3 Things Van Life Taught Me About Running a Successful Virtual Assistant Business
When I told people I was leaving my corporate job as an Associate Director of Marketing to become a virtual assistant and live in a van, they looked at me like I had lost my mind.
I heard it all:
You’d be crazy to give this up.
After everything you’ve worked so hard for?
A virtual assistant? Isn’t that a massive step down?
And for a while, I believed them. I had spent years climbing the corporate ladder. I had the title, the salary, and the stability. On paper, I was successful.
So why did I feel sick to my stomach every Sunday night? Why did I wake up every morning with this overwhelming dread? Why did I feel like I had to shrink myself to fit into a role that didn’t even align with my values?
I had convinced myself that I should be happy. That I should be grateful. But when I got brutally honest with myself, I realized something: The life I had built wasn’t the life I wanted.
That realization? That’s what led me here—living in a van, running my own freelance virtual assistant business, and building a life that actually excites me.
But let me be clear—this wasn’t some perfectly planned-out, seamless transition. I didn’t have all the answers when I started. I took risks. I made mistakes. I had to completely rewire the way I thought about success, stability, and making money online.
And along the way, I learned 3 massive lessons that changed everything for me. These lessons don’t just apply to van life. They apply to anyone who wants to build a profitable remote business, whether that means traveling full-time or just having control over your own schedule.
So let’s get into it.
Lesson #1: Commit First, Figure It Out After
Before I booked a single high-paying virtual assistant client…
Before I had a real online business strategy…
Before I even knew for sure that this remote work career would pay my bills…
I bought a $45,000 van.
Yes. While I was still at my corporate job, with exactly zero business income, I financed a van I had no actual way of paying for.
Why?
Because I knew that if I waited until I felt ready, I would never take action. And let me tell you—if people thought I was crazy for wanting to start a freelance VA business, they thought I was insane for buying a van before I even had a way to make it work.
What if I quit my job and didn’t find any clients?
What if I couldn’t make the payments and the van gets repossessed?
What if I moved out of my apartment and, suddenly, I had no job and no home?
It would have been so easy to spiral. But here’s what I realized:
Successful people don’t think like that.
Successful people think, “I’m going to buy this van. Then, I’m going to start my virtual assistant business. Then, I’m going to land high-paying clients. Then, I’m going to live the life I’ve always wanted because it’s a non-negotiable.”
The people who succeed in remote work and online business aren’t waiting for proof that things will work. They’re the ones betting on themselves before they feel ready.
And that’s exactly what you have to do if you want to make money online as a virtual assistant.
How to Apply This to Your Virtual Assistant Business
Stop waiting until you feel ready. You never will. Take action now, and let your confidence catch up.
Say yes before you feel qualified. Book your first freelance virtual assistant client, raise your rates, pitch your services—before you think you’re “ready.”
Invest in yourself before you think you deserve it. The fastest way to grow your VA business is to start acting like the successful remote worker you want to be now, not later.
I bought my van before I had a single VA client. And because I was locked into that decision, I made it work.
Commit first. Figure it out after. That’s how you build a profitable virtual assistant business—and a life—on your terms.
Lesson #2: Discomfort Is Where You Grow
Van life is not for the weak. It is constant discomfort:
No bathroom.
No guarantee of where you’re parking that night.
Unreliable WiFi.
Limited space (shoutout to my husband and our dog for making it extra cozy).
If the van breaks down? You figure it out.
And at first, I hated it. I wanted things to be easy. I wanted routine, predictability, stability. But then I realized something: You have one of two choices. You can fight it, or you can embrace it.
So I leaned in. And once I did, something amazing happened. All that discomfort stopped feeling like a problem. It just became my normal.
And suddenly, doing uncomfortable things in my VA business—pitching high-paying clients, raising my rates, putting myself out there—didn’t seem scary anymore.
Because when you live in discomfort, you become unstoppable.
How to Apply This to Your Virtual Assistant Business
Send the pitch, even if it feels awkward. The worst that can happen? Someone says no. That’s it.
Raise your rates, even if it feels scary. The first time is the hardest, but once you do it, you realize—it wasn’t that bad.
Recognize imposter syndrome as proof that you’re growing. Feeling like you’re “not ready” isn’t a sign to stop. It’s a sign to keep going.
Discomfort will not kill you. But you know what will? Inaction.
The only way to grow as a virtual assistant is to push through the discomfort and take action anyway.
Lesson #3: Freedom Requires Flexibility
If there’s one thing van life has taught me, it’s this: The plan will change. And in remote work, the same thing happens.
A client you loved might ghost you. A strategy that worked last month might stop working. You might set a goal to land 3 high-paying clients—and land zero.
You have two choices: stress out about it or adapt and keep moving.
The VAs who succeed are not the ones who never fail. They’re the ones who start pivoting and figuring things out when things don’t work.
How to Apply This to Your Virtual Assistant Business
Detach from “one perfect plan.” If something doesn’t work, pivot.
Take action instead of waiting for the “right” strategy. Test things. See what works. Adjust.
Make decisions quickly. Overthinking doesn’t move you forward—action does.
Try something, learn from it, and keep going. Again and again and again, until you actually get what you want. Flexibility is what allows you to keep moving forward, no matter what challenges come your way.
Final Thoughts: Stop Waiting, Start Doing
The path from corporate security to entrepreneurial freedom isn't about having all the answers upfront. It's about embracing commitment, discomfort, and flexibility.
But when you bet on yourself before you feel ready, you’ll create the necessity that drives success.
When you get comfortable being uncomfortable, the moments that challenge you most become the ones that develop your resilience and confidence.
And when you resolve to always be flexible, you learn how to pivot quickly when obstacles get in your way.
That’s what separates those who succeed from those who give up.
If I had waited until I felt ready, I’d still be at my corporate desk, scrolling Instagram, wishing for a different life. I’m pretty confident I can say the same about you.
The gap between dreaming and doing comes down to one thing: action. Not perfect action. Not guaranteed action. Just consistent, committed steps toward the life you want.
If you're feeling that familiar Sunday night dread right now; if you know you’re meant for more—if you want the freedom, flexibility, and income that a virtual assistant business can give you—then you can’t keep waiting.
You don't need to have it all figured out to begin. You just need to start.
If you’re ready to stop thinking about building your virtual assistant business and actually do it, my VA Accelerator Program will give you the roadmap. Apply today and take the first step toward a profitable online business—and a life of freedom.
