At 37 weeks pregnant, Nicole Magelssen discovered herself at a crossroads. Laid off from her part-time job and going through monetary uncertainty, she turned to what had all the time been her facet hustle: digital assistant work. What started as a $7-an-hour job throughout highschool rapidly grew to become a lifeline for her household.
Quick ahead to at present, and Nicole’s facet hustle has grown into a thriving company supporting over 35 digital assistants, with a seven-figure projection for the yr forward. Alongside the way in which, she realized how to navigate the challenges of balancing household life, scaling a crew, and creating a enterprise that empowers others.
Nicole’s story presents invaluable insights for anybody within the digital assistant business — whether or not you’re simply getting began, trying to discover higher shoppers, or dreaming of constructing an company. From setting boundaries to scaling with automation, her journey is full of classes that present how deliberate steps can lead to huge outcomes.
How a $7/Hour Job Sparked a VA Profession
Nicole’s journey into the digital assistant (VA) world began small — working part-time whereas nonetheless in highschool and incomes simply $7 an hour. “I used to be a typical highschool pupil,” she mentioned, reflecting on these early days. “I used to be concerned in native theater, a part of the Nationwide Honor Society, and labored part-time at a native ice cream store.”
Her early experiences in theater not solely constructed her confidence but in addition taught her adaptability and poise — qualities that might show invaluable in her future work as a digital assistant.
Digital assistants present distant assist to companies, typically dealing with duties like scheduling, e-mail administration, social media, or customer support. Nicole’s early expertise in admin roles, each in-person and digital, gave her a sturdy basis for this sort of work. “I began out serving to a small faculty with digital assistant duties,” Nicole shared. “It wasn’t a lot — simply minimal wage — however I favored that I may do the work by myself schedule.”
Discovering the Proper Shoppers and Setting Limits
When Nicole first began searching for her personal digital assistant shoppers, she turned to her private community and social media. “I reached out to family and friends, letting them know I used to be attempting to develop my digital assistant work,” she mentioned. “Surprisingly, this alone introduced me some good enterprise.” From there, she started posting in Fb teams for on-line enterprise homeowners, providing recommendation and linking to her web site.
Nicole rapidly realized that not all shoppers had been a good match. “I had shoppers who didn’t pay invoices on time, demanded I work after hours, or made unattainable requests,” she shared. Regardless of these challenges, she acknowledged the significance of gaining expertise. “At first, I took any job I may get, even when it wasn’t one thing I loved or was in my ability set.”
Over time, Nicole grew to become extra selective, setting clear boundaries to defend her time and vitality. “I finished working weekends or evenings and centered on shoppers who revered my availability,” she defined. This shift not solely improved her work-life stability but in addition allowed her to deal with the duties she genuinely loved, like creating organizational methods for companies and managing private tasks for her shoppers.
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From Solo VA to Main a Crew
Nicole’s journey as a digital assistant took an sudden flip when demand for her companies outpaced what she may deal with alone. “At first, I used to be doing all the things myself — working from the gymnasium daycare foyer throughout my youngsters’ playtime and catching up late at night time after they went to mattress,” she mentioned. However as shopper inquiries elevated, it grew to become clear that she wanted assist.
Scaling meant extra than simply hiring. Nicole wanted to construct methods that would assist her rising crew and guarantee high quality for her shoppers. “Automation grew to become a lifeline,” she defined. Instruments like Slack, Zoom, and Asana helped streamline communication and venture administration. She additionally applied a five-step vetting course of to guarantee each VA on her crew met her requirements for professionalism, consideration to element, and proactive communication.
Regardless of the rising crew, Nicole remained dedicated to a private contact. “We all know every of our VAs personally,” she mentioned. Common check-ins, crew lunch-and-learns, and open collaboration fostered a tradition of assist and accountability. For shoppers, weekly updates and open traces of communication ensured they felt cared for, even because the company expanded.
Overcoming Setbacks to Construct Momentum
Nicole’s journey to constructing Alpine Virtual wasn’t with out its challenges. One defining second got here throughout a household trip to a lake. “I labored your entire time,” she recalled. “At one level, I checked my enterprise financials and noticed that I had barely turned a revenue. It was so discouraging. I used to be working more durable than ever — with no break day to present for it.”
The monetary stress, mixed with the calls for of managing a crew and balancing her household life, almost pushed her to surrender. “I vividly keep in mind pacing outdoors the Airbnb, calling a member of the family, and asking in the event that they’d take into account shopping for Alpine Digital,” Nicole shared. “I felt unqualified, burnt out, and pissed off.”
As a substitute of giving up, Nicole determined to strategy her enterprise in another way. “I let go of all the things I had been attempting and began contemporary — with a new mindset,” she defined. By automating extra of her processes and hiring key crew members, Nicole was in a position to create stability and scalability for her company.
One in every of her most impactful hires was an account supervisor who took on client-facing tasks, permitting Nicole to deal with technique and development. “Their work remodeled Alpine Digital,” she mentioned. One other main turning level got here when she realized the significance of delegation, enabling her to reclaim time for her household and deal with the larger image.
