Crushing It in the Digital World: Top Tips for Virtual Assistant Victory with Carissa Discipio

Debra Coleman [00:00:11]:
Well, hello, friend, and welcome back to another episode of Have a Seat, conversations Are you an executive assistant or administrative assistant, or any type of assistant, I should say, in the administrative support realm who might be eyeing a move into the virtual world. Are you thinking about possibly hanging your own shingle, so to speak, and starting your own virtual assistant business? Maybe you're at the time in your career right now where you might be in between jobs or maybe you're actually, you know, an a w two employee right now in some capacity and you're thinking, you know what? I think I have the knowledge and confidence and experience. And even if I don't, I wanna learn, but I think I'm ready to do my own thing and go my own way. Well, this is the episode for you. So get ready to dive into the world of virtual assistance with my special guest, Carissa DeCipio. Hailing from the vibrant city of Toronto, Canada, Carissa brings a wealth of experience from her background in marketing, film, and administration. But it wasn't until she made the leap into the digital realm as a virtual assistant that she truly found her calling. Today, Carissa is the owner of her own successful digital business where she works closely with fellow entrepreneurs to help them thrive in the digital space.

Debra Coleman [00:01:49]:
What sets Carissa apart though is her deeply human approach to virtual assistants. She doesn't just handle tasks and move on. She actually nurtures relationships and treats each client's business as if it were owned. Now as a business owner, who wouldn't want that from their virtual assistant? Join me and Carissa as we explore her what brought her journey from her traditional workplace role to the digital landscape and discover her secrets to success as a virtual assistant who values connection above all else. Trust me, if you're even thinking about going this direction, this is a conversation you won't want to miss. So without further ado, here's my conversation with miss Carissa Decipio. Thank you, miss Carissa. I am so excited to have you on the show.

Debra Coleman [00:02:39]:
I have, for a while now, had a definite side interest into what it means to be a virtual assistant. So the fact that I have you here, I'm able to steal a few minutes with you on for Havasie is a thrill. Thank you so much for joining me today.

carissa [00:02:54]:
Thank you for having me.

Debra Coleman [00:02:55]:
Absolutely. This is gonna be good. I've got Carissa in the hot seat a little bit, and I can't wait to learn some more about what it means to be a virtual assistant. I, myself, am an executive assistant. I have been for several years now, but I came up through the traditional administrative professional pathway, you know, receptionist to administrative assistant to now as an executive assistant. But I have always, like, had a low key side eye to the virtual assistant pathway and those that are. In one on one hand, I'm, like, fascinated. Like, how

carissa [00:03:28]:
do you do that?

Debra Coleman [00:03:29]:
And the other hand, I'm like, I don't know if I can ever do that. That's just because I don't know enough. Now I work remotely, 100% remotely, so maybe I have just a better appreciation for it than I had in the past. But, it's gonna be fun to just dive into the little details with you today. So well, to get us started, welcome once again. And what let's start kind of back it up just a little bit. What inspired you to start your own virtual assistant business or at least to pivot in that direction to becoming a virtual assistant?

carissa [00:04:01]:
Mhmm. Yeah. Thank you. It was, honestly, began during COVID. So I think kind of, similarly, a lot of people, once 2020 hit, they question their existence, question, you know, what am I doing? And a lot of people lost their jobs. Right? So I was in that category, lost my job, and also was questioning, like, you know, what do I really want to do? And I formerly worked in broadcast and print advertising in various executive roles. So I I was an executive assistant. I was an administrative assistant.

carissa [00:04:32]:
I was a marketing assistant. Everything had the title assistant attached to it. So, when 2020 came around, I had a friend that was actually doing very well in business, and she needed some administrative support. And she's like, you know, I've heard of virtual assistance before. Like, can you help me just like a couple hours a week? I was like, you know what? Sure. Like, I already know all of the skills that this takes. I've been doing it for 10 some odd years now. Why don't I just, you know, try it this way? I I had a little bit of wiggle room, right, because the whole world was shut down, really.

