From Burnout to Breakthrough: 10 Years Into Business and Still Learning

Earlier this week, I found myself on the edge of a pivot. I saw a job listing for a W2 Executive Assistant role that checked every box: full-time hours, benefits, stability. It was tempting. I’ve been working toward being able to provide those things for myself, but for now, I rely on my husband’s employer for coverage, and it’s not exactly affordable. For a moment, I seriously considered going back to a traditional 9–5.

But then came Tuesday.

I heard back from a lead I had reached out to the week before. It wasn’t someone I expected to hear from, and honestly, I had half-written it off. But the conversation we had? It shifted everything. They opened up about feeling overwhelmed, unsure who to trust, and exhausted from trying to manage too much alone. As we spoke, I felt a familiar fire light up: This is why I do what I do.

The opportunity? A potential 20-hour-per-week client. And for a virtual assistant business like mine, that’s huge. I found myself so motivated to help that I nearly offered my time for free. Almost. But I’ve learned better. Wanting to help deeply doesn’t mean working without boundaries. I run a business. A good one. And the reason it works is because it’s built with both heart and structure.

The best part? Because I own the company, I get to do things my way. I don’t have to wait for someone else’s approval to try something new or go the extra mile. If a client needs something outside the typical scope and I think it’s worthwhile, I get to say yes. I am the decision-maker. That freedom is something I never take for granted.

Right now, I’m supporting a nonprofit client with multiple concurrent projects, and I’ve been in some long team meetings that showed me just how far I’ve come. I’m managing my time better, implementing stronger workflow systems, and seeing the benefits ripple outward. My clients notice it, their teams notice it, and honestly, I notice it. That kind of growth feels amazing.

Still, I won’t pretend everything is smooth. It’s been five years since the pandemic started reshaping the business world, and my client load is the lowest it’s ever been. That’s been hard. After more than a decade of consistent work, I had to re-learn how to market myself. I started questioning everything, even whether this industry still had space for me. It’s part of what drove that impulse to apply for a traditional job.

But I also realized I’m not alone. The Virtual Executive Assistant space has grown rapidly. The landscape is more saturated than ever. That’s what finally pushed me to niche down, after years of resisting. Now, I focus on nonprofits, minority- or women-owned small businesses, and mission-aligned teams. These are the organizations I believe in. These are the people I want to support.

And I’m not just supporting, I’m evolving. I’ve started investing in education that aligns with where I want to go: deeper into workflow design, business operations strategy, and process consulting. Everything I’m learning, I get to apply to both my business and my clients’. It’s challenging, but it’s also exciting.

I haven’t done a vulnerable blog post in a while, but this felt like the right moment. Running a business is no small feat. I love what I do, and it’s more work than most people realize. I don’t have it all figured out, and I never want to pretend I do. What I do have is passion, grit, and 10 years of experience to show for it. A whole decade. And I’m just as thankful today as I was the day I landed my very first client.

Here’s to the work. The doubt. The direction. And the freedom to build something real, meaningful, and mine.

Have you ever had a moment where you questioned it all, then something shifted your perspective? I’d love to hear what helped you stay the course. Share your story in the comments.