant and what do they actually do day to day?
00:03:02.319 --> 00:03:02.719
Yeah.
00:03:03.039 --> 00:03:11.199
So I start with the assistant because it's like assistants oftentimes can evolve into chief of staffs.
00:03:11.439 --> 00:03:23.840
So a virtual assistant is someone who supports someone else, oftentimes it's a founder, entrepreneur, etc., with their day-to-day tasks or business operations.
00:03:24.080 --> 00:03:25.759
It can be literally anything.
00:03:25.919 --> 00:03:36.879
I have seen people ordering flowers for birthdays, and it can also building sales funnels for their business, handling their inbox communication.
00:03:37.120 --> 00:03:42.000
It really depends on the scope talked about with the client.
00:03:42.159 --> 00:03:58.560
And then the evolution into a fractional chief of staff is more when you've been an assistant for to an entrepreneur that had a team or is collaborating a lot and the person kind of needs a filter of what's coming from outside.
00:03:58.719 --> 00:04:17.759
And either they have already given you enough information so you can do the decision from them for them and then execute, execute the decision, or you can like comprehensively tell them what needs to be decided on, and then you either execute or delegate to someone else who executes.
00:04:18.000 --> 00:04:26.079
But the the idea is to kind of create a peace of mind for the client and to and to take tasks off of their place.
00:04:27.199 --> 00:04:31.439
Yeah, so I have a virtual assistant who I adore.
00:04:31.600 --> 00:04:32.639
Shout out to Michelle.
00:04:32.800 --> 00:04:36.720
I hired her in December, so just uh seven months ago or so.
00:04:36.879 --> 00:04:46.319
And um, the type of work that she does for the listener who might be listening in in the education space who might be interested in doing virtual assisting as a side hustle.
00:04:46.560 --> 00:04:52.160
She helps me create resources for my online store, which that's my teachers be teacher store.
00:04:52.240 --> 00:04:58.000
Um, she also helps me with my content creation to post out like on TikTok and Instagram.
00:04:58.240 --> 00:05:00.160
She helps schedule my content.
00:05:00.480 --> 00:05:13.120
Plus, I mean, just any random little task that I need help with, I'm able to pass on to her, which that is what is what has allowed me to start new projects like this podcast, for example.
00:05:13.279 --> 00:05:17.920
It takes the time that I would have been spending on those tasks, takes that off of my plate.
00:05:18.160 --> 00:05:19.120
She loves doing it.
00:05:19.279 --> 00:05:20.560
I love passing it off to her.
00:05:20.639 --> 00:05:22.160
It's a win-win for both of us.
00:05:22.319 --> 00:05:32.720
And I am able to keep adding more and more things that she can do for me as she learns more about how I like to work and I learn more about all of her incredible skills that she has.
00:05:32.959 --> 00:05:36.639
So I I personally have a virtual assistant and it has been amazing.
00:05:36.879 --> 00:05:42.959
It's like the great thing is that over the time, the assistant gets to know you and your business better and better.
00:05:43.040 --> 00:05:47.279
And so they can like take more and more of like your mental load.
00:05:47.600 --> 00:05:49.199
Yes, that's exactly what it's been.
00:05:49.360 --> 00:05:51.680
And she has become a collaborator too.
00:05:51.759 --> 00:06:07.680
Like it's it's really great, especially for like those of us who are teachers, for any of you who do have an online store or you're thinking about starting your teachers pay teachers store, it can be a little bit lonely when you're just it's just you, the only person in your business sitting in front of your computer working on it.
00:06:07.839 --> 00:06:11.759
It's so nice to have a teammate to come on board and work with.
00:06:11.920 --> 00:06:12.160
Yeah.
00:06:12.399 --> 00:06:31.920
I can also imagine that like some teachers when like I'm not a very familiar with Teachers Pay Teachers online store, but from what I saw, I mean, I think you can spend endless hours on design and like formatting, etc., which is maybe not the zone of genius of the teacher.
00:06:32.079 --> 00:06:36.399
So this is something I can see being handed off to an assistant for teacher.
00:06:36.639 --> 00:06:37.920
You are exactly right.
00:06:38.079 --> 00:06:38.480
Yeah.
00:06:38.639 --> 00:06:44.319
And like I said before, it can be such a win-win because there's somebody who really wants to be doing that work.
00:06:44.560 --> 00:06:50.720
And then there might be somebody else like me who I used to enjoy the design work, but I have so many other things I want to do too.
00:06:50.959 --> 00:06:54.879
So it's it's great to have that collaborative relationship together.
00:06:55.120 --> 00:06:55.439
Totally.
00:06:55.600 --> 00:06:56.959
So let's back up a little bit.
00:06:57.120 --> 00:06:59.920
You had a student who became your very first client.
00:07:00.000 --> 00:07:02.639
So can you tell us about how you made the shift?
00:07:02.720 --> 00:07:05.439
I think you started this as a side hustle.
00:07:05.680 --> 00:07:05.839
Yeah.
00:07:06.000 --> 00:07:07.600
And then it became your full business.
00:07:07.839 --> 00:07:08.240
Yeah.
00:07:08.560 --> 00:07:12.399
So I at first I didn't know him personally.
00:07:12.560 --> 00:07:19.120
It was a teacher, like his teacher came up to me and he was like, Can I like introduce you to my student?
00:07:19.199 --> 00:07:22.399
He's looking for someone bilingual, French and German.
00:07:22.639 --> 00:07:40.240
And so his student had told him that he wants to move to France, like relocate his whole life and also his business, but it's it was not really clear, so he wants to do both like his business in France and in Germany, so kind of managing his business in two countries.
00:07:40.399 --> 00:07:42.000
And then I was like, Yeah, sure.
00:07:42.319 --> 00:07:43.120
Why not?
00:07:43.519 --> 00:07:53.120
We got introduced to each other, and I remember the first like task I had was to look for apartments to buy for him.
00:07:53.439 --> 00:08:01.600
It was in Nice, so it was kind of cool because I was visiting like this great apartments and then giving him feedback.
00:08:01.839 --> 00:08:06.800
Yeah, one thing though, like I don't know what I did, but the pricing was like completely off.
00:08:07.680 --> 00:08:08.800
Tell us more.
00:08:09.199 --> 00:08:24.879
So I I had just calculated how much I make an hour in the school, and then I added like three, like in France it was euros, but let's say dollars, and I added like three dollars to it as a freelancer, which I do not do that.
00:08:25.040 --> 00:08:33.360
Like it's complete different things when like your hourly rates as an employee and the hourly rate as a freelance.
00:08:33.679 --> 00:08:34.720
Like, yes.
00:08:35.039 --> 00:08:46.159
Yeah, so I don't know the ins and outs of how what your experience was, but something for people to know is that taxes are different when you are running your own business, when you are freelancing.
00:08:46.320 --> 00:09:02.720
So, for example, that's some that was a hard lesson I also had to learn is that when I started my teachers pay teachers store, I didn't have an employer taking out taxes from my paycheck every couple of weeks, just regularly, so I didn't have to think about it.
00:09:02.879 --> 00:09:08.960
I had to learn that I have to set aside my own tax money and I have to pay those taxes.
00:09:09.120 --> 00:09:10.960
Was that similar to what happened with you?
00:09:11.519 --> 00:09:12.399
Yes, yes.
00:09:12.559 --> 00:09:19.360
So the French system is very complicated with when it comes to taxes and social security.
00:09:19.600 --> 00:09:23.600
For me, I hired an accountant and I just do it for me.
00:09:23.759 --> 00:09:29.679
I don't want like just tell me how much I need to wire to the government and then I'm alright.
00:09:30.559 --> 00:09:31.200
Yes.
00:09:31.679 --> 00:09:36.799
But definitely when when doing your pricing, like take this into consideration.
00:09:36.960 --> 00:09:41.039
And like now you can ask whatever AI you're using.
00:09:41.279 --> 00:09:44.240
I want to make this some nets.
00:09:44.480 --> 00:09:48.240
How much do I need to invoice and gross my clients?
00:09:48.399 --> 00:09:52.720
And then you will probably have something plus minus, but you will have an idea.
00:09:52.799 --> 00:09:55.279
You will not be like completely off like I was.
00:09:55.600 --> 00:09:58.799
Yeah, it's it's so hard to learn those lessons along the way.
00:09:58.879 --> 00:10:06.320
And it's important for those of us who are a few steps ahead to share our mistakes with those who are just starting these new endeavors.
00:10:06.480 --> 00:10:06.720
Yeah.
00:10:06.960 --> 00:10:14.799
So, what kinds of things do founders hand to you now that they're like shocked that they can pass off to anybody?
00:10:15.039 --> 00:10:20.159
So, as I said, like the like my first client, like was real estate research.
00:10:20.320 --> 00:10:31.360
So he was a coach, like an executive coach, and it was also organizing the seminars, which was very fun because he wanted them to be in five-star hotels, and it was on the Côte d'Azur in south of France.
00:10:31.440 --> 00:10:34.639
So it was I got to visit all these posh places.
00:10:34.799 --> 00:10:54.799
But this was like this, like this clan was a bit special because he had also hired me because I was local and virtual assistants, as the term says, it's like you're working remote virtually, and from there it can literally be anything, like it can be inbox management, it can be lead generation.
00:10:55.120 --> 00:11:04.159
Now I also have a client, she is actively asking me to have to hold her accountable if she's posting regularly on social media.
00:11:04.240 --> 00:11:11.120
So she's like, Can you like determine certain moments in the week and like ping me and ask me, have you done this?
00:11:11.279 --> 00:11:12.080
Have you done that?
00:11:12.320 --> 00:11:14.480
So it's just like keeping up with her.
00:11:14.720 --> 00:11:17.039
Like, I assume have you done your homework?
00:11:17.120 --> 00:11:18.879
Have you guys?
00:11:19.039 --> 00:11:20.639
Oh, that's so good.
00:11:21.440 --> 00:11:27.440
But uh yeah, I also have a lot of my French clients, like a lot of government stuff.
00:11:27.679 --> 00:11:30.879
So France is very heavy on everything governmental.
00:11:30.960 --> 00:11:33.440
It's very complex and it's very time consuming.
00:11:33.600 --> 00:11:41.919
And a lot of my French clients like delegate this work on me because it's I think for them it's not really pleasant.
00:11:42.080 --> 00:11:56.639
It's it's yeah, it takes their mind off like their their actual company, and then also a lot of social media, not not particularly content creation, but responding to comments, messages, all the communication.
00:11:56.960 --> 00:11:58.720
Yeah, this pretty much sums it up.
00:11:58.960 --> 00:11:59.440
Yeah.
00:11:59.679 --> 00:12:07.120
So I want to stay right here for a minute because this is a part that I really want my teacher friend who's listening to hear.
00:12:07.279 --> 00:12:17.759
When Nicole describes her work managing a founder's email inbox or their travel or their events, or, you know, 15 things that might be on fire before 9 a.m.
00:12:18.080 --> 00:12:20.639
I don't hear anything that's foreign to teachers.
00:12:20.799 --> 00:12:23.519
I hear, again, like a Tuesday in a classroom.
00:12:23.679 --> 00:12:25.440
You might be planning a field trip.
00:12:25.600 --> 00:12:28.080
You might be responding to dozens of parents.
00:12:28.320 --> 00:12:30.159
Teachers manage 30 humans at once.
00:12:30.320 --> 00:12:32.320
They triage constant chaos.
00:12:32.399 --> 00:12:37.919
They communicate with dozens of families, they keep 100 moving parts organized, and they do it while teaching.
00:12:38.240 --> 00:12:39.679
That is operations.
00:12:39.840 --> 00:12:49.519
This is chief of staff work that teachers are doing every single day, which is why I think being a virtual assistant is such an interesting potential side hustle for teachers.
00:12:49.759 --> 00:12:58.720
So, Nicole, let's make this concrete for someone listening who's never like thought of themselves as business-y or maybe even organized.
00:12:58.799 --> 00:13:01.759
Like teachers are way more organized, I think, than they give themselves credit for.
00:13:01.840 --> 00:13:03.840
It's just that we have so much on our plate all the time.
00:13:04.080 --> 00:13:12.799
So if you, Nicole, if you were to think of a teacher who runs a room with 30 kids, 100 logistics, parent communication, blah, blah, blah.
00:13:12.960 --> 00:13:19.840
Like what parts of a teacher's everyday job might map straight into what you do for founders?
00:13:20.399 --> 00:13:23.600
So, like right now, as you said, field trips.
00:13:23.759 --> 00:13:27.759
I don't know how I could have forgotten this, but I was heavily involved in a wedding planning.
00:13:28.240 --> 00:13:28.639
Cool.
00:13:28.879 --> 00:13:31.679
And it kind of like matches one-to-one like field trips.
00:13:31.919 --> 00:13:36.240
Like, I don't know if field trips if if in the US it's like something for several days.
