SIDE-HUSTLE SUMMER W/ YOUR BEHIND THE SCENES BFF KATE

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Carpool with Kelly and Lizz
Episode: SIDE-HUSTLE SUMMER W/ YOUR BEHIND THE SCENES BFF KATE
Release Date: May 27, 2025

Hosts Kelly Stumpe and Lizz St. John welcome listeners to another engaging episode of "The Carpool with Kelly and Lizz." This episode, titled "Side-Hustle Summer with Your Behind the Scenes BFF Kate," delves into the world of virtual assisting (VA) and side hustles, providing valuable insights and actionable advice for moms looking to balance work and family life.

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1. Casual Catch-Up and Summer Hacks (00:03 - 19:33)

The episode begins with Kelly and Lizz engaging in their trademark lighthearted banter about daily routines, meal prepping, and summer activities. They discuss:

• Meal Prep Tips: Lizz shares her journey into creating a healthier tuna salad recipe with the help of ChatGPT, emphasizing high-protein and low-calorie ingredients. (01:14)

  Liz: "That's a lot of protein."

• Summer Socializing: Kate recounts a family trip to Arizona, highlighting a perfect summer meal combining elements of Thanksgiving with fresh, seasonal ingredients. (04:15 - 05:45)

  Kate: "It's a perfect meal. No notes."

• Drink of the Summer: The conversation shifts to mojitos, with Kate praising their versatility and ease of making both alcoholic and non-alcoholic versions. (05:57 - 07:28)

  Liz: "Mojito is classy."

• Garage Transformation: Lizz discusses her innovative approach to utilizing the garage as a multifunctional space for workouts and family activities. (12:42 - 19:33)

  Liz: "I'm transforming now. I know not everyone has a garage, but for those who do, it's an unsung hero."

2. Introducing the Side Hustle Summer Series (19:34 - 20:49)

Lizz announces the launch of the "Side Hustle Summer" series, aiming to spotlight creative side hustles that moms can pursue to earn extra income without compromising their family time. Kate, a virtual assistant expert and Lizz’s best friend, is introduced as the first guest in this series.

Liz: "We're starting with Kate because she started out as a virtual assistant, and now she teaches people how to become virtual assistants."
Kate: "Being a VA is a legit job, and you can do it."

3. Kate’s Journey to Becoming a Virtual Assistant (20:50 - 26:25)

Kate shares her personal story of transitioning from a teaching career to becoming a virtual assistant:

• Background in Education: With a master’s in education, Kate initially aspired to change the world through teaching but felt a need for a different path.
• Introduction to Online Business: Her foray into network marketing introduced her to the online business landscape, sparking her interest in virtual assisting.
• Starting as a VA: Balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship, Kate leveraged her skills to assist others, eventually creating a program to teach fellow moms how to become VAs.

Kate: "If you have a VA, you can start totally brand new with nothing."
Liz: "That's amazing. I love that you combined your passion for teaching to bring it into the space to teach other women."

4. How to Start as a Virtual Assistant (26:26 - 33:42)

Kate provides actionable steps and essential skills for those interested in becoming VAs:

• Identify Transferable Skills: Emphasizes recognizing both hard and soft skills that are valuable in a VA role.

Kate: "You already have the skills that you need in order to be a VA. It's just looking at it from a different perspective."

• Pitching Yourself Effectively: Shares strategies for confidently approaching potential clients, including being specific and personable in pitches.

Kate: "Actually be specific. Number one, one of the best pitches that I got… she was like, I can really help you with these graphics."

• Determining Your Rate: Advises beginners to start at around $20/hour, adjusting based on experience and specialization.

Liz: "If you're a VA, like, what could $300 a month do for you?"
Kate: "I recommend they start at $20 an hour because they are getting a foundation of education through the program."

5. Personal Experiences with Virtual Assistants (33:43 - 39:47)

Host Lizz shares her positive experiences working with her VA, Maddie:

• Delegation and Growth: Lizz highlights how Maddie has evolved from handling simple tasks to taking on more responsibilities, significantly easing Lizz’s workload.

Liz: "She's so good about… she keeps my life together."
Kate: "Take ownership and treat the business as your own."

• Building Trust: Discusses the importance of clear communication and trust in a virtual working relationship.

Liz: "When she asked if she could handle additional tasks, I said yes, and it worked out perfectly."

6. Addressing Common Questions and Misconceptions (39:48 - 42:54)

The conversation tackles the impact of AI on the VA industry:

• AI vs. Human VAs: Kate reassures that AI cannot replace the personal touch and problem-solving abilities that human VAs bring to the table.

Liz: "AI is not lazy. There's a lot of creativity and ingenuity that comes out of laziness."
Kate: "People need people. AI can't forecast that Kelly needs help getting the Christmas gifts together."

7. Conclusion and Wrap-Up (42:55 - 47:11)

As the episode winds down, Kate shares a favorite family-friendly recipe:

• 15-Minute Chili Recipe: Kelly presents an easy, crowd-pleasing chili recipe perfect for busy families, highlighting its simplicity and popularity among her kids.

Kelly: "When you get older, I have no idea how we're gonna keep everything stocked, so chili is a lifesaver."
Liz: "Chili's not the perfect summer meal, but it's easy."

The episode concludes with heartfelt thanks to Kate for her insights and a reminder for listeners to subscribe and share the podcast.

Kelly: "Thank you for listening to the carpool podcast with Kelly and Liz."
Liz: "Follow Kate at yourBFFKate and come back next week for more Side Hustle Summers."

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Key Takeaways:

• Virtual Assisting as a Viable Side Hustle: VAs offer flexible work opportunities that can be tailored to fit a mom’s schedule, providing both income and personal fulfillment.
• Essential Skills for VAs: Recognizing and leveraging transferable soft and hard skills, such as organization, communication, and proficiency with tools like Canva.
• Effective Pitching Strategies: Personalization, specificity, and follow-up are crucial for successfully landing VA clients.
• Human Element in VA Work: The irreplaceable value of human creativity, problem-solving, and personal connection in the VA role.

This episode is a must-listen for moms seeking to explore side hustles that offer flexibility and growth, illuminated by Kate’s expertise and personal experiences.

