virtual assistance Archives - Denise Riches

A Decade of Growth, Lessons and Wisdom

Later this month I’ll be celebrating ten years as a virtual assistant, after walking away from a 15-year retail job.

I thought I’d reflect on some of the lessons I’ve learned along the way – as one does when doing anything for an extended amount of time.

One of my first jobs as a VA was from Upwork. It’s a freelancing site for one-off jobs but I’d heard good things about it from others, they claimed they’d gotten some long-term clients from it.

I got a piece of work – it was ghostwriting a blog article about Iceland. It was about 1500 words, before AI and I’d spent a good deal of effort and time in writing the piece – it required a lot of research and I love writing, so totally up my alley.

The client was thrilled with it, but when it came time to collect payment, they ghosted me. I was looking at about $300 for the piece, and lost it, because we’d taken the work off-site, which is a big no-no. I didn’t know this until after the fact. I’d be lying if I told you it doesn’t still sting a bit after all this time.

I also learned a lot about rates over the years. When I first started, I thought anything over my retail pay rate of $13/hour was a good deal, so charging $15/hour felt lush! Then I realized I was being taken advantage of for my rate (and my loyalty, let’s be honest). It felt so good to walk away from the last person I was working with who didn’t want to increase my rate.

I’ve also learned a lot about trusting my gut – and I’m quicker these days to listen to it. I’ve learned that when there’s confusion and chaos in the beginning stages, to run – not walk – away, because it usually doesn’t end there, and resentment usually sets in.

But it’s not all bad, don’t get me wrong. These are important lessons but there’s a lot to be said when you find that person you click with. You just know working with them is going to be enjoyable, as opposed to having someone trying to talk you into doing work you don’t know well or don’t enjoy. When two people click like that, it can be so much fun because you like each other, and you enjoy the work you’re doing together. Those are my absolute favourite people.

My work-life balance has improved so much since walking away from retail. I chose to take Fridays off, and then I promptly learned to walk away from anyone who guffawed at taking Fridays off. Having a shorter workweek means I pay closer attention to what I’m doing and I manage my time better than anyone working 5 or more days a week. It also makes choosing work I enjoy that much more important – because if you hate the work, you naturally put it off.

Having Fridays off allows me to reset my soul – particularly in the summer. My husband and I are camping addicts, and taking Fridays off means we get a head start on enjoying the great outdoors together, which refreshes me for the following week. Taking Fridays off both is and isn’t about work – it all goes hand-in-hand.

These are all important lessons to me and I cherish all my clients, past and present, the good and the bad because I wouldn’t be here without them – and I wouldn’t have learned all of these very valuable lessons, or about myself.

If you’re reading this, thank you for being a part of my journey, no matter how big or small – you’re important to me and I’m thankful for you.

Here’s to another ten years !

The April Reset

As the days brighten and warmth starts to return, April soon begins to feel like a ‘refresh’ – or a ‘welcome back’.

Spring is a good time to revisit goals, plan out the next few months and really focus on energy expenditure.

Less noise.
Less pressure.
Less overthinking.

More intention.
More clarity.
More space to breathe.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, scattered or that you can’t seem to catch your breath, this might be a good time for you to pause, and not feel guilty about it.

For many people, working with a virtual assisant can make that process feel more manageable, because instead of adding to yoru plate, we help create the space to focus on what matters most, to you and your business.

Thinking of a bit of spring cleaning for your biz? I can help with that.

Spring cleaning is more fun when you have a friend help. Let’s chat! Book a call here.

Using AI to Better Yourself (And Your Life!)

In 2026, AI is everywhere—and even this Queen of AI Images for Social Media is tired of AI-generated posts taking over my feeds.

Last year, I spent a lot of time using AI to better my health – my skincare routine, my hair habits and even my protein and supplement intake. I’m happy to report that all of the tweaks and changes I’ve made to my lifestyle have been beneficial and I’m reaping the rewards now.

Is AI perfect? Absolutely not. In fact, I tell it so, nearly every day.

