Let’s start by being completely honest, starting your own business is such an exciting time! We have huge dreams. We imagine ourselves pulling in those six figures and living the life we’ve always dreamed of. We plan to do it all (even as a VA myself I did too).
We often don’t realize how much is involved in running our own business, granted this differs slightly dependent on the type of business you have. You need to be the creator, the administrator, the marketer, the social media guru, the designer and everything in between.
That’s where a VA (virtual assistant) can become one of your best decisions for many reasons. Today I’m going to share with you 10 reasons why a virtual assistant can make a great difference to not only your business, but your life too.
1. Reduce the Feeling of Overwhelm
When you start a business it can be easy to complete all of the tasks yourself but as your business grows and you grow that can soon change. Jess from Next Level Life put it perfectly, “We found there were lots of tasks that were required for the business to run but took away time that we could be using to expand our vision, to expand our reach, to expand our impact on this world. Having a VA meant that we could focus our energy on the things we were most skilled at and the growth of the company.”
I know from personal experience, as more clients came into my business (which don’t get me wrong is a GREAT thing, thank you, more please) I started to get a bit stressed. I was working all hours and I knew I had to make a change. Juggling employment at the time, my growing business, family life, running a household and everything else life can throw at you I lost sight of my daily non-negotiables which I know serve me.
So, I made a decision and I started my team, this allowed me to offload some of my workload and bring back a feeling of calm. “I don’t know what I would outsource?” That’s absolutely fine, you don’t have to know what to outsource before taking action on reducing the feeling of overwhelm. As Mel from Lovegrove Wellness said “I wasn’t sure what I wanted to outsource, but Lucy was great at helping me figure this out”, you just need to take action.
2. More Work in Less Time
“Many hands make light work” – now isn’t that the truth! Not only can you find VA’s that fit every role, but most virtual assistants also I know are incredibly disciplined. They know what needs to be done, they use their time efficiently and they get the job done. By having someone else to support your workload, you will save yourself a huge amount of time and effort. Time you can invest in business growth or having more leisure time.
3. Access to a Wide Range of Knowledge
For a VA to stay on top of the game, they will always be keeping up with new trainings to make sure they can provide the best service for their clients. VA’s often come with a wide range of knowledge that will cover and support multiple areas of your business. I know personally, if I see a gap in my knowledge that will help me support a client with more efficiency and empowerment, I will search out the training to fill this gap. It’s a benefit for me and a benefit for my clients to have a toolkit of skills all in one place that support growth and impact in your business.
4. Support
A VA will be like your own personal cheerleader! If you are having a crappy day, stuck on a problem or you have an overflowing to-do list, it’s always a relief to know you have a team that will rally around you. Lend an ear or lend the support you need.
5. Drive Your Business Growth
As I’ve mentioned before, having the support of a virtual assistant will free up more of your time. Therefore, you can invest more time in the growth of your business. Let your virtual assistant focus on the small things (the things that take up time but still must get done) and spend your time on the tasks that will grow your business and get you closer to living the life you’ve always dreamed of.
6. Flexibility
Let’s be honest, none of us start our business and want to be working all hours known to man. However, it’s very easy for business owners to fall into this trap, not wanting to ‘give up control’. All of the VA’s I know are flexible with their time, meaning they can fit more into your business requirements which are never Monday – Friday 9-5 are they?
7. More Leisure Time
Time is our most valuable resource! Surely, having your own business will give you more time to do what you want right… unfortunately this is not always the case. Having people there to support your business will free up your time which you can use as you please. Spend time with your family, spend time having more self-care, spend time travelling, whatever brings you joy. Mel agrees “The benefits of having a VA are: It frees up more time for me. It helps me to stay organised.”
8. Decreased Operational Costs
It may seem obvious in some ways but sound crazy in others. Outsourcing your day-to-day tasks will not only free up time but it’s much cheaper than hiring a staff member. There are no contributions to NI, pensions or workplace consumables plus you are only paying for the time you need.
9. Only Pay for What You Require
As I mentioned above, outsourcing your work to a virtual assistant means you can choose how much time you require. You can usually then easily change this to meet the growth of your business (as well as if you have any troughs). Another benefit is that you get to choose who you work with and if you find they’re not the perfect fit, it’s simple to end your business relationship and look for someone new.
10. Grow Your Online Presence
A virtual assistant skilled in social media will help you create, plan and manage your social media. This can support you in increasing your visibility, attracting your ideal client and building connections with those ideal clients. Digital marketing is an important tool in any business toolbox these days, and tracking what works best for your business works is just as important. Allow someone else do this for you.
It’s hard to sail a ship alone, luckily for you you don’t have to! I’ve met lots of entrepreneurs who are feeling the overwhelm building as they sail the seas of self-employment. Perhaps you aren’t being as productive in your day as you want to be. Maybe you’re struggling to find the time to invest in growth. Maybe you’re spending all of your time working and not enough time with your family or doing the things you love.
Now is the time to change that. Take action today and book a call with us. I’d love to chat with you about who you are, what you do and your vision for the future. A 30-minute chat could be that first important step to shifting the overwhelm and bringing back the passion.
If these 10 reasons aren’t enough to convince you the power of a virtual assistant, just see what some of my clients have to say when asked would you recommend a VA to fellow business owners:
“100% a VA allows you to take back control of your time. Lucy also supports us with her incredible ideas and ensures that things run optimally.” – Next Level Life
“100% I would recommend getting a VA to other business owners!” – Lovegrove Wellness