Transcript

[Kelly]

Welcome to the carpool podcast with Kelly.

[Liz]

I'm just pulling on all my years of wisdom as a mother, all my past summers, and it's like, this is my summer. I'm telling you when I say I'm gonna hack summer.

[Kate]

And Liz, Kel, I fear you're just setting, like, unrealistic mom standards right now. Like, I could never. I can hardly get scrambled eggs ready for my. The three people that eat in my family. Your mom time off.

[Liz]

Start. Welcome back to the Carbo podcast with Kelly and Liz. Well, I guess I'll stop eating my lunch because it's like. Sorry, the choppiest lunch ever.

[Kate]

It is 9:45, which is crazy that you're eating lunch. It's crazy. No, it's not crazy that you're eating lunch. It's crazy what you're eating at 9:45. And that's how you know it's a hyper fixation meal.

[Liz]

Okay, first of all, I start craving lunch food. Like, I don't really eat a lot of breakfast. I'm just not, like, a breakfast food girl. Like, I don't know. Like, I'm not an egg girl. I kind of like eggs. It doesn' But I haven't really eaten, and I've been up since six.

[Kate]

Yeah. So time to break out the tuna.

[Liz]

I prepped a tuna salad.

[Kate]

Now, how'd you make it?

[Liz]

Okay, first of all, I have so much to say on this topic. One can of tuna is 33 grams of protein.

[Kate]

It's kind of the unsung hero.

[Liz]

It's giving significant.

[Kate]

Like that.

[Liz]

That's a lot of protein.

[Kate]

Yeah.

[Liz]

And I think I like tuna salad, but I think I've only ever had it like a Jimmy John Subway. And it's like, well, surely it's better if you make it. Like people make tuna salads. Like, it's got to be better than that. I kind of just made me and Chat. See, just kind of like, made this up together because I was at the grocery store and they had, like, a prepared dill dip. Have you ever had dill dip?

[Kate]

Yeah.

[Liz]

Yeah, it's good.

[Kate]

Yeah.

[Liz]

I think it's just like, sour cream and dill. Like, I don't know what it is, but it's good. So I said, tuna salad, dill dip, recipe. And Chat gave me a little recipe and I said, make it a little lower calorie. And she did that because she's just so, like, versatile. And I posted the recipe on my Instagram, but it's red onion, celery, dilda, Greek yogurt. Dijon lemon, salt, pep, dried parsley, because I had it and it's excellent.

[Kate]

Yeah, no, tuna's good.

[Liz]

It's so crazy. I'm. I'm a little bit on, like, a weight loss journey.

[Kate]

You know, I'm just like an after.

[Liz]

Like, after my babies. Like, I've gotta. I would like to lose just, like, a couple of pounds. Whatever. It is what it is. And what's so crazy is, like, the calories in condiments.

[Kate]

Yeah.

[Liz]

And how, like, what? I think, like, they're. They couldn't be more all over the place. Like barbecue sauce. Not a lot of calories. Chick fil A sauce. Check yourself at the door. So many calories. Salsa, no calories. I think it's only zero calorie. Salsa.

[Kate]

No, like, hot sauce, zero calories. Mustard, zero calories.

[Liz]

But like. Yeah, like garlic, parmesan, buffalo wild wings. Like, it's a. It's basically your whole meal.

[Kate]

Yeah.

[Liz]

It's just interesting.

[Kate]

No, it is interesting. It is interesting. Just. Well, and we said this too, because we love following smaller sand pcos. And we, like, love her fast food hacks. And she'll order, like, the chick fil a kale salad, and she's like, if you don't put the almonds on, you save 60 calories. And it's like, yeah, I didn't need the little nuts on top. Don't miss them.

[Liz]

No, but we're not here to save. Yes. But anyway, it's hard when you're, like, a girl. Like, I'm such a condiment sauce girl. But, like, one thing I started doing when I was making, like, I love just to make, like, grilled chicken and dip it in chick fil A sauce. Because, like, who doesn't like chick Fil a sauce?

[Kate]

Yeah.

[Liz]

What if I just said half chick fil a sauce, half barbecue? And it's. First of all, that's a hack. That's really good. Anyway, now I'm on this tuna salad grind. I. The problem is I don't want to overeat it because it's a good thing to have in my rotation. It's like, I don't want to hyper fixate on it because sometimes I feel like when I hyper fixate, then, like, I don't want it anymore.

[Kate]

You can't eat it. Yeah.

[Liz]

So I'm going to. I made it on yesterday, I made it today. And then I have to simply be done for a while.

[Kate]

Okay.

[Liz]

And then it's just like, it's. It's in the Rolodex. It's in my repertoire. But I'm not gonna. But I'm not gonna hyper fixate it.

[Kate]

Yeah. Well, you know what? My adding to my Rolodex, which this could probably be like one of the original Ditch the drive Throughs, but I just got back from Arizona, went out there, My parents went with us. It was good and also challenging, but mostly good and challenging. We were like, let's have dinner at home one day. So Chris and I were like, what should we make? And the perfect summer meal. No notes. Is grilled chicken Caesar salad wrap or just. Or not a wrap or a Caesar salad with chicken watermelon. We got burrata and tomatoes. We got corn on the cob, and we just had these giant plates of, like, the mo. The best summer food. And I'm eating it. I'm like, this is like a Thanksgiving meal where I want some Caesar, I want some Caesar dressing on my corn, and I want some burrata in my salad, and I want to dip my chicken and all of the combination together. It's like a Thanksgiving meal where everything just goes together and I don't even care if a little bit of watermelon juice gets in the mix. It's a perfect meal. No notes. I'm going to make it probably once a week, or I probably have to do it every two weeks because it's so good.

[Liz]

I love the idea of a summer Thanksgiving meal. That's really smart.

[Kate]

Yeah.

[Liz]

I'm ready for all. I'm ready for summer eats.

[Kate]

Me too.

[Liz]

I'm ready for summer eats.

[Kate]

Other thing about summer is drink of the summer mojitos. Holy smokes. Kel, have you had a mojito lately?

[Liz]

No.

[Kate]

Also excellent. No notes. Also, when I pulled up to Arizona, Charlotte and. Or our brother's girlfriend. Charlotte and our brother were there. They were leaving the day we got there, and Charlotte had welcome drinks for us.

