The Difference Between Business Success and Failure? Just Ask!

There’s a common feeling among entrepreneurs and business owners that no one understands their business like they do, and that they can do it all on their own. They are used to making all the decisions and doing all the work themselves and struggle to let go of areas of the business as they see asking for help as a sign of weakness.

But what happens when you ask for help?

You get great advice

Bringing in another person to help with the business means you have someone else to bounce ideas off, to get help and support from, and to see your business from an outside perspective.

You grow your network

Owning a small business can be isolating. Asking for help or outsourcing some of the workload will see your connections and network grow immediately, resulting in more reach for both you and your business.

You learn to let go

Learning to delegate effectively to people who can do an equal, if not better job than you, will help you focus on parts of your business that are important to you and that you are good at.

You free up your time

Just imagine what you could do with all that free time! Perhaps you want to focus on growing your business, maybe you want to spend more time with your family, or simply get some rest!

When to ask for help?

How do you know you are ready for extra help with your business? My clients range from start-ups, right through to SMEs with 1 – 5 employees and while their individual business needs may be different, they all had similar reasons for coming to me for support services;

They were drowning in admin tasks

Whether you are a hyper-organised Type A or laid-back Type B, chances are, running your business AND dealing with paperwork is proving to be a challenge. Even the most organised person in the world will feel overwhelmed by the number of things that need/must be done when running a business, meaning core tasks often get missed.

They wanted to grow their business

Where do you see your business in 5 years time? Do you have the support and resources available to get there? Often, my clients tell me they are so focused on the day-to-day activities of running their business that they have no time to work on the strategies, plans and actions needed to push their business to the next level.

A full-time employee would be expensive

It costs both time and money to hire a full-time employee - two things a lot of business owners don’t have a lot of. Do you need someone full-time, part-time, a mix of the two? There is a lot to consider when hiring a permanent employee and often outsourcing is a good opportunity to test the water first.

Is a Virtual Assistant the Answer?

The main questions you need to ask before hiring a Virtual Assistant are; what work am I prepared to delegate and who can I trust to do it?

There is a growing, very tempting, trend to outsource admin tasks abroad, where the labour is cheap and the turnaround of work is quick. However, this ‘quick-fix’ often comes at a cost; the work is often sent out to ‘teams’ meaning you never speak to the same person twice, the work can often be below-standard, and the language barriers mean you may not always get back the work that you asked for.

Choosing a UK-based VA has many benefits. They work independently so you always deal with the same person and can build a good working relationship with them, they are often bi-lingual - offering translation services in European languages, and many come from previous corporate roles so you get bespoke admin support from a well-qualified person.

But how do you choose a VA that will support you and your business effectively?

Take the time to choose a ‘good fit’

Making sure you choose a Virtual Assistant that ‘gets’ you and your business is vital to the success of the working relationship. This article from Business2Community has practical advice on how to make the right hire, whether you are hiring an employee or a freelancer. When choosing to work with a VA it is important that you not only get the right skills but that you also get the right personality and work ethic. You need someone who can understand deadlines and take on a task immediately with little or no hand-holding.

Get up to date with automation

It is no surprise that as technology moves on we are moving to a more automated way of doing business, and there are hundreds of apps that help. Lots of VA’s will use project management and automation apps to help you with your business so take some time to research the best ones and how to use them collaboratively.

Do your research

The advantage of working with a VA is that you are not bound to the skills available in your local area, or to just one person. Do you need a translation service, bookkeeping, admin or concierge support? Work out what areas you need support for and find a VA (or two!) to match those skills.

Do you need help with your business admin tasks? MoGio VA can help with a range of administrative, finance or specialist projects to help your business succeed. Get in touch today!

February is MoGio’s first birthday! I have loved working with all my new clients this year and to celebrate and say a great BIG Thank You, I have launched a referral scheme so that I can continue to help busy people in 2017! If you know anyone that needs a helping hand, follow the link and you could earn £20 in Amazon vouchers.