Briefing In
Picture this: You're seated at home in your cozy little work-from-home space, and it’s serene and quiet. Too quiet, in fact, that you start to miss chitchatting with co-workers at the office.
Introducing "Briefing In," the ultimate podcast for VAs by VAs. Join our laid-back chats on everything from starting a Virtual Assistant journey to navigating the struggles of work-life balance with remote work.
Our team is committed to providing valuable content that resonates with the experiences and challenges faced by fellow virtual assistants. Expect insightful interviews with industry professionals, success stories that inspire, and occasional behind-the-scenes glimpses into the lives of VAs. We're here to create a supportive community where we can connect with others who share our unique lifestyle!
So, join us every other Tuesday, whether you're working or simply unwinding, and let Briefing In feel like home.
Briefing In
Getting Unstuck: In Traffic and In Life
In the first ever episode of Briefing In, Wei talks about her unconventional career path and how once upon a time, she thought being a VA wasn’t an actual “job.” From becoming a receptionist for her Nihongo professor to finding her way to the virtual assistant realm, she’s been on a journey full of unexpected turns. Along the way, Wei shares the surprising skills she's acquired and the invaluable lessons she’s learned that have not only helped her nurture her career, but find balance within herself. Even though the role of a Virtual Assistant was a completely foreign concept to her, she took everything in stride, embraced the dynamic aspect of the job, and recognized the value of open communication. She also got to say goodbye to three-hour-long commutes, which was a bonus!
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TIMESTAMPS:
(00:00) - Opening Spiel
(02:26) - Introducing Wei
(03:30) - Chapter 1: Getting to know Wei’s journey
(10:38) - Chapter 2: Assumptions and realities of VA work
(13:49) - Chapter 3: Transferable skills and client relationships
(22:00) - Chapter 4: Work dynamic and communication
(31:26) - Chapter 5: Challenges and the adjustment period
(39:05) - Chapter 6: Rapid fire questions
(41:13) - Chapter 7: Most important skills
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Read the full transcript of Episode 1 here.
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Intro
Welcome to The Briefing and Podcast, the ultimate destination for Filipino virtual assistants eager to dive deep into the dynamic world of freelancing. Whether you're a seasoned VA looking to stay ahead of industry trends, or a newcomer eager to unravel the mysteries of the virtual workspace, you've landed in the right place.
Join us for insightful discussions, expert interviews, and casual conversations that feel just like catching up with your coworkers over a cup of coffee. A podcast for VAs by VAs. This is Briefing In.
Hi, everyone. I'm Chelsea, your host, and welcome to the very first episode of the Briefing In podcast. Woohoo! Because this is our very first episode, I thought I would give our listeners a bit of a backstory on Briefing In. As with any project or creative endeavor, Briefing In started out as an idea. It came about in August of 2023, so this podcast has been in the works for several months now.
Basically, what we wanted to do with this podcast—and you will note that I say collectively because it's not just me that's behind this podcast, I work with an incredible team of people. But we wanted to do a podcast for VAs to give them a platform to share their voice and experiences and help guide aspiring VAs to learn more about the ins and outs of the industry.
We also wanted to shed some light on the virtual assistant and outsourcing industries in the Philippines because it's quite lucrative, but not a lot of people really understand what we do and what goes on. So you can expect a lot of relaxed and relatable chats with various industry professionals on what goes on behind the scenes and get to know more about the people behind the screens. So if you just stumbled upon this podcast, we're so happy to have you here, and we hope you decide to stay a little while.
To get things started, we actually have a very special guest. I've had the chance to work with her for almost two years now, so I'm very excited that I just get to sit and talk to her about how she got started in the VA industry.
Today, I'm talking to Wei.
Wei is a girl in her mid-twenties, and she likes going out. She was born and still lives in a little suburban town two hours from Manila, and she's been working as a virtual assistant in our company, Wedding Workflows, close to two years now. Wei has a bachelor's degree in International Relations from the Lyceum of the Philippines University, Manila.
