Hey Reader,
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It's been one of those weeks where lots has been happening behind the scenes.
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I've been deep in a full rewrite of the website for my VA business, which has been a brilliant opportunity to step back and really think about how I communicate what we do, who we help and where we're heading. It's amazing how much clarity you can gain by forcing yourself to put your thoughts into words!
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I've also been recording and planning future episodes of The Visionary VA Podcast, which is always one of my favourite parts of the week. There are some topics coming up that I can't wait to share with you over the next few months.
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And finally... we've been making great progress on a really exciting project that we'll be launching later this summer. I still can't say too much (it's taking every ounce of self-control not to spill the beans! 🤐), but it's something I've wanted to create for a long time, and I genuinely think you're going to love it.
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It's a good reminder that not all progress is visible. Some of the most important work in business happens quietly behind the scenes, laying the foundations for what's to come.
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​I hope you've had a great week too!

🎙️8 Biggest Lessons from 8 Years in Business

This week's episode of The Visionary VA Podcast is a really personal one.
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To celebrate eight years of Virtually Priceless, I'm sharing eight of the biggest lessons I've learned since starting my business back in 2018. From building financial resilience and creating systems early, to making brave decisions and designing a business around the life you actually want to live, these are the lessons I wish someone had shared with me at the beginning.
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Whether you've been in business for eight weeks, eight months or eight years, I hope this episode gives you a little reassurance, a fresh perspective and the confidence to take that next step. After all, confidence isn't something you wait for - it's something you build by taking action. 💛

☕ Espresso Shot: Gemini Notebooks + NotebookLM workflows

If you’ve seen Google rolling out Gemini Notebooks and wondered what they are actually useful for, this is one of the clearer walkthrough videos I’ve seen so far.
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The video covers practical ways to use notebooks as:

• Client workspaces
• AI-powered knowledge bases
• Project memory systems
• Custom AI assistants
• Research and content hubs
• Lightweight tracking systems

What makes this particularly useful for virtual assistants is the focus on ongoing context.
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Instead of starting from scratch every time, Gemini can remember previous chats, uploaded files, client preferences, and project details within a dedicated notebook.
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That opens up some genuinely practical workflows for:

• Managing recurring clients
• Storing SOPs and reference materials
• Creating personalised outputs faster
• Organising research and meeting notes
• Building AI-assisted operational systems

The most useful takeaway is not necessarily the exact setup shown in the video. It’s understanding how AI tools are shifting from “single chat prompts” into long-term working environments.
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Google is still rolling notebook features out gradually, so access currently depends on your region and subscription plan. Some features are still limited outside the US and are more fully available on paid Gemini plans.
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If you want more handy, VA-centric tips like this, sign up for our monthly Espresso AI newsletter which will be sent out on 13^th August.​

Have a great rest of your week!
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Holly x

P.S. Have you checked out my 1:1 business mentoring offers? If you’re looking for some structured support and want to know more, check out all the options and book a free call here.
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