How to Overcome Your Fear of Owning a Virtual Assistant Business
Woman sits with her hand close to her mouth and stares into the distance with worry
Let’s face it - no matter where you are in your entrepreneurial journey, owning a business is a big deal. And starting your virtual assistant business might come with a lot of varying emotions ranging from excitement to nervousness to anxiety
But we’re here to talk about a common emotion that plenty of business owners feel: fear.
Fear is arguably the most common and most important thing new and even seasoned business owners experience. Why is it the most important? Because fear could make or break your business.
Business ownership can be downright scary - but you can do it!
Instead of running from the fear or trying to ignore it, face it head-on knowing that it doesn’t have to have power over you. As Elizabeth Gilbert has said, it’s important to leave plenty of space for fear, but never, never allow it to be the driver in your road trip of life¹.
Having fear over new situations or big decisions is completely normal. But not allowing it to control you or your actions will set you apart from your peers.
It’s about feeling the fear and doing it anyway.
Understanding your fear = POWER
“Being aware of your fear is smart. Overcoming it is the mark of a successful person.” — Seth Godin
It’s no surprise that many of us don’t want to actually think about our fears, let alone identify each and every one of them.
You might be thinking: doesn’t giving them a name make them much more powerful?
On the contrary, my friend. Knowing where your fears come from gives you the power to actually break them down and figure out how to combat them. This is the first step in overcoming your fears and leading that kick-butt life of your dreams.
Don’t worry…we won’t stay in this section forever - but we do need to know where we’re coming from in order to figure out how to address and make positive adjustments.
Facing the fear
If you are afraid to fail at starting your virtual assistant business or even not being “good enough” to begin at all, you aren’t alone. In fact Forbes reported in 2022 that nearly half² of business owners fear failure - and that the fear of failure is what’s detrimental to business, not the failure itself. 😳
You might be thinking any of the following:
I’m afraid to fail…
I don’t have enough experience to get clients…
I don’t have the skills to actually make money in this business…
There’s already so many other virtual assistants out there - where would I fit in?!
I don’t know where to start…
I don’t really feel “good enough”...
I’m too old to do this…
I’m too young to do this…
I don’t have enough time to devote to starting my own business. (Here’s a quick solution to this fear! 😉)...
What if I don’t bring in enough money?
…and the list could go on and on!
It’s completely understandable to want to be at the top of your game before heading out into the big, bad world of business ownership as fully formed, all-knowing business people.
But it just doesn’t work like that - understand that this common emotion is simply part of the process. Keep going.
Shifting your mindset
With each level of your growth, you will encounter yet another challenge you’re responsible for facing and overcoming - they don’t just go away after you clear the first hurdles.
Sorry to burst any bubbles if that’s you 😳
Now for the good news: these fears (and any other fears coming up for you) don’t have to define you!
In fact, they don’t have to have an active participation (or “driving role,” as Elizabeth Gilbert said) in your entrepreneurial journey at all. But knowing how to shift your mindset and see your fears as helpful rather than something awful that’s only around to harsh your vibe will only set you up for success.
Reframe “failure”
Fear of failure is one of those emotions that can stop you in your tracks before you even begin, regardless of the truth of your skill set or how much value you might bring. When this fear tries to creep up on you, reframe this thinking into how much opportunity you could find when you face new challenges, or what lessons you will learn along the way.
Recognize what you bring to the table
Take a few minutes to make a list of your strengths and past achievements. It doesn’t matter how random the items on the list are; put it all down!
Each item defines your unique skills and thus, your unique selling point (or USP 😉). Knowing your USP at the start of your virtual assistant business helps you not only stand out from your competition, but gives you direction in how to market yourself (which faces another fear on our list!) and serves as motivation for when you will inevitably need it.
Focus on growth, not perfection
Let’s face it: no one is perfect, no matter what they may try to convince you of, and no one has it all together. What’s more, everyone had to start at the beginning and work their way up to where they are now.
And that’s OK 🙂
Focusing your efforts towards growth rather than perfection can greatly reduce your anxiety and help you accomplish actionable, doable steps that propel your virtual assistant business forward.
One way to grow your business is to join the Virtual Assistants for Course Creators course that’s designed to immerse you in the world of virtual assisting and introduce you to endless opportunities. Click here to find out more!
Practical Solutions to Overcome Fear
⚡Start with a plan. Having a business plan, even a rudimentary one, it’s important to help you truly know and organize your vision for your virtual assistant business. Having a plan will also help you stay the course of success and let you know when you’ve gone off track.
⚡Build a support network. Who do you rely on when you need a little extra motivation or you have a burning question that needs an answer right now? Now is the time to start cultivating a community of supportive, motivating people for yourself.
⚡Set realistic expectations. Overnight success is a beautiful, rare occurrence (heavy on the rare part!). It’s one that most entrepreneurs don’t experience - don’t set yourself up for disappointment by expecting
⚡Learn how to market yourself authentically. Marketing efforts are not created equally. What may yield immediate results for one business may have wildly different results for the next one who does the exact same thing. The key is to find what works best for your company and rinse and repeat for each step of the process.
⚡Getting comfortable with risk. The very nature of business ownership has lots of risk factors to contend with. Take small, calculated risks as you learn to step outside your comfort zone one baby step at a time. Having an emergency fund or savings account ready for the beginning of your entrepreneurial journey is a great way to have safety nets in place for the unexpected.
Owning a business is challenging but so rewarding. You can own your business - fear and all! And the best part is you don’t have to wait until you’re “fear-free” to succeed, or even get started.
📌I challenge you to take the first step today - whether it’s starting on your business plan, making that first post on social media, or simply reaching out for support.
If you’re ready to see what it takes to own your own virtual assistant business, click here for our FREE course to get you started.
The point is to start now. You’ve got this!
References
“Big Magic” by Elizabeth Gilbert
How the Fear of Failure is Holding You Back in Business - Forbes
