| You're probably one of those aspiring | | | | product, will also have to finish my sales journals, |
| entrepreneurs who wants to start a profitable | | | | do the inventory, answer phone calls, maintain my |
| business, whether it's brick-and-mortar or online | | | | website, etc.? Perhaps not. You'll be spreading |
| by nature. You've got a terrific idea for your | | | | yourself thin on so many areas of your business |
| venture, and now you're browsing over your | | | | that at the end of the day, you may not have |
| business plan again for the nth time. Since the | | | | enough energy left for yourself for the next day. |
| name of the game is to be profitable while | | | | As a budding entrepreneur building a business |
| maintaining operations as cost-efficient as possible, | | | | empire from the ground, it pays to know that |
| you need to make sure that all areas of your | | | | there is a fourth alternative whose appeal is |
| business is well thought, and that includes your | | | | increasing these days: hiring a virtual assistant. A |
| staffing needs. | | | | virtual assistant (or VA in short) is a highly skilled |
| You have several options at your disposal: a) hire | | | | professional who provides administrative, technical |
| a regular staff, b) hire a temporary staff, or c) | | | | and/or creative support to business owners or |
| do everything yourself. As natural as these | | | | other professionals. Virtual assistants have a |
| choices are, it pays to do a little more foresight | | | | variety of business skills in the field of |
| on what you can expect with each choice. | | | | administrative, marketing, secretarial, customer |
| Hiring a regular staff: The tried-and-true model for | | | | support and other areas of expertise that you |
| most businesses. Hire a competent staff and | | | | can use to help you become more effective and |
| retain him or her in your payroll. While this is the | | | | productive in your business. |
| most likely route most startups will consider, | | | | In effect, you can practically outsource any task, |
| there is a downside as well. As with any new | | | | however significant they may be, to one or |
| company, it usually takes time and patience to | | | | several virtual assistants, freeing you of time |
| build your customer base and generate enough | | | | which you can spend more on building your |
| sales to make your venture stable. During this | | | | network, marketing your product, meeting your |
| period, your cash reserves will probably deplete | | | | clients, dinner with your family, or simply |
| faster than it being replenished (with sales), and a | | | | brainstorming on the "next big thing". Distance is |
| big portion of your expenses will go to employee | | | | no longer an issue; with the advent of the |
| salaries. Also, consider the costs of retaining a | | | | Internet, hiring the services of a virtual assistant is |
| regular employee: not only do you have to | | | | both practical and convenient, however remotely |
| contend with the usual salaries and government | | | | located they may be. Real-time distant support |
| taxes, you also have to consider the other | | | | from virtual assistants can be as ubiquitous as |
| expenses associated with hiring one: office | | | | you need them, as if these individuals were |
| equipment, paid vacation/sick leaves, insurance, | | | | physically present in your office or work area. |
| bonuses, training, and so on. If your business is | | | | Additionally, you won't have to put up with the |
| just starting, this can prove to be both | | | | usual expenses associated with hiring regular staff |
| inconvenient and expensive. | | | | (ie. office equipment, software, training, insurance, |
| Hiring temporary staff: While not exactly on the | | | | taxes, etc.), because a virtual assistant is |
| same level as hiring a regular employee, and may | | | | expected to handle these on their own. All you |
| also prove cheaper, you are still most likely to | | | | get and pay for is professional, dependable |
| encounter a majority of the expenses mentioned | | | | service when you want it, where you want it. |
| above. You will still have to train them, pay for | | | | That leaves you with only one regular employee |
| taxes, insurance, etc. | | | | left to take care of, yourself, and as a one-man |
| Do everything yourself: This is to assume the role | | | | business empire, isn't that the only person that |
| of the proverbial "chief cook and bottle washer". | | | | matters most? |
| While there is also nothing wrong with this model, | | | | Building a business empire with only one employee |
| as an entrepreneur who's starting to build his or | | | | is possible and need not be a lonely effort. There |
| her business empire, you have to ask yourself | | | | are alternatives available to you, and hiring virtual |
| some fundamental questions: will I be spending my | | | | assistants is a good way to get that much |
| valuable time more effectively if I, aside from | | | | needed support in your chosen venture. |
| building my sales network and marketing my | | | | |