00:13:36.320 --> 00:13:40.559
But you know, sometimes you also go on a something like a camp with your class.
00:13:40.960 --> 00:13:41.279
Yeah.
00:13:41.519 --> 00:13:43.279
And it's a complete shit show.
00:13:43.840 --> 00:13:49.840
But yeah, well, so this wedding that I had to co-organize, um, I'm I'm obviously joking.
00:13:49.919 --> 00:13:56.000
It was just it was I always now I tell myself like one wedding in a lifetime is enough.
00:13:57.039 --> 00:13:57.840
Two or kids.
00:13:58.399 --> 00:14:14.879
But I think organizing like these kind of activities matches a lot like the outside of school activities, uh all the transportation, like organizing transportations of when your client lands and he needs to be at the conference, so you need to organize the driver, etc.
00:14:15.120 --> 00:14:17.519
I mean, you need to organize the bus for the kids, right?
00:14:17.919 --> 00:14:27.279
Also, another thing that matches virtual assistants and the teacher is that you have a lot of simultaneous tasks that you need to keep track on.
00:14:27.519 --> 00:14:37.120
So I'm curious, what skills do you would you say actually matter most for somebody who wants to be a virtual assistant or a fractional chief of staff?
00:14:37.279 --> 00:14:40.480
And what are some skills that could be learned along the way?
00:14:40.799 --> 00:14:54.240
I think the most important skills are like emotional intelligence, sensing the situation, knowing how to de-escalate certain situations.
00:14:54.559 --> 00:14:57.120
And I I think it's a bit harder to learn these things.
00:14:57.279 --> 00:15:06.960
It's sensing when when your client is overwhelmed, so you pro proactively propose to do certain things, and then sometimes it's just like they can take over.
00:15:07.200 --> 00:15:11.360
And everything like behind that I feel can be learned.
00:15:11.440 --> 00:15:18.399
Like all the organizational staff, things like the tools or like every online tool can be learned.
00:15:18.480 --> 00:15:27.279
I have oftentimes clients where they tell me what they want to do, and I tell them, okay, great, I've never done it, but I'm happy to learn.
00:15:27.519 --> 00:15:31.919
And then they're like, okay, let me know if in what he needs, and then we go from there.
00:15:32.080 --> 00:15:35.840
Like as long as there's a communication, there's absolutely no problem.
00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:39.120
But it's like an it's an ongoing learning.
00:15:39.440 --> 00:15:44.879
But everything you can like nowadays with YouTube and AI, you can learn anything.
00:15:45.120 --> 00:15:51.120
But these things that are like communication, direct communication, clear communication with your client.
00:15:51.279 --> 00:16:00.080
Um also sometimes what has happened to me is I have seen information bef like sensitive information before my client has seen it.
00:16:00.240 --> 00:16:07.200
And I was on a call with him, and I I like I kind of sense that he didn't read the email.
00:16:07.519 --> 00:16:08.879
And it's like, okay, what do I do?
00:16:09.039 --> 00:16:13.600
Do I tell him the bad news or do I pretend it didn't happen?
00:16:13.919 --> 00:16:19.200
Because also when as like as a virtual assistant, I've been a lot on private matters.
00:16:19.440 --> 00:16:28.480
And sometimes you you need to learn when to pretend you didn't hear you didn't read, or yeah, or like when you can speak about it.
00:16:28.639 --> 00:16:52.559
Um it's kind of like finer detail things, sensing that I actually think teachers are really good at since they're in this room with these human beings and and also managing like their students, the parents, and oftentimes I also hear that teachers also if they have doubts of if there's trouble at home, that they should they interven or not.
00:16:52.960 --> 00:16:55.039
I think this is kind of similar.
00:16:55.279 --> 00:17:03.519
Yeah, so like it's what I'm hearing is that there are a lot of soft soft skills that you carry as well, and having that emotional intelligence.
00:17:03.679 --> 00:17:06.640
And you mentioned de-escalating a situation.
00:17:06.880 --> 00:17:08.319
Good news, man.
00:17:08.559 --> 00:17:13.920
Teachers become very experienced at that, and we often receive training on verbal de-escalation.
00:17:14.079 --> 00:17:17.039
So I I don't think that would be a problem for most teachers.
00:17:17.200 --> 00:17:18.559
We're pros at that.
00:17:18.960 --> 00:17:19.200
Yeah.
00:17:19.359 --> 00:17:26.960
I mean, obviously, like there there are no like fights or something, but it's just like how do you I mean, oftentimes you're the messenger of bad news.
00:17:27.119 --> 00:17:27.279
Yeah.
00:17:28.960 --> 00:17:30.240
How to transform that.
00:17:30.559 --> 00:17:38.799
Yeah, or even just helping somebody walk through a stressful situation, running an event or planning a move or things like that.
00:17:38.960 --> 00:17:47.039
When you are working with somebody who's in a stressful situation, I can see how having you be calm and helping them walk through it can be so helpful.
00:17:47.279 --> 00:17:47.519
Yeah.
00:17:47.839 --> 00:17:55.039
Because a lot of times your emotional state or like your panic or whatever emotion you have kind of transfers.
00:17:55.200 --> 00:17:58.960
So even if you're the carrier of bad news, you can make it lighter.
00:17:59.920 --> 00:18:01.359
Yeah, definitely.
00:18:01.680 --> 00:18:06.000
So you built this on the side while you were still employed.
00:18:06.079 --> 00:18:06.799
Can you tell us more?
00:18:06.960 --> 00:18:11.920
You told us a bit about what those early days looked like, but then how did your journey progress?
00:18:12.079 --> 00:18:14.799
And then what made you finally go all in?
00:18:15.680 --> 00:18:19.599
This first client I had him for, I think a year and a half, two.
00:18:20.000 --> 00:18:21.920
Uh, and then the pandemic hit.
00:18:23.440 --> 00:18:36.640
Uh, and France was I think in the US it was different from state to state, but in France was really like only essential workers could go to work, and everyone else was like used at home.
00:18:36.960 --> 00:18:44.799
So I had lost my j like my contract kind of ended it and was not renewed because like the pandemic was making things very difficult.
00:18:44.960 --> 00:18:50.240
Uh and then I started like, okay, what can I do with things I have done so far?
00:18:50.400 --> 00:18:54.559
And I back then Upwork was a good platform.
00:18:54.880 --> 00:18:55.359
Yeah.
00:18:55.599 --> 00:19:03.759
Maybe we can we will talk later about it, but uh I found clients through Upwork and and then it kind of like was one after the other.
00:19:03.920 --> 00:19:22.000
And I also was taking other clients that did not have anything to do with virtual assistants, but it was like copywriting, and then basically you you can you can use these skills for your assistant business because like every skill you train you can offer to to the client.
00:19:22.160 --> 00:19:22.400
Yes.
00:19:22.559 --> 00:19:25.440
And and then so the pandemic COVID uh continued.
00:19:25.599 --> 00:19:31.519
Uh at one point I was kind of looking for something more stable, what I thought would be more stable.
00:19:31.759 --> 00:19:39.440
And I took a job in corporate, and then also um they went bankrupt, and then I got laid off.
00:19:39.839 --> 00:19:40.400
Yeah.
00:19:41.039 --> 00:19:43.759
And then I went back to Upwork.
00:19:43.920 --> 00:19:52.000
I found an amazing client who was work as much as you can for me, which was at that at that point in my life was was amazing.
00:19:52.160 --> 00:19:53.599
And then it snowballs.
00:19:53.680 --> 00:20:10.559
It's when you have one name on your CV or two, um, and you can kind of build something like a portfolio or have LinkedIn recommendations, or have your clients introduce you to someone they know that looks for support, everything snowballs.
00:20:10.640 --> 00:20:23.119
So, like except these two clients from Upwork and one client from my employer, everything was through recommendation and just my clients recommending me to their network.
00:20:23.359 --> 00:20:25.519
Yeah, I'm glad that you brought up Upwork.
00:20:25.680 --> 00:20:41.119
So, for the listener who maybe doesn't know, Upwork is a platform where freelancers can connect with people who want to hire them for, I mean, so many different types of projects editing, copywriting, um, photography, on and on and on.
00:20:41.359 --> 00:20:44.240
Virtual assistant work, email management, things like that.
00:20:44.400 --> 00:20:46.799
Um, and sometimes it could be a one-off project.
00:20:46.880 --> 00:20:51.599
I have hired people off of Upwork to do random, various one-off projects.
00:20:52.160 --> 00:20:57.759
Or as it sounds like Nicole, you have also made connections with people that were that was a longer-term relationship.
00:20:57.920 --> 00:21:00.240
Another similar platform is called Fiverr.
00:21:00.319 --> 00:21:02.480
Um, so Upwork and Fiverr, they're very similar.
00:21:02.640 --> 00:21:07.599
Nicole, I'm curious though, I've heard little rumblings about this, and you just mentioned it too.
00:21:07.759 --> 00:21:09.839
You said that Upwork used to be a good platform.
00:21:10.000 --> 00:21:11.519
Have things changed recently?
00:21:11.759 --> 00:21:22.240
I feel like, yes, because I I mean, I don't know recently, but like a year and a half-ish, two years ago, I was like, okay, I will give it a go.
00:21:22.400 --> 00:21:27.440
I want to like have more clients to have like more, I had like the capacity.
00:21:27.599 --> 00:21:32.160
And it was like really difficult to even get a response.
00:21:32.240 --> 00:21:42.400
So maybe for for the listeners, the difference between upwork and Fiverr is that on Fiverr you you as a service provider make and profile and then people come to you.
00:21:42.640 --> 00:21:45.599
And on Upwork, it's basically like a job board.
00:21:45.680 --> 00:21:48.559
So you as a freelancer, you uh apply.
00:21:48.799 --> 00:21:54.400
And I feel like it was very, very difficult to even get a response on an application.
00:21:54.640 --> 00:21:59.599
Whereas until 22, I never was like like I was.
00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:03.519
Looking one week maximum for a client, and I had a client.
00:22:03.839 --> 00:22:10.480
And like after 2022, 23, it was uh I don't know if it was swept.
00:22:10.720 --> 00:22:31.119
I once had an interview with someone, and he told me that you get basically like the moment you publish your job description, you get like 100 applications from people that are not really qualified, and I don't know if it's bots or what it is.
00:22:31.279 --> 00:22:31.519
Yeah.
00:22:31.680 --> 00:22:38.079
And obviously, since it's a global platform, it's kind of like people outbitting, so the rates are getting lower and lower.
00:22:38.400 --> 00:22:39.680
So yeah.
00:22:39.920 --> 00:22:47.279
So but I mean there still are jobs with like normal, let's say 30 to 90 dollars an hour.
00:22:47.680 --> 00:22:58.000
But I find it way more like easier to go through LinkedIn or sometimes I also know you have indeed in the US, right?
00:22:59.200 --> 00:23:08.640
Just to look there, you can type in assistance and remote and then on freelance or contract basis and then just apply there.
00:23:08.720 --> 00:23:15.680
I found that so much easier because also on Upwork you need to buy I think they're called tokens or connects, I don't know.
00:23:15.759 --> 00:23:21.200
They're like it's 0.01 dollars, so it's like one cent or something.
00:23:21.440 --> 00:23:29.279
But I mean the volume probably makes the platform gain money and yeah, yeah, we know how it goes.
00:23:29.519 --> 00:23:30.000
Totally.
00:23:30.240 --> 00:23:37.359
Thank you, Nicole, for clarifying all that, and also specifically for teachers, I do have another recommendation.
00:23:37.599 --> 00:23:46.720
There is a Facebook group called TPT Virtual Assistant Finder, and it used to be called like TPT VA Connect or something like that.
00:23:47.039 --> 00:23:56.000
And so basically, if you could just go on there, if you're curious at all about any of this, go on there and see what types of jobs people are asking for.
00:23:56.160 --> 00:24:03.119
People will go on and post, hey, I'm looking for somebody to take product photography of these worksheets for me.
00:24:03.279 --> 00:24:07.359
Let me know what your rates are and show me your portfolio, blah, blah, blah.
00:24:07.519 --> 00:24:14.319
And then people will, you know, reply to the comments or they're in the comments, or they will DM the person who posted the job listing.
00:24:14.480 --> 00:24:20.000
Or on the other hand, sometimes people will post, hey, I'm um I'm offering these services.
00:24:20.160 --> 00:24:22.720
Here's my name, here's what I do, here are my rates.
00:24:22.880 --> 00:24:25.200
I specialize in Pinterest management or whatever.
00:24:25.359 --> 00:24:33.119
So take a look on there if you're curious at all, because it is a great way to get your foot in the door in the teacher space that you're already familiar with.
00:24:33.440 --> 00:24:47.359
And something that I see people do, which I think is very smart, is teachers who want to start offering some sort of uh VA service, they will post on there, hey, I'm brand new to this.
00:24:47.440 --> 00:24:48.880
I have never done this before.
