Seed to Success

Adrienne Donnelly
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  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to Seed to Success – the podcast where I (Adrienne Donnelly) share my passion for helping women create successful, sustainable, and enjoyable Virtual Assistant businesses. With the support of incredible industry experts and an amazing community, I offer helpful resources, valuable advice, and inspirational stories that equip you with the skills and confidence needed to set up a life-changing virtual assistant business. Learn more about Seed Virtual Assistants via www.seedvirtualassistants.com.au

  1. Rethinking Marketing for Your Service Business with Bec Chappell

    21h ago

    Rethinking Marketing for Your Service Business with Bec Chappell

    If you've ever felt like you're on a content hamster wheel, posting consistently, trying to feed the algorithm, and still wondering why the leads aren't flowing, you're not alone. So many VAs and OBMs are pouring time and energy into social media and quietly burning out in the process. The truth is, marketing your service-based business is so much more than showing up on Instagram. And when the economy gets tough and clients start watching their spend, knowing how to market strategically rather than reactively could make all the difference. In this episode, host Adrienne Donnelly is joined by Bec Chappell, a marketing strategist with nearly 20 years of experience helping service-based businesses build sustainable marketing systems. Bec has spent her career setting up marketing functions for businesses of all sizes, and she brings a refreshingly practical, no-hype approach to the conversation. You'll hear about 🌱 Why social media alone won't build a sustainable lead flow 🌱 The difference between "always on" marketing and campaign marketing 🌱 Practical strategies for marketing your business when clients are cutting spend 🌱 How to use AI smartly without losing your voice or point of difference 🌱 Why your next client is probably already in your network Whether your books are full or you're quietly wondering where the next client is coming from, this episode will shift the way you think about marketing your business for the long game. Resources and Links 🌱 Join the Seed VA community: Website: www.seedvirtualassistants.com.au Instagram: @seedvirtualassistants Facebook Group: Seed VA - Australian Virtual Assistant Community Learn more about the Inner Circle: Seed Inner Circle 📲 Connect with Bec Chappell: Website: www.becchappell.com.au LinkedIn: Bec Chappell Instagram: @bec_chappell 🎙️ Marketing Espresso Podcast: https://tinyurl.com/marketing-espresso-podcast 🎙️ How to Market When Times Get Tough (episode): https://tinyurl.com/how-to-market-when-times If this episode made you feel a little less alone or gave you something to think about, share it with a fellow business bestie. And don't forget to subscribe so you never miss what's new on Seed to Success. 🌱

    47 min
  2. The Subtle Language Shifts That Change How You’re Seen in Business

    May 21

    The Subtle Language Shifts That Change How You’re Seen in Business

    If you've ever caught yourself asking a client for a day off, chances are you already know something feels a little off about that. You're not an employee anymore, but sometimes the language hasn't quite caught up. Most of us come into business after years in traditional employment, and we bring that language with us without even realising it. It's not a problem. It's just part of the transition. And once you start to notice it, that's when things start to shift. In this episode, Adrienne Donnelly explores why the language we carry from employment can quietly undermine how we show up as business owners, and walks through some of the most common shifts worth making, from how we handle inquiries to how we talk about our time, our scope, and ourselves. You'll hear about 🌱 Why employee language follows us into business and why that's completely normal 🌱 The difference between asking permission and communicating your availability 🌱 How to handle out-of-scope requests without underselling your time 🌱 Removing the word "just" from how you talk about yourself 🌱 Small language tweaks that shift how clients perceive your value Language is one of those things that changes quietly over time. You don't need to have it perfect, and you don't need to overhaul everything at once. But once you start noticing the words you're using, it becomes much easier to make those small, steady shifts that reflect the business owner you already are. 🌱 Resources and Links Join the Seed VA community: Website: seedvirtualassistants.com.au Instagram: @seedvirtualassistants Facebook Group: Seed VA – Australian Virtual Assistant Community Learn more about the Inner Circle: seedvirtualassistants.com.au/innercircle If this episode made you feel a little less alone or gave you something to think about, share it with a fellow business bestie. And don't forget to subscribe so you never miss what's new on Seed to Success. 🌱

