| Probably the biggest problem with being a small | | | | VAs can break you out of both those cycles and |
| business owner is right there in that phrase. Small. | | | | put you on the path to building a successful |
| Small means few or no employees. Small means | | | | business. They can help you with just about |
| you end up doing most, if not all, business tasks | | | | every business task imaginable (with the sole |
| yourself. | | | | exception of filing - you're probably stuck doing |
| Whether or not you're any good at them. | | | | that yourself). Some examples include: |
| But even if you ARE perfectly capable at | | | | * Bookkeeping, including invoicing, paying bills and |
| completing those tasks, is doing them really a | | | | following up with unpaid invoices |
| wise use of your time? (Just because you CAN | | | | * Product fulfillment |
| do something, doesn't necessarily mean you | | | | * Customer service |
| SHOULD.) | | | | * Answering e-mails and phone calls |
| As a business owner, you should be focused on | | | | * Scheduling business and personal appointments |
| the big things - a vision for your business, putting | | | | * Maintaining databases |
| together a plan to reach that vision, developing | | | | * Updating Web sites |
| new products, spending time with your clients and | | | | * Submitting articles to article databases |
| marketing. In other words, those "big picture" | | | | And much more. |
| tasks that grow your business. | | | | In fact, if you want to see a list of what a VA |
| What you should NOT be doing is worrying about | | | | can help you with, check out IVAA.org |
| getting your invoices out, mailing products, | | | | (International Virtual Assistants Association) and |
| providing troubleshooting help, scheduling your time | | | | These organizations can also help you find the |
| and all those other administrative duties. | | | | right VA for your business. VAs specialize in |
| In fact, the more time you spend on all the | | | | different business services, such as marketing or |
| minutia of running a business, the less time you'll | | | | bookkeeping, so make sure you find a VA who |
| spend on tasks that can actually grow your | | | | focuses on what you actually need. |
| business. | | | | I can tell you from experience that once you |
| It's a vicious cycle. Maybe you feel like you don't | | | | take the plunge and hire a VA, you'll kick yourself |
| have enough income to hire help. So you do the | | | | for waiting so long. You'll have more time to |
| work yourself. Because you do the work | | | | devote to the tasks you most enjoy (rather then |
| yourself, you don't have the time to work on | | | | struggling with the ones you hate), you'll be less |
| growing your business. So then you don't feel like | | | | stressed and have much more creative energy. |
| you have the income to hire help. And so on. | | | | Plus you'll probably find yourself making even |
| The same cycle exists if you feel you don't have | | | | more money. |
| enough time to locate and train help. You end up | | | | Creativity Exercise -- Hire a VA |
| doing the work yourself because there isn't | | | | Ready to try a VA but not sure how to begin? I |
| anyone who can help. And because you're so | | | | suggest starting small. Like five hours a month. |
| busy doing things you truly have no business | | | | Make a list of everything you do in your business |
| doing, you'll never have the time to locate and | | | | each day. If you get stuck, keep a notebook on |
| train someone to help you out. | | | | your desk and write down things as you do it. |
| In either cycle, you're probably discovering you | | | | Now look at the list. Pick something you could |
| feel overwhelmed, drained and with zero creative | | | | delegate to a virtual assistant and would take |
| energy. Instead of jumping out of bed excited at | | | | around five hours a month. |
| being in business, you wake up each morning | | | | Once you find the right VA and have freed up |
| facing a to-do list longer then War and Peace and | | | | those five hours, make sure you use those hours |
| wanting to crawl back into bed and put your pillow | | | | to do something to grow your business. Maybe |
| over your head. | | | | do some more marketing or develop a new |
| So what's the solution? Hire a virtual assistant. | | | | product line. |
| Virtual assistants, also known as VAs, are | | | | Now after you've started seeing more income, |
| freelancers who specialize in taking care of the | | | | take some of that extra money and add to your |
| "busy work," freeing you up so you can focus on | | | | VA's tasks. Again, use the time you've freed up |
| why you started your business in the first place. | | | | to continue to grow your business. Before you |
| Because they're freelancers, you pay them for | | | | know it, you'll have a built a thriving, successful |
| the hours they work. And you don't pay for | | | | business with less stress and have more energy |
| overhead, vacation, taxes, office supplies, a desk, | | | | and income then ever before. |
| etc. It's a perfect win-win for everyone. | | | | |