How to onboard a VA for my solo business?

Bringing a Virtual Assistant into your solo business shouldn’t feel heavy. You just need a clear start, steady communication, and a few simple systems. This playbook shows you exactly what to do in the first two weeks so your Virtual Assistant becomes a smooth extension of your work—without overthinking, without long manuals, and without chaos. Just simple steps you can follow right away.

Here’s a quick, clear playbook you can use without overthinking.

1) Day one kick-off call

Goal: set context, get comfortable, and agree on how work will move.

30-minute flow

• quick hello and intros
• what the business sells and who buys
• top 3 goals for the next 30 days
• first 5 tasks and what “done” means
• work hours, holidays, reply time
• questions from the Virtual Assistant

Helpful questions

• what do you need from me to move fast this week
• which tools do you already know well
• what usually slows you down at clients

2) Access and tools setup

Give access before day one so they can start immediately.

Give access to:

• email + calendar
• chat tool (Slack/Discord)
• work tool (Asana/Trello/ClickUp/Notion)
• Google Drive/Dropbox
• Zoom/Meet links
• forms, website tools, bookkeeping tools

Keep it safe:

• share passwords through a password manager
• turn on two-factor
• make a separate Virtual Assistant user
• note who has access to what

3) Clear expectations and SOPs

Keep SOPs short and simple. One folder. Easy to find. Easy to follow.

SOP template:

• why this task exists
• when to start it
• steps in a numbered list
• “done” checklist
• normal time it takes
• 1–2 screenshots or a short video
• who owns it

SOPs to create first:

• inbox rules
• calendar rules
• lead follow-up
• social posting steps
• invoicing + reminders

4) Communication guidelines

Set a rhythm so nothing is left unclear.

Cadence:

• daily morning check-in
• daily end-of-day update
• weekly 20-minute review

Reply time:

• within 2 hours during work hours
• after hours only when approved

Update format:

Done / Doing / Blocked (with links)

5) Training and resources

Give the Virtual Assistant the basics so they can match your style.

Starter pack:

• one-page brand voice guide
• 10 example emails
• short videos for tricky tools
• simple glossary of clients/products

Phase work in:

• week 1: simple repeatable tasks
• week 2: client messages using templates
• week 3: small cross-tool tasks
• week 4: own one full workflow

6) Regular check-ins and feedback

Light touch. High clarity.

Weekly review:

• top 3 priorities
• key metric
• plan for next week
• one good thing + one improvement

Feedback tips:

• be specific
• show a good example
• fix the process, not the person
• end with one clear change to try

7) Automation support

Automate small steps so the Virtual Assistant can focus on real work.

Useful automations:

• Zapier for invites, lead → task, reminders
• Calendly for booking gaps and buffers
• canned email replies
• auto-folders for receipts

Stay safe:

• connect apps under owner account
• check and remove unused apps monthly

8) Metrics that matter for solo owners

Track only what actually helps you run the business.

Scoreboard:

• tasks completed on time
• inbox reply speed
• calendar accuracy
• follow-up speed on leads
• quality (no rework)
• hours saved for you

9) First 14 days timeline

A simple timeline to get steady results fast.

Before day one:

• accounts ready
• welcome note + call link
• starter pack shared

Day one:

• kick-off call
• access check
• 3 small tasks due same day

Days 2–5:

• daily check-ins
• screen-share reviews
• first SOP improvements

Week two:

• add client-facing tasks
• Friday recap
• fix repeat issues at the root

10) Safeguards, payment, offboarding

Safeguards:

• NDA + contractor agreement
• scope with deliverables + hours

US payment basics:

• collect W-9 (US) or W-8 (non-US)
• pay on a set schedule
• ask a professional for tax/legal if needed

Offboarding:

• turn off all access
• rotate passwords
• collect all files + SOPs
• send a short exit note

11) Copy-ready templates

End of day update:

• Done: 3 bullets + links
• Doing: 2 bullets
• Blocked: 1 bullet + help needed
• Tomorrow: first task + start time

Task confirmation:

• Goal
• What “done” looks like
• Steps
• Due date/time
• Link

Kick-off message:

“Welcome. Here’s the week one plan, how we’ll talk, and your first tasks. Ask questions early.”

12) Where to get a head start

You can hire on your own or use a service that already tests, trains, and places Virtual Assistants fast.

Platforms like Wishup do this, so solo owners get stable output sooner and still keep control over quality.

Final checklist

• accounts tested
• contract signed
• starter pack ready
• first 5 tasks defined
• daily + weekly cadence set
• metrics picked
• basic automations turned on
• offboarding steps saved