Freedom Makers - Blog

The Rise of AI and the Continued Need for Virtual Digital Marketing Support

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 16:36:46 GMT

Over the past few years, the conversation around marketing has shifted in a noticeable way.

Where businesses once asked how to build a strategy or who to hire for support, the question now often starts with tools. More specifically, with AI. There is a growing sense that with the right combination of platforms, prompts, and automation, a business owner can handle most of their internet marketing independently.

And in some ways, that assumption is not wrong.

AI and LLMs have made it significantly easier to think through marketing. You can outline entire email marketing campaigns in minutes. You can generate ideas for lead magnets, draft social media posts, and even map out SEO strategies or search engine marketing plans without much friction. For business owners who have felt stuck staring at a blank page or overwhelmed by unknown terms and algorithms, that shift is meaningful.

But there is a difference between having a plan and having something that is actually working inside your business.

That difference tends to show up quietly at first.

The ideas are there, but the landing pages are still unfinished. The articles are “written” but feel stiff and generic. The content calendar exists, but it is not being followed. The email campaigns are drafted, but they have not been scheduled or segmented properly. The ad campaigns have been outlined, but the campaign setup has not happened, or it has not been checked after launch.

AI is very good at helping you think. It is much less reliable when it comes to making sure something is done, verified, and working the way it should.

That is where digital marketing support still plays a very real role.

The Gap Between Strategy and Execution

Execution is not a single moment. It is a series of small, repeated actions that need to happen across different platforms and timelines. Social media marketing requires ongoing attention to social media accounts and social media platforms. Email marketing campaigns need to be written, scheduled, reviewed, and adjusted. Website management requires updates, checks, and occasional restructuring. Lead generation depends on landing pages, lead magnets, and follow-up systems that actually function together.

None of that happens automatically, even with the best tools in place.

A digital marketing assistant exists in that space between intention and completion. They are not replacing strategy, and they are not replacing AI. They are ensuring that the work that has already been planned actually moves forward.

What AI Supports, and What It Cannot Own

It is worth being clear about where AI fits, because it does have a meaningful place in modern digital marketing services.

It supports content creation and content writing.
It helps organize ideas and accelerates early-stage planning.
It can assist marketing specialists in developing campaigns more efficiently and can surface patterns or suggestions that might otherwise take longer to identify.

But there are limits that become more obvious over time.

AI does not log into your systems and complete marketing tasks. It does not manage campaign execution across multiple marketing channels. It does not monitor customer engagement in real time or adjust based on tone, timing, or context. It does not maintain client relationships or step in to provide customer support when something requires a human response.

It also does not take responsibility for outcomes.

If something is not working, AI does not notice in the way a person does. It does not question whether a performance report reflects reality or whether a campaign needs to be adjusted based on what is actually happening (unless prompted to do so after the fact - by a human - often after dollars are wasted).

In its current iterations, AI expands what is possible, but it still does not replace the need for someone to carry that work through.

The Evolving Role of a Digital Marketing Assistant

Because of this, the role of a digital marketing assistant is not becoming less relevant. It is becoming more defined.

With virtual digital marketing support, the work is now about generating and guiding ideas as well as building structure and follow-through to ideas generated by newer tools. A dedicated virtual assistant often works across a wide range of marketing activities, adapting to specific needs rather than fitting into a narrow job description.

In practice, that might include managing a content calendar, coordinating social media posts, and ensuring that content moves from draft to publication. It might involve building and updating landing pages, supporting lead generation efforts, or handling campaign management and campaign setup across different platforms.

It often includes maintaining email campaigns, organizing marketing tools, and making sure that communication with potential clients is consistent and aligned with broader business goals.

There is also a layer of detail that tends to go unnoticed until it is missing. Making sure links work. Confirming that forms are connected properly. Checking that sequences trigger as expected. These are small things, but they are the difference between a system that exists “on paper” and one that functions in reality.

Where Consistency Creates Growth

One of the more understated benefits of virtual assistant services in marketing is consistency.

Marketing rarely succeeds because of a single effort. It works because the same set of actions is repeated, refined, and improved over time. Social media marketing builds visibility through regular posting and engagement. Search engine optimization compounds through ongoing updates and content. Email marketing campaigns strengthen customer engagement through steady, relevant communication.

A digital marketing assistant helps maintain the rhythm of marketing activities so that progress is not dependent solely on the business owner’s availability or attention.

This is also where performance tracking and performance reporting become meaningful. Instead of guessing, there is a process for reviewing what is happening. With a digital marketing assistant on your team, performance reports become part of the decision-making process. They can build a process that informs which marketing projects continue, which ones need to shift, and where additional marketing support might be needed.

Over time, post-campaign reporting is what allows a business to build credible case studies and understand how marketing efforts connect to actual outcomes.

The Shift We’re Seeing in Marketing Support

There are now more platforms, more marketing tools, and more opportunities than most business owners know what to do with. AI has accelerated what is possible and how quickly things can be planned. What used to take hours can now happen in minutes.

But that hasn’t made marketing easier to manage.

If anything, it has created more inputs, more ideas, and more possible directions than most businesses have the capacity to execute on.

The real friction is still showing up in capacity and structure. In the day-to-day reality of trying to manage business operations, client relationships, and marketing activities all at once. Ideas exist, plans are outlined, but without the right support, they tend to stay in documents, drafts, or partially built campaigns.

The digital marketing support role is no longer just about completing assigned admin tasks or working through isolated marketing projects. What is required now looks different, and our Freedom Makers are rising to meet that shift.

Effective virtual digital marketing support depends on understanding how everything connects. Not just the individual pieces, but the relationships between them. How lead generation flows into email marketing campaigns. How social media marketing supports customer engagement over time. How landing pages and ad campaigns function together. And how search engine marketing and search engine optimization contribute to visibility across marketing channels.

It is less about doing one thing well and more about understanding how everything works together.

AI is part of that evolution. It has made content creation faster and idea generation more accessible, and many of our Freedom Makers are actively incorporating AI tools and LLMs into their workflows. They recognize their value when it comes to speed, efficiency, brainstorming, and conceptualizing. But real value today is in knowing how use these tools and how to apply them in a way that aligns with real business needs.

AI can support speed and ideation. A digital marketing assistant provides execution, verification, and ongoing support. Together, they create a system that is both efficient and reliable, one that can adapt to specific needs while still maintaining consistency.

And that consistency continues to matter more than anything else, because even as marketing becomes easier to start, it still depends on someone making sure it continues. A Freedom Maker operating as your digital marketing support will ensure campaigns are set up correctly and monitored over time, performance reporting leads to clear and actionable data, and that your marketing activities are not just started, but sustained, evaluated, and improved.

When you are ready to discuss how a Freedom Maker can support your digital marketing efforts, reach out to our Discovery Team . We will match you with an experienced, adaptable digital marketing professional who will help you reclaim your time and build your brand.

Why “What Should I Delegate?” Is a Harder Question Than It Seems

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 16:00:14 GMT

For most business owners, the challenge isn’t knowing that they need support, or even the budget to afford it, but knowing where to start.

