Creating A Business On Your Terms As A VA Or OBM

This blog was inspired by a conversation with Hannah Caruso on the Seed to Success podcast. You can listen to the full podcast here

Some seasons in business feel light and full of possibility. Others feel heavier. You’re getting things done, clients are reasonably happy, yet there’s still that quiet question sitting in the background.

Is this actually working for me?

If you’re a VA, OBM, or online service provider, especially if you’ve come out of a traditional role or you’re juggling work and motherhood, this can feel familiar. You’re holding your clients’ businesses, your own business, the mental load at home, and somewhere in the middle you’re trying to remember why you started this in the first place.

If that’s you, there’s nothing wrong with you. You’re not behind. You’re in a very real part of building a business that’s actually yours.

This season can feel uncomfortable, but it’s also powerful. It’s where you start deciding what stays, what shifts, and what you’re no longer willing to carry.

The Mindset Shift From Employee To Business Owner

Most VAs and OBMs spent years being the reliable one in someone else’s business. You might’ve been the person who knew where everything lived, who quietly fixed problems before anyone noticed, who held things together behind the scenes.

That experience is valuable. It’s also why the shift into business ownership can feel unsettling.

Employee mindset often sounds like always needing to be available, feeling guilty charging for work that comes easily to you, or avoiding conversations about boundaries because you don’t want to rock the boat.

Business owner mindset is quieter, but stronger. It recognises that your time and energy matter. That your skills are valuable, even when they feel second nature. That clear boundaries don’t make you difficult, they make you sustainable.

This isn’t a switch you flip. It’s something you practise. Clarifying expectations. Saying no when something’s outside scope. Adjusting your pricing when you know it’s time, even if your stomach flips a little.

Each time you back yourself, you’re stepping further into the business owner role you’re already in.

Why CEO Time Matters In Businesses

When you’re service-based, your own business is often the first thing to be pushed aside. Client work gets done. Family needs are met. Your business planning and admin get whatever time is left over.

If you never step into CEO mode, your business starts running on habit rather than intention. That’s usually when frustration and burnout creep in.

CEO time doesn’t need to be complicated. It might be an hour a week where you’re not doing client tasks. It might be a monthly check-in with your numbers. It might be a quarterly reset where you look at your offers, your pricing, and your capacity and ask yourself honestly whether it’s still working.

During that time, you might notice tools you’re paying for but barely use. You might realise certain services drain you more than you expected. You might see patterns in your enquiries and decide to lean more into what’s actually bringing the right clients.

A helpful reframe is treating your business like a client. If a retainer client kept saying, “I’ll get to it later,” you’d gently help them prioritise. You deserve the same level of care.

CEO time isn’t indulgent. It’s how you protect the business you’re building.

Finding Clients Without Being Salesy

Client attraction is where many people feel the most pressure. You might see others talking about signing clients quickly and wonder if you’re missing something.

For most VAs and OBMs, client growth is quieter and more relational. It often comes from people you’ve worked with before, referrals, online spaces where you show up consistently, and in-person connections where people can actually get a feel for who you are.

You don’t need to become louder or more performative if that’s not you. You do need to stop being invisible.

That might look like sharing what you’re working on, without naming clients. Talking about the problems you help solve and the outcomes you create. Letting people know when you’ve got capacity coming up. Following up with someone who’s already shown interest but didn’t quite take the next step.

You can be warm and clear at the same time. “This is what I do. This is who I help. This is how you can work with me.”

That isn’t pushy. It’s honest.

Redefining Success In VA & OBM Life

There’s a lot of noise about what success is supposed to look like. Certain income targets. Certain timelines. Certain aesthetics.

It’s easy to adopt someone else’s version of success without checking whether it actually fits your life.

Success for you might look like steady income with flexibility around school pick-up. It might look like clients who respect your boundaries. It might look like fewer hours, deeper work, or simply feeling calm when you open your calendar for the week.

Your definition of success will change as your life changes. Early on, success might be signing your first ongoing client. Later, it might be refining your offers, reducing your workload, or stepping into more strategic work.

You don’t need to chase fast growth for it to be valid. Slow, values-led growth still counts.

You’re allowed to build a business that supports your nervous system, not just your bank account.

You’re Not Alone In VA & OBM Life

Working online from home can look flexible on the outside, yet feel isolating on the inside. You might be surrounded by people and still feel like no one quite understands the mental load you’re carrying.

You’re not the only one who second-guesses pricing, feels nervous before discovery calls, wonders if they’re cut out for business on harder days, or lands a new client and immediately questions everything.

You’re not meant to do this alone. Community matters. Having spaces where you can be honest, ask real questions, and hear from others who understand this work can make all the difference.

Support doesn’t mean you’re not capable. It means you’re building something sustainable.

If You’re Waiting To Feel Ready

If you’ve been waiting to feel fully ready before making a change, launching something new, or backing yourself more, take this as a gentle nudge.

You don’t need all the answers to take the next step. You can start with what you have, adjust as you go, and let your business evolve alongside your life.

Your pace is valid. Your version of success is valid. And you’re doing far better than you give yourself credit for.

Looking for a community of like-minded women who truly get it?

The Inner Circle might be just what you’re looking for… 👉 https://www.seedvirtualassistants.com.au/innercircle