Internet has enabled us not only to do business from a distance, but also to capitalize on an avalanche of global talent that was previously inaccessible.
Sure, there are some downfalls to working with virtual staff, such as different time zones, the inability to meet in person regularly, and the potential of cultural differences, but when handled correctly, the pros far outweigh the cons. These pros include
• cost-saving benefits, especially if working with overseas staff
• hiring without geographical constraints
• quick and easy hiring for one-time jobs
• minimal physical office requirements
All this being said, many first-time outsourcers fear that because they are at a distance from their virtual employees they’re going to be taken advantage of in some way. It’s a fair assumption, and one that does come true for some. However, it’s my job as the author of this book to show you how to do this thing right from the outset: to limit the obvious trial and error that comes with any hiring situation, whether physical or virtual, and to ultimately help you fall in love with your virtual staff, the way that I have and the way that others have, too.
Those others include Leslie Samuel, a full-time university professor who moonlights as an equally full-time online entrepreneur. When Leslie first started his business, he was teaching during the day and a slave to his new business in the evening. His marriage suffered. His health suffered. In fact, almost every aspect of his life suffered. After putting in place several systems and ultimately hiring a VA to run his small online business for him, things got easier. Leslie now says that hiring a VA saved not only his business but also his life. Pretty strong stuff.
Another entrepreneur that has injected virtual staff into his business is thought leader Michael Hyatt. He started hiring virtual assistants when he became overwhelmed by his blog’s incredible popularity, which freed up time for him to focus on what he really enjoyed—writing.
You’ll discover plenty more stories like Leslie’s and Michael’s throughout this book—stories of business owners who work with the help of virtual assistants all over the world. You’ll meet, for example, Kyle Zimmerman, who owns and operates a retail photography studio in New Mexico, and Natalie Sisson, who has literally lived out of her suitcase for years as she builds an online business. Through the case studies and spotlights in this book, entrepreneurs just like you share their struggles of working with virtual staff and how they overcame those struggles.
Getting Started with This Book
Before we dive into the world of virtual assistants—which I’ll also refer to as VAs, virtual workers, freelancers, virtual staff, outsourcers, and virtual employees (plus a few other terms) throughout this book—let’s clarify exactly whom this book is for and what you can expect to learn.
The last thing I want to imply is that virtual employees are only for a certain type of person or business: far from it. This book is for solopreneurs with a bootstrap budget, it’s for bloggers and other types of digital entrepreneurs, and it’s for freelancers who wear all the hats in their businesses and want to stop driving themselves mad. It’s written with both brick-and-mortar businesses and e-commerce businesses in mind: for example, the small-town store owner who would like to use the power of the Internet to market his or her business and bring new clients on board, and the online business owner looking to expand market reach. Every entrepreneur who wants to free up more time, become more productive, and drastically increase his or her business growth and profits will benefit from this book.
Instead of me telling you to sit back and relax while I teach you something, I need you to get ready to work. Some of what we’ll discuss will sound completely logical, and you’ll be nodding your head in agreement. Other points will sound entirely unattractive and unnecessary, and you may think, “It won’t be that big a deal if I skip this part. Chris won’t mind.”
Stop! Don’t think that for even one moment—because Chris will mind.
Every activity and concept in this book has been tried, tested, and experienced by myself and many other real entrepreneurs—people working on real projects and building real businesses with real virtual staff and real money.
This book is not about simple tactics that allow you to outsource a few tasks here and there. It’s about building an engine, my friend. An engine that will turn your four-cylinder business into a twin-turbo race car.
Does that mean my methods can’t be tailored to better fit your specific needs? Of course not. But in order to customize my strategies, you first have to learn and use the strategies. For now, it’s important that you follow through on every activity. You’ll be 100 percent student, and I’ll be 100 percent virtual teacher. That’s something I don’t take lightly. I promise not to waste your time with useless information, unnecessary repetition, or cheap anecdotes; there’s nothing I hate more than a fluffy book with little meat.
Things to Keep in Mind
Here’s a simple concept I’d like you to keep in mind as you begin or continue your journey towards virtual freedom:
Rome wasn’t built in a day—it also took more than one person to build it!
It’s a learning process and a building process to stop struggling to do it all on your own. As you become more fluent in the virtual business lifestyle, some concepts and ideas will fall easily into place. Others will need to be customized to your needs.
When you’re done reading this book, you’ll have the blueprint you need to go from a stressed-out, overworked business owner to someone who is refocused and highly energized about all the new freedom you’ve amassed. You’ll enjoy the prospect of building your business again instead of just running it.
Remember when you first opened your doors to customers? The energy you felt getting to work every day? The buzz you got from talking about your business to everyone and anyone you met?
I’m going to restore all of that original enthusiasm and help you prepare for the next ten years of blossoming into the most successful entrepreneur you can be. And it will all result from the strategy of building and utilizing a virtual team to help you run, support, and grow your business.
Shall we begin?
Finding and Hiring Your Virtual Staff
There aren’t too many differences between finding and hiring virtual workers and doing the same with employees that will be based in your office. However, the differences that do exist are important to understand.
There’s a lot to cover in this section, and we’ll focus particularly on the following topics:
• understanding the myth of the super-VA (and busting it!)
• how creating your “3 Lists to Freedom” will change everything
• the different types of virtual workers and how they can help you
• how and where to find the right virtual staff