“What should I delegate?” sounds straightforward, but in practice, it is one of the more difficult decisions to make within an operating business. Not because there is a lack of work, but because the work itself is not clearly segmented.

Why It’s So Difficult to Identify What to Delegate

Daily tasks rarely fall into clear categories. They show up in fragments: replying to an email, confirming a meeting time, updating a document, sending a follow-up, making a small adjustment to a system or file. Each action seems quick, necessary, and easily justified in the moment. Then, hours of the day are gone before you realize how much time has been spent.

Individually, these tasks are not difficult or particularly time-intensive. But understanding which of these repeated, small activities can and should be delegated is central to regaining control of your time.

The challenge of delegating tasks to the right person is not about identifying a single large responsibility and handing it off. It is recognizing that the accumulation of small, repetitive tasks now occupying your week is no longer serving you or your business.

When Tasks Are Fragmented, Clarity Becomes Difficult

When work is fragmented across multiple areas of the business, it becomes difficult to evaluate clearly. There are no defined categories, no natural groupings, and no clear starting point. Everything feels interconnected, making it harder to separate what could be delegated from what you want - or need - to continue doing.

This is where most business owners get stuck. Not because there’s nothing to delegate, but because everything feels too small, too mixed, or too situational to pull apart.

What This Looks Like in Practice

One client described this clearly. There was no sense of overwhelm and no immediate operational issue. But when our Discovery Team evaluated her work, it became clear that her time was made up of dozens of specific tasks and small, recurring actions. Client communication, scheduling , document updates, and follow-up… each task made sense in isolation, but together they formed a continuous stream of work that had never been formally defined or evaluated for delegation.

At Freedom Makers Virtual Services, we believe that evaluation is critical to effective delegation.

Without stepping back to assess how work is actually being done, it is difficult to separate what is essential to keep from what can be reassigned. Even more tricky: there is no handbook that delineates "what to delegate first." At FMVS we believe that distinction is not universal. It depends on the individual business owner.

Only you can truly define your strengths, preferences, and how you want to spend your time.

Without that clarity, delegation tends to default to what seems easiest to offload or to what others have started, rather than to tasks that will have the greatest impact on your business.

Common Tasks That Are Prime for Delegation

Many of the tasks that are prime for delegation are neither difficult nor undesirable. In fact, they are often the tasks you have become most efficient at.

Common examples of tasks to delegate include:

inbox management
client follow-up
calendar coordination
CRM maintenance
content preparation

These to-do list functions are operationally important and support client experience, but they are also repeatable and process-driven. You might be good at them, and even enjoy some aspects of doing them. But they are lower-value tasks that don’t need your expertise. Once the right person is found and a system is established, they should not typically require your direct involvement.

Once delegated, you can spend the time you would otherwise spend executing these tasks, planning, networking, learning new skills, or strategizing.

Delegation in Action: A Practical Example

For example, one of our Freedom Maker virtual assistants works with a client whose business depends on consistent content output. The strategy was clear, but execution was inconsistent. Her client executed formatting, uploading, and distributing intermittently between other responsibilities.

After those tasks were delegated, the strategy remained the same, but execution became consistent. Content was published regularly, engagement improved, and the client could focus on creation rather than distribution.

Delegation did not change the direction of the business. It changed how the business owner allocated their time and attention.

But that healthy and necessary reallocation of time and energy cannot happen without first understanding how you currently use your time.

Why a Task Audit Is the Most Effective Starting Point

This is where a task audit becomes essential.

Our Task Audit is not designed to generate a generic list of what you should delegate. It is designed to help you see your work clearly.

It creates a structured view of:

where your time is currently going
which tasks are recurring
which tasks are interrupt-driven
and which responsibilities require your direct involvement

When you can see your work in this way, the question of “what should I delegate?” becomes much easier to answer, because you can evaluate your time in relation to the context of your own business and interests.

You can identify which tasks are truly yours to own, and which are part of the business, but no longer require you.

That distinction is what makes delegation effective. The ability to clearly identify which tasks genuinely require your attention - and which do not - is the core challenge and the most important step in delegation.

Turning Clarity Into Action

If you’re still trying to answer “what should I delegate?” without a clear view of your time, take our free Task Audit .

It is designed to give you clarity and will show you where your time is going. Answering 25 questions honestly will highlight the tasks that are prime for delegation and help you create a starting point for building support for your business.

Our Discovery Team will help you interpret your results and suggest where a Freedom Maker can help most.

Next step?

-> Take Our Task Audit

-> Book A Call With Our Discovery Team

Virtual CRM Management to Prevent Lost Leads and Missed Follow-Ups

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 18:55:32 GMT

Don't Let A Sloppy CRM Create A Revenue Leak In Your Business

Most days, business feels busy. Calls are happening. Emails are flying. New inquiries are coming in. Everything feels good.

But when it’s time to answer one simple question at the end of the day - “Where does this lead stand?” - things get murky.

You search your inbox.
You scroll through spreadsheets.
You try to remember if you replied.

That uncertainty is the hidden revenue leak.

Poor CRM (Customer Relationship Management) follow-up shows up as missed timing, inconsistent interactions, or opportunities that slowly cool off without anyone noticing. Good CRM follow-up allows you to track leads, engage with potential customers, watch customer behavior, and strengthen client communication.

It's time to consider if your business needs virtual CRM management .

Getting your lead acquisition right doesn’t require a dramatic overhaul or a complicated new tech stack. In most cases, it begins with the small, deliberate shift of treating lead management and customer information as an operational priority rather than something handled in between other tasks.

When CRM and lead tracking are intentionally delegated to a virtual assistant who is excellent at doing this work, you remove yourself as the central checkpoint while still maintaining full visibility. A proven system works in the background, and you stay informed and on top without being buried in the details. This type of strategic move can make all the difference for small businesses, struggling to find a competitive edge.

Effective CRM delegation is often one of the most practical ways to protect lead generation and revenue while freeing your time for strategy, delivery, and relationship-building.

Why CRM Delegation Is a Logical Next Step

Lead follow-up is structured work that needs to follow patterns, stages, and predictable rhythms. Because of that, it is especially well-suited for delegation.

Many business owners hesitate because CRM feels technical or system-heavy, but in reality, most businesses already have a system in place, but it is scattered across inboxes, spreadsheets, and memory.

You likely already know:

Which leads are warm
Which need nurturing
Which require your direct involvement
Which simply need consistent follow-up

Those instincts can be documented, refined, and supported inside tools such as HubSpot, Streak (within Gmail), Zoho CRM, Mailchimp, or through simple Zapier automations.

A Freedom Maker virtual assistant can help consolidate and maintain that structure by:

Organizing and cleaning your database
Defining clear lead stages
Tagging and segmenting contacts properly
Setting follow-up reminders or automations
Tracking deal progression
Ensuring opportunities are revisited at the right time
Operating a smooth customer service operation

Instead of checking multiple places or relying on memory, your Freedom Maker virtual assistant can build you a single, visible pipeline that reflects your customer data in a way that reveals the real state of your business.

What Changes When CRM Is Clean

When CRM systems are maintained consistently, the impact is subtle but meaningful.

