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Booked Out with Bre

Booked Out with Bre

By: Bre Cain | Virtual Assistant Wealth Coach
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Welcome to Booked Out with Bre: the podcast for virtual assistants ready to level up and founders building with team who refuse to choose between audacious ambition and a life they actually love.

I'm your host, Bre Cain, mama of three, unapologetic entrepreneur, and founder of a business built from my kitchen table and 4-year-old's bedroom with big energy and zero apologies.

I'm the founder of ICON & Lightning, a remote team agency that hand matches elite virtual assistants to founder-led businesses ... because the right team isn't an operational decision, it's a leadership identity. I'm also the founder of the VA Leadership Academy, where I've trained nearly 500 virtual assistants in the technical skills, emotional intelligence, and leadership identity it takes to become a truly strategic partner; not just a task doer.

Six years ago, I thought I had to choose. Mom or career. Present or ambitious. I went back to my 9-to-5 after my first baby and lasted three months before I realized my entire definition of success had shifted. So I bet on myself and built a business that now approaches $2M in just three years, scaled in part-time hours, alongside my kids, from home.

Here's what I know for sure: you don't have to choose.

You can have the booming business. The clients you're obsessed with. The school pickups, the slow mornings, the spontaneous yes moments. You can build a team that amplifies your vision instead of adding to your mental load. You can scale without sacrificing the life you built the business to protect.

This podcast is for the virtual assistant who's ready to stop trading hours for dollars and start leading like the strategic asset she already is. It's for the founder who's done doing it all alone and is ready to build a team that actually runs. And it's for every ambitious mama who was told to shrink ... and decided not to.

Expect candid conversations, zero corporate fluff, and the kind of real talk that makes you feel seen and activated.

💸Are you a VA ready to get booked out and level up? → Book a Free VA Mentor Call

🚀Are you a founder ready to build your dream team? → Book a Free Dream Team Design Session


Connect with Bre:
📸 Instagram: @heyitsbrecain

Copyright 2023 All rights reserved. Economics Leadership Management & Leadership Parenting & Families Personal Development Personal Success Relationships
Episodes
  • 122. VA Spotlight: Scaling Your Virtual Assistant Business with Iconic Branding & Energetics with Cathryn FisFis

    122. VA Spotlight: Scaling Your Virtual Assistant Business with Iconic Branding & Energetics with Cathryn FisFis
    Jun 17 2026
    In this episode of Booked Out with Bre, I am joined by one of my favorite humans and a true branding visionary, Cathryn FisFis! Our journey goes back over a decade to our network marketing days, and it has been such a joy to watch her career come full circle. Cathryn transitioned from a high-level fashion career designing for DKNY in New York City to launching and exploding her business inside the VA Leadership Academy. Cathryn FisFis is a master at combining high-end aesthetics with deep energetics to help founders build brands that sell for them. We dive into how she leveraged her "out of the box" experience to find her niche and how she uses identity work to help women stop playing small and start showing up as the experts they truly are. Here’s what I dive into with Cat: Her incredible transition from the NYC fashion world to becoming the "Branding Queen" of the virtual assistant industry. How to conduct a skill inventory to realize you have way more marketable value than you think. The difference between a "pretty" brand and a brand built on authority and positioning. Why identity work is the necessary foundation before you ever touch a virtual assistant business strategy. Success hacks for visibility: why showing up "messy" and real is more magnetic than being perfectly polished. An inside look at her levels of support: Vision to Vogue, the Brand Frequency Experience, and her community, The Brand Bitch. If you are a virtual assistant ready to pick a lane, own your authority, and build a brand that communicates your genius before you even say a word, this conversation with Cathryn FisFis is exactly what you need. Episode Outline: Introduction: Meet Cathryn FisFis, the Branding Queen and founder of High Frequency Studio (01:49) Full circle: Connecting over big dreams in the network marketing industry (02:08) Cat's backstory: Designing for DKNY and the NYC fashion world (04:23) The reality of the fashion industry: Does it really look like The Devil Wears Prada? (06:08) Finding the VA Leadership Academy and generating cash through existing skills (09:52) The "Aha!" moment: Realizing the value of a decade of motherhood and business experience (10:24) Overcoming burnout and choosing to work for yourself as a virtual assistant (11:21) The birth of High Frequency Studio: Moving beyond surface-level aesthetics (12:37) Why stagnant water is the perfect analogy for a business that isn't evolving (14:12) Creating a virtual assistant brand that speaks for you before the sales call (16:03) Success hack: Why showing up as the expert is the key to filling your offers (17:03) Visibility and authenticity: Dealing with the "messy, good, bad, and ugly" of social media (18:32) The importance of clarity over loudness in modern branding (21:42) Vision to Vogue: High-level creative direction and strategic branding (23:17) The Brand Frequency Experience and The Brand Bitch community (24:16) Closing remarks and how to experience Cat's branding magic (26:13) Connect with Cat: Website funnels.cathrynfisfis.com/home-high-freq-studio Instagram https://www.instagram.com/cathryn_fisfis/ Ways to Work with Me: Follow Me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/heyitsbrecain/ Mom X VA Free Facebook Community https://www.facebook.com/groups/momxva Apply for the VA Leadership Academy https://caincollectivellc.com/valaapplication Book a Free Dream Team Design Session (for founders building with Team) https://www.breannacain.com/iconandlightningbookacall If you enjoyed this episode, I would love it so much if you left a rating and review! This helps us reach more women looking to become a virtual assistant, book out their business, and scale beyond their wildest dreams.
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    27 mins
  • 121. Building the Foundation: The Tactical Roadmap to Your Virtual Assistant Business