[Liz]

Wow.

[Kate]

She had mojitos prepared. She recently started an Instagram.

[Liz]

Classy, huh?

[Kate]

A mojito's classy. It's really classy.

[Liz]

And don't get me wrong, I drink margarita all the time. Somehow it's classier than a margarita.

[Kate]

No, I think margaritas to their core have a little bit of trashiness to them. Not that I'm not gonna always drink them, but I think it's the tequila. I don't know.

[Liz]

A mojito's classy.

[Kate]

Mojito class.

[Liz]

I like to drink with an herb. It's giving health.

[Kate]

Totally. So she posted a reel on how to. How she makes it so, like, you can go follow her Shartay fit to find that real. But I also made virgin ones because I'm growing mint outside. Because who's not growing having mint and like a surplus of mint. I made my own simple syrup because I was out. And also, why are we buying simple syrup? Couldn't be easier to make, Honestly, like a total racket that they even sell it. I got like a. Like a lime tobo chico lacroix, something like that. And like limes and like, I could have one every single day. It's so refreshing.

[Liz]

Well, mojito is also fun because mojito is easy to mocktail.

[Kate]

It's the same. It tastes the same with or without alcohol in it.

[Liz]

Yeah, but other cocktails don't do that.

[Kate]

No, I'm honestly like, bring on a summer pregnancy because the way that I will not be feel like I'm missing out on anything.

[Liz]

I know. Mojitos are the drink of the summer. I need to make one. Yeah.

[Kate]

Are you growing mint?

[Liz]

You know, I'm not. I'm not.

[Kate]

Wow.

[Kelly]

I.

[Liz]

We have like, potted plant.

[Kate]

I'm working.

[Liz]

We're working through some things. Like Casa de Stompy has a lot of happenings around here. And my herb garden has. Because we don't. I don't have an herb garden. We have potted plants. And last year they had herbs, but this year we planted tomatoes in them instead.

[Kate]

Okay.

[Liz]

So it would just be a matter of going to get another pot and growing mint. Yeah, but I think you can just like grow mint. Like if I have like a section in my yard or. Is that crazy? No, it spreads. It needs to be.

[Kate]

It spreads. It's very invasive, but I do think it repels insects, which is why I originally planted it. But it is just a matter of, like, getting a pot, Kel. And I think you should. So you can just have endless mojitos and then make your own simple syrup. Here's how you make it. I'll tell you really quick ask Chat GBT this.

[Liz]

Everyone knows how to make simple syrup.

[Kate]

I didn't.

[Liz]

Oh, yeah, I've. I've made simple syrup. Like a ton.

[Kate]

One equal, one cup of water, one cup of sugar, Boil it until all the sugar is gone and then let it cool and pour it into, like, a glass jar. And you have it.

[Liz]

Yeah. Interesting.

[Kate]

So good.

[Liz]

Well, anyway, Liz, that was like your quick little chaotic catch up. If we seem like warmed up, it's because we are. Because we just wrapped an amazing interview with your BFF Kate. Your BFF Kate. She is. We're starting off side Hustle Summer couldn't be more excited about this series we got. I'm still sifting through so many of the submissions, and they are excellent, and it's exactly what I wanted. I'm just after the. Like, make a little bit of extra money. Like, maybe it'll turn into a career one day, but for now, like, it's just something you do on the side because that's what you want to do. Like, I just think there's not a space for that, really, you know, so we're giving that space to here. And we're starting with Kate because she started out as a virtual assistant, and now she teaches people how to become virtual assistants.

[Kate]

Yeah.

[Liz]

And being a VA is. Listen, like, one thing I will not bring on side Hustle Summer is anything sauce, Anything, like, scammy. Like, I won't. I won't. We're not doing that. A virtual assistant is a legit job. Like, if you. If you were wondering if it was legit, I've had several. I have one right now who's absolutely incredible. Like, being a VA is a legit job, and you can do it. Well, we'll get into the interview, but that's what's coming up at the end of the episode. In the interim, do you have anything else you want to talk about?

[Kate]

Let me think.

[Liz]

Okay.

[Kate]

No, I don't think I'll be traveling. I'm just. I just recently got back from Arizona, so all I can think about is traveling. But you just, like, kind of covered it, and I won't be traveling for. For a while. And my kids were excellent. Like, they couldn't have been better on the flight, and it was still not worth it.

[Liz]

Yeah. I tried to tell you.

[Kate]

Well, I had to. I had to go. I was gonna. I wasn't gonna let you stop me.

[Liz]

No, I know. I know.

[Kate]

You have to experience it for yourself.

[Liz]

It's just very sobering when you realize, like, how simple I think sometimes kids are and just, like, how much fun they have doing just. Just other things. Like, I love the story of when Kate tried to go to Disney World. And I don't know, maybe she shared this on her Instagram, but she hasn't. But she was like, yeah, her kids, like, kind of. But, like, they've had more fun at, like, the local, like, town fair.

[Kate]

Yeah. You know, I will say I do think so. Now that we have a nanny and James, like, stays at home, like, there will be days that I'm like, oh, my gosh, the kid hasn't left the house. Like, I gotta go take him somewhere because I'm not comfortable with her, like, taking the kids places yet. But the way his speech really kind of had a explosion while we were there because he was exposed to new things and his mind was working, and, like, he wasn't just, like, looking at the same four walls. So it's like, we did a lot of pool time. So now he knows the word pool. Noodle kick. He. His speech really kind of expanded while we were there. And so I do think that. I don't think I need to travel to Arizona for that to happen. But I do think, like, to your point, like, doing something new and it can be within your own town, and it doesn't have to be this, like, crazy adventure, but just doing something new is. It's good for everyone.

[Liz]

It's good for everyone. Totally. Well, I don't have too much new other than it's, you know, it's summertime, and I did a really big, like, reset of my car.

[Kate]

Okay.

[Liz]

And next I plan to tackle my house in terms of just, like, setting things up for summer in, like, a real way. I've kind of done this. I'm starting with, like, my car in my garage. And I'm just being so. I'm using. I'm just pulling on all my years of wisdom as a mother, all my past summers, and it's like, this is my summer. Like, I'm just gonna. I'm telling you, when I say I'm gonna hack summer, summer is hacked. My center console. It has everything I need. We've got emergency jammies in case we're out at a place too late. Everyone has a change of clothes. I added diapers and swim diapers because there is nothing worse than bringing swim diapers. Wow. Nothing worse. Okay. In the trunk, I added swimsuits for everyone.