Follow-up becomes timely rather than reactive. Reporting becomes clearer. Conversion conversations happen with better context. Your sales pipeline remains smooth. Customer satisfaction stays high.

We’ve seen many clients across multiple industries move from scattered spreadsheets and disconnected inbox threads into structured HubSpot dashboards with defined pipelines and improved sales tracking. The result wasn’t more activity; it was greater clarity around the activity that was already happening.

We’ve even seen the opposite.

In another case, our client Brandon had been using Salesforce to try to grow his insurance business, but found it overly complex for his day-to-day needs. Rather than continuing to force a system into a CRM platform that didn’t fit, his Freedom Maker Sarah simplified the process back into a well-organized Google Sheet designed specifically around his sales flow. By tracking clients in a way that matched how he actually worked, he regained visibility without feeling buried in software.

Clean systems tend to reduce stress as much as they improve performance. They also make it easier to identify the small operational gaps that affect revenue over time.

Revenue rarely slips away because of lack of effort. More often, it slips away because follow-up is fragmented.

When your CRM is clear, simple and consistent, it can reflect the real state of your pipeline, allowing you to lead with better information. Clarity becomes a competitive advantage. And when a Freedom Maker is maintaining that system and coordinating your customer interactions, you gain visibility without becoming the bottleneck.

If your current lead tracking feels scattered and your customer engagement seems harder than it should be, schedule a conversation with our Discovery Team . We’ll help you identify where your system can be simplified, strengthened, or better supported by a Freedom Maker virtual assistant.

5 Tasks You’re Still Doing That a Virtual Assistant Could Handle Today

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 20:33:01 GMT

You didn't start your business to become a world-class inbox wrangler or a professional calendar Tetris player. Yet, here you are, a business owner drowning in "admin trivia" while your high-level strategy sits on the back burner.

For the scaling entrepreneur, delegation isn't just a productivity hack; it's burnout prevention. If your business stops the moment you stop typing, you haven’t built a scalable asset. You’ve built a bottleneck.

At Freedom Makers Virtual Services, we see this every day. Brilliant founders stuck doing $50/hour tasks while carrying a $500/hour vision. Without the right team members supporting your efforts, you remain slogging through each day rather than striding into the future. A shift toward success doesn’t happen because you work harder. It happens because you let go, intentionally.

Below, we will outline five administrative tasks you are likely still white-knuckling that a virtual assistant could take off your plate today:

When your Inbox & Calendar Management, CRM & Client Onboarding, Content & Social Media Publishing, Systems & SOP Documentation, and/or Client Follow-Up & Admin are off your plate, you’ll quickly realize the real shift isn’t just operational - it’s mental. Embracing the wins that remote work through virtual assistant services brings is easy, but how to get there can sometimes feel nebulous. The question becomes: how do you hand these daily tasks off in a way that feels simple and sustainable?

How to Train a Virtual Assistant Quickly

The biggest "invisible barrier" to hiring is the fear that onboarding a virtual assistant will take more time than just doing all the admin tasks yourself.

The Secret: Don’t build a training manual first.

Record your screen while you complete the task using a tool like Loom or a similar tool. Send it to your Freedom Maker and ask them write the SOP. Our military spouse Freedom Makers are highly adaptable, systems-minded professionals. Many of our clients tell us that the FMVS onboarding process and building a structure with their Freedom Maker actually made them more organized.

When delegation is done correctly, it improves your operations, not complicates them.

The Real Cost of Not Delegating

We know that every hour a founder, entrepreneur, or CEO spends on researching market trends, competitor analysis, data entry services , inventory management, or scheduling - the tasks virtual assistants excel at - is an hour lost to $500/hr growth activities and business development. T he cost isn’t just financial. It shows up as:

Decision fatigue by 2 PM
Half-finished strategic projects
Delayed launches
Reactive leadership

And perhaps most devastatingly, creative depletion.

Our client, Susan, a Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) and wellness professional specializing in CranioSacral Therapy , shared that after bringing on her Freedom Maker:

“Kristin has made my life so much easier… I have peace of mind knowing my clients are being cared for, despite the instability in my own life.”

That’s the deeper ROI of learning to delegate effectively. It’ s not just productivity. It’s peace of mind. To move from operator to true owner, you must stop being the default executor of everything.

Ready to Reclaim Your Time?

At Freedom Makers Virtual Services, we thoughtfully match you with high-caliber, professional, military spouses who understand the CEO vs operator mindset. You don’t just get task execution with your skilled VA. You get a strategic partnership backed by a community and a proven onboarding process.

If you’re ready to start scaling your operations with tailored, remote admin support that treats your business like it's their own, book a Discovery Call with our team today . We will help you identify what's keeping you in the weeds, help you find the right Freedom Maker to support your business, and build a plan with you to get you back in your zone of genius.

The Real Cost of Doing It All Yourself: Why Founders and Entrepreneurs Should Delegate

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 17:30:00 GMT

For founders, entrepreneurs, and small business owners, managing every aspect of your own business might seem like a badge of honor. However, the real cost of doing everything yourself often outweighs the perceived benefits. While it may appear efficient or cost-effective in the short term, “going it alone” can lead to missed opportunities, burnout, and hindered long-term business growth.

Delegation is not just about offloading tasks; it’s a critical business skill that ensures sustainable success.

By learning the art of delegation and bringing on fractional or hourly support to handle administrative tasks and other non-core duties, entrepreneurs can focus on high-value activities like strategic planning and growth strategy.

The Hidden Costs of Doing Everything Yourself

What No One Tells You About the True Cost

At first glance, handling everything yourself as a small business owner might seem like the most economical choice. However, the true cost goes far beyond immediate savings. One of the most significant factors is the opportunity cost. By spending time on low-value tasks like data entry or calendar management, you’re diverting energy from high-value activities that contribute directly to business growth, such as strategic planning or developing stronger offerings for your clients or customers. These lost opportunities can quietly erode your company’s growth potential over time.

Additionally, there’s the financial cost of inefficient processes. Without the right person in place to handle specialized tasks like social media management or customer support, the quality of your work may suffer. This can lead to errors, dissatisfied clients, loss of trust, and ultimately, a loss of revenue. Poorly managed admin work can also slow down business operations and strain client relationships, making it harder to achieve long-term business success.

The Emotional and Business Toll

Beyond the financial implications, doing everything yourself also takes an emotional toll. Handling administrative duties, from email management to scheduling, can lead to exhaustion, burnout, and generalized overwhelm. Constantly juggling everything leaves little room for creative or strategic initiatives, which are essential for long-term business growth.

Most significantly, the strain doesn’t stop at work. Work exhaustion can spill into your personal life and affect your relationships. The lack of time for family, friends, or self-care can create a sense of imbalance or of losing control.

Entrepreneurs who don’t delegate often find themselves stretched too thin, unable to focus wholeheartedly on either their business or their personal priorities.

Why Delegation is Crucial for Entrepreneurs

The Benefits of the Art of Delegation

Mastering the art of delegation is a game-changer for entrepreneurs. By handing over non-core tasks like admin work or customer service follow-up , you free up valuable time to focus on strategic planning and high-value activities. This shift allows you to make better decisions and solve problems more effectively, both of which are critical for business success.

