Welcome to another episode of the podcast that teaches you how to be a ridiculously good virtual assistant.
Today I want to talk 10 business lessons from an unlikely source – a tv show! The Pitt!
Today’s Quote: When you realize that you are perfectly capable of being a business person because you do it every day in other places in your life, you will find that YOU is enough for your clients. – Tracey D’Aviero
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Connect with Tracey D’Aviero, VA Coach and Trainer
Episode Notes:
In today’s episode, we are jumping in to an unexpected source of business wisdom – The Pitt, the new medical drama on Max, or Crave here in Canada.
It’s one of our indulgences, and as I always tell you, look for business lessons in your everyday life – so that’s where this is coming from.
Are you watching The Pitt? It’s the new medical show starring Noah Wyle who was Dr. John Carter on ER. It’s super fast paced and exciting – well, maybe exciting is the wrong word to describe it, but it is interesting, shocking, sentimental and a whole lot more, all wrapped up in one.
If you aren’t watching it, you have watched medical dramas before, I’m sure. So you can liken these lessons to the show that you did watch – but if you aren’t watching The Pitt, you should check it out- I highly recommend it!
I know, you might be thinking, “What does a fast-paced emergency department have to do with running a virtual assistant business?” Well, surprisingly, quite a lot!
Just like in the ER, as VAs, we need to be adaptable, focused, and always learning. Okay I do understand that it’s not life and death, what we do, but there are still some very important lessons that we can draw on from the two industries.
So today I’m going to break down 10 lessons from The Pitt that you can apply to your VA business right now. Let’s get into it!
Lesson 1: Effective Time Management
In The Pitt, every second counts. The medical team has to prioritize their tasks quickly and efficiently. As a VA, managing your time well is just as important. You need to know what’s urgent, what can wait, and how to structure your day for maximum productivity.
One of the things I tell VAs – much to their surprise – is that not everything a client asks you to do is urgent. It’s not! We seem to feel that when a client asks us to do something, that we need to jump on it right away – but that isn’t always a good use of your time, and it could lead to problems down the road when you get busier and your clients start to notice a shift in how you turn their work around. Just like triage in an ER, the most important stuff should be prioritized first – and the rest will get done when there is time.
Lesson 2: Clear Communication
Ever notice how the doctors and nurses in The Pitt communicate with precision? They don’t waste words, and they make sure their team understands what needs to be done. The same applies to your VA business. Whether you’re updating a client on a project or setting boundaries around your working hours, clarity is key.
Of course we don’t need to shout codes and orders at our clients, nor should they yell back at us ;), but we do need a system of communication that helps everyone understand what is being done and when. If a client sends you a work request, acknowledge it and tell them when you will get it back to them. As the project progresses, keep the client up to date with its status and any issues that might arise.
Lesson 3: Adaptability
In the ER, things change fast, and the ability to pivot is essential. As a VA, you might find that client priorities shift, tools update, or a project needs a completely new approach. Being adaptable means you can handle these changes without stress.
When we work with many different clients, we have to be adaptable too. You will be managing your time and schedule, but you will also have to manage the expectations of your clients – each of whom think they are the most important client you have. Being able to move your schedule around, or loop in new people, or get a last minute task done might be things you need to adapt to on a regular basis. Being able to plan how to do that keeps your stress down.
Lesson 4: Team Collaboration
Even though doctors and nurses have their own roles, they work as a team to save lives. In your VA business, collaboration can be just as valuable. Whether you’re working with a client’s team, subcontracting work, or networking with other VAs, teamwork helps you get better results.
If you are working one on one with a client, collaboration can be fairly simple – emails back and forth or a simple project management system. We still have to recognize that it’s a system though. And when we work with multiple clients we might have to work with multiple systems. Collaboration is about keeping things organized and people up to date on status of their stuff. It’s your job to make sure everything is running smoothly. If a client has to ask you what is happening with something, or if you are constantly waiting on someone else to give you the pieces to a project, that’s a sure sign that things needs to be fine tuned.
Lesson 5: Stress Management
High-pressure situations are the norm in The Pitt. While our VA work isn’t life or death, we do deal with deadlines, demanding clients, and unexpected challenges. Having strategies in place to handle stress—like taking breaks, setting boundaries, or using mindfulness techniques—can keep you from burning out.
What is your favourite technique to manage stress? I love to listen to a podcast, or read a book, or go for a walk, or go out to the garden. Anywhere that I’m not staring at a screen and trying to figure out who needs me. Again while high pressure is not always the thing in a VA business, it can feel like it is. Deadlines are real, and clients are paying real money, so we need to keep on top of things. And we need to look after ourselves while we do it.