[Kate]

Wow.

[Liz]

Now they're cheapy swimsuits. Like, I literally think I got them all at, like, once Upon a Child or something. Like, they're cheapy, cheapy swimsuits. They're not cute. Like, they're like. They're not the swimsuits I will pack. They are the swimsuits if we forget we have them or if an opportunity arises to get wet or, like, if we're at a friend's house and they want to get the sprinkler out. Like, your girl has swimsuits ready to go.

[Kate]

You're amazing.

[Liz]

Swimsuits on deck. I think that's very important. Okay. In my center console, I've got, obviously, my car snacks, my reject snacks. Incredible. My Garage. I'm transforming now. I know not everyone has a garage. I know everyone can even. Like, I know that. So a garage is. I do think, though, for me and for people who have garages, I think it can be the unsung hero. I think you need to make your garage work for you this summer, if you have one. If not, make your yard work for you this summer. I'm gonna work out my garage, and I have. The weights are already up there. And then I have things for Libby and things for Fred. The other two are fine. Like, Libby, she's in the plaything. She's in the swing. She's in the walker. She's on a quilt with toys. Like, she's just transferring around. It's new. It's something cute. It's a controlled environment. And I set up a picnic table in my gar. And we've been eating breakfast in the garage.

[Kate]

Wow.

[Liz]

Which is kind of crazy, but we eat breakfast in the garage. The kids eat breakfast for a little bit. I put Libby in the thing, and I start working out.

[Kate]

Good for you, Kel.

[Liz]

Yeah, I'm very. It feels very. If I don't work out first thing in the morning, I just won't work out. And like, I. That to me was. I can't get up before my kids. So everyone, please don't even bother giving me that advice. My kids wake up too early. Like, that's. That's not applicable. But this has been a good way we get outside. I think the morning sun is good for the kids. You know, starts our day starts. And your kids are always. I find that my kids are always the most creative and in the best mood in the morning. Like, I really try to not do TV in the morning because, like, they're not bored yet. Like, they're. The day's new. They're thinking about things. Like, my kids, I think are very. They're. I'd so much rather do TV in the afternoon than in the morning.

[Kate]

Okay.

[Liz]

So we get out there. I also was like, this is. This is fun. Like, this is kind of working. I was like, I want to do. Because I'm hacking summer. I was like, I'm going to invite friends over on every Friday and we're going to work out in my garage together on Fridays. Because, like, I'm already. At this point, I'm already set up now. My friends who live near me, we all have very young kids. Like, very young kids. So we did one last Friday. I had four moms come over. We had 13 kids. George was no There was a kid a year older than George. So it was like, seven and under.

[Kate]

Yes. Yeah.

[Liz]

Thirteen kids, seven and under. And, you know, my yard's, like, really big. So we, like, were strategic about our workout, like, incorporating sprints. So it's like he would, like, sprint up to the barn, look at the kids, sprint back down, and, like, we would change it up. But it was so fun. It was such a good, like. Like, it was good, like, friendship building. You know, we always talk about how it's important to, like, do things with people. Like, don't just go and get coffee and, like, we weren't. We weren't really talking, but, like, it felt very, like, villagey, you know? Like, we were just, like, there. We were, like, prioritizing ourselves. We were working out, our kids were watching, and, like, don't get me wrong, it was chaos. But I made some muffins the night before. I made scrambled eggs that morning. I had some fruit. I laid everything out, had paper plate. They said breakfast is inside for the kids. We're working out, and we're gonna do it every Friday.

[Kate]

Kel, I fear you're just setting, like, unrealistic mom standards right now. Like, I could never. I can hardly get scrambled eggs ready for my. The four. The three people that eat in my family.

[Liz]

Oh, you could do it.

[Kate]

Well, I like what I like about you being outside, and I also think it, like, you know, when your kids get really bored with something, and then you, like.

[Liz]

You get.

[Kate]

They get something new, and then they're excited about that, and then they like to start playing with that. Yeah, we're the same way. So for you to even, like, move your weights upstairs to a new spot, it re. It revitalizes you to want to do that activity instead of going down to your basement again, being stuck in those same four walls, like, it stretches you physically and mentally a little bit, too.

[Liz]

Yeah. Well. And just having them in the garage, which, like, as. I'm just trying to, like, be more mindful about moving my body and getting strong and, like, you know, not being pregnant for once. It feels like it's nice to just have the weights have easier access. And then if 10 minutes presents itself, I take 10 minutes to let it present itself. So.

[Kate]

Wow.

[Liz]

I'm very excited, though, to announce that we are going to epoxy the garage.

[Kate]

Oh, it's gonna be so nice.

[Liz]

So that's gonna, like, really take it, I think, to the next level.

[Kate]

Yeah. Your guys's garage is so nice. When is that happening?

[Liz]

We have a garage? Soon.

[Kate]

Wow.

[Liz]

Soon. Like, next week. Tyler's gonna do it, obviously.

[Kate]

Oh, Tyler's doing it.

[Liz]

Yeah.

[Kate]

Okay, good.

[Liz]

We're gonna do it together, so pray for us. Oh, and I'm happy to report the list worked. Excellent.

[Kate]

What did you put on it?

[Liz]

Okay, I put call the trash company, Right?

[Kate]

Yeah.

[Liz]

Hang the bar.

[Kate]

Huh.

[Liz]

I said there was, like, a chair in the sunroom that, like, needed, like, it to be, like, tightened. And I said, tighten the sunroom chair. And then I put epoxy the garage, and I just, like, left it. And I said it like this. I was like, hey, you know, I know you're so busy. Like, I've just been thinking about a couple of things that should be had that, like, you know, that need to be done around the house. I'm just gonna leave this list here. Like, it's. I'm. There's no timeline. It's just, like, when you have time. I slid over, you know. Oh, I already called the trash company. It made him feel good. I saw him be like, okay. I saw him cross it off.