carissa [00:05:04]:
So, while I was doing this, I was like, hey. You know what? I'm I'm obviously good at these skills that I have. Like, let me see if I can just take this freelance, essentially. And I just took that jump and, you know, posted my services online, let the world know, like, hey. This is what I'm doing, And it kind of took off from there. I was able to build a clientele and essentially build a business, which I'm super happy about. I never expected. I never anticipated for my life,

Debra Coleman [00:05:37]:
but here I am. Wow. That is amazing. And that is nice that you were able to sort of, like, almost like a ocean, kind of, like, go in slowly and then you towed. So when you say so were you working as an assistant in some capacity prior to being laid off? So were you

carissa [00:05:51]:
Yes. Yeah. I was working, for a large newspaper. I was actually working in the marketing department. So my role was assistant slash coordinator. Essentially, it was, Everything. Administrative work. Right? And my job prior to that was the executive assistant work.

carissa [00:06:06]:
So I kind of got, very well rounded in pretty much any administrative task possible.

Debra Coleman [00:06:11]:
Right. Kinda like a generalist. Like, everything sort of fell your way. Yeah. Absolutely. Yeah. I love that. Yeah.

Debra Coleman [00:06:17]:
Absolutely. So then when you decided to you know what? This is working for me. I think I'm going to transition this into, like, my business or to full time. When you say you got clients or you obtained clients, was that by word-of-mouth, or is it by by the work you were currently doing then just sort of spread that way? Or how did you gain more clients or more work that way?

carissa [00:06:40]:
Totally. So I had a few clients that I kind of got, like, off chance, like, through online. So there's, like, a really big Facebook community for people looking for, like, virtual freelancers. So I had obtained a few through there and a few through, like, Instagram who, like, someone told a friend who told someone, like, hey, I know a virtual assistant. And then from the few that I that were kind of like unicorns, I actually built a little bit of, like, a referral chain. So all my clients refer me to someone who then refers me to someone else and so on and so on. So I found that that word-of-mouth has been more powerful than, like, any marketing tactic, like, imaginable. And it's really it's it's really helped me to grow essentially.

carissa [00:07:21]:
And it's, I feel like I can't necessarily, like, take credit for it. Like, hey. Here's, like, you know, my marketing tactics. It's really just doing a good job with the clients that I have so that they feel comfortable enough to refer me out and feel confident in my abilities to suggest me to their friends and colleagues.

Debra Coleman [00:07:37]:
That's amazing. And it is. What validation too. You know?

carissa [00:07:40]:
Yes. Totally.

Debra Coleman [00:07:42]:
Because word-of-mouth is everything. They say that. You know?

carissa [00:07:44]:
Yeah. Exactly. I I mean, I am living proof of it, so I would agree.

Debra Coleman [00:07:48]:
Yeah. And that's since 2020. So you're going on your 4th year now or around that time frame?

carissa [00:07:54]:
Yes. So I did start off pretty slowly. So I I technically officially, like, launched in 2021. Oh, okay. And I kind of, like, took my time going, like, is this really what I wanna do? Like, is this sustainable? Like, can I build a clientele so I can, like, make a living? Right? So I I it I took some time and, like, along the way, kept questioning myself. Like, okay. I'm gonna apply for jobs just in case. And I'm and I'm maybe I'll do this on the side.

carissa [00:08:20]:
And it was really in 2022 where I said, okay. No. I'm doing this full time. I'm going ahead and and and then it became full time. So it's been 2 years of of full time operation. And

Debra Coleman [00:08:31]:
have you does it or do you have, like, a limit? Like, okay. I can only take on 3 at a time. Or how does that work? I'm just curious how

carissa [00:08:39]:
that works. So definitely, like, with just myself, there is a limit. Right? Like, you there's only so much work you could do. Mhmm. And I also wanna have balance in my life. Right? Like, I have a family, so I want to be able to go out in the evening or take the weekend off. Right? Just like normal type of balance things. So that's when I started to hire out a team.

carissa [00:08:59]:
And with that, I'm able to take on more clients and grow. So that's kind of the phase I'm in right now is is hiring on more people so that we can take on more clients. Because just with just myself, I'm I'm limited, right, at a particular capacity.

