In today’s fast-paced world, health and wellness professionals are increasingly turning to virtual assistants (VAs) to streamline their operations and enhance productivity. As a VA myself, I understand the importance of finding the right fit for your business. Hiring a VA allows you to focus on what you do best—helping your clients achieve their health goals—while delegating administrative tasks that can be time-consuming.
I’m Cheche Lara, Chantel Ryan’s VA and part of the Legally Healthy team. In this blog, I’ll share valuable insights on how to find the right virtual assistant for your health and wellness business in 2025. I hope this guide helps you in your search for the perfect VA!
Steps/Checklist to Find the Right VA
Here’s a comprehensive checklist to help you find the perfect virtual assistant:
- Define Qualifications: Identify the skills and experience necessary for your specific needs within the health and wellness sector.
- Identify Tasks to Delegate: Make a detailed list of all administrative and other tasks you want to outsource.
- Set a Budget Range: Determine how much you are willing to invest in VA services. For VA’s in the Phillipines (like me!) fair rates start from $5 AUD per hour for newbies, ranging up to $20 AUD per hour. You are likely to pay more if hiring within Australia or elsewhere.
- Publish Job Post: Create a job listing that includes requirements such as portfolio samples, CVs, questions, and any specific skills needed.
- Pick Top Candidates: Review applications carefully and shortlist candidates based on their qualifications and experience.
- Conduct Interviews: Prepare questions that assess both skills and cultural fit, as well as their rates and work schedule. To streamline the scheduling process, set up a Calendly link with your available time slots, allowing candidates to easily choose an interview time that works for them.
- Select Your VA: Choose the candidate who aligns best with your needs. Before selecting , you may wish to give the shortlisted candidates a sample task to assess their skills.
- Set Rates and Payment Schedule: Agree on compensation terms and how frequently payments will be made.
- Define Work Days and Hours: Clarify expectations regarding availability and working hours. Bear in mind time zone differences if hiring someone from a different time zone.
- Set Communication Expectations: Discuss how often you will communicate daily and schedule weekly calls to stay connected and aligned.
- Send Contract: Draft a contract outlining roles, responsibilities, payment terms, and other essential details. To ensure clarity and protect both parties, consider using Legally Healthy’s Virtual Assistant Agreement Template. This template provides a comprehensive framework for your working relationship and can be tailored to your specific needs. It is suitable if hiring local or overseas VA’s.
- Onboard Your VA: Provide necessary training and resources to help them get started effectively.
- Security and IT checks: You may wish to have an IT professional assess your VA’s computer security, especially if you’ll be sharing confidential information (which is usually likely).
- Request Monthly Reports: Establish a process for receiving updates on completed tasks regularly.
Reminders Before Hiring
Before bringing someone on board, it’s crucial to be organised:
- Prepare your systems for collaboration by creating detailed task lists.
- Set clear expectations about what you need from your VA.
- Consider implementing a paid two-week trial period to assess compatibility before fully committing to a long-term arrangement.
What You Can Delegate
When hiring a virtual assistant, it’s essential to identify which tasks you can delegate to free up your time for more critical responsibilities. Here are some common tasks that can be effectively outsourced:
- Social Media Management: Scheduling posts, engaging with followers, and creating content calendars.
- Research: Conducting research on industry trends, competitors, or specific topics relevant to your business.
- Blog Writing: Drafting blog posts or articles based on your ideas or outlines.
- Administrative Tasks: Handling emails, data entry, and other routine office duties.
- Calendar Management: Organising appointments, scheduling meetings, and managing your calendar.
- Customer Support: Responding to client inquiries via email or chat.
- Content Creation: Designing graphics or presentations for marketing purposes.
- Email Marketing: Managing newsletters and email campaigns using platforms like Flodesk.
Where to Find a Virtual Assistant
Finding the right VA is crucial for your business’s success. Here are some top platforms where you can discover talented virtual assistants:
- Upwork: This platform is where Chantel found me, and it offers a wide range of freelancers with various skill sets.
- Onlinejobs.ph: A great resource for hiring virtual assistants from the Philippines, known for their strong work ethic and skills.
- Fiverr: Ideal for finding freelancers who offer specific services at different price points.
- Freelancer.com: Another popular platform that connects you with freelancers across multiple industries.
- LinkedIn: A professional network where many freelancers showcase their skills and experience.
Payment Methods
When hiring a virtual assistant, it’s essential to establish a smooth payment process. Here are some common payment methods used:
- Wise: This is the platform Chantel and I use for payments, known for its low fees and efficient transfers. Get a Free Card or Transfer $1000AUD by using our link.
- Remitly: Another reliable option for international payments.
- Direct Bank Transfer: Suitable if both parties have international accounts.
- PayPal: While convenient, be aware that PayPal can have high transaction fees.
After our agreed pay period, I send Chantel an invoice detailing the services rendered.
Payment Schedule
Establishing a clear payment schedule is vital for both parties. In our arrangement, we process payments on the 20th of each month.
However, many VAs prefer receiving payments every fortnight or even weekly, while some may opt for end-of-month payments. Be sure to discuss this upfront and add this to your contract to avoid any confusion later.
Tools for Collaboration
To ensure effective communication and project management, we utilise several tools:
- Notion: For project management and task tracking.
- Google Workspace/Gmail: For emails and document sharing.
- Slack: Our primary communication tool for daily updates and quick questions.
- Flodesk: Chantel and I love using Flodesk for email campaigns as it is really easy to use and we’re able to create beautiful emails. If you’d like to try it, they offer a free trial, and if you sign up using our link, you get 50% off your first year.
- Toggl: A handy tool for timekeeping and tracking hours worked.
- 1Password: We ensure password protection by utilising 1password. Chantel set up a business vault and shares her business-based logins there (Canva, social media accounts, Gsuite, website admin etc). This is separate from her private vault that contains her more personal logins, which I don’t have access to.
Weekly Catch-Up
Regular check-ins are essential to maintain accountability and foster collaboration. We have weekly catch-ups where we brainstorm ideas, ask questions, and update each other on progress. Additionally, I provide daily updates via Slack or Gmail regarding completed tasks and any queries I might have.
Legal Considerations
When hiring a virtual assistant in Australia or New Zealand, it’s crucial to have proper agreements in place. Consider using Legally Healthy’s Virtual Agreement Template to ensure clarity in your working relationship. This agreement protects both parties by defining roles, responsibilities, payment terms, confidentiality clauses, intellectual property rights, termination rights, and more.
You can find the templates here:
Virtual Assistant Agreement Template (AUS)
Virtual Assistant Agreement Template (NZ)
Additional Considerations
Finding a VA who aligns with your values is essential for long-term success. Look for someone who shares your vision in health and wellness, as this will enhance collaboration and productivity.
Conclusion
Hiring a virtual assistant can be one of the best decisions you make for your health and wellness business in 2025. Chantel has often told me she wishes she had hired me sooner!
By following this guide, I hope you will feel well-equipped to find the right VA who can help streamline your operations while ensuring you have proper agreements in place. This will allow you to stay in your zone of genius and focus on what really matters—supporting your clients on their journey to better health.
I hope you found this guide helpful!
Cheche x