[Kate]

Cross off? Yeah. And as soon as you saw that, you said, we're in. We're in.

[Liz]

And he's like, oh, like the bar in the closet for the kids. And I'm like, yeah. I just, like, you know, he wouldn't. Did it immediately. Yeah, yeah.

[Kate]

Because he got that rush of crossing something off.

[Liz]

Hack. Like, best marriage advice I received. Make your husband list thus far. Yeah.

[Kate]

Wow.

[Liz]

So that's what's new with me. So I think we should get into our episode because it is, like, an excellent interview. I want everyone to hear.

[Kate]

Yes.

[Liz]

And I think you should get so excited for side Hustle series summer, because we're gonna have. I haven't even told you who we're having. I don't. I can't decide if I want to tell you or not.

[Kate]

Tell me or tell the carpool podcast.

[Liz]

Well, you.

[Kate]

No, I think I need to know because I need to be prepared for these interviews.

[Liz]

They're just. I. Side Hustles are just so creative to.

[Kate]

Me, you know, I also love the origin story of side hustles.

[Liz]

I love the origin story. But, like, it's interesting when you start looking at it, like, from a numbers perspective. Like, if you want to make an extra thousand dollars a month.

[Kate]

You have.

[Liz]

To get four people to pay you $250. You have to get, let's see, eight people to pay you $125 to make a thousand dollars a month. You can do something for someone for $125 a month?

[Kate]

Yeah.

[Liz]

Like, you know.

[Kate]

Yeah.

[Liz]

It's just very interesting.

[Kate]

Totally.

[Liz]

It's very interesting.

[Kate]

Okay, well, let's get. If. If you are interested in doing that, your BFF Kate is here to tell you more about virtually virtual assisting and if it could be right for you. So without further ado, let's get into our episode.

[Liz]

Kate, AKA your behind the scenes bff. Welcome to the carpool podcast.

[Kelly]

Thank you. I'm so excited. It is such an honor.

[Liz]

So we're doing side Hustle summer series, and I felt very passionately about doing this because I just feel like there's such a space for. Or I think the spaces have come a long way in terms of, like, women in business. You know, these, like, big business, like, women entrepreneurs, like, they're there. But I've always felt like the. The moms can still. Kind of. The moms, the part time workers are still kind of, like, left out of that conversation. I think it's equally as impressive to build a business as I do to build a side hustle and stay home with your kids, if that's what you want to do. And I want to kind of share a lot of different avenues people can explore as a way to make a little bit of extra money, have a creative outlet. And I thought that. Actually, I didn't think it. All my followers, all the carpoolers thought that Kate would be a great person to come because I've never received so many DMs. I'm so sorry. I wasn't even following you. I'm just like, kate, you're bff. And I'm like, I'm not in the kitchen. Like, I was like. I'm like, what is she gonna bring to the table?

[Kelly]

I'm dead. That's so funny.

[Liz]

And then I found out it's you. And Kate is a. I'm gonna give you the title VA Expert, coach, liaison, mentor, influencer extraordinaire.

[Kelly]

All those. Thank you.

[Liz]

All things virtual assistants, which I feel like the word VA kind of gets, like, thrown out. People talk about side Hustles a little bit, and everyone's like, what does that mean? Like, it's so buzzwordy, you know, what does it really mean? What do you do? So let's start with Kate. Let's hear a little bit about you and how you started, and then we'll get into what you offer.

[Kelly]

Yeah, I will give the Cliff Notes version because I feel like it's kind of one of those things when you look back and it's like all these stepping stones led to, like, this Specific thing. But I am a mom now of two. I have two boys and they are four and almost. And I used to be a teacher, went to school for teaching, had my master's in education, taught. And when I got into teaching, I was very much the teacher that, like, wanted to change the world. Like, I was like, this is what I'm gonna do the rest of my life. And then as I started teaching, I just started to feel like this pole that there was like something else out there for me. And at this time, I was just getting married. Like, we didn't have kids yet. And I actually got started in like the online space Instagram, as more of like an influencer, I guess, but then in network marketing, which I feel like is how a lot of people sometimes get introduced to like, online business. And so that's kind of what introduced me to online business. Now, if I would have known VA was a thing back in 2017, I probably would have done. I probably would have been a VA because I did like more of like the behind the scenes kind of stuff. But I ended up doing network marketing for like four years. And then I had my son in 2020. And when I got pregnant and started to, like, transition to this new season, it just felt very out of alignment for me to be in network marketing. And I really wanted to build something of my own. I still wanted to be able to stay at home with my kids. That was a big thing of why I even started online business in the beginning. And I knew that I didn't want to. I wasn't ready to go back to teaching. I wanted to stay at home, but I didn't want to do what I doing. And so I decided, you know, I've thought about doing this VA thing. I had heard about it because I actually had a VA myself when I was in network marketing. And I was like, you know what? Like, I actually would enjoy doing that stuff, actually. And so I actually totally, like, burned that whole Instagram account to the ground. Started brand new. So when people are like, well, I don't have a social media following, or I don't like, really post on social media, I'm like, that's perfect. Like, you don't have to, like, you can start totally brand new with nothing. I have lots of students who have done the same. In order to grow your business as a VA or your side hustle as a va. And that's when I literally just reached out to a couple of friends I knew in the online space and was like, hey, I want to do this at the time, I had a 17 month old and I was six months pregnant, which was a little crazy. Probably like the worst time to start a business. But I was like, you know what? It actually turned out to be like the best time. And I decided to reach out to a few friends and they were like. I was like, you know, if you know of anyone that needs a va, let me know. And they were like, actually like, we need one, both of them. Which ended up working out. And it kind of spiraled from there. A few months later, I was getting enough people asking me like, how did you get started and how did you do it that I was like, you know, I could create a program. I could use my teaching background and teach other people how to do this too. Because it's really. It's simple. It's not easy, but it's pretty simple in terms of how to get started. And sometimes we just need like a roadmap or an action plan or support to help us like, skip through all the other stuff. And so, yeah, and then I. I actually worked with clients myself. I still work with clients here and there on project based, but I was working with ongoing clients for over three years. And then now I do a little bit of project based stuff, but I mostly now share and teach other women how to do it.