00:24:49.119 --> 00:25:01.359
So I'm looking for five free clients and I will make, you know, 10 worksheets for you or whatever, or I will create so many social media posts for you so that I can build my portfolio for free.
00:25:01.599 --> 00:25:14.799
I highly recommend doing that route because one thing I do see on this group, and I don't mean to throw shade at anybody, but sometimes I see people post on there who have never done any of these services.
00:25:14.960 --> 00:25:18.160
And I get it, they're just trying to get something started.
00:25:18.240 --> 00:25:19.200
And I respect that.
00:25:19.359 --> 00:25:21.039
I respect people going for something.
00:25:21.200 --> 00:25:26.319
But what I see, the mistake that I see, is that people will post on there who haven't done any of this yet.
00:25:26.480 --> 00:25:32.319
They'll say, here's here's what here are my areas of expertise, and they'll list like 50 things that they're experts at.
00:25:32.480 --> 00:25:39.039
And then their rates are really high, but they don't have a portfolio yet, or they don't have any um testimonials or things like that.
00:25:39.200 --> 00:25:41.519
And I don't think they probably get a lot of bites.
00:25:41.680 --> 00:25:43.599
They probably don't get a lot of jobs.
00:25:43.839 --> 00:25:49.039
I recommend starting offering just a little bit for free, just to get you going.
00:25:49.200 --> 00:25:54.240
And then, you know, start with low rates if you can, again, just to get started.
00:25:54.400 --> 00:25:59.279
And then you can pretty quickly raise your rates after that once you've got the ball rolling a little bit.
00:26:00.000 --> 00:26:03.119
I also oftentimes hear, I don't know what to put in my portfolio.
00:26:03.279 --> 00:26:04.960
Like I don't have a portfolio.
00:26:05.039 --> 00:26:10.400
I j I 100% um am off my recommendations of from clients.
00:26:10.880 --> 00:26:18.799
But even if you don't have clients or don't know where to start, you can also just make things up and build your portfolio like this.
00:26:18.960 --> 00:26:28.880
Like just like it doesn't matter if someone asks you to do it, like you can just do, I don't know, a design or whatever it is, and like put it on on your portfolio.
00:26:28.960 --> 00:26:32.079
Like you don't you don't need to to look for someone.
00:26:32.319 --> 00:26:38.079
But uh yeah, also something what uh I also see a lot and I find quite logic.
00:26:38.160 --> 00:26:52.400
Uh you could offer like the first two, three months at a lower rate, and then like obviously everything is discussed beforehand, but like the two, three months a lower rate, and it's kind of like a test phase, and then you have another rate after the three months.
00:26:52.640 --> 00:26:53.920
Yes, great tips.
00:26:54.079 --> 00:26:59.119
And yeah, great tip about starting your portfolio from scratch.
00:26:59.359 --> 00:27:05.680
Let's say you do want to start in Pinterest management and like creating fresh pins for people, but you've never never done it before.
00:27:05.839 --> 00:27:12.000
Go on Pinterest and see what is standing out to you on there, especially in the teacher space, if that's what you want to be in.
00:27:12.240 --> 00:27:19.440
Notice what the trends are right now, what is standing out, and then go make some, go on Canva and go make some for some pretend resource.
00:27:19.519 --> 00:27:20.319
It doesn't matter.
00:27:20.559 --> 00:27:30.240
You can just build your portfolio portfolio that way to showcase what your design skills are and that you do have an eye for whatever the new trends are or things like that.
00:27:30.480 --> 00:27:30.880
Totally.
00:27:31.119 --> 00:27:39.119
And also for me as like a fully self-employed, what has helped me a lot is posting on social media and just talking about your work.
00:27:39.200 --> 00:27:47.200
It doesn't matter what your work is, but just like making a post like, hey, here are the Pinterest trends for, I don't know, July 2026.
00:27:47.359 --> 00:27:50.079
And then it automatically gives you credibility.
00:27:50.400 --> 00:27:50.799
Yes.
00:27:50.960 --> 00:27:52.319
Yes, absolutely.
00:27:52.559 --> 00:28:07.680
So you've been doing this, Nicole, for nine years now, which means you've watched the whole ground shift under this type of remote work with Chat GPT going public a few years ago, and then tools like Claude Co-work showing up just this year.
00:28:07.920 --> 00:28:10.160
I personally use some of these tools myself.
00:28:10.240 --> 00:28:15.680
So I'm genuinely curious how has AI changed the day-to-day of what you do?
00:28:15.839 --> 00:28:21.039
I will be honest, I probably use AI 80 to 90% in my work.
00:28:21.440 --> 00:28:26.880
But I see the work of an assistant transition into AI manager.
00:28:27.200 --> 00:28:30.880
So a lot of tasks before that were manual, before AI.
00:28:31.119 --> 00:28:33.920
So everything that is manual can now be automated.
00:28:34.079 --> 00:28:36.960
Even before AI, it was possible to automate a lot of things.
00:28:37.039 --> 00:28:38.480
Now it's even easier with AI.
00:28:38.720 --> 00:28:40.240
Someone needs to know how to do it.
00:28:40.400 --> 00:28:47.920
So I think assistants or someone else, like like there's an opportunity to train yourself to do it so you can help people that need it.
00:28:48.160 --> 00:28:54.319
Um, I never had a client who like stopped working with me because my like AI took my job.
00:28:54.480 --> 00:28:55.680
It has not happened.
00:28:56.000 --> 00:28:59.200
But I have one client, like he's like super geek.
00:28:59.440 --> 00:29:05.200
It's like he's in in the medical field, and it's it's amazing like what he's doing with AI.
00:29:05.440 --> 00:29:11.039
So he sometimes teaching me how to do how to work with AI, which is great.
00:29:11.519 --> 00:29:18.000
But like I think he's like the top 1% users of AI and also coding and everything.
00:29:18.160 --> 00:29:26.240
But there are still things that need to be done manually and that are people don't want to deal with it, so they still want an assistant.
00:29:26.400 --> 00:29:34.640
Or also I built, I think it was one or two weeks ago, I had to build a lead magnet funnel for a client.
00:29:34.720 --> 00:29:55.920
So maybe if someone doesn't understand lead magnet client, it's basically you give something like a document or a resource, something that is helpful, and in exchange you get an email address or some sort of information off your audience or people that are interested in your work, and then they become your prospect so you can transform them into clients.
00:29:56.079 --> 00:29:59.920
And she uh it was on a platform which is called Soho.
00:30:00.319 --> 00:30:04.240
It is a whole network, it's very like for me, it's very complicated.
00:30:04.400 --> 00:30:08.000
And I like I did everything with Claude AI.
00:30:08.079 --> 00:30:15.680
In this, and it's you like you don't even need to know how to code, it's just like screenshotting what you have, and then like this is what I need to do.
00:30:15.920 --> 00:30:20.880
Tell me how to do it step by step, like as if I'm a fifth grader.
00:30:21.119 --> 00:30:25.359
Yeah, you're putting that into Claude and having you're saying, Claude, this is what I need coded.
00:30:25.519 --> 00:30:26.880
Can you teach me step by step?
00:30:27.119 --> 00:30:29.039
What do I need to tell you to get this coded?
00:30:29.119 --> 00:30:30.640
And Claude is teaching you how to do it.
00:30:30.880 --> 00:30:31.039
Yeah.
00:30:31.200 --> 00:30:33.359
Or like not even coded, like it's even simpler.
00:30:33.440 --> 00:30:34.480
Like, where do I have to click?
00:30:34.559 --> 00:30:39.440
How do I set up the automations, the rules for for the automation?
00:30:39.680 --> 00:30:40.960
It still takes a lot of time.
00:30:41.119 --> 00:30:45.200
Like I think it took me, the whole project took me maybe seven, eight hours.
00:30:45.359 --> 00:30:50.160
And I mean, if I'm not doing it, my client needs to do it, so it's seven, eight hours for my clients.
00:30:50.319 --> 00:30:52.400
And she would have probably done it the same way.
00:30:52.480 --> 00:30:57.519
But it's like even though there's AI, there's still things that cannot be done by AI.
00:30:57.759 --> 00:30:59.920
Yeah, but you need the human touch.
00:31:00.240 --> 00:31:06.319
Yeah, but you still need to be very curious about AI and able to learn and try things out.
00:31:06.559 --> 00:31:13.359
Like I think for an assistant, you I think the days where you're just writing emails and doing stuff as an assistant are done.
00:31:13.440 --> 00:31:16.799
I think now AI is a pre-acquirement for assistance.
00:31:17.119 --> 00:31:18.480
That's what I'm seeing as well.
00:31:18.799 --> 00:31:29.359
Like, you know, it used to be that people would hire somebody just to do data entry, and that's not I would not say that's a viable option for a side hustle anymore because AI can just do that now.
00:31:29.680 --> 00:31:29.920
Yeah.
00:31:30.079 --> 00:31:30.319
Yeah.
00:31:30.400 --> 00:31:30.480
Yeah.
00:31:30.720 --> 00:31:34.480
Or also, like, I don't know, uh, designs, brand designs.
00:31:34.720 --> 00:31:42.799
Probably everyone can do them, but setting it up and setting it up so that it works every time is a bit trickier.
00:31:43.119 --> 00:31:43.680
Yeah.
00:31:43.920 --> 00:31:44.240
Yes.
00:31:44.400 --> 00:31:48.480
And I I know I have a lot of budding entrepreneurs in this, in my listeners.
00:31:48.640 --> 00:31:51.759
And we've talked about lead magnets a couple times here in Funnel.
00:31:51.839 --> 00:31:54.480
So I want to translate that just a little bit further.
00:31:54.799 --> 00:31:59.039
So Nicole gave me an example from the business side.
00:31:59.200 --> 00:32:10.720
But let's say that you are a teacher and you're on a teacher blog and you're scrolling through, and then you see a pop-up that says 100 free art activities for indoor recess.
00:32:10.880 --> 00:32:13.839
Just enter your email here and I'll send it to your inbox.
00:32:14.079 --> 00:32:15.920
That is a lead magnet.
00:32:16.160 --> 00:32:20.240
So it's free, sure, but you're also exchanging something for that.
00:32:20.319 --> 00:32:21.839
You're giving your email address.
00:32:22.000 --> 00:32:27.839
And you can always unsubscribe, obviously, but you're also giving your time that you took to look through that resource and things like that.
00:32:28.000 --> 00:32:31.119
So from the user side, you are getting something great.
00:32:31.279 --> 00:32:33.599
100 free art activities for indoor recess.
00:32:33.680 --> 00:32:34.480
That sounds amazing.
00:32:34.559 --> 00:32:36.640
I hope somebody makes that if it doesn't exist already.
00:32:36.799 --> 00:32:47.680
But then from the business side, whoever's running that blog, they now have your email address so that they can give you free work resources and they want to give those to you because teachers always want to help each other out.
00:32:47.839 --> 00:33:03.599
But in addition, you're probably gonna get more emails from them saying, hey, if you liked these 100-free art resources for indoor recess, here's a link to my 100 um, you know, movement activities for indoor recess.
00:33:03.680 --> 00:33:04.559
And it's$20.
00:33:05.200 --> 00:33:07.279
But come on, like you loved that art one.
00:33:07.440 --> 00:33:10.799
So I know you're gonna love this, this PE one too, or whatever.
00:33:10.960 --> 00:33:18.640
It's it's just part of running a business, is collecting that information so that they can sell more to you, so that they can keep creating more resources for you.
00:33:18.799 --> 00:33:21.759
It's I think it's a win-win, um, but that's what we're talking about.
00:33:21.920 --> 00:33:28.400
When we say lead magnet, it's just something that you are, it's typically an email address that that they're looking to get.
00:33:28.559 --> 00:33:33.599
You're giving them your email address in a exchange for whatever it is that they have to offer, usually for free.
00:33:33.920 --> 00:33:35.200
Great explanation.
00:33:37.039 --> 00:33:49.039
Okay, so because this is a money show, we talked a little bit at the beginning of the episode about this, but I want to check and see if there's anything else because here's something that teachers carry.
00:33:49.119 --> 00:33:50.160
And you mentioned this.
00:33:50.319 --> 00:33:53.920
A steady paycheck can feel like the only safe thing that there is.
00:33:54.079 --> 00:34:08.159
I've talked about this before in the show that when I started teaching, I knew that I was going to be getting a lower salary than some other professions, but I also really valued that security of knowing how much I was going to be making and that I would be making that money.
00:34:08.400 --> 00:34:15.280
So the concept then of trading our time, even as a side hustle for income, can be scary at first.
00:34:15.679 --> 00:34:19.760
And Nicole has lived that whole arc, including that first messy year.
00:34:19.920 --> 00:34:26.400
So is there anything else that you feel like you got wrong about money in your first year or any other things you've learned along the way?
00:34:26.719 --> 00:34:28.320
Definitely something.
00:34:28.480 --> 00:34:37.519
I mean, I would not say wrong, but I think the first maybe two years, I was really having like my hourly rate was way too low.