Debra Coleman [00:09:11]:
How many would you say you can juggle by yourself or had you in the past juggled?

carissa [00:09:16]:
It totally depends on, like, the volume that the client has and needs. Right? So, for example, like, I have a few clients that I do, like, many hours for each month. And if I had a bunch of them, I could probably only do, like, 4 clients. But then I have clients that maybe I only do, social media for them or only I do, like, a couple hours a week or maybe just their email newsletter. And then with that, I can have more clients. So it it totally depends on the client's needs.

Debra Coleman [00:09:44]:
Right. The work that's being asked and they need. Yeah. Amazing. So your client base, is it made up of just a nice, like, mixture of do you have entrepreneurs? Do you have small businesses? Maybe large businesses? What primarily makes up your clientele?

carissa [00:09:58]:
Yeah. When I first started this business, I had no, like, I had no defined niche. I was just like, you know what? Let me just let me see what works out. I I still have not really had to niche down from there because I'm getting a variety of clients. And I do find that it actually does, work better in that way because there's not as much of a conflict of interest. Like, for example, if I only worked with photographers or only worked with, business coaches. Right? I have noticed a little bit of hesitation. Like, if you have other photographer clients, like, then you'd be working with my competitors.

carissa [00:10:41]:
Right? And not not to say that I wouldn't have the professionalism and the confidentiality to deal with that. Right? However, I do find that diversifying my clientele has actually worked in my favor, and it keeps it a bit more interesting for me as well because I'm learning about tons of different industries and tons of different positions. So I have clients that I I do, more executive assistant work for. So I'm booking their vacations. I'm booking their travel. I'm helping them with their personal life. And then I have clients where I'm helping them with their small businesses. And a lot of these small businesses are online based, so I've worked with a lot of online coaches, but then as well as not online.

carissa [00:11:23]:
So photographers, I worked with clients that have medical clinics. There really is such a variety, but it has mainly been people that are entrepreneurs or busy professionals.

Debra Coleman [00:11:36]:
Makes sense. Absolutely. And they don't have an in house admin staff or they just don't they have tasks and responsibilities that they just don't you know, they can't they can only do so much as well as well as build their business. So is that primarily where they landing?

carissa [00:11:50]:
Totally. Yeah. So the, there's kind of, like, 2 subsects almost. So there's, the clients that are, like, busy professionals or maybe they're busy business owners that they have staff, but that's for the sake of, like, expanding their business. So, like, if they're a therapist, they have, like, other therapists. Or if they, like, run a studio, they have people to run that studio. But they don't have necessarily that administrative support, and they don't have really the need to hire someone, like, 40 hours a week in person to be there for that administrative support. Right? They just need, like, just some extra support, like, on the side rather than an entire role in that way.

carissa [00:12:30]:
Yeah. So it it it does kind of it it does kind of vary.

Debra Coleman [00:12:34]:
Yeah. And I'm sure it works for them because then they don't have to necessarily find a space for you. They don't have to account for you being on-site all the time or being a part of their, like, you know yeah. It's a whole thing.

carissa [00:12:43]:
Totally. And there yeah. And there's some businesses where that is, like, is necessary and works, like, a lot better. Sure. But then there there's tons as well where it's just like, hey, I'm just, like, one person with this brain and I'm so overwhelmed. Like, how can I, like, delegate a little bit? Or how can I just, like, have someone in my corner to to support me a little bit more?

Debra Coleman [00:13:03]:
Sure. Absolutely. Gosh. Even as assistants, we wish we had that sometimes. Right? I just need

carissa [00:13:07]:
I've I've thought to myself, like like, I I have an assistant that helps me with work, but I see the work that I that I do for other people in the in the personal sense, which I did as an EA in the corporate world, booking vacations or, like, hey. Can you make me a reservation here, there, or whatever? I'm like, I should hire someone to do that for me because that would be really helpful.

Debra Coleman [00:13:26]:
See? See? Hey. That's a sign of a business owner. That's a strong business then. Yeah.

carissa [00:13:30]:
Totally. Yep. Thank you.

Debra Coleman [00:13:31]:
Yeah. Good problem to have. Absolutely.

carissa [00:13:33]:
Yes.

