Don’t Be Like the Cheesecake Factory - How Introverted VAs Can Sign Clients by Specializing (Instead of Offering Everything)
You know the Cheesecake Factory, right?
That restaurant with the book-sized menu — 250 items long and still somehow missing the thing you actually want?
Here’s the thing: too many Virtual Assistants are running their businesses like that.
Trying to offer everything to everyone — and ending up with no one saying yes.
Something to do with casting a wide net. Turns out that works great with fish and not so much with clients.
Let’s talk about it.
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You’re doing all the things… but still no clients.
When you first decided to start your VA business, you probably felt excited. Inspired.
You were finally going to have the freedom to work for yourself and take control of your time.
But now?
You’re second-guessing everything.
You’ve followed all the advice. You’re showing up online. Maybe even tweaking your services every other week.
And yet… still no clients.
You’re starting to wonder:
Did I make a huge mistake?
Am I cut out for this?
Should I just go back to a job?
It’s a hard place to be — especially when you’re watching your bank account shrink and your stress level rise.
You just want someone to give you a chance.
But instead of confidence, all you’re getting is crickets.
Here’s the truth (and a little relief):
It’s not just you.
When I started back in 2017, it took me 3 months to sign my very first client — and then another 3 months to sign the second. I know exactly how it feels to be doing “all the right things” and still not see results.
It wasn’t until I made a few key changes — including pivoting into Tech & Operations — that things finally clicked.
Today, I work with 5 amazing clients every month — all on retainer, and all through referrals.
So if you’re tired of the constant hustle and ready to build a sustainable VA business that actually pays you, keep reading.
I’m sharing the 4 steps that helped me go from “stuck and doubting” to fully booked and in control.
Ready? Let’s dig in.
Step 1: Specialize as a Tech & Ops VA
If you take only one thing from this blog post — let it be this:
The reason you’re not signing clients isn’t because you’re not trying hard enough. It’s because you haven’t specialized yet.
Here’s the truth:
Trying to offer everything to everyone doesn’t make you versatile. It makes you invisible.
When business owners are ready to hire a VA, they’re not thinking,
“Let me find someone who does a little bit of everything.”
They’re thinking,
“I need help with ___.”
And if that blank space is tech or operations — which it usually is — and your website, services page, or Instagram profile says admin, inbox, customer service, scheduling, travel, Canva, social media…
They’ll keep scrolling.
Because they don’t see themselves in what you offer.
They want someone who clearly solves their problem — and when you’re a Tech & Ops VA, that’s exactly what you do.
Why specialize in Tech & Ops?
Because tech is one of the first things a growing business will outsource.
Here’s why:
Tech tasks are often mission critical — launches, automations, websites, online courses, email systems — and they don’t have time to figure it all out
Tech tasks can be complicated or time-consuming, and most business owners either don’t know how or don’t want to learn
Tech is tied directly to revenue — when their systems are smooth, their business grows. Which means they want this work done right
If you can be the person who sets that up, maintains it, and keeps things running?
You become an essential part of their business.
You’re not just “helping.” You’re helping them scale.
That’s powerful — and it’s why tech & ops VAs get booked out.
Generalists blend in. Specialists get hired.
Let’s go back to the Cheesecake Factory for a second.
Imagine you walk in, starving, and you’re craving sushi.
You open the menu… and there it is! Page 27, right between the chicken parmesan and the pancakes.
Sushi.
Are you going to trust it?
Probably not.
Because when someone tries to do everything, we assume they’re not great at anything.
The same goes for your VA business.
When you specialize — especially in tech and operations — you immediately become the go-to person in your niche.
You stop competing with everyone and start standing out to someone specific.
But what if I’m not a tech expert yet?
That’s totally okay — and honestly, expected.
You don’t need to know everything to get started.
What you need is a path, some real skills, and the confidence to say:
“I can figure this out, and I’m committed to supporting your business.”
Inside the 4-Figure Tech VA Membership, I’ve made this simple:
✺ I teach you the 10 most in-demand tech tools and platforms — so you don’t waste time learning things clients aren’t even asking for
✺ I help you choose your niche and services based on who you want to support — so your business is built around what you actually enjoy
✺ And I help you see that you don’t have to be an expert — just one step ahead of your client, and ready to help them get results faster
My students love that they don’t have to figure out what to specialize in on their own.
They’re guided through it, step-by-step — with clarity and confidence.
Let’s make this real:
You’re reading this because what you’re doing right now isn’t working.
And I’m here to tell you: it’s not because you’re not good enough.
It’s because you haven’t made it easy for people to hire you.
When you specialize as a Tech & Ops VA:
Clients immediately understand how you can help them
You get to charge more, even as a beginner (because you’re solving high-value problems)
And you stop having to convince people to work with you — they’ll seek you out
This is the exact shift I made in my own business — and it changed everything.
So, before you post another “I’m available for VA work” story or add yet another service to your offerings...
