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Stressed Out Entrepreneurs:
Do You Subscribe to the "Work Smarter" Mindset?
Are you ... stressing over deadlines ... burning the midnight oil ... wishing you could take that family vacation you keep putting off ... trying to figure out how you'll ever get everything done ... and wondering why you ever went into business for yourself in the first place?!
While you're busy with time-draining administrative tasks like bookkeeping or stuck on the next step in a web site project ... your sales calls aren't getting made. Your new programs and services aren't being launched. Your office is a disaster. And, you look like something the cat dragged in!
Are you desperately looking for a way out of overwhelm? Are you so burnt-out that you've lost all passion for your business? Are you ready to outsource a good portion of your workload to leverage your time and concentrate on what you do best?
Simply Put: You're Hoping To ...
Enter the "Work Smarter" Mindset ... perfect for the stressed out small business owner, typically wearing 4 different hats--and juggling 3 more--all at once!
Did that get you fired up? Ready to build your own Virtual Team? If so, you've officially subscribed to the "Work Smarter" mindset like millions of other Webpreneurs looking for ways to leverage their time and decrease their workload.
I applaud you for your decision to outsource. Think about any successful businessperson you admire. They couldn't have become successful without a great support team.
You probably need a little direction though, right? I mean, a Virtual Team, never mind a Virtual Dream Team who can help you earn 7 figures, doesn't just fall into your lap! And, since you're committed to getting it right the first time, you may be considering investing in a team building program that focuses on the "Work Smarter" philosophies.
But before you get too comfortable, I'm going to let you in on a secret that the gurus selling expensive Virtual Team building programs don't want you to know:
The "Work Smarter" Mindset is Completely Outdated!
The truth behind those countless "Work Smarter" Virtual Team building audios, videos, e-books, and all that other "blah, blah, blah" that only holds you back: If you've ever considered buying a Virtual Team building program promising to deliver secrets designed around the "work smarter" mindset, your initial thoughts were probably filled with leveraging your time and propelling your business. It's exciting to feel like all your hard work is finally going to pay off! Then you start to dig in ... and what happens? You're right back to feeling overwhelmed with all the planning and organizing you "must do" to get it right. That's when it hits you ... you've fallen victim to another time-, money- and energy-draining trap! Let's examine how you get trapped by all that hype! Trap #1. Invest Hundreds or Thousands in Great Doorstops & Paperweights Audio CDs, downloads, self-study guides, e-books, boot camps, webinars ... mastermind groups ... you name it! It's not hard to find sites promising to deliver Virtual Team building secrets who guarantee you'll succeed in no time. In the end all those products cluttering up your office end up better used as doorstops and paperweights. Who has time to absorb and implement all that -- especially a stressed out entrepreneur? Is that really how they define "fast track learning?" It's hype. The companies selling you those programs always make it sound like building a team HAS to be incredibly time consuming, full of learning curves, and hard to set up. After all, you wouldn't buy their programs if you knew how painless it actually was to have an automated matchmaking system deliver incredible results to you--for FREE! Building a professional, solid team should NEVER take weeks or months to set up. Sure, for the overworked and overwhelmed small business owner starting from scratch, trying to invest all that time listening to techniques and trying to implement step-by-step plans, it is a hassle--no doubt. The reality? It's only HARD if you try to squeeze your business into a "one size fits all" approach! Trap #2. Realize That You've Just Spent Thousands More in Your Own Time After weeks (if you're lucky) of absorbing all that "need to know" information, you realize that you've done EXACTLY what they told you NOT to do! You learned how to do this yourself instead of hiring someone to do it for you. Wait a minute ... weren't you trying to leverage your time? And, if you decide to sit down and see how much time you've wasted listening to those audio tapes, reading those e-books, and doing all that planning, multiply that by your hourly rate, and you'll see how much more money you've just lost. Ouch! The reality? A DIY approach to virtual team building is defeats the purpose of having a virtual team! Trap #3. Too Much "Why" and Not Enough "How" WHY do you need a Virtual Team? Hmm ... well, if you're here -- you already know why! Do you really need to spend hundreds of dollars and hours of your time having someone tell you that it will create leverage for your business? I'm sure you realize that if you're spending most of your time selling and producing, rather than doing busy work, your revenue is bound to increase! I'm going to make a bold statement here but I've really done my homework on this and I can tell you that there's much less time spent on the "how" than the "why" in most expensive Virtual Team building programs. They cover the basics, for sure, but when it comes down to really putting together a