Since graduating, she's worked as a receptionist at a Nihongo Learning Center owned by a former uni professor, and afterward, she worked as a sales associate at a large bookstore chain. When she's not working or thinking about work, Wei loves to read, paint, and find vintage books online in her spare time, and she's very into yoga, both for exercise and as a way of life.
So welcome, Wei, to the very first episode, and I'm so glad you agreed to be our guest.
Chapter 1: Getting to Know Wei’s Journey
Hi, everyone. Thank you so much, Chels. It's good to be here. Something new for us to do, to educate everyone else. So, hi, I'm Wei, and I've been working with Chelsea for a little more than a year now in our VA company, Wedding Workflows.
I'm in my mid-twenties, and this is my first job as a VA, so when I started, everything was pretty new to me, and I had a learning curve, just like with every job. But yeah, that's pretty much me.
Could you talk a bit about your past work experiences as a sales associate and a receptionist? And I would also like to maybe touch on how you transitioned from those jobs to a work-from-home one.
Right. Actually, I started working just a few months after I graduated, which I was really happy about because that's something that was one of my goals, to just start working right after I graduate because I didn't really want to be stuck at home with a bachelor's degree and no job, you know?
So, thankfully – I've actually applied to multiple jobs before I got accepted. I didn't even apply to the first job that I had. It was my professor that called me because he was calling up every single person that took Japanese back in uni, and nobody was answering except me, so he hired me. So yeah, lucky me, I guess.
Answering your phone calls as an undergrad, but yeah, basically, that's how I got the job as a receptionist. I didn't really know anything about being a receptionist because I didn't really have any experience with that. Even in my internship days, because usually that's where you get your experience, right? I didn't really do that. But yeah, I had to start from scratch because his business was a startup. So I had to basically fix all the papers, find students, and then find teachers. So, yeah, very memorable first job, I guess. And then, I left that job because I wanted something a little bit more different.
I was really into books. I still am. I mean, that's not something that you just grow out of, but yeah. So I applied as a sales associate to one of the Philippines' biggest bookstores, I guess. It's a chain, so it's not ideal for me. But yeah, I applied, and then I got in.
And it was fun, but it was really exhausting. I mean, working retail is the worst, but it really helped me though. It helped me be more patient and, I guess, more kind because, you know, rude customers and all that. But yeah, I really learned my patience with that job. And then the pandemic happened, everyone else got affected.
Well, I did resign before the pandemic, and then I was, again, searching for jobs. I think I left around late 2018, early 2019. I was so exhausted with that job, and I just wanted a little bit of a break. And so I did take a break, and then the pandemic happened, and everyone was getting laid off.
It was hard to find a job. And then Maria, actually, one of the VAs for Wedding Workflows, asked me if I wanted to try it. So I just had to get a laptop and everything set up before that. I'm not really a techie person. The only thing that I knew how to navigate, I guess, like what we’re using now, was Canva. And I wasn't even using it at its full potential because I used it back in uni.
It was something that I was really skeptical about because working from home, that’s a really foreign thing to me, cause I'm used to working at an office, and then just, you know, outside. But yeah, it's really life-changing to be honest. I don't want to be stuck in traffic half my life, and then just going to and from work, especially since I'm from a little town outside Metro Manila, and every job is in Metro Manila, basically. You can't find a job in this city. I think that's the story of most workers who work in Metro Manila. If you're not living there, it's a constant commute and getting stuck in traffic, and it’s just exhausting. And that's not even your work. That's just part of your life, you know?
One of the pros of the pandemic happening, I guess, is people realizing that a lot of office work can be done at home if you have a computer and internet. It’s basically just office work, but you’re not in an office. It's pretty much how I got started. It's really new, and I'm really glad I got introduced. I don't think I can ever go back to working at a normal office job.
