In this student spotlight series, we are highlighting some of our wonderful Virtual Excellence Academy members to share their journeys. All the ups, downs and surprises on the way to building their dream business. Giving you a realistic insight into where this career path can take you and how it can impact multiple areas of your life!

Today we’re interviewing Cathy Ghita, a member of the VEA since December 2020. As a new VA, she offered anything her clients needed, but with time she started to niching down to find what she truly loved to do most, digital marketing. In this field, she currently offers sales funnel strategy & creation, product launch, and copywriting packages. With the aid of two contractors (a graphic designer & a full-stack software engineer), Cathy is able to offer a one-stop shop for experts that are looking to turn their knowledge into income. Let’s dive in!

Hey Cathy! Let’s start with an introduction, who are you, and what do you do? (aka what’s your elevator pitch)

Hey there amazing DNK team, Funnel Fairy (of which I am the Head Fae) helps experts and professionals turn their knowledge into income, by transforming their digital presence into the cohesive story of a brand that clients love to buy from. This includes everything from initial branding, to websites and sales funnels & all the way to funnel conversion rate optimization.

Tell us more about yourself, where you are in the world, and what’s been piquing your interest lately?

I’m based in Zurich, Switzerland. Have recently moved here together with my hubby and 3 cats. Being originally from Romania, which borders Ukraine in the north, I am so relieved to be moving away from the ongoing war which was amplifying my general anxiety to extreme amounts that I could barely handle. I could relocate so easily due to being self-employed and as mushy as it may sound to an outsider, it’s all because of the VEA, Hannah, team DNK and the community associated with the course. 

On a happier note, I have started working out and using my business flexibility to actually have a proper work-life balance. Being someone whose weight doubled in 3 years as a result of psychiatric medication + sedentary corporate work, reaching a point where I can prioritize this is a fabulous achievement.

I also write lyrics to music, collaborating with musicians on different platforms. One of my dreams is to write a musical, ideally about apostasy, which has been one of the more profound experiences of my life.

Why did you decide to become a VA, and how did your lifestyle change after pursuing this career?

I wanted a job which met several criteria:

• I wanted to do work that could help people and feel like the effort I’m putting into my workday is making an impact
• I used to work overtime a lot and I wanted for my hard work to match my compensation
• I wanted a more creative work direction 

Right now my work is helping level the playing field for experts who want to live and work on their own terms but can’t afford a marketing team from the get go. I want to think that this is helping society as people who work for themselves appear to feel more fulfilled and earn better.

What drew you to the particular services you offer and/or niches that you chose to serve?

I’ve actually had a love-hate relationship with marketing since pursuing my degree where I realized how much information is gathered and used to target people with products that they might not need.

That’s why I don’t engage in projects where I don’t find the product or service helpful to the audience.

I don’t help market or sell anything I don’t believe in.

What drew you to the particular services you offer and/or niches that you chose to serve?

I’ve actually had a love-hate relationship with marketing since pursuing my degree where I realized how much information is gathered and used to target people with products that they might not need.

That’s why I don’t engage in projects where I don’t find the product or service helpful to the audience.

I don’t help market or sell anything I don’t believe in.

What skills did you come to realize were essential to your success?

Continuous learning and curiosity were highly important to me. I have done dozens of courses on copywriting, launches, funnels, analytics, A/B testing and more and I couldn’t have had good client results without this drive to improve my knowledge and skills.

When having discovery calls with potential clients, what are you looking for when deciding who to work with? (Values, niche, goals, etc?)

Values more than anything. I’m very value driven and if the client’s value system doesn’t match my own, I’d rather pass.

Also, as mentioned above, product value. If the product truly produces a transformation that someone somewhere really needs, only then do I get onboard.

To anyone considering becoming a VA in your particular niche, what would your advice be?

I would say: learn, apply, evaluate results, repeat. 

I would add: don’t try to do it all. Find your zone of genius and share the work with people who complement your skills. This will keep you from burnout, help you upskill in the areas which most make sense to you, while still offering a complete solution and high-quality experience to your clients.

What are 3 tools that have become essential to your workflow? (Software, productivity apps, etc.)

Workona – my tab & workspace management solution where I separate client projects easily.

Project management software – I’ve used Asana, Trello, ClickUp with clients and use my own project.co account for those who don’t have their own setup

AirStory – for copywriting research and planning

As the founder of “Funnel Fairy,” take us behind the scenes. What does a typical week look like for you and your team?

That’s a really tough question as no two days are the same, and I don’t use time blocking or other strict time management approaches. I know this may sound like hell for some people, but I love the flexibility and adapting to new challenges. It keeps me on my toes and creates room for creativity.

Beyond the brilliant copywriting, you also write lyrics as well. Could you tell us more about this skill and how you incorporate it into your VA business?

I often gift clients songs or poetry for holidays or big events (birth of a child). I also send my new followers on IG a small poem introducing them to my services and the painpoints they solve.

I also occasionally write lyrics for ads when the opportunity shows itself, such as TikTok Romania’s Xmas ad.

What were your biggest doubts or fears in starting this career path, and how did you overcome them or manage them?

I was terrified of new tools in the beginning, in spite of apparently being a natural at picking up tech skills. I was afraid I’d somehow delete a client’s website or funnels. :))

I was also afraid to ask for clarification from clients where I needed it. Paralyzing, near-panic-attack level of afraid I mean.

To get over this, I talked through my fears with my hubby and also considered “What’s the worst case scenario?” and the likelihood of it happening. That helped me manage my fears. 

If you had to name a highlighting moment in your VA career that you’re proud of, what would that moment be?

The last launch I orchestrated for a client got a multiple 5 figure ROI in spite of it being launched from one week to the next and the live workshop that we were selling occurring mid December. 

The packages I proposed they offer got the most traction with their audience.

I’m also proud of refusing money from a client who was going though some serious hardship.

Since you started this journey, was there a ‘failure’ that turned into a valuable learning experience? How did you grow from it?

Yes, I’ve accepted a client for a launch project, even thought I had advised against it occurring at that time based on what I knew of their biz and the industry. Because they were very keen on going through with it, I agreed and the launch flopped. I promised myself I would never take on projects whose ROI I could not foresee going well.

Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?

Getting the C permit in Switzerland so that I can launch my own company here (currently working through a Payroll intermediary for freelancers because Switzerland makes it super difficult as a freelancer legally). Selling educational products, so basically doing less of the time for money trade.

What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve ever had that you wish to share with others?

Niche your business on values & passion. Of course, other niches work as well, but for me that has worked best so far.

Oh and building a business will place you out of your comfort zone – and help you grow – maybe more than anything else I’ve ever encountered. So, when things get tough – remember they’re growing pains.

Where can people follow you?

Instagram mostly. And they can also sign up for our Funnel Magic newsletter here, grabbing our Sales Page Guide while doing so.

Thank you Cathy for taking the time to share your journey and insights! We are mega proud to have you as a valuable part of our DNK community!