You want to start or grow your virtual work. But, setting up your own shop, even if it’s part time requires that you get familiar with a lot of stuff, and fast. From starting a business & scaling it; understanding legalities, maintaining systems. You will also need to define your unique selling proposition, aligning your mindset and working with social media, a business demands you to be adept at it all.
A lot of moms are also looking for flexible, work from home opportunities. In fact, if working as a virtual assistant (VA) or professional has been on your mind, now is the best time for moms to be Virtual Professionals.
Our Members are hiring. Are you a VA, Designer, Coach, Techie and more? List your business for free on Maroon Oak!
While it’s relatively easy to glean established and expert insights via online resources today, time is often at a premium for most of us. Before you invest in paid learning resources like courses etc. consider Podcasts!
Podcasts are an awesome – and free! – way to get ideas and tips from others and they are super-convenient to access and listen to, at any time.
Get answers to all your burning questions with these 10 impactful business podcasts for Virtual Professionals and VAs.
The best part – you can tune in hands-free, while driving, working out or even doing kitchen chores.
Being Boss Podcast
Presenting under three awesome Podcast formats- Being Boss, Making a Business and 10 minutes to being Boss A Podcast, hosts Kathleen Shannon and Emily Thompson offer from-the-trenches advice and illuminating interviews with experts. These are podcasts for creative entrepreneurs, freelancers and side-hustlers, to help them know what it takes to launch your own business, do the work, and be boss in work and life.
For your VA business, check out the episode on the difference between a “freelancer” and a “business owner,” or episode 181 on how to build a Community over Competition.
What Works Podcast
Tara McMullin figured that what works for one business might not work for another. With honest conversations with other small business owners, she affirms the resourcefulness and creativity all entrepreneurs have in common and elaborates on the nitty-gritty of running a small business. The podcast covers topics like finding a niche in a crowded market (194) to finding New Customers Without Marketing Your Life Away (160).
If you are growing your virtual services portfolio, explore episode 188 where she talks of the art of de-cluttering a business to streamline and focus on just one core offer, in order to provide a deeper level of service.
With members from over 30+ industries, hire or collaborate with women entrepreneurs on Maroon Oak for all your business needs!
Goal Digger podcast
With her live-workshop style business podcast, Jenna Kutcher brings you tips to help you design your dream career, with topics on branding, business, inspiration and marketing. Give your small business the boost it needs, with steps for turning your knowledge into profit (254) and what to do if you have $5000 to start your business (253).
How to stand out as a VA – episode 168 is great to begin with as it talks about how to gain influence, communicate well, own your story, and connect with others in a powerful way. These are some absolute essentials for growing a business.
Pep Talks for Side Hustlers
Shannon Mattern shares a combination of expert interviews and her own insights, including her best insider tips, tactics and actionable strategies for starting a side hustle. Plus, the minute details of what it really looks like and how to grow a business while working full time at home or outside. Topics include how to Price (228), how attending Conferences can help you hustle (211) and even Social Selling (196).
Dive into episode 197 – a great talk on how to market yourself, especially when promoting yourself and putting yourself out there feels really uncomfortable.
The Support Squad
With her soothing voice, Virtual Assistant for life coaches, Sharon Nissen shares her power-packed tips in brief episodes. She created The Support Squad as a place where virtual assistants come together to share their best business tools and tips. Whether you are a new VA on how to get started or an established one on how to grow, check out this podcast to learn how to write a cold pitch email (20) or the art of showing up consistently(16).
Embark with episode 12 with a clever twist- where do clients look for Virtual Assistants. As a VA you have the go-to places to find clients, but why not flip this around and figure out where do women entrepreneurs turn to look for VA’s?
Want tools & freebies to learn and help grow your business?
Check out the best free eBooks, Courses, Guides, Workbooks for your business!
The Live Free Podcast
Micala Quinn and her guests impart helpful and actionable information to help you in your freelancing business, so the thought of working from home does not seem overwhelming and impossible. With her podcast, she “helps you realize why freelancing is the best work at home option for moms.”
Episodes include tips on landing clients, relationship marketing (47), leveraging free work into paying gigs (49) and more.
Start with episode 53 that walks you through the 7 steps to launch a freelance business and what to focus on (and not focus on) when you’re first starting out!
She Means Business Podcast
For creative and ambitious women contemplating the entrepreneurial path, Carrie Green’s podcast will provide realistic and practical tools you need. Listen to ideas on how to follow your heart and create a wildly successful business, with a computer and an Internet connection. As a virtual professional you have little in-person contact with your clients. So listen along as she runs you through topics such as how to go above and beyond (27), to understanding the power of persuasion in business (37).
Try episode 10 that inspires you to experiment your way to success, in order to take the pressure off.