I feel like a lot of people can relate to what you experienced because looking at the current landscape of the VA industry, it does seem like the most common denominator for most VAs is the pandemic.
With businesses and companies literally having to shut down operations and people getting redundant here and there, it seems like it was a natural progression to a virtual and digital workspace because people still have expenses to pay every month, you know, they still have bills to pay.
Chapter 2: Assumptions and Realities of VA Work
Exactly, so people still needed to find a job, and they found one that they could do from home.
A couple of things that you mentioned that I really want to touch on – you said that it was a very foreign concept to you, like working from home and just being a VA. What were some of the, if you can still remember, assumptions or preconceived notions you had around the job, and were they proven wrong?
Yeah, well, first of all, I'm like everyone else. I didn't really think it was a real job. I thought it was just something that you do on the side, more of like a side hustle, you know, just to get more money. I didn't really realize that being a VA is a massive field of just a lot of different people working in it. Not just, you know – I thought it was mostly creative stuff, like digital art and making logos and stuff, so I didn't realize that it's a lot more like admin stuff going on behind the scenes. I didn't really think it could be a stable job for a person without having a real quote-unquote real job going on in their life. So, that's one major thing.
Do you think now that it can be or should be considered a real job?
Absolutely! I don't know why I thought that before. It's like society's standards, I guess, that in order to work you have to go somewhere and do the job, you know? But yeah, it's still work, and it's just in the comfort of your home.
I don't know why I had that notion, but it's so much better to work in an environment that you're comfortable in, especially for an introvert. Being able to work while listening to music, for example, or making your own coffee or your own beverage that you want and not just settling for those really bad coffees at the offices.
It's amazing, actually. I don't want to sound intense and dramatic about it, but it's pretty life-changing for me because now my life doesn't just revolve around work. I also have other things that I can do in my life because I have enough time now, and I'm not stuck in traffic for three hours. I get to do the things that I want to do. I can meet friends after work.
Chapter 3: Transferable Skills and Client Relationships
But yeah, It's pretty cool. Really new to me, which is sad.
A little yes, but at least you got to this point, and I find that it's so cool that it took being a VA to help you get there. Kind of to backtrack a little on, you know, what you said that you learned a lot on your very first job because you started from scratch and also learned a lot about working with customers, being patient, and just being kinder. Do you think there are other aspects or skills from your previous jobs that you were able to carry with you when you first started out as a VA?
Oh, absolutely. I mean, even though I wasn't really happy with my previous jobs, that's why I left. I learned a lot from them. Basically learning to work on my own. Because for my first job, my boss wasn't really around much, so I was kind of the point person for the teachers, and students, and everyone else. So I had to learn to do my job without someone watching me. That’s really important if you're a VA because you're working from home and away from your bosses. Even though you maybe message them or call them every now and then, it’s basically just you pushing yourself to do the job.
That's, I guess, one of the very important things that I learned and is very helpful for being a VA. And then, of course, the patience and the ability to deal with different people, I guess, varying personalities. Especially if you have multiple clients, right? Especially if you have clients that have very different personalities. You need to be able to adapt to how they communicate and how they do their work because, at the end of the day, you’re helping them with their business. So yeah, I think that's very important being able to adapt.
I really like what you said about working with your clients and just knowing how to be independent and not rely on what they say or tell you to do, and really having the opportunity to make decisions on your own for your clients' businesses. Because one of the most common misconceptions I think a lot of people have about the industry or about the VA job, and I think it has a lot to do with the term assistant, is that we just do what we're told.
Oh, yeah, to a certain extent, they do give us the things that we have to do, but it’s more of a collaborative effort between you and your client.
Very unlike the Filipino culture of just your boss being your overlord, basically. I mean, not all jobs are like that, but most jobs are. And I'm really grateful to be able to collaborate and work with really creative people. They respect me as an equal, as a human being, and not just an employee, you know.
That's a big one.
