The hardest part of any business to scale is the founder.
That means anything that magnifies or multiplies founder productivity is of outweighed value.
In my experience, the single most important thing an entrepreneur can do to maximize their productivity? Get a virtual assistant.
Don’t worry if you’ve tried this and failed. In fact, you’re in good company.
Most hard-charging entrepreneurs have a tough time finding and keeping assistants. The problem is they’re hiring from the wrong pool of people. You need an assistant that’s just as hard-charging as you are.
That’s key #1: Who you hire as your assistant matters.
This is an insanely personal pairing.
You’re going to work more closely with this person than anyone else in your organization. Take your time and find an absolute rock star.
And remember: Rock stars want to be paid and treated like rock stars.
Just because someone is “just an assistant” doesn’t mean they can’t be an immensely valuable asset. Do you think Jeff Bezos went to the bargain bin when looking for the person he chose as his right hand?
Once you’ve found someone you love (and who can keep up with you), make sure you spend the time necessary to train them.
News flash: Most entrepreneurs are horrible at this.
Set time aside and dive deep. If they’re going to help you, they need to know how.
I’ve taught my assistant how I want daily email updates color coded and which fonts I prefer. He knows the commute paths to and from my home and where I like to sit on the airplane. He has all of my dietary restrictions and knows who the members of my family are.
As I invest in him, he becomes more and more valuable as a resource. It also equips him to be infinitely more autonomous and proactive, something I absolutely love.
There’s no better feeling than finding out the work is complete before you even knew it needed to be done.
My strong recommendation is to let your assistant manage your inbox: email, slack, and any other messaging platforms you find yourself in. It allows them to protect you, run interference, handle easy situations, and free you up to do whatever your highest and best use may be.
And don’t limit yourself by thinking a virtual assistant is only for “basic” work.
I have found no limits to what a great assistant can accomplish. I really mean that. Solutions 8’s CTO started out as my VA. Along the way he’s literally built entire businesses for me, from the ground up.
Give your assistant room to grow and a little trust, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at what they prove to be capable of.
In fact, the biggest problem I have is that I keep burning through assistants as they grow so rapidly it doesn’t make sense to keep them as my VA for long.
Chances are, you won’t get it perfectly right the very first time. That’s okay!
Don’t be afraid to kiss some frogs. I can tell you: It’s worth it.
Once you’ve found your perfect pairing, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without them.
Do you have a virtual assistant? What advice would you give others on how best to utilize them?