Are you struggling to optimize your business operations? Running a startup often feels like a 24/7 job leaving little or no time to spend with your family and engage in activities that bring joy to life. If you have ever felt like there just aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done then it’s time to outsource certain tasks so you can focus on the high-impact areas that move the needle for your business.
“You don’t have to do everything yourself. One of the secrets of my success is that I surround myself with talented people and I take their advice”. – Richard Branson
Who is a Virtual Assistant?
Virtual assistants, or VAs, are highly skilled and experienced professionals who often work as independent contractors providing an array of operational support remotely. Their expertise spans from executing routine activities to more complex tech support and project management. Their services are often available on-demand whenever you need them. This flexibility allows you to adjust support based on the needs of your business.
Virtual assistants offer a range of skills. While some are generalists, others have more advanced and specialized skills like graphic design, bookkeeping, or project management. No matter what support you need, there’s a VA who can rise to the occasion.
Causes of an Unsuccessful Virtual Assistant Hire Experience
Poor Communication: You have to communicate your needs, expectations, and priorities with your VA. To have your expectations met, do not assume they should know what you want them to do without providing clear directives. A great practice is scheduling weekly or bi-weekly check-in calls to review questions or concerns. Provide regular feedback and constructive criticism and you will build a long-lasting partnership.
Treating Your VA Like an Employee: A lot of founders often get this wrong. Treating your VA like an employee can quickly put a strain on your relationship. Bear in mind that your VA is a business owner just like you. Remember that you are contracting with them for their specialized skills and expertise. They can work by the hour or on a project basis. Meaning they are not always at your beck and call. You must respect their time, and stick to agreed-upon boundaries as stated in your contract.
Failure to Onboard and Provide Proper Training: Prior to taking on a virtual assistant, it is advisable that you have efficient systems and processes in place to see to a thorough onboarding process (unless that is the reason for you hiring a virtual assistant for them to map out your systems and processes). Having the likes of SOPS (standard operating procedures) in place will save you an immense amount of time and inevitably set your virtual assistant up for success – which is ultimately what you want.
Why Hiring a Virtual Assistant is the Best Move, a Founder Can Make
A virtual assistant will help lighten your workload. Here are three reasons why you should outsource to them.
Delegate and Focus: A virtual assistant can be delegated repetitive, time-consuming business activities such as data entry, email management, and appointments. Having the additional support to absorb these day-to-day mundane tasks will free you up a whole lot to focus on strategic growth activities.
Save Money: As a founder, you may not yet be in the position to take on an employee due to the additional overheads. Hence, a virtual assistant is the ideal solution for you. Why is this? because you will only be invoiced for the time spent doing the work you have solicited them for. You will not be paying for annual leave, restrooms and coffee breaks, insurance, equipment etc.
Learn more about the benefits of hiring a VA
Reduce stress and burnout: The life of a founder is demanding enough without having to worry about everyday administrative responsibilities on top of it. Delegating prevents feelings of being overwhelmed, stressed, or burnt out. Knowing you have support handling the day-to-day business activities gives you peace of mind so you can focus your mental energy on the work that matters.
Scale your business: As your company grows, your workload will increase. Hiring virtual assistants to help with operational tasks allows you to scale your business sustainably.
3 Ways a VA Provide Operational Support
Virtual assistants provide operational support in:
Task Management
Projects can easily become too much to manage. A virtual assistant can help keep you organized and on track by monitoring and updating projects using project management software, ensuring goals and deadlines are met.
Email Management
Founders receive hundreds of emails daily, many of which require responses. A VA can handle a large portion of your email volume by responding to messages, flagging important emails for your review, and unsubscribing from undesirable mailing lists. They can also set up email automation using services like Drip or ActiveCampaign to streamline your email marketing and sales funnels. With less time spent managing your inbox each day, you’ll have more opportunities to connect with clients and prospects.
Research and Reporting
Making data-driven decisions shapes your business strategy, eventually leading to increased success. Additionally, with a virtual assistant focused on research and analytics, you’ll have the data and insights you need in order to make more strategically informed decisions at your fingertips to pivot quickly and optimize your business performance.
Key Takeaways
Time is your most valuable asset as a founder. Therefore, operational support is vital for founders as it helps optimise business operations. It frees up your time and mental bandwidth so you can focus on revenue-generating activities that will move your business forward. Virtual assistants provide that support in an affordable and scalable way.
Work with VirtualKarette VA Services
When you’re busy being a visionary, you need a team of experts to manage the day-to-day business activities that keep the lights on.
Contact us to get the operational support you need to refocus your energy on growing your business and avoid becoming enslaved to your to-do list.
