The “Boring” Side Hustle That’s Making Millennials $5,000 Extra Per Month
Ever scrolled past a picture of someone working from a beach in Bali or sipping espresso at a cute little café in Italy, laptop open, and wondered, “How is that even real life?”
Chances are, your next thought was something like, "I’d probably need to be some kind of marketing wizard or gorgeous influencer to pull that off."
I get it — making money online can seem like an exclusive club reserved for Instagram models and marketing gurus with thousands of followers. But the truth is, there are countless online jobs that pay well (some really well) and don’t require a computer science degree or a massive social media following.
And today, I want to introduce you to one of the best-kept secrets in the world of online work: becoming a tech virtual assistant — or tech VA.
This “boring” little side hustle might just be your ticket to financial (and locational!) freedom.
What Is a Tech VA Anyway?
A tech VA (virtual assistant) is someone who helps business owners and entrepreneurs with the backend tech stuff in their online businesses — no coding necessary.
If you spent the 90’s helping your parents figure out how to plug in the VHS player or the early 2000’s helping them set up WiFi, then guess what? You already have the instincts for this.
Tech VAs typically specialize in using and managing software tools — things like email marketing platforms, website builders, automations, and integrations.
Still not sure what that means? Here are a few real-life tasks a tech VA might do:
Set up an email marketing campaign in ConvertKit or MailerLite
Build a landing page in Squarespace or WordPress
Automate client onboarding with tools like Dubsado or Zapier
Maintain website updates and plug-ins
Troubleshoot tech issues or broken links
These are all things millions of business owners need help with every single day — and they’re willing to pay well for it.
How Much Can You Earn as a Tech VA?
Most general VAs (those who do admin work or basic customer service) earn around $20–$30/hour. But tech VAs? They typically charge $50–$100/hour or more.
And many don’t even charge hourly — they offer monthly retainer packages instead. That might look like:
$500/month per client for 5–10 hours of work
$1,000/month for more advanced tasks or faster turnaround
Or even $2,000/month for specialized support
So if you were to work with just 5 clients at $1,000/month each, that’s $5,000/month — part-time.
Want to go full-time? Ten clients could get you to $10,000/month or more. And yes, thousands of real people are doing this. Every day. No college degree required.
Why Specializing = Higher Pay and Less Competition
The biggest mistake I see beginners make when trying to start a digital business or earn money online?
Trying to offer everything.
If you’re a jack-of-all-trades, you’ll find yourself stuck in the low-pay, high-competition general VA market.
But when you choose a specialty — like becoming a tech VA — you instantly:
Stand out in a crowded market
Can charge higher rates
Become more in-demand (because good tech help is hard to find)
And it gets even better.
Within the tech VA world, you can niche down further by becoming an expert in just one or two specific tools. For example:
Be the go-to person for ThriveCart
Or master Squarespace + Zapier automations
Or specialize in WordPress + Elementor + WooCommerce
Because when business owners are struggling with a specific tool, they don’t want someone who’s “okay at a lot of things.” They want someone who knows that one tool like the back of their hand.
“But I’m Not That Techie…”
Okay, let’s bust that myth right now. Being a tech VA isn’t about coding or hacking the matrix. It's about knowing how to use common online tools — the same way you'd learn to use a new app on your phone.
And learning any new tool has never been easier. Between YouTube tutorials and ChatGPT, you can basically have your own personal tutor walking you through every step.
Here’s my simple formula for learning new software:
Watch the company’s official tutorials to get a lay of the land.
Play around inside the platform. Just click around and experiment.
Use ChatGPT to solve specific problems or questions as they come up.
You’d be amazed at how fast you can pick things up this way — no fancy degree required.
What Tools Should You Learn First?
Start with platforms that are in high demand by online businesses. A few good ones:
Email marketing: ConvertKit, MailerLite, ActiveCampaign
Website builders: Squarespace, WordPress
Course platforms: Teachable, Kajabi, Thinkific
Automation tools: Zapier, Make (Integromat), N8N
Pick two or three and get really good at them.
You can always expand later — but starting simple helps you build confidence (and client results) faster.
Who’s Hiring Tech VAs?
In short: everyone who runs an online business.
That includes:
Content creators
Coaches
Online course creators
E-commerce shop owners
Influencers
Digital product sellers
As more businesses shift online, demand for tech-savvy help is exploding. And because most small business owners don’t want to learn all the tech themselves, they're thrilled to pay someone else to handle it.
I’ve hired several tech VAs myself to support my own businesses — and I always pay from $50 to $100 per hour, depending on how specialized they are.
And trust me, that’s not unusual. There’s a lot of work to go around.
What You Need to Get Started
You don’t need much — just:
A laptop or desktop computer (nope, your phone won't cut it)
A reliable internet connection
A curious mind and a willingness to learn
Access to ChatGPT or other AI tools to help you troubleshoot and level up fast
Optional but helpful:
A basic website or landing page with your services
A simple portfolio (screenshots or descriptions of what you’ve done)
A couple of testimonials as you start taking on work
And that’s it. Super low startup costs, very high potential.
Ready to Start Your Own Tech VA Business?
If this is your first time starting a business, it can definitely feel a little overwhelming. But I’ve got something that can help: our free business course! It’s called Small Business 101, and it’s our totally free, 8-lesson video course that walks you step-by-step through how to start and grow your online business the right way from square one.
You’ll learn how to:
Create a business plan
Build your website
Find your first clients
Legally set up your business
Organize your finances
… and much more.
💡 Check it out here — it’s 100% free.
The Bottom Line
Becoming a tech VA might not be the flashiest online job out there — but it’s one of the smartest ways to build a flexible, freedom-filled career online.
It’s simple to start, easy to learn, and doesn’t require a ton of upfront investment. Plus, you get to work behind the scenes with amazing entrepreneurs and help real businesses grow.
If you're a curious problem-solver who enjoys systems, tools, or tech (even just a little), this might be your thing.
Join 600+ entrepreneurs Small Business 101
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I invite you to download my free Small Business 101 course. These 8 action-packed lessons will teach you how to start a successful business without the headache or overwhelm. If you're all about keeping things simple, this is for you!