    17 min
  3. Sleep, Energy and Burnout with Dr Shauna Watts

    May 7

    Sleep, Energy and Burnout with Dr Shauna Watts

    Are you waking up at 3am with your brain already racing? Dragging yourself through the afternoon and quietly wondering how you're going to make it to the end of the day? If any of that sounds familiar, you're in good company. And there are real, biological reasons it's happening. In this episode, host Adrienne Donnelly sits down with Dr. Shauna Watts, a GP with a special interest in women's health and midlife medicine, to talk about sleep, energy and burnout and how all three show up for women running a business. Dr. Shauna brings the medical knowledge without the overwhelm, and the kind of honest, practical guidance that actually makes sense in real life. This one is worth saving. You'll hear about:🌱 Why so many women wake between 2 and 4am and what's driving it🌱 How to create an end-of-day routine that helps your brain switch off🌱 What to eat at 3pm instead of reaching for sugar or another coffee🌱 The signs of burnout that are easy to miss in yourself and in others🌱 Why a normal blood test doesn't rule out perimenopause You're the heartbeat of your business and your family, and when your energy is stretched thin, everything around you feels it. Dr. Shauna makes the complex feel manageable, and this conversation gives you both the language for what you're experiencing and some genuinely practical steps to start working with your body rather than against it. Resources and LinksJoin the Seed VA community:Website: seedvirtualassistants.com.au Instagram: @seedvirtualassistants Facebook Group: Seed VA – Australian Virtual Assistant Community Learn more about the Inner Circle: seedvirtualassistants.com.au/innercircle 📲 Connect with Dr. Shauna Watts:Website: www.youbydrshaunawatts.com.auInstagram: @dr.shaunawattsPodcast Instagram: @allaboutyou_withdrshaunawatts If this episode made you feel a little less alone or gave you something to think about, share it with a fellow business bestie. And don't forget to subscribe so you never miss what's new on Seed to Success. 🌱

    53 min

  4. Apr 23

    Future-Proofing Your VA or OBM Business

    There's a lot of noise online right now about AI replacing virtual assistants. And if you've spent even a few minutes scrolling, chances are you've seen someone declare that VAs will eventually be made redundant altogether. The reality looks a little different. Drawing on almost a decade of experience running her own VA and OBM business, Adrienne shares what future-proofing actually looks like in practice, and why the human element isn't going anywhere. This isn't about ignoring AI or pretending it isn't changing the way we work. It absolutely is. But the story is more nuanced than the headlines suggest, and there's a lot of opportunity in that nuance if you're paying attention. You'll hear about: 🌱 Real client examples where AI fell short and humans got the job done 🌱 The risks of outsourcing business-critical work to AI 🌱 How embracing AI can elevate your role rather than replace it 🌱 Why niching into growing industries is a smart long-term move 🌱 What a business continuity plan looks like for solo operators Whatever the future looks like, the VAs and OBMs who will thrive are the ones who embrace technology, deepen their expertise, and double down on the human value they bring. That's not going out of style anytime soon. Resources and Links Join the Seed VA community: Website: seedvirtualassistants.com.au Instagram: @seedvirtualassistants Facebook Group: Seed VA – Australian Virtual Assistant Community Learn more about the Inner Circle: seedvirtualassistants.com.au/innercircle Bec at The Ops Side: www.theopsside.com.au 🔔 This episode is sponsored by Ready to Boss Legal. Ready to Boss Legal offers online legal templates that protect your business without the fuss or the large fees. Use code SEED10 for 10% off. Visit: www.readytobosslegal.com.au If this episode made you think about where your business is heading, share it with a fellow VA or OBM who needs to hear it. And don't forget to subscribe so you never miss what's new on Seed to Success. 🌱

    19 min
  5. Inner Circle Member Spotlight: Interview with Laurissa Makings from HealthPoint VA

    Apr 9

    Inner Circle Member Spotlight: Interview with Laurissa Makings from HealthPoint VA