00:34:37.679 --> 00:34:38.960
Like way too low.
00:34:40.719 --> 00:34:52.960
But I mean, this comes I think it I don't I think it comes with time, and also you're a bit isolated when you're self-employed, so you cannot really compare or know.
00:34:53.440 --> 00:35:00.079
It's also very different to go from employee mind to self-employed mind.
00:35:00.239 --> 00:35:08.400
Because like you're your own business, and like you you have to manage yourself as a business, and it's a bit different.
00:35:08.639 --> 00:35:13.920
So this is definitely something to pay attention to, not to sell yourself too short.
00:35:14.159 --> 00:35:17.280
Also, taxes, social security, etc.
00:35:17.599 --> 00:35:18.719
Pay attention to that.
00:35:18.960 --> 00:35:27.039
And if like I recommend to have to determine one hourly rate and then stick to it, like never negotiate.
00:35:27.280 --> 00:35:40.159
Because if you like if a client wants to negotiate, you will feel an enormous resentment when you work for him, and it's just not going to work long term, so like don't waste your time on that.
00:35:40.400 --> 00:35:55.760
It's it's not something bad, it's just like the client's budget and and your rate are not matching, but you will really feel like resentful like every minute you spend on this client, and it's just not fun to work like that.
00:35:56.000 --> 00:35:56.480
Yeah.
00:35:56.719 --> 00:35:59.440
Yeah, it's okay if it's not the right match for either of you.
00:36:00.079 --> 00:36:01.840
They can fight somebody else, and so can you.
00:36:02.159 --> 00:36:02.559
Totally.
00:36:02.719 --> 00:36:05.440
And it also takes time to define an offer.
00:36:05.599 --> 00:36:13.519
So I know there are assistants that work with how to call it a service offer, and then there are assistants who work on an hourly base.
00:36:13.679 --> 00:36:28.880
Like a service offer might be Krista, you have this podcast, and your assistant is like, I will edit and upload and write descriptions for your podcast, and this will be I don't know,$900 for July.
00:36:29.039 --> 00:36:39.199
This can be one offer, and the hourly offers whether so editing, like you would say, editing my podcast and uploading it takes, I don't know, I'd say 15 hours a month.
00:36:39.360 --> 00:36:40.239
I have no idea.
00:36:40.400 --> 00:36:51.679
And so I I'm looking for a virtual assistant for 15 hours a month, and you will have your budget as a client, and you will look for an assistant that has the capacity for the 15 hours.
00:36:51.920 --> 00:37:04.480
And I also always recommend to determine or like to define a retainer to work like on a retainer basis because it makes it easier to plan for your future.
00:37:04.639 --> 00:37:14.000
So let's say uh next to the school activity, you have, I don't know, let's say five hours in your week that you could dedicate to being an assistant.
00:37:14.239 --> 00:37:44.960
So you can say you have 20 hours, 20 hours a month, and yeah, you have like five hours a week, five hours a week, and you do your contracts or your agreements with like this is my retainer, uh 20 hours a month for this sum, and then renewable, and not to do something like if a client tells you I need to work with debt, like I need help with debt, and then like just to have hours build up, it's very difficult to foresee and plan your work.
00:37:45.039 --> 00:37:48.800
So always like determine the hours and the rate straight from the beginning.
00:37:48.960 --> 00:37:52.639
Yeah, and have that communicated clearly with the client prior to beginning the project.
00:37:52.800 --> 00:37:54.079
Yep, that makes a lot of sense.
00:37:54.239 --> 00:38:00.719
One thing that you've talked about is how you've just now we're talking about how you are your business, you were running a business.
00:38:00.960 --> 00:38:10.320
And you've also been honest that self-employment has its own version of burnout, and that for you freedom turned out to mean something different than what you expected.
00:38:10.480 --> 00:38:14.960
So, what does freedom actually mean to you versus what you thought it meant at the start?
00:38:15.599 --> 00:38:19.840
So at the start, so obviously there's like the financial side.
00:38:20.239 --> 00:38:25.679
And I don't want to put the blame on social media, maybe it's just like the more information we get.
00:38:25.920 --> 00:38:37.679
And there's this image of I can work from cafes or the beach and make 10k a month, which is a nice idea, but uh not really realistic if you're service-based.
00:38:37.840 --> 00:38:42.639
And now for me, freedom is more now, it's the peace of mind.
00:38:42.719 --> 00:39:10.559
Like before I was really in maxing my revenue and making more money, and like at one point I realized I'm stressed because I'm looking for new clients, working for my clients, trying to learn AI, trying to learn this, and so the money I was making extra, I was spending on relaxing or like distressing me from the stress I have created myself, which uh makes completely no sense.
00:39:10.800 --> 00:39:23.360
Now for me, it's I can wake up without an alarm in the morning, I can go on a walk next like on the beach, because I live next to the beach, uh, and then I can start working whenever I want.
00:39:23.599 --> 00:39:30.800
And I like with clients, you often have like a partnership relationship, as you said, with with your virtual assistant.
00:39:30.880 --> 00:39:41.519
So it like as an assistant, you become very like active in their business, you think about the like ideas in their business, and it it kind of becomes becomes an exchange.
00:39:41.760 --> 00:39:49.199
So it's like really fun and fulfilling, and it's also like a freedom to say no to certain people you don't want to work with.
00:39:50.000 --> 00:40:02.639
And it's nothing like bad, it's just like you're not interested in what they're doing, it's not an industry that speaks to you, but just be like, I don't nice, but I don't know what to do with it.
00:40:02.880 --> 00:40:12.400
So uh it's just it's just things things like that, like not being rushed, not having like company policies put on you that you don't really agree on.
00:40:12.639 --> 00:40:16.639
I don't like I have meetings with my clients, but they're like once a week.
00:40:16.800 --> 00:40:21.840
So I don't have like like a calendar which is like that I had like incorporate.
00:40:22.000 --> 00:40:26.079
Yeah, like freedom is like really like the little things, like the daily things.
00:40:26.239 --> 00:40:28.559
I can have lunch with my partner every day.
00:40:28.880 --> 00:40:32.639
If I need a break, I go and cuddle my cat and it's fine.
00:40:32.800 --> 00:40:41.920
I can if I want after lunch, I can read my book, and it's like yeah, this this this is now freedom for me, which a couple of years ago was not.
00:40:42.000 --> 00:40:49.280
Like a couple of years was I can travel whenever like I can still travel whenever I want, but I don't want like to be a digital nomad.
00:40:49.679 --> 00:40:52.800
It's just it's actually more stressful than so uh yeah.
00:40:53.039 --> 00:41:00.800
Yeah, well, and the beauty is that each person gets to define that exactly what freedom means to them in in their in that season of life as well.
00:41:01.119 --> 00:41:01.599
Exactly.
00:41:01.840 --> 00:41:02.239
Exactly.
00:41:02.559 --> 00:41:08.559
One takeaway that you wanted to leave with the listeners was that you don't need permission to build the life you really want.
00:41:08.719 --> 00:41:10.239
Can you speak more on that?
00:41:10.480 --> 00:41:17.280
Yeah, so when I went self-employed, a lot of the people from my family were like, you're crazy.
00:41:17.440 --> 00:41:19.039
Like I come from my family.
00:41:19.280 --> 00:41:22.400
My grandmother was a teacher, history and philosophy.
00:41:22.559 --> 00:41:38.719
And some people like most of the people were accountants, like very conservative jobs, and everyone like later I understood it was their fears being projected on me that there's no security uh in being self-employed, etc.
00:41:38.960 --> 00:41:52.400
But it like I think it's more secure than anything because you learn so many skills in different parts, and you can always figure it out with what you learn while you're self-employed.
00:41:52.480 --> 00:42:01.519
And sometimes I like I had this reflex to ask people around me, what do you think if I do this, or what do you think if I do that?
00:42:01.679 --> 00:42:02.639
Shall I do this?
00:42:02.800 --> 00:42:07.199
And it doesn't really matter uh until you try it.
00:42:07.280 --> 00:42:08.000
So yeah.
00:42:08.239 --> 00:42:11.039
And it's it's kind of difficult to get it in the head.
00:42:11.199 --> 00:42:11.920
Yes, yeah.
00:42:12.000 --> 00:42:21.199
Well, I'm proud of you for taking the leap, even though you didn't know what it was gonna look like, you know, through every step of the way, and maybe you had some pushback from people who really care about you.
00:42:21.360 --> 00:42:22.960
Um, but you made it happen anyways.
00:42:23.119 --> 00:42:24.719
It's so cool, very inspiring.
00:42:24.960 --> 00:42:48.400
I I know it comes from from a loving place, and uh something I would also recommend to teachers who want to go this path is maybe to connect with others with assistance or anything or any or anyone because it helps to just have like a person that has done it and just to see how they have done it, and it it kind of changes your brain into it is possible.
00:42:48.480 --> 00:42:50.559
Like I should finally do it.
00:42:50.800 --> 00:42:52.000
Yes, yes.
00:42:52.239 --> 00:42:58.400
So, Nicole, this gave me a whole new door to point my teacher friends towards as a really cool side hustle.
00:42:58.480 --> 00:43:02.079
Um, and I'm so grateful for for you spending the time with us today.
00:43:02.320 --> 00:43:08.639
I hope that this has inspired someone to consider if being a virtual assistant might be the perfect side hustle for them.
00:43:08.880 --> 00:43:16.239
Before we go, for the person who did just realize that they might actually be great at this, where should they find you to connect with you?
00:43:16.480 --> 00:43:22.800
They can find me on LinkedIn and always feel free to message me with any questions, any advice you need.
00:43:22.880 --> 00:43:24.400
I'm I'm always happy to chat.
00:43:24.559 --> 00:43:30.000
Yeah, Nicole is the best, and I will make sure that we have her LinkedIn profile linked in the show notes.
00:43:30.159 --> 00:43:32.719
Teacher friend, you do not have to have it all figured out.
00:43:32.880 --> 00:43:40.000
You just have to notice the skills that you've been using all along and let yourself get curious about where else those skills might be able to go.
00:43:40.159 --> 00:43:41.760
Pick one small thing this week.
00:43:41.920 --> 00:43:55.039
If you felt inspired by this episode, look up what a VA actually does, check out that TPT VA Finder Facebook group I mentioned earlier, or just start talking with somebody else about what ideas you might have of a side hustle that you could start.
00:43:55.280 --> 00:43:57.679
Nicole, thank you so much for your time.
00:43:58.000 --> 00:44:00.559
Thank you so much for an invitation and having me.
00:44:00.800 --> 00:44:02.159
I'm Krista Jones.
00:44:02.400 --> 00:44:04.320
This is First in Class.
00:44:04.480 --> 00:44:08.079
If you got something from today's episode, send it to a teacher friend.
00:44:08.239 --> 00:44:12.559
Quick note I'm not a financial planner, and I'm not your financial planner.
00:44:12.800 --> 00:44:17.039
Always do your own research and talk to a professional before making money lose.
00:44:17.280 --> 00:44:18.800
See you next week.
00:00:00.239 --> 00:00:05.360
So, most side hustle conversations on this show start in a classroom.
00:00:05.519 --> 00:00:09.599
This one starts in a language school in the south of France.
00:00:09.759 --> 00:00:22.800
Nicole is a fractional chief of staff, basically the right hand who runs the life and business behind a founder so that they can focus on the one thing that only they can do best.
00:00:23.039 --> 00:00:31.760
She has done this for nine years for entrepreneurs across Europe and the US from a life that's taken her through five different countries.
00:00:32.000 --> 00:00:35.439
And here's why I wanted her on a show for teachers.
00:00:35.600 --> 00:00:43.280
The skills this job actually runs on organizing chaos, managing people, keeping 100 plates spinning.
00:00:43.439 --> 00:00:46.399
Those are skills you already use every day.
00:00:46.560 --> 00:00:48.240
You just call it a Tuesday.
00:00:48.399 --> 00:00:51.679
So, Nicole, welcome to First in Class.
00:00:52.320 --> 00:00:55.119
This is Teachers with Money First in Class.
00:00:55.280 --> 00:00:58.880
I'm Krista Jones, founder of the Teachers with Money movement.
00:00:59.039 --> 00:01:06.879
And this show is for the educator who is done accepting the story that financial struggle is the price of a meaningful career.
00:01:07.120 --> 00:01:08.480
Let's get into it.
00:01:14.159 --> 00:01:15.680
Thank you so much for having me.
00:01:15.920 --> 00:01:17.120
I'm so glad that you're here.
00:01:17.359 --> 00:01:18.959
So will you take us all the way back?
00:01:19.120 --> 00:01:22.719
Before any of this, you were working at a language school in France.
00:01:22.879 --> 00:01:24.400
What was your actual role there?
00:01:24.640 --> 00:01:28.480
So I started as an intern uh in the administration.
00:01:28.640 --> 00:01:30.799
So I was not a teacher myself.
