Grow Your VA & OBM Business: Soulpreneur Scaling Stories

Does your income feel unpredictable even when your work stays the same? If you are a VA, OBM, or done-for-you service provider stuck in the good month, slow month cycle, the problem is usually not your rates, your visibility, or your number of leads. So why does one month feel amazing and the next leave you anxious about what is coming? Why do retainer clients still keep you checking Stripe first thing in the morning? And why is the real fix so different from getting more clients? This episode gets into why income feels so unpredictable for so many...

If you are a service provider who hates the idea of marketing every day, this episode is going to change how you think about blogging entirely. I am joined by Jana Osofsky, content strategist and creator of the High Leverage Content program, who started as a VA and built her entire business around a small set of strategic blog posts she calls a capsule blog.

In this episode, we get into Jana's journey from VA to content strategist, what a capsule blog actually is, and how she got her marketing down to one day a month.

If you are a VA, OBM, or done-for-you service provider who is making progress but something keeps feeling slightly off, this episode is going to name exactly what that is. It is not burnout. It is not a strategy problem. It might be that the goal you are building toward was never actually yours to begin with.

This episode gets into the difference between direction and pressure, why so many capable service providers end up chasing borrowed visions, and three questions to help you figure out which one you are actually in right now.

Key...

If you are an OBM or ops strategist who has seen those $25 an hour job posts and felt that mix of frustration and quiet defeat, this episode is for you. That rate is not what the market pays. It is what one small corner of the market pays, and it is not the corner you want to be in.

This episode gets into why those posts exist, what happens when you say yes to them, and the real shift that gets you out of that market entirely and into one where clients are seeking you out.

If you are a VA or OBM who is busy, good at what you do, and still not seeing your income grow, this episode is for you. The problem is almost never effort or skill. It is the structure of your income model, and there is a straightforward fix for it.

In this episode, I walk through the two-bucket income model that my clients use to build stability and growth at the same time, without burning out or maxing out their calendar.

Key Points Covered:

✨ Why the hourly retainer model creates a ceiling no...

If you are a VA or OBM wondering what scaling your online service business actually looks like, this episode is a real example of it. Sakshi Khatri went from solo OBM to agency founder in under a year. Today she runs Blueprint and Bloom, a fully registered agency with a team of eight handling backend systems, launch management, website builds, and social media for women founders.

In this episode, we get into exactly what shifted in her VA to OBM to agency transition, how she built her client base so fast, and what she is still figuring...

Hot take: the most powerful niche you can have in 2026 has nothing to do with choosing an industry.

If you have ever tried to niche down but nothing felt quite right, or you did pick a niche and you are still blending in with everyone else who does the same thing, this episode is going to explain why and give you a better way to think about it.

In this episode, I get into why traditional industry niching is no longer enough on its own, three real client examples of what values-based positioning actually looks...

You raised your rates. Things got quiet. And now you are wondering if you made a mistake.

Before you touch your pricing, listen to this episode. What feels like a pricing problem is almost never actually a pricing problem, and reacting to the quiet by lowering your rates might be the one move that keeps you stuck the longest.

In this episode, I walk you through the four real reasons things slow down after a rate increase, and the mindset shifts that will help you actually stand behind your new number.

Key Points...

If you are pivoting your online business and it feels like you are shouting into the void, this episode is for you. That gap between where you were and where you are going is not a sign that something is wrong. It is a specific stage of growth, and there is a way to move through it without the overwhelm.

In this episode, I get into the two mistakes I see VAs and OBMs make when pivoting that stall everything, and what to do instead so your audience is ready when your offer is.

Key...

Ever feel like you're supposed to niche down, pick one platform, and follow the "right" growth path, but none of it actually feels right for you?

In this episode, I'm joined by Alyssa Schneider, operations strategist and founder of Creating Freedom Agency. Alyssa has had one of the most genuinely interesting business paths I've come across, from psychology grad to struggling healer, to VA, to OBM, to running a full agency, and she has some really refreshing takes on how to build a business that actually fits you.

We talk about what it means to...

"I know I could charge more, but I don't know how to ask for it."

I hear this constantly in business audits. From experienced VAs and OBMs who get results, whose clients renew and refer. They're the backbone of their client's businesses, but they're still not charging what they should be.

The problem isn't confidence or money mindset. The real issue? Their work has spoken for itself. They've grown through referrals without ever having to articulate the impact they make. So they've skipped developing the language.

