- PPF Points
- 4,036
When I started my online business, I did everything myself—product sourcing, customer service, social media, order packing, and marketing. At first, it was exciting. I was learning, growing, and in full control. But after a few months, I started feeling overwhelmed. I was working long hours, missing messages from customers, and forgetting to post on social media. That’s when I realized I couldn’t do it all alone forever.
Hiring your first employee or virtual assistant (VA) can feel scary—especially when you’re not making consistent income yet. But I learned that you don’t need to wait until you're drowning to get help. Here’s how I knew it was time:
I was spending hours replying to the same customer questions, packing orders, or updating spreadsheets—tasks that someone else could easily do. My energy was drained, and I had no time left to grow the business. That’s when I hired my first VA to handle customer messages and manage basic admin tasks. Suddenly, I had hours back in my week to focus on marketing and product development.
At one point, I had over 20 pending inquiries that I hadn’t replied to because I was too busy. Those were lost sales. I realized that paying someone a small fee to help me could bring in more money than I was spending. It made financial sense.
I knew my business could go further if I had support. With help, I could launch new product lines, expand to other platforms, and improve customer service. Growth needs focus—and focus needs time. Hiring gave me that.
I posted a simple job on a freelancer platform describing the tasks I needed help with. I didn’t hire full-time. I started with just 5 hours a week. That was affordable and gave me time to test the waters.
Hiring your first employee or virtual assistant (VA) can feel scary—especially when you’re not making consistent income yet. But I learned that you don’t need to wait until you're drowning to get help. Here’s how I knew it was time:
I was spending hours replying to the same customer questions, packing orders, or updating spreadsheets—tasks that someone else could easily do. My energy was drained, and I had no time left to grow the business. That’s when I hired my first VA to handle customer messages and manage basic admin tasks. Suddenly, I had hours back in my week to focus on marketing and product development.
At one point, I had over 20 pending inquiries that I hadn’t replied to because I was too busy. Those were lost sales. I realized that paying someone a small fee to help me could bring in more money than I was spending. It made financial sense.
I knew my business could go further if I had support. With help, I could launch new product lines, expand to other platforms, and improve customer service. Growth needs focus—and focus needs time. Hiring gave me that.
How I Found My First VA
I posted a simple job on a freelancer platform describing the tasks I needed help with. I didn’t hire full-time. I started with just 5 hours a week. That was affordable and gave me time to test the waters.