Lesson 6: Continuous Learning
Medical professionals are always learning—new procedures, treatments, and technology. As a VA, staying updated on industry trends, new tools, and best practices is key to staying competitive. If you’re not learning, you’re falling behind.
This one’s never a tough sell for VAs – the majority of the VAs I meet love to learn – almost to a fault! But are you learning the right things? Are you learning things that will complement the services you are offering your clients right now? And if you are, are you implementing what you learn right away? If you do a good job of your professional development, you will always be ahead of the curve of the VAs in your community.
I have another content workshop coming up soon – will I see you there!?
Lesson 7: Empathy and Client Relations
Doctors in The Pitt don’t just treat symptoms—they connect with patients. As a VA, building strong relationships with your clients can make all the difference. Understanding their struggles and offering solutions with empathy makes you more than just a service provider—you become a trusted partner.
I worked with a client once who was single. She was amazing. She was so bright and she was a tough business woman. But she worked a lot because she didn’t have anyone at home at the end of the day. That made it difficult for her to sometimes empathize with her clients who had families. She didn’t understand why they didn’t get shit done like did. I worked with her for a long time and over that time we got to know each other. I didn’t advise her on her business strategy, but I sure knew how she was and how she would react in certain situations – and I was more than able to advise her on those. We talked about events she hosted, clients she worked with, and it really helped our relationship. Empathy is an excellent thing to bring to your VA business and your clients.
Lesson 8: Attention to Detail
In the ER, a small mistake can have major consequences. In the VA world, missing details in emails, schedules, or reports can lead to misunderstandings or lost opportunities. Being meticulous in your work builds trust and credibility.
No one likes to make mistakes. No one likes to have mistakes made when they pay for it. I have been on both sides of this! So we try to pay attention to the details so that we minimize human error, or tech issues, as much as possible. Those of you in my community will know that I recently sent out the wrong link in an email to my list. My email provider just changed up their email builder and I didn’t notice that I attached the wrong email to the campaign. I went through the regular motions, made the changes, and didn’t take the time to check the new system out enough to ensure that I had connected it properly. Attention to detail would have saved that – and you can bet that I’m triple checking everything now!
Lesson 9: Maintaining Professional Boundaries
The doctors in The Pitt have to maintain professional boundaries with patients, even when emotions run high. As a VA, setting clear expectations with clients ensures a healthy working relationship. This might mean defining work hours, sticking to your scope of services, or saying no to unreasonable demands.
Boundaries are so important, and no one knows that better than someone who has had someone cross them. The funny thing is that I mostly find that VAs cross their own boundaries more than clients. A client might cross it, but then the VA meets them there and lets them cross it, and then gets mad. So it’s up to us to hold to the boundaries that we set. I have always told clients that they communicate with me by scheduled production call once a week and otherwise by email or project management system if we were using one. And yet I would answer phone calls and texts and DMs from clients when they sent them – not realizing I was allowing them to cross the boundaries. It’s not their fault – it’s ours. When I keep them, the client relationships are so much better. Everyone plays by the same rules.
Lesson 10: Resilience
The medical team in The Pitt faces setbacks, but they push through. As a VA, challenges are inevitable – clients might ghost you, projects might not go as planned, or you might have slow months. The key is to keep going, learn from setbacks, and stay committed to your goals.
Being resilient doesn’t mean you have to be unhappy. Or struggle. Being resilient means preparing yourself to handle anything that comes your way. Working with a lot of different clients means a whole lot of opinions, schedules and personalities – and you get to be the center of all of them! Being firm in your boundaries, confident in your abilities and clear in your communication is the best way to build resilience.
If a project goes off the rails, get it back on the rails – and write out how you will keep it from happening again. If you have a slow month, what can you do to make it busier? I always say if you aren’t doing client work, you have more time to market or network! You get the picture.
So there you have it – 10 powerful lessons from The Pitt (or another medical drama that you love) that can make you a stronger, more successful VA.
Time management, communication, adaptability, collaboration, stress management, continuous learning, empathy, attention to detail, boundaries, and resilience – each of these can help you build a thriving business.
Which of these lessons resonates with you the most? I’d love to hear your thoughts! Send me a message or connect with me on social media.
Do You Need Help?
And if you’re looking for more support in building a confident and profitable VA business, check out my programs and services on my website.
I’m Tracey D’Aviero, Confidence Coach for VAs. That’s all I’ve got for you this week. As always, if you are looking for more resources to grow your amazing VA business, connect with me on my website YourVAMentor.com/link is where you can find all of my trainings and resources and link to connect with me on social media.
And really, go check out The Pitt. It’s so good – and season one is nearly over!