Question 1

Why join The Grid when I can hire someone on my own?

Accepted Answer

When families hire directly, or try to use a regular VA service, they often struggle with long onboarding, repeating themselves, and finding someone who “gets it.” FVAs in The Grid are certified through the Family Virtual Assistant Institute, trained on the unique challenges of busy families, and ready to hit the ground running. You’ll save time, reduce frustration, and feel confident in your hire.

Question 2

What can a Family Virtual Assistant do for me?

Accepted Answer

An FVA handles the mental load that quietly runs your family's life. Think calendar management, travel planning, doctor appointments, meal planning, school correspondence, research, grocery lists, work presentation formatting, and every other "I'll get to it later" tasks that never seem to get done. They work virtually and around your family's rhythm. If you’d like for them to handle everything on your to-do list, they can! But most families find the real value comes in handing off the mental load of the list to begin with, and building a relationship where the FVA anticipates your needs from the beginning.

Question 3

What can an FVA not do?

Accepted Answer

FVAs are not housekeepers, nannies, or in-person childcare providers. They are trained specifically to virtually manage the administrative and logistical side of family life, not physical household tasks or hands-on childcare. However, many families do have their FVA hire extra household help (ex: "I need a new babysitter!") or coordinate with the nanny or the house manager (ex: FVA makes the meal plan & orders the groceries, Nanny picks them up!) without ever getting you involved.

Question 4

Can you give me an example of how my FVA could work with my nanny?

Accepted Answer

Ex. 1) Your family is hosting another family this weekend… your nanny can send a photo of the fridge and pantry to your FVA and your FVA can order all the usual staples from the grocery store, as well as the snacks the kids will need. She’ll let the nanny know when to pick up the entire order from the store, and will send the receipt to your inbox. She’ll also order a fun game on Amazon that’s age-appropriate for the kids to play, and make sure your favorite bottle of wine arrives in time.

Ex. 2) The fridge broke on your way out the door this morning. Your FVA can search local facebook groups for the best recommended repair person, get pricing options, and with your “okay!” arrange their arrival when the nanny is home… so everything is fixed before you get home that day.

Ex. 3) Your kid is attending a birthday party next weekend! The FVA can RSVP, put it on the calendar, order a birthday gift and wrapping, and the nanny can assemble and have it waiting by the door Saturday morning without you ever being involved.

Question 5

I'm super nervous about onboarding. How long will it take?

Accepted Answer

Much less time than you'd expect! The typical onboarding time with a FVA in The Grid is around 2 weeks, compared to an average of 3-5 months when hiring on your own (*some have been as little as 5 days!). Our FVAs are certified and trained specifically for busy family life, so they're ready to hit the ground running from day one. Most families feel relief before the first week is even over.

Question 6

How do I communicate with my FVA?

Accepted Answer

Communication with your FVA is flexible and built around whatever works best for you. Most families use a combination of tools like email for longer updates, and text messaging for quick day-to-day communication; some have found success with the Marco Polo app, as well. You can also use shared tools like Google Calendar, Trello, or a notes app to keep tasks, priorities, and schedules visible and organized in one place.

Dr. Bankhead has transitioned to using Slack with her FVA and House Manager, so that everyone can be in touch with one another without her always having to step in… but she can also catch up later on when she gets a free moment! The goal is to find a rhythm that feels natural for your family and stick to it. Your FVA will follow your lead (and if you don’t know where to start, they are trained to guide you in the right direction).

Question 7

What if my needs for my FVA change?

Accepted Answer

That's life! And that's exactly what they're great at; FVAs are built for flexibility. If your priorities shift, you can adjust what you're delegating at any time. The goal is a support system with scope that evolves with your life, not a rigid contract that locks you in to 1 or 2 things.

Question 8

Where do your FVAs come from?

Accepted Answer

Every FVA in The Grid is certified through the Family Virtual Assistant Institute, our own training & certification program built specifically around the needs of busy, working, modern families. They're vetted, trained, and ready to support families like yours. Modern Mom Alchemy also supports our FVA’s after the completion of their training, so that we can assist with any bumps along the way. P.S.… Most are also moms!

Question 9

How is this different than using AI?

Accepted Answer

AI can answer a question, but it will never take over the mental load from the spinning plates of life! It may forget that your daughter is allergic to peanuts so a different restaurant has to be booked, it won’t notice that you need to leave work early to make it to your son’s game on Tuesday, and it can’t follow up with the pediatrician's office until someone actually picks up the phone and be able to give all insurance information over the phone. Your FVA is a real, reliable human who knows your family and gets things done with context, care, and consistency.

Importantly, FVA certification includes training on AI and technology advances so that your dollar is going as far as possible; your FVA will utilize AI in its full capacity to assist in planning trips, get recommendations on birthday party themes, and finding a great hotel- to save you time, money, and headspace.

Question 10

Can they help me with work stuff too?

Accepted Answer

Yes! FVAs are trained to support both your home and your professional life. Things like formatting presentations, managing your inbox, scheduling meetings, and handling back-and-forth correspondence (to name a few) are all fair game.

Question 11

Do you do house manager matching services too?

Accepted Answer

Our specialty at this time is virtual support- the scheduling, logistics, and mental load management that happens behind the scenes. If you're looking for in-person household management, that falls outside of what an FVA does, but Time Alchemy can help you build a full support plan that includes figuring out & easily hiring exactly what kind of in-person help you need too.

Of note, we do have families who have utilized an FVA to help hire other outsourcing needs; this is within their scope of work for your family. We recommend utilizing your FVA and giving them the resources within Time Alchemy (*email our team at info@modernmomalchemy.com for a special discount code if you are considering this).

