“Although I was in the corporate world for many years, I wasn't built for the corporate. That environment just wasn't for me. I ended up moving from one job to the next, great jobs but it was me who didn't fit into that world.”
After turning down her next job opportunity abroad, just two weeks prior, Sonja googled ‘what can I do with a laptop and internet’! Virtual Assistant was the answer she was given and from there she turned to her network for leverage and eased herself into this new domain. Not your typical in-the-box thinker, Sonja quickly gained clients, learnt about and incorporated operational tools to master the craft, and ultimately elevated what it meant to drive a Virtual Assistant business.
Sonja is a big believer in researching one’s way into new domains. She turned to global counterparts to understand trends, evolution and best practice that would keep her relevant today and future proof her for tomorrow. Reaching out for domain expertise also afforded her with relationships that would continue to open doors for her and her business. We are reminded that as entrepreneurs, a focus on investing in relationships is essential as we never fully know at the time how our connections could play out in the future. Relationships are a great place to start the entrepreneurial quest.
Sonja has an optimistic eye and when the COVID pandemic hit, she saw it as an opportunity. Her business thrived during the emergence of remote work. Having built up an incredible amount of knowledge in her field, she went one step further and found a way to productise it, selling Virtual Assistant one-on-one online training - an easy to buy alternative for many businesses and individuals that now required this emerging (essential!) capability. She points out how many of our ideas may not actually work, but sometimes they do, and that’s what excites her.
“When I have an idea, I don't have to ask for permission to go live. I can just do it. I choose who I work with. I choose my income. Everything is in my hands and I love the freedom that it brings.”
Having exited those successful businesses, Sonja took the learnings from her experiences and used this to fuel her next venture. Knowing she excelled in forming and deepening relationships in business, this would be the seed for her next step in her entrepreneurial journey. The lesson we take from Sonja is how cognizant we need to be of the learnings along the way, they become our entrepreneurial compass if we are aware enough to make them really count.
“I get a kick out of people flourishing. When you collaborate, you can create even more opportunities than going at it alone.”
Sonja has learnt how to pull in partners and turn to collaboration to unearth even more opportunity. We concur and have witnessed the magic when like-minded people come together, and THIS is where Sonja thrives! This is where many entrepreneurs can thrive, if we just take a moment to consider the collaborative opportunities we are all able to create.
“I have gone through very difficult times as an entrepreneur. I think it is part of being an entrepreneur to second guess yourself, to be tempted to go back and do the responsible thing and get a job when you face challenging times.”
Sonja hits on a home truth, as many times entrepreneurs have lost a place in the employable market. As we sink deeper into entrepreneurship, we become less employable, we simply do not fit into this realm and can easily get caught in no-man's-land. Often we just need to push on and get through the dip because we can't bear to give up on the freedom that entrepreneurship gives us.
Sonja has an encapsulating positivity around her, and even laughs as she shares the down sides of entrepreneurship. We admire that in her, and how she embraces the good and the bad.
“You are always busy, networking, marketing, doing admin, working on this business, day, morning and night. People think you are busy making money but the truth is you’re often only making money 10% of that time! There is a lot of sacrifice too in being an entrepreneur”.
As many entrepreneurs realise along the way, business is business, not a charity. Sonja talks about her biggest lesson: the transition from taming her giving nature into building a business out of what she has to give the world. And rightly so, because one person suffers in this scenario, the entrepreneur. It was a long road for Sonja but she has found a way to value herself and her services. She believes this ties in with our self worth, fundamental to looking after the human behind the business we create.
Sonja’s secret to success? Focus on client service and treating people well. Furthermore, she encourages us to surround ourselves with like-minded people as this continues to inspire her throughout her entrepreneurial journey. She gives back by doing just this to those entrepreneurs in her circle and we thank her for that!
“Solving niche challenges founders face”.
Illustrator: Lisa Williams (Instagram: @artist_llw)