Carli Illingworth is a rising entrepreneur in the online business space. Carli provides in-demand Virtual Assistant and Online Business Management service packages for her clients, some of which include: digital course creators, event and retreat planners, and various other creatives and online entrepreneurs.
A few short months after starting her business, Carli was receiving new client inquiries left and right! She made it her mission to attract ambitious and passionate entrepreneurs who are ready to grow and scale their businesses. She works one-on-one with her clients to provide support with anything and everything they may need to grow and scale their business successfully.
Known as the project management and content repurposing queen, Carli helps her clients achieve their vision by bringing all the little puzzle pieces together in their business. She takes them from strategy to implementation for every major project and business venture to ensure a stress-free experience for clients. Her goal is to help small business owners grow and effectively scale their business so they gain back time and money and can focus their energy on their area of genius!
Tell us about who you are and what you do.
I am an online entrepreneur, working remotely, and living the location independent lifestyle. I help digital course creators, event and retreat planners, and various other types of online business owners grow their audience, build community, share their content, set up and streamline business processes, manage projects and teams, and most importantly save them precious time.
Tell us what inspired you to start your own business.
In 2017, I took a six-month solo trip around the world and visited 17 different countries. I knew I had caught the travel bug but I was broke so I returned to my regular job. After I had worked at the same job on and off for almost 10 years, I decided that I was ready for a change. I wanted to create more freedom in my life! I wanted to have the time and money I needed to be able to work from anywhere.
I spent a ton of time trying to figure out how I could make that happen and I came across an online course to become a Virtual Assistant in just 90 days. Immediately, I enrolled and learned all the key skills that online business owners need help with and dove straight into the freelancing world. Working as a Virtual Assistant was the perfect fit for me. Every day is completely different, with a variety of tasks and projects that keep me challenged and never bored. Not to mention, I can work from anywhere as long as I have my laptop and wifi connection! Whether it’s sitting on my couch in my sweatpants or from a beach on a tropical island.
Go in detail and tell us about how your business works.
I offer custom service packages based on my client’s individual business needs. Whether they are just getting started with their business and need an extra hand to help cross a few more tasks off the to-do list or they are looking to scale their business and need someone to manage their projects, teams, and systems to keep everything running smoothly, I provide the behind the scenes support to help them reach their goals.
I offer different service packages and pricing levels to accommodate my clients wherever they are at right now and support them as their business grows. My main services include project management, program or course management, social media management, community management, event management, and more.
What is your giveaway idea through this interview?
I offer a free Discovery Call with me for anyone who thinks that they are ready to bring on a Virtual Assistant or Digital Business Manager for their business. We do a deep dive into your business goals and chat about what type of services and packages would be most helpful for you and how to get started!
What challenges do you experience in running your own business?
I’ll be honest! Starting my own business, especially during a global pandemic, definitely had its challenges! It takes a TON of time, effort, and dedication to figure out what you want to offer in your business, research and learn everything that there is to know about the skills or services you offer, build and market your brand, and attract your ideal client! Not to mention, landing that first client was HARD! When you have no experience, your confidence is low and your mindset can be a real struggle. Battling impostor syndrome and feeling like I’m not good enough held me back at the beginning.
Fast forward to now, I’m working with multiple clients and it has been such an incredible opportunity! If you’re in the same place I was, wanting to start your own online business but not having the confidence — just believe in yourself! I did it and so can you!
How do you manage your business finances?
The nice thing about starting an online service-based business is that there are minimal costs of getting started. I did invest in a few online courses to uplevel my virtual skills but there are so many free resources and tools out there to help out new business owners. I should mention that as a business owner, you are responsible for managing your own money and it’s important to take that seriously. I track all my revenue and expenses in a spreadsheet and I make sure to put a certain percentage of my earnings into a separate account for taxes, insurance, and other business costs. I do recommend talking with finance professional if you are new to running a business and aren’t sure how to get your finances set up properly.
Tell us about your future vision for your business. How far do you want to take it? What is your dream about taking it to the next level?
I am constantly revising my business process and systems and setting new goals as I achieve each new milestone in my business. I do plan to grow my business, attract more incredible clients to work with, and hopefully start bringing on new team members in the future.
I do have some SUPER exciting things planned for 2021! If you want to be the one to find out when I offer new products or services, follow me on Instagram: @carlivirtualservices. I usually post little tips and tricks for new business owners based on my own experience and I share things I have learned along my journey!
What message would you like to give to anybody who has a plan of creating something of their own and making a living through it?
Figure out your skills and find out who needs your help! Some people are able to find their money-making skills quicker than others but everyone has something that makes them unique and that they excel at! Once you know your skills, it’s super important to spend some time doing market research and figure out who your ideal client is. Focus on a problem that exists and use your skills to sell the solution to that problem.
Check out my Instagram – www.instagram.com/carlivirtualservices