Delegation also unlocks growth opportunities by enabling you to scale operations efficiently. When you’re not bogged down by administrative tasks, you can explore new revenue streams or partnerships, develop your business model, and invest in strategic initiatives. Effective delegation is about setting your business up for sustainable long-term growth, not just “getting help.”

Lessons from Business Leaders

Some of the world’s most successful business leaders have embraced delegation as a core strategy. Richard Branson, for instance, emphasizes hiring the right person for the job and trusting them to execute effectively. His approach highlights the importance of building a team capable of running operations smoothly, allowing him to focus on visionary leadership.

Similarly, Oprah Winfrey credits much of her success to building trust within her team. She ensures clear expectations are set and maintains regular check-ins to keep everyone aligned with her goals. According to insights from the Harvard Business Review, effective delegation is not a sign of weakness but a sign of strength. It demonstrates a leader’s ability to empower others, paving the way for both personal and business growth.

In our business, delegation has been transformative for our clients. Kristi, a long-time client, shared, “Aimee is great, fabulous, stellar at communication, and my #1 choice over my W2 employee when I need to get something done.” This relationship allowed Kristi to move from weekly oversight to trusting Aimee to manage tasks proactively. Their success highlights how the right virtual support can build reliability, enhance productivity, and free up a leader's time to focus on strategic growth.

Steps to Delegate Tasks Effectively

Identifying the Right Tasks to Delegate

The first step in the delegation process is identifying the right tasks to hand off. These are often non-core tasks that consume too much time without contributing significantly to business growth. Things like admin work, email management , updating your CRM, or keeping up with social media ... delegating these frees your time for more strategic initiatives.

This is exactly where Freedom Makers Virtual Services comes in. One of our most powerful tools is the FMVS Task Audit , which helps business owners identify what can be delegated, to whom, and when. This clarity becomes your springboard to smarter, more confident delegation.

The Power of Delegation Starts with the Right Support: Why Freedom Makers Are the Solution

Instead of figuring it all out on your own, imagine having a trusted, experienced, and flexible partner who helps you think through what needs to happen, then helps you make it happen . From tools to task lists to onboarding, that’s what a Freedom Maker does.

They’re not just task-takers. Freedom Makers are military spouses , a community that brings with them resilience, adaptability, professionalism, and deep integrity. They are vetted, trained, and supported by FMVS, and they understand how to build trust, which is the cornerstone of effective delegation. This allows business owners to ease into delegation with confidence, knowing they are backed by someone capable and trustworthy.

Freedom Makers don’t just take work off your plate. They help organize your delegation strategy , assist in setting up tools, document workflows, and create processes that scale.

So, instead of wondering:

What tools should I use?
How do I hand this off?
How do I make sure it’s done the way I’d do it?

A Freedom Maker is there to help answer those questions and take action alongside you.

Practical Tools and Support Options

Freedom Makers are fluent in tools like Trello, Asana, Slack, HubSpot, Canva, Mailchimp, and more. When you bring on a Freedom Maker, you gain access to someone who can optimize, recommend, and even implement automation tools that improve your workflows and reduce time drains.

Want to hand off scheduling? We’ll help you set up Calendly.

Need content posted regularly? We know Buffer and Hootsuite inside and out.

Trying to clean up your CRM? We’ve done that in HubSpot, Zoho, Streak, and more.

Building Trust, the FMVS Way

Trust can be one of the most significant barriers to delegation, which is why FMVS is intentional about matching clients with the right Freedom Maker. Your ideal match is with someone whose experience, communication style, and work rhythm align with your business. Through our selection process and structured onboarding, we guide you through setting expectations, establishing access, and building a working relationship that is grounded in mutual trust and clarity.

Freedom Makers grow with your business. Many of our clients start with just a few hours per week doing admin tasks, and expand into larger roles over time, like project management, complete marketing workflows, and operations support. That long-term continuity is possible because of the trust we help build at the very beginning.

Delegation: Your Roadmap to Sustainable Growth

If yo u’ve been holding off on delegating because it feels overwhelming, the key isn’t to do more planning. The key is to bring on someone who can help you plan, implement, and scale. That someone is a Freedom Maker.

FMVS exists to make delegation not just possible, but successful. By starting with a Freedom Maker, you’re stepping into a system that supports your business’s growth, protects your time, a nd ensures the work gets done the right way.

We know that delegation isn’t just a task. It’s a skill. And the best way to learn it is with someone who’s already mastered it. When you are ready to talk about how a Freedom Maker can support your business, schedule a call with our Discovery Team to see how email delegation can clear your path for 2026

How to Delegate Email to a Virtual Assistant for Maximum Efficiency

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 18:44:17 GMT

Some days, managing your email inbox can feel like a full-time job. If you often spend hours replying, sorting, and flagging, you might just be the bottleneck of your own business. It’s time to reclaim your day.

As you look toward 2026, this is the moment to stop dragging last year’s chaos forward.

This doesn’t have to look like some type of massive overhaul or a complicated new system. It can begin with a deliberate shift: delegate your email. Relying on a virtual assistant for email management is a proven way to implement inbox zero strategies without the owner needing to learn complex Gmail filters or Outlook rules personally.

If you intentionally hand off the management of your inbox, you can reclaim focus without sacrificing responsiveness.

Effective delegation of your inbox is one of the simplest, most impactful ways to improve response times and get back to $500/hr work like strategy and delivery. Whether you are a solopreneur, business owner, or a scaling non-profit founder, a skilled virtual assistant can alleviate the chaos and let you breathe again.

Why Delegating Your Email Inbox Is the First Step

Email: The Hidden Time Thief

If your day starts with a flood of new emails and ends with half of them still unanswered, you’re stuck in a reactive cycle. For small business owners, email feels productive, but when it’s filled with administrative tasks and data entry, it becomes a growth ceiling.

When you delegate email to a virtual assistant, you stop doing work that doesn't require your specific expertise. Outsourcing email management isn't just about time savings; it's about preserving your mental energy for higher-level work and business growth.

Delegation tends to feel abstract and hard until you experience it working well. Many business owners hesitate to delegate their email because they worry about trust, tone, or the time it will take to get someone up to speed. That hesitation is reasonable, but it is also why email delegation is such a powerful first step. Outsourcing email management offers a low-risk way to delegate work that’s repeatable, documentable, and immediately impactful.

Here’s why:

Your inbox already operates on rules, whether you’ve written them down or not. You know which messages need immediate attention, which can wait, which require your voice, and which simply need to be handled. Those instincts can be easily documented, taught, and refined without touching your core strategy or decision-making.

A virtual assistant can utilize Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to manage spam filtering and categorize newsletters, ensuring that your primary inbox view remains strictly reserved for high-stakes client communication.

The effect of an organized inbox is often immediate. Reclaiming even a couple of hours a day through email delegation shifts your focus away from administrative maintenance and back toward leadership, planning, and long-term growth. You can feel the results of this shift almost right away.

