7 Reasons You Should Hire a Virtual Assistant (and How to Hire the Right One)

It’s time to cross some things off your to-do list.

I use Dropbox on two different computers. One is linked to my current email, while the other is linked to an older one (from a job I had years ago). That old email address is apparently linked to my paying Dropbox account, but I can’t get it to sync with my phone or log into dropbox.com with it… because I can’t reset my password because I can’t access that email address.

This is the type of job that exhausts me. I’ve looked through the Dropbox help site; I’ve emailed them, and I’ve received a fairly long and rather confusing response about how to fix this.

This is also an excellent illustration of the type of work I would absolutely love to delegate to a virtual assistant.

Virtual assistants have been considered by almost every entrepreneur or businessperson I know (aka VA). But many of us haven’t taken the plunge yet, either for financial reasons or because we’re not sure what we’d have that person do.

However, if you’re thinking about working remotely, Ardenia Gould, a business specialist on the subject, says you should. “I took the risk early last year, and it was the scariest but smartest business choice I’ve ever made,” Gould said.

Here are seven indicators that you should hire a virtual assistant:

1. Your business is holding you captive.

You haven’t had a vacation in a long time. You need additional vacation time but are hesitant to take it. You love the concept of working your own hours and making your own decisions as an entrepreneur. However, if you can’t seem to find the time to break away from your business, it’s time to enlist help.

2. Your business requires abilities that you lack.

“I required substantial help with business taxes, obtaining business loans, and undertaking a major refurbishment project so that I could hold retreats,” Gould explained. “I’m not a tax expert, I’m not familiar with business loans, and I’m not a general contractor.”

What is the solution? She hired a virtual assistant with a real estate, underwriting, project management, and bookkeeping background, and she hasn’t looked back.

3. You wish you had two of you.

Dear Men is a sex, dating, and relationship podcast that I host. I love interviewing guests, but I love sourcing guests (finding people who are a good fit) and dealing with scheduling. This means I put off doing those things, which means my editorial calendar is frequently behind schedule.

It can feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day when you’re building your business (or attempting to). This is an excellent time for you should hire a VA.

4. You devote more time to administrative activities than to your main business.

When you spend a large portion of your day invoicing, billing, e-mailing, booking, and so on, it’s difficult to bring value to the bottom line. Admin tasks are vital, but they frequently divert your attention away from what you do best.

Furthermore, they have a tendency to deplete your energy (like me with Dropbox). So you’re not only getting less done, but you’re also feeling worse than before.

5. Your business is a shambles

You’re forgetting important deadlines or meetings (or things on your calendar go MIA). You’re not meeting your objectives — or perhaps you didn’t have time to set objectives because you’ve been so preoccupied with putting out fires. When you’re always overwhelmed, there’s no time to be strategic.

6. You’re all set to go up a notch.

When it comes to scaling, three things are normally required: systems, finances, and people. When it comes to people, start with the most important role that will help you to scale. If you’re developing a membership site, for example, you could need a part-time VA to help with sales and conversion. You might also require someone to handle new member support and customer care. Decide on your most important role(s) and start there.

7. You have a lot of ideas but lack the ability to put them into action.

You’re a foresightful individual. You have a lot of brilliant ideas. You’re going to change the game forever. But first and foremost, you must do the task. A VA can help you grow if you’re good at big-picture thinking but get mired down in the specifics (or avoid them entirely).

When you’re ready to make a hiring decision, visit bizpromit.com and subscribe to the economy plan, its affordable VA service with highly skilled professionals at your disposal. The plan is for 84 days so you would have enough time to utilize the hours. Suggested start with a 30/45 hours plan for 84 days.

Hiring her virtual business manager, according to Gould, was a life-changing move. “My sanity, as well as my mental, bodily, and emotional well-being, has greatly improved since I reduced my workload. I can take real vacations knowing that everything will be taken care of while I’m away.”

She has also been able to put extra money in her pocket as a result of her VA tightening up her invoicing to ensure that she is paid sooner (no more chasing down clients for payment). She thinks that her VA has saved her tens of thousands of dollars in taxes, subscription services, canceled flights, late penalties, and by negotiating great deals with suppliers on her behalf.

You don’t have to do everything on your own. Getting some help has financial, emotional, and spiritual advantages.