You know you need help, but you aren’t quite sure… do you need the help of a VA (virtual assistant) or is it time to hire an OBM (online business manager)?
First, let’s take a look at the key differences between a VA and an OBM.
Doing vs. Managing
The role of a virtual assistant is to be a DOER in the business. What they do will vary from person to person depending on their area of expertise – admin, customer service, tech, marketing, etc.
The role of an online business manager is to be a MANAGER in the business – to make sure the right things get done, in the right way, in the right time, and by the right person.
Responsibility
A VA is responsible for their OWN tasks and projects being completed and delivered on time.
An OBM is focused on what the entire team is doing – making sure that EVERYONE is completing their tasks on time, to ensure progress is being made toward the business goals.
Planning
A VA needs to plan their time and workload effectively to ensure their own work gets done.
An OBM is planning for the entire business – always looking ahead to what is coming up and creating plans & systems to ensure the business is running smoothly and effectively – vs. functioning in a constant state of reacting to last minute requests and functioning in overwhelm mode, which is so common when no one is planning ahead.
Working with the Team
A VA is very focused on their own work, and will engage with fellow team members as needed to complete their own tasks.
An OBM is the main point of contact for the entire team – working closely with everyone on a day-to-day basis, to ensure that each person is clear on their tasks & deadlines and has what they need to do their best work.
Put simply – a VA works independently with a focus on completing their own tasks, and will often rely on the business owner (you!) telling them what needs to be done. Whereas an OBM plugs into the big picture, layout plans and works with the entire team to ensure everyone is getting the right stuff done and that progress is being made to meet the goals of the business.
So how do you know if you need to hire a VA or an OBM? A few things to consider…
- What stage of growth is your business at? You’ve worked hard to establish your offer, find clients and get the money coming in the door… now it’s time to focus on building a foundation for growth. You are consistently making at least $15-$20k/month, have big plans for where you want to go next, and you know you can’t get there on your own. This is where an OBM comes in, working with you to lay out the right plan, team and structure to get you to the next level.
- Who is currently managing the team? If you are like many of the business owners I speak with, you don’t realize how much time and energy it takes to manage the day-to-day of your business. Creating plans. Making sure you have the right people and resources in place to get stuff done. Checking in with the team to ensure they are on track (and working together when things are off track.) Until you have an OBM in place all of these things land on your shoulders, and can be a huge drain of time and energy.
- Where are the bottlenecks? In the early days your own hustle is enough to build your business – you work hard and get it done. But when you get beyond 6-figures the hustle actually starts to get in the way. There is only so much of your time and energy to go around – and if you are the ‘hub’ of everything that happens in the business, you become the biggest bottleneck. An OBM will work with you to get ‘all the things’ off your plate, so that you can get back to growing the business and doing what you love.
There comes a time when your business becomes bigger than you working as a lone ranger. When what you did in the early days with your ‘do it all myself’ mentality is no longer effective, and actually starts to get in the way and stall your growth.
If you are ready to take things to the next level and get yourself freed up from the day-to-day, let’s talk.
