Kristy Yoder’s journey from the Philippines to founding two thriving virtual assistant agencies in the U.S. is a lesson in resilience, strategic thinking, and the power of vision. As the founder of Smart VAs and Meet 5 Star VAs, Yoder has grown her businesses by catering to the needs of both entrepreneurs seeking dedicated assistance and small businesses needing scalable team support. But, like many entrepreneurs, her success wasn’t without its hurdles. From a heavy workload to imposter syndrome and beyond, Kristy faces each challenge with consistency, self-reflection, and a steadfast focus on the future.

A Future-Focused Vision

Kristy’s entrepreneurial journey began with a clear goal: create a career that offered her both freedom and flexibility for her future family. “I wanted the kind of lifestyle that allowed me to be present with my family, rather than working a standard 9-to-5 and being away from home every day,” she shares. That vision set the course for Smart VAs, which she launched initially as a freelancer in the Philippines before officially registering it in Ohio in 2019. Her goal was to provide comprehensive VA services for businesses of all sizes, from solopreneurs to growing teams.

When demand for her services began to skyrocket, Kristy quickly learned that she couldn’t do it all alone. “I found myself working more than 12 hours a day, often staying up all night to meet deadlines,” she recalls. Realizing this intense workload was unsustainable, she decided to leverage her network of talented freelancers back in the Philippines to help. “It was a lightbulb moment,” she says. “I realized I didn’t have to do everything myself—I could build a team.” This pivot not only provided her with the time and freedom she desired, but it also marked the beginning of what would become a full-service virtual assistant agency.

Scaling Up to Meet Demand: Launching Meet 5 Star VAs

As Smart VAs gained traction, Kristy noticed a trend among her clients. While Smart VAs primarily served businesses needing a full team, many smaller clients were simply looking for a single dedicated VA. She saw an opportunity to expand her business model by launching Meet 5 Star VAs, an agency that provides solopreneurs with one-on-one support, without the need for a larger team or project leader. “We found that 70 percent of our leads wanted just a single VA rather than a whole team, so creating another agency to cater to this demand just made sense,” Kristy explains.

But why did she decide to keep the businesses separate, rather than offering both services under one brand? “It was a strategic choice,” she says. “We tried offering both models within Smart VAs, but it led to confusion for our operations and client onboarding teams. Keeping them as two entities clarified the services and made it easier to deliver exactly what our clients needed.”

Setting the Stage for Long-Term Success

Kristy’s long-term vision extends even further: she’s already considering an exit strategy. With plans to potentially transition out of Smart VAs, she has taken deliberate steps to prepare her business for a smooth sale. “I know I won’t want to do just one thing forever,” she explains. “I’m a builder at heart, and once Smart VAs was established enough to run without me, I started thinking about other projects, like investing in real estate.”

To prepare Smart VAs for a potential sale, she’s focused on boosting profitability and building out her company’s infrastructure to operate independently. Kristy consulted with a business broker to ensure the company’s legal and financial records were sale-ready. “They advised me to aim for at least 20 percent net profit,” she explains. “It’s not easy, but it’s achievable, and it positions the business as a strong investment for future buyers.”

The Challenges of Client Retention and Growth

As she continues to build and improve her agencies, Kristy faces ongoing challenges with client acquisition and retention. “Our biggest struggle has been balancing new sales with client attrition,” she notes. Client turnover can fluctuate due to various factors, from financial reasons to changes in business needs, so Kristy and her team have made it a priority to analyze client feedback regularly. “We conduct quarterly assessments and exit interviews to understand why clients leave and identify areas for improvement.”

This strategic approach has helped her focus her sales efforts on finding the right clients, rather than just acquiring new ones. Through data analysis, Kristy’s team has identified a target client profile, favoring clients with monthly revenues over $40,000—a group that tends to have higher conversion rates and longer retention periods. “It’s been eye-opening to see how targeting clients with higher revenues has led to much better retention,” she says. By aligning her marketing strategy with this data, she’s refining her lead generation tactics to focus on clients who are more likely to stick around for the long haul.

Conquering Imposter Syndrome and Building Confidence

Despite her success, Kristy faced a significant personal hurdle: imposter syndrome. Moving from the Philippines to the U.S. and navigating a new culture left her feeling self-conscious, especially as she began to share her story publicly. “I had major imposter syndrome at the start,” she admits. “I was worried about my accent, my grammar, and whether people would even understand me.” This fear initially held her back, but as she continued to share her journey through her podcast, Master Delegator, and her social media platforms, she realized that her story was resonating with people. “When listeners began reaching out, sharing that my story inspired them, it boosted my confidence,” she reflects. “I realized my fears were all in my head.”

Kristy now encourages other entrepreneurs to push past similar self-doubts by consistently showing up and sharing their stories. “Consistency overpowers imposter syndrome,” she says. “The more I put myself out there, the more confident I became. Now I know that sharing my journey helps others, and that’s what matters.”

Lessons Learned and Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Kristy’s journey underscores the power of vision and resilience in entrepreneurship. Her advice to those just starting out? Focus on building a sustainable, profitable model and stay adaptable. “Make sure you’re targeting the right clients for your business,” she says. “It’s easy to get caught up in acquiring new clients, but the right clients are the ones who will stay with you long-term.” She also encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to embrace change and to think ahead. “Always be future-focused, whether it’s planning an exit or expanding into new markets. Knowing where you want to go makes the journey a lot smoother.”

As she continues to refine her businesses and prepare for her next big project, Kristy’s story is a reminder that success doesn’t happen overnight—it takes consistent effort, self-reflection, and a willingness to adapt to whatever comes next. For entrepreneurs looking to build a life that balances professional success with personal fulfillment, Kristy Yoder’s story is an inspiring example of what’s possible when you stay true to your vision.

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