V.A., no way! Think again.
The best decision I’ve made so far in my business was hiring a Virtual Assistant (V.A.). It was not an easy decision, but one that had to be made. It helped me get out of my own way and increased my profits at the same time.
About 2 years into my business I found it very difficult to fit all of the administrative work, client work, and connecting into my very full days. Yes, I was experiencing success. Yes, I enjoyed being in control.
But…there just wasn’t enough of me to go around and things started falling through the cracks. I wanted to experience more growth and I really hated doing all of the necessary things to make my business run. I spent some time evaluating what I had to do and what I could delegate to someone else.
As it turned out there were several tasks that someone else could do just as well. I made the commitment to hire a V.A. for two reasons.
- I wasn’t quite ready to hire someone directly. I wasn’t sure how many hours I was asking of this person. As it turns out, in the beginning it was very part time.
- I like helping other entrepreneurs build their businesses. Hiring someone as a contractor seemed to be the perfect opportunity to do just that.
It took a few months to get things set up. Some things worked well from the start and others we had to figure out along the way. It’s nice to have V.A. with the experience of creating systems and sharing technology.
Some things I looked for in my first V.A. were:
- Familiarity with the programs and apps that I use.
- A willingness to learn.
- The ability to understand and create systems.
- The ability to adapt to my way of doing things.
- The instinct to offer suggestions for streamlining processes.
- Availability to commit to the response times I needed.
I found all of these qualities in my first V.A., a college student willing to learn, eager to earn, and interested in building a business that would work around her schedule. We worked really well together and she helped set the foundation for my future V.A. once she finished school.
Here’s the bonus…when looking for a V.A. I estimated that I would need one to two new clients a month to cover the cost and make a little additional money. The time that she freed up in my schedule allowed me to bring on an average of four to five new clients a month. There’s the growth I was looking for!
Another bonus, my V.A. got so busy she brought on help. Her help eventually became my new V.A. It’s been amazing working with both of these young women. The second happens to be my daughter, a bright, beautiful new mom who wants to stay home with her precious daughter. This business gives her the ability to work to her schedule, use her creativity, and produce this beautiful newsletter with the consistency that I never could.
If you need help figuring out if it’s time to hire a V.A. I’d be happy to help. I offer strategy sessions for business owners who are looking to move forward in their businesses. Find out more, schedule a call today. If you want a referral for a great V.A. I have one!
Wishing you much success,
Laura