Virtual Dream Team all their case studies and advice don't add up to much because they're still trying to funnel you through their "one size fits all" system. What works for someone else, is probably not going to work for you. That's why so many Tim Ferris followers are scratching their heads wondering what they are doing wrong. The answer: nothing! Tim Ferris' model just isn't right for everyone! The reality? "Why" gets you nowhere. So, why bother? Trap #4. You're On Your Own ... or Stuck Paying for More (Expensive) Advice! Even if you get a decent team building program, you're still left with a lot of planning, research, interviewing, hiring, and implementation to do on your own. There's a very good chance you'll feel like you're left hanging. And, since it's YOUR responsibility to get it right, you'll have to keep plugging away or succumb to paying for more advice--because there's always more, right? Advice and resources are fine but what you need are immediate solutions! Virtual Team building programs are big on advice but fall short with the inability to match you with an ideal team. All of these traps are very discouraging when you consider how much time, money, and energy could have been put towards running your business with a capable team from the get-go. The reality? You need a company who provides EVERYTHING ... Imagine ... if you had ... :
A Condensed and Self-Explanatory Program that works specifically for YOUR specific management style WITHOUT increasing your learning curve or draining your time. Get back to listening to your favorite music while you drive or work out--what a concept!
Essential and Comprehensive Templates that you can quickly customize and implement. Protect your investment and get to work fast!
Resources Based on Real Value not affiliate profits. Just the best ... not the most!
Support, Networking, Collaboration, Promotional Opportunities, and much more when you need it. Work at your own pace!
... and Most Importantly ... THE TEAM In fact, candidates who are excellent matches for YOU! :) What a concept! :) We live in a 24/7 business world where the "work smarter" mindset just doesn't cut it anymore. You need results NOW ... before you get so far behind that you'll eventually fail. Don't become another small business statistic! The "Work Smarter" Mindset is Not Only Outdated ... It's Downright Self-Defeating! I am not suggesting you "Work Smarter." I am telling you, you must "Evolve!" Do you want to start working with a cohesive, professional Virtual Support Team that delivers a solid ROI NOW or months from now?
You can live the life you want but how much more time, money, and frustration is it going to take to get you there?
Want a REAL, Quick, and Painless Solution?
You can't afford to keep climbing new learning curves. Especially when it still ends up being nothing more than another "one size fits all" approach that probably won't even work for your business model! Just because you're the company leader doesn't mean you have to be the Virtual Team Leader and Manager too! When exactly did that become YOUR job ... when the "work smarter" gurus convinced you that you had to learn how to do it to get it right?! Most entrepreneurs assume that they need to fill that role because they don't know any better. Stick with me, because I'm about to explain why it's not only NOT your job, but why it isn't hard at all! THE TRUTH IS: BUILDING A VIRTUAL TEAM DOESN'T HAVE TO BE TIME CONSUMING AND YOU CAN GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME. MANAGING A VIRTUAL TEAM CAN BE DONE WITH MINIMAL EFFORT AND A STRONG ROI IF YOU GET MATCHED PROPERLY AND WORK WITH TOOLS DESIGNED TO LET YOU "HIT THE WEB RUNNING!" Here's what you've probably been taught with the "Work Smarter" Mindset: 1. YOU MUST SEARCH ... SEARCH ... SEARCH ... SEARCH ... Who has time for that?! You'll spend hours searching through Craigslist and outsourcing directories -- Googling until your eyes bleed and you're suffering from carpal tunnel! I guarantee that not one of those resources (and more often than not--even the Virtual Assistant's own web sites) will deliver enough comprehensive information for you to make a truly informed hiring decision. Why? Because most people focus on availability, hard skills, and rates. That might be OK if you're offshoring, outtasking, or hiring an employee, but if you want to build a Virtual Dream Team, you'll need access to a lot more information. 2. OR ... YOU MUST LET A COMPANY HIRE FOR YOU ... Take it from someone who ran a successful outsourcing company ... high end companies who do all the recruiting and management for you have a lot of overhead--and they build it into the price. Low end companies like the ones who outsource to India or the Philippines have obvious drawbacks like location and language barriers that can create problems. Even IF the hourly rates are low, and if you have to spend time training and managing your team, the hidden costs skyrocket. Just multiply the time you spend training and managing by your hourly rate. You will pay for it one way or the other! It is just a matter of whether it is in sweat equity or cash. There is NO getting around it. Think twice before buying into the hype that surrounds concepts like the Four-Hour Work Week. Everyone and their brother wants to be the next Tim Ferris. That's a great goal and I'm not saying Tim's model doesn't work. But, I can't stress enough that it only works for specific business models -- and more importantly -- specific management styles! 