Episode 125: Student Success Story – How Courtney Works from Home with Her Kids as a Virtual Assistant

Full Episode Transcription:

Arianna Vernier (00:00):
Hey, hey, y’all. I have a super special episode for you guys today. I brought on Courtney Clark. She is a former teacher turned website designer, and she is a member of my Teacher Turned Freelancer Academy. In this episode, she’s gonna be sharing all about how taking a step of faith to follow God has worked out for her, how the Teacher Turned Freelancer Academy has made this journey even easier. So I’m super excited for you guys to tune in. But before we do that, I wanna let you know that the cart for the Teacher Turned Freelancer Academy is closing this Friday. This is your program to get everything you need to become a virtual assistant so you can replace your teaching income and start working from home with your babies way faster. You’re gonna get all the tools, templates, accountability, video trainings, tutorials, everything you need to be successful. This is the program for you. So don’t wait. Go check it all out at teacherturnedfreelancer.com. That’s teacherturnedfreelancer.com, or you can find the link in the show notes. Get registered, and I cannot wait to give you virtual hugs when you join. All right, y’all, let’s jump on in to this awesome interview.

Arianna Vernier (01:20):
Hey Courtney, thank you so much for coming on the show today.

Courtney Clark (02:30):
Yeah, thank you for having me.
Arianna Vernier (02:33):
Yeah. So I’d just like to start before we kind of get into like the nitty gritty about why you became a virtual assistant. I’d just like you to share a little bit about you so my listeners can get to know you. And also just for you to share a little bit about your teaching journey.

Courtney Clark (02:49):
I am the youngest of seven kids and my husband and I have three children of our own, a four year old, a three year old and an 18 month old. And I’ve been teaching kindergarten for six years before I became a VA.

Arianna Vernier (03:08):
That’s that’s amazing. I didn’t realize you taught kindergarten, just like I did. That’s really cool.

Courtney Clark (03:13):
The teaching part was fun. I’ve been around kids, literally my whole life nephews, nieces. I used to work at a daycare. I went into teaching because I wanted to teach my own kids at home.

Arianna Vernier (03:29):
Our stories are really similar, cuz yeah, I grew up, you know, being around kids all the time at babysat, worked at daycares, worked in afterschool programs. So it’s so fun just to see like the connections between like everybody’s stories. So I just, I love asking that question. Can you share with us a little bit, I know you said you were a teacher for six years. Can you tell us, what were your biggest desires for leaving teaching? What really made you kind of wanna get out of that field for the rest of your career?

Courtney Clark (04:04):
Well, I went into teaching for probably the same reason that we all do, you know, loving kids and having a passion for learning and wanting to instill that in children. But I don’t think any of us realize when we become teachers that we’re signing up for all of the extras that are added on and things are constantly added on a plate and –

Arianna Vernier (04:32):
Nothing’s removed.
Courtney Clark (04:33):
Right. They never take things away. So it’s just more and more and more. I worked at two different elementary schools and my first administrator was amazing. And after two years she ended up moving and the next administrator that I had and the one at my second school were very – it was very toxic environment. And just with, with the added stress of, you know, the toxicity and then all of the added expectations on teachers coming home, I just -I had no patience for my own children. And like my dream since I was a kid was to have kids. Like in kindergarten I used to pick up my classmates and carry ’em around and my mom would volunteer. I’d be like, look at the baby. And they’re like, I’m bigger than you put me down. And so I’ve, I’ve just always wanted my own children and it just broke my heart, like losing that honor and not having patience and just – you know, “go away”, you know, just because I’m so stressed. And even when you are done with teaching for the day you’re not done, you know?

Arianna Vernier (05:52):
Right.

Courtney Clark (05:54):
And then that on top of I wanted again, I wanted to be home with my kids. That was part of my dream and be able to teach them as well. So actually after I had my first son, he’s four now I was looking into options. I tried like the V I P kid, which is teaching, English to kids over in China online. But they pay like pennies. You have to build up your clientele. And then where we’re at in Washington state, that meant that my work hours with a newborn was 2:00 AM to like 6:00 AM.

Arianna Vernier (06:37):
Oh no.

Courtney Clark (06:38):
That was not working. So I kind of sucked it up and went back to teaching. And then with my second, same thing, sucked it up, went back to teaching. And then I found out during working at home because of COVID I found out I was pregnant with my daughter and it was kind of to a point where family, isn’t really able to watch them anymore and we couldn’t afford childcare and I was miserable and my husband and I decided that it wasn’t worth it anymore. And that I needed to find something where I could stay home with them.

Arianna Vernier (07:24):
Yeah. I mean, it’s hard, like you said, you, you don’t have the patience for your own kids. And I was the same way growing up. Like I went into teaching because that’s what I knew, but the thing I wanted the most was to be a mom. So I totally feel you there. And it’s hard. It’s hard to be everything for everybody else’s kids and then have anything left to give to your own. So I totally understand that. So can you share with my listeners, I know what you do, but can you share with my listeners what services you offer as a freelancer now?