    Running a service business is a lot to manage. Add a chronic illness and it can feel impossible before the day has even started. If you've wondered whether building something sustainable is realistic when your capacity changes daily, this episode is for you. In this episode Adrienne Donnelly chats with Laurissa Makings, founder of HealthPoint VA, supporting allied health professionals across Australia. Laurissa shares how she built a niche business while living with multiple chronic health conditions, why honesty with clients has been her greatest asset, and the project she's creating to help others in the chronic illness community find the support they need. You'll hear about:🌱 Niching into allied health from day one and why it worked 🌱 Spoon Theory and managing energy in a client-facing business 🌱 Designing your offers around what you can actually sustain 🌱 Why transparency with clients is a strength, not a liability 🌱 The Spoonie Support Hub and the story behind it You don't have to hide who you are to run a successful business. The right clients will always meet you where you are. 🌱 Join the Seed VA community: Website: seedvirtualassistants.com.au Instagram: @seedvirtualassistants Facebook Group: Seed VA – Australian Virtual Assistant Community Learn more about the Inner Circle: seedvirtualassistants.com.au/innercircle 📲 Connect with Laurissa and HealthPoint VA: Instagram: @healthpointva_ Facebook: Healthpoint VA 🔔 This episode is sponsored by Ready to Boss Legal. Ready to Boss Legal offers easy-to-use legal templates to help protect your business without the stress or high legal fees. Use code SEED10 for 10% off. Visit: www.readytobosslegal.com.au If this episode made you feel a little less alone or gave you something to think about, share it with a fellow business bestie. And don't forget to subscribe so you never miss what's new on Seed to Success. 🌱

    38 min
  6. Pricing With Confidence: What Every VA and OBM Needs to Know

    Mar 19

    Pricing With Confidence: What Every VA and OBM Needs to Know

    Pricing is one of those topics that can bring up all the feelings. Fear, comparison, imposter syndrome, and sometimes even guilt. If you've ever mumbled your rate, followed your price with a "but," or quietly wondered whether you're charging too much, this episode is for you.   Whether you're just starting out or long overdue for a pricing review, the emotions around money in our businesses are real and valid. But pricing isn't just about numbers. It's about positioning, confidence, and building something that's actually sustainable.   In this episode, host Adrienne Donnelly gets honest about her own early pricing mistakes including the cringe-worthy moment she based her first client rate on her old payslip and shares the practical shifts that helped her build a financially sustainable business over the past decade. This isn't about telling you what to charge. It's about helping you think about pricing with more clarity, more strategy, and a lot less second-guessing.   You'll hear about   🌱 Why "you're too expensive" doesn't mean your pricing is wrong and what it actually tells you about positioning   🌱 How to add some science to your pricing so it's based on your real numbers, not fear or comparison 🌱 What to expect when you raise your rates with existing clients and why the conversation might surprise you   🌱 The simple discovery call shift that helped one Inner Circle member start closing clients on the spot   🌱 The honest truth about working for free in exchange for testimonials, and what to consider instead   Wherever you're sitting with your pricing right now, know that getting it right is a process and you don't have to have it all figured out today. What matters is that you start backing yourself. You bring real skills, real experience, and real value to the clients you work with. The right ones are out there, and they will pay. Give yourself permission to charge with confidence and trust that clarity builds as you go. 🌱   Resources and Links   🌱 Join the Seed VA community:   Website: https://www.seedvirtualassistants.com.au/   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seedvirtualassistants   Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1082065292124728   Learn more about the Inner Circle: https://www.seedvirtualassistants.com.au/innercircle   Grab the Base Rate Calculator spreadsheet here   Listen to the episode with Tahnée Sanders here   🔔 This episode is sponsored by Ready to Boss Legal. Ready to Boss Legal offers online legal templates that protect your business without the fuss or the large fees. Use code SEED10 for 10% off. Visit: www.readytobosslegal.com.au   If this episode made you feel a little less alone or gave you something to think about, share it with a fellow business bestie. And don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss what’s new on Seed to Success. 🌱

    25 min
  7. Passion Projects, Purpose and Showing Up: A Conversation with Cat Dunn