3. YOU MUST PLAN, PLAN, PLAN! You can plan until the cows come home, but it just isn't practical. I've worked with countless Webpreneurs over the years. Many were very organized and came to the team proud of their detailed plans. Unfortunately, much of their hard work went down the drain when their Virtual Team started brainstorming. Having a solid team of experts within their own niche is bound to bring new, more productive ideas to the table -- which will lead you in new directions. Webpreneurs: stay focused on your goals! Spending a lot of time working through details and developing systems is not your job ... and you need to hire people whose job it is to do it better than you can! Stay true to your core competencies. 4. YOU NEED TO FOCUS ON WHAT THE VIRTUAL ASSISTANT HAS TO OFFER Last time I checked, matchmaking included both sides of the equation. If you aren't upfront about absolutely everything you need out of the business relationship in advance, you're doomed. I'm not just talking about the availability or hard skills you need from your VA. You'll also need to provide your prospective team members with just as much information as they provide you with in order to develop a true win-win relationship that gets off on the right foot. I'm talking about your mindset, processing style, and more. Don't worry ... it can be quick and a painless process created with one critical Virtual Team building tool in about 15 minutes! 5. YOU NEED TO LEARN HOW TO TRAIN YOUR TEAM You may have heard of fast-track training methods for your Virtual Team or online services used for training. Since when it your job to train your team? I don't know how this has become such a "given" in Virtual Team building, but if you have to train a team member -- you've got the wrong team member! Get someone who can do the project right the first time. Getting them up to speed with your business goals is one thing, but if you are training them on hard skill assignments--you are wasting time, money, and effort. You would be better of hiring an employee! (And here's a tip ... if you pay for a Virtual Assistant's training, the IRS will consider them a virtual employee and start demanding taxes from you, so beware!) 6. YOU NEED TO LEARN HOW TO MANAGE YOUR TEAM This makes me crazy--and "work smarter" gurus just keep pushing it! Again, you might as well hire an employee! I have worked with countless Virtual Teams over the years and the bottom line is: they are Webpreneurs just like you! If they can't manage their own workload, they don't belong on your Virtual Team. Getting into project management with your team is a huge waste of time. Soon, you'll be paying for an online team collaboration system and the labor it takes your team to update their projects. And, good luck finding a system that pleases everyone! More money down the drain. Make your team be self-managed and provide you with project updates when you need them. There are more productive and cost effective ways to track the information you need and avoid micro-management at the same time. By the way, you have nothing to learn! You ALREADY have the skills you need to run a successful Virtual Team. You just need to realize how your unique management style attracts specific types of talent. 7. YOU NEED TO LEARN HOW TO MOTIVATE YOUR TEAM This one fires me up more than anything! Doesn't the thought of that instantly put weight on your shoulders? YOU have to inspire Virtual Assistants to do a good job for you? Sounds a lot like an employee mindset! You're not working with employees. You are working with INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS ... Webpreneurs just like you! Why should you have to motivate them to produce quality work? Do you motivate your plumber or hairdresser to produce quality ... ? I didn't think so! 8. YOU NEED TO CHECK OUT ALL THE AMAZING RESOURCES THEY HAVE FOR YOU! All I can say is "Cha-Ching!" Chances are they are a bunch of affiliate links used for up-selling. Do you really need a TON of great resources? No. You need a few good ones--in fact one or two for each area of your business will probably do just fine. Who has time to test drive everything? You certainly don't want to pay your team to do it! All those "irresistible offers" add up to a lot of filler material that you will most likely never even get to. So, where does that leave us? You need to EVOLVE! I shake my head every day. Webpreneurs search endlessly for the perfect Virtual Assistants and Virtual Assistants search endlessly for ideal clients. Doesn't it seem more logical to have a place where you can set up a profile and be AUTOMATICALLY matched with ideal teammates and have people coming directly to you, rather than searching endlessly? Wouldn't it be great to have a few practical (and truly fast-track) tools to keep you on track and simply start holding people accountable, rather than constantly trying to manage or motivate them? How about getting straight to the workload instead of climbing a learning curve, and being able to put your hands on the BEST information when you need it, instead of being bombarded with information overload? Wouldn't it be great if you knew someone was dedicated to your success for the long-run and continually providing value to you and your team? And finally, wouldn't be amazing to have all of these things in one ultimate resource -- instead of having to hunt them down and piece them together all over the web? Even better ... in an online member community you can access 24/7 to network and collaborate with others just like you. Who the heck am I and why should you listen to me?