And you cannot charge for what you...

Marketing feels nebulous. Heavy. You don't know what to post. You sound like everybody else. So you post when you need a client, then disappear. Nobody hears from you until you panic and need another client. 

Maybe you tried Instagram for a few weeks, then Facebook groups, then cold DMs, then Threads. You're showing up in random places with no purpose and it feels pointless. So you quit. Then panic. Then cycle again.

Here's why: You're doing marketing decoupage, cute, but not effective. Marketing is meant to compound over time, but if you don't have a...

I see you posting things like "I help busy CEOs save time" or "I set up systems so you can scale" and I can't. I just can't. 

You are selling yourself so short. You're doing so much more than what you're telling people, and nobody is going to book you because you told them you can save them time.

Here's the truth: Your clients aren't hiring you because you save them time. They're hiring you because of what life feels like because of the time you save them. Because they can close their laptop and n...

When Colleen Florendo's sisters called her selfish for not lending her clothes, she didn't realize that word would become the foundation of her entire business philosophy. 

Today I'm talking with Colleen, an embodied messaging strategist and selfish(ish) leadership guide, about her journey from blog writing on Upwork to creating a totally unique offer that didn't take off for six months, but when it did, she couldn't keep up. 

We're diving into why she stuck with an offer nobody understood at first, how she transitioned from done-for-you to mentorship (and why that was terrifying), and wh...

I had a client ask me recently: "Do I need to get an OBM certification?"

I didn't say yes or no. Instead, I asked why she was asking. And through that conversation, she realized she already had the knowledge, what she was actually looking for was confidence.

Here's the thing: The VAs and OBMs who are growing their businesses versus the ones stuck at the same income level for years? It has absolutely nothing to do with how much they know. It has to do with what they do with the knowledge they already have.<...

I've done maybe a dozen business audits since I started offering them, and I've seen the same three things come up as the undercurrent of every single one.

So today I'm sharing the framework I use so you can audit your own business right now. Because here's what I find nine times out of ten: what you're building now is not actually going to get you to your goal. Sometimes it's a placeholder. Sometimes you're working really hard toward something you haven't actually consciously chosen.

In this episode, I'm breaking down the three questions to...

I took on my last OBM client even though I saw red flags on the discovery call. I needed the income, so I dismissed the tingles and took her on anyway. It was not great. Not great at all.

Here's what nobody tells you about discovery calls: You're not a candidate hoping to get picked. You're a business owner deciding whether this is someone you want to work with. It's a two-way decision.

In this episode, I'm sharing five questions to ask on discovery calls that will reveal whether someone is actually a good fit...

A TikTok about learning Spanish through exposure therapy and humiliation got me thinking about business. Not in the way you think.

Here's the thing: I know you're already uncomfortable. You're already pushing through, hustling, saying yes to clients, taking on projects, showing up. That's not your problem. That's actually the part that's going to burn you out.

In this episode, I'm breaking down the difference between the wrong kind of uncomfortable (working harder, posting more, taking on more clients) and the RIGHT kind of uncomfortable, the kind that comes from changing the game completely.

Kim Vargo was a high school math teacher for 10 years. She had three-and-a-half-year-old twins. Her heart just wasn't in teaching anymore, and she was desperately Googling "what can I do besides teaching" while feeling completely pigeonholed. Then she found the world of virtual assistants and took the leap—even though she had no idea if she could make consistent money. 

In this episode, Kim shares how she went from general VA work to becoming a certified Dubsado specialist for wedding professionals, why she's not afraid to just try things and pivot if they don't work, and her big...

I left my nursing career specifically for slow mornings. I'm not a morning person, I wanted to wake up naturally, sip tea on my balcony, meditate, take long dog walks, and ease into my workday feeling centered.

That lasted for about a week. Then I had 8 clients, then 10, then 12. I was waking up to Slack notifications before I'd even opened my eyes. Working through breakfast. Responding to clients on Saturdays because I wanted to keep them.

 In this episode, I'm breaking down why slow mornings don't happen by accident, how I built my business backwards (a...

Is it even possible to slow down and make more money as a done-for-you service provider? Because when you look at your business now and actually add up the numbers, you run out of hours in the day. But what if slowing down is actually how you make more money? Not in spite of it, but because of it.

