Virtual Freedom. Chris C. Ducker
of e-mail threads I was copied into
• hiring additional virtual assistants to manage day-to-day administrative jobs, such as replying to inquiries
• hiring a full-time trainer for new recruits instead of handling the training myself
• developing an internal management team
• setting benchmarks and clearly defined tasks instead of micromanaging
• hiring experienced online marketers and other virtual staff to help me with business development and lead generation
Turning these smaller steps into monthly goals made them much easier to attain.
While some goals were easy to hit, others had to be shifted around. For example, when I hired an operations manager, I had to delve back into the training department because my trainer needed additional training herself!
So, what happened?
The Outcome
By the end of 2010, my management team and I had completely systematized the business. I went from working six days a week for twelve to sixteen hours each day to instead putting in the equivalent of just one or two full working days spread out over the entire week.
I had completely flipped the script in my business and could now say I was a business owner instead of saying I was owned by a business. It was, and continues to be, a great feeling.
With the extra time and more efficient systems I had created, I was able to launch another endeavor—Virtual Staff Finder, a professional VA matchmaking service. I also began consistently producing online content at a completely new level. This content is now syndicated on multiple media platforms:
• my blog: ChrisDucker.com
• my podcast: NewBusinessPodcast.com
• my YouTube channel: YouTube.com/ChrisDucker
• social media channels: Twitter.com/ChrisDucker and Facebook.com/ChrisDuckerDotCom
Every one of these activities and the additional opportunities that come my way, such as coaching, advising, investing, and speaking engagements, would not be possible without the involvement of someone from my team.
So what about you? Did anything about my story sound familiar? Are you working yourself ragged with no end in sight? Has your own superhero syndrome reared its ugly little head yet?
The way I see it, you have a choice to make: break down or build your team.
I’m not saying you’ll break down immediately or that you can’t work seven days a week for fourteen hours each day. However, a time will come when something has to give. Working such long hours could affect a personal relationship, force you to lose an important client, or even cause serious health issues.
The choice is yours. For now, I just want you to keep reading.
Why Build a Virtual Team in the First Place?
To some, the concept of hiring and working with people that they will likely never meet in person is as foreign as it comes. However, the fact is that the world—particularly the business world—has changed drastically in the last ten to fifteen years.
The 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,