Benefits for Small Business Owners & Small Teams

When you bring a virtual executive assistant into your workflow, you can begin to optimize how your brand communicates.

A Freedom Maker virtual assistant working in your email can support:

Faster response times: Ensure important messages never sit for days.
Work-life balance: Wake up knowing yo ur email account is s orted while you were offline.
Topic Authority: Free up your schedule for strategy, goal-setting, and networking.
Security & Control: Use access controls and two-factor authentication to protect sensitive information.

How to Delegate Emails to Your Virtual Assistant Effectively

What Tasks Can Be Delegated?

A Freedom Maker virtual assistant can take over the heavy lifting of email communications. Email delegation often includes:

Inbox triage and prioritization : Incoming messages are reviewed, sorted, tagged, and flagged so important emails or high-impact conversations rise to the top, while low-priority items are handled, deleted, or archived without pulling you into every thread. Effectiv e email delegation can also include managing archive folders. Freedom Maker virtual assistants can also ensure data privacy standards are met when handling sensitive customer data.
Click here to learn about our Gmail Management Kit
Drafting and sending routine responses : By using email templates or a simple shared document, common replies like scheduling confirmations, follow-ups, introductions, informational responses, etc., are handled promptly and professionally, maintaining responsiveness without requiring your constant involvement.
Flagging messages that truly require your input : Instead of scanning every message, you can instead be looped in only when your voice, decision, or personal touch is genuinely needed.
Managing follow-ups and ongoing threads : Conversations don’t disappear into the inbox. A virtual assistant can take charge of Lead Generation in real-time. Follow-ups and engagements are tracked, nudged, and closed out so opportunities and relationships don’t stall simply because time ran out.
Maintaining tone and communication standards : Email delegation doesn’t mean losing your voice. Communicating your needs and preferences ensures that any responses your virtual assistant writes on your behalf reflect the business's values, professionalism, and personality. Your business will sound like you, and you don’t have to be the one typing.

A virtual assistant can also provide high-level administrative support by transforming chaotic threads of back-and-forth scheduling into organized logistics. A Freedom Maker can handle all the details, including finalizing complex travel arrangements, without you having to touch a booking site. Similarly, by processing data entry directly from your work email into your CRM or tracking sheets, your Freedom Maker virtual assistant keeps your business intelligence up to date in real time while you stay focused on high-value delivery.

The Right Tools for Efficient Support

To truly streamline your communication, it’s best to build a digital ecosystem that supports seamless collaboration. This starts with security and accessibility. By using Gmail delegation, you can grant your virtual assistant full access to manage your correspondence without ever compromising your primary password.

Once access is established, your focus can shift to transparency and oversight. What’s more, when you work with your virtual assistant and integrate project management tools like Trello or Asana, you can monitor the progress of every delegated task in real-time, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks. Finally, the glue that holds the relationship together is consistent, low-friction contact. By leveraging communication tools like Slack for regular check-ins, you will move away from formal exchanges and toward a more fluid, human connection that builds the deep trust necessary for a long-term partnership.

Best Practices for Building Trust and Letting Go

Email is personal, and letting go of control is one of the biggest invisible barriers to scaling. Handing over your inbox may feel like a leap, but in reality, it's one of the most strategic and manageable ways to begin delegating .

Freedom Maker virtual assistants are trained to step in with care, clarity, and professionalism. They are terrific communicators and possess all the soft skills necessary to adapt to your working style and preferences. They are used to untangling messy inboxes, managing sensitive conversations , and building order out of chaos. There’s no cluttered thread or overdue reply that intimidates them.

By delegating email, you gain immediate relief and visible results. Imagine waking up to:

Clean, organized inboxes
Prioritized messages so you only see what matters
Quicker replies to clients and leads
Reduced mental load and stress

And because it's a contained system, it’s easy to build trust and familiarity with your Freedom Maker virtual assistant here first, then expand into other areas as your confidence grows.

Here’s how to start:

1) Get Hands-On Without Doing It All Yourself

Even if you're not ready to hand over full inbox access on Day 1, you can show your Freedom Maker exactly how you like things done by:

Recording a few Loom videos with walk-throughs of how you manage emails
Sharing your screen during your first one-on-one meeting to demo your current workflow
Highlighting what kinds of messages need your eyes and which emails need to be handled directly

This takes out any guesswork and gives them a clear picture of your preferences right from the start. It will also immediately start cutting down on spam and emails you should have opted out of months ago.

2) Set Clear Boundaries Early

Establish what you would like to stay private (personal, financial, etc.) Your Freedom Maker can tag, sort, and surface messages for you without ever touching what’s off-limits. This builds trust fast and prevents any awkward missteps.

3) Create Shared Resources

The more visibility and tools your Freedom Maker has, the better they can support you. Set up:

Document the skillset by using a shared Google Doc or Notion board with sample replies, links, and contact preferences. In sectors like Real Estate or Legal, you need someone who understands and uses the language of the niche
A lightweight style guide: examples of how you sign off, how you handle difficult emails, preferred tone
Email templates for FAQs, meeting requests, client onboarding, etc.

These resources will help your Freedom Maker learn your style and tone so they can respond or reach out just like you would.

4) Keep Communication Simple and Consistent

Trust grows with communication . That’s why we recommend:

A short weekly check-in Zoom or Google Meet (even 15-30 minutes does wonders)
Using tools like Slack or Google Chat for quick questions
Giving real-time feedback early on. A quick “this reply was perfect” or “next time, cc me on this” will set the course for smooth sailing.

Over time, your Freedom Maker becomes not just a helper, but a trusted extension of you and your brand.

Beyond the Inbox: Expanding Your Assistant’s Impact

As trust builds and your inbox nears zero, something powerful happens: your Freedom Maker is truly learning your business as they manage your emails.

By sorting, tagging, and responding to messages, they begin to understand your workflows, your clients, your tone, and your priorities . They see the opportunities that come through your inbox, the bottlenecks, and where your time gets pulled.

At this stage, many clients realize their Freedom Maker is ready for more.

They become a trusted partner who can confidently step into other areas of the business. Your Freedom Maker can begin supporting your business across marketing, operations, and client relations. And the best part? You don’t need to re-explain your business from scratch. They already know it from the inside out.

Here’s what expanding your Freedom Maker’s role can look like:

Social media and digital marketing management : Scheduling posts, engaging with your audience, and creating on-brand content
Email marketing : Managing newsletters, automations, and campaigns inside tools like Mailchimp, MailerLite, or ConvertKit
Market research : Gathering competitive insights, identifying new trends, or sourcing leads for partnerships
Customer support : Handling inquiries and following up with clients so you stay in your CEO zone
CRM updates & data entry : Keeping your client databases clean, accurate, and ready for action
Calendar & scheduling : Coordinating meetings, events, and keeping your day running smoothly
Content creation and content repurposing : Turning your blogs, podcasts, or videos into bite-sized posts, quotes, or newsletters
Workflow documentation : Capturing repeatable processes so your business runs smoother (even when you’re not the one doing the work)

Email is just the gateway. Once your Freedom Maker is inside your business rhythms, they can grow with you and give you back more time, energy, and space for you to focus on what matters most.