I've built my entire career around remote assistance and management. From age 19 on, I've been working in an administrative capacity. In Corporate America I spent years working with remote teams, and developing new ways to be productive. As a traditional Office Manager, it was my job to keep everyone in the loop, provide them with the tools they needed, and continually improve upon systems to increase productivity. I applied those same principals to my own Virtual Assistance practice in 1998, and to the outsourcing company I started in 2007. And, I continue to improve upon them today with Virtual Dynamos Worldwide--the win win network: a website dedicated to empowering Webpreneurs and Virtual Assistants to establish Virtual Dream Teams independently. Since entering the virtual business world, I've been considered a Team Designer, Team Leader, Team Manager ... you name it ... and I've filled the role. I've coached many Virtual Assistants on how to become more valuable to their clients. And, many clients on how to get the most out of their Virtual Assistants. Through all that experience and coaching, I've learned not only what small business owners want ... but more importantly what motivates their Virtual Assistants to make sure they get what they need! Over the years I've been praised for my "quiet authority, sincere accountability, and absolute dedication to my craft." That's all great stuff, but the bottom line is, I keep my promises. And I promise you: I will deliver the best value you can find. But please--don't take my word for it! Take a look at what just a few of Virtual Dynamos satisfied clients have to say ...
What really sets Virtual Dynamos apart?
Are you ready to evolve beyond the "Work Smarter" mindset?
Don't end up in overwhelm like this ...
If you can evolve ... you get it all: The Tools, the Technology, the TRULY fast-track Training, the TEAM, and so much more!
Here's 12 Dynamite Reasons why you should give the Virtual Dynamos win-win network a try ...
If you're not only ready to delegate -- but evolve -- put those search engine-weary wrists and advice-weary ears to rest! Our industry-first web site is a one-stop-shop designed to deliver! Our members stay ahead of the curve with:
1. An Unrivaled (and Industry-First) Matching Process We Call teaMatch™
Stop searching and get matched! With the right matchmaking system designed specifically for virtual team building and automatically matching you ... you can save a tremendous amount of time, effort, and sanity. And, I'm not talking about another "one size fits all" eLance or oDesk knockoff .. and it's nothing like Craigs List! The fields in the teaMatch B2B database are specifically designed for micro-businesses, Webpreneurs and Virtual Assistants in search of a long-term Virtual Team business relationship. The profiling in our 12-point system is so carefully done that you will have practically everything you need to make well informed decisions ... even before you decide to chat or pick up the phone. Members can also upload files and use other promotional methods within the site to further sell themselves. Additionally, there is a member to member rating system that gives you even more feedback on someone you're interested in working with. (Value: multiply your hourly rate by at least 10 hours! Is it $1,000 ... much more?)
2. Self Assessments
An essential part of the matchmaking process, self assessments drastically reduce learning curves and ensure proper role placement within the Virtual Team. With more intimate details on team members (and yourself!) you can easily create a solid hierarchy, productive delegation, practical workflows, and the basis for a strong and thriving team culture. The average assessment offers tremendous value and includes over 40 pages of data related an individual's:
These are offered a la carte, as I know some of you already have your own assessments to share. There are also different assessments to choose from, and as a member, you can purchase assessments for anyone through our store. Coaches who can't afford to invest in their own seller's license ... this means even more value for you! (Value: up to $150 per assessment, depending upon which one you choose.)