Yeah, definitely, right? I felt really grateful, which is, again, really sad because it's not supposed to be like that, but I felt really grateful that, for the first time, with working, I felt that I could voice suggestions without being judged, which is amazing. And it really fosters your creativity and your drive to do more and to help them even more.
And I also think that, at least in our respective fields, we really are able to take ownership of our tasks and our outputs and what we do. And sure, maybe we don't have Chelsea or Wei written across our clients' business websites or social media posts, but the pride in knowing that your work is out there and that you're really contributing to the growth and success of their businesses is such a valuable thing to experience for someone, at least in our jobs.
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, a lot of clients also, well one of my clients, I've heard from other VAs also that, sometimes they want their faces on the website as like an assistant or something. And that's really nice, right? Because we're used to being just like a ghost kind of behind the computer. But yeah, something like that, getting recognized and them also being grateful to us, which is really nice and also kind of boosts our confidence a little bit, right?
For sure.
And that being said, I don't want to discredit any VAs who don't get to experience what we experience because I know it's all such a very personal thing and a lot really has a lot to do with it. I think our clients are so incredibly kind, and they really show how much they appreciate our work, and things like that. And I know that there are also other clients who aren't as appreciative. Would you say, though, that being a VA might be a difficult job or might not be the right fit for someone who is constantly looking for that recognition, constantly expecting to be credited for their work?
Oh, that, I mean, it depends really on what kind of person you are. I mean, of course, it's going to vary what kind of person you are, I can't really speak for other people, but for me, who has that kind of quality that needs maybe a little recognition here and there, just a little bit, just to push me. Just so I know that my job is – the things that I do are getting recognized and people appreciate me for it.
But yeah, I don't really need the recognition to be out there for everyone to see. Just my clients saying that I did a great job today and they really like what I did in this Instagram post or on this website. “I really like what I wrote for this blog.” Little things like that can be really good. It kind of provides you with the confidence to be, I guess, more you when it comes to your work, it pushes you to do better. But for someone who wants recognition to be, I don't know, flagged everywhere. I mean, you could work around it, you just have to find a client that's willing to work with you. I mean, that's really what is really good about being a VA is you get to work with clients that work with your personality, and how you want to be treated, you know.
Chapter 4: Work Dynamic and Communication
And your work dynamic is such an important role in your client relationship, right?
Yeah, definitely. Because, I mean, if you communicate with your client in not a really good way, if you don’t really understand each other, if you misunderstand a lot of the signals or how your client communicates with you or works, it can get a little messy. But as a VA, I think our number one characteristic is being able to adapt our communication skills and adapting to our clients and how they want us to work.
So, I guess that's the main thing, adaptability and also respect. Because if you respect your client, you're not going to screw them over or do something that’s really bad, you know.
And because we work with creatives, it’s not just adapting to what they want or how they work. It's also adapting to their style, their taste, and their branding because all that is also very subjective.
Yeah, their aesthetic. You're going to have to know how to mimic their aesthetic a little bit so everything is more consistent when it comes to output.
Do you think there’s a secret sauce Wei on how to really capture someone’s personal branding or sense of aesthetic?
I mean, just like everything else, it’s trial and error, of course. You're going to make mistakes throughout your journey in mimicking or adapting your client's aesthetic. But, again, clear communication. You’re going to have to be open to criticism because it’s not your aesthetic, it's their aesthetic. And if they’re not happy with it, you’re going to have to be willing to suck it up and not take it personally, which is sometimes really hard when all they do is criticize.
But, I mean, they’re doing it to improve your output. It's not them saying that you're a bad employee or a bad VA. It’s just, I mean, it’s always going to be that, because you can’t do something the first time and then be perfect at it. I mean, I wish, right? Everyone wishes. But just being able to adjust and be okay with criticism is, I think – I’m not sure if that’s a secret sauce, but that’s what I’ve learned, and it’s really important.