    121. Building the Foundation: The Tactical Roadmap to Your Virtual Assistant Business
    Jun 11 2026
    In this episode of Booked Out with Bre, I’m diving into the tactical, practical nuts and bolts of what you actually need to build your virtual assistant business from the ground up. This is Day 2 of our three-day series, and we are laying a rock-solid foundation so you can stop overthinking and start signing clients. I’m proof that you can build a seven-figure empire starting from your kitchen table between school drop-offs and Target runs, and I want to show you exactly how to do the same. I believe the virtual assistant industry is the ultimate vehicle for freedom, but you have to be willing to get out of your own way and get messy. I’m walking you through how to inventory your past experiences—from corporate roles to motherhood—and turn them into high-value services that clients are hungry for. Here is what I cover in this episode: How to create a virtual assistant brand that feels authentic to you and magnetic to your dream clients. The exact process for conducting a "skill inventory" to find your lane and pick your first 3-5 services. Why you need to ditch the traditional resume and build a future-paced virtual assistant portfolio that focuses on outcomes, not just past tasks. The two paths for naming your business and how to choose the one that fits your long-term vision. The non-negotiables of contracts and working policies to protect your peace and prevent scope creep. Minimalist tool and workspace requirements—hint: you don’t need a fancy office or an expensive website to start. A breakdown of pricing for new virtual assistants and how to move from hourly rates to deliverable-based packages. How to use "the body compass" to follow what lights you up and learn the tech the market is actually asking for. If you’re ready to stop waiting for permission and start building a life that feels as good as it looks, this episode is your tactical guide. Let’s lay those bricks and get you booked out! Episode Outline: Introduction: Welcome to day two of the virtual assistant foundation series (01:15) The real mission: Using the virtual assistant industry as a pathway to freedom (03:08) Overcoming the "newbie" label: Why you are an expert from day one (05:44) Conducting a skill inventory: Leveraging career, volunteer, and mom experience (06:16) Identifying patterns and themes to choose your virtual assistant services (08:35) Two directions for business naming: Personal brand vs. outcome-based (09:37) Future-pacing your messaging: Speaking to the results your clients desire (11:15) Virtual Assistant Portfolio vs. Resume: Why the distinction matters (12:22) Controlling the first impression: Embodying the CEO identity before you have the results (15:19) Using mockups and "specs" to showcase your skills without prior VA experience (17:30) The importance of contracts: Protecting yourself and your virtual assistant clients (19:25) Setting boundaries: Creating a welcome packet and defining working hours (20:43) Managing scope creep with grace and professional communication (21:17) The minimalist startup kit: WiFi, a laptop, and the power of Canva (23:20) Proactive learning: Mastering email marketing and project management platforms (24:49) Pricing strategies for new virtual assistants: Hourly vs. deliverable-based (25:57) The 90-day benchmark: How to hit 5K months by the end of July (28:50) Scaling for the future: Building a virtual assistant agency and passive income (29:41) An invitation to join the VA Leadership Academy with an $800 discount (30:09) Closing thoughts: Outgrowing past versions of yourself to build your empire (30:40) Ways to Work with Me: Follow Me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/heyitsbrecain/ Mom X VA Free Facebook Community https://www.facebook.com/groups/momxva Apply for the VA Leadership Academy https://caincollectivellc.com/valaapplication Book a Free Dream Team Design Session (for founders building with Team) https://www.breannacain.com/iconandlightningbookacall If you enjoyed this episode, I would love it so much if you left a rating and review! This helps us reach more women looking to become a virtual assistant, book out their business, and scale beyond their wildest dreams.
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    31 mins
  • 120. Decoding the Virtual Assistant Industry: Your Roadmap to 5K Months and Beyond

