Welcome to another episode of the podcast that teaches you how to be a ridiculously good virtual assistant.
Today I want to talk about how confidence plays into a number of areas in your VA business.
Today’s Quote: You get what you tolerate. — Dr. Henry Cloud
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Connect with Tracey D’Aviero, VA Coach and Trainer
Episode Notes:
In today’s episode, we’re tackling three crucial areas that can make or break your success as a VA: mastering boundaries, confidently setting and increasing your rates, and fostering strong, healthy client relationships. These are skills that require courage, clarity, and a whole lot of practice.
Why Confidence is Key in VA Success
Confidence is the foundation of every successful VA business. It impacts everything you do—from saying “no” to an unreasonable client request to quoting your rates without hesitating or negotiating. When you show up confidently, people trust you, value your work, and respect your time.
But here’s the thing: confidence isn’t something you’re born with—it’s something you build. Every time you stand firm on a boundary, communicate your worth, or handle a tricky client situation with grace, you’re building confidence.
I once worked with a VA who had very little confidence in her rates. Well, truth be told, I was that VA at one time too. Anyway this one would never quote her full rate to clients when they asked. She always went lower, or if the client said they couldn’t afford her services, then she would negotiate.
When we actually worked out what her expenses were and she knew how much she had to charge in her business, she became more confident in quoting them. And we also worked on package pricing for her so that she was very clear in what she WOULD and would NOT do for her clients.
Her discovery calls became much simpler because she was confident in the services she offered and how much it would cost the client to hire her.
This is why it’s so important to strengthen your confidence muscles. Because the more confident you are, the more your business thrives.
Let’s get into the first area where confidence can make a huge difference: boundaries.
Setting and Maintaining Professional Boundaries
Boundaries are essential in any business, but especially in a VA business where your time and energy are your most valuable resources. Without boundaries, it’s easy to feel overworked, underappreciated, and even resentful.
So, what do boundaries look like in practice? They start with clear communication. From the moment you onboard a client, you should set expectations around things like response times, availability, and scope of work. A welcome packet or contract is a great tool for this, along with consistent great communication.
Here’s an example: If a client frequently messages you after hours, you can respond with something like, “Thanks for reaching out! I’ll take care of this during my office hours tomorrow.” It’s polite, professional, and reinforces your boundary.
Managing your client’s expectations is key to making sure they follow your boundaries.
I helped a VA hold a client to her boundaries. But it wasn’t the client’s fault that they were being broken, it was the VAs. Her rule was that they communicated by email and by project management system.
Yet when the client texted her or phoned her, she would respond – and then get mad.
But she was teaching that client that it was okay to use a different method of communication by responding to them. If she doesn’t hold the boundary, the client quickly thinks that the boundary has changed, and that’s not always their fault.
Maintaining boundaries will free you in ways you don’t even realize. Believe me on this one. Every single VA I have worked with to set and hold boundaries thanks me over and over again for a long time.
Another key to maintaining boundaries is learning to say no without guilt. I know this can be hard, especially if you’re a people pleaser, but saying yes to everything is a fast track to burnout.
Here’s an action step: Write down one boundary you need to set or reinforce this week. It might feel uncomfortable at first, but trust me, your future self will thank you!
Now, let’s move on to a topic that makes many VAs squirm: rates.
Owning Your Worth: Setting Competitive Rates
If you’ve ever felt nervous or unsure when quoting your rates, you’re not alone. Many VAs, especially those just starting out, struggle with imposter syndrome and undervalue their services. But here’s the truth: You deserve to be compensated fairly for the skills, expertise, and value you bring to your clients.
Let’s talk about how to calculate your rates. Start by considering your financial needs. How much do you want to earn monthly? Then, factor in your working hours, expenses, and taxes. This gives you a baseline for what you need to charge.
But remember, your rates are about more than just covering your bills—they reflect the results you deliver. When you’re confident in the value you provide, it’s easier to stand by your rates, even if a potential client pushes back.