    Mar 5

    Passion Projects, Purpose and Showing Up: A Conversation with Cat Dunn

    Have you ever felt like your story was too heavy, too personal, or too complicated to say out loud? Like the things you've survived don't belong in a professional space or a public conversation? So many women are carrying experiences they've never spoken about, not because they don't matter, but because no one ever created a space that felt safe enough to share them. In this episode, Adrienne Donnelly sits down with Cat Dunn, award-winning OBM, mentor, speaker, and founder of the live speaker event and global podcast Life After I Left. Cat shares the deeply personal journey behind building a platform dedicated to amplifying women's stories, from surviving domestic violence to creating one of Australia's most courageous storytelling communities. This is a conversation about vulnerability, purpose, and what becomes possible when women are finally given the stage. You'll hear about: 🌱 The story behind Life After I Left and why Cat built her own stage 🌱 How vulnerability became Cat's greatest tool in business and life 🌱 Why women's stories need dedicated spaces to be heard 🌱 Running a passion project alongside a busy OBM business 🌱 What's coming in 2026, including Bali and a nationwide tour vision Your story has weight, it has reach. And there is someone out there who needs to hear exactly what you've been through. You don't have to share it all at once, and you don't have to have it perfectly packaged. Showing up honestly, even when your voice shakes, is enough.   Resources and Links   🌱 Join the Seed VA community: Website: seedvirtualassistants.com.au Instagram: @seedvirtualassistants Facebook Group: Seed VA – Australian Virtual Assistant Community Learn more about the Inner Circle: seedvirtualassistants.com.au/innercircle  📲 Connect with Cat Dunn and Life After I Left: Website: www.catlouisedunn.com I nstagram: @lifeafterileftpodcast and @catlouisedunn Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catlouisedunn LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catlouisedunn  🔔 This episode is sponsored by Ready to Boss Legal.  Ready to Boss Legal offers easy-to-use legal templates to help protect your business without the stress or high legal fees. Use code SEED10 for 10% off. Visit: www.readytobosslegal.com.au   If this episode made you feel a little less alone or gave you something to think about, share it with a fellow business bestie. And don't forget to subscribe so you never miss what's new on Seed to Success. 🌱

    42 min
  8. Managing The Client Lifecycle as a VA or OBM with Michelle Broadbent

    Feb 19

    Managing The Client Lifecycle as a VA or OBM with Michelle Broadbent

    Signing a new client feels exciting. The discovery call goes well, the proposal is accepted, and you’re officially “in”. But what happens after that? In our industry, we talk a lot about attracting and onboarding clients. And yes, those stages matter. But if you want a sustainable, profitable VA or OBM business, the real work and the real opportunity sits in everything that follows. In this episode, Adrienne Donnelly chats with Michelle Broadbent, business mentor and founder of Accountability Circle, about the four stages of the client lifecycle and how to manage each one with clarity, confidence, and professionalism. Michelle works closely with female founders and brings a refreshingly honest perspective on what makes client relationships thrive, and what quietly causes them to unravel. Together, they unpack how to position yourself as a trusted partner, protect yourself with strong foundations, deepen retainer relationships, and confidently navigate renewals or endings when the time comes. You’ll hear about: 🌱 The four stages of the client lifecycle: Attract, Engage, Manage, and Renew (or Release) 🌱 Why positioning yourself as a business owner, not an employee, changes the dynamic instantly 🌱 Setting clear expectations, boundaries, and terms from the very beginning 🌱 Adding value during long-term retainers so you become indispensable, not replaceable 🌱 How to handle renewals proactively and release misaligned clients gracefully If you’ve ever felt unsure about how to move beyond “just doing the work” and into becoming a true strategic partner in your clients’ businesses, this episode will give you clarity and confidence. You’re not just support. You are building a business of your own. And the way you manage the full client lifecycle shapes the sustainability, profitability, and energy of that business long term. Resources and Links 🌱 Join the Seed VA community: Website: https://www.seedvirtualassistants.com.au/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seedvirtualassistants Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1082065292124728 Learn more about the Inner Circle: https://www.seedvirtualassistants.com.au/innercircle 📲 Connect with Michelle Broadbent and Accountability Circle: Website: https://michellebroadbent.com.au Instagram: @michbroadbent 🔔 This episode is sponsored by Ready to Boss Legal. Ready to Boss Legal offers easy-to-use legal templates to help protect your business without the stress or high legal fees. Use code SEED10 for 10% off. Visit: https://www.readytobosslegal.com.au If this episode made you feel a little less alone or gave you something to think about, share it with a fellow business bestie. And don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss what’s new on Seed to Success. 🌱

    46 min
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About

Welcome to Seed to Success – the podcast where I (Adrienne Donnelly) share my passion for helping women create successful, sustainable, and enjoyable Virtual Assistant businesses. With the support of incredible industry experts and an amazing community, I offer helpful resources, valuable advice, and inspirational stories that equip you with the skills and confidence needed to set up a life-changing virtual assistant business. Learn more about Seed Virtual Assistants via www.seedvirtualassistants.com.au

Information

  • Creator
    Adrienne Donnelly
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    64
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Seed Virtual Assistants 2025
  • Show Website
    Seed to Success

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