📌 Disclaimer: The rates below reflect U.S.-based virtual assistant averages compiled from PayScale, Indeed, Glassdoor, ZipRecruiter, and SideStackers as of 2026. Actual rates vary based on experience, niche, and scope of work. If you've been Googling this, you're not alone. It's one of the most searched questions by business owners who are finally ready to get help. Here's the honest breakdown for U.S.-based VAs: Entry-Level General VA (email, scheduling, data entry, basic admin) $15 — $25/hour for beginners handling general administrative tasks. MicroMD Mid-Level VA (executive support, CRM management, project coordination) $25 — $40/hour for VAs with 2-5 years of proven experience and reliable systems. MicroMD Expert & Specialized VA (operations, social media strategy, bookkeeping, real estate, healthcare) $40 — $75/hour for niche experts in specialized industries. MicroMD Average U.S. Rate Across All Levels PayScale puts the median U.S. VA hourly rate at $19.45 in 2026, with the full range sitting between $12 and $30/hour. Glassdoor reports a slightly higher average of $25/hour based on over 2,800 salary submissions as of April 2026. Monster.com UPbook Monthly Retainer (most common model) Part-time retainers typically run $300 — $1,500/month for 10-40 hours depending on experience level. Full-time executive assistant retainers can reach $3,500 — $6,000/month. MicroMD Project-Based One-time deliverables - content calendars, launch support, SOP buildouts - typically range from $200 - $1,500+ depending on scope.

Most VAs are looking for clients on Facebook groups and LinkedIn. A lot of them forget about Reddit. Reddit is another place where business owners go to say exactly what they need, no filters, no highlight reels, just real problems looking for real solutions. It can be a little wild there but you can find real opportunity. And the way you get clients there has nothing to do with pitching. Module 20 shows you exactly where to find them and how to show up in a way that actually works. Go check it out in the classroom. 👇

These days our social media accounts are like our storefront. Even if we're not as active on socials as we'd like to be it's important if we have accounts to have them up to date. Just imagine if a random business owner finds you on an Instagram comment or LinkedIn group - what are they seeing? One thing I want you to do this week that most people skip: Create a pinned PSA post. This is your "start here" post. People are nosey. 😆 So if you post something someone likes, many times that person just may scroll through your profile. So that PSA post tells them exactly who you are, what you do, and who you help. It should answer three things [similar to your 'I help' statement]: 👉🏽 Who are you? 👉🏽 What do you do? 👉🏽 Who do you do it for? Example: "Hi, I'm [name]. I'm a virtual assistant specializing in [niche]. I help [type of client] with [main service] so they can [outcome]. If that sounds like you — let's connect." Pin it. Make it the first thing they see. If you go to my IG profile you will see my pinned post is for our Do the Boring work community. And I think it's time I update that so check back in with me this week, too. Your profile isn't about having a perfect feed. It's about making sure the right person knows immediately that you can provide s valuable service for them. I'm going to check in with you all at the end of this week.

To the moms building a business between drop-off and pickup. To the moms who answer emails after bedtime. To the moms doing this for their kids even when their kids will never know how hard it was. To the moms doing this so that they can find their pink again. To the women who mother others - clients, community members, friends - without the title. I see you. I appreciate you. I honor you. 💜

I am so dang excited about this! Do any of you use Claude Design? Or in this way? Threads is my space. But I need to start showing up on Instagram too. And while I love Canva, I am Canva'd out after all the work I do in it daily for clients. I was watching a YouTube video earlier and learned that Claude can create graphics and send them directly to Canva in a format you can actually edit. I spent 2 hours figuring this out. Now it's my new favorite hack and I can finally commit to create quote graphics for my Insta with no excuses. I created 12 simple branded quote graphics for my account. Before you try it, do these two things first. They're EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. 1. Connect Claude to Canva. Go to claude.ai → profile → Settings → Connectors → find Canva → hit Connect. You only do this once. 2.🚨🚨🚨WARNING🚨🚨🚨 Write your prompt in regular Claude chat first. Claude Design uses separate token limits and requires very specific prompting. Before you open Claude Design, ask Claude chat to help you build your prompt. Give it the text for your graphics, your color hex codes, font style, size, how many graphics, and your Instagram handle for the bottom. The more specific your prompt, the fewer back and forth messages you burn through. Then follow these steps: Step 1 — Open Claude Design. Go to claude.ai/design and start a new project. It's completely separate from your regular Claude chat. Step 2 — Paste your prompt and let it build. Claude generates everything on the canvas on the right. Use your arrow keys to flip through and review each page. Step 3 — Request editable files (don't skip this). When you're happy with the designs, type this exactly: "Re-export to Canva as a PPTX with editable text layers." 🚨🚨🚨 If you skip this step your graphics come into Canva as flat images you cannot edit. 🚨🚨🚨 Step 4 — Click the Canva link. Claude gives you a link that says Open in Canva. Click it. Your file opens with all pages ready to edit.