Prática de Shadowing: How to Start a Virtual Assistant Business in 2026 (Step-by-Step Free Training) - Aprenda a falar inglês com o YouTube
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I'm gonna walk you through exactly how to start your VA business from scratch.
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I'm gonna walk you through exactly how to start your VA business from scratch.
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By the end of this video,
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you will know what services to offer,
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what to charge, how to build a portfolio with no prior client experience,
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and how to land your very first client.
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You've probably wondered whether AI is going to make virtual assistants irrelevant,
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but the answer is actually the opposite.
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The VA industry is making more money than it ever has before.
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It's already hit $6.5 billion in sales in 2026 and it's grown 25% year after year.
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So no, AI is not making us irrelevant.
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Businesses are increasingly reliant on VAs as essential strategic partners rather than temporary admin help.
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And thanks to AI, we can work faster,
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deliver more, and charge more than we ever have before.
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Let's talk about what a VA actually does because the role has changed quite a lot.
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A virtual assistant is still someone who provides remote support to business owners, entrepreneurs, executives.
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That support can look like 1 million different things.
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It can look like managing someone's email.
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It can look like handling their social media.
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It can look like doing heavy research or writing content or managing customer service or bookkeeping.
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Sky is the limit.
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And that's part of what makes working as a VA so genuinely exciting.
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Every day can look a little bit different than the day before.
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The other thing is your clients can be located anywhere in the world.
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You are not limited to working with people in your city or even your own country.
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The income is often dollar or euro dominated,
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or of course, whatever currency works best for you because your clients are global.
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I have students in Nigeria,
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Kenya, in the Philippines, in Colombia,
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in South Africa, and they are working with clients in the US,
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the UK, Canada, Australia.
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The geography does not matter it's your skills that do.
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Now, the other thing that's worth knowing is that even though there's no single definition of a virtual assistant,
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you do not need to do everything.
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It's actually more helpful if you pick one lane and stick to it.
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So this is exactly what step one is all about.
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The biggest mistake that beginners always make is trying to do everything for everyone.
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They call themselves general VAs and they wonder why nobody hires them.
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Well, clients do not hire generalists in 2026 anymore.
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They hire people who can solve specific problems.
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Here's how you can pick your first services.
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And we're going to do this through three simple questions.
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Question one, what sellable services have you already done?
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Even informally, we all have these services, I promise.
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Have you managed somebody else's social media?
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Have you always booked trips and travel for family and friends?
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Have you helped a friend or family member with deep research?
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Have you helped anyone with their schedule before?
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Have you answered customer emails at an old job?
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Literally all of that counts.
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Question two, what do you enjoy doing on your computer day after day?
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If you love researching about the best travel apps or luxury destinations,
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you may want to explore luxury travel niches.
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Conversely, if you hate certain things,
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like you hate spreadsheets, you hate numbers,
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you hate money, you should not offer bookkeeping.
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You will resent every client every day, I promise.
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Okay, so don't even entertain the services that you hate to do.
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And question three, this one's my favorite one.
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What are some things that you've noticed that small businesses struggle with?
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And ideally, these are businesses that you interact with.
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So do you frequent a local coffee shop that has terrible social media presence?
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Or do you buy from an Etsy shop that has a terrible customer service?
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These are already potential clients that might need your help.
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You do not need to pick services for forever.
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Okay.
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You just need to pick services for now.
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So I recommend starting by choosing one to three services that connect to something that you already know how to do,
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even a little, you can do it well,
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and you genuinely enjoy doing.
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Okay.
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Specificity is what gets you hired nowadays.
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Let us talk about money because this is where a lot of new VAs sabotage themselves before they even start.
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There are two types of underchargers,
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my friend, and you do not want to be either.
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The first group undercharges because they're new to freelancing.
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It feels uncomfortable and charging real money feels a little like overstepping.
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The second is someone who undercharges out of fear,
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fear that a client will say no,
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Fear that they are not yet worth it.
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Fear that somebody else will charge less.
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Both of these groups of thinking will keep you broke, overworked, and underappreciated.
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So instead, let me give you some realistic beginner rates based on the US.
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20 to $30 an hour is a good rate if you are just getting started and still learning.
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30 to $45 an hour is a good rate if you have a defined skillset and you can show proof of work.
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I wanna repeat that these are just starting points and not ceilings.
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Some VAs I have trained have gone from $20 to $60 an hour within their first year.
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And it's not because they got lucky,
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but it's because they raised their rates as they got better and more confident.
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So the goal for your starting number is that it should feel slightly uncomfortable in a good way,
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but is not so low that you either resent their work
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or is not so high that the fear of rejection stops you from even sending out any pitches or proposals.
