Fully Booked VA Blog

Build a Diversified Business – They Will Come!

Are you sick of hearing that you have to boil down your business to a specific niche and focus on just one thing to be successful?

What if you could cast your net wide and build a diversified, yet still successful freelance business instead? And what if by doing so you not only mediate many risks to your business, but also keep it fresh and interesting?

Why not? I am! Today, I’m going to share with you how I’m defying the odds and advice of successful freelancers before me and casting a wide net to catch more fish. Here are five ways I’m diversifying my business. I’m going for it – you should too!

1. Freelance Writing

This was obviously my first foray into the world of freelance writing thanks to Leaving Work Behind. This is still the main focus of my freelance business and something I can use to build off of.

I’ve done everything from copywriting (which I love!) to writing blog posts and online magazine articles. I even recently interviewed to write someone’s memoir (fingers crossed!).

Writing will remain my core business going forward, but you can only write so many posts or articles per day or month. I want to spice it up by continuing to add in more of the below as income sources too!

2. Editing

I also enjoy editing. I feel like I have a fairly good command of the English language and have been a ferocious reader my whole life. I was the kid that checked out stacks of library books at a time.

I’m currently the chief editor for Young Widow Living and am about to start work with another client. In a way this is like writing, except you don’t have to come up with the ideas or first draft! Instead I go through a piece to make it even better – how fun!

3. Virtual Assisting

Becoming a virtual assistant wasn’t something I set out to do. It just kind of fell into my lap. I knew it was a way to make money online and I came in contact with someone that I just knew I could help. So I cold pitched him – and he said yes!

It’s actually been a fun and interesting process. Even though my client’s business is in a different medium than mine, I’m still learning a ton.

What do I do for him? I organize, sort and reply to a lot of his email, so he doesn’t get bogged down or distracted with it. I also have access to all of his programs and have done everything from updating email addresses in Infusionsoft to offering refunds in Gumroad.

We have a weekly call where I try to identify areas that I can help him and keep him accountable to things he’s working on. It’s nice in that he respects my opinion and will ask my advice from time to time. I’m looking forward to growing our relationship more as time goes on and handling more of his business needs.

4. Coaching

This is another new area and one I’m stoked about! Working one-on-one with clients to discuss their financial goals, is something I’ve done for the last decade. Before that I worked as a weight loss consultant, so basically doing something similar, but with weight loss goals instead.

So it just seems to be a natural fit that I can consult with other freelancers to help them as they enter this new business or to take theirs to the next level. I can help with everything from goal setting and accountability to methods for organization/accounting and assessing one’s personal financial situation if needed to help them to take their freelance business full-time. It’s going to be great!

5. An Email Course

Lastly, I’m working on writing a 30 day email course for new freelancers. I’ve had some success and worked really hard the last six months to get where I’m at today. I’ve taken quite a few courses and implemented tons of advice – some good, some eh, but either way I’ve tried a lot of things.

My goal with the course is to offer 30 days of actionable advice delivered by email to get your freelance writing business off the ground. My thought is that it would easier for someone to tackle one task per day and by the end of the month got their new business off the ground.

I’m still in the process of writing it, but hope to have it available for my big business launch the last week of December. Wish me luck!

In Conclusion

It’s my own preference to try a bunch of stuff and see what sticks. I’d also ideally like to have an income stream from multiple sources, so that if one stopped or went down my whole business wouldn’t be impacted.

I think this also helps to keep it interesting. All of the above are related to each other, so it’s not like I’m trying to do five separate jobs; they are just different services related to running a freelance business. For now it works – as time goes by we’ll see what stays and ultimately, what makes me money!

Is your freelance business diversified?

Gina Horkey

Gina Horkey

FOUNDER & CO-OWNER

Gina Horkey is a married, millennial mama from Minnesota. Additionally, she’s the founder of Horkey HandBook and loves helping others find or become a kickass virtual assistant. Gina’s background includes making a living as a professional writer, an online business marketing consultant and a decade of experience in the financial services industry.

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