    120. Decoding the Virtual Assistant Industry: Your Roadmap to 5K Months and Beyond
    Jun 3 2026
    In this episode of Booked Out with Bre, I’m kicking off day one of a powerful 3-day series designed to pull back the curtain on the virtual assistant industry. If you’ve been feeling that itch to build something of your own—to walk through Target without doing mental math or to be home for every one of your children's "firsts"—this is the conversation that changes everything. I'm sharing my personal story of going from a stay-at-home mom who earned only $132 in six months trying to be a coach, to finding the virtual assistant world and booking a $2,000/month client in just three days. I quickly realized that being a VA isn't just about being an "assistant"; it’s about being a CEO inside someone else’s business while mastering the skills to build your own empire. Here’s what I dive into in this episode: My journey from "mom guilt" to hitting 5K in my first full month as a virtual assistant. Why the VA industry is the fastest and most stable way for moms to bring in consistent income from home. The "Expert from Day One" mindset: how to leverage your past corporate or life experience into high-value services. The difference between a generalist and a specialist, and how picking a lane helps you earn premium rates. Success hacks for learning new tech and why you should never wait for a client to start "doing the do." How to handle "scope creep" and hold your boundaries like a high-level leader. A sneak peek at the 90-day roadmap to hitting your income goals by the end of the year. Whether you are brand new or ready to scale to an agency model, this episode is your permission slip to stop overthinking and start claiming the identity of the successful virtual assistant you are meant to be. Episode Outline: Introduction to the 3-day virtual assistant industry series (01:31) The desire for autonomy and the "Target run" motivation (03:39) From $132 in six months to a 2K client in three days: Bre Cain's story (05:25) The reality of the virtual assistant industry vs. the coaching world (06:17) The power of claiming your identity before you see the results (06:48) Overcoming the "newbie" label and owning your professional background (07:17) Defining the virtual assistant industry as a "big bubble" of opportunity (08:33) How to handle the "I don't know the tech" fear with resourcefulness (10:10) The "language" of online business: understanding KPIs, SOPs, and funnels (11:30) Specializing within the industry to increase your perceived value (12:06) Why the agency model is the key to infinite scalability (13:17) The $20 per hour launchpad: why early opportunities are valuable (16:00) Using market clues to determine what skills you should learn next (18:25) How to be a business owner while working inside someone else's business (22:03) The stability of monthly recurring revenue in virtual assistant work (23:36) What a day in the life of a high-level virtual assistant actually looks like (27:48) Understanding and managing scope creep with professional contracts (34:01) Snagging the $800 discount for the VA Leadership Academy (32:45) Closing remarks and what to expect in day two (37:34) Ways to Work with Me: Follow Me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/heyitsbrecain/ Mom X VA Free Facebook Community https://www.facebook.com/groups/momxva Apply for the VA Leadership Academy https://caincollectivellc.com/valaapplication Book a Free Dream Team Design Session (for founders building with Team) https://www.breannacain.com/iconandlightningbookacall If you enjoyed this episode, I would love it so much if you left a rating and review! This helps us reach more women looking to become a virtual assistant, book out their business, and scale beyond their wildest dreams.
    Show More Show Less
    38 mins
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