I’m not talking about something…naughty. I’m talking about a menial task or something outside your skillset. But you did that task anyway because it needed to be done and you don’t have anyone else to do it.
It happens every day for solo and small entrepreneurs. Sending out an invoice, posting to your social media, or designing a banner ad are all worthwhile, necessary pursuits for your business. But what if those tasks take away time and mental energy from what is the best use of your time? How much is that costing you in stress and money?
You may have heard about “virtual assistants” or VA’s. The concept of outsourcing work has been featured in the Huffington Post and Forbes. Tony Robbins said, “I don’t do anything that someone else can do better, and I don’t do anything that isn’t the highest and best use of my time.”
As someone who has used a VA for years, I can personally tell you it will change your life as an entrepreneur. So why don’t more people take advantage of this incredible opportunity to sharpen their focus, reduce their stress, and build their business more effectively?
There are four reasons I can think of:
- They don’t know where to look
Hiring an assistant can be intimidating, especially when you are hiring someone who lives in a separate location. Whether that assistant lives in the U.S. or in another country, the thought of trying to communicate and collaborate with a remote assistant can seem daunting.
- They don’t know who to trust
How do you know a VA will actually do the work you’re paying them to perform? How do you know they won’t cheat you on hours? How do you know they won’t flake out on you halfway through a project?
All good questions, and one of the main reasons more entrepreneurs don’t hire a VA. But again, the best defense against getting scammed is to work with a reputable agency to help you identify and hire your VA.
- They’re afraid to let go
Entrepreneurs find it hard to let go. You have built your company from the ground up, and it’s your baby. It’s difficult to loosen your grip and trust others to take over some of the tasks you’ve been handling yourself.
But if you don’t let go, you’ll find yourself in a cycle of unmet expectations. Your company can’t grow as long as you’re trying to do everything. Show me an entrepreneur who is not willing to delegate and I’ll show you an entrepreneur whose business is not growing or profiting to its potential.
Being a perfectionist can make you feel like you’re still in control, but it piles stress on you that is unnecessary.
- They don’t know how they’d use one
This is the number one objection I hear from those who are considering hiring a VA. Often we are so used to doing everything ourselves, we just can’t conceive of how we’d use an assistant.
Think of everything you do that is not directly related to the main focus of your business. You have the expertise, and you have built your business around that skill or product. Anything that takes you away from selling and supporting that product or service is costing you money.
Here’s the deal: Like it is with most things in life, you really don’t comprehend it fully until you actually try it. That’s why virtual VA’s are worth trying. You can try them out on a project and get a taste of the freedom it will bring when you hand off those tasks so you can focus on what you do best.
Here’s a great one to start with: https://www.dontpanicmgmt.com/