00:01:32.239 --> 00:01:44.000
And I was the receptionist, you can say, which was also like the phone person and also handling inbound sales and everything that comes up in box.
00:01:44.159 --> 00:01:59.280
And it was also sometimes when we had like minors and they would lose their passport and like how to get home, and it would be going to the embassy with them to get them the papers, or my phone got stolen, and I need to go to the police station with them.
00:01:59.519 --> 00:02:02.640
Or my host family and me are not vibing.
00:02:02.879 --> 00:02:05.439
Can you please look for another host family?
00:02:05.599 --> 00:02:09.680
So yeah, it was basically administration with everything brought, managing people.
00:02:09.919 --> 00:02:18.879
Yeah, well, anyone who's ever worked in a school knows that anyone sitting behind a desk in the front office is doing so much more than answering the phone.
00:02:19.120 --> 00:02:22.400
So yeah, I can I can only imagine how much your job entailed there.
00:02:22.639 --> 00:02:23.280
But I loved it.
00:02:23.360 --> 00:02:24.800
It was it was it was really nice.
00:02:24.960 --> 00:02:27.680
So it was like the the first thing you see when you enter.
00:02:27.759 --> 00:02:33.599
So it was also in the morning greeting everyone and setting the vibe, and it was something I really enjoyed.
00:02:33.840 --> 00:02:34.479
Yeah, yeah.
00:02:34.719 --> 00:02:37.840
Anyone who's who's there at the front really is the face of the school.
00:02:37.919 --> 00:02:39.680
So I'm sure they loved having you there.
00:02:39.919 --> 00:02:50.560
So then you told me a story about how you had a student at that school, a German entrepreneur who actually turned into your very first client and then your whole career.
00:02:50.639 --> 00:02:52.000
So let's back up a little bit.
00:02:52.240 --> 00:03:02.159
For someone who has never heard the term, what is a fractional chief of staff or a senior virtual assistant and what do they actually do day to day?
00:03:02.319 --> 00:03:02.719
Yeah.
00:03:03.039 --> 00:03:11.199
So I start with the assistant because it's like assistants oftentimes can evolve into chief of staffs.
00:03:11.439 --> 00:03:23.840
So a virtual assistant is someone who supports someone else, oftentimes it's a founder, entrepreneur, etc., with their day-to-day tasks or business operations.
00:03:24.080 --> 00:03:25.759
It can be literally anything.
00:03:25.919 --> 00:03:36.879
I have seen people ordering flowers for birthdays, and it can also building sales funnels for their business, handling their inbox communication.
00:03:37.120 --> 00:03:42.000
It really depends on the scope talked about with the client.
00:03:42.159 --> 00:03:58.560
And then the evolution into a fractional chief of staff is more when you've been an assistant for to an entrepreneur that had a team or is collaborating a lot and the person kind of needs a filter of what's coming from outside.
00:03:58.719 --> 00:04:17.759
And either they have already given you enough information so you can do the decision from them for them and then execute, execute the decision, or you can like comprehensively tell them what needs to be decided on, and then you either execute or delegate to someone else who executes.
00:04:18.000 --> 00:04:26.079
But the the idea is to kind of create a peace of mind for the client and to and to take tasks off of their place.
00:04:27.199 --> 00:04:31.439
Yeah, so I have a virtual assistant who I adore.
00:04:31.600 --> 00:04:32.639
Shout out to Michelle.
00:04:32.800 --> 00:04:36.720
I hired her in December, so just uh seven months ago or so.
00:04:36.879 --> 00:04:46.319
And um, the type of work that she does for the listener who might be listening in in the education space who might be interested in doing virtual assisting as a side hustle.
00:04:46.560 --> 00:04:52.160
She helps me create resources for my online store, which that's my teachers be teacher store.
00:04:52.240 --> 00:04:58.000
Um, she also helps me with my content creation to post out like on TikTok and Instagram.
00:04:58.240 --> 00:05:00.160
She helps schedule my content.
00:05:00.480 --> 00:05:13.120
Plus, I mean, just any random little task that I need help with, I'm able to pass on to her, which that is what is what has allowed me to start new projects like this podcast, for example.
00:05:13.279 --> 00:05:17.920
It takes the time that I would have been spending on those tasks, takes that off of my plate.
00:05:18.160 --> 00:05:19.120
She loves doing it.
00:05:19.279 --> 00:05:20.560
I love passing it off to her.
00:05:20.639 --> 00:05:22.160
It's a win-win for both of us.
00:05:22.319 --> 00:05:32.720
And I am able to keep adding more and more things that she can do for me as she learns more about how I like to work and I learn more about all of her incredible skills that she has.
00:05:32.959 --> 00:05:36.639
So I I personally have a virtual assistant and it has been amazing.
00:05:36.879 --> 00:05:42.959
It's like the great thing is that over the time, the assistant gets to know you and your business better and better.
00:05:43.040 --> 00:05:47.279
And so they can like take more and more of like your mental load.
00:05:47.600 --> 00:05:49.199
Yes, that's exactly what it's been.
00:05:49.360 --> 00:05:51.680
And she has become a collaborator too.
00:05:51.759 --> 00:06:07.680
Like it's it's really great, especially for like those of us who are teachers, for any of you who do have an online store or you're thinking about starting your teachers pay teachers store, it can be a little bit lonely when you're just it's just you, the only person in your business sitting in front of your computer working on it.
00:06:07.839 --> 00:06:11.759
It's so nice to have a teammate to come on board and work with.
00:06:11.920 --> 00:06:12.160
Yeah.
00:06:12.399 --> 00:06:31.920
I can also imagine that like some teachers when like I'm not a very familiar with Teachers Pay Teachers online store, but from what I saw, I mean, I think you can spend endless hours on design and like formatting, etc., which is maybe not the zone of genius of the teacher.
00:06:32.079 --> 00:06:36.399
So this is something I can see being handed off to an assistant for teacher.
00:06:36.639 --> 00:06:37.920
You are exactly right.
00:06:38.079 --> 00:06:38.480
Yeah.
00:06:38.639 --> 00:06:44.319
And like I said before, it can be such a win-win because there's somebody who really wants to be doing that work.
00:06:44.560 --> 00:06:50.720
And then there might be somebody else like me who I used to enjoy the design work, but I have so many other things I want to do too.
00:06:50.959 --> 00:06:54.879
So it's it's great to have that collaborative relationship together.
00:06:55.120 --> 00:06:55.439
Totally.
00:06:55.600 --> 00:06:56.959
So let's back up a little bit.
00:06:57.120 --> 00:06:59.920
You had a student who became your very first client.
00:07:00.000 --> 00:07:02.639
So can you tell us about how you made the shift?
00:07:02.720 --> 00:07:05.439
I think you started this as a side hustle.
00:07:05.680 --> 00:07:05.839
Yeah.
00:07:06.000 --> 00:07:07.600
And then it became your full business.
00:07:07.839 --> 00:07:08.240
Yeah.
00:07:08.560 --> 00:07:12.399
So I at first I didn't know him personally.
00:07:12.560 --> 00:07:19.120
It was a teacher, like his teacher came up to me and he was like, Can I like introduce you to my student?
00:07:19.199 --> 00:07:22.399
He's looking for someone bilingual, French and German.
00:07:22.639 --> 00:07:40.240
And so his student had told him that he wants to move to France, like relocate his whole life and also his business, but it's it was not really clear, so he wants to do both like his business in France and in Germany, so kind of managing his business in two countries.
00:07:40.399 --> 00:07:42.000
And then I was like, Yeah, sure.
00:07:42.319 --> 00:07:43.120
Why not?
00:07:43.519 --> 00:07:53.120
We got introduced to each other, and I remember the first like task I had was to look for apartments to buy for him.
00:07:53.439 --> 00:08:01.600
It was in Nice, so it was kind of cool because I was visiting like this great apartments and then giving him feedback.
00:08:01.839 --> 00:08:06.800
Yeah, one thing though, like I don't know what I did, but the pricing was like completely off.
00:08:07.680 --> 00:08:08.800
Tell us more.
00:08:09.199 --> 00:08:24.879
So I I had just calculated how much I make an hour in the school, and then I added like three, like in France it was euros, but let's say dollars, and I added like three dollars to it as a freelancer, which I do not do that.
00:08:25.040 --> 00:08:33.360
Like it's complete different things when like your hourly rates as an employee and the hourly rate as a freelance.
00:08:33.679 --> 00:08:34.720
Like, yes.
00:08:35.039 --> 00:08:46.159
Yeah, so I don't know the ins and outs of how what your experience was, but something for people to know is that taxes are different when you are running your own business, when you are freelancing.
00:08:46.320 --> 00:09:02.720
So, for example, that's some that was a hard lesson I also had to learn is that when I started my teachers pay teachers store, I didn't have an employer taking out taxes from my paycheck every couple of weeks, just regularly, so I didn't have to think about it.
00:09:02.879 --> 00:09:08.960
I had to learn that I have to set aside my own tax money and I have to pay those taxes.
00:09:09.120 --> 00:09:10.960
Was that similar to what happened with you?
00:09:11.519 --> 00:09:12.399
Yes, yes.
00:09:12.559 --> 00:09:19.360
So the French system is very complicated with when it comes to taxes and social security.
00:09:19.600 --> 00:09:23.600
For me, I hired an accountant and I just do it for me.
00:09:23.759 --> 00:09:29.679
I don't want like just tell me how much I need to wire to the government and then I'm alright.
00:09:30.559 --> 00:09:31.200
Yes.
00:09:31.679 --> 00:09:36.799
But definitely when when doing your pricing, like take this into consideration.
00:09:36.960 --> 00:09:41.039
And like now you can ask whatever AI you're using.
00:09:41.279 --> 00:09:44.240
I want to make this some nets.
00:09:44.480 --> 00:09:48.240
How much do I need to invoice and gross my clients?
00:09:48.399 --> 00:09:52.720
And then you will probably have something plus minus, but you will have an idea.
00:09:52.799 --> 00:09:55.279
You will not be like completely off like I was.
00:09:55.600 --> 00:09:58.799
Yeah, it's it's so hard to learn those lessons along the way.
00:09:58.879 --> 00:10:06.320
And it's important for those of us who are a few steps ahead to share our mistakes with those who are just starting these new endeavors.
00:10:06.480 --> 00:10:06.720
Yeah.
00:10:06.960 --> 00:10:14.799
So, what kinds of things do founders hand to you now that they're like shocked that they can pass off to anybody?
00:10:15.039 --> 00:10:20.159
So, as I said, like the like my first client, like was real estate research.
00:10:20.320 --> 00:10:31.360
So he was a coach, like an executive coach, and it was also organizing the seminars, which was very fun because he wanted them to be in five-star hotels, and it was on the Côte d'Azur in south of France.
00:10:31.440 --> 00:10:34.639
So it was I got to visit all these posh places.
00:10:34.799 --> 00:10:54.799
But this was like this, like this clan was a bit special because he had also hired me because I was local and virtual assistants, as the term says, it's like you're working remote virtually, and from there it can literally be anything, like it can be inbox management, it can be lead generation.
00:10:55.120 --> 00:11:04.159
Now I also have a client, she is actively asking me to have to hold her accountable if she's posting regularly on social media.
00:11:04.240 --> 00:11:11.120
So she's like, Can you like determine certain moments in the week and like ping me and ask me, have you done this?
00:11:11.279 --> 00:11:12.080
Have you done that?
00:11:12.320 --> 00:11:14.480
So it's just like keeping up with her.
00:11:14.720 --> 00:11:17.039
Like, I assume have you done your homework?
00:11:17.120 --> 00:11:18.879
Have you guys?
00:11:19.039 --> 00:11:20.639
Oh, that's so good.
00:11:21.440 --> 00:11:27.440
But uh yeah, I also have a lot of my French clients, like a lot of government stuff.
00:11:27.679 --> 00:11:30.879
So France is very heavy on everything governmental.
00:11:30.960 --> 00:11:33.440
It's very complex and it's very time consuming.
00:11:33.600 --> 00:11:41.919
And a lot of my French clients like delegate this work on me because it's I think for them it's not really pleasant.
00:11:42.080 --> 00:11:56.639
It's it's yeah, it takes their mind off like their their actual company, and then also a lot of social media, not not particularly content creation, but responding to comments, messages, all the communication.
00:11:56.960 --> 00:11:58.720
Yeah, this pretty much sums it up.
00:11:58.960 --> 00:11:59.440
Yeah.
00:11:59.679 --> 00:12:07.120
So I want to stay right here for a minute because this is a part that I really want my teacher friend who's listening to hear.
00:12:07.279 --> 00:12:17.759
When Nicole describes her work managing a founder's email inbox or their travel or their events, or, you know, 15 things that might be on fire before 9 a.m.
00:12:18.080 --> 00:12:20.639
I don't hear anything that's foreign to teachers.
00:12:20.799 --> 00:12:23.519
I hear, again, like a Tuesday in a classroom.
