Steph Gobraiel

Steph Gobraiel is a highly experienced Online Business Manager (OBM) and founder of Virtual Associate Services. As a former executive assistant (of 15 years) to high-level corporate managers, she has a wealth of experience and business knowledge. With a passion for helping business owners build their businesses around their families, Steph helps overwhelmed entrepreneurs say goodbye to exhaustion and hello to a successful business. Steph is dedicated to supporting women in business. She believes seeking business support is a sign of strength and growth. With practical support and the right mix of empathy, wisdom and accountability, Steph is a dynamic and driven individual.

The two aims of any business are to:

1) solve a client’s problem, and 2) make money.

And those are objectives which apply to our personal lives as well. We must make money, of course, but how often do we think about what problem money solves for us? I know money allows me to have an amazing family life… and that means actually GETTING TIME WITH MY FAMILY.

So many special family moments are missed when money-making takes precedence over our time. But time will never be repeated, and we can’t ever get it back or the special moments that happen in it. I didn’t fully understand how precious family could be until I saw my daughter smile and say “Mumma” for the first time and I get how quickly it can disappear unless we control it.

Understanding that life isn’t a rehearsal and we only get one shot at it, made me live with more gratitude for in the present. It also showed me how important it is to set my boundaries between my personal and professional life so tightly to make sure I protected each and every one of those special family moments. Are you doing the same?

The #1 Amazon Best Selling Author "An Enlightened Life" we sat down with Steph to find out more about herself and her passion for helping others.

Tell us why you are passionate about being a beacon of light for others?

I’m passionate about being a beacon of light for other mums because they don’t get the recognition they deserve when it comes to juggling it all. It’s not spoken about enough and that’s what I want to do, I want to shed that light that it’s not easy to juggle it all, kids, business home, partner etc and that’s ok especially if your kids are younger and if it’s new territory, it’s not like being a mother is enough, the small business world is like having a new world to navigate in itself.

Tell us why you are a leader in your field?

I’m a leader in my field because I want to empower, educate and make women aware they are not alone on this journey. As a mum and an Online Business Manager, I want to help mums find a balance between work and family life and also to find time and space for themselves.

Tell us what the word "enlightened" means to you?

The word enlightened to me is a beacon of hope, that awareness that a lot of mums feel the same way and it’s ok to talk about it more because that’s what’s going to make it a norm.

What is your favourite quote about living An Enlightened Life?

“Those who are enlightened never stop forging themselves.” Morihei Ueshiba

The theme for this issue is "In the moment' what does this mean to you and how are you stepping into your own moment of being a best selling author?

In the moment to me is being 100% present wherever and whatever I'm doing. This is something I learned when I became a mum.

I'm stepping into my moment by stepping out of my comfort zone and sharing with any mums out there that can relate to my story that it's not easy being a mum and juggling so much but that's ok because we're not meant to be perfect and it too shall pass.

Steph has a special offer for all our readers:

7 things to get your business started - click here to download