Luisa’s Inspiring Journey as a Virtual Assistant
Luisa Croci, a working mom who reinvented herself as a Virtual Assistant after retirement, proves it’s never too late to change careers and find new fulfillment. In this interview, she shares her journey of professional reinvention, offering advice to women who want to continue working or reinvent themselves, especially after motherhood.
1. Professional Reinvention: What motivated you to become a virtual assistant, and how did you navigate the transition to this new career?
“After retiring, I felt the need to do something of my own, leveraging my experience in administration. I discovered the world of virtual assistants thanks to Monia, Chiara, and Francesca, who advised me to get training before starting. I took a course with Francesca, which gave me the necessary tools to start this new adventure.”
2. Overcoming Age Limits: Have you ever encountered age-related obstacles in this field, and how did you overcome them? How has your life experience benefited you?
“I haven’t encountered any age-related obstacles. On the contrary, I felt that my experience is an advantage because it inspires trust in clients. Of course, I had to prove that I could use modern technological tools, but that wasn’t a problem.”
3. An Example for Women: What would you say to women who want to continue working or reinvent themselves professionally? What advice would you give them?
“I would tell them never to get discouraged, to seek help from their network, to continuously train, and to use technology to their advantage. It’s also important to have confidence in themselves and their abilities.”
4. Motherhood and Professional Development: How did being a mother influence your professional skills in your first job (where you held a managerial role) and prepare you for the role of a virtual assistant?
“My experience as a working mom was unique because, having a family business, I could decide my own hours. However, I learned to manage my time efficiently and balance work and family, skills that have been useful to me as a virtual assistant.”
5. Work-Life Balance: How did you and do you manage your time between work, family, and other activities? What are your “secrets” to maintaining a healthy balance?
“When I worked in my company, it was difficult to maintain balance because I worked long hours. Now, as a virtual assistant, I can manage my time better and also dedicate myself to other activities, like volunteering.”
6. Advantages of Virtual Assistance: What are the main advantages of working as a virtual assistant compared to other work options?
“The main advantages are flexible hours, a sense of independence, and the ability to work remotely. Also, I was able to develop new skills, such as financial management, and build trusting relationships with clients.”
7. Finding Clients and Building a Career: How did you find your first clients, and what strategies did you use to build a successful career as a virtual assistant?
“My first client came through acquaintances, then I used my network to find other clients. I recommend starting to follow virtual assistants on social media and interacting with them; maybe someone has a small job to pass on.”
8. Challenges and Advice: What have been the biggest challenges you’ve faced in this profession, and what advice would you give to those who want to take this path?
“The main challenges were overcoming the initial resistance to taking the plunge and finding clients. I recommend finding a niche, using social media to make yourself known, and not getting discouraged if you don’t find many clients right away.”
9. Impact on Life: How has working as a virtual assistant changed your life? What are the greatest satisfactions you’ve achieved?
“This job has allowed me to continue doing what I love, have more free time to dedicate to other activities, and build trusting relationships with clients.”
10. Professional Future: What are your future plans as a virtual assistant? Do you have specific goals you want to achieve in this career?
“My goal is to continue working as a virtual assistant, maintaining a balance between work and personal life. I don’t have specific long-term goals, but as long as my mind and body work, I will continue to do this job, which gives me a lot of satisfaction.”
We conisder Luisa’s journey an inspiration to all moms considering a career change or re-entering the workforce.
