But did you know that managing too many tasks can hurt your business?
Not only do you miss out on the opportunity to work at your highest and best, but also the gift of focused energy.
If you’re ready to expand and grow your business, it’s time to think beyond yourself.
This was the topic of discussion when I joined Jason Wiser on his show, “Get on Track, Stay on Track.”
In this fast-paced interview, we discuss how to find, hire, and train your first virtual assistant. Below are Jason’s questions, followed by my thoughts and our conversation.
Hiring a Virtual Assistant
Q: Why Hire a Virtual Assistant
I left my brick and mortar business for good back in 2008 and made the transition to a home office with a business that functioned solely online.
I thought I’d make the move, go it alone for a while, and then re-hire down the road based on need.
This was a big mistake and one you don’t want to make.
Don’t wait to hire until you feel the timing is perfect. There is never a perfect moment to expand your business.
While adding a team member might feel scary, think of what you’re losing by not:
- Sleep
- Family Time
- Peace
- Joy
- True Fulfillment
Q: What Can a VA Do for You?
Anything you don’t want to do or quite frankly, shouldn’t be doing. It could be anything from monitoring and managing email, to creating landing pages for your website.
In “Getting Everything You Can Out of All You Got,” Jay Abraham says…
“a marketing genius is someone who is both logical and prudent. Someone who only follows the path that produces the highest and best results or returns for their time, money and effort.”
That statement was an eye-opener for me. I was trying so hard to get ahead, but wasn’t willing to let go. As a recovering perfectionist, I held onto everything so tight that there was no room for growth.
If this is you, I encourage you to stop holding yourself back.
Chris Ducker, a virtual staffing expert, has put together one hundred and one tasks you can give away. Read through this list, pick a few, and get started.
“You like doing certain tasks, you might be good at doing them. The question is, should you BE doing them, as the business owner?!!” Chris Ducker
Q: What Was Your Biggest Mistake?
Hiring one person for everything. I realized many years ago that I needed to stop looking for the perfect person and hire based on the role or skill and not the task.
Just as with social media, one size does not fit all when it comes to virtual assistants.
For me, it took time to break down what each role looked like. Was this a person that would assist with WordPress design, content creation, social media marketing? Looking for people with specific skill sets was the key to unlocking the power behind VA’s for me.
Q: Keys to VA Success?
Know your processes and be very specific. Take the time on the front-end to properly train your VA so you can continue to serve your clients at the highest level possible.
There will be growing pains as with any new undertaking within your business, but putting in the time to map out the steps, and set expectations will save you from future headaches.
Q: How to Get Started?
In order to expand and grow your business, you must begin to give specific pieces of your business away.
Look at every facet of your business and determine where your time is best spent.
Break down your daily duties and then whittle it down to the top two or three tasks that if solely focused on would explode your business. Then give away the rest!
Q: Cost for a VA?
This truly depends on who and what you are looking for. The cost could be anything from fifty dollars per week to several thousand dollars per month.
Q: How to find a VA?
- Ask for referrals from friends, peers, and other reliable resources
- Follow Virtual Assistants online – Twitter has been a great resource for me
- Start with a reputable online community like ODesk
- Use website such as Virtual Staff Finder
Key Takeaways
Hiring a virtual assistant and truly making the most of the relationship will require that you get out of your own way.
Take down the roadblocks that stand between you and success.
If you truly want to grow your business and create a sustainable business model, you need to hire professionals that can walk alongside you.
Commit to scaling your business beyond yourself!
Brett says
August 5, 2014 at 11:50 pmBekah, thanks for sharing your firsthand experience working with VA. Increasing demand for VAs continues to grow as people realize just how cost efficient and effective they work. Plus the real deal that they are competitive professionals able to produce high quality outputs. This is my favorite takeaway “There will be growing pains as with any new undertaking within your business, but putting in the time to map out the steps, and set expectations will save you from future headaches.”
kiran kumar says
March 25, 2014 at 7:03 amnice work. you doing hard work as much i can see. good and carr on.
Sila Sahverdi says
February 28, 2014 at 4:20 amA virtual assistant is a great way for businesses to get help with the daily tasks and preserve their own resources. I personally believe that a lot of business shy away from this approach because of the lack of control. We have been working with volunteers and interns and love it! They are usually very motivated and eager to learn and can work alongside your team in your office. Depending on your business a possible downside is that they are still learning and might lack the expertise that you need.
Andrew Fortune says
February 27, 2014 at 7:14 pmI have been loosing sleep and finding myself in a daze from being overworked lately. My business is growing fast and I’m trying to do it all myself. A good friend and fellow business owner keeps telling me to outsource some of my work, but honestly, it’s scary. Your article is very encouraging. I am going to make it a goal to find a VA that fits my needs by the end of March.
Thanks for this great post.
Kapil Jekishan says
February 27, 2014 at 11:42 amThe idea of having a virtual assistant is hard for many businesses to swallow purely because of the difficulty in finding someone who offers the same interest and passion to the business but there are certainly some good ones out there. I went down this path a few months ago and haven’t looked back and you’re right, we’re not talking big dollars.
My advice: Start by handing over small jobs and test our their work ethic, punctuality, quality etc and in time the trust between each other will grow.
Amy Hall says
February 27, 2014 at 11:40 amGreat article! VA’s can help out in so many small ways and take a large burden off an entrepreneur. Here’s another website for your readers to consider http://www.ivaa.org/search/. This is a US based VA directory, which also has proficiency and ethical certifications. I’ve been a member there for a couple of years and highly recommend it. You can submit an RFP for any work you need done and the VA’s will contact you.