[Kate]

That's amazing. Kate. I love that you took your, like, combined your passion for teaching to like, bring it into the space to teach other women. So I kind of want to. I kind of want to dive into what that looks like, because something we love about on the carpool podcast is like action items. So if we could open the curtain a little bit and hear more about what you might. Those action items that you might give women on, like where to start and how to start.

[Kelly]

Yeah. So I always talk about, like, you already have the skills that you need in order to be a va. You already have the skills that people are willing to pay you for. It's just looking at it from a different perspective and seeing how they're transferable. We have like the difference between hard skills and soft skills. And I think being a va, a lot of it is soft skills, where it's like, are you willing to figure it out? Like, are there things where you're like, I don't really, like, know how to do this, but I'm willing to figure it out. Are you like a hard worker? Are you organized? Are you, you know, someone who's just kind of like a go getter and wants to support other, usually other women? But also I Have lots of gals who support men in business too. It's like, are you willing to help? And I think that's the, the common theme that I see a lot is the root word of assistant is assist, and that's to help and support. So it's not like you're running the ship, but you are helping behind the scenes and you are supporting and you're doing the things that business own either. Don't have time to do, don't like doing, and want to just delegate it and not worry about it. And so I think if you can look at like your soft skills or even your hard skills, like, if you're, if you are familiar with canva, if you can look at some spreadsheets, if you can do data entry, if you can answer emails, like, those are more like tangible skills. Those are all things people are willing to pay you for. You just have to be able to look at that.

[Liz]

I feel like if I look at what. So I've had several VAs throughout my car mom journey. And I, in the beginning, I think kind of had. I. I had a hard time delegating and offloading some of my work. And then I got a very. Then I got a more experienced VA who like, was not scared to like, tell me like, what she was going to do, how she was going to do it. And like, there's days where like, she's feels honestly like my boss versus, like her boss because she keeps, like, she truthfully keeps my life together. And she's is so good at like forecasting. I think what I need where it's like I, I really feel like I couldn't like, run what I do without her. Like every day she's like texting me, here's what your calendar looks like. Don't forget this. I want to flag that. And I think what's, what's, what's great about her. Her name's Maddie. If you ever email me, like, she, she gets back to you. What's great about her is she's not scared to figure it out and also just like dip her toes into like all aspects of the car mom. Like, she's involved in everything from like the business to also, like my personal stuff too. Like, she very much will help me on the personal side, which makes my life easier. But it's so hard, I think, to boil down like what a VA does to like just a couple of sentences because, yeah, everyone's so different.

[Kelly]

Yes.

[Liz]

And it's cool to see like, when I started with her, I think she did like, two or three hours. Like, she was just doing my inbox, like a couple. She would just log in for 30 minutes every day. And now she's at, like, 10 hours a week of just anything and everything, and she stays very busy. So, yeah, it's been kind of cool to see her growth.

[Kelly]

And to your point, like, that's what. It's hard for me to answer because so many people are like, well, what does a virtual assistant do? And I'm like, well, it depends. Like, it depends on the person. It depends on the business. It depends on your client, because what I did for one client is, like, totally different than someone else. And it has a lot to do with, like, business specifics or what that person needs, I think the most.

[Liz]

And I would love to hear. And I know you, like, do coaching in a course so you don't have to, like, peel back the curtain in a big way, but I think one of the hardest. How do I want to phrase this? I think. And I, you know, it's shooting your shot. I think shooting your shot is something that has to be done very, very strategically. Yeah. Because I always see people say, hey, like, you know, are you hiring? It's like, I don't know, like, what are you doing? Sure. Maybe. Like, what are you gonna do for me? Like, you do, like. So I would love to hear a little bit about your theory and method on, like, pitching yourself.

[Kelly]

Yeah.

[Liz]

And it's cool. Like, if I think back about, like, some people who have started working for me, they were all. I have, literally, like, I think we've hired one person throughout the entirety of the Karma Elizabeth. Everybody else has just come across our desk, and they've been like, hey, I want to do this. Like, here's what I do. And they've been pitches, like, excellent pitches and excellent interviews that have really stood out.

[Kate]

Here's an area you're lacking. Here's the services I can offer.

[Kelly]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I love this question because I'm a big shoot your shot gal, which is part of the reason I'm here talking to you guys. So. Yes. So I. Especially in the world of, like, people are used to getting, like, cold messages on Instagram or Facebook or whatever, people are hesitant to, like, shoot their shot because they don't want it to come off. Off, like, weird. But I think when it's personable and it's, like, legitimately, like, hey, like, I see this, and I know, like, I can help you with this, and it has a lot of confidence behind it, I think it comes off, like, A totally different tone. And so I always say, like, actually be specific. Number one, one of the best pitches that I got, and it wasn't from a va, but kind of similar. She's actually my ads manager, but she, like, was on my list. She responded to an email, like, newsletter that I had sent out about being a mom in business and, like, juggling both. And she was like, I can relate so much. Here's like a little snippet of my story. She had been a teacher, then became a va and then she actually specialized in ads. And so that's what's really cool is like, being a VA can be a great entry point. That's like a sidebar where you can go and specialize in different things. And so she ended up specializing in ads. And she had sent me this email and she was like, if you've ever considered ads with your behind the scenes bff, I'd love to chat with you about it. And it seemed very. No pressure, but also like, hey, I'm like this expert in this thing and I think it would really benefit you. And I actually had told her, I am interested. That's something I want to do in the new year. Can you follow up with me? And that was in April of last year. She followed up with me in January of 2025 and was like, hey, I know you were interested in the new year to run ads. And I hired her because I was. That's a great aspect of like, you pitched. And you said, like, hey, I relate a lot to your story. I really believe in what you're doing. Here's what I do and how I can help. And then she followed up. And I feel like the follow up is something that but most people won't do. They will not do it.

[Liz]

And this is the easiest part. That was the easiest part of what she did.

[Kelly]

Yep, yep. And that's like, just because you pitched it to one person one time, it doesn't necessarily mean, like, that's it. Like, you. The follow up is huge. But I also think being specific and personable is really, really big and it goes a really long way.