I agree, though, for sure. And there’s this advice that I once read, it’s not for work, it's writing advice, but I think it can be applied to work and lots of different aspects of our lives. But the advice was, you can’t edit a blank page. You can edit a bad draft, but you can’t edit a blank page. And that is so simple, but it makes total sense. I thought about that advice because when you said that you really have to make mistakes along the way and be open to criticism, that’s kind of the process. And that’s how you get better because how will you know how to get better when you don’t even know what you’re doing wrong?
Yeah, absolutely.
You just have to have the grit, I guess, and like what you said, be thick-skinned about making mistakes. Taking accountability also is a big one.
Yeah, and I mean, you also have to think that this is not your aesthetic. This is not your business, right? So you don’t really have full control over it. Especially if someone is a really creative person and then the first draft that they do, gets rejected or something like that. You know, sometimes it could be hard to take criticism like that. But yeah, just remember that it’s not your business, you’re there, kind of, to help out. And, I mean, that doesn’t mean that you have to take everything they say, but you know just…
Yeah, it’s a balancing act for sure. But if you can remember, because you mentioned that you’ve already been a VA for almost two years now, so going strong, I hope.
Yeah, hopefully.
You have actually been with your clients since the beginning of time. You have stayed on both of your clients' accounts. What do you think are the keys to a fruitful client-VA relationship?
I mean, it’s always going to be communication, right? It’s always going to be important, especially if you're working with a client. I'm very lucky with my clients. They’re very kind and very open and understanding. I mean, some VAs don’t have that luck, I guess, but I’m very lucky, and I really recognize that.
And a lot of it comes with criticism and a lot of it is just adjusting. Since they’re my first clients and they’re still my clients right now, it’s a process. It’s a process that you have to go through, learning how they write, how they do their work, how they respond to emails, how they want their Instagram to look like, what their design aesthetic is.
That’s going to be one of the very few, actually, things that you have to master to have really good communication and a client-VA relationship. It’s just that and then also, of course, respect and, you know, just being there when they need you. Not like a therapist, of course but like, professionally.
And communication is really so important. Important, and we keep going back to it, but it's your only form of interaction with your client. You're not seeing them every single day. They only know what you're doing based on what you're telling them. That's really sort of the, not to sound exaggerated or anything, but it's like the tether. Communication is the tether of your client-VA relationship. Without that, you can't build around that relationship.
I also personally think that protecting the integrity of your work in terms of being honest, or owning up to your mistakes. Telling your clients where you fell short and what you had a hard time doing –again, communication.
But, yeah, I think even just being honest and telling them when you're having a hard time also fosters trust, which is really important in your client-VA relationship as well, because your client isn't going to be checking on you. I mean, hopefully, knock on wood, you won't have anyone micromanaging and breathing down your neck, but your client really won't check on your outputs every single day, every single hour, every single minute.
You know, they trust that you're doing the tasks according to your SOPs, or just how you would expect someone who really knows the business to do them. But for everyone that's listening, those key points that we just talked about were communication, respect, and honesty. That doesn't just apply to client-VA relationships.
Anywho, we've heard a lot of stories of triumphs from Wei, but what are some challenges, especially in your first few months as a VA? I'm sure it was a huge adjustment. And what did that period of your life look like, Wei?
Chapter 5: Challenges and the Adjustment Period
Well, first few weeks, I guess, with working with my clients.
I'm not really familiar with any of the programs, to be honest, that we use. I did learn a lot from training though. But sometimes the programs that we use in training aren't the ones that our clients use. So adjusting to that, a lot of overtime, a lot of just figuring things out outside of your clocked hours, but that's how I work.
I don't really mind it because I'd rather do the figuring out first before I do the actual job because I started part-time. So I didn't really have enough time to adjust and learn things during my hours. I guess that hard work that I did really paid off with learning new things.
Of course, it's going to be an adjustment, especially since I have two clients, right? And they're very different personalities, very different aesthetics. Their businesses are very different and of course, they live in different places.
