As entrepreneurs, we have so much to do! Yes, I am stating the obvious but if you really stop to think about it, we are the content writers, the social media managers, the webmasters, the customer service reps, the butchers, the bakers, the candlestick makers (couldn’t help myself).

The point is, we are a one man show!

When you are first growing your business, the passion you have for the message you want to deliver is what drives you. Long days, sleepless nights, the ideas just flow like a river full of dreams, inspiration, and potential.

But… you hit a wall.

Call it exhaustion, call it burn-out, pick a name that resonates with you. The point is, your momentum begins to slow down and your to-do lists starts to pile up.

You may hire a coach or an accountability buddy but find that their suggestions/insight only add to your list AND your stress.

You join Facebook groups for answers and see the same response to your length inquiry: “Hire a virtual assistant”.

You consider the idea but why? Why would you just hand your business to someone you don’t know?

This is your “baby”. You have built this business with your blood, sweat, and tears. How are they going to know your voice? Handle your customers with care? Give your business the same love and attention you have given it since it was born?

I could lie to you and say “Oh… you’ll be fine! All Virtual Assistants know what they are doing.” They don’t. All VAs are NOT created equal. What I can tell any business owner reading this is that the anxiety you are feeling is normal.

Your business is just that – YOURS. If your business crash and burns, your Virtual Assistant will just move on to a new client. There are literally hundreds of THOUSANDS of coaches, influencers, small business owners, etc that are looking for help. Your VA will have already been hired by someone else by the time you are done picking up the pieces.

I know…not the most comforting feeling but a reality check nonetheless.

I simply bring up that pain point to validate your concern and hesitation to hiring a Virtual Assistant. This is why the hiring process is essential and the delegation of tasks is critical BUT if you do decide to move forward with a VA, you have to get out of the way!

What do I mean?

Recently I saw a post in a Facebook group about a woman who hired a Virtual Assistant but wouldn’t let her actually work!

She would delegate tasks but then take them back. She would micromanage tasks she did finally hand over. She liked the work of the VA but just couldn’t trust her enough to let go.

The VA kept asking for feedback about her concerns, inquiring about her hesitations, and offering a number of ways to help reaffirm trust.

Eventually she resigned because she just felt as if she couldn’t succeed and wasn’t the best fit.

Great help lost because the owner just couldn’t let go.

Don’t let this happen to you!

As an outsider looking in, there were several steps this small business owner missed when onboarding her Virtual Assistant and integrating her into her business.

First, before she even began interviewing Virtual Assistants, she should have made a list to determine what she wanted them to do (make three lists actually – what you want them to do, what you would like them to do, and what they can eventually get to).

Second, the initial conversation should have been an honest one. If she had hesitations or concerns, she needed to voice them!

Don’t bring someone onboard believing that everything is “good” and you are ready to dive in. Let them know you just want to dip your toe to make sure you are a good fit.

Third, she should have had a back-up for the first month of the tasks she was delegating.

If you are bringing a content writer on board, create the content for the month and integrate what they create into yours versus stopping abruptly and handing it over.

Programs such as CoSchedule and SocialBee.io allow content to be reviewed and approved before it is added to your social media cycle. WordPress also allows an approval feature for individuals with a Contributor role to ensure potential posts are reviewed and edited before they go live.

Same with customer service.

For a month, cc your VA on customer service request so he/she can see how they are handled to ensure the tone and wording resonate with your business.

But again…and the most important – let go!

If you took the appropriate steps to hire the right VA for your business and the correct steps to integrating a VA into your business, they will be an intricate part of your business, not a burden to your psyche.

Copyright: Image by StockUnlimited

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