I know that sounds backwards. Especially when you're drowning in client work, working all the time, and still not meeting your income goals. In this episode, I'm breaking down why the hustle harder approach is keeping you stuck...

Picture this: You just finished a client call. You showed up, you delivered, you were professional. But now you're staring at your to-do list feeling resentful. Not because the work is terrible or you hate your clients, but because somewhere along the way, you started feeling like someone else's assistant instead of a business owner.

In this episode, I'm breaking down the difference between operating as an employee in your business versus stepping into the CEO role, the three things that create this dynamic, and why you can have the perfect offer and systems but still feel...

Here's a confession: I was not born a naturally brave person when it comes to change. My body's reaction was tight chest, nausea, the urge to stay exactly where I was, even if it kind of sucked. And that physical "no" reaction is what I want to talk about today, because there's a paradox I see constantly in business: we stay in situations that make us miserable because they're familiar.

In this episode, I'm breaking down the comfort zone paradox, why your nervous system would rather keep you stressed but predictable than move you toward something better...

What happens when your business looks successful on the outside but you're miserable behind the scenes? I'm getting vulnerable today and sharing three major business mistakes I made as a VA and OBM that led to complete burnout, even though I was making consistent income and had replaced my 9-5 in just five months. If you're in a business that technically works but isn't flowing like you want it to, this story is for you.

In this episode, I'm walking through my biggest mistakes...exactly what happened, why it happened, and what I wish I'd known back...

You just signed another client, but instead of feeling excited, your stomach drops. Because you know exactly what happened, they want you for work you've been trying to move away from for the past year. You say yes anyway (because bills), then spend the next three months resenting every time their name pops up in your inbox. Sound familiar?

This isn't a marketing problem or a messaging issue. It's an identity split, and it's the thing keeping you at the same income level month after month. You're saying one thing but selling another, and your business follows...

You've created this amazing specialization, you're excited about it, and then it's time to launch. Suddenly your brain starts screaming: "Wait, what if this isn't right? What if nobody wants this? What if I picked wrong?" If you've ever felt paralyzed by doubt right before putting yourself out there, you need to hear this.

Here's what's actually happening: your nervous system is taking normal launch nerves and turning them into evidence that you're not ready. But there's a difference between "this is scary and new" versus "this genuinely doesn't align with me." In this episode, I'm breaking...

Are you updating your Instagram bio for the millionth time, trying to figure out if you're an OBM, VA, or project manager? Every time you say one of those titles, it feels like wearing someone else's clothes that don't quite fit. You pick "OBM" because it sounds legit, but then clients expect you to do everything, and half of it you don't even want to do.

Industry labels like OBM and VA are just buckets. They're helpful for LinkedIn searches, but they don't communicate your actual value or attract the clients who need what you're brilliant at...

Do you ever catch yourself saying "I'm just good at planning" or "I just see the big picture"? If you're downplaying what comes naturally to you because it feels too easy, you're hiding the exact thing your ideal clients are desperately searching for.

Most service providers think they need to offer everything, strategy, implementation, daily management, to be successful. But here's what actually happens: you end up burnt out, doing work you hate, and attracting clients who want all the things instead of the one thing you're brilliant at. In this episode, I'm breaking down why you...

In this episode of Soulpreneur Scaling Stories, I'm tackling one of the most frustrating challenges VAs and OBMs face: when people love what you offer but vanish when it's time to sign. You've tweaked your services, rewritten your sales page, maybe even lowered your prices—and yet clients who say they're interested disappear at contract time.

So what's really going on? Is it your offer? Your audience? Or is there a deeper misalignment you haven't identified yet?

In this solo episode, I'm walking you through a clear framework to evaluate whether the problem is your of...

Ever lie awake at 11 PM wondering if you should just shut your business down? You're making money, clients seem happy, but internally you feel exhausted and disconnected from work that used to light you up.

If that sounds familiar, this episode is for you.

In this solo episode, I'm breaking down the difference between business failure and business evolution - and why confusing the two can lead you to walk away from something that just needs to shift.

Sometimes what feels like failure is actually your business nudging you toward growth. The trick...

In this episode of Soulpreneur Scaling Stories, I sit down with Matt Quinones, a Virtual Assistant specializing in travel coordination and event management. Matt shares his journey from working at the Walt Disney Company on Broadway events to building his own retreat coordination business—and how creating a core offer in his first year transformed his confidence and clarity.