But yeah, one is very different from the other, and just switching back and forth between them was a challenge for me. Because I need to flip my switch very quickly to be able to do that. So, yeah, that's one thing that was really a challenge for me at first. But, I mean, I'm used to it now. So, I mean, you get used to everything.
It just takes time and some grit and getting used to, for sure.
What did you think about the work environment? And I don't just mean specifically the company that you work with. Again, the dynamic is very different right from an office job to a work-from-home job. You don't have that socialization every day with your coworkers. You also don't have corporate boundaries if I could even call it that.
And even personal boundaries, because your home is your workplace. You are surrounded by your family members, who, I don't know about you, but maybe don't really quite get yet what you do, and the emotional and mental toll that actually takes on you.
So, how did you kind of maneuver around those things that are so different from an office job like not having the socialization, not having the corporate personal boundaries, the separation from home and work?
Right. Of course it's going to be hard at first, I mean, I'm basically working a few steps away from my bed. So there's no real separation to be honest, and the first few months it was a struggle, definitely. I'm not going to lie. It was a struggle because I can't stop working.
It's definitely harder, especially if you are doing something you enjoy – I enjoy doing more designs and writing, and when you enjoy doing something, it's hard to stop, you know, how it's like, make your hobby your job.
I don't really agree with that, because it's going to ruin your hobby anyway, but going back to my point, it's really important to have plans outside your job. If you're doing a work-from-home thing, it's really important that you have that separation of your place of work and your personal space.
I think I've researched a lot about this and I think having just one corner or just one room where you do your job and nothing else is really helpful. That’s really helping me so I don't go to my "workspace" when I'm on my personal time, you know.
But I mean, of course it's going to be hard. There are going to be days when you can't stop, and some days when you get really, I guess lazy and procrastinate a lot, it's part of it. You're just going to have to know yourself and know your triggers, your cues, so you don't get burnt out. Because it's really easy to get burnt out if you just – when the line between your work and your personal life gets blurred, you know, just getting out of the house too is really important.
Getting some sun, touching some grass is really important because you can't just be locked in your house for hours and hours, days on end, and then you haven't seen the sun. That's really bad. I mean, having a social life is hard especially nowadays where everything's online, everyone's online, but you know, just going somewhere like a local cafe or just walk at a park or something really helps to have that kind of separation.
When you get back home, I guess that you feel kind of a little bit more tired to do work more, but yeah, that's why I actually started going to the gym because of that, but I really don't like the culture at the gym. That's why I almost quit but I had to do it, I had to keep going.
I mean also it helps that my co-workers are really nice. I feel like we all vibe really well because we're really close in age. I don't know if that's the thing, but I also feel like we're not in each other's throats every time, we just have like certain times that we do collaborate and other times that we have that separation from each other, and I think that really helps with us not being sick of each other.
We also, like, technically don't see each other every single day.
Oh yeah, that too, that too, yeah.
A whole day can go by and I would not have seen a single person on screen or off screen. So I think a work-from-home or online job in theory, such an appealing concept to a homebody and an introvert. But you're absolutely right Wei, when you said that it really is about balancing it and making sure that there is a separation. Otherwise, it's so easy to become a hermit and…
Rot in bed.
It's super unhealthy too. So, better people do your exercise or eat your greens.
Get some sun.
Yeah, get some sun.
Touch some grass.
Chapter 6: Rapid Fire Questions
I kind of want to get into this new segment that we're doing which is a rapid-fire round.
So, beach or mountains?
Mountains.
Day shift, night shift?
Day shift.
Fitness or food trip?
Food trip.
All-expense-paid trip or your one-month bonus?
All-expense-paid trip. You can go all out. Just drain the money.
Exactly, but if you're also making banks with your monthly salary and you'd rather take the one-month bonus, then more power to you.
Coffee or tea?
Tea.
Movies or TV series?
Movies.