[Liz]

I totally agree. I love being personable and I love when people I think align with my vision. So, like, I mean, I don't. I'm sure that you can obviously be a VA for people who outside of, like, have a social media following. But also, like, if you see, like, if you small or big, like, if there's someone that you enjoy following, like, and you believe in what they're doing, like, that does that Goes. So that goes such a long way with me.

[Kelly]

Yes.

[Liz]

And I think people would be surprised to hear like how much people who are running a business just want the right person to come across their desk and make sense. Like there's this such a to do like a literally couldn't, couldn't be bothered to do it, don't want to do it. And truthfully, everyone has come to us. It's been so like they came to me. I was like, sure, yeah, go ahead and do that. Makes sense.

[Kelly]

Yeah. I have so my older sister actually she was a stay at home mom for eight years and she went to school for graphic design, but never actually did graphic design. But she has like a very strong eye for visuals and like the way that graphics look. And she loved following, she loves following influencers. And she started when she became a va, she started reaching out to like big time influencers of the hundreds of thousands of followers and saying like, hey, if you need help with like your LTK graphics or like your story graphics, like that's something I love doing and I love following you and like followed you forever. I'd love to help. And she has several now clients who are more in like the home decor kind of like, she has like a very like cottagey vibe is like her aesthetic and so influencers that need that she's like doing their LTK graphics and their story graphics and their tap to shop stuff. And like that's her skill set is that she's really good with that. And she just showed up and said, hey, I love your content and like, I can really help you with these graphics. And they hired her.

[Kate]

That's awesome.

[Liz]

I think it's the balance of like there's, there's also like, don't underestimate like the skills that, that you can go learn and like just learn quickly. Like you honestly, like, you also don't have to be a graphic designer to know how to do canva templates. You have to spend maybe a couple months like learning how to do it. But I think it's never too late to like, I think this is just like the millennials in us who like we're all told like, you have to go to college, you have to do this. And it's like there's so much you can learn how to do anything online. Anything online.

[Kelly]

Yep.

[Liz]

Let's dive into rate, like how to determine your rate, how much money a virtual assistant can make. Like give us, you know, this is a meat and potatoes kind of podcast.

[Kate]

Yeah.

[Kelly]

Yeah. So I typically gals who Go through my program, I recommend they start at 20 an hour because they are getting like a foundation of education through the program. A lot of them have very relevant background. Like, a lot of them have come from administrative positions in the past. A lot of teachers that have a lot of transferable skills, healthcare, corporate, even stay at home moms that are just starting out. I would say 20 an hour as a base, but the range can go. I mean, I started at 30 an hour and then there's like, I would say 35 is probably where it tops out. If you're calling yourself a VA after that is when I would start to be a little bit more specific and like specialized to be able to increase your rate a little bit. But I would say very beginner. 20. And then I would say if you have some like, pretty relevant experience, I would go up to 25, 30, potentially even 35.

[Liz]

And as far as schedule goes, I mean, it's pretty much obviously depends on the client. I. My VA works, like I said, like eight to ten hours a week, but it's pretty much like an expectation for me that she's available for to at least respond to me. Like, basically during like the week, during business hours. Yeah, I'm not asking her to do it, but, like, I do expect her to be like, on it or like, yeah, you know, like. Or I need to be able to call her if I need to call her. But that's like my relationship, I'm sure.

[Kelly]

Was your. Was your VA the one who. When you had the. You were going to the derby and your outfit wasn't going to be in time?

[Kate]

Oh, yeah, that was Manny.

[Liz]

Like, Manny.

[Kelly]

Yeah.

[Liz]

And she like, this is a so Manny appreciation podcast. She is such a good VA because she just, like, does the most. And I don't want people. I'm not trying to, like, scare people away from being VAs, but I think especially, like, it's hard to work for someone virtually because you're not there. So, like, she can't, like, come to my desk and ask me a question. She has to try to get a hold of me. That's so hard to do. Like, that's crazy to, like, me. For me to respond to a text is like, that's like a crazy thing. I just don't always do. Yeah, he's so good about. Like, she'll just figure it out. Yeah.

[Kelly]

Yeah. And I think that is just. It's also a testament to, like, I always walk people through, like, who's your ideal client? Like, everyone, every client is going to be Different. And every client is going to need and want something different. And that's why I think as a va, like, when you are talking to these people, asking them exactly what they need, like, before they hire you, like, are you able to fulfill the expectations that they have and are they able to also give you what you need in order to be successful? And so, yeah, I think that's, like, a huge point to it.

[Liz]

Like, one example that she did, and, you know, this was a way that she's now started working more hours for me because she's just asked if she can do things because, you know, we had, like. Like, hey, just work. We're on my email. And then as things would come by, she'd be like, do you want me to go ahead and do that? And I'm like, oh, like, yeah, you can do that. That'd be great. And she came to me and she's like, hey, we should do. She's like, I know you mentioned that you want to do, like, Christmas gifts for everyone on the Car mom team. And I'm like, oh, yeah, Matt. And you're like, I don't know what to do. And she's like, well, I have. Like, I'll. I'll come up with the. Tell me the budget. I'll come up with the gifts. She's like, do you want me to just ship everything to my house? I'll wrap it and then I'll mail it back out? And I'm like, oh, my gosh, yes.

[Kelly]

That's a sign of a VA that, like, knows you so well.

[Liz]

Because, like, I'm. It was so funny then. The people on my team were like, kelly, these gifts are wrapped so beautifully.

[Kelly]

Like, thank you so much.

[Kate]

I. I reckon her handwriting was much better than yours. I knew it wasn't from you, but.

[Liz]

That was just like, she, like, I think if you do get in a VA position, don't be scared to ask for, like, oh, well, do you just want me to do that, or can I do this better or can I do this more? Because that would matter more hours that now I'm like, oh, yeah, take over that. Great.

[Kelly]

Yep. I think the best VA is, like, take ownership and they treat the business like, as their own. Honestly, like, they're like, hey, like, I think this, you know, like you said, forecasting. This is where. I'll get back to the original question in a second. But this is where people are like, is AI gonna, like, make VAs? Like, like, not, like, possible anymore or whatever. I'm like, no, there's no Chance, like, people need people. And like, AI can't forecast that Kelly needs help getting the Christmas gifts together. Like, that's a perfect example of that.

