“I am not a self-made man.” These are the words of Arnold Schwarzeneggar in the foreward of the new Tim Ferriss book, “Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers”.
When I read this self-reflection and the accompanying brief reflection of his life and of some who helped him become the man he is today, it made me think about all of those I know who own businesses, online and offline, great and small. No one got to where they’re at without the help of others.
The Reality of the Solopreneur
Think about it. We may start off as solopreneurs. But, even with automation, how long can we run with that gig before we start dropping the ball on content creation or social engagement or filing or any other day-to-day grind that comes with the territory? Not indefinitely.
Can you ever scale your business without the help of others? Maybe to an extent but there is a cap on what one person can do before they are tapped out.
We need the help of others to succeed and win, gain freedom, and achieve our dreams.
Grow Your Business with a Virtual Assistant
With these thoughts in mind and with the onset of a new year, the time is right for many to add to their team of support to help them grow the business they want.
Who will you add to your team? How will you find them? What part of your business will you entrust them with?
Are you thinking about hiring a Virtual Assistant (VA) to help with your blog post and newsletter and general admin tasks? Or, maybe you want someone to do your social media marketing or manage your launches. Or, maybe you want to hand off the whole management piece so you can truly focus on your gift.
You may already have a small team but you’re in growth mode, and you just need another set of hands on deck.
It could be that the business side of your dream business is not what you had in mind when you decided to take the leap into the sexy, exciting world of freedom and entrepreneurship, and you want someone to organize your processes and systems and all that other operational stuff.
Whatever the reason, one thing’s for sure:
You want to focus on what you do best. Your thing. Not the business back end.
So …
Hiring and Working with a Virtual Assistant
If you’ve never worked with Virtual Assistant before, you may have a boatload of questions and may not know exactly how to go about it.
If you have worked with one, your questions and concerns may be a little different.
Before hiring a Virtual Assistant, the main things to consider are your needs. Do you need a Virtual Assistant just to implement assigned tasks or do you need a Business Manager or a Project Manager instead? Do you need someone on a long-term, more permanent basis, or do you need someone short-term, just for a project?
A Virtual Assistant generally implements a variety of tasks. Scheduling, contracts, client management, email management, social media management, and the list goes on. However, some Virtual Assistants specialize in one or two things, and that’s all they want to do. Like marketing implementation, operations, or Infusionsoft. Others focus on business management or project management.
An Online Business Manager (OBM) runs your business for you. From A to Z. Think planning, systematizing, oversight. A business manager can plan your budgets, your launches, create all your systems and processes, manage your team (even a virtual one) and your vendors, you know, the whole operations thing.
A Project Manager (PM) manages your projects (big or small) from beginning to end. A project manager is responsible for project planning, execution, people management, resource management, and scope.
Sometimes, smaller businesses, especially ones starting out or just starting to expand need an assistant that can wear all of these hats. There may not be enough revenue to support an OBM, a PM, and a VA. When you find this Virtual Assistant, it’s golden.
How to Work with a Virtual Assistant – The Transition
You’ve made the decision on what type of assistant you want and need. Now, you need to think about the hand off. Transitioning into working with someone virtually isn’t a gut instinct kind of thing. It seems like it would be oh-so-obvious, but for most entrepreneurs, it’s not.
Plan out the actual delegation of work to and management of your Virtual Assistant ahead of time. If you wait until after the hire, productivity is delayed and so is your return on investment. (Side note: there will be some drag on productivity in the very beginning. This is called the ramp-up period. This is when your new assistant is learning where everything is at in the back end of your business and how you want things done. If you don’t have systems or SOPs in place, it takes time to communicate your expectations and what you like.)
Below are 5 tips to help you transition into working with your new Virtual Assistant, Online Business Manager, or Project Manager:
- Plan ahead. Know how much your budget can handle with this investment. Also, budget in how much money you expect you can make after some of your time is freed up to generate more business. Think about how you will integration your virtual worker with your current team.
- Make a list. Make a list of tasks you want to hand off. This may be things you don’t like to do, can’t get to, or just not your thing.
- Invest in project management software. One of the foundations of a successful work relationship with a Virtual Assistant is project management software. Get a good one (I like Asana or Wrike), and one that you are comfortable with. This is how you’re going to keep track of work, set deadlines, and communicate around tasks.
- Speaking of communication. Communication is different with a virtual worker. It’s not like you can just mosey on over to her desk to get the up-and-up. Beyond the task and project communication happening via the PM software, regular virtual meetings are a must. Weekly is recommended.
- Get it in writing. Most likely, your new Virtual Assistant will prepare a contract outlining deliverables, expectations, payment details, and other info. If she doesn’t, you need to prepare an Independent Contractor Agreement (IDA) for you both to sign. This prevents potential headaches down the road.
Hiring a Virtual Assistant is a smart way to save money and make money in your business.. It provides excellent return on investment. You should now be ready to take the leap into the world of outsourcing to virtual workers.
If you have additional questions about hiring a Virtual Assistant, feel free to schedule a meeting here.
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