We’re happy to get to know Julie Lavia of Montreal, Canada. She founded her company The Virtual Starlets one year ago.
Julie, what does your dream life look like? Are you currently living your dream or still working on it?
I want to be able to decrease my hours at my 9-5 job and work part-time. I want my online business to sustain me so I can have the flexibility and freedom to work from home and travel around the world as I have always wanted to do!
Your dream is definitely attainable. What type of work do you do?
I am a virtual assistant and a Blogging Coach. I help female entrepreneurs attract their ideal clients by creating digital content and coaching them through their blogging journey.
What inspired you to start this business?
I was initially searching for a side hustle to balance out my full-time job. Then when I did more research into the online world and the number of available opportunities, I decided I wanted to become a freelancer/virtual assistant who helps other female businesses online.
Fast forward another year, and someone changed my life by introducing me to the world of becoming a coach. I have always loved teaching and inspiring other people with my knowledge, and you can create high-ticket offers for your services, which intrigued me even more.
If someone needs help with starting a blogging career, where should they look?
I have two FREE resources you can download today to help you get on the right track to becoming a successful blogger to attract those ideal clients to your business! You can find them on my website: www.juliechristinacreates.com/RESOURCES/
That’s awesome. What’s a challenge you’ve faced along your entrepreneurial journey so far?
I would get caught up in the shiny object syndrome–this is where you are seeing all the new products and services that appear online. The offers look so tempting that you wind up investing, and then you have buyer’s remorse, or you don’t use the product to its total capacity.
This happened at the beginning of my entrepreneurial journey, and now I stop myself to ensure it is an asset to me and my business.
I am also a neurodivergent female who has mild Autism. Therefore, the challenge is being taken seriously as someone who can hold her own like everyone else. We have the right to share the space with others and own our truth.
I was ashamed to have talked about my disability with others, but now I have become more open in this online space because I have learned to look at it as a superpower and not an overpowering in my life.
How has being an introvert affected your business?
As an Introvert, and I know other introverts struggle with this challenge as well, but a lot of us are not “camera friendly.” We tend to be shy and very uncomfortable with showing our faces on the screen.
I have decided that I will try to start showing my face at least once a week to familiarize myself more to allow people to see the face behind my brand.
Other than that, I help people with written content to make it marketable and add value to podcast interviews and FB lives where there are not a lot of audiences around at the same time. Baby steps are key to growing into the successful person you want to be.
I love that you have a plan to make yourself more visible. What other methods are you using to bring in new clients?
I use Facebook groups, and I come in recommended by referrals from other entrepreneurs that I have networked with previously.
Is attending networking events a part of your marketing strategy?
Yes! I want to become a speaker to tell my story of how I got to be where I am. I want to inspire and educate other women to follow their dreams.
I want to be on more platforms to connect with others and educate them about the power of utilizing content creation to leverage your businesses.
How do you define success for yourself and your business?
To be consistent and to get comfortable with being uncomfortable to move forward. If you stay in the same mindset and do not challenge yourself, you cannot progress to manifest the life of your dreams.
What advice would you give to other introverted women who are just starting their own businesses?
If a shy, introverted, and neurodivergent person like myself can build a business, so can you! Don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone if you know you are meant for more in life.
Thank you for taking the time to share your story. Where can our readers find more information about you?
