The Rise of Collaborative VAs

We’re seeing a beautiful shift in the VA world right now and we are so here for it.

Gone are the days of seeing other VAs as competition. These days, we’re building each other up, swapping skills, sharing leads and creating something so much bigger (and better) than anything we could do alone. Working collaboratively is not just something that feels good, it’s a powerful, strategic way to grow our businesses and make work more impactful.

We Don’t Need to Do It All 

There’s this unspoken pressure in the VA world sometimes, like we should be able to do everything. Email marketing? Yep. Funnels? Sure. Social media, admin, customer service, systems... all of it. But let’s be honest, just because we can doesn’t mean we should.

Working collaboratively means we can say, “That’s not my thing, but I know someone fab who loves it.” It keeps us in our strengths, which not only feels better but delivers better results for clients too. When we all play to our natural talents, everyone benefits.

We also become way more trustworthy in our clients' eyes. Instead of scrambling to figure something out or saying yes to avoid losing work, we show leadership by recommending someone we trust. We stay in our lane, do what we love, and let our VA circle support the rest. This ripple effect builds trust, grows our network, and strengthens our offering without draining us.

Collaboration Helps Us Grow 

Running a business can be a lot. We’re constantly switching between client work, content, onboarding, finances, boundaries... the list goes on. And when we try to do it all in isolation, it’s no wonder we end up tired, disconnected, or questioning our ability.

But with collaboration comes support. When we’re connected to a group of VAs who get it, who we can message when something’s gone wrong, who celebrate our wins, or who we can partner with on projects, it gives us breathing space. We feel lighter, clearer, and more confident. We’re no longer doing this alone.

And the bonus? Our wellbeing improves. We sleep better. We feel calmer. We have more time to live our lives, not just run our business. Collaboration is a healthier way of working. Full stop.

Let’s also not ignore the practical side. Collaboration leads to more work. Yes, really. Referrals become second nature when we’re connected to others in the industry. We become known for something specific. We build a reputation and a community.

What Collaboration Can Look Like

The beauty of collaboration is that it can be whatever we want it to be. There’s no one way to do it. It’s about being open, generous, and proactive in building relationships with other VAs.

Some examples of how we’re seeing this happen:

• Referring leads when we’re full, on holiday, or it’s outside our niche—knowing it’ll come back around

• Skill-swapping behind the scenes to strengthen our own business foundations

• Co-creating offers where our combined talents create something powerful for clients

• Being visible in each other’s worlds, from sharing Instagram posts to hyping each other up in comments

• Showing up for co-working sessions or casual voice notes to talk through the sticky stuff

It’s not about formal partnerships or big moves. It’s about consistent connection, trust, and a willingness to lift each other up.

We’re Not Meant to Do Business Alone

This is the big one. We didn’t start our businesses to feel isolated or overwhelmed. And yet, so many of us slip into that lonely place where we think we need to do everything solo. But that’s not how we grow and it’s definitely not how we feel good doing it.

When we collaborate, we create more than just results, we create community. We start showing up differently. We work with more confidence. We enjoy the process again. And we remind ourselves why we started in the first place.

So let’s keep choosing connection. Let’s build businesses that support our wellbeing as much as our income. Let’s share leads, swap skills, and have each other’s backs.