00:12:23.679 --> 00:12:25.440
You might be planning a field trip.
00:12:25.600 --> 00:12:28.080
You might be responding to dozens of parents.
00:12:28.320 --> 00:12:30.159
Teachers manage 30 humans at once.
00:12:30.320 --> 00:12:32.320
They triage constant chaos.
00:12:32.399 --> 00:12:37.919
They communicate with dozens of families, they keep 100 moving parts organized, and they do it while teaching.
00:12:38.240 --> 00:12:39.679
That is operations.
00:12:39.840 --> 00:12:49.519
This is chief of staff work that teachers are doing every single day, which is why I think being a virtual assistant is such an interesting potential side hustle for teachers.
00:12:49.759 --> 00:12:58.720
So, Nicole, let's make this concrete for someone listening who's never like thought of themselves as business-y or maybe even organized.
00:12:58.799 --> 00:13:01.759
Like teachers are way more organized, I think, than they give themselves credit for.
00:13:01.840 --> 00:13:03.840
It's just that we have so much on our plate all the time.
00:13:04.080 --> 00:13:12.799
So if you, Nicole, if you were to think of a teacher who runs a room with 30 kids, 100 logistics, parent communication, blah, blah, blah.
00:13:12.960 --> 00:13:19.840
Like what parts of a teacher's everyday job might map straight into what you do for founders?
00:13:20.399 --> 00:13:23.600
So, like right now, as you said, field trips.
00:13:23.759 --> 00:13:27.759
I don't know how I could have forgotten this, but I was heavily involved in a wedding planning.
00:13:28.240 --> 00:13:28.639
Cool.
00:13:28.879 --> 00:13:31.679
And it kind of like matches one-to-one like field trips.
00:13:31.919 --> 00:13:36.240
Like, I don't know if field trips if if in the US it's like something for several days.
00:13:36.320 --> 00:13:40.559
But you know, sometimes you also go on a something like a camp with your class.
00:13:40.960 --> 00:13:41.279
Yeah.
00:13:41.519 --> 00:13:43.279
And it's a complete shit show.
00:13:43.840 --> 00:13:49.840
But yeah, well, so this wedding that I had to co-organize, um, I'm I'm obviously joking.
00:13:49.919 --> 00:13:56.000
It was just it was I always now I tell myself like one wedding in a lifetime is enough.
00:13:57.039 --> 00:13:57.840
Two or kids.
00:13:58.399 --> 00:14:14.879
But I think organizing like these kind of activities matches a lot like the outside of school activities, uh all the transportation, like organizing transportations of when your client lands and he needs to be at the conference, so you need to organize the driver, etc.
00:14:15.120 --> 00:14:17.519
I mean, you need to organize the bus for the kids, right?
00:14:17.919 --> 00:14:27.279
Also, another thing that matches virtual assistants and the teacher is that you have a lot of simultaneous tasks that you need to keep track on.
00:14:27.519 --> 00:14:37.120
So I'm curious, what skills do you would you say actually matter most for somebody who wants to be a virtual assistant or a fractional chief of staff?
00:14:37.279 --> 00:14:40.480
And what are some skills that could be learned along the way?
00:14:40.799 --> 00:14:54.240
I think the most important skills are like emotional intelligence, sensing the situation, knowing how to de-escalate certain situations.
00:14:54.559 --> 00:14:57.120
And I I think it's a bit harder to learn these things.
00:14:57.279 --> 00:15:06.960
It's sensing when when your client is overwhelmed, so you pro proactively propose to do certain things, and then sometimes it's just like they can take over.
00:15:07.200 --> 00:15:11.360
And everything like behind that I feel can be learned.
00:15:11.440 --> 00:15:18.399
Like all the organizational staff, things like the tools or like every online tool can be learned.
00:15:18.480 --> 00:15:27.279
I have oftentimes clients where they tell me what they want to do, and I tell them, okay, great, I've never done it, but I'm happy to learn.
00:15:27.519 --> 00:15:31.919
And then they're like, okay, let me know if in what he needs, and then we go from there.
00:15:32.080 --> 00:15:35.840
Like as long as there's a communication, there's absolutely no problem.
00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:39.120
But it's like an it's an ongoing learning.
00:15:39.440 --> 00:15:44.879
But everything you can like nowadays with YouTube and AI, you can learn anything.
00:15:45.120 --> 00:15:51.120
But these things that are like communication, direct communication, clear communication with your client.
00:15:51.279 --> 00:16:00.080
Um also sometimes what has happened to me is I have seen information bef like sensitive information before my client has seen it.
00:16:00.240 --> 00:16:07.200
And I was on a call with him, and I I like I kind of sense that he didn't read the email.
00:16:07.519 --> 00:16:08.879
And it's like, okay, what do I do?
00:16:09.039 --> 00:16:13.600
Do I tell him the bad news or do I pretend it didn't happen?
00:16:13.919 --> 00:16:19.200
Because also when as like as a virtual assistant, I've been a lot on private matters.
00:16:19.440 --> 00:16:28.480
And sometimes you you need to learn when to pretend you didn't hear you didn't read, or yeah, or like when you can speak about it.
00:16:28.639 --> 00:16:52.559
Um it's kind of like finer detail things, sensing that I actually think teachers are really good at since they're in this room with these human beings and and also managing like their students, the parents, and oftentimes I also hear that teachers also if they have doubts of if there's trouble at home, that they should they interven or not.
00:16:52.960 --> 00:16:55.039
I think this is kind of similar.
00:16:55.279 --> 00:17:03.519
Yeah, so like it's what I'm hearing is that there are a lot of soft soft skills that you carry as well, and having that emotional intelligence.
00:17:03.679 --> 00:17:06.640
And you mentioned de-escalating a situation.
00:17:06.880 --> 00:17:08.319
Good news, man.
00:17:08.559 --> 00:17:13.920
Teachers become very experienced at that, and we often receive training on verbal de-escalation.
00:17:14.079 --> 00:17:17.039
So I I don't think that would be a problem for most teachers.
00:17:17.200 --> 00:17:18.559
We're pros at that.
00:17:18.960 --> 00:17:19.200
Yeah.
00:17:19.359 --> 00:17:26.960
I mean, obviously, like there there are no like fights or something, but it's just like how do you I mean, oftentimes you're the messenger of bad news.
00:17:27.119 --> 00:17:27.279
Yeah.
00:17:28.960 --> 00:17:30.240
How to transform that.
00:17:30.559 --> 00:17:38.799
Yeah, or even just helping somebody walk through a stressful situation, running an event or planning a move or things like that.
00:17:38.960 --> 00:17:47.039
When you are working with somebody who's in a stressful situation, I can see how having you be calm and helping them walk through it can be so helpful.
00:17:47.279 --> 00:17:47.519
Yeah.
00:17:47.839 --> 00:17:55.039
Because a lot of times your emotional state or like your panic or whatever emotion you have kind of transfers.
00:17:55.200 --> 00:17:58.960
So even if you're the carrier of bad news, you can make it lighter.
00:17:59.920 --> 00:18:01.359
Yeah, definitely.
00:18:01.680 --> 00:18:06.000
So you built this on the side while you were still employed.
00:18:06.079 --> 00:18:06.799
Can you tell us more?
00:18:06.960 --> 00:18:11.920
You told us a bit about what those early days looked like, but then how did your journey progress?
00:18:12.079 --> 00:18:14.799
And then what made you finally go all in?
00:18:15.680 --> 00:18:19.599
This first client I had him for, I think a year and a half, two.
00:18:20.000 --> 00:18:21.920
Uh, and then the pandemic hit.
00:18:23.440 --> 00:18:36.640
Uh, and France was I think in the US it was different from state to state, but in France was really like only essential workers could go to work, and everyone else was like used at home.
00:18:36.960 --> 00:18:44.799
So I had lost my j like my contract kind of ended it and was not renewed because like the pandemic was making things very difficult.
00:18:44.960 --> 00:18:50.240
Uh and then I started like, okay, what can I do with things I have done so far?
00:18:50.400 --> 00:18:54.559
And I back then Upwork was a good platform.
00:18:54.880 --> 00:18:55.359
Yeah.
00:18:55.599 --> 00:19:03.759
Maybe we can we will talk later about it, but uh I found clients through Upwork and and then it kind of like was one after the other.
00:19:03.920 --> 00:19:22.000
And I also was taking other clients that did not have anything to do with virtual assistants, but it was like copywriting, and then basically you you can you can use these skills for your assistant business because like every skill you train you can offer to to the client.
00:19:22.160 --> 00:19:22.400
Yes.
00:19:22.559 --> 00:19:25.440
And and then so the pandemic COVID uh continued.
00:19:25.599 --> 00:19:31.519
Uh at one point I was kind of looking for something more stable, what I thought would be more stable.
00:19:31.759 --> 00:19:39.440
And I took a job in corporate, and then also um they went bankrupt, and then I got laid off.
00:19:39.839 --> 00:19:40.400
Yeah.
00:19:41.039 --> 00:19:43.759
And then I went back to Upwork.
00:19:43.920 --> 00:19:52.000
I found an amazing client who was work as much as you can for me, which was at that at that point in my life was was amazing.
00:19:52.160 --> 00:19:53.599
And then it snowballs.
00:19:53.680 --> 00:20:10.559
It's when you have one name on your CV or two, um, and you can kind of build something like a portfolio or have LinkedIn recommendations, or have your clients introduce you to someone they know that looks for support, everything snowballs.
00:20:10.640 --> 00:20:23.119
So, like except these two clients from Upwork and one client from my employer, everything was through recommendation and just my clients recommending me to their network.
00:20:23.359 --> 00:20:25.519
Yeah, I'm glad that you brought up Upwork.
00:20:25.680 --> 00:20:41.119
So, for the listener who maybe doesn't know, Upwork is a platform where freelancers can connect with people who want to hire them for, I mean, so many different types of projects editing, copywriting, um, photography, on and on and on.
00:20:41.359 --> 00:20:44.240
Virtual assistant work, email management, things like that.
00:20:44.400 --> 00:20:46.799
Um, and sometimes it could be a one-off project.
00:20:46.880 --> 00:20:51.599
I have hired people off of Upwork to do random, various one-off projects.
00:20:52.160 --> 00:20:57.759
Or as it sounds like Nicole, you have also made connections with people that were that was a longer-term relationship.
00:20:57.920 --> 00:21:00.240
Another similar platform is called Fiverr.
00:21:00.319 --> 00:21:02.480
Um, so Upwork and Fiverr, they're very similar.
00:21:02.640 --> 00:21:07.599
Nicole, I'm curious though, I've heard little rumblings about this, and you just mentioned it too.
00:21:07.759 --> 00:21:09.839
You said that Upwork used to be a good platform.
00:21:10.000 --> 00:21:11.519
Have things changed recently?
00:21:11.759 --> 00:21:22.240
I feel like, yes, because I I mean, I don't know recently, but like a year and a half-ish, two years ago, I was like, okay, I will give it a go.
00:21:22.400 --> 00:21:27.440
I want to like have more clients to have like more, I had like the capacity.
00:21:27.599 --> 00:21:32.160
And it was like really difficult to even get a response.
00:21:32.240 --> 00:21:42.400
So maybe for for the listeners, the difference between upwork and Fiverr is that on Fiverr you you as a service provider make and profile and then people come to you.
00:21:42.640 --> 00:21:45.599
And on Upwork, it's basically like a job board.
00:21:45.680 --> 00:21:48.559
So you as a freelancer, you uh apply.
00:21:48.799 --> 00:21:54.400
And I feel like it was very, very difficult to even get a response on an application.
00:21:54.640 --> 00:21:59.599
Whereas until 22, I never was like like I was.
00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:03.519
Looking one week maximum for a client, and I had a client.
00:22:03.839 --> 00:22:10.480
And like after 2022, 23, it was uh I don't know if it was swept.
00:22:10.720 --> 00:22:31.119
I once had an interview with someone, and he told me that you get basically like the moment you publish your job description, you get like 100 applications from people that are not really qualified, and I don't know if it's bots or what it is.
00:22:31.279 --> 00:22:31.519
Yeah.
00:22:31.680 --> 00:22:38.079
And obviously, since it's a global platform, it's kind of like people outbitting, so the rates are getting lower and lower.
00:22:38.400 --> 00:22:39.680
So yeah.
00:22:39.920 --> 00:22:47.279
So but I mean there still are jobs with like normal, let's say 30 to 90 dollars an hour.
00:22:47.680 --> 00:22:58.000
But I find it way more like easier to go through LinkedIn or sometimes I also know you have indeed in the US, right?
00:22:59.200 --> 00:23:08.640
Just to look there, you can type in assistance and remote and then on freelance or contract basis and then just apply there.
00:23:08.720 --> 00:23:15.680
I found that so much easier because also on Upwork you need to buy I think they're called tokens or connects, I don't know.
