From corporate EA to franchise founder. Find out how Suzy Sanders built Alchemy Virtual Assistance UK to a thriving franchise. She also talks about why she believes success comes down to three powerful Cs."If you're not out there and you're not visible, then you're going to be the best VA in the world with no clients."Holly is joined by Suzy Sanders, founder and franchiser of Alchemy Virtual Assistance UK. She shares her incredible journey from feeling lost to building an award-winning VA business that's approaching its 10th anniversary.Suzy opens up about the pivotal moment when she nearly quit and how a conversation became the turning point that transformed her business. She reveals the challenges of working with associates early to finding the perfect franchising model to serve clients meaningfully whilst supporting other VAs.She also discusses benefits of PR, the vulnerability of putting yourself out there, and why slow, sustainable growth has been key to building the right franchise community.Stick around to the end as Suzy shares her framework for success: the three Cs, competency, community, and credibility. Emphasising that developing these equally is essential for growth and momentum.Key takeaways:1️⃣ Build your foundations equally across the three Cs. Develop your competency, community, and credibility in equal measure.2️⃣ Embrace visibility as a long-term investment. Whether it's PR, awards, or social media, showing up consistently is non-negotiable.3️⃣ Allow your business to evolve. Don't get fixated on one path or model. Be open to flexing your approach, trying different models, and pivoting when something isn't working. Your business should serve your life, not the other way round.Take stock of your three Cs today. Where are you strongest? Where do you need to invest more energy? Write down one action you can take this week in your weakest area, whether that's booking a training course, reaching out to connect with someone in your industry, or finally hitting publish on that post you've been drafting. Remember, "if you don't put your hat in the ring, you're not going to get picked."Check out 'Building a Dream Team' episodeJoin The Visionary VA Facebook Group

Resources 👇Get our Free mini course on Creating Solid Business FoundationsHiring Associates free guideFree Monthly Metrics Tracker downloadVisit our website

A hard year does not get the final say on who you are and your capabilities. If 2025 knocked your confidence, this episode is about closing one chapter properly, without dragging it into the next one. We’ll cover how to set yourself up to move into 2026 feeling steadier, clearer and confident."Confidence doesn't come from never struggling. It comes from knowing you can handle it when you do."You know when a year doesn't quite go how you thought it would? That was 2025 for many of us. In this honest and reflective episode, we're talking about acknowledging the tough year without beating ourselves up, understanding that even high performers wobble, and recognising that confidence isn't constant. It's something you rebuild.This isn't about pretending last year didn't affect you. It's about recalibrating. We explore three key priorities for the year ahead: health (because everything else depends on it), mindset (because it shapes everything you see), and focus and alignment (the real game changer). You don't need to be louder this year. You need to be clearer. This episode is about leading your business with yourself, not against yourself, and building a new chapter on self-trust, focus and steadier confidence.Key takeaways:1️⃣ Even experienced business owners doubt themselves sometimes. Even leaders have days where they don't feel on top of it. You're not failing. A tough year means you're navigating challenges like everyone else.2️⃣ Your health underpins everything including your energy, your patience, your clarity, and your resilience. Rest is not laziness. Mindset is the key to success because it changes how much power problems have over you.3️⃣ If 2025 knocked your confidence, you are not behind or broken. Take this time to reflect.Let 2026 be intentional. Take a moment this week and reflect on your needs. What do you want to release, and how can you run a business that works with your life, not against it? Learn from last year, so that this can be your year to thrive.Check out 'Reflect, Recharge, and Build a Growth Mindset for 2025'.Join The Visionary VA Circle Facebook Group.Resources 👇Get our Free mini course on Creating Solid Business Foundations.Download our Hiring Associates free guide.Free Monthly Metrics Tracker download.Check out our website.

If you've ever felt that knot in your stomach when looking at your business finances - or found yourself undercharging because you're afraid to ask for what you're worth, this episode is for you. Today we're dropping the shame around money and getting informed about the numbers that matter in your virtual assistant business.“If you're informed, you're empowered. If you're empowered, you make great decisions. Empowered women empower women.”I'm joined by Ruth Freestone, founder of Root-ed Accounting, a judgement-free accountant on a mission to help ambitious women get informed, stay compliant and drop the shame around their numbers.We dive deep into the real reasons why so many women in business feel intimidated by their finances and undercharge for their services. Ruth shares practical advice on the first numbers every VA should get comfortable with, the financial mistakes she sees most frequently, and what healthy profit margins actually look like for VA businesses – especially if you're building an agency model.We talk about money mindset, financial empowerment and the small habits that make the biggest difference to financial clarity. Ruth also shares the essential financial groundwork you need to lay before growing a team, the bookkeeping tools that can simplify your life and the questions you should be asking when interviewing potential accountants.Key takeaways:1️⃣ Get comfortable with your core numbers. Start with the basics: your revenue, your expenses, and your profit. Understanding these three numbers gives you the foundation to make informed decisions about pricing, team growth and business sustainability.2️⃣ So many women carry shame around their finances and numbers – whether it's not earning enough, undercharging, or simply not understanding their finances. Financial empowerment means getting informed, staying compliant, and recognising that you should charge what you're worth.3️⃣ Lay the groundwork before you grow. If you're thinking about building a team or scaling to an agency model, get your financial systems sorted first. Know your profit margins, understand your true costs, and make sure you have bookkeeping processes in place.This week, take one small step towards financial clarity. Check your profit margin, review your pricing or (finally) book that call with an accountant you've been putting off. Whatever it is, remember that you are the customer. Ask questions, demand clarity, and take up space in these conversations. This is your financial empowerment.About Ruth:Judgement-free Accountant supporting ambitious women to get informed, stay compliant and drop the shame around their numbers.Where to find Ruth:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruth-freestone/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ruth.freestone.accountantBusiness Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/root.ed.accountingResources 👇Reflect, Recharge, and Build a Growth Mindset for 2025: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4d4z9RPV6KpfJqq9K740Gy?si=89f6adfdbef346e3One-to-one mentoring for virtual assistants: https://visionaryvacircle.co.uk/mentoring/Get our Free mini course on Creating Solid Business Foundations: https://pages.visionaryvacircle.co.uk/scale-with-successHiring Associates free guide: ⁠https://pages.visionaryvacircle.co.uk/hiring-associatesFree Monthly Metrics Tracker download: https://pages.visionaryvacircle.co.uk/monthly-metrics-trackerFind us at: ⁠https://visionaryvacircle.co.uk/