Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jenn Uren, Co-Founder of Podcast VA Association, located in Chicago, IL, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Podcast VA Association (PVAA) primarily serves individuals who want to have their own business as Virtual Assistants (VAs) but are looking for a way to stand out from everyone else. For example, if you wanted to be a VA, you would have more success being hired if you have a skill that sets you apart. PVAA offers you a course and certification that provides you with the skills needed to work with podcasters as well as a coaching community for continued honing of those skills. Our secondary audience is podcasters looking to hire VAs. Through our Podcast VA Directory, we make it easy for you to be found by podcasters who need your help.

Tell us about yourself

My husband and I have been married for over 27 years and have five kids (3 bios and 2 through a surprise adoption). We are both entrepreneurial and, over the years, have done many different things that gave us the skills and foundation to try the next thing. For me, that journey brought me to the point of starting a podcast. This was a whole new world, and I loved it! However, after a few months, I began to recognize that the repetitive tasks each episode required were consuming the bulk of the time I had for the podcast, and that was keeping me from doing the things I did well as a content creator.

There's something in the podcast world called "podfade," which is when a podcast just stops - usually, this is because the podcaster got overwhelmed with maintaining the production. I began to understand how easily podfade can hit, and I didn't want this to happen to me, so I began to ask around in the podcast community about hiring a VA to help me. It seemed that I was met with one of two answers which were either "I hired my sister" or "I don't know but when you figure it out, let me know because I need one too."

Thinking that Podcast VAs had to be out there, I started hanging out in different VA groups and discovered two things there as well. First, very few VAs understand the world of podcasting, and second, there are lots of generalist VAs frustrated that they weren't being hired. It seemed that I had hit upon a common problem, so the Podcast VA Association was launched to provide a solution that would help both the VA and the Podcaster.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I think my biggest accomplishment as a business owner was when that first VA finished the course and certification and was subsequently hired by a podcaster. A real problem had been solved with a real solution, but more than that, it was a meaningful connection that was helping two people who weren't me. It made me excited to do this over and over again!

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

Every business owner and each business has its own unique set of challenges. I'm building this business in the midst of raising my kids, so for me, as a mompreneur, it's been important to find strong rhythms and routines to support my family so I have the freedom to work. Having those systems in place – especially around meal planning and prep, laundry, and managing things like school papers – has actually given my whole family freedom, as we're all on the same page with expectations and execution, while also giving me the ability to be flexible in my business when the inevitable things pop up - like that dreaded call from the school asking you to pick up a sick child.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Validate your idea before you start. Just because it's a good idea doesn't necessarily mean it will do great business.
  2. Be very clear on who you serve and how you serve them. Most people avoid doing this because they feel like it may limit them, but in reality, it makes you stand out. The more general you are, the harder it is actually to gain traction because you look like everyone else. (That's why so many VAs in those groups weren't getting clients!)
  3. Keep it simple. The simpler your business model, the more likely it is to succeed because a) you make it easy for your customers and clients to say yes to what you offer, and b) you make it easy to scale your growth.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.podcastvaassociation.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/podcastvaassociation
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/podcastvaassociation/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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