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Package pricing is also worth considering at this stage.
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So instead of offering $30 an hour,
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you could offer those in a monthly package.
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So 10 hours of luxury travel booking gets you $300.
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Clients often prefer flat rates because it feels more predictable for their budget and they're typically more comfortable paying that.
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One of the most common questions that I get from VAs as a VA coach is,
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how do I get a client if I have no portfolio?
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Or you could think of this as,
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how do I build a portfolio if I don't have any clients?
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Listen to me right now.
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You do not need client work to have a portfolio.
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You just need proof that you can do the work.
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Option one, and this is my favorite option,
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is to create sample work.
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If you want to go into social media management,
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create a mock content calendar for a fictional business.
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Show your strategic thinking behind it.
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Okay, you just have to show your strategic thinking behind the calendar.
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If you want to offer sales outreach, write sample emails.
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Make your sample cold pitches sound warm and inviting and less salesy.
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If you want to offer deep research,
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write up a sample research report.
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These are real deliverables.
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They both demonstrate your skill and your thinking,
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and that is something that clients will find of value.
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Now, if that doesn't catch your attention,
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option two is to do one or two small projects in exchange for a testimonial.
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However, do not offer free work.
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Never, never, never, never offer free work.
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Free clients will never, ever,
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ever turn into paying clients.
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Why would they?
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They're getting you for free.
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They're not about to start paying you.
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So pick someone in your network already.
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This could be a local small business.
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It could be a friend who sells stuff on Etsy.
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It could be a friend who's uploading a lot of content to Pinterest.
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It can be a nonprofit that you admire.
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Offer them one specific service for a limited amount of time and potentially add a discount.
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But again, never free.
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And definitely limit your time
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because you don't want to find yourself working for three months
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kicking your butt for a client who has no intention of becoming a real full-time client at a higher rate.
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Option three, and yes, there is an option three,
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is to use your past experience even if it was not paid.
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Okay, so think about volunteer work that you've done in the past or academic projects that you've done.
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Jobs where you did similar tasks also count.
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If you managed emails for a past employer.
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That is inbox management experience.
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The goal of your portfolio is not to prove that you are an expert.
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It is to prove that you are capable of work and that you are a professional.
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A one-page PDF with three to four samples is more than enough.
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Keep it tool agnostic so that it speaks to all sorts of different clients,
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regardless of what software they use.
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This is the section that most people are here for.
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How do you find your first client?
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And I'm going to give you something that you can do today, not someday.
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The most reliable place to find your first client is within your existing network.
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Not job boards, not cold emails to strangers, your network.
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I want you to think about every business owner,
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every manager you've ever worked with,
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every entrepreneur you've come across in your personal life.
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I want you to think through friends,
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family members, co-workers, your friends of your family.
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Think about the person who runs the hair salon that you go to.
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That one guy from your old job who started this new thing.
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The woman in your church who sells handmade jewelry online.
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These people need help and they need help today.
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Most small business owners or independent owners are drowning in tasks that they do not have time for.
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And they probably don't want to hire a full-time employee for either.
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So here's your one concrete action plan for the day.
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Write a simple message to five people that you know who run a business or work with business owners.
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It should not be a lengthy sale pitch.
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It can literally be as simple as,
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hey, I just launched my own virtual assistant business and I'm offering support in things like social media and scheduling.
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Do you know anyone who could use my help?
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Send that message to five people in your network today,
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like now, like at the end of this video.
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Do not wait until you have a website.
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Do not wait until you have a portfolio full of samples.
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Send it today.
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Now, if you're feeling like an overachiever,
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there are of course options beyond your network of family and friends.
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You could look to platforms like Fiverr.
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Okay, Fiverr is legitimately a solid starting point.
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However, this comes with a caveat.
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You absolutely must optimize your profile to one specific service.
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You must optimize your bio that speaks directly to the type of client you are trying to land.
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And you must be ready to apply to five to 10 to 20 jobs a day with specific customized proposals
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that talk directly to the person who is looking for the gig.
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Fiverr is definitely more about customization because you are pitching a stranger.
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Whereas most freelance VAs tend to find their first client through friends and family.
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But like I said, both are viable options when you're getting started.
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One of the most overwhelming parts of starting a VA business
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is feeling like you need to learn every tool on the planet before you are ready.
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You do not.
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Here's the list of tools that matter the most when you're just getting started.
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For communication, It is all about Gmail and Outlook, baby.
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We are sending emails and we want to make sure that they are concise.
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You know how to send attachments and maybe even add a customized signature.
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In terms of videos, Zoom is still king.
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Microsoft Teams is making a pretty good push into the market.
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For scheduling, Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar, Calendly.
