Many entrepreneurs allow themselves to drown in details of various kinds for years before they finally decide to hire a virtual assistant.
Why is that?
Most often, it’s because they don’t feel that their business is ready to take on the additional expense. Perhaps you feel that way right now. We get it. We’ve been there. We have the t-shirt!
However, what if we told you that a quality virtual assistant can save you both time AND money?
That’s what we’ve discovered in our own business-building journeys. And it’s true for many other entrepreneurs just like you who have later asked “Why did I wait so long?!”
Hiring a VA is a big decision, but not simply because money is involved. It’s a big decision because of how it can positively impact your business growth and development.
Let me (Chris) share my personal story for context…
For several years I worked with an office manager in my day job whom I grew to really appreciate and respect. I knew that “someday” I wanted her to be my VA when my business was “ready.” However, that day seemed to never arrive. Mostly because I didn’t know what “ready” meant or looked like! I hadn’t defined a timeline or set any financial goals for this to occur.
One day I asked her if she’d be my VA when I was ready and she immediately said “Yes!” That was encouraging, but I still dragged my feet for at least another year or so. Finally, it hit me that I was doing many repetitive tasks and design work that was “good” quality but not “great” like I wanted it to be. Then, I remembered that I had someone already waiting to join my team whenever I decided it was the appropriate time. I gathered the courage, called her, asked her if she was still interested, and took the leap to hire her.
Trust me when I say that I was scared to death in that moment!
Questions rushed through my mind…
“How am I going to be able to pay her?”
“How do I utilize her time and talent best?”
“Do I REALLY need an assistant?”
The questions kept coming, but I had to shut down the doubts running through my mind. I knew I made the right decision; I just needed to learn how to work with this new strategic role in my business that I never had access to before.
Long story short, I knew I made the right decision within the first couple of weeks. My design elements improved drastically. My social media management improved immediately. I was freed up to work from my place of strengths rather than just getting by doing what needed to be done. I felt free. And guess what? I figured out a way to pay her week after week without much stress at all. It was simply a small adjustment to my budget.
You may be saying, “That’s great, but WHEN and HOW should “I” hire my own VA?” Consider the following six steps:
1. You’ll probably never feel ready, so do it afraid.
As with most things in life, you’ll probably feel nervous about taking this step. It will probably feel HUGE and SCARY but commit to taking action anyway. You won’t regret it.
2. Start small and expand.
Most of the anxiety comes from thinking you have to employ someone 40 hours per week. This just isn’t the case. In fact, many VA’s are looking to build a portfolio of part-time clients that add up to full-time work. Why? Because diversification gives them more security in case some clients don’t work out or need to pause their services for a while.
3. Clarify what you want your VA to do.
This is really important! Don’t hire someone before you take this step. Make a list of tasks and responsibilities that you want this person to help you with. Consider all the daily/weekly/monthly tasks you do and determine which ones you need to keep doing and which ones you need to delegate. A good VA will do them much better than you anyway!
4. Develop a clear written agreement of how you’ll work together.
Draft a job description for the role and responsibilities you need to be done. Clarity on the front-end prevents confusion and conflict on the back-end. As you determine who your VA will be, adjust this agreement as necessary, but make sure to put it in writing so both parties know what to expect from each other. Many VA’s already have their own contracts to define the scope of work for their own business needs. Don’t reinvent the wheel. If needed, ask around for help from others who already have an assistant.
5. Meet consistently to coordinate business activities.
Once you determine who your virtual assistant will be, define a time to meet consistently to review projects, goals, and to stay on the same page with one another. I meet with my VA weekly on Zoom and we utilize the Slack app to communicate as needed throughout the week between meetings.
6. Assess regularly how things are going and if you need more/less help.
A good time to assess how things are going is at the end of each month and/or quarter. Look back at how things have gone and look ahead at what you anticipate needing help with. Do you need more/less time from your VA? Is the quality of work up to the standards that you have for your business? Communicate anything that needs to be addressed or adjusted so your working relationship can remain strong and healthy. This will benefit you and your assistant.
We understand that hiring your first virtual assistant can be intimidating, but we encourage you to at least implement steps 3 & 4 to get your mind around what it could look like for your business. After you’ve done these exercises, think about how having an assistant could impact your business (and life). Weigh the pros and cons. What could you gain? What would you miss out on if you don’t have the help? Brainstorm ways to fund this assistance.
Imagine being free to do the work you love without the distractions of the tasks you don’t do well.
Imagine having someone ready and willing to help you advance your business week-in and week-out.
Imagine replacing the time you used doing work you hate with serving your customers and clients with excellence from a place of strength.
This can all become your reality when you strategically take your next steps to hire your first (or next) VA.