There is nothing inherently wrong with VA agencies.
They solve a real problem. They reduce hiring friction, standardize processes, and help businesses fill roles quickly. For many companies, especially those that want predictability, this model works.
But VA agencies and business owners hire for very different reasons. Understanding that difference explains why some freelancers thrive inside agencies, while others consistently perform better when hired directly.
VA agencies hire to avoid mistakes.
Their incentives are built around risk control. They need consistency across talent, minimal deviation from process, and safeguards that protect client accounts. That shows up in how they screen, train, and manage people.
This is why agency hiring feels rigid. Multi-step assessments, standardized interviews, mandatory coaching, fixed schedules, and non-negotiable rates. These systems are not designed to identify who can think critically or move a business forward. They are designed to minimize surprises.
I experienced this firsthand with a VA agency that required weekly coaching sessions. Coaching itself was not the issue. The issue was that these sessions were mandatory and scheduled during daytime hours, even though most of us worked night shifts. The rate was also far below what my experience justified.
The structure felt familiar in an uncomfortable way. It looked less like freelancing and more like outsourced HR layered on top of contract work.
Eventually, the client I was assigned to questioned the setup herself. She did not see the value in paying a middleman when she could speak to me directly, align faster, and make decisions without delay. She hired me directly and removed the agency entirely.
That outcome was not an exception. It was a signal.
Business owners hire to create momentum.
When founders and operators hire directly, they are not optimizing for compliance. They are overwhelmed. They are behind. They want progress.
I had a conversation with a business owner who was looking for a social media manager. He did not ask for certifications or tests. He asked if I could design Canva posts, write captions, and schedule content. I said yes, because I had been doing exactly that for years.
He asked for a sample. I created one. He was impressed and ready to move forward. The rate he offered was significantly higher than what VA agencies had proposed for similar work.
That interaction captures the difference perfectly.
There was no gatekeeper. No checklist. No artificial hurdles. Just a value exchange. Can you solve this problem? Yes. Show me. Done.
This is why some freelancers struggle inside agencies but excel with direct clients. It is not a skill gap. It is a mismatch of incentives.
Agencies reward predictability. Business owners reward judgment.
Neither approach is wrong, but they are not interchangeable.
For freelancers, this distinction matters.
If you thrive on structure, clear rules, and predefined expectations, VA agencies can be a good fit. They remove the burden of selling and provide consistency.
If you bring experience, context, and initiative, agencies may feel constraining. You are often evaluated by people trained in corporate BPO environments, using filters that favor conformity over capability.
That does not mean agencies are bad actors. It means they are hiring for a different outcome.
For business owners, this is a hiring question worth examining.
If what you need is task execution with minimal oversight, an agency can work. If what you need is momentum, ownership, and someone who thinks alongside you, hiring directly changes the relationship.
When you hire me directly, I work with you, not for you. There is no middleman. No message filtering. No incentive misalignment. You talk to the person doing the work, making the decisions, and carrying the context.
That is not better in every scenario. But when speed, clarity, and trust matter, it is often the difference between activity and progress.
This is not an argument against VA agencies. It is an argument for awareness.
How you hire shapes how work gets done. And whether you are a freelancer choosing where to apply or a business owner deciding how to build support, the real question is simple.
The question remains: are you trying to avoid mistakes, or are you trying to create momentum?