Debra Coleman [00:13:34]:
So how do you then stay organized with all of these clients that you have and the work that you're in charge of in coordinating and admin and doing administrative work for? What do you do to help you stay organized yourself? Or what are some resources or tools?

carissa [00:13:49]:
Great question. I I find, like, a project management system is, like, the be all and end all of it. Like, I use Asana, which is, like, similar to, like, Monday and Trello, and there's tons of different resources that are similar, but I have used Asana. I've just found that it works the best for me.

Debra Coleman [00:14:06]:
Mhmm.

carissa [00:14:07]:
And my system is, like, as soon as something comes in my head, as soon as I get a message or a call or whatever, it has to go into the system with a deadline and, like, something that pings me. Right? Because there's so much flowing in and out of all the different inboxes and everything that's going on. I need, like, a central hub to host everything. And Asana has the capability to, like, have multiple clients in projects, but they can't see each other's information or have access to each other's information, which is helpful for me because then I'm able to have my clients all in in one hub, but our conversations and our tasks are private between us.

Debra Coleman [00:14:44]:
So then you have, like, access rights for like, certain clients will have access rights to a set like, a I'm I've never worked with Asana, but I do Trello and others. So, like, they have access to their blocks

carissa [00:14:56]:
To their project. Yeah. And then that's it. Like, they they don't have they wouldn't have access to the information of the other projects, which would then belong to my other clients.

Debra Coleman [00:15:03]:
Right. Right. Wow. Okay. Okay. That's fascinating. I love it. And

carissa [00:15:07]:
If I didn't have that, like, hub, I would, like I think I would break. Into a 1000000 pieces.

Debra Coleman [00:15:12]:
Yes. Seriously. And then, how do you manage your inbox flow? Like how does that do they also ping you that way?

carissa [00:15:21]:
Yeah. So I try so, some of my clients, I'll have an email with their organization as well. So it's like I'll have my personal email. And then within, different clients, they might have, like, an email that they want me to keep on top of, like, an admin email or support email or something like that. So I actually, like, within my own daily, like, schedule and routine, I'll go through each inbox and check to see, like, what's going on there. And then with my own personal inbox, that was kind of the reason I established Asana and said, like, hey. Like, I work in Asana because sometimes stuff will flow through my inbox, and then immediately I'll go and put it into Asana. Right? So I just, like, I just try to, let my clients know, like, hey.

carissa [00:16:06]:
Like, let's work within here, like, if that's okay with you and comfortable with you. And then, obviously, there's some clients where I'm where I'm within their inboxes. But I find that that kind of works the best. It's like all the information that comes from a text, that comes from an email, that comes from anywhere, it goes directly into the project management or else it's it's just lost in the abyss.

Debra Coleman [00:16:25]:
Exactly. Oh, that's great that you utilize Asana that way. It sounds like that is your assistant. Like, that is your project management. Yeah.

carissa [00:16:32]:
Totally. And I pay for it each month. Yeah. Yeah. Once you start adding users into these, project management systems, they start sending you the the the bills. And, yeah, it's it's it those systems can be costly, but they're worth it for sure.

Debra Coleman [00:16:46]:
Absolutely. I was gonna say worth every penny, it sounds like.

carissa [00:16:48]:
Yes. Totally.

Debra Coleman [00:16:49]:
Oh my gosh. Wow. That is that is so fascinating. And are are any of your clients local, or are they are they local to you? Do you prefer local clients as opposed to maybe out of state? Does that matter?

carissa [00:17:00]:
I don't I I it doesn't really matter to me. My clients are Canada and US based. Okay. And majority of my clients are actually in Toronto and the surrounding areas.

Debra Coleman [00:17:09]:
Okay.

carissa [00:17:10]:
I I do find because most of my clients are there, they're referring me other local businesses. So it just so happens that, like, I'm building majority of my clientele in in Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area. However, I have some clients in New York and in other states, and they're friends with people online, and they're referring me to people in in different states. So it doesn't it doesn't really matter to me. However, when clients are local, I love that because then I have a chance to meet them in person. Right? Because everything I do is virtual, and typically everything they're doing is virtual too. So it's nice to meet people in person and have, that I I think repertoire is the word, like, kind of bounce off of each other in person and be like, okay. We're real human beings behind the screen.

carissa [00:17:58]:
And it it's sometimes being in the virtual world, it feels a little, like, a little impersonal as hard as you might try to make it personal. Right? So it it is really nice to to meet people in person. But, otherwise, I'm I'm I'm virtual nonetheless, so it doesn't bother me.

