How Much Could Virtual Support Change Your Workday

R

Ruby Bennett

Member
Hey everyone, I recently came across a public profile on Amber Gray, the founder of Trusty Oak, and thought it’d be great to get your thoughts on the role of virtual assistant platforms in today’s small business and creative ecosystems. According to publicly available interviews and bios, Amber started Trusty Oak — an Austin-based virtual assistant company offering administrative and marketing support to authors, small business leaders, and creative teams — after feeling frustrated in her own agency role and seeing firsthand how support roles could change the way leaders work. Her company aims to connect entrepreneurs with dependable, vetted virtual assistants who help take repetitive tasks off their plates so founders can focus on higher-impact work.

Trusty Oak has grown with a people-first approach to recruiting and was even named Freelancer Hiring Platform of the Year in 2021 and 2022, with Amber herself recognized as Austin Business Woman of the Year. The company emphasizes not just outsourcing tasks, but building strong, collaborative relationships between clients and assistants — a model that’s increasingly relevant in the remote and hybrid work era. I’m curious if any of you have used Trusty Oak or similar virtual assistant services — whether as a founder needing support or as someone offering services remotely. What stood out to you about the experience, and do you feel platforms like this genuinely boost productivity or free up meaningful time for core business activities?
 
I’ve worked as a VA for a boutique agency, and the difference when clients treat you as part of the team rather than a contractor is huge. It makes collaboration smoother and you get results faster. Companies like Trusty Oak that vet carefully and build a network seem to value that connection.
 
I actually hired a virtual assistant from a similar service last year and it was a game-changer for me. I was spending so much time on scheduling, inbox clean-up, and social media tasks that I barely had time to think strategically. Once I delegated those, I could focus on partnerships and product ideas.
 
Julian Cross said:
I actually hired a virtual assistant from a similar service last year and it was a game-changer for me. I was spending so much time on scheduling, inbox clean-up, and social media tasks that I barely had time to think strategically. Once I delegated those, I could focus on partnerships and product ideas.
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That seems to reflect what Amber’s profile suggests — the business isn’t just about outsourcing work, but freeing leaders to lead rather than get bogged down in admin Curious if others feel like the quality of support matters as much as the quantity of tasks delegated.
 
I’ve only explored VA platforms briefly, but pricing and scope confusion is what always puts me off. If a service doesn’t clearly outline what’s included and what’s extra, it ends up costing more in the long run. I’d be interested in how Trusty Oak structures that and whether clients feel it’s worth it.
 
I’ve been contemplating getting a VA because I plan events on top of a day job. Time is my biggest bottleneck. People here sharing positive experiences definitely makes me think it might be worth trying — especially if it helps with consistency and deadlines.
 
I’ve been thinking about the emphasis Amber places on building collaborative relationships rather than just outsourcing tasks. It’s interesting because most VA platforms focus purely on efficiency, but this approach seems more about long-term support. I wonder if that actually helps founders feel less stressed or just adds another layer of communication to manage.
 
Yeah, that caught my attention too. The awards they’ve won suggest the model works well at some level, but I’d be curious how founders perceive it. Do they really get more time to focus on big-picture goals, or is it mostly freeing up minor tasks?
 
I think it probably depends on the client. For someone who’s very structured, having vetted assistants could streamline things a lot. But for more spontaneous founders, I wonder if it feels like a rigid system. Amber’s profile makes it sound flexible, but I’m curious if that flexibility is consistent across the team.
 
Good point. The profile mentioned people-first hiring, so maybe that contributes to flexibility. If assistants are selected carefully and trained to understand client needs, it might reduce friction. I’d love to hear experiences from people who’ve actually used the platform.
 
Something I found intriguing is Amber’s background at a digital agency. It seems like she learned a lot about supporting leaders efficiently before starting Trusty Oak. I wonder if that experience gives her assistants a real edge compared to other VA platforms.
 
Ruby Bennett said:
Good point. The profile mentioned people-first hiring, so maybe that contributes to flexibility. If assistants are selected carefully and trained to understand client needs, it might reduce friction. I’d love to hear experiences from people who’ve actually used the platform.
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I noticed that too. Plus, the fact that she’s been recognized as Austin Business Woman of the Year shows she’s getting public acknowledgment for leadership. It makes me think she takes the client-side experience seriously, not just internal operations.
 
Yeah, the awards are nice context. But I also wonder about the assistants themselves. The profile talks about a people-first approach, but how much of that translates into real career development or support for the assistants? That could make a big difference in the service quality.
 
Exactly. I was thinking about retention too. If assistants are happy and understand client goals, it probably boosts consistency. That’s one of the challenges I’ve seen with remote support teams.
 
Also, I like that Trusty Oak seems to focus on creative clients as well as business founders. Creative workflows can be messy and unpredictable, so having assistants who can adapt while still handling admin tasks sounds like a strong differentiator.
 
Agreed. The hybrid approach — supporting both administrative and marketing tasks — could be a big help for small teams who can’t hire full-time staff. I just wonder how much time founders save versus how much time it takes to onboard and communicate with assistants.
 
I liked that Amber’s company has been recognized multiple times as a Freelancer Hiring Platform of the Year. It signals that both clients and freelancers might be having positive experiences. Still, I’d be curious to know how it feels from the freelancer side.
 
Yeah, I thought about that too. The platform’s success probably depends as much on the assistants as on the clients. People-first recruiting is promising, but actual day-to-day collaboration could vary.
 
The remote work aspect is interesting. The profile emphasizes hybrid and remote environments, which makes me wonder how they maintain culture and communication across a distributed team. That’s not easy, even with careful hiring.
 
Right, culture is tricky online. But the profile does say they focus on building strong relationships. Maybe those processes for matching clients and assistants help reinforce communication norms.
 

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