Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rachael Davila. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Rachael, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

I came across the idea for my business by accident. It was 2005 and for months I’d been stressed about downsizing at my corporate job. I had enough notice to make a plan. I had always enjoyed administrative work, but wanted something that I could do from home and that would give me flexibility to care for my young family. I figured I’d end up as an event planner or professional organizer.

While researching a company name on the internet, I stumbled across a virtual assistant. I excitedly read through her whole website and even spent an hour on the phone with her asking all kinds of questions. The magic of our conversation was, even though we both live in the same area, she didn’t view me as competition. She generously shared her knowledge and experience with me. I had never heard of a Virtual Assistant(VA), but her willingness to share all the pros and cons really stuck with me. We’re still friends to this day.

At that time, there were only a few programs to help admins become VAs. I chose to attend the 20-week virtual training program through AssistU, where I learned how to be a business owner who supports other business owners doing their administrative tasks. It was magical!

From the moment I started the program, I implemented all the steps to create my VA business and opened my virtual doors June 2005. Over the last 17 years, I’ve worked with hundreds of talented and smart business owners and have learned dozens of new programs and skills.

When I first started my business, no one knew what a VA was. Once I explained what I did, I had immediate interest. Many of my initial clients were traveling salespeople who needed a central point of contact but not a full-time, on-site person. I was exactly what they needed. That hasn’t changed over the years, only the industries of my clientele.

Recently, I’ve discovered a new need. Many potential clients come to me overwhelmed by their business, knowing they need help, but don’t know exactly what they need. Not everyone is the right fit for me, but using my years of experience, I’ve created a consulting program that helps entrepreneurs gain clarity and confidence in what they need help with, what kind of support that translates to, what kind of person they want to help them with their business and what to do when they find that person. As a bonus, I help those looking for a VA find referrals to interview.

Unlike other programs, I don’t help people outsource to the cheapest option. I work with clients who know they get what they pay for and want quality candidates to help them with their business. That’s not to say that the right fit isn’t an overseas VA, but by the time my clients are interviewing, they know what they’re getting into with any type of VA. I feel this is a unique perspective to a unique problem.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

Hi, I’m Rachael Davila, owner of Extra Hands Virtual Assistance. I’ve been in business 17 years (June 2005) taking over the time-stealing administrative task from overwhelmed entrepreneurs, so they can focus on what matters most in their business.

I’ve always been an administrative assistant. Starting as a stage manager (admin support for the director and designers), then an administrative assistant for a non-profit and a corporation. Till I finally branched out and became my own business.

Recently I’ve transitioned from being the one who does the admin tasks to someone who helps business owners find their right support person. Many overwhelmed entrepreneurs are told to “find a virtual assistant” but aren’t told how to do that or what to look for. That’s where I come in. I help my clients get clear on what they need and gain the confidence to find the right person rather than the cheapest option. Education plays a role and a bit of cheerleading and nudging too.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

As you can imagine, times change over a decade and a half. When I first started my business I worked with a niche of multi-line traveling sales reps in the promotional products industry. I loved it and they loved me because I knew the industry from growing up with my dad who had worked all the sides of the business. I kept my clients on the road, busy with meetings, and took excellent care of their customers which made them look good to their bosses.

About five years into my business, the economy changed and the promotional products industry with it. Most of my clients retired and I had to pivot to a new clientele. I started to focus on coaches and learned new skills that would support their business. It was a couple of years of “what am I doing” before I really felt like I’d successfully made the transition.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Without question, my best source of new clients is referrals from current or past clients. I also do a lot of networking. People like to do business with people they know, like and trust. While I am building my brand via social media and blogging, every client who’s stuck long term has been a referral from a happy client.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.extrahandsva.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachael.davila/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ExtraHandsVirtualAssistance
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachaeldavila/
• Other: Blog: https://resizingmylife.wordpress.com/

Image Credits
Janet Bark, Janet Bark Photography.