3. Our "Hit the Web Running" Work System
Stop wasting time planning, planning, planning! Skip the "blah, blah, blah" learning curve! Dive right into your workload with practical and self-explanatory blueprints, worksheets, and more that put you and your team to work almost instantly! I'll also be rolling out articles, case studies, and other content ... but I promise it won't put you into information overload! (Value: 13 years experience packed into one concise program makes it virtually priceless but I'll put this at $497.00.)
4. Ready to Go Agreement Templates
Don't take a chance on a confidentiality breach, loss of your web site ... and a lot more if you're not careful! I've seen it happen. Our comprehensive work for hire agreement templates are easy for you to customize and get to work fast. (Value: more than $600.00 for just one!) 5. Monthly "Burning Questions" Audios Why wait for a tele-class covering the topic you need answers to now! Email your "burning questions" to me any time. Once a month, I'll answer as many as I can within one hour's worth of audio time and archive the MP3 for members. (Value: more than $100.00 per call ... $1,200.00 for one year.) 6. Streamlined Collaboration Tools
VirtualDynamos.org really is a one-stop shop for Virtual Teams! Once you build your team and download the hiring tools, you also can take advantage of great collaboration tools that will otherwise cost you a small fortune every month. Internet Mail, File Sharing, and White Boards are all part of the system. (Value: similar online collaboration tools can cost more than $50 every month ... or $600 per year!)
7. Virtual Team Building & Virtual Business Building Incubators (Forums) As an online community, we grow together. Forum topics are categorized so that you can quickly find the answers to your most pressing questions--and collaborate with other members just like you! (Value: hours and hours in your time saved ... you do the math!) 8. Plenty of Promotional Opportunities In addition to teaMatch, you can post to a "Wall" and track Activity the same way you do on Facebook, have your own blog, list classified ads, post events (like tele-classes) to our community/public calendar, submit your site to our community directory, and upload audio, video, and image files. Other members can even subscribe to things that you post! Additionally, you can cast your vote on almost everything you find, create polls, and sound off with our Shoutbox feature. Heck, you can even sell your own products and services within the Store! (Value: who knows who how many prospects or customers you'll create? Priceless!) 9. Plenty of Networking Opportunities Make "Friends" the same way you do on Facebook! Send email "greetings" and save "Favorite" profiles of people you are interested in working with. Join Groups of people who have similar interests. Use email, chat, and even video chat! (Value: who knows who you'll connect with? Priceless!) 10. Member Only Discounts on Optional Services
(Value: Save tens to hundreds of dollars on each item or program!)
11. Affiliate Program
Not a requirement by any means, but if you want to earn 30-40% on every paid member you bring, we help you get the word out. (Value: You earn from $5.99 to $115.08 per sale ... you do the math!)
12. Continually Added Value
Every month we improve upon systems, pool resources, and provide more value. Your feedback determines what gets added first! There is much more to come ... with 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed. (Value: priceless!)
So, what's the TOTAL VALUE?
At the Very Least That's More than $5K in Value based on just one year as a Platinum Member! A Virtual Dynamos membership will pay for itself a minimum of 17 Times Over within the first year NOT including everything NEW we'll roll out over the next 12 months.
And, that's no hype!
With the "work smarter" mindset you will spend AT LEAST an estimated 50 hours in training, planning and hiring time, and up to $10,000 in training materials -- not to mention the burden of overwhelm, fatigue, and frustration!
Remember: those irresistible offers that look too good to be true ... are! Don't fall into their traps!
What's Your Investment? And, How Does This All Work? You'll need to invest a small amount of time and money to get started. Here's the breakdown: 1. Spend about 20 minutes creating a detailed membership profile with very specific information that automatically matches you with ideal virtual team candidates. (The more time you spend on it, the better your matching results.) 2. Spend approximately $90 and about 30 minutes ordering, taking, and uploading a self assessment to your file sharing area for other members to view. Or, if you already have your own self assessment ... just upload it! 3. Spend up to 1 hour downloading, printing and reviewing the blueprints and accompanying worksheets that will truly let you "hit the web running!" 4. This one varies, but allow for 1 hour to start running your own searches and/or reviewing your comprehensive profile matches and follow links to their other promotional information. The Profile Rating system, "Friends" feature, and Hiring Worksheet streamlines the process so you can easily keep track of members you're interested in working with. 5. This one varies, but allow for 1 hour to start networking with members to see if you want to establish a working relationship. Continue to work with the Hiring Worksheet to track and compare candidates. 6. Allow 1 hour to call references. You may even want to run background checks, if you feel it's essential. 7. Allow 1 hour to download and customize a comprehensive Work For Hire Agreement template that your new team members must sign to protect your interests. (This is a one-time task since you can use the same agreement over and over.)