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Figure out how to create new events,
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how to add people to the calendar invite,
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how to color code them.
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And we'll show you how they like to use certain tools.
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Social media, Canva for graphics, no contest.
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And you can either look into platforms like Buffer to schedule posts,
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or what I recommend doing first is looking into each of the platforms individually
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because most of these have the option to schedule later on the platform itself.
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Create a fake graphic in Canva,
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go to LinkedIn, figure out how to schedule it for later,
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rinse and repeat on other social media platforms that you're already using.
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You do not need to be the master of all tools.
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You need to be competent in the tools that your clients specifically use,
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and you will learn those by doing.
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So don't stress yourself out about having to know everything everywhere all at once.
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Have you seen my tattoo, by the way?
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One thing I want to flag about tools is that not every tool has the same accessibility globally.
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Okay, so if you're outside the U.S.,
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sometimes billing or subscription setups can be really tricky.
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So I always recommend for everyone to check out free tiers first.
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If a tool does not have a free tier,
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don't worry about it, move on.
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And if you want to deep dive into specific tools,
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peruse this YouTube channel because I have hundreds of tool tutorials.
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So you now have a complete roadmap.
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You know what services to offer.
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You know what to charge.
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You know how to build a portfolio without prior experience.
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You know how to connect with your first client.
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And you know what tools to focus on.
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The only thing now that is standing between you and your first client is execution.
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If you want to fast track that execution,
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get on my waitlist for my program which reopens in August of 2026.
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My blueprint program walks you through the entire setup process.
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There's live coaching sessions where I answer all of your questions,
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and I help you get your first pitches and proposals out the door.
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The link to my website is in the description box below.
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It costs you nothing to get on the waitlist,
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but it will save you months of figuring out things alone.
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I hope this video was helpful.
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Thank you guys so much for joining me,
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and I will catch you on next week's video.
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Sobre Esta Lição
Nesta lição, você vai praticar ouvindo e repetindo um vídeo sobre como iniciar um negócio de assistente virtual em 2026. Ao final, você será capaz de discutir as funções e os serviços que um assistente virtual pode oferecer, além de compreender melhor como o mercado de assistentes virtuais está evoluindo. A prática de conversação em inglês com esse tipo de conteúdo audiovisual é uma excelente forma de desenvolver suas habilidades de fala e compreensão auditiva.
Vocabulário e Frases-Chave
- assistente virtual - uma pessoa que oferece suporte remoto a empresários.
- apoio remoto - ajuda fornecida de longe, geralmente através da internet.
- serviços vendáveis - serviços que podem ser oferecidos e cobrados.
- clientes globais - clientes que estão localizados em diferentes partes do mundo.
- resolver problemas específicos - focar em situações que precisam de soluções concretas.
- pesquisa aprofundada - examinar minuciosamente um assunto.
- gerenciar mídias sociais - cuidar e atualizar perfis em plataformas sociais.
- cobrança de serviços - determinar quanto cobrar por seus serviços.
Dicas de Prática
Ao assistir ao vídeo, tente usar o método de shadowing em inglês. Ouça uma frase e pause após cada ideia principal. Em seguida, repita a frase em voz alta, tentando emular a velocidade e o tom do falante original. Isso ajudará a melhorar sua pronúncia e entonação. O vídeo pode ter um ritmo acelerado, então não se preocupe se não conseguir repetir tudo na primeira vez. Faça um esforço consciente para captar as palavras e o estilo de fala. Ao fazer isso repetidamente, você estará participando de uma prática de conversação em inglês bastante eficaz.
Outro método eficaz é usar o shadowspeak com frases que você considera desafiadoras. Em vez de apenas ouvir, escreva essas frases e pratique-as com um amigo ou professor. A prática em grupo é uma ótima maneira de aumentar suas habilidades de conversa. Ao trabalhar com conteúdos como vídeos do YouTube, você se expõe a situações reais de fala, o que é essencial para aprender inglês com youtube.
Quando sentir confiança, tente discutir o tema do vídeo com outras pessoas ou escreva um breve resumo dele. Essa abordagem não só melhorará sua fluência, mas também reforçará seu vocabulário e compreensão sobre o mundo dos assistentes virtuais.
O que é a Técnica de Shadowing?
Shadowing é uma técnica de aprendizado de idiomas com base científica, originalmente desenvolvida para o treinamento de intérpretes profissionais. O método é simples, mas poderoso: você ouve áudio em inglês nativo e repete imediatamente em voz alta — como uma sombra seguindo o falante com 1-2 segundos de atraso. Pesquisas mostram melhora significativa na precisão da pronúncia, entonação, ritmo, sons conectados, compreensão auditiva e fluência na fala.
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