A few weeks ago, I shared that I had reached 30 years as a Virtual Assistant.
It was a milestone I never imagined when I started this journey back in 1996. Over those three decades, I’ve worked with incredible clients, adapted to countless technology changes, survived economic ups and downs, and built relationships that have lasted decades.
But after the congratulations settled down, I found myself asking a different question:
Now what?
For many people, a major milestone feels like reaching the finish line. For me, it feels more like arriving at a crossroads.
Thirty years taught me that success isn’t really about numbers. It’s not about how long you’ve been in business, how many clients you’ve served, or how many projects you’ve completed.
It’s about creating a life that aligns with your values.
As I look ahead, I find myself focusing less on growth for growth’s sake and more on purpose.
What I Don’t Want
I don’t want to spend the next decade chasing every opportunity that comes along.
I don’t want to be so busy building businesses that I forget to enjoy the life I’ve worked so hard to create.
And I don’t want to continue projects simply because I’ve already invested time in them.
One lesson I’ve learned recently is that sometimes the right decision is to let something go.
I recently decided to close my coffee endeavor. Closing Hilltop Brew Haus wasn’t easy, but it reminded me that success isn’t measured by how tightly we hold on. Sometimes success is recognizing when it’s time to redirect our energy toward something that better fits our goals and circumstances.
What I Do Want
I want to continue serving the clients who have trusted me for years.
I want to deepen the relationships that matter most.
I want to spend more time writing, teaching, and sharing what I’ve learned from three decades in business.
I want to continue building resources that genuinely help people, whether through The Best VA, Herbal Journal, Barefoot Domains, Hilltop Photos, or future projects I haven’t even imagined yet.
I want to create more than I consume.
I want to leave behind useful knowledge.
I want to help someone who’s just starting where I once stood.
The Next Chapter
At this point in my life, I’m less interested in building an empire and more interested in building a legacy.
Legacy doesn’t have to be grand.
Sometimes it’s a client whose business runs more smoothly because you helped them.
Sometimes it’s a blog post that answers a question someone has been struggling with.
Sometimes it’s a photograph that makes someone pause for a moment and see beauty where they might have otherwise walked by.
The next chapter isn’t about starting over.
It’s about refining what matters most.
Thirty years wasn’t the finish line.
It was simply the foundation for whatever comes next.
And honestly?
I’m looking forward to finding out.
Kathy