Looking for ideas to work and be at home? Check out these 10 legit work from home options.
Basic Girl Marketing Podcast
Danielle Cevallos interviews with successful female entrepreneurs who share their stories and marketing tips for newbie entrepreneurs. From how to grow your business through referrals (45) to keeping your business legal (40), she covers myriad topics that spark an a-ha moment!
In Episode 36 they delve into branding and why a website is so important for your business!
The How She Did That Podcast
Created for Virtual Assistants and Online Business Managers to have a place to grow and learn, Tasha Booth effortlessly leads her guests, with questions to impart their expertise on tech, systems, and business. Or in other words, advice that can be immediately implemented. Episodes include strategic topics like building profits (30) or specific ones like using Pinterest (19), Slack (6) or Google Calendar (4).
Begin with Episode 3 for a mindset to start the right way with balancing your time and family needs. And also understanding that “hustling” and being a “hot mess” is NOT the goal.
Get more tips from the Pros to succeed as a Virtual Professional
Did we mention that it’s FREE!
Side Hustle with Soul Podcast
Dielle Charon focuses on a business’s biggest challenge- how to sign up clients consistently and stay motivated. Start with the episodes on understanding tech as an entrepreneur or finding focus as a multi-passionate creative.
As a VA, even if you focus on a niche, having tech smarts and the ability to visualize solutions will be important.
Conclusion
When starting and sustaining a business poses a million questions. So, isn’t it wonderful that we can listen to amazing entrepreneurs as friendly mentors, sharing their wisdom through their podcasts.
All you need to do to win is lend an ear.
You can’t use up creativity. The more you create, the more you have.
A Designer and Entrepreneur, Aditi graduated from a top design school and subsequently started her own design and merchandising business. Co-founder at Maroon Oak, she has over 17 years of business experience with Two Dotts, her design consulting company and an Etsy store which serves as an outlet for her gifts and patented product designs.
A mother to a teen and a tween, she enjoys running, dancing and raising her newest baby, a Bichon named Miltie.
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This is a wonderful list. I love listening podcasts I would definitely add these to my favorites!
Some great podcast to add to my list! Thank you
ThIs is an interesting read this postcard are well informative and educative will sharethis with my sister thanks for this info will really go a long way for me.
I love podcast, I listen to a lot of podcast too. To be honest I do learn a lot from it and its so interesting to hear professional people talking about their specialty and their story.
These podcasts are amazing! I think this list would be a big help!
Thanks, I was searching for some great podcasts to listen on the way home 🙂 great ideas 🙂
For some weird reason I thought podcasts were a thing of the past until recently and I’ve been thinking of checking some out, so this list is very timely thanks.
I’m always looking for some podcasts to listen to and learn from!!! This is such an awesome list. Thanks for sharing!!!!
VA’s are such a win-win. Offers job opportunities with the ultimate flexibility yet helps businesses accomplish all the little details that you simply could not do all yourself! Podcasting is such a great tool to help those who meed the info but dont have the time to read…or is that just me? Ahahha. You can gain so mich knowledge and I especially love those that has many featured guests to offer different perspectives on different topics.
I’ve had VAs help me in the past and often considered doing this type of work myself. I never thought to check out Podcasts to learn more about doing it.
I love podcasts over videos because (for me) they are better for multi-tasking. I could listen and keep my eyes on something. Will definitely consider the ones you mentioned
I’ve purchased almost all of the advice I’ve gotten for my blog. So I’ve never used podcasts. These ones sounds really helpful. I will definitely check it out.
There are a lot of very nice podcasts out there. This is a really great list of my favorites!
Podcasts are the most helpful pieces of homework a business person can do. This is a great post share for virtual entrepreneurs
I need to listen to all of these! Thanks for sharing, I’ll definitely be checking a few out!
What a fabulous idea! I need to add podcasts to my life fast.
Myrah, absolutely! Go for i!
omg i need this in my life. I am saving this post for later so I can listen to all of these!
It totally helps to have a handy list for when you have the time!
I think this will help a lot of start ups. I have literally learned a lot so quickly. These podcasts are amazing.
Thanks Hannah. Glad the list helps!
I’ve been getting into podcasts lately this is amazing! Thank you so much, these help a lot.
Thank Chad. Good to know!
I am very new to the podcast thing. I have been making a list of podcasts that I need to listen to and I’m so grateful for your awesome list. I had no clue where I should start.
Start with any one on the list. Each one of these podcasts covers a wide array of topics for addressing your business questions!!!
These sound awesome. I need to start listening to podcasts more often. I’ll be sure to keep these in mind.
Amber, I’m glad you find the list useful!
These podcasts look like so much fun to listen to I’m sure I’ll learn a thing or two from them!
Definitely Jennifer! I highly recommend you give them a try!