8. Allow 1 1/2 hours to review all your candidate's proposals and go through the negotiation process with the one candidate who is your final choice.
9. Allow 15 minutes to request and file your team member's W9 (for 1099s at the end of the year). (This can be skipped if they are a corporation.) 10. Allow 15 minutes to make payment arrangements. Some Virtual Assistants even sell their products and services directly from the Virtual Dynamos Store using Paypal ... making it even more convenient for you! That's less than 8 hours start to finish! I've seen some virtual team building programs that want you to listen to more than 20 hours of audio before you even get to their e-books or planning worksheets --let alone the hiring! And when the Hiring Process is over, you can ... 11. Use the blueprints, worksheets, and templates as you go along to build your team! 12. Use the team collaboration tools like email, chat, white boards and file sharing as you work with your team. 13. Listen to a complimentary one-hour "Burning Questions" audio each month (if you choose.) 14. Enjoy value added tools, resources, and services every month -- guaranteed! 15. When you have time, you can take advantage of all the other opportunities on the site to network, promote your business, sell products and services, ... even earn money as an affiliate! You won't find a better ROI based on quality, reputation, and EVERYTHING YOU NEED ... risk-free.
For a Limited Time You Get a
PRICELESS
For Just And Save 20% (or $71.93) Off the Top
AND, the first 25 people who respond to this offer will also get NO FLUFF Introductory Bonuses Including
THAT'S $415.00 in PURE VALUE IN BONUSES ALONE!
You'll NEVER find a better deal anywhere!
How much were those self-proclaimed gurus charging again? Thousands? And, they still can't deliver a team!
Yes Rebecca! I Need the Platinum Membership & $415.00 in Bonuses
No Thanks! I'll Never See This Offer Again!
(And no, you will not be re-directed to another discounted and "even more irresistible " offer! If you click "No Thanks" ... this is it ... and it won't last long!
Still Skeptical?
Try our FREE Platinum Membership Test Drive for 14 Days. After that (should you choose not to become a Gold or Platinum member, you still keep a Silver Membership with limited privileges.) But, you'll lose out on the the incredible BONUSES mentioned above including locking in the LIFETIME RATE.
It doesn't get any more painless than this! If you don't become a member, you're just not ready to delegate. A Special Note for "Control Freaks" & Perfectionists ... We know you're out there. You probably consider yourself to be a hands-on, DIY entrepreneur. The truth is, you've still got excuses for not taking advantage of something that will make you highly productive--and profitable. Excuse #1: You're not ready! If you're waiting to "get your ducks" in a row before you start delegating, you'll never start delegating. Doesn't that defeat the point? Of course you have systems that need to be put into place! It makes more sense to get your team involved in helping you create those systems from the get-go. I've seen so many entrepreneurs waste time and money putting systems into place for their team, only to find out later that the actually team had much better solutions for cutting costs, and increasing productivity. All their hard work, time and money went down the drain. Remember: if you're matched properly, the right team is highly resourceful--and experts at putting technology to work for your benefit!
Excuse #2: You're convinced that nothing will be done right unless you do it yourself. Tony Robbins, Oprah Winfrey, Donald Trump, Suze Orman .... and whoever you personally admire ... all have one thing in common. They know to grow you must delegate! That's why they have what many people call the "millionaire mindset." If you find yourself needing to know how every tiny detail of your business operates, you need to stop and tap into that mindset--right now! Even perfectionists delegate. It's just a matter of matching yourself with the right people fill each role.
Excuse #3: You just can't see it happening. Another thing "business giants" have in common is the ability to spend more time envisioning their success than worrying about what might go wrong. If you envision yourself leading a highly successful team, it will happen. By providing solid leadership and encouraging collaborative teamwork, they will be motivated to perform at their best.