These adjustments paid off in additional methods than one. By the tip of 2022, Nicole’s enterprise had grown sufficient to retire her husband from his full-time job. “In 2023, we took our first actual trip — one the place neither of us labored,” she mentioned.
Her recommendation for others going through comparable challenges? “By no means stop on a dangerous day,” Nicole mentioned. “There’ll all the time be powerful moments, however for those who take a step again, regulate your strategy, and take a look at one thing new, you is likely to be shocked at what occurs subsequent.”
Secrets and techniques to VA Success at Each Stage
For Inexperienced persons: Constructing Confidence and Gaining Traction
Nicole emphasised that getting began is commonly the toughest half. “Don’t be afraid to pitch your self,” she mentioned. “You by no means know who may want your companies — or who is aware of somebody who does.”
She advisable beginning small to construct confidence and credibility. “At first, I took on smaller tasks to construct my portfolio and collect testimonials. A powerful testimonial can open doorways you didn’t even know existed,” Nicole shared. To streamline early efforts, she urged specializing in instruments like Canva for creating visuals and Dubsado for managing shopper onboarding.
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For Skilled VAs: Discovering Your Area of interest
Specialization was a game-changer for Nicole. “Shoppers need an professional — not somebody who dabbles in all the things,” she mentioned. She suggested skilled VAs to deal with high-demand expertise or industries, like actual property, social media administration, or e-mail advertising and marketing.
For Aspiring Company Homeowners: Scaling with Technique
Nicole additionally emphasised investing in the suitable instruments to handle a crew successfully. She swears by:
- Slack: For seamless crew communication.
- Asana: To handle duties and monitor progress.
- Clockify: For monitoring crew hours and optimizing productiveness.
- Dubsado: For automating shopper onboarding, contracts, and invoicing.
Nicole’s Ideas for Lengthy-Time period Success
Nicole’s path from part-time digital assistant to working a profitable on-line enterprise has been formed by sensible methods and classes realized alongside the way in which. From setting boundaries to scaling effectively, her insights supply invaluable steerage for anybody trying to develop their digital assistant profession.
- Set Boundaries Early. Nicole suggested being upfront about your availability and sticking to it. “It’s higher to overcommunicate expectations from the beginning than to burn out attempting to meet unattainable calls for.”
- Concentrate on Shopper Match. Not all enterprise is sweet enterprise. “Work with shoppers who respect your time and worth your experience,” she mentioned.
- Put money into Steady Studying. From mastering software program to enhancing time administration, staying sharp is vital. Nicole urged sources like LinkedIn Studying and VA-focused Fb teams for networking and expertise growth.
- Doc Your Processes. “Create detailed SOPs (Customary Working Procedures) for all the things you do,” Nicole advisable. Whether or not it’s onboarding a new shopper or dealing with recurring duties, having a documented course of saves time and ensures consistency. “That is particularly necessary for those who’re planning to delegate or scale what you are promoting,” she added.
- Keep Seen On-line. Nicole burdened the significance of sustaining sturdy digital advertising and marketing expertise to appeal to new shoppers. “Often replace your LinkedIn profile, interact in Fb teams, and showcase your expertise on platforms like Instagram or a private weblog,” she mentioned. Even easy actions like sharing testimonials or showcasing before-and-after shopper transformations could make a huge affect.
By implementing these methods, Nicole not solely constructed a thriving enterprise but in addition carved out time for her household and private passions. Her story is proof that with clear boundaries, intentional development, and a deal with shopper match, digital assistants can obtain extra than simply monetary success — they’ll create a profession they really love. As Nicole places it, “Success is about working smarter, not more durable, and discovering pleasure in what you do day-after-day.”
What’s Subsequent for Alpine Digital
As Alpine Digital continues to develop, Nicole stays centered on refining operations and increasing companies to higher serve shoppers and assist her crew. “Every year brings new alternatives — not simply within the variety of shoppers we assist however in how we strengthen our methods, processes, and crew tradition,” she shared.
In 2025, Alpine Digital plans to introduce Direct Rent Recruiting Providers, a new providing designed for shoppers who need to rent a digital assistant instantly whereas leveraging Alpine’s confirmed recruitment course of. “We’ve spent years perfecting how we discover distinctive digital expertise — vetting expertise, guaranteeing alignment, and setting the inspiration for achievement,” Nicole defined. This service will present companies with long-term hires whereas creating extra alternatives for expert digital assistants.
Equally necessary to Nicole is fostering a supportive surroundings for her crew. “We host month-to-month lunch-and-learns, common espresso chats, and preserve open traces of communication to guarantee each VA feels valued,” she mentioned. These initiatives are designed to promote collaboration and development whereas sustaining the high-quality service Alpine’s shoppers count on.
With Alpine Digital on the verge of crossing the seven-figure mark, Nicole envisions her company as greater than a enterprise. “Our objective is to be a bridge between proficient VAs and the companies that want them,” she mentioned.