How I Went from $5/Hour to High-Ticket VA Clients (And How You Can Too)
A Letter to You; An Overworked VA That I Wish I Had Received Back Then
Hey friend,
I need to tell you something I wish someone had told me earlier in my VA journey:
You don’t need more clients. You need the right clients.
For so long, I believed the only way to grow my business was to take on more work, more clients, and more stress.
I was stuck in a cycle of:
🚩 Saying yes to every client (even the ones who made me want to scream into a pillow).
🚩 Charging whatever they were willing to pay (which wasn’t much).
🚩 Feeling like I was running on a treadmill—exhausted, overworked, and going nowhere.
I thought this was just how business worked. But then something happened that changed everything.
How I Went from a Burnt-Out Generalist to a High-Ticket VA
Let me take you back to when I was charging $5 an hour. Yes, you read that right. FIVE DOLLARS.
At the time, I was working 14-hour days, juggling a 9-5 as a chef while trying to build my VA business on the side. I didn’t see myself as a business owner. I called my VA work a side hustle, just something to bring in extra cash.
I said “yes” to anyone who would pay me. I offered social media, admin, data entry, customer service, you name it, I did it. And guess what?
💀 I hated it.
Not just because I was exhausted but because I felt replaceable. Clients saw me as an extra set of hands, not as a specialist. And that meant I was constantly fighting for scraps, struggling to justify my rates, and living in fear of losing clients.
Then I realised something…
The virtual assistants who were making REAL money weren’t doing what I was doing.
They weren’t juggling 10+ clients. They weren’t charging by the hour. They weren’t taking on anything and everything.
Instead, they had:
✔️ A specialty (aka a niche)
✔️ A premium offer (that solved a BIG problem)
✔️ A high-ticket positioning (clients came to THEM, not the other way around)
That’s when I knew I had to change everything.
The 3 Steps That Changed My VA Business Forever
I developed a simple framework that took me from $5/hour to premium retainers, and it’s the same system I teach my clients today.
It’s called the NPS Framework (Niche, Profit, Scale).
Step 1: Niche Down Like Your Business Depends on It (Because It Does)
If you try to help everyone, you’ll end up helping no one.
Once I stopped being a generalist and positioned myself as a specialist in digital marketing for digital marketing agencies, everything changed.
Clients started seeing me as a specialist, not just a task-doer. And specialists? They get paid way more.
Here’s how to find your profitable niche using my SPN Method:
🔹 Skills – What are you naturally great at?
🔹 Passions – What do you enjoy doing?
🔹 Needs – What services are in high demand in the market?
My client Amanda used this same strategy to go from being completely lost to landing high-ticket e-commerce clients within weeks.
Step 2: Package Your Services for High-Ticket Clients
Most VAs make one BIG mistake: they charge for time instead of results.
High-ticket clients don’t pay for hours worked. They pay for solutions.
Once I stopped selling time and started selling results, I went from charging hourly to locking in $1K+ retainers.
Here’s how to price your services using the C.A.S.H Formula:
💰 Client Alignment – Attract high-value clients who respect you.
💰 Aligned Offer – Package services to solve a premium problem.
💰 Strategic Pricing – Charge based on value, not hours.
💰 High-Ticket Positioning – Use testimonials & case studies to show authority.
My client Dale was stuck undercharging until he used this formula. Within weeks, he was landing $1K+ projects confidently.
➡️ Want to package your services for high-ticket clients? Join my masterclass: Booked, Balanced & Thriving VA.
Step 3: Scale Smart (So You Work Less & Earn More)
Scaling isn’t about working harder. It’s about working smarter.
When I was stuck juggling too many low-paying clients, I thought scaling meant hiring a team. But in reality?
Scaling meant systems.
Here’s how to streamline your business using my S.T.E.P.S. System:
⚡ Systems – Automate repetitive tasks.
⚡ Team – Know when & how to delegate.
⚡ Efficiency – Streamline workflow to get more done in less time.
⚡ Processes – SOPs for consistency & professionalism.
⚡ Strategic Growth – Scale into premium services & higher-paying offers.
My client Chelsea went from 7+ clients and still struggling to just 3 high-ticket clients on $2K retainers and finally got her time back.
➡️ Want to build a VA business that runs smoothly? Learn how in my Booked, Balanced & Thriving VA Masterclass.
Are You Ready to Get High-Ticket VA Clients?
Listen, I get it.
Charging higher rates feels scary. Niching down feels risky.
But let me tell you: staying stuck in low-paying, high-stress work is even scarier.
If you’re tired of undercharging, overworking, and feeling replaceable, it’s time to make a change.
And I can help.
Inside my Booked, Balanced & Thriving VA Masterclass, I’ll show you exactly how to:
✔️ Find your niche & position yourself as a specialist
✔️ Package & price your services for premium rates
✔️ Implement smart systems so you work less & earn more
No more burnout. No more guesswork. Just a clear roadmap to premium VA clients.
Join the free masterclass here: Save Your Spot.
If this resonated with you, let me know in the comments! Have you struggled with undercharging? Are you ready to go high-ticket? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Let’s build the VA business you actually want. 🧡