Question 12

I already have other help at home (house manager, mother's helper, nanny). How would an FVA help me?

Accepted Answer

The help you already have handles what happens in your home tangibly / physically. Your FVA handles everything that happens in your head: the planning, the coordinating, the scheduling, and the follow-through that makes all your other support actually work. Think of your FVA as the person who makes sure your nanny has the right schedule based on your work schedule, finds great events for your family to go to on the weekend, makes sure your appointments are booked, and nothing falls through the cracks. For more ideas- see “Can you give me an example of how my FVA could work with my nanny?” above!

Question 13

How do I trust someone with such personal details of my life?

Accepted Answer

Trust is everything, which is why every FVA in The Grid goes through our certification program and is background checked & reference checked before you ever say yes. The onboarding process is designed to build that trust gradually, starting with the tasks you're most comfortable delegating and growing from there.

With Concierge Services, our team gives you examples of how to organically develop trust with things like credit card sharing and private information sharing. In Access, your FVA will walk through this conversation and you can mutually decide what you're comfortable with, and where you'd want to start.

Question 14

I'm not a mom. Can I still hire a Family Virtual Assistant?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely. While FVAs are trained with busy family life in mind, the skills they bring (organization, logistics, scheduling, anticipating needs) are valuable for any high-performing professional juggling a full life. If you're not sure whether it's a fit, reach out to our team at info@modernmomalchemy.com and we'll help you figure it out.

Question 15

Won’t hiring an FVA add more work to my plate instead of taking it away?

Accepted Answer

We researched with multiple focus groups and strategically mapped out how to MOST quickly take busy working moms from “I’m overwhelmed / everything lives in my head” → to “Wow, suddenly she’s part of our life and this is amazing and I don’t know how we ever survived without her.” No prep work needed on your part; we’ll show you the way! Need more convincing? Check out all the testimonials on this page!

Question 16

I've heard of companies that require I use their app to submit a project request. Do I have to do that?

Accepted Answer

No! We know that busy working families have no time to download and learn new apps to submit things (most of the time it's going to be on the top of your mind running between the office and home & sending a voice memo text might be the quickest and easiest way to get it off your plate!). We also love when partnerships evolve to where no "project form" is even needed... the FVA just anticipates and knows what you need every month. That is the real goal.

The Grid

Your schedule is full.
Your bandwidth is gone.

100 Ways our FVAs are helping families like yours

Meet the support system you didn't know existed.

We have two options for families to be paired with family virtual assistants:

Concierge Services at The Grid

Access at The Grid

NEW!

“We are going to a conference next year and need to rent ski gear. My husband talked to our FVA to get it done. She has picked out gifts for me, done research on certain watches, handled school emails and found things I missed.”

-LD

What is a Family Virtual Assistant?

What an FVA Can Do

I know firsthand the right support can change
your life.

Alchemy by the Numbers

87%

40-60 Hours

100%

Concierge Services

Access

FAQs

Why join The Grid when I can hire someone on my own?

What can a Family Virtual Assistant do for me?

What can an FVA not do?

Can you give me an example of how my FVA could work with my nanny?

I'm super nervous about onboarding. How long will it take?

How do I communicate with my FVA?

What if my needs for my FVA change?

Where do your FVAs come from?

How is this different than using AI?

Can they help me with work stuff too?

Do you do house manager matching services too?

I already have other help at home (house manager, mother's helper, nanny). How would an FVA help me?

How do I trust someone with such personal details of my life?

I'm not a mom. Can I still hire a Family Virtual Assistant?

Won’t hiring an FVA add more work to my plate instead of taking it away?

I've heard of companies that require I use their app to submit a project request. Do I have to do that?

Resources Your Trained Family Virtual Assistant Can utilize

Follow us on Instagram

The Grid

Your schedule is full. Your bandwidth is gone.

100 Ways our FVAs are helping families like yours

Meet the support system you didn't know existed.

We have two options for families to be paired with family virtual assistants:

Concierge Services at The Grid

​

Access at The Grid

​

NEW!

“We are going to a conference next year and need to rent ski gear. My husband talked to our FVA to get it done. She has picked out gifts for me, done research on certain watches, handled school emails and found things I missed.” -LD

What is a Family Virtual Assistant?

What an FVA Can Do

I know firsthand the right support can change your life.

Alchemy by the Numbers

87%

40-60 Hours

100%

Concierge Services

Access

FAQs

Why join The Grid when I can hire someone on my own?

What can a Family Virtual Assistant do for me?

What can an FVA not do?

Can you give me an example of how my FVA could work with my nanny?

I'm super nervous about onboarding. How long will it take?

How do I communicate with my FVA?

What if my needs for my FVA change?

Where do your FVAs come from?

How is this different than using AI?

Can they help me with work stuff too?

Do you do house manager matching services too?

I already have other help at home (house manager, mother's helper, nanny). How would an FVA help me?

How do I trust someone with such personal details of my life?

I'm not a mom. Can I still hire a Family Virtual Assistant?

Won’t hiring an FVA add more work to my plate instead of taking it away?

I've heard of companies that require I use their app to submit a project request. Do I have to do that?

Resources Your Trained Family Virtual Assistant Can utilize

​

Follow us on Instagram

Your schedule is full.
Your bandwidth is gone.

“We are going to a conference next year and need to rent ski gear. My husband talked to our FVA to get it done. She has picked out gifts for me, done research on certain watches, handled school emails and found things I missed.”

-LD

I know firsthand the right support can change
your life.