What do you want to be when you grow up?
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I was 7 years old when my father asked me this, but surprise surprise, in 1994, Virtual Assistant wasn’t even a job. Naturally, I said what all girls my age said: striptease! That specific word sounded quite fancy at that age 😉. Spoiler alert: I never pursued it.
For my vocational education (VMBO), I went for the Health and Welfare route because I thought it’d be cool to become a makeup artist. I was really into horse riding back then, so after a while, I switched gears and decided to pursue Equine Management. You know how it is when you’re a kid, they expect you to pick your future early on, but turns out, most people end up doing something completely different from what they trained for.
After finishing my studies, I landed a job at a call center. It quickly dawned on me that making it big in equine management was tough, and most folks found stability working in their family businesses. But that wasn’t an option for me, so I stuck with the job. I joined an internet provider where the vibe was great, and there were chances to move up the ladder. Honestly, I really enjoyed my time there. But as I hit my mid-twenties, I felt this itch for something more, something different. That’s when I started looking into universities.
Therefore, I made a deliberate decision to start a bachelor’s degree at the age of 26: International Leisure Management with minors in events. I found joy in organizing events, as well as researching and writing about them. To conclude my studies, I completed an eight month internship at a full-service event agency in NYC. Shortly after, I ended up in Curaçao through my partner’s work (for five years). In February 2019, I began working as an account and marketing manager at the internship agency Bo Curaçao. It was fortunate that this opportunity arose because the event industry was about to face a challenging period. So I explored different paths and gaining experience in various jobs.
Working online suited me
During the lockdown in Curaçao, I managed to handle my workload digitally without any hassle. Most of my tasks, involving interactions with numerous students and businesses, were done online: sorting out emails and schedules, using Skype and WhatsApp, drafting contracts, creating resumes, sorting out accommodation, and much more. Besides, I also took care of social media management and worked on collaborations with other companies. Being pretty good with tech stuff, I often ended up fixing email or Excel issues and introducing new software. It was during this time that the idea of becoming a virtual assistant struck me.
As a Virtual Assistant onwards
I decided to leverage my experience and skills and position myself as a virtual assistant who could assist entrepreneurs with their administrative tasks, social media management, and more. I registered with the Chamber of Commerce and started my own business.
Now, as a VA, I assist entrepreneurs in growing their businesses by supporting them with the daily tasks that distract them from doing what they excel at. Whether it’s managing emails, setting up their website, or planning social media content.
Will I remain a VA for the rest of my life? Who knows! If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my 36 years of life, it’s that you’re never too old to change interests. I’m a big fan of self-development on both a professional and personal level and continue to grow in this aspect. That’s why I consider myself an all-round VA. I delve into everything that comes my way: social media trends, email funnels, website design, sales, affiliate marketing, design tools like Canva, and more.
Interested in collaborating? Take a look at what I can offer you or check out one of my blogs for more tips on online entrepreneurship.
Psst! Heads up: some of the links in this message are affiliate links. What does that mean? Well, if you click on one and decide to use the service, I receive a small commission. But don’t worry, it won’t cost you a penny extra! And rest assured, all the opinions you find here are entirely my own.