00:23:15.759 --> 00:23:21.200
They're like it's 0.01 dollars, so it's like one cent or something.
00:23:21.440 --> 00:23:29.279
But I mean the volume probably makes the platform gain money and yeah, yeah, we know how it goes.
00:23:29.519 --> 00:23:30.000
Totally.
00:23:30.240 --> 00:23:37.359
Thank you, Nicole, for clarifying all that, and also specifically for teachers, I do have another recommendation.
00:23:37.599 --> 00:23:46.720
There is a Facebook group called TPT Virtual Assistant Finder, and it used to be called like TPT VA Connect or something like that.
00:23:47.039 --> 00:23:56.000
And so basically, if you could just go on there, if you're curious at all about any of this, go on there and see what types of jobs people are asking for.
00:23:56.160 --> 00:24:03.119
People will go on and post, hey, I'm looking for somebody to take product photography of these worksheets for me.
00:24:03.279 --> 00:24:07.359
Let me know what your rates are and show me your portfolio, blah, blah, blah.
00:24:07.519 --> 00:24:14.319
And then people will, you know, reply to the comments or they're in the comments, or they will DM the person who posted the job listing.
00:24:14.480 --> 00:24:20.000
Or on the other hand, sometimes people will post, hey, I'm um I'm offering these services.
00:24:20.160 --> 00:24:22.720
Here's my name, here's what I do, here are my rates.
00:24:22.880 --> 00:24:25.200
I specialize in Pinterest management or whatever.
00:24:25.359 --> 00:24:33.119
So take a look on there if you're curious at all, because it is a great way to get your foot in the door in the teacher space that you're already familiar with.
00:24:33.440 --> 00:24:47.359
And something that I see people do, which I think is very smart, is teachers who want to start offering some sort of uh VA service, they will post on there, hey, I'm brand new to this.
00:24:47.440 --> 00:24:48.880
I have never done this before.
00:24:49.119 --> 00:25:01.359
So I'm looking for five free clients and I will make, you know, 10 worksheets for you or whatever, or I will create so many social media posts for you so that I can build my portfolio for free.
00:25:01.599 --> 00:25:14.799
I highly recommend doing that route because one thing I do see on this group, and I don't mean to throw shade at anybody, but sometimes I see people post on there who have never done any of these services.
00:25:14.960 --> 00:25:18.160
And I get it, they're just trying to get something started.
00:25:18.240 --> 00:25:19.200
And I respect that.
00:25:19.359 --> 00:25:21.039
I respect people going for something.
00:25:21.200 --> 00:25:26.319
But what I see, the mistake that I see, is that people will post on there who haven't done any of this yet.
00:25:26.480 --> 00:25:32.319
They'll say, here's here's what here are my areas of expertise, and they'll list like 50 things that they're experts at.
00:25:32.480 --> 00:25:39.039
And then their rates are really high, but they don't have a portfolio yet, or they don't have any um testimonials or things like that.
00:25:39.200 --> 00:25:41.519
And I don't think they probably get a lot of bites.
00:25:41.680 --> 00:25:43.599
They probably don't get a lot of jobs.
00:25:43.839 --> 00:25:49.039
I recommend starting offering just a little bit for free, just to get you going.
00:25:49.200 --> 00:25:54.240
And then, you know, start with low rates if you can, again, just to get started.
00:25:54.400 --> 00:25:59.279
And then you can pretty quickly raise your rates after that once you've got the ball rolling a little bit.
00:26:00.000 --> 00:26:03.119
I also oftentimes hear, I don't know what to put in my portfolio.
00:26:03.279 --> 00:26:04.960
Like I don't have a portfolio.
00:26:05.039 --> 00:26:10.400
I j I 100% um am off my recommendations of from clients.
00:26:10.880 --> 00:26:18.799
But even if you don't have clients or don't know where to start, you can also just make things up and build your portfolio like this.
00:26:18.960 --> 00:26:28.880
Like just like it doesn't matter if someone asks you to do it, like you can just do, I don't know, a design or whatever it is, and like put it on on your portfolio.
00:26:28.960 --> 00:26:32.079
Like you don't you don't need to to look for someone.
00:26:32.319 --> 00:26:38.079
But uh yeah, also something what uh I also see a lot and I find quite logic.
00:26:38.160 --> 00:26:52.400
Uh you could offer like the first two, three months at a lower rate, and then like obviously everything is discussed beforehand, but like the two, three months a lower rate, and it's kind of like a test phase, and then you have another rate after the three months.
00:26:52.640 --> 00:26:53.920
Yes, great tips.
00:26:54.079 --> 00:26:59.119
And yeah, great tip about starting your portfolio from scratch.
00:26:59.359 --> 00:27:05.680
Let's say you do want to start in Pinterest management and like creating fresh pins for people, but you've never never done it before.
00:27:05.839 --> 00:27:12.000
Go on Pinterest and see what is standing out to you on there, especially in the teacher space, if that's what you want to be in.
00:27:12.240 --> 00:27:19.440
Notice what the trends are right now, what is standing out, and then go make some, go on Canva and go make some for some pretend resource.
00:27:19.519 --> 00:27:20.319
It doesn't matter.
00:27:20.559 --> 00:27:30.240
You can just build your portfolio portfolio that way to showcase what your design skills are and that you do have an eye for whatever the new trends are or things like that.
00:27:30.480 --> 00:27:30.880
Totally.
00:27:31.119 --> 00:27:39.119
And also for me as like a fully self-employed, what has helped me a lot is posting on social media and just talking about your work.
00:27:39.200 --> 00:27:47.200
It doesn't matter what your work is, but just like making a post like, hey, here are the Pinterest trends for, I don't know, July 2026.
00:27:47.359 --> 00:27:50.079
And then it automatically gives you credibility.
00:27:50.400 --> 00:27:50.799
Yes.
00:27:50.960 --> 00:27:52.319
Yes, absolutely.
00:27:52.559 --> 00:28:07.680
So you've been doing this, Nicole, for nine years now, which means you've watched the whole ground shift under this type of remote work with Chat GPT going public a few years ago, and then tools like Claude Co-work showing up just this year.
00:28:07.920 --> 00:28:10.160
I personally use some of these tools myself.
00:28:10.240 --> 00:28:15.680
So I'm genuinely curious how has AI changed the day-to-day of what you do?
00:28:15.839 --> 00:28:21.039
I will be honest, I probably use AI 80 to 90% in my work.
00:28:21.440 --> 00:28:26.880
But I see the work of an assistant transition into AI manager.
00:28:27.200 --> 00:28:30.880
So a lot of tasks before that were manual, before AI.
00:28:31.119 --> 00:28:33.920
So everything that is manual can now be automated.
00:28:34.079 --> 00:28:36.960
Even before AI, it was possible to automate a lot of things.
00:28:37.039 --> 00:28:38.480
Now it's even easier with AI.
00:28:38.720 --> 00:28:40.240
Someone needs to know how to do it.
00:28:40.400 --> 00:28:47.920
So I think assistants or someone else, like like there's an opportunity to train yourself to do it so you can help people that need it.
00:28:48.160 --> 00:28:54.319
Um, I never had a client who like stopped working with me because my like AI took my job.
00:28:54.480 --> 00:28:55.680
It has not happened.
00:28:56.000 --> 00:28:59.200
But I have one client, like he's like super geek.
00:28:59.440 --> 00:29:05.200
It's like he's in in the medical field, and it's it's amazing like what he's doing with AI.
00:29:05.440 --> 00:29:11.039
So he sometimes teaching me how to do how to work with AI, which is great.
00:29:11.519 --> 00:29:18.000
But like I think he's like the top 1% users of AI and also coding and everything.
00:29:18.160 --> 00:29:26.240
But there are still things that need to be done manually and that are people don't want to deal with it, so they still want an assistant.
00:29:26.400 --> 00:29:34.640
Or also I built, I think it was one or two weeks ago, I had to build a lead magnet funnel for a client.
00:29:34.720 --> 00:29:55.920
So maybe if someone doesn't understand lead magnet client, it's basically you give something like a document or a resource, something that is helpful, and in exchange you get an email address or some sort of information off your audience or people that are interested in your work, and then they become your prospect so you can transform them into clients.
00:29:56.079 --> 00:29:59.920
And she uh it was on a platform which is called Soho.
00:30:00.319 --> 00:30:04.240
It is a whole network, it's very like for me, it's very complicated.
00:30:04.400 --> 00:30:08.000
And I like I did everything with Claude AI.
00:30:08.079 --> 00:30:15.680
In this, and it's you like you don't even need to know how to code, it's just like screenshotting what you have, and then like this is what I need to do.
00:30:15.920 --> 00:30:20.880
Tell me how to do it step by step, like as if I'm a fifth grader.
00:30:21.119 --> 00:30:25.359
Yeah, you're putting that into Claude and having you're saying, Claude, this is what I need coded.
00:30:25.519 --> 00:30:26.880
Can you teach me step by step?
00:30:27.119 --> 00:30:29.039
What do I need to tell you to get this coded?
00:30:29.119 --> 00:30:30.640
And Claude is teaching you how to do it.
00:30:30.880 --> 00:30:31.039
Yeah.
00:30:31.200 --> 00:30:33.359
Or like not even coded, like it's even simpler.
00:30:33.440 --> 00:30:34.480
Like, where do I have to click?
00:30:34.559 --> 00:30:39.440
How do I set up the automations, the rules for for the automation?
00:30:39.680 --> 00:30:40.960
It still takes a lot of time.
00:30:41.119 --> 00:30:45.200
Like I think it took me, the whole project took me maybe seven, eight hours.
00:30:45.359 --> 00:30:50.160
And I mean, if I'm not doing it, my client needs to do it, so it's seven, eight hours for my clients.
00:30:50.319 --> 00:30:52.400
And she would have probably done it the same way.
00:30:52.480 --> 00:30:57.519
But it's like even though there's AI, there's still things that cannot be done by AI.
00:30:57.759 --> 00:30:59.920
Yeah, but you need the human touch.
00:31:00.240 --> 00:31:06.319
Yeah, but you still need to be very curious about AI and able to learn and try things out.
00:31:06.559 --> 00:31:13.359
Like I think for an assistant, you I think the days where you're just writing emails and doing stuff as an assistant are done.
00:31:13.440 --> 00:31:16.799
I think now AI is a pre-acquirement for assistance.
00:31:17.119 --> 00:31:18.480
That's what I'm seeing as well.
00:31:18.799 --> 00:31:29.359
Like, you know, it used to be that people would hire somebody just to do data entry, and that's not I would not say that's a viable option for a side hustle anymore because AI can just do that now.
00:31:29.680 --> 00:31:29.920
Yeah.
00:31:30.079 --> 00:31:30.319
Yeah.
00:31:30.400 --> 00:31:30.480
Yeah.
00:31:30.720 --> 00:31:34.480
Or also, like, I don't know, uh, designs, brand designs.
00:31:34.720 --> 00:31:42.799
Probably everyone can do them, but setting it up and setting it up so that it works every time is a bit trickier.
00:31:43.119 --> 00:31:43.680
Yeah.
00:31:43.920 --> 00:31:44.240
Yes.
00:31:44.400 --> 00:31:48.480
And I I know I have a lot of budding entrepreneurs in this, in my listeners.
00:31:48.640 --> 00:31:51.759
And we've talked about lead magnets a couple times here in Funnel.
00:31:51.839 --> 00:31:54.480
So I want to translate that just a little bit further.
00:31:54.799 --> 00:31:59.039
So Nicole gave me an example from the business side.
00:31:59.200 --> 00:32:10.720
But let's say that you are a teacher and you're on a teacher blog and you're scrolling through, and then you see a pop-up that says 100 free art activities for indoor recess.
00:32:10.880 --> 00:32:13.839
Just enter your email here and I'll send it to your inbox.
00:32:14.079 --> 00:32:15.920
That is a lead magnet.
00:32:16.160 --> 00:32:20.240
So it's free, sure, but you're also exchanging something for that.
00:32:20.319 --> 00:32:21.839
You're giving your email address.
00:32:22.000 --> 00:32:27.839
And you can always unsubscribe, obviously, but you're also giving your time that you took to look through that resource and things like that.
00:32:28.000 --> 00:32:31.119
So from the user side, you are getting something great.
00:32:31.279 --> 00:32:33.599
100 free art activities for indoor recess.
00:32:33.680 --> 00:32:34.480
That sounds amazing.
00:32:34.559 --> 00:32:36.640
I hope somebody makes that if it doesn't exist already.
00:32:36.799 --> 00:32:47.680
But then from the business side, whoever's running that blog, they now have your email address so that they can give you free work resources and they want to give those to you because teachers always want to help each other out.
00:32:47.839 --> 00:33:03.599
But in addition, you're probably gonna get more emails from them saying, hey, if you liked these 100-free art resources for indoor recess, here's a link to my 100 um, you know, movement activities for indoor recess.
00:33:03.680 --> 00:33:04.559
And it's$20.
