Random question for the group, when you're networking with other VAs, do you prefer hopping on a quick call or just chatting async in DMs/forum? Curious what works best for most people here, might help me (and maybe others) reach out in the way that's actually easiest for you.

Hey everyone, I'm Johnred, an Operations Executive Assistant currently working with a cost segregation study company in real estate. Would lowkey love to connect with other ops-focused VAs here, swap notes, talk shop, or just hear how you're handling things on your end. If you're up for a quick chat, feel free to grab time on my calendar or message me: https://calendar.app.google/hzm5Gm1AXxrbboVs8 No agenda, just genuinely want to build connections with amazing people doing similar work.

Genuine question for this community because I’ve been struggling with this for a while now. How do you figure out your actual rate? Not just a starting number, but how do you know when to add more for an extra deliverable, when a retainer makes more sense than hourly, when it’s time to raise your rate with an existing client versus just eating the extra scope? I keep running into this feeling where I look at everything I’m actually doing (the automations, the CRM builds, managing a small team, the content creation) and I think, I know this is worth more than what I’m charging right. But then it’s hard to actually put a number on it. Like, how much more? Based on what exactly? Time spent? Results? What the client can afford? All of it feels a little bit like guessing. And it’s not even about greed, I just don’t want to keep undervaluing myself just because I don’t have a clear system for pricing. I know I’m not the only one who feels this way. So, how do you all figure it out? Do you have an actual formula, or rules you follow? How did you know when you were finally charging what you’re worth instead of just what you were comfortable asking for? Would really love to hear how other VAs here worked through this, especially if you also went through the phase of feeling like you deserve more but not knowing how to translate that into an actual number.