VA Foundry Scale It Mastermind Review: Worth It? (2024)

Looking for an honest VA Foundry Scale It Mastermind review written by an actual virtual assistant?

Well, you’ve come to the perfect spot.

The Scale It! program promises to take your virtual assistant business to new heights.

We’re talking things like leading a team of 30+ people, earning a six-figure income as a solo freelancer, or whatever success looks like for you. 

But does the program live up to the hype?

To find out, I put my research hat on, spending hours digging through VA Foundry’s Scale It course to determine if it’s worth the investment.

As a VA who has taken far too many virtual assistant courses than I’d like to admit, let me tell you — spending money on training that doesn’t live up to expectations is a special kind of suckiness. 

That’s why in this review, I hold nothing back. I’ll give you the good, the bad, and the ugly to help you decide if it’s the right fit.

Let’s jump right in!

If you’re brand new to the world of virtual assistants, I recommend checking out the VA Foundry’s beginner program instead — it will help you launch your business and start earning within 30 days. 

👀 This is a Level 2 review. Read more about our in-depth course review process.

VA Foundry Scale It review: What you need to know

The VA Foundry Scale It Mastermind is a monthly subscription that offers personalized feedback and monthly group coaching calls to help you scale your virtual assistant business. The program targets virtual assistants, but it would also helpful for other types of online freelancers.

That said, the program is not right for everyone.

Before pulling the trigger, there are some things you should know.

Let’s start by investigating who actually created the program.

If you’re brand new to the world of virtual assistants, I recommend checking out the VA Foundry’s beginner program instead — it will help you launch your business and start earning within 30 days. 

Jo Jensen and Same Browne review: Who even are these ladies?

Jo Jensen and Sam Browne are the founders of VA Foundry. They’ve got more than 20 years of experience in building and growing their VA agencies and freelancing businesses.

Sam Browne is the genius behind The VA Network of New Zealand, the go-to place for Kiwi business owners to find their perfect VA match. She’s got a whopping community of over 3,000 members, so you know she’s well-connected and worth knowing.

Jo Jensen is the boss-lady behind the million-dollar VA agency, Strictly Savvy. Her team of 30 talented individuals have helped her take her VA business from making $850K to a mind-blowing 1.5 million in just two years. Basically, she’s not some random person on the internet — she really knows her stuff.

Together, they’ve helped 3,000+ VAs kickstart and grow their businesses. They’ve also scored a crazy 570+ clients for their own practices in the past 11 years. 

Jo and Sam are the real deal when it comes to VA expertise, and they’ve got the success stories to prove it. If you’re serious about taking your VA business to new heights, these are the folks you want in your corner.

What’s included in The VA Foundry’s Scale It program?

The program is broken down into 4 parts:

1. Monthly group coaching calls
2. Facebook community
3. Additional video lessons 

1. Monthly group coaching calls

You get access to four monthly group coaching calls. 

• The monthly group coaching calls
• The monthly Get Sh*t Done calls
• The monthly Metrics and Planning call
• The monthly Coaching Couch call

Each call has something different to offer.

Monthly group coaching call. This call goes over whatever the theme is that month. Some themes they’ve done in the past are copy that converts, how to nail your sales, or leading remote teams. 

These calls are recorded and you always have access to the replays. 

They also have guest experts from all sorts of fields giving you awesome advice about running and scaling a business. 

For example, one month they had a money coach teach how to remove “money blocks” that prevent you from earning more.

Monthly Get Sh*t Done calls. This call also goes over the monthly theme but with one major difference — you get to bring along your business project for real time feedback and advice. 

This is an incredible opportunity to get personalized attention on your business by two experts. This call alone is arguably worth the cost of the subscription (assuming you take advantage of it and bring all your questions). 

These calls are also recorded so you can refer back to them as needed. 

Monthly Coaching Couch. Think of this call more like office hours, or therapy sessions. When you’re feeling stuck, frustrated, or just have a question about your business, you can join this call. 