Engagement shoot or portrait shoot?
Portrait shoot.
Wedding ceremony or an elopement?
Elopements all the way. I love elopements.
Okay, and the last question is, Podcast or YouTube videos?
Can I pick both? I mean, it's okay for different situations. It's perfect for different situations. For working, of course, definitely a podcast. Because you can just, you know, continue working and then just listen to someone else talking. But, for example, when I eat, I'm basically an iPad child. I can't eat without watching anything on my phone. So I can't really watch a movie or something because I don't eat that slow. So I just pull up a YouTube video. So that's my answer. I can't pick.
It depends on the situation. So yeah, a podcast is the best way to go and maybe you can tune in to the Briefing In podcast in the future, just saying
If you feel really lonely, just listen to the voice of Chelsea.
Yikes!
Chapter 7: Most Important Skills
But there are still a couple of things that I want to ask you still and one of them is what is the most important skill or skill sets that you've learned since you started your VA career?
Well, one of the first things that I had to learn is how to figure things out by yourself, doing the research and just asking around, and don’t know, I just watch videos because a lot of the things that we do are on the back end, and a lot of it is figuring things out, like issues with the website, and why isn't this posting, things like that.
You could be not the most creative, not the greatest writer, but if you take your time to learn the things that you need to do. I think that's really important. That's a really good characteristic to have. Just being eager to learn.
Very true. I could not agree with you more.
It can also be challenging when you're the kind of person who needs to be, for lack of a better term, micromanaged. It's like you won't do something unless someone tells you what to do and how to do it. For sure, for the first couple of months on the job, that's understandable, but at some point you do have to fend for yourself in a way. It's a testament to how much you've grown as a VA as well.
Yep, definitely.
So for the listeners who are still on their VA journey or who are interested in becoming a VA, what advice would you give them, Wei, on how to get started and how to foster and grow a career in this industry?
I'm not an expert on being a VA, but one thing that helped me a lot, which I think would help other people as well, is just being okay at making mistakes and then not being afraid of trying new things.
Because I really had this problem before of being sensitive to mistakes and then I remember when we went to our team building and then I had a conversation with Rick, our CEO, and he said that it's totally normal to make mistakes because that's just part of being a human being.
We're not robots. Because even though we just work behind a computer, we're not robots. We're basically human beings. So yeah, just being able to admit your mistakes and not being afraid to try new things because trying new things that's how you improve not only as a VA but as a person and being a better version of yourself not only really helps your client but also helps you if you work for yourself.
Well said. If anything, if at all, is there something about the industry that you want to change?
I mean this doesn't really apply to us because we're like an agency, but I've heard horror stories of VAs getting screwed over by their clients not getting paid but them doing the job. So maybe something like that, like something a little bit more regulated so people don't get the bad end or the short end of the stick.
It's hard to chase someone for your money if they block you on everything. So maybe something like that. But I mean, if you're a VA under an agency, I don't think that's going to be an issue. So very lucky to have us and you guys.
Definitely those who do freelance work, you know, accept jobs on Upwork or other online job platforms that I don't know about. I think not knowing so much about the industry can contribute to that. Not being able to filter or really evaluate which clients are safe to work with and which are red flags.
I have also heard from a number of people, even in Wedding Workflows as you guys know, who had very unfortunate experiences with an agency.
We're just lucky with ours.
No name dropping here.
Yep. We don't want to get sued.
If you would like to find out more, then just go check out –go dig deeper into Wei's social media profiles.
Wow. Thank you so much for that. It's all private guys, so don't bother.
Well, this has been such a wonderful chat.
Thank you so much again Wei for agreeing to be on the podcast.
Thank you for inviting me.
We hope you enjoyed the very first episode of Briefing In. We have a lot more in store and are excited to show the world the ins and outs of being a virtual assistant.
So this has been your host Chelsea and Wei.
Wei, yeah.
And we're briefing out.
Bye guys.