Esther caught our eye when she shared a video tour of her snazzy Moms Work Hard course binder in our students-only Facebook group. (We’re both pretty nerdy over office supplies!)

We asked Esther if she would be willing to share a bit about her VA journey and she graciously agreed! Hope you enjoy this interview – and swoon over her nifty binder – as much as we did.

As you’ll see, one thing we really appreciate about Esther’s story is that even though she’s not landed any VA jobs yet her confidence in herself and what she learned in our course is high! Read on!

Introduce yourself! Tell us about your family and how long have you been working as a VA?

Hi, my name is Esther Putman and I’m a Domestic Engineer who homeschools two teenage boys! I’ve homeschooled from the start and with God’s help, plan to homeschool all the way to graduation! I already sell things on eBay and have a YouTube channel known as Frugal Shortcut Mom, so I was looking for something flexible to fit into my busy schedule. I haven’t officially started any VA work yet, but I’m ready to take the next step to start my VA career. This interview just gets me one step closer. All in God’s time, I like to say.

Why did you decide to enroll in the Moms Work Hard course?

I decided to enroll in the course to learn how to become a Virtual Assistant. I’ve heard of VA as a way to make money, but didn’t know where to start.  I had to spell it out for my husband because of his military background. LOL! A VA to him means Veterans’ Affairs so I have to say Virtual Assistant when I’m referring to this course. It was Crystal Paine’s (Money Saving Mom) introduction to this course that piqued my interest and, because of that, I decided to take a leap of faith and take the course.

How as VA work changed you or your family?

I haven’t started any VA work yet, but know that the flexibility and the variety of work will make it feasible for me to contribute to my family’s finances. I’m not looking for full-time work, just one client at a time. I know my limits and don’t want to overload myself with too much work – and that’s ok!

So far, what has been the hardest thing about being a VA?

The hardest thing so far for me is getting started, finding that first client. I’ve had to wait a while and let all this new information sink in before proceeding. I’m now ready and willing to take the next step.

What do you enjoy most about working as a VA?

Even though I haven’t started yet, I’m looking forward to being able to work from home!

Can you describe your binder system? What prompted you to print out the worksheets and organize them? (We’re in love!)

I needed a system that would allow me to pick up and go anywhere to study the course! What if I didn’t have access to technology and my internet connection was down? Putting everything in a binder just made it easy for me to learn on the go when needed. It also keeps the course papers separate from all the other paper stacks I have in the house. I didn’t want my coursework to get lost in the paper jungle.

To keep things as frugal as possible, I always shop from myself first for supplies needed. I already had the binder that I got on sale at Aldi for around $1 and the folders I had on hand from Dollar Tree from back to school time for only $1. Something pretty and functional for only a couple of dollars.

I cut the folders in half to allow a front and back for each section. I then put module one in one folder, modules two and three in another folder and bonuses in the last folder. Separating the modules allows for easy access when I need to refer back to any one section. I use the binder insert pockets for any loose papers and of course my “Defcon” signs.

Anything else to add?

I have set up a VA email address now, so you can reach me at estherputman.va@gmail.com And thank you for this opportunity to do this interview!

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We really enjoyed hearing from Esther for a number of reasons. You just hear her eagerness when she writes! It’s wonderful that Esther has devoted time to learning how to be a VA, and now feels prepared to jump into the work of finding clients. We also think it is wonderful that she’s giving herself permission to make VA work fit her family’s needs. Thank you for giving us a glance into your VA journey, Esther!