[Liz]

I've always heard this about AI, which it's always made me feel better. The problem with AI is AI is not lazy. And there's a lot of, like, creativity and ingenuity that comes out of laziness. Like, that's what makes people. Because lazy's the harsh. Lazy is the harsh word. But it's like, no, I'm not gonna wrap a Christmas gift. Like, I don't even know. I just like, I'm never gonna do that. But Manuel.

[Kelly]

Yep. Yeah, exactly to your point. With, like, hours and time. I like, the VA gets to decide, like, at the end of the day, like, you get to decide how many hours do you wanna work? I always say to look at your schedule. And like, when I first started, it was just during nap time and after my son went to bed because I didn't have childcare, my husb. Um, and so, you know, pregnant with a toddler, I was like, hey, I can work during this nap time and then I can do some after bed. So it ended up being maybe like three or four hours on a good day if nap happened. Um, and then obviously, like, weekends and stuff like, that could be a possibility too. I personally didn't work weekends. That was kind of like my boundary that I set. But everyone's different. Especially if you're working a full time job. Like, weekends might be perfect for you. You get to decide, like, you get to create the schedule that fits your life. Which is why I love the VA world. But you find clients that work with that. Like you. If you have a client that like, needs you during a time that you're not available, okay, like, then it's just not a great fit for both of you. And you can go find a client that is going to fit that. I would say most people like most clients that we see because we actually connect business owners with VAs that graduate our program as well. I would say most people start out at like, like wanting maybe 10 hours a month. So, I mean, if you have an hour a day, you're able to bring on multiple clients. And if you're starting at, let's say, 30 an hour, that's 300 bucks a month for 10 hours a month, which is like, what could 300 bucks a month do for you? What could 500 do for you? Like, that's good grocery money.

[Liz]

Like, it's getting your foot in the door and it's doing that when the kids are young, you don't have the time. But then it, I think like something that stay at home moms specifically, or anyone who takes time off is like, that resume gap. Like, that can be so daunting. But like, if you're a va, like, like, oh, no, I was for this company. Like, okay, exactly. Last time I checked, you don't have the time was only three hours a week. Like, whatever. Yeah, you did, you did that.

[Kelly]

Yeah. And you do learn so much to your point.

[Liz]

Yeah, you learn so much. So anyway, Kate, tell people what if someone's like, this is me, I want to do this. What would be. What's their next step? How can they get in contact with you?

[Kelly]

Yeah, well, I have a podcast, which is your behind the scenes BFF podcast, and we have a lot of. Of episodes on there that specifically talk to different VA things tings. And then I also have. I do have a program called Beginner to booked va where we literally go from you have no idea where to start to booking clients within potentially six weeks or less. And then we're on Instagram at your bff, Kate.

[Liz]

All right, I love it. Before you, though, after a long day of vaing and teaching people how to do it, what are you going to ditch the drive through with?

[Kelly]

Honestly, this is the moment I've been waiting for, and I hope I. I hope I don't disappoint. Okay, so I'm actually gonna pull up my notes because I was like, I know this from memory, but, like, given the opportunity to actually say really excited for this.

[Kate]

Yeah.

[Kelly]

Like, I really, I'm. Now I'm worried that I hyped it up too much and you're gonna be let down. Okay, so it's adopted. It is an adopted recipe. We got to give credit where credit is due. It's from a skinny taste recipe from one of her cookbooks. Yeah, it is her 15 minute chili recipe. Oh, and it's Stove Top, which is great. But literally, like, when I just don't know what to cook for dinner, or I'm like, I just want to make sure the kids eat something. This is like this. We hardly ever have leftovers because the kids eat this like crazy. So. All right, you need ground beef taco seasoning, can of black beans, two cans of black beans, I would say, and then a can of kidney beans, rotel tomatoes with the green chilies, and then a box of cornbread. And so I usually have this, like, at all times in my. In my pantry. And it's Cheap, like. Like it's, you know, canned goods. So we cook the ground beef. I usually do like a pound, maybe double it. Especially recently. I feel like my 4 year old has just been eating, eating us out. I'm like, when you get older, I have no idea how we're gonna keep everything stocked. So cook the ground beef just on the stove top, add the taco seasoning, and then blend one of the canned beans. So, like, put it in the blender, blend it up. It's gonna make the chili thicker. So you don't have to cook it as long, like, thicken like it would in a crock pot or something, you know, on the stove for longer. Blend at least one of the cans of black beans, add it, then add the kidney beans, the other can of black beans, and then the rotel tomatoes and green chilies. And then I just let it simmer and, like, thicken a little bit. Sometimes I'll switch up which beans I blend or I'll blend another one if I feel like it needs to be a little bit thicker. And then I cook a box of cornbread and that's it. And it's super easy and it's delicious. My whole family loves it. Yeah, my whole family loves it. My, like, yeah, they go back for seconds, which. It's like, I don't know. In the summer, I feel like they're not eating lunch. They're so busy, like, playing and, like. And yeah, chili's not like the perfect summer meal, but it's easy. And I know, like, yeah, no, like.

[Liz]

I didn't think we need to stop. Like, you can eat chilies and soups. I'm making a beef stew today.

[Kelly]

Like, thank you.

[Liz]

Eat other hot meals. Like, it's so.

[Kelly]

Thank you.

[Liz]

Oh, it's not like you eat a lot of chicken. What's the difference between a hot bowl of soup? Like, same thing.

[Kate]

Yeah, that honestly sounds outside.

[Liz]

But, like, go in the air conditioner, you'll be fine.

[Kelly]

Yeah, exactly. I agree.

[Liz]

All right, Kate, well, thank you so much for joining the carpool podcast.

[Kelly]

Thank you for having me.

[Liz]

Appreciate your shot. And everyone, if you're interested, go follow.

[Kate]

Kate at your BFF Kate at your.

[Liz]

Bffk and come back next week for more side hustle summers.

[Kelly]

Let's go.

[Kate]

Thanks so much, Kate.

[Kelly]

Thanks. Thank you for listening to the carpool.

[Liz]

Podcast with Kelly and Liz.

[Kelly]

Make sure you're subscribed so you never miss an episode.

[Kate]

And if you enjoyed riding with us.

[Liz]

Tell everybody you know there's rich room.

[Kelly]

In the car for everyone.