Matt openly discusses the corporate-to-entrepreneur transition, the pandemic's role in his reflection on who he was serving, and why he decided to apply his event planning expertise to help small business owners and retreat leaders. We dive deep in...

Oh my goodness, 100 episodes! I literally cannot believe we've hit this incredible milestone. When I started this podcast back in June 2023, I had absolutely no strategy, no plan - just this intuitive, burning desire to share the real, messy behind-the-scenes of what it's actually like to build a service business.

 And honestly? Thank God for my podcast manager because I had no clue what I was doing! But if you've ever thought "I'm not ready" for that business pivot, new offer, or big scary project, this celebration episode is going to hit you right in the feels.

In this episode of Soulpreneur Scaling Stories, I'm diving into why marketing feels so hard for VAs, OBMs, and service providers, and why it's absolutely not your fault. 

If you've ever stared at a blank screen wondering what to post, felt guilty about not being "consistent" with content, or wondered why marketing advice never seems to work for you, this episode will change everything.

I break down the three major reasons why standard marketing advice fails service providers: wrong business model assumptions, wrong personality assumptions, and unrealistic time expectations. Most marketing advice is designed for c...

In this episode of Soulpreneur Scaling Stories, I sit down with Sara Hall, who transformed from a burned-out VA managing 8 clients while homeschooling two kids to creating her signature offer as "The Time Away VA." Sara shares her raw, honest journey through corporate conditioning, imposter syndrome, and the mindset work that led to her breakthrough.

During our conversation, Sara reveals how working together in my Expansion program helped her recognize her unique magic - something she'd been doing for clients all along but never valued as a business skill. She opens up about the limiting beliefs that...

Ever feel like your content is solid and your offers are good, but somehow people just aren't buying the way they used to? You're not alone.

If you've been showing up consistently but wondering why your sales have stalled, this episode reveals the real reason behind slow sales (and it's not your expertise). Most VAs, OBMs, and service providers are missing a crucial shift in buyer behavior that's happening right now.

In this episode, I explore why people are more hesitant to invest than ever before and what you can do about it. I share...

Ever feel like your marketing is just... not working? You're either avoiding it completely because you don't know what to say, or you're posting everywhere but no one's booking calls.

The problem isn't that you need to do more marketing—you need clearer messaging. When your message is scattered, you're essentially waving a flashlight around hoping someone notices, instead of being the lighthouse that guides exactly the right people straight to you.

In this episode, I'm breaking down why "doing more marketing" isn't the answer and sharing a simple framework that can transform how you ta...

Ever feel paralyzed when you get conflicting advice from different business experts? You're not alone.

If you've ever found yourself asking multiple coaches the same question, getting different answers, and feeling more confused than when you started, this episode will change everything for you.

The truth is, every time you seek external validation for your business decisions without checking in with yourself first, you're rewiring your brain to believe that everyone else knows better than you. This creates a dependency that keeps you stuck in decision paralysis instead of building the self-trust muscle you need...

In this episode of Soulpreneur Scaling Stories, I sit down with Rebecca Carmensita, a client experience and systems strategist who has mastered the art of building a service business that truly supports her lifestyle. Currently based in Korea as a digital nomad, Rebecca shares how she evolved from a general virtual assistant to a specialized systems expert who confidently refers out clients who aren't the right fit.

During our conversation, Rebecca reveals her journey from feeling overwhelmed as a "do-everything" VA to discovering her zone of genius in systems strategy. She openly discusses the mindset shifts required...

You've blocked Friday afternoon for CEO time. No client calls, no urgent requests—just you, your laptop, and that business strategy you've been putting off for weeks. Then your phone buzzes with a Slack notification: "Can you fix this ASAP?" Your CEO time is gone again.

If you've ever felt the crushing disappointment of having your strategic thinking time hijacked by someone else's emergency, this episode is for you. It's not that you're bad at time management—your business is structured to pull you into reactive mode every single time you try to think strategically.

In t...

In this episode of Soulpreneur Scaling Stories, I sit down with Faith Morris, a remote operations partner who works with "organized psychopaths"—visionary entrepreneurs with small teams who are incredibly organized but overwhelmed by the infrastructure needs of their growing businesses. Faith shares her unconventional approach to client experience and why authentic human connection trumps perfect systems every time.

During our conversation, Faith reveals why most service providers are focusing on the wrong things when it comes to client experience. She breaks down the difference between client journey and client experience, shares specific examples of small touches th...