I mean, clients only push back if they think there is room to move, like I talked about earlier.
But it is really important for you to be confident in what you decide to charge – knowing why your rate is set where it is, is a big part of this.
Another key point is knowing when and how to raise your rates. If you’ve been working with a client for a while and your skills or workload have evolved, it’s perfectly reasonable to adjust your pricing. One approach is to give your client advance notice, like this:
“Hi Client, I’ve loved working with you, and I’m excited to continue supporting your business. Starting next month, my rates will increase to [new rate]. I look forward to continuing to work with you.”
It’s simple, respectful, and communicates confidence. I always tell you, you don’t need to tell your clients why you are raising your rates. Does McDonalds tell you why they are raising the price of their products? Nope. No need. Just be polite and tell them when and how much.
Here’s your action step: Review your current rates and ask yourself if they truly reflect your worth. If not, it’s time to make a change.
Now let’s talk about the relationships that keep your business running—your clients.
Building Strong, Healthy Client Relationships
A successful VA business isn’t just about finding clients—it’s about keeping the right ones. Healthy client relationships are built on trust, communication, and respect.
The first step to building trust is setting expectations from day one. Onboarding is your chance to clarify the scope of work, deadlines, and how you’ll communicate. Tools like contracts, welcome packets, or even a quick “How I Work” email can save you so much trouble down the line.
Let’s look at communication. Regular check-ins or progress updates show your clients you’re invested in their success. Something as simple as a weekly email summarizing what you’ve accomplished can go a long way in building trust.
One of the biggest struggles VAs come to me for help with is what we call difficult clients. They get frustrated that their clients are doing or saying things that differ from what they expected.
Communication is one of the most important parts of working virtually – if you do it well, you can work well with clients. If you don’t do it well, you will probably struggle.
Good communication goes along with managing expectations – and when you are confident in all of the things that you bring to your client’s business, you can communicate those well, you will do well. If you don’t do communicate them well, you will probably struggle.
Most clients don’t want to micromanage what you do – give them the confidence to leave you to do your work and your relationship with them will take off.
And let’s not forget conflict resolution. It’s inevitable that misunderstandings or disagreements will arise, but how you handle them can make or break the relationship. My advice? Stay calm, focus on the facts, and propose a solution that works for both parties.
Here’s an example: If a client pushes back on a deadline, you might say, “I understand this is a priority for you. Based on my current workload, I can adjust the timeline by [offer solution]. Does that work for you?”
You can be kind and polite when holding boundaries, but you do have to be firm.
Healthy relationships require effort from both sides, and setting boundaries and communicating effectively helps ensure they remain strong.
Your action step: Think about your current clients. Is there one relationship that could be improved with better communication or clearer boundaries? Take one step this week to address it.
Before we wrap up, let’s go over the action steps I mentioned you can take today to boost your confidence and level up your VA business:
- Write down one boundary you need to set or reinforce.
- Review your rates and adjust them if necessary.
- Evaluate your client relationships and identify one area for improvement—whether it’s communication, setting expectations, or resolving an ongoing issue.
These small steps can lead to big changes in your business.
If you’re looking for more support, connect with me for your free Cut to the Chase call.
Confidence isn’t something that happens overnight, but with each boundary you set, rate you own, and client relationship you nurture, you’ll see it grow. Remember, you’re not just a virtual assistant—you’re a business owner, a professional, and someone who deserves to be respected and valued.
Let’s circle back on today’s quote: You get what you tolerate.
What are you tolerating? What should you be changing so that your VA business looks more like the way you envisioned it?
Do You Need Help?
I hope you’re feeling inspired and ready to take action. If you need extra support, check out The Virtual Circle, or book a call with me to talk about how I can help you grow your VA business.
I’m going to leave it here for this week, but I do hope to hear from you. I’d love to have you in the mastermind group – success will follow!
I’m Tracey DAviero, Confidence Coach for VAs and I’ll see you next time!