Debra Coleman [00:18:14]:
That's great. I love that. That just like you're supporting local talent, and they are too, at least the ones that are Toronto based. I love that. But Yes. Even the ones that are out of state, they're still supporting because they're, you know, at from word-of-mouth. And so they yeah. That is great.

Debra Coleman [00:18:27]:
I was wondering, like, if you ever get called in on-site for any reason and if that's a difficulty. Yeah.

carissa [00:18:33]:
It I, they don't, like, ask me to come on-site because it's, like, established from beginning that I'm working virtual. Right. But there have been times where I've gone on-site to some of my clients that have brick and mortar, just to kinda, like, see what their operations are like.

Debra Coleman [00:18:47]:
Exactly.

carissa [00:18:47]:
Or every once in a while, like, come in and take some content for them. I I like seeing, like, the reality of, like, what I'm actually, like, working with. Right? I think it's it's pretty cool and and, like, very, very admiring and inspirational to see, like, what people have created, especially when it's like a big physical location. It's like, wow. Okay. This is it. Right? So Right. So I do I do try to make it out here and there.

Debra Coleman [00:19:09]:
That is so great. I love that. It definitely gives you a visual of, like, what what I'm doing, what how it's contributing to your success. And Yes. Okay. Excellent. I love that. Do you vet your clients first, though? I assume that, like you said, you know, when you meet them, do you, are there I know they're assessing you and your abilities and what you can do.

Debra Coleman [00:19:25]:
I'm sure there's some of that back as well.

carissa [00:19:29]:
Totally. Yeah. It's it's not too much of a vet process. It's I think the main thing is seeing how we gel together, really. And if that person is sometimes people think they're ready for an assistant, but really they might not be really. They may just be overwhelmed and need to just figure something out within their own business. So I think sometimes when people hear of virtual assistants and because it's quite accessible to small business owners, they might want to, like, right away go ahead and and hire someone, someone, but it might not actually be the right time for them. So I'm more so looking for, like, okay.

carissa [00:20:09]:
Do we actually get along? Because we're gonna be working together all the time, which, which, you know, main mainly the answer is yes. Right? Like, it's it's few and far between where that answer might be no. And and secondly, like, is this person actually ready for a virtual assistant? Do they have the monthly budget for that? Do they have the capacity for that? Are they ready for that initial take on? Because it's it is kind of like hiring an employee where you have to teach them everything that's in your brain Mhmm. And and dump it into their brain. Right? And you have to figure out the systems that work together. So it's an initial, it's an initial hump that you have to get over the same as, like, if you were to hire a stereotypical employee, you would have to train them. They would have to get used to your systems. You're hiring a contractor, but they can't read your mind from the first moment that they meet you.

carissa [00:20:56]:
Right? So there's that that initial, like, few weeks. So once I see that people, like, they're they're definitely ready for that, that's kind of, like, my, quote, unquote, like, that system.

Debra Coleman [00:21:05]:
Okay. Nice. Yeah. Because that protects you. There's has to be some protection on your end as well that this is gonna be a viable candidate or a client and somebody that Totally. Yeah. Good points there. I never thought of some of that.

Debra Coleman [00:21:15]:
That, see? This is why I'm talking to you. This is great information. Well, along those same lines, if there is someone like me who maybe is an administrative professional who's like, you know, I've always wanted to what advice, and I'm sure you get asked this a 1,001 times, do you give to those of us who are still traditional brick and mortar or w 2? Yeah. But we're kind of leaning those directions. What sort of, like, 30,000 foot level advice would you give us if we're just window shopping, the idea of becoming a virtual assistant?

carissa [00:21:48]:
I have I have a lot of takes on this. I bet. So I'll try to, like, keep it until, like, 2 minutes. My my first thought is there is a huge, huge difference between, working in administrative role and being a business owner Okay. Or being a freelancer. And when you're a freelancer slash business owner, you are responsible for the amount of money that you make. So that means having business acumen. That means being a salesperson.

