She was selling cooked food and resale items just to make rent. No portfolio, no fast typing, internet that cut out every time it rained. In this first episode of The Untold VA Stories, we go behind the highlight reel and into the "during" — the part nobody posts on Instagram.

Maria (not her real name, but her story is real) started her virtual assistant journey in a small room in Leyte, with a second-hand laptop that froze every 20 minutes and a toddler asleep on a mattress beside her desk. She applied to 32 jobs and got rejected from every single one. She started at $2 an hour. And eighteen months later, she was earning more than her husband ever had — quietly, in that same small room.

This episode is for anyone stuck in their own "during": the part before the glow-up, when you're not sure you're ready. Spoiler — ready never comes. You just start, and get ready while moving.

In this episode:

• Why Maria almost scrolled past the post that changed her life
• What she did after 32 straight rejections
• How she went from $2/hour to a five-figure monthly income
• The one thing she said made all the difference
• Why she now mentors new VAs for free

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Grab Loi's eBooks: Guide to Starting Your Virtual Assistant Journey — https://loigesmundo.gumroad.com/l/guidetostartingyourvajourney The LinkedIn Outreach Playbook — https://loigesmundo.gumroad.com/l/the-linkedin-outreach-playbook

Join the community: VA Community (Facebook Group) — https://www.facebook.com/groups/virtualassistantjobsphil

Have a story of your own? Reach out — it might be the next one we tell.

The stories, opinions, and experiences shared on The Untold VA Stories are for informational and entertainment purposes only and do not constitute professional, financial, career, or legal advice. Names and identifying details may be changed to protect the privacy of individuals featured. Individual results, including income and timelines mentioned, are personal experiences and are not typical or guaranteed — your results will vary based on effort, market conditions, and circumstances. Any views expressed by guests or the host are their own. Links included in this episode's show notes, including to eBooks and third-party communities, may be affiliate or promotional in nature.