Courtney Clark (07:58):
So never in my entire life. Did I think that I would ever say this, but I offer web design as well as branding.

Arianna Vernier (08:09):
Did you have any experience in that area before?

Courtney Clark (08:13):
Absolutely none. I, at one point, was gonna start a blog that was after the VIP Kid thing to try to start a blog and monetize that way. But I had no idea what I was doing and I bought hosting and everything to try to start to create a website. And I don’t think I even actually started it.

Arianna Vernier (08:38):
I love that you shared that because I think a lot of people think they have to have the skills beforehand to go into this or that you have to have a degree. And that’s what I want my listeners to understand is you do not have to have prior skills. You can figure things out as you go. And that’s what TTFA is for cuz I teach you the basic skills and then, and then you can build on those and learn just from experience, you know? So I’m glad you shared that.

Courtney Clark (09:06):
And absolutely like finding TTFA was an answer to my prayers because like, what drew me in is I was in Side-Hustle Teachers and I saw one of your posts and our stories are so very similar. And like at that point I was, you know, I had just had my daughter, I was on maternity leave, but I had to figure something out. And then I read one of your posts and I was like, “oh my gosh, this is what I’ve been needing” because you know your program, it does it, it teaches you everything about becoming a VA. Like what services you, you can offer. It guides you through all of the steps to get started. And even now that I’ve been doing this for over a year, I know that, I mean, I’m constantly posting in our group and you’re constantly helping. So it’s like, it was a dream come true.

Arianna Vernier (10:06):
Aw, that makes my heart so happy. Thank you. So what were some of the fears that you had, like that were kind of holding you back before you even joined the Teacher Turned Freelancer Academy?

Courtney Clark (10:22):
Honestly, it did not take me long once I read your post. It didn’t take me long to make the decision. I think it was like the next day I had already decided that I was gonna quit teaching and it was like, it was definitely a leap of faith. But then, like I said, when I found your post, I just knew that that’s what needed to happen. I guess my biggest fear was that I guess I didn’t have confidence in myself. I had no idea what I was gonna offer. And even after I started the program, I jumped around a few times about what I was gonna offer. I thought web design sounded cool, but I was like, I’ll never get there. And so I was like, I can do admin work. I can do, you know, the stuff I didn’t really wanna do, but I felt like my skills were in. But after like a week or two, I’m like, “no, I’m not doing that”. And so thankfully you kind of steered me in the right direction where I could go and study and like watch free videos and stuff and learn about what I wanted to do, which is the web design.

Arianna Vernier (11:34):
Yeah, I think a lot of people, you know, when they first become virtual assistants, they think they have to go into the area they have experience with. And most of us feel kind of confident with like administrative or social media management. Cause that’s kind of, we all have some level of experience in that. But one of the biggest things I want every person listening to this podcast to understand is if you are listening to this show, it’s probably because you wanna quit teaching. You’re not happy where you’re at. I don’t want you to choose services that don’t light you up because then you’re still gonna feel the same stuck feelings. You’re not gonna be happy and you need to build a career, a business around your life and not have your life working around your business. I want you so excited to jump up every day. And so that’s, that’s really important and I’m very proud of you for like how quickly you realized that was not for you. Cuz it took me longer. I jumped around a lot at the beginning before I, you know, went into website design too. So yeah. I’m glad I’m very proud of you for figuring that out and for investing in yourself so quickly, like you said, you found this program and you made the choice so quickly. Some people take a little bit longer to make that decision, but you just, you just went all in. And so I love that about you. That makes an awesome student.

Courtney Clark (12:54):
Well, it helps too that like it aligns with the goals that I already had. But I mean, it was so fun. Like it was new, it was exciting, you know? And so I was kind of, once I signed up I couldn’t stop watching the videos and doing the work. I was so excited. And then I know that starting out as a VA, you don’t have to have a website, but with my interest in web design, I started to ask questions and start that. And then once I started designing my own website, it was just, it was so fun. It was so fun. I was like, this is what I wanna do.

Arianna Vernier (13:40):
Can you kind of talk through, you mentioned it a little bit, but can you just share with my listeners, what are some of my, what are some of your favorite parts about the Teacher Turned Freelancer Academy?

Courtney Clark (13:54):
It’s simple. I mean, you cover every topic that I could’ve possibly had a question about. But they’re short videos and then you guide your students through the work that needs to be done to be able to start their career. And I mean, like to hit the ground running start. So I powered through it, but I feel like it was like within a month I was looking for clients. And then like I said, whenever I did have a question you’re always there. You respond the same day, you know, unless it’s like super late and then it’s first thing in the morning before I’m even awake. So there’s just that high level of support. Like I said, I struggled with trusting myself, but the program made it so easy step-by-step that once I started, I didn’t really have a lot of time to doubt myself if that makes sense. I think that that’s partly my pacing too, because I was just sprinting through it.