Excuse #4: You don't want to take the time to train anyone. Who said it was your job to train anyone ... the "work smarter" experts who want you to outsource overseas? Please! You'll lose so much money in your own time doing that. The $1.25/hour rate your paying will turn into the $100/hour (or whatever rate it is that you charge) profit you're losing! You will pay for it one way or another--so why add frustration to the mix? Sure, you have to get them up to speed with your business's big picture ... but that's not the same as training someone. And, if you also don't have time to do everything yourself ... how are you going to get it all done? How much time are you really going to have to sacrifice to get your team up to speed? Remember: they don't need to know everything all at once!
Excuse #5: You just can't risk it. Trust is one of the biggest obstacles in the virtual business relationship. After all, you're never going to meet this person. You can't see what their work area looks like. They're not going to be available to you like a traditional employee would. You're probably worried about legalities, technology, responsibility, quality ... and a host of other things.
Excuse #6: You don't want to invest a lot into technology--or anything else! Don't! Remember, one of the biggest benefits to hiring a virtual team is that they have their own software and equipment. And, of course, they take care of their own benefits, so you don't have to worry about the typical employees costs. Simple things like setting up additional email accounts or having phone lines forwarded to them will probably cost you nothing.
Excuse #7: You actually enjoy the dirty work! Well, that's nice--but it's not productive. If you want your business to grow you need to produce and compete. That means having everyone in the right role and working as productively as possible. They're relying on you to be the leader and capitalize on opportunities. Remember why you started your company in the first place! If you don't ... that same "take control" attitude that made you an entrepreneur is going to end up holding you back! If you want the freedom a successful home-based business promises, you MUST LET GO.
Excuse #8: You're afraid of losing control or authority. That's impossible--honestly. It's YOUR business! You control the level of responsibility within the team--even if you appoint a Team Leader to delegate tasks for you. If you can see yourself in a leadership role, that will never happen.
Excuse #9: You don't want to manage a whole team.
The idea of delegating to more than one team member--especially virtual ones--can seem daunting at first. It seems like a lot to set up, juggle, and streamline.
Excuse #10: You think you can hire a VA from India, the Philippines, or off a job board for a lot less.
I covered this above, but again, it just doesn't work for everyone. I'm sure you've heard the basic arguments for hiring overseas: time, distance, and language barriers. Don't forget about those hidden costs for management, training, and re-work! It won't work for you if you want to build a solid, "win-win" team with that will make you profitable in the long run.
As for hiring someone who charges less than $15/hour here in the US ... is that the type of person you really want to work with? A VA charging $15/hour can't even cover her overhead and probably doesn't have the best head for business. Is that someone that you think you can invest in to grow with your company over time? In VERY RARE cases some out there actually charge so little because they aren't profit-driven. They just like doing what they do--but good luck finding those people. In 12 years, I've only run into one such Virtual Assistant ... bless her!
And consider this: A $15/hour VA who takes 6 hours to complete a project for $90.00 versus a $35.00/hour VA doing it in 2 hours for $52.50 shows that the higher rate would have actually saved you $37.50. With the $15/hour VA you've just wasted more money, got poorer quality work, and had to wait for a longer turn-around time.
OK, No more excuses! It's time to evolve before you waste more time, money, and sanity ... !
Get the Platinum Membership & $415.00 in Bonuses
No Thanks! I'll Never See This Offer Again!
This page is nearing a novel ... and I could go on forever. I've got so much advice to offer you that I just know will truly fast-track your success. I've convinced Webpreneurs adamant about never working with another VA again to simply change their approach. I convinced entrepreneurs who were highly skeptical about being able to trust anyone virtual to try it for the first time. And, I've had some clients stick with me for more than 10 years. Once you hit something good ... something that REALLY works ... why switch?
One last point: In the time that it took you to read this page ...
One Virtual Assistant could have created an HTML e-zine template, another could have made several follow up phone calls for you, and yet another could have entered your weekly expenses into Quickbooks. The possibilities are endless. Seize them and succeed now!
Dedicated to empowering your Virtual Team's success ...
Rebecca Trelfa Virtual Dynamo & Outsourcing Expert Virtual Dynamos Worldwide, Inc. |
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Translate this Site Now | Bookmark this Site Now: or Netscape Users use Ctrl+D VirtualDynamos.org is the virtual team building membership division of Virtual Dynamos Worldwide™, Inc. Copyright © Rebecca Trelfa and Virtual Dynamos Worldwide™, Inc. 2010-Present. All Rights Reserved. |
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I'll give
it to you straight. 