I argue.

I challenge.

I explain.

And I will continue to do so because – if it’s learning from us (and make no mistake, it definitely IS), then it needs to learn to ask ALL the questions, and quit making assumptions. It needs to probe more than it presently does. Asking a question might seem innocent, but it should also ask us WHY we’re asking it.

I admit, I use AI way more than I use Google these days. And I don’t just ask it questions – I have full-on conversations with it. And when I do, I explain my feelings, my thoughts, my worries – everything. I explain what my through process is, and how a situation has brought this particular question to front of mind.

CONTEXT IS IMPORTANT. Without full context, there’s no way that AI can look at a situation and give meaningful feedback or insight.

So, when a friend’s newsletter hit my inbox, one of her AI prompts caught my attention and I thought, GAME ON: Let’s try this and see what happens.

This is a performance and growth prompt, courtesy of Daniel Pink – and I’m giving you fair warning, it can be brutally honest. It’s a two-parter, so ask the first question and wait for a response before asking the second part:

“Act as a trusted advisor – someone who knows me well, has my back and is brutally honest. I’m going to ask you a question about my life and work. Your job is to deliver an answer that is candid, useful, and direct. Can you do that?”

Next prompt:

“Tell me what I’m doing wrong. What am I underestimating? What am I avoiding? What excuses am I making? Where am I wasting time or playing small?”

For the record, I use Perplexity, and not ChatGPT. Also, it helps to have some previous conversations stored in your account to refer to – I keep my account pretty clean, but it’s still useful.

When I used this prompt, it called me a client-pushover and a social media slacker – which is complete BS! I returned to the conversation with context and it course-corrected. Basically, I had to talk it down lol!

No matter which way this prompt takes you, take it with a grain of salt – it can only answer you based on previous conversations. But it can definitely open your eyes to things you might not see about yourself.

I hope you learn something from this prompt.

Love the idea of using AI, but don’t have time to delve deep? I work with AI daily – let’s chat! Book a call here.

How I Got Here: From High School Co-Op to VA

Ever since I was young, I’ve felt a calling to admin.

I remember setting up books on my bookshelves as a little girl, complete with a signing-out process and everything. My only ‘patrons’ were my parents at the time, but I felt pride at how organized I was.

I took a typing class in grade nine, and practically drooled whenever I saw the computer lab – fresh IBM computers – which you couldn’t use unless you were taking a computer course. I immediately signed up!

When I reached grade 11, it seemed to me that admin was the way to go – I found it easy, I was interested in it more than other options. So when the possibility of taking a co-op course in admin came up, I signed up and was able to score a school admin placement.

Although the stuffy secretaries there didn’t want me in their space and had me help out with the kindergarten class, whenever I had free time, I was on a computer exploring the various programs and playing games.

Many of my part-time jobs afterward included administrative work, and I picked up new skills everywhere I went. Eventually, I became an office manager for a non-denominational children’s ministry, where I juggled scheduling, communication, and logistics — all of which became the backbone of what I do today.

Not long after, I started at Walmart as a cashier. I was determined to move up, and within a short time, I found myself in the office learning systems, procedures, and leadership.

Fifteen years later, those experiences came full circle when I launched my own business as a virtual assistant — nearly ten years ago now…

I’ve always been interested in admin, and I love how far the professional and the tools have come in all this time.

The internet, Google, countless applications, and now AI, it’s amazing to see how the professional has transformed since my early ‘librarian’ days… and I’m excited to see where the road takes me in the future.

Love the idea of using AI, but don’t have time to delve deep? I work with AI daily – let’s chat! Book a call here.

Troubleshooting: When AI Gets It Wrong

AI can be a fantastic helper—but it’s not perfect. Sometimes it repeats itself, misunderstands what you want, or gives you outdated or just plain wrong information. That’s frustrating, especially when you’re trying to get things done quickly. The good news? There are ways to reduce these issues, troubleshoot when things go sideways, and know what to do when AI isn’t quite right.