What Changes When Email Delegation Is Done Well

When you hand off your inbox to someone skilled and trustworthy, everything shifts.

You reclaim the hours you’ve been spending responding, sorting, and following up, and reinvest them in the work only you can do. You stop carrying the mental load of keeping up with every message. You show up to each day with more clarity, focus, and intention.

And, your communication stays responsive and aligned, but now it runs without you being the bottleneck.

Instead of being buried in messages, you’re leading the business from the front.

If your email inbox is still running your day, it’s time to delegate it to a Freedom Maker virtual assistant who can manage the details, protect your voice, and keep things moving. All without needing constant oversight.

Freedom Makers Virtual Services connects you with skilled military spouse virtual assistants who understand service, discretion, and integrity.

When you are ready to reclaim the first two hours of every morning, schedule a call with our Discovery Team to see how email delegation can clear your path for 2026

Busy Isn’t a Business Plan: Build One Backed by Support

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 16:06:43 GMT

Is It Time for a Workflow Check-In?

If you're running a business, chances are your to-do list has turned into a way of life. You're replying to client messages between meetings, managing your calendar during lunch, and squeezing in backend admin tasks during “free time” that doesn’t really exist.

That might have felt invigorating at some point. The adrenaline rush of building something is real and exciting. The surge of “getting stuff done” pushes you along.

However, at some point, the day-to-day pace starts to feel relentless. It’s not because you're doing something wrong. It’s just not sustainable to sprint day after day.

The feeling of exhaustion is often a sign that you've outgrown the way your business currently runs.

That’s why it’s worth stepping back once in a while and asking yourself:

What’s on my plate that doesn’t actually need to stay there?
Where am I relying on memory or last-minute hustle instead of a clear process?
What kind of support (person, a platform, or a system) could lighten the load?

These aren’t just operational questions. They’re strategic ones. Because the way your day-to-day runs shapes how you lead, how your business grows, and how sustainable your success really is.

Not Everything That’s Yours Still Belongs to You

Early on in your business, it made sense to do it all. Staying close to every detail is how you learned, how you survived, how you made any money at all. Bootstrapping is a rite of passage.

But as your business evolves, what used to be necessary can start to become a bottleneck. You might find yourself doing tasks you’re good at, but that no longer energize you. Or you’re doing tasks you’re not particularly good at, so you can’t envision how to do them better, how to templatize or streamline them. Or worse, putting off projects that matter. You can’t launch a new offer, improve your clients’ experience, or just take a true break because you're stuck in maintenance mode.

Here are a few signs that something might be ready to come off your plate:

You’re handling recurring admin tasks that someone else could easily manage.
You regularly forget or delay simple but time-consuming work because you hate spending the time to do it.
You feel a sense of dread or avoidance around certain parts of your business.

These are flags, not failures. And more often than not, they’re invitations to make space for something better.

Don’t Worry: You Don’t Need to Get Organized First

Once you recognize that something(s) needs to come off your plate, the next thought is often: “But I’m not ready.” Maybe there’s no neat system to hand over. Maybe you haven’t written anything down. Maybe the whole process only exists in your head, and barely works at that.

Good news: You don’t have to fix that before bringing someone in.

One of the most valuable things about working with a talented virtual assistant like a Freedom Maker is that they don’t need you to build a system for them to step into. A Freedom Maker virtual assistant can help you create the system, or even create it for you. In fact, that’s often part of the value they bring.

Whether it’s untangling a clunky client onboarding process, organizing your inbox, or streamlining how you manage content or contracts, your Freedom Maker can come in, observe how things currently work (even if it’s barely working), and help improve it from the inside.

They can:

Take messy, manual workflows and turn them into repeatable steps.
Identify where you're duplicating effort or losing time.
Build out SOPs as they go, so you don’t have to do it first.

You’re not expected to prepare a perfect handoff. You just have to be willing to open the door.

In fact, one of the biggest shifts to embrace is this: you don’t need a perfect process before bringing someone on. The process can emerge because you did. The idea that you have to pause everything, clean up your workflows, and create systems in isolation before engaging support? That’s outdated. When you work with a Freedom Maker, the support itself often creates the structure. Together, you can uncover what’s working, clean up what’s not, and turn everyday chaos into a smooth, repeatable rhythm.

Where Support Can Start to Bring Structure

Think about:

What tasks do you find yourself doing more than once a week?
Which steps in your client journey feel inconsistent or disorganized?
Where you lose the most time hunting for links, files, or answers.

Recognizing these patterns is the first step, but letting go of them is often where resistance shows up. That’s because delegation usually is more of a mindset challenge than a technical one.

The real work lies in shifting the habits and expectations that come from doing everything yourself.

Even when the tasks are clear, handing them off can feel like a leap. But that’s okay. Like anything else in your business, delegation is a skill you can build with practice, patience, and support.

Delegation is a Practice, Not a Personality Trait

Delegation doesn’t come naturally to every entrepreneur. Some worry they’ll lose control. Others feel guilty asking for help. Some don’t even know what they’d delegate if they had the chance.

But delegation is not a talent. It’s a skill or a muscle that improves with practice and time under tension.

Many Freedom Makers clients start small. They hand off simple tasks like social media scheduling , email cleanup, or calendar management . Over time, as trust grows and rhythms are established, they expand into higher-level support: client onboarding, content production, operations oversight.

What they often discover is that letting go of the right things doesn't create distance from their business; it creates clarity within it.

And that clarity? It’s often the beginning of real momentum.

When you stop trying to hold everything together on your own, you create space for growth, for rest, for strategic thinking… and for being the kind of leader your business really needs.

You don’t have to figure it all out before getting support. In fact, that’s exactly what our discovery process is for.

We start with a conversation. Our Discovery Calls are a strategic, thoughtful, deep dive into how your business actually runs. We talk about what’s working, what’s not, and where you’re carrying more than you need to. From there, we help you map out the areas where support would make the biggest impact.

Then we craft your opportunity for our community and introduce you to experienced Freedom Makers who are not only qualified but also interested in your work. You get to meet them, ask questions, and choose the right fit for your goals, your working style, and your vision. The final decision is always yours.

What we provide is a thoughtful, personalized roadmap to getting support that is practical and focused on helping you reclaim your time and momentum.

Real Growth Starts When You Step Out of the Grind

It might feel counterintuitive, but your business becomes stronger when you're not the only one holding it all together. When you build in structure, invite in support, and let go of tasks that no longer require your direct involvement, you’re creating something sustainable.

More clarity. More time for strategy. More room for rest.

Stop being busy and start being intentional. Reach out to our Discovery Team today to explore where you need support, meet experienced Freedom Makers ready to help, and take the first step toward building a business that doesn’t rely solely on you to thrive.

Maximize Your Virtual Assistant’s Support This Holiday Season and New Year

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 05:38:16 GMT

Time moves differently at the end of the year.

The holidays bring business owners the three 'C's: celebration, connection, and chaos. There are year-end reviews to complete, clients to thank, personal errands to run, goals to wrap up, and new ones to plan for. Whether you're hosting a dinner, finalizing next year's budget, or simply trying to get a few quiet days offline, the hours seem to shrink while the demands keep growing.

