
Future-Proofing Your VA or OBM Business
From Seed to Success by Adrienne Donnelly
April 23, 2026 · 19 min
About this episode
Adrienne Donnelly discusses how virtual assistants can future-proof their businesses in the age of AI.
There's a lot of noise online right now about AI replacing virtual assistants. And if you've spent even a few minutes scrolling, chances are you've seen someone declare that VAs will eventually be made redundant altogether. The reality looks a little different. Drawing on almost a decade of experience running her own VA and OBM business, Adrienne shares what future-proofing actually looks like in practice, and why the human element isn't going anywhere. This isn't about ignoring AI or pretending it isn't changing the way we work. It absolutely is. But the story is more nuanced than the headlines suggest, and there's a lot of opportunity in that nuance if you're paying attention. You'll hear about: 🌱 Real client examples where AI fell short and humans got the job done 🌱 The risks of outsourcing business-critical work to AI 🌱 How embracing AI can elevate your role rather than replace it 🌱 Why niching into growing industries is a smart long-term move 🌱 What a business continuity plan looks like for solo operators Whatever the future looks like, the VAs and OBMs who will thrive are the ones who embrace technology, deepen their expertise, and double down on the human value they…
People in this episode
Host: Adrienne Donnelly
Topics covered
- AI and virtual assistants
- future-proofing business
- human element in work
- embracing technology
- business continuity planning
Keywords
- virtual assistants
- AI
- OBM
- business continuity
- technology
- human value
- niching
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Seed VA, seedvirtualassistants.com.au, Seed VA – Australian Virtual Assistant Community, Inner Circle
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