Arianna Vernier (15:09):
Yeah, I think a lot of people, you know, hesitate to invest in a program like this, cuz they’re like, “oh, I don’t know if I’m gonna have the time to give it” or whatever, but that’s what I wanted to do with TTFA and you said it so well, I wanted to make the videos bitesize, but super actionable and implementable. I didn’t want it to be a lot of fluff that people were gonna have to sit through and like zone out. I wanted the videos to be very bitesized. So you could just watch it in like 10 minutes or less go implement and then move on to the next one. Like you said, that way you don’t get stuck and you’re not like freaking out because you just watched an hour long video and you don’t even remember what the beginning said and you’re not really sure what to do next. Like I wanted to make it really easy for people to move through at their own pace, but that wasn’t like super overwhelming.

Courtney Clark (16:03):
Right. And it’s, it’s done in a way where like you can do it at your own pace. I chose to go through it as quickly as possible. Cause as on maternity leave, I had to make that decision. Like I think I started in March. So I had this summer to figure out if I could make it work where I have to go back to teaching and I was just so excited about it. But people can go out their own pace because like you said, it’s just, it’s like an 8, 10, 12 minute video and the work and you upload it to the group for feedback and you know, and then you can move on to the next one whenever you’re ready.

Arianna Vernier (16:45):
Definitely. So how has TTFA changed your life for the better? What do your days kind of look like now?

Courtney Clark (16:58):
Not waking up when the sun comes up. I get to sleep in, you know, and cuddle my babies in the morning. I mean with three little ones, my schedule is never the same. I’m working on trying to get a schedule for my kids sanity, but I can work around them. I have them they’re good at independent play. And I can work when they’re playing, but honestly, most of the time, because I’m a night owl, I’ll work while they’re sleeping, like during nap and then I’ll work at night. If I have an appointment, I can block that time off on my schedule. So there’s no meetings, you know? And then I can make it up later. So it’s very flexible and kids come first. And my husband comes first and you know, all of the extra things an if there’s like a church event, I don’t have to say, sorry, I can’t go, I have work. I have to go teach. You know?

Arianna Vernier (18:09):
So yeah, like I said, design your business around your life and not the other way around, like, those are the important things, your faith, your family, those should come first. And with teaching, they can’t. So I wanna ask you a question that I ask on every episode and it’s, if someone wanted to start their digital classroom journey, but they just felt too overwhelmed. What would you tell them?

Courtney Clark (18:38):
I would tell them to take the leap and just put their faith in God. When you get in your own head, it’s a lot harder to do the things that are best for you and for your family, but God always provides. And honestly, that’s when my business started to do the best is when I got out of my own head and I just gave it to God. And I took that leap and after that things go smoothly. I mean, it’s not perfect, you know, nothing ever is, but it definitely gave me that sense of relief that, yes, this is what God wants for me. And this what is what God wants for my family. So God does provide. And if you are feeling that pull to change careers and, and look into VA, just dive in feet first and give it to God and then just hit the ground running.

Arianna Vernier (19:36):
Yeah. He, he does not put a dream on your heart for no reason. I always say that. So if you’re feeling that tug like follow that tug, he’s not gonna let you, faceplant he’s gonna have your back. And you know, if you’re having that tug and you’re ignoring it, that’s almost like disobedience, like he’s gonna tap you with a feather. That’s what he’s gonna start out doing. He’s gonna tap you with a feather. Like, Hey, this is what you should do. But then if you don’t listen, it’s gonna progress and you don’t wanna be smacked up upside the head with a piano by God. Like that is not fun. So just take that step. When you feel that nudge and virtual assistance can be done while you’re still teaching, you can build it while you’re still teaching to the point that it replaces your income and then you can leave. So you don’t have to, you know, go all in. If that terrifies you, you can build it over time. That’s the beauty is that you can do it on your own schedule.

Courtney Clark (20:37):
Right.

Arianna Vernier (20:38):
Awesome. Well, it has been such a blessing having you on the show with us today, Courtney, I’m so grateful you came on. Where can people come and connect with you and learn more about you?

Courtney Clark (20:50):
So my website is lightofminewebdesign.com, And I’m also on Facebook and Instagram. Um, also @lightofminewebdesign.

Arianna Vernier (20:59):
Perfect. Awesome. So I’ll have those linked in the show notes for everybody who’s listening. So you can go and check out Courtney cuz she’s amazing. And I’m just so grateful to have her as a student in the Teacher Turned Freelancer Academy.

Courtney Clark (21:12):
Thank you. And you have been a huge blessing in my life too in my family’s life. So thank you for all of your guidance.

Arianna Vernier (21:22):
Don’t make me cry. Yeah. So if ya’ll listening loved this episode, I really, really encourage you to come and check out the Teacher Turned Freelancer Academy. Our cart is closing this coming Friday. So jump on in with us. I’m so excited to welcome you in and just support you in this journey. Take that leap of faith. God’s got you. I will help you. We’ve got your back. So go to teacherturnedfreelancer.com and I cannot wait to see you there. All right. Y’all I love you so incredibly much and we will see you next episode.