Take a breath.
Get focused.
And specialize.
It’s the first — and most important — step toward building the business you actually want.
Step 2: Set up irresistible retainer packages
Here’s what makes tech clients different: they need help every month.
That means:
✺ No more chasing projects
✺ No more hourly pricing games
✺ No more starting over with new clients all the time
Instead, we build monthly retainer packages that make you an essential part of your client’s team — so you can grow with their business.
Inside the membership, the Create Irresistible Package[s] lesson walks you through exactly how to do this. You’ll:
You’ll choose the right services for you and learn how to talk about the outcomes (not just your skills) with the Reframing Your Skills into Outcomes worksheet.
Of course, you also need to price your packages. I dedicated a whole lesson to this as well: How to Price your Package[s].
Inside you’ll find the Calculate Your Rate strategy — so you never undercharge again.
My favorite part?
I’ve had some clients for years now — and it all started with a great retainer package.
Step 3: Market your business without burning out
The good news: You don’t have to be on Instagram 24/7 to find clients.
In fact, most of my marketing ideas inside the membership have nothing to do with social media.
With the help of the exclusive Sawyer bot, you’ll create your own custom marketing strategy based on your current stage (whether you’re finding your first client ever or your first tech VA client), and the strengths you have as an introvert.
Here’s what else I give you:
7 practical ways to sign your next client (most without social media)
My exact step-by-step plan to reach out to people in your network (where I found my first client!)
The Discovery Call Strategy so you become the person clients want to hire — and make sure they’re the right fit too
This is the part where it all starts to come together — where you take your packages, your new positioning, and start connecting with the right people.
Step 4: Build a client experience that keeps them coming back
Want to know the real secret to having clients on retainer for years?
It’s not magic. It’s the Client Journey.
In the membership, I’ll show you how to design a simple yet effective client journey that makes people want to stick around — not just for one month, but for the long haul. (I’ve been working with my longest client since 2018!)
And to make things even easier for you, I’ll also teach you the Referral Magic strategy — where your clients do your marketing for you and send new business your way.
Because let’s be honest — the dream isn’t spending your days glued to Instagram stories.
It’s taking your dog on long walks. Reading a book on your couch or, better yet, in your backyard when the sun is shining. Knowing your business is running smoothly and sustainably.
This is how you build that kind of business.
“Are business owners really hiring beginners?”
Yes. They are. And not just hiring them — paying them well.
This is one of the most common worries I hear from new VAs, especially when they’re just starting to specialize in tech and ops.
“But I don’t know everything yet…”
“Why would someone hire me when there are more experienced people out there?”
Let me tell you: experience isn’t everything.
Here’s what I mean:
My very first client hired me to set up her online course.
And guess what?
I had zero idea how to do that.
But neither did she — and she didn’t have the time or brain space to figure it out. So she hired me to take it off her plate and figure it out for her. (And I did.)
My second client?
She was and still is an expert. A web designer who has launched her own course about how to create an online course.
She knew every tool, every step, and every system. But she didn’t want to do it all herself — she wanted help.
She hired me even though I had no clue how to use WordPress, Zapier, or set up a webinar.
I learned it all on the job — and she was happy to have someone she could trust to handle it.
So yes — business owners are absolutely hiring beginners. Because:
They don’t have the time or energy to figure it out themselves
They value your willingness to learn and take ownership
They’re not hiring you because you know everything — they’re hiring you to help them move faster
And here’s the best part:
When you position yourself as a Tech & Ops Specialist, you can still charge more — even if you’re new.
When I started offering tech services, my rate was €45/hour, I’m from the Netherlands, so my clients pay me in euros, and I was definitely a beginner.
But because I was solving specific problems and positioning myself as someone who could handle the tech they didn’t want to touch, I was worth it to them.
Specializing changes the conversation.
It’s not “Can you do it all?”
It becomes, “Can you help me solve this?”
And when the answer is yes — whether you’re learning as you go or already confident — that’s more than enough.
So if you’re a beginner wondering if anyone will hire you:
Yes. They will.
You just need to get specific — and get started.
Let’s recap — here’s how you stop “doing all the things” and start signing clients:
Specialize in Tech & Ops — be the go-to expert, not a generalist.
Create irresistible retainer packages — and charge confidently.
Market yourself in ways that fit you — no more social media burnout.
Build an unforgettable client experience — so they stay and refer you.
This is exactly how I built my business — and it’s how you can finally build yours.
Imagine it:
Working with a few amazing clients you love, month after month.
No more wondering where your next paycheck is coming from.
No more second-guessing your decision to become a VA.
Just clarity, consistency, and calm.
Ready to make it real?
Join the 4-Figure Tech VA Membership and become the go-to Tech & Ops Specialist that clients can’t imagine running their business without.
You’ll get the tools, strategy, and support you need to build a thriving VA business — your way.