carissa [00:22:21]:
It means so much more than just the actual administrative role itself. So I've heard of a lot of people that are virtual assistants, that were interested in really pursuing it, but they had a very hard time getting clients because they might not have those business and those sales skills to actually obtain clients. So it's one thing to to do a really good job at the work, and then it's a whole other thing to understand how to actually get clients. So that is that is one thing that it's like if you're interested in doing that, that means you have to have great communication skills. It means you have to not be afraid to put yourself out there. And because it's a because it's a service that you're offering and you have to build trust within that service, it it might take time to build a clientele, and it might take time to to get clients. There's a lot of courses out there, which personally I'm not the biggest fan of, because I do find that the main things that you need is the actual administrative experience, because it's these courses are or are kind of marketed that, anyone can be a virtual assistant. Right? However, not anyone can be an electrician.

carissa [00:23:40]:
Not anyone can be an engineer. Right? It's it's the same as any other job where you do need a certain set of skills and a certain set of experience. Right? So if you are someone in the industry that has the skills and has the experience, I would say, work on what it means to you to represent yourself publicly, work on the the confidence that it takes to really put yourself out there and let everybody know, hey, I am offering these services, and and work on those communication skills that it takes to actually, close a sale and and close on a client.

Debra Coleman [00:24:14]:
Gosh. You are the first person who actually I have heard put it that way. Essentially treating your business as your business. You are now all the things. Yeah. Yeah. Wow. I would say Because yeah.

Debra Coleman [00:24:27]:
Go ahead. No.

carissa [00:24:28]:
No. Sorry. I was gonna say just because, like, just because you have these skills as an administrative assistant or as as an assistant in some capacity, doesn't mean that people know that you have these skills. Mhmm. And doesn't mean that just because you post it online, people are going to believe you. Like, what what reason do they have to believe you? Right? You have to make yourself accredited, and you have to to show people why you're good at what you do. And as you get one client and get another and then kind of build referrals, that that trust, will come. But it it does it does take time.

carissa [00:25:03]:
It's like it's like any business. It it takes time to build a clientele and grow.

Debra Coleman [00:25:07]:
Yes. Because people listening would be like, oh, I can be Carissa. I can do that. Yes. But did you hear her say she started in 2020, and it now has been 2 years where the engines are running on all cylinders and thing. Yeah. So you really have to you're in it for the long game and treat it like a business. It's and thank you for saying not everybody can do that work.

Debra Coleman [00:25:27]:
You know? I mean, it really No. You know what it's like out there.

carissa [00:25:30]:
I oh, you're just I personally, I say if you think anyone could be an executive assistant or administrative assistant, give your father a list of tasks that you do every day and ask him to do it and see if he can. Because I don't know about your father, but mine cannot work a computer to save his life. Right. Right? So that is proof that not everybody can do what we do.

Debra Coleman [00:25:48]:
That's right. And that's just baseline. Now try to schedule, you know, meetings and travel

carissa [00:25:52]:
and business.

Debra Coleman [00:25:53]:
Yeah. Wow. Thank you, applaud slow clap for that. Thank you because that is on the money right there. I'm gonna sound bite that.

carissa [00:26:00]:
Yeah.

Debra Coleman [00:26:01]:
Very good. I love it. Wow. Well, Carissa, oh my goodness. I could keep you on forever, but I wanna be respectful of time. This is this has really been an eye opener, and I appreciate that. I know many EAs that I've talked to, you know, again, due to unforeseen circumstances are looking for work. And some of them have mentioned, you know, maybe I would do it on my own, hang my own shingle out.

Debra Coleman [00:26:21]:
And there is so much information out there, but it's rare that we get a chance to actually talk to somebody like yourself of your caliber and experience. So I really appreciate that time. Absolutely. Oh my goodness. Well, do you have time for one more quick bonus question before I let you hop? Yeah, absolutely. Okay. My gosh, my head is spinning. I'm going to have to do a part 2 with you.