This time of year can feel like trying to sprint a marathon in dress shoes. You're getting it done, but are you finishing strong? You're for sure eyeing the calendar (the finish line), and wondering when you'll finally catch your breath.

But here's the thing: you're not supposed to do it all. Not anymore - because now, you have a Freedom Maker. The end-of-year holiday season is when you should lean into that support.

Many business owners underestimate what their virtual assistant is capable of, simply because the day-to-day rhythm feels "good enough." You might have a system in place with your Freedom Maker: they handle your calendar, your inbox, your blog posts or social content, and things feel steady.

But the end of the year is anything but "steady."

Now is the time to look at the bigger picture and ask yourself: " Am I fully utilizing the support I already have? "

Your Freedom Maker can do more than maintain the status quo or continue executing the tasks you've delegated. They can take additional things off your plate, out of your head, and into a system that lets you reclaim some time. They can also help you as you plan ahead. All it takes is a conversation.

Whether it's coordinating client appreciation gifts, researching a new platform you've been eyeing, preparing a holiday newsletter, or even ordering those stamps for your family's holiday cards, your Freedom Maker likely has the skill and bandwidth to make it happen. They're more often than not ready for more responsibility than you've given them, and can step in quickly to help you execute holiday or year-end tasks.

Next, look beyond the holidays: what do you want the new year to feel like?

This season also offers something more than a chance to offload short-term tasks: it's a rare, natural pause point to reflect and plan.

Once the rush of December ends, there's a brief window of quiet between the holidays, and when everything picks up again, you have the chance to think clearly. What do you want your business to feel like in January? What do you want to build in the first quarter? What do you NOT want to keep doing?

Your Freedom Maker can be an integral part of that process. They know your business. They understand your working style. They can help you level up through delegation in the New Year.

Start with Reflection and Reassignment

As you take stock of 2025 and prepare for 2026, one of the most powerful steps you can take is reassessing what's currently on your plate and what doesn't need to be.

This is where our Task Audit comes in. It's an effective tool that helps you map out everything you're doing, categorize tasks by type or priority, and identify areas where your Freedom Maker could take the lead. (Clients, click HERE for your specific Assignment Task Audit ).

Often, clients are surprised by just how much they're still holding onto out of habit or hesitation. Maybe you've delegated the obvious tasks, but what about the ones that are:

Easy, but frequent?
Time-consuming, but not high-value?
Not in your zone of genius?

Your Freedom Maker can be asked to help with additional things like:

Streamlining client onboarding or offboarding processes
Managing ongoing campaigns or content calendars
Preparing reports or organizing data
Setting up recurring tasks or automations
Creating or updating internal documentation

Each of these moves you one step closer to working on your business instead of being stuck in it.

Invite Your Freedom Maker into Your Vision

The fundamental shift happens when your Freedom Maker isn't just executing tasks but is actively supporting your vision.

If you start thinking of your Freedom Maker as a collaborator they can help you build better systems, spot inefficiencies, and turn ideas into actionable steps. Your Freedom Maker is already on your team, so you don't need to start from scratch to get serious support. By expanding the scope of your Freedom Maker's involvement in your business, you can give your business the structure it needs to thrive with less hustle and more clarity.

By the time January rolls around, you can have a real plan, a strong partner, and the breathing room to focus on what only you can do!

How Smart Delegation Strengthens Associations and Their Missions

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 16:47:24 GMT

Every association exists to serve. Associations bring people together, strengthen communities, and create impact through purpose-driven work. But every association executive knows that the daily reality of running a member-based organization can be consuming, pulling leaders away from strategy and connection. Between coordinating events, managing renewals, supporting a board, and keeping communication flowing, even the most capable team can feel stretched thin.

That’s where smart, intentional delegation comes in.

For associations, delegation is about getting support and empowering your organization to work efficiently so you can stay focused on advancing your mission. An experienced virtual assistant can streamline operations, handle daily to-do list items, and create the breathing room association leaders need to think strategically again.

The Hidden Weight of Association Operations

Associations thrive on relationships, but running one means balancing multiple layers of responsibility. A typical day might include coordinating board meetings, managing committee communications, planning events, sending reminders, and updating membership databases. A critical part of every day is also ensuring all members feel heard and valued.

Those moving parts are essential, but they can also become overwhelming. When an executive director or key staff member spends hours responding to emails, juggling calendars, or troubleshooting a registration list, strategic work inevitably gets delayed.

The result? Exhaustion, slower progress on goals, and a growing list of unfinished initiatives.

The truth is, association leaders can’t - and shouldn’t - do it all. Delegating administrative, technical, and operational tasks to the right people allows leadership to focus on the work that truly drives impact. Freed from the “weeds” of admin work, you can concentrate on building partnerships, expanding membership, and advancing the mission.

What a Virtual Assistant Can Do for Associations

At Freedom Makers Virtual Services, our military-affiliated virtual assistants bring structure, reliability, and calm to busy organizations. We match each client with a selection of Freedom Makers who have the skills and experience to support their unique needs. The client then chooses the Freedom Maker who they believe has the combination of platform knowledge and people skills that best aligns with the organization's culture.

Here are just a few ways a Freedom Maker can help an association work more efficiently and effectively:

Why Freedom Makers Are the Right Partners for Associations

Associations are built on purpose. They exist to connect, educate, advocate, and serve something larger than themselves. That same sense of service drives every Freedom Maker.

Our team of military-affiliated professionals understands what it means to commit to a mission. They know how to dig in, adapt, and deliver. Freedom Makers don’t just complete tasks but become reliable partners who help meaningful organizations thrive.

Freedom Makers don’t just check boxes. They take ownership, bring structure to complexity, and approach each role with the mindset of supporting something that matters. Over time, they can grow with your organization, learn its rhythms, and become an integral part of your team.

When an association partners with a Freedom Maker, they get more than skilled virtual support. They gain a mission-aligned professional who shares their dedication to service, integrity, and excellence.

The Power of Delegation in Mission-Driven Work

Delegation can sometimes be feared as a loss of control. In reality, it’s one of the most strategic decisions an association leader or business owner can make. With the right delegation strategy, associations can:

Operate more efficiently, with consistent systems and processes.
Improve communication and follow-up with members and stakeholders.
Reduce burnout among leadership and staff.
Deliver a more cohesive, member-centered experience.

In short, delegation creates space for innovation. It allows leaders to step back from constant maintenance and instead move their organizations forward with confidence.

A Partner Who Understands Associations

At Freedom Makers Virtual Services, we know how much effort it takes to keep an association running smoothly because we support small businesses and growth-ori ented organizations just like yours every day.

Our culture encourages Freedom Maker virtual assistants to anticipate needs, organize chaos, and adapt quickly when priorities shift. Whether you need regular administrative support, a dedicated virtual executive assistant , or help weekly to keep your social media consistent , we’ll connect you with someone who can become a seamless part of your team.

At Freedom Makers, we believe that when your team has the support it needs, impact is amplified.

Reach out to our Discovery team to learn more about how a Freedom Maker can help your particular association streamline, strengthen, and serve with renewed focus.