00:33:05.200 --> 00:33:07.279
But come on, like you loved that art one.
00:33:07.440 --> 00:33:10.799
So I know you're gonna love this, this PE one too, or whatever.
00:33:10.960 --> 00:33:18.640
It's it's just part of running a business, is collecting that information so that they can sell more to you, so that they can keep creating more resources for you.
00:33:18.799 --> 00:33:21.759
It's I think it's a win-win, um, but that's what we're talking about.
00:33:21.920 --> 00:33:28.400
When we say lead magnet, it's just something that you are, it's typically an email address that that they're looking to get.
00:33:28.559 --> 00:33:33.599
You're giving them your email address in a exchange for whatever it is that they have to offer, usually for free.
00:33:33.920 --> 00:33:35.200
Great explanation.
00:33:37.039 --> 00:33:49.039
Okay, so because this is a money show, we talked a little bit at the beginning of the episode about this, but I want to check and see if there's anything else because here's something that teachers carry.
00:33:49.119 --> 00:33:50.160
And you mentioned this.
00:33:50.319 --> 00:33:53.920
A steady paycheck can feel like the only safe thing that there is.
00:33:54.079 --> 00:34:08.159
I've talked about this before in the show that when I started teaching, I knew that I was going to be getting a lower salary than some other professions, but I also really valued that security of knowing how much I was going to be making and that I would be making that money.
00:34:08.400 --> 00:34:15.280
So the concept then of trading our time, even as a side hustle for income, can be scary at first.
00:34:15.679 --> 00:34:19.760
And Nicole has lived that whole arc, including that first messy year.
00:34:19.920 --> 00:34:26.400
So is there anything else that you feel like you got wrong about money in your first year or any other things you've learned along the way?
00:34:26.719 --> 00:34:28.320
Definitely something.
00:34:28.480 --> 00:34:37.519
I mean, I would not say wrong, but I think the first maybe two years, I was really having like my hourly rate was way too low.
00:34:37.679 --> 00:34:38.960
Like way too low.
00:34:40.719 --> 00:34:52.960
But I mean, this comes I think it I don't I think it comes with time, and also you're a bit isolated when you're self-employed, so you cannot really compare or know.
00:34:53.440 --> 00:35:00.079
It's also very different to go from employee mind to self-employed mind.
00:35:00.239 --> 00:35:08.400
Because like you're your own business, and like you you have to manage yourself as a business, and it's a bit different.
00:35:08.639 --> 00:35:13.920
So this is definitely something to pay attention to, not to sell yourself too short.
00:35:14.159 --> 00:35:17.280
Also, taxes, social security, etc.
00:35:17.599 --> 00:35:18.719
Pay attention to that.
00:35:18.960 --> 00:35:27.039
And if like I recommend to have to determine one hourly rate and then stick to it, like never negotiate.
00:35:27.280 --> 00:35:40.159
Because if you like if a client wants to negotiate, you will feel an enormous resentment when you work for him, and it's just not going to work long term, so like don't waste your time on that.
00:35:40.400 --> 00:35:55.760
It's it's not something bad, it's just like the client's budget and and your rate are not matching, but you will really feel like resentful like every minute you spend on this client, and it's just not fun to work like that.
00:35:56.000 --> 00:35:56.480
Yeah.
00:35:56.719 --> 00:35:59.440
Yeah, it's okay if it's not the right match for either of you.
00:36:00.079 --> 00:36:01.840
They can fight somebody else, and so can you.
00:36:02.159 --> 00:36:02.559
Totally.
00:36:02.719 --> 00:36:05.440
And it also takes time to define an offer.
00:36:05.599 --> 00:36:13.519
So I know there are assistants that work with how to call it a service offer, and then there are assistants who work on an hourly base.
00:36:13.679 --> 00:36:28.880
Like a service offer might be Krista, you have this podcast, and your assistant is like, I will edit and upload and write descriptions for your podcast, and this will be I don't know,$900 for July.
00:36:29.039 --> 00:36:39.199
This can be one offer, and the hourly offers whether so editing, like you would say, editing my podcast and uploading it takes, I don't know, I'd say 15 hours a month.
00:36:39.360 --> 00:36:40.239
I have no idea.
00:36:40.400 --> 00:36:51.679
And so I I'm looking for a virtual assistant for 15 hours a month, and you will have your budget as a client, and you will look for an assistant that has the capacity for the 15 hours.
00:36:51.920 --> 00:37:04.480
And I also always recommend to determine or like to define a retainer to work like on a retainer basis because it makes it easier to plan for your future.
00:37:04.639 --> 00:37:14.000
So let's say uh next to the school activity, you have, I don't know, let's say five hours in your week that you could dedicate to being an assistant.
00:37:14.239 --> 00:37:44.960
So you can say you have 20 hours, 20 hours a month, and yeah, you have like five hours a week, five hours a week, and you do your contracts or your agreements with like this is my retainer, uh 20 hours a month for this sum, and then renewable, and not to do something like if a client tells you I need to work with debt, like I need help with debt, and then like just to have hours build up, it's very difficult to foresee and plan your work.
00:37:45.039 --> 00:37:48.800
So always like determine the hours and the rate straight from the beginning.
00:37:48.960 --> 00:37:52.639
Yeah, and have that communicated clearly with the client prior to beginning the project.
00:37:52.800 --> 00:37:54.079
Yep, that makes a lot of sense.
00:37:54.239 --> 00:38:00.719
One thing that you've talked about is how you've just now we're talking about how you are your business, you were running a business.
00:38:00.960 --> 00:38:10.320
And you've also been honest that self-employment has its own version of burnout, and that for you freedom turned out to mean something different than what you expected.
00:38:10.480 --> 00:38:14.960
So, what does freedom actually mean to you versus what you thought it meant at the start?
00:38:15.599 --> 00:38:19.840
So at the start, so obviously there's like the financial side.
00:38:20.239 --> 00:38:25.679
And I don't want to put the blame on social media, maybe it's just like the more information we get.
00:38:25.920 --> 00:38:37.679
And there's this image of I can work from cafes or the beach and make 10k a month, which is a nice idea, but uh not really realistic if you're service-based.
00:38:37.840 --> 00:38:42.639
And now for me, freedom is more now, it's the peace of mind.
00:38:42.719 --> 00:39:10.559
Like before I was really in maxing my revenue and making more money, and like at one point I realized I'm stressed because I'm looking for new clients, working for my clients, trying to learn AI, trying to learn this, and so the money I was making extra, I was spending on relaxing or like distressing me from the stress I have created myself, which uh makes completely no sense.
00:39:10.800 --> 00:39:23.360
Now for me, it's I can wake up without an alarm in the morning, I can go on a walk next like on the beach, because I live next to the beach, uh, and then I can start working whenever I want.
00:39:23.599 --> 00:39:30.800
And I like with clients, you often have like a partnership relationship, as you said, with with your virtual assistant.
00:39:30.880 --> 00:39:41.519
So it like as an assistant, you become very like active in their business, you think about the like ideas in their business, and it it kind of becomes becomes an exchange.
00:39:41.760 --> 00:39:49.199
So it's like really fun and fulfilling, and it's also like a freedom to say no to certain people you don't want to work with.
00:39:50.000 --> 00:40:02.639
And it's nothing like bad, it's just like you're not interested in what they're doing, it's not an industry that speaks to you, but just be like, I don't nice, but I don't know what to do with it.
00:40:02.880 --> 00:40:12.400
So uh it's just it's just things things like that, like not being rushed, not having like company policies put on you that you don't really agree on.
00:40:12.639 --> 00:40:16.639
I don't like I have meetings with my clients, but they're like once a week.
00:40:16.800 --> 00:40:21.840
So I don't have like like a calendar which is like that I had like incorporate.
00:40:22.000 --> 00:40:26.079
Yeah, like freedom is like really like the little things, like the daily things.
00:40:26.239 --> 00:40:28.559
I can have lunch with my partner every day.
00:40:28.880 --> 00:40:32.639
If I need a break, I go and cuddle my cat and it's fine.
00:40:32.800 --> 00:40:41.920
I can if I want after lunch, I can read my book, and it's like yeah, this this this is now freedom for me, which a couple of years ago was not.
00:40:42.000 --> 00:40:49.280
Like a couple of years was I can travel whenever like I can still travel whenever I want, but I don't want like to be a digital nomad.
00:40:49.679 --> 00:40:52.800
It's just it's actually more stressful than so uh yeah.
00:40:53.039 --> 00:41:00.800
Yeah, well, and the beauty is that each person gets to define that exactly what freedom means to them in in their in that season of life as well.
00:41:01.119 --> 00:41:01.599
Exactly.
00:41:01.840 --> 00:41:02.239
Exactly.
00:41:02.559 --> 00:41:08.559
One takeaway that you wanted to leave with the listeners was that you don't need permission to build the life you really want.
00:41:08.719 --> 00:41:10.239
Can you speak more on that?
00:41:10.480 --> 00:41:17.280
Yeah, so when I went self-employed, a lot of the people from my family were like, you're crazy.
00:41:17.440 --> 00:41:19.039
Like I come from my family.
00:41:19.280 --> 00:41:22.400
My grandmother was a teacher, history and philosophy.
00:41:22.559 --> 00:41:38.719
And some people like most of the people were accountants, like very conservative jobs, and everyone like later I understood it was their fears being projected on me that there's no security uh in being self-employed, etc.
00:41:38.960 --> 00:41:52.400
But it like I think it's more secure than anything because you learn so many skills in different parts, and you can always figure it out with what you learn while you're self-employed.
00:41:52.480 --> 00:42:01.519
And sometimes I like I had this reflex to ask people around me, what do you think if I do this, or what do you think if I do that?
00:42:01.679 --> 00:42:02.639
Shall I do this?
00:42:02.800 --> 00:42:07.199
And it doesn't really matter uh until you try it.
00:42:07.280 --> 00:42:08.000
So yeah.
00:42:08.239 --> 00:42:11.039
And it's it's kind of difficult to get it in the head.
00:42:11.199 --> 00:42:11.920
Yes, yeah.
00:42:12.000 --> 00:42:21.199
Well, I'm proud of you for taking the leap, even though you didn't know what it was gonna look like, you know, through every step of the way, and maybe you had some pushback from people who really care about you.
00:42:21.360 --> 00:42:22.960
Um, but you made it happen anyways.
00:42:23.119 --> 00:42:24.719
It's so cool, very inspiring.
00:42:24.960 --> 00:42:48.400
I I know it comes from from a loving place, and uh something I would also recommend to teachers who want to go this path is maybe to connect with others with assistance or anything or any or anyone because it helps to just have like a person that has done it and just to see how they have done it, and it it kind of changes your brain into it is possible.
00:42:48.480 --> 00:42:50.559
Like I should finally do it.
00:42:50.800 --> 00:42:52.000
Yes, yes.
00:42:52.239 --> 00:42:58.400
So, Nicole, this gave me a whole new door to point my teacher friends towards as a really cool side hustle.
00:42:58.480 --> 00:43:02.079
Um, and I'm so grateful for for you spending the time with us today.
00:43:02.320 --> 00:43:08.639
I hope that this has inspired someone to consider if being a virtual assistant might be the perfect side hustle for them.
00:43:08.880 --> 00:43:16.239
Before we go, for the person who did just realize that they might actually be great at this, where should they find you to connect with you?
00:43:16.480 --> 00:43:22.800
They can find me on LinkedIn and always feel free to message me with any questions, any advice you need.
00:43:22.880 --> 00:43:24.400
I'm I'm always happy to chat.
00:43:24.559 --> 00:43:30.000
Yeah, Nicole is the best, and I will make sure that we have her LinkedIn profile linked in the show notes.
00:43:30.159 --> 00:43:32.719
Teacher friend, you do not have to have it all figured out.
00:43:32.880 --> 00:43:40.000
You just have to notice the skills that you've been using all along and let yourself get curious about where else those skills might be able to go.
00:43:40.159 --> 00:43:41.760
Pick one small thing this week.
00:43:41.920 --> 00:43:55.039
If you felt inspired by this episode, look up what a VA actually does, check out that TPT VA Finder Facebook group I mentioned earlier, or just start talking with somebody else about what ideas you might have of a side hustle that you could start.
00:43:55.280 --> 00:43:57.679
Nicole, thank you so much for your time.
00:43:58.000 --> 00:44:00.559
Thank you so much for an invitation and having me.
00:44:00.800 --> 00:44:02.159
I'm Krista Jones.
00:44:02.400 --> 00:44:04.320
This is First in Class.
00:44:04.480 --> 00:44:08.079
If you got something from today's episode, send it to a teacher friend.
00:44:08.239 --> 00:44:12.559
Quick note I'm not a financial planner, and I'm not your financial planner.
00:44:12.800 --> 00:44:17.039
Always do your own research and talk to a professional before making money lose.
00:44:17.280 --> 00:44:18.800
See you next week.