Debra Coleman [00:26:40]:
I swear. But because you are such a busy lady and as you have so clearly demonstrated, what do you do to reset and rebalance when life gets a little crazy and Carissa just needs to bring it back to center a little bit?

carissa [00:26:56]:
That is a great question that I am working through. I am trying. I have an almost 3 year old. So the past 3 years have felt like a complete whirlwind to me. I am really still learning, like, what it means to actually, like, show love to myself and, like, take care of myself. I have worked myself very hard. So, very strangely enough, I try to just find really small moments to, like, take a breath and even use, like, breathing techniques to, like, okay. I need to, like, reset myself a little bit here.

carissa [00:27:30]:
And the second is actually, like, getting away from screens because I'm on screens, like, literally all day long on my phone, on my iPad, on the computer. Like, my eyes are, like, shot. So when I'm, like, okay, I need to, like, ground myself, I'm literally, like, okay, I need to do something that is not screen related. Like, I need to just, like, read a book or go for a walk, and it it can look different depending on what it is, but it has to be away from a screen.

Debra Coleman [00:27:56]:
I love that. And I agree. I have a no technology Sunday rule. Like, if I have to hop off or something, but yeah. Otherwise but with a little one, I bet it would be a little easier because I'm sure your little one keeps you grounded. Like, nope. You know, this is family time or nope. This is time with them.

Debra Coleman [00:28:10]:
So oh, busy lady. Yeah. For sure. Well, that's good advice. Good stuff there. I absolutely agree with you. Well, thank you, miss Carissa. This has just been honestly so good.

Debra Coleman [00:28:20]:
I love it. And where can my listeners find you if they're interested in learning more about you or maybe even connecting with you to learn more about your virtual assistant business?

carissa [00:28:29]:
Yes. Thank you. So, so my website is helpersstudios.com. And my Instagram, you can find me at lean on Carissa. And I am mainly active on Instagram. So you can find me there, you can find me talking on my stories about, my virtual assistant journey, sharing a little bit about my personal life. As a true millennial, that is my preferred social media. So you can find me there.

Debra Coleman [00:28:53]:
I love that admission. Thank you for that.

carissa [00:28:56]:
Yeah. That's great.

Debra Coleman [00:28:56]:
And I will absolutely have links to that in the show notes to both of those in the show notes. So absolutely connect with Carissa. Thank you, miss Carissa. This has been wonderful.

carissa [00:29:04]:
Thank you so much.

Debra Coleman [00:29:06]:
And that wraps up my amazing conversation with Carissa. Friends, wasn't that amazing? Honestly, honestly, I so thank you again, miss Chrissa, for sitting down with me and for sitting down with us, really. And I honestly felt like we got a really honest look at what it takes to even turn or to pivot into your own virtual assistant business or starting your own virtual assistant business. There like Carissa touched on, there could there is so much more she could have dived into. And, definitely, I encourage you to check out the show notes for ways to connect with her, her insta her insta link and her website. Check it out. Learn more. Learn from her.

Debra Coleman [00:29:51]:
See what she's about because that was one of the most welcome and honest conversations I've had about what it takes to become a virtual assistant. I know for me, it definitely opened my eyes to things I never really thought of before. Or maybe you thought, well, that might be the case, but you didn't really understand or place a lot of value on their importance. Like when she mentioned treating your business like your business. Yes. On one hand, you're an administrative professional, but on the other hand, you're also now a business owner. And so instead of the company doing all those things, you now are responsible for doing all those things because this is your business. And I know that in some level, that's like, well, yeah.

Debra Coleman [00:30:33]:
Duh. But, again, it's something that I think bears repeating and definitely is something to consider if you are serious about making this type of a move. So once again, I strongly encourage you to check out the show notes to learn more about Carissa and her journey and, as well as check out her website for what her virtual assistant company offers in the way of support for business owners. Thank you once again, Krista, for having a seat with me, and thank you listeners for tuning in this week to this amazing conversation. As always, there will also be a link in the show notes to check out the Have A Seat website where you will find more fabulous conversations just like the one I had with Carissa, as well as a way to come on the show and be a guest yourself. And let's continue this amazing conversation. Alright, everybody. Well, until next week, you know you know your homework assignment.

Debra Coleman [00:31:26]:
Stay safe, be well, and remember, keep having those conversations.