Virtual Assistant Day falls on the third Friday of May and it feels like the perfect moment to pull back the curtain on what I actually do, how Bright Idea Productivity came to exist in the first place and what a day in the life of a Virtual Assistant for creative businesses looks like.
Because honestly, it did not start with a business plan or a grand vision.
It started with a decision I made as a mum who wanted to be home for her children.
How it all started
My husband works as a consultant and spends a lot of time away from home. I knew that when our children were growing up I needed to be the one who was there for them. The school runs, the after school moments, the impromptu conversations that only happen when you are actually present.
So I built a creative business that made that possible, working around my family's needs as so many mothers do. Flexible. Family first. Fitted around real life rather than the other way around.
Then 2020 happened.
When Covid hit it changed everything in a way none of us had expected. So many creative small business owners were struggling. Events disappeared overnight. Businesses that had always worked in person suddenly had to figure out how to exist online. I watched people I knew navigating all of that and I wanted to do something useful.
At the time I was working with a business mentor to improve my own creative business. She created a social room where creative business owners could connect, chat, make things and get things done together, since we could not get out of the house the way we had before. These turned into regular weekly co-work sessions that I hosted for her. It was my way to help others stay accountable and get things done while also carving out time to work on my own creative business.
I did not realise it then but those co-work sessions were the beginning of everything that followed.
That support gradually evolved. One conversation led to another, one bit of help turned into ongoing work and before long I had built something I could genuinely call a business.
Bright Idea Productivity grew out of a genuine desire to help creative business owners do more of what they love by taking the rest off their plate.
Even though my family has grown up a bit, life still has a habit of throwing curveballs. Being flexible and building a working life that allows for that is something that is really important to me.
What is a VA?
It happens every time I introduce myself to friends, family or even the visiting tradesperson.
"What do you do?"
I say 'I am a VA. A Virtual Assistant. I help business owners run their businesses and get things done.'
But honestly it is so much more than that.
I step in where things feel overwhelming or unfamiliar. I handle the tasks business owners do not have the time or know-how to tackle. I keep memberships organised, make sure recordings from live sessions are uploaded and ready for their audience and help keep newsletters and social media consistent. Sometimes I even sit alongside clients in coworking sessions so they can focus and actually make progress, even if it is just for an hour.
So what does A Day in the Life of a Virtual Assistant for Creative Businesses actually look like?
People ask me this a lot. The answer is different every day which is one of the things I love most about it. But here is an honest look at how a typical day tends to look for me.
A day in the life of a Virtual Assistant for Creative Businesses on a typical working day at Bright Idea Productivity
- Morning: school drop off done and a bit of time to myself before sitting down for the day with breakfast
- Start of the day: check in with client emails and messages and see if anything needs a quick response
- Morning work session: this might be writing and scheduling social media content for a creative who would rather be making things or offering their services than staring at a blank caption box, updating a client website with new products and prices, or working on a newsletter for someone who is planning their membership content and needs help staying consistent
- Lunch: something quick and easy, away from the screen where possible
- Afternoon work session: continuing client work, responding to messages and co-work sessions with clients who find accountability helpful and a good way to get back into work after a lunch break
- Mid afternoon: school pickup and a proper break away from the screen
- End of day: wrap up, check nothing urgent has come in and step away
The beauty of how I work is that it flexes. If my family is around I focus on family time. If a client has something urgent it gets prioritised. If I need a slower morning I take one. That flexibility is not a luxury for me. That’s the whole point!
"It is not the load that breaks you down, it is the way you carry it."
Lou Holtz
Who I work with
I work with a mix of creative businesses doing a mix of tasks. Aritists, photographers, makers, coaches and solo business owners who are brilliant at what they do but find the admin, the content and the business operations side of things hard to keep on top of.
I have a background in graphic design myself and I run my own creative business, which means I genuinely understand the world my clients are working in. I am not just doing the tasks. I get why they matter and I care about the results.
My clients often say that everyone needs a Kirsty! That is probably the thing I am most proud of hearing.
If any of this sounds familiar
Whether you are considering working with a VA for the first time, wondering if now is the right moment or simply curious about how it all works, I hope this gives you a clearer picture of what it actually looks like in practice.
It is not about handing everything over and losing control. It is about getting the right support so you can spend more of your time on the work you actually love.
Not sure where to start?
I have put together a free checklist called 10 Signs Your Week Needs a Serious Reset for creative business owners who feel like their working week is running them rather than the other way around. It is a good place to start if you are not quite sure what you need yet.
If this sounds far too familiar, this is for you!
10 Signs Your Week Needs a Serious Reset
Is your creative business running you?
You started your creative business to do work you love. But somewhere along the way, the to-do list took over and now your week needs a serious reset!
The emails, the admin, the content, the endless small tasks that never seem to get done…
...but never seem to go away either!
How I Can Assist and Support You?
Fed up of all the various admin tasks stopping you from creating your products or supplying the service.
Is it time to get back to what you enjoy about you business?
Download your copy of the Supporting You - Our Services PDF to see a list of the time-consuming tasks I can help and support you with. That wide range of nitty-gritty jobs that often get pushed to the bottom of your to-do list.
Whether it's administrative work, social media management, or specialised tasks, I can provide support that’s tailored to your specific requirements.
Need assistance... but not quite sure where?
Tick off the tasks that you require the most support with... it's time for you to focus on what truly matters in your business!
Meet Kirsty
Virtual Assistant
Providing assistance, creativity, and support. Whether it's maintaining consistent marketing content or implementing your strategies and systems.
With over a decade of experience as an online creative business owner, over two decades as a graphic designer, I am here to assist and support business owners, entrepreneurs and creative individuals to tackle the daily demands of running your business.
I’ve have often been called a productivity queen, understanding the daily struggle of trying to fit all your tasks into the limited hours available, which often leads to feelings of overwhelm.
After my initial client sought me out, as a virtual assistant, looking for consistency and support, it dawned on me that my logical and systematic approach could make a difference to so many more of you on your business journeys.