Have you ever wished there was someone in your corner that could make sure your business is running smoothly while you concentrate on making clients happy and increasing your income?
As a business owner, it’s nearly impossible to meet every demand of your business. When you launch you will likely wear many hats (i.e., administrator, marketer, web designer, accountant etc.) but at some time you’ll need to pass them off and delegate.
Attempting to be brilliant at every role—and you’re your business—is time-consuming.
Over the years I’ve heard every excuse under the sun as to why successful entrepreneurs don’t have their own, dedicated business manager. Some of the excuses are imaginative, some are just flaky.
The reality is, hiring an online business manager can be profitable. But first, let’s debunk several myths.
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“I don’t know if I need a virtual assistant or an online business manager.”
If you’re looking for someone to do tasks for you that you can’t do, don’t want to do or take too long, then you need a virtual assistant. If you want someone to manage the completion of your tasks, then an online business manager is your best option.
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“You won’t understand my business.”
Wrong! As an experienced entrepreneur, a reputable business manager will have sufficient business expertise to pick up on things quickly. When you work with a diverse range of companies (from varying industries) the skills honed along the way are easily transferable. In short, a good business manager will make it their business to understand yours.
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“I can do it myself.”
I’m sure you can, but at what price? Eighty hour weeks? Working in your business instead of on it? Constantly clock-watching and fire-fighting? Just because you can doesn’t mean you should. Using an online business manager can free you from the day-to-day management of your business. This helps you to focus on nurturing your clients, nailing those financial goals and carving out some guilt-free time out to do whatever you want.
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“I can’t afford an online business manager.”
These days you can’t afford not to have one. Is your time really best spent managing your virtual team, checking in on deadlines, managing launches and scheduling appointments? Freeing yourself from daily tasks allows you to focus on income generating activities.
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“I don’t need an online business manager.”
That’s fine, perhaps you don’t, but what happens when your business reaches your goal financial level and you start to plateau? Do you really want to limit your growth potential? An online business manager can free up your time so you can keep leap-frogging those financial goals.
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“It’s easier to employ someone.”
When it comes to business management, hiring a direct employee can be much more restricting. You will have legal and financial obligations that may be more of a headache than it’s worth. Hiring an online business manager can free up your schedule from anywhere between 20 and 45 hours every month. You know how much you’re investing and your business manager generally works from his or her own office – leaving you in peace to focus on the tasks you love doing.
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“By the time I’ve told you what to do I could have done it myself.”
Ah, yes, but with a good business manager you’ll only need to tell them once. From that point forward, they will manage things without you even having to think about it. Imagine painstaking tasks scheduled according to their frequency, dealt with in advance and the peace of mind that comes along with it all.
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“I can’t commit to hiring an online business manager.”
You don’t need to. That’s the beauty of working with a flexible business manager. Instead of lengthy contracts, negotiate a smaller time period (i.e., 3 months). A small commitment allows your online business manager to make a real impact on your schedule, your business and your future growth.
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“I need someone in the office.”
Why? If you need someone to answer your calls, your business manager can have calls redirected to their office. If you prefer to work with someone face-to-face occasionally, then why not use Skype?
These are just a few myths associated with hiring an online business manager. Ultimately, the value far outweighs the risk.
This article has been edited and condensed.
Lyndsey Gilchrist is an online business manager (OBM) based in Glasgow, Scotland. She has a vast amount of entrepreneurial experience, which she uses to support all kinds of different businesses. She likes nothing more than helping clients to move their business forward and help them to increase productivity. Connect with @lyndseyobm on Twitter.
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