Close Out Strong, Start 2026 Stronger: How a Virtual Assistant Handles Year-End Business Chaos

Sat, 11 Oct 2025 01:01:19 GMT

Imagine: It's mid-December. You're buried under receipts, client reports, holiday cards, emails, team bonuses, and the desire to set things in motion for the new year.

For small business owners, the end of the year isn't just busier - it's busier in a different way.

The usual demands of running a business are still there, but now layered with holiday travel, family traditions, and a natural desire to slow down. The pace shifts, but the workload doesn't.

It's still only October, but now is precisely the right time to think about getting support for the holiday season and beyond.

A virtual assistant can help you close out the year with less stress and more structure so you enjoy the holiday season. A skilled virtual assistant will help you create the organizational momentum that will take you into the new year.

The End-of-Year Squeeze: Too Much to Do, Not Enough Time

For small business owners, the end of the year brings with it a cascade of tasks:

Reconciling finances for taxes
Evaluating annual performance (yours, your team's, your business as a whole)
Cleaning up your CRM
Sending out client gifts and cards
Preparing 1099s and W-2s
Reviewing contracts, subscriptions, and tools
Updating SOPs and workflows
Auditing your website and digital presence
Setting Q1 goals
Planning next year's budget
Renewing internal platforms, business licenses, and insurance

That's just the business side. Add in the pressure of attending (or hosting) holiday parties, family time, gift shopping, and the personal need for rest, and it's no wonder so many business owners step into January already burnt out.

A Virtual Assistant Can Change the Game

A great virtual assistant doesn't just take tasks off your plate, though that is the key element to getting support. He or she can also help you create time and mental space for what matters most.

Here's how a virtual assistant can step in to support your year-end to-do list so you can wrap up the year with less stress and more space to focus on what matters most

Financial & Admin Wrap-Up

Think:

Reconciling expenses
Collecting W-9s from contractors
Organizing receipts
Preparing vendor spreadsheets
Reviewing outstanding invoices

A virtual assistant can gather documentation, track down missing receipts, and prepare end-of-year reports for your bookkeeper. They can also ensure all contractors have submitted their W-9s and help prep for 1099 filings.

Client Communication & Holiday Outreach

Think:

Creating and mailing holiday cards
Assembling and sending client gifts
Drafting end-of-year email campaigns
Managing your social media holiday calendar

If you carve the time to thank your clients and customers at the end of the year, your business stands out. This meaningful gesture can fall last on the to-do list because it is time consuming. A virtual assistant can handle sourcing, mailing, and managing your holiday outreach, keeping you one step ahead of your competitors.

Reviewing and Refreshing Your Systems

Think:

CRM clean-up
Updating SOPs
Reviewing automation tools and subscriptions
Offboarding old team members or contractors

A virtual assistant can help assess what tools you're still using and which ones are no longer bringing value. They can streamline workflows using tools like Asana, Process Street, or Slack, and help update your SOPs using a screen recording tool like Loom .

Goal Planning and Strategy Support

Think:

Prepping data for goal reviews
Summarizing client wins and losses
Creating slide decks or dashboards for year-end meetings
Scheduling 2026 planning sessions

A virtual assistant can help you visualize the big picture by pulling performance metrics, helping organize planning sessions, and even building out your 2026 roadmap so you can focus on your new year strategy.

Making Time for a Break

This one may be the most important:

A virtual assistant allows you to step away.

When you can delegate routine check-ins, holiday scheduling, customer inquiries, and even social posting, you can take a real break, where you don't check your phone every 10 minutes.

Clients like Susan Mathason have said that thanks to her Freedom Maker, she's been able to spend more time with her family during tough seasons and still feel confident her clients are taken care of.

End the Year with Intention, Not Overwhelm

Running a small business requires hustle, but it shouldn't cost you peace. You deserve to celebrate your wins, spend time with your people, and start 2026 with a clear head and a whole heart.

With the right support - like a Freedom Maker virtual assistant - you can finish the year with clarity, confidence, and a solid plan for what's next. Take the first step toward holiday freedom now by reaching out to our Discovery Team . We can help you match with the right Freedom Maker now, so you'll be positioned to head into the holiday season and the new year organized, supported, and ahead of the game.

Why Every Small Business Owner Needs a U.S.-Based Virtual Assistant for Client Onboarding and Care

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 13:30:29 GMT

If you're a small business owner, there's a moment you probably know well: the thrill of signing a new client. It's an exciting rush of possibility!

Then, inevitably, comes the stress of everything that comes after. That rush is short-lived due to all the admin work that follows signing on a new client.

Onboarding. Emails. CRM updates. Meeting scheduling. Follow-ups.

It all matters! But if you're honest, it can also feel like a time-sucking blur that distracts you from the actual work you love to do. And the worst part? When client communication slips through the cracks, trust and satisfaction start to erode before your real work even begins.

That's where a client care virtual assistant can step in and totally transform your business.

What is a Virtual Assistant for Client Onboarding and Care?

A virtual assistant for client onboarding is someone who helps manage the intake of new clients, including scheduling kickoff calls, setting up accounts, gathering documents, and updating your CRM (Customer Relationship Management system) to ensure everything is organized. They create a smooth, professional first impression that says, "You're in good hands."

A virtual assistant for client care k eeps the relationship between you and your client strong. They handle follow-up emails, manage your calendar , respond to routine questions, and make sure your clients never feel forgotten.

Many types of virtual assistants do this kind of work. International agencies often claim that their virtual assistants have the ability to take care of some of these tasks at a low hourly rate. However, when you bring a U.S.-based virtual assistant onto your team, you get someone who naturally understands the culture and communication style of your clients. There's less explaining. Fewer misunderstandings. More trust.

And the ability to scale.

A Freedom Maker specializing in client intake virtual support can take ownership of the entire journey from lead to loyal client, truly becoming an extension of your business. Some everyday tasks regularly performed by Freedom Makers include:

Responding to new client inquiries and updating lead info in your CRM
Scheduling and calendar management (via email or phone follow-up)
Managing intake forms and collecting required documentation
Sending appointment reminders and follow-up emails
Responding to FAQs with pre-approved scripts
Updating and maintaining client records in spreadsheets or CRMs
Assisting with onboarding workflows using tools like Jane, Acuity, Calendly, or HoneyBook
Supporting basic website updates related to client intake (bios, forms, FAQs)

A Freedom Maker becomes the first friendly face of your brand, and a known name on email correspondence, messaging, and confirmation outreach. They ensure that each prospect and client feels welcomed, guided, and supported from the very first touchpoint.

How a Client Care Virtual Assistant Supports Small Business Growth

Across hundreds of assignments, we've seen client intake and client care support transform small businesses. Here are a few client "wins" we've seen when a Freedom Maker virtual assistant is brought on to help care for clients:

A small business coach who hated handling the technology aspects of his business now relies on their Freedom Maker virtual assistant to handle every step of their onboarding flow, from sending contracts via Adobe Sign to setting up clients in their CRM. Instead of scrambling through email threads, he's confident that each client is cared for every time.