Common AI Challenges

One big annoyance is repetition. You ask something, and the AI gives you the same idea again—sometimes just reworded, sometimes exactly the same. It can feel like talking in circles. Another common problem is when AI misses the point of what you’re asking, leading to answers that don’t quite fit your needs. And then there’s the issue of incorrect or outdated info. A perfect example? Up until very recently, AI was insisting that ‘oreo’ spelled backwards was still ‘oreo’ – and went so far as to say it was a palindrome – and it definitely is not. Apparently that’s been corrected, so you probably won’t get to witness this specific example. Finally, sometimes AI just gets things flat-out wrong, even simple stuff.

How You Can Reduce These Issues

Be clear and specific with your prompts. The more detail you give, the less room there is for misunderstanding. If your topic is complex, break it down into smaller questions instead of one big lump of info. Tell the AI exactly how you want your answer—maybe you want it short, friendly, or with bullet points. You can even ask it not to repeat itself or to check with you if it’s unsure what you mean.

Troubleshooting Tips

If the AI starts repeating or missing the mark, don’t hesitate to rephrase your question. Add more context or explain your goal again. Ask the AI to confirm what it thinks you mean; this small step can save lots of time – otherwise you’ll be going in circles. You can also ask for examples to make the results clearer.

When AI Gets It Wrong

Remember that AI isn’t a perfect source of truth. Always double-check important facts on your own. If you spot mistakes, point them out during your conversation to help guide the AI. And most importantly, treat AI as a helpful assistant—not the boss. Use your judgment alongside what it provides. It takes a little patience, but with the right prompts and a bit of back-and-forth, AI can become a trusted partner in your work.

Love the idea of using AI, but don’t have time to delve deep? I work with AI daily – let’s chat! Book a call here.

Learn to Use Advanced Prompt Techniques

Advanced AI Prompt Techniques: Getting More Precise and Useful Results

If you’ve been following my AI prompt series over the last couple of months, you can see how tweaking what you ask and paying attention to how you ask can make a world of difference in the responses you get.

Today, we’ll explore different ways of phrasing your questions so that you really maximize your results.

1. Use Iterative Prompting

Treat AI like a conversation. Instead of trying to ask everything at once, break your questions into smaller steps. Start with a general request, then build from the AI’s answers with follow-up prompts.

For example, if you’re writing a blog post, first ask for a topic outline. Once the outline looks good, request the introduction. Next, prompt for each section in turn. This method gives you control and helps you refine content gradually without overwhelming the AI.

You will likely have to tell AI to break it into steps – sometimes it gets too excited and just spills everything all at once!

2. Combine Instructions with Examples

Showing the AI what you want increases accuracy. Include a short example or sample in your prompt to demonstrate tone, style, or structure.

For example, you could say:
“Write a social media caption for a wellness coach, using a friendly tone, like this example: ‘Ready to feel your best? Let’s make wellness simple!’”

3. Use Role-Playing

Ask the AI to take on a role relevant to your task to help it respond more thoughtfully. For example:

“You’re a professional copywriter skilled in writing email newsletters.”
“Act as a marketing strategist focused on eco-friendly brands.”
“You’re a nutritionist that specializes in the keto lifestyle. Help me come up with healthy meals to help me reach my macros.”

This narrows the style and focus of your AI’s response, making it more tailored to your needs.

4. Control Output Format

Be explicit about how you want the response results. If you need bullet points, numbered lists, or a table, specify that clearly:

“List 5 benefits of meditation in bullet points.”
“Create a comparison table for these two products.”

5. Use Constraints and Limits

Guide the AI by setting length or style restrictions to avoid overly long or generic answers. For example:

“Keep the explanation under 150 words.”
“Use simple language suitable for beginners.”

By using some of these techniques, you will notice a big difference in the outcome. Experiment with them in your next session and see the difference.

Love the idea of using AI, but don’t have time to delve deep? I work with AI daily – let’s chat! Book a call here.