There’s no themes, no replays, and you’re encouraged to brainstorm, rave, rage, or whatever it is you need at that moment. Doors are open for one hour, so you can really let it all out. 

Running a business ain’t easy. And if you don’t take care of your mental wellness, you’re more likely to burn out.

2. Facebook community

The bigger your network, the more opportunities you unlock. It’s as simple as that. 

This course gives you access to a private Facebook group where you can network with other members in the program. 

These are people who are trying to scale their virtual assistant business, just like you. 

You’re also more likely to make more “advanced” connections and share higher level strategies since this isn’t a beginner’s course.

You can bounce ideas off each other, see what strategies are working for others, and even get feedback on things you’re working on. 

I stalked around in the Facebook group and found that the community is super active. 

There are featured posts, website reviews, and recommended (optional) books to read every month.

Here’s an example of someone getting valuable advice from other members:

3. Additional video lessons 

There’s so much that goes into scaling your business and the VA Foundry Gets that. 

In addition to the Facebook group and monthly group calls, you have access to a whole library of videos covering everything you need to know to reach the next level in your VA business.

Some topics include:

• Creating your ICA (ideal client avatar). When you know who you’re speaking to, you’ll know how to speak (and sell) to them. Your ICA is your perfect customer. 
• Choosing the right type of business insurance. You wouldn’t drive without insurance, so why would you run your business without insurance? Things happen, and when they do, you want to be covered.
• Managing leads using programs like airtable.  One day you’re going to have more leads than you can keep track of. When that day comes, you’ll be glad you know how to use programs that can keep you organized (and sane).

Some videos also include downloadable assets to help you apply what you learn. 

Scale It cons ❌

No program is perfect, and Scale It is no exception. As we dug into the program, we did find a few downsides worth mentioning. 

❌ It’s a monthly subscription. If you’re looking for a course you can quickly binge through, this is not the program for you. Every month covers a different but equally important puzzle piece to scaling an online business, so you can focus on one piece at a time. The good news is there’s no commitments. So if you just want some quick expert help to bust through a rut, you could essentially just sign up for one month.

❌ Jo and Sam are based in New Zealand + Australia. While the principles of business are the same regardless of what side of the pond you’re on, if you’re living in the Americas or Europe, making those monthly calls is going to be difficult. Because so much of the value is packed in those monthly calls, consider if you’re actually able to attend them. Also, if you need help with country-specific stuff, like business structures and taxes, their knowledge may be limited to New Zealand and Australia. On the other hand, if you’re an Aussie or Kiwi, this is perfect for you.

❌ Established business owners only. This isn’t really a con to the program, but it’s worth noting – this mastermind is NOT a beginner-friendly program. It assumes you already have clients and processes in place, and that you’re looking to take it to the next level. If you’re just starting out, you’re better off joining their VA program for beginners. 

Scale It pros ✅

Now to the good stuff! 

✅ Group coaching calls packed with info. The group coaching calls are the bread and butter of this program. They cover things like processes to earn more while working less, how to say sayonara to a difficult client, how to lead an awesome remote team, and how to sell your services with less effort.

✅ Facebook group is extremely active. When Jo and Sam aren’t available, you have an awesome community right there to support you. If you don’t have friends or family that are in business, they’re not going to understand what you’re doing, and it can get pretty lonely and hard. Having a group of people who “get it” and are in the trenches with you is going to make your life so much easier.

✅ Guest experts are super knowledgeable. In addition to Sam and Jo, you also have access to their networks of incredible guest experts who share their advice, insights, and business know-how. As awesome as Sam and Jo are, a person can only be an expert in so many things. So they let people teach you things that are in their zone of genius. You get more perspective, and who knows, maybe you’ll even get that million-dollar idea learning from them.

✅ Information is relevant to anyone who provides online services, NOT just VAs. If you’re a photographer, video editor, digital marketer, writer, brand specialist, podcast producer, sound engineer, or whatever other online service you’re offering, this program helps you earn more.

✅ Personalized coaching for whatever project you’re working on. The monthly Get Your Sh*t done calls are really just your opportunity to get sh*t done. You bring your work, whatever it is you’re working on, and Jo and Sam walk you through what is working, what isn’t, and how you can improve. This expert feedback acts as a shortcut to take you to that next level. 

✅ Constant updates. Sam and Jo release new content every month, so you don’t have to worry about following outdated strategies. You learn what’s working TODAY.  

✅ Audits for your website, packages, and online presence. Normally you’d pay big bucks to get your website audited. But in this program, Jo and Sam walk you through what’s working and what isn’t. This is all done live in the Facebook group and is an excellent opportunity for everyone to learn ways to improve their site. 

TL;DR: Is The VA Foundry Scale It Mastermind worth it?

After diving deep into the mastermind, I believe it’s the best option for Aussie and New Zealand VAs and online service providers who are ready to scale their business and earn more. 

If you’re not from Australia or New Zealand, you can still learn a ton from Scale It. However, we gotta be real with you — there are other virtual assistant training programs out there that might be a better fit for your needs (and sleep schedules).

Time zones aside — the group coaching calls, business audit, and Facebook community gives you a ton of personalized help so you’ll know the exact next steps you need to take to grow your business.

It’s hard to understate the level of personalized help here. You do not get this with most programs (trust me, I’ve taken many). 

You could totally go the DIY route and try to figure it all out by piecing together random stuff from the web and learning from your own mistakes. But investing in a program like Scale It is like hitting the fast-forward button.

…even if you just pop in for a month to get expert guidance on your best next steps. 

This is for you if

✅ You’ve been in business for a while and you’re ready to scale.

✅ You’re self-motivated (come to the calls prepared!).

✅ You have time to join the group calls.

✅ You plan to take advantage of help in the Facebook group.

This is not for you if

❌ You’re just starting out with your business.

❌ You’re not self-motivated.

❌ You don’t have the time to join the group calls.

❌ You’re too shy to collaborate in the Facebook group.

If you are just starting out, check out my VA Foundry Launch in 30 Days review for a behind-the-scenes look into their VA course for beginners. 

Is there a VA Foundry Scale It discount code?

Yes, there is a special VA Foundry discount code for Project Untethered readers. You can get 10% off your monthly subscription to Scale It by signing up through our affiliate link and using the promo code MITCH100 at checkout.

Where can I sign up?

I hope you found my write-up insightful. It took a good chunk of time to put together, so if you found it helpful, decide it’s for you, and want to say, “Thanks, Project Untethered!”— I’d be thrilled if you purchased using our affiliate link button below (at no extra charge to you). We’ll even send you an extra bonus (see below).

Either way, I highly recommend the VA Foundry Mastermind for any Australian or New Zealand virtual assistant (or freelancer) interested in boosting their income to the next level. 

Scale It! Mastermind alternatives

Scale It! Mastermind is a top-rated program that will help you scale your virtual assistant business, but it’s not the only course in town.

While most of the best virtual assistant courses are for people who are starting out their VA business, there are two courses in particular that are great for scaling existing VA businesses.

Savvy System. The Savvy System is an all-in-one course for starting and growing a successful VA business. Its focus is on starting a VA business from scratch and finding clients. But as the programs expands, so does its lessons. 

Now it includes new strategies on AI, scaling clientele, starting an agency, and more. It uses the same easy-to-follow video style as well as interactive calls from industry experts.  (You can read the full Savvy System review here).

Fully Booked VA. This course is fantastic because it includes additional mini-courses on how to niche down to different industries. This is an alternative strategy to scaling your business and is perfect if you want to focus on just one kind of client. The mini-courses follow the same format as the main course with downloadable resources and individual lessons. This course is text-heavy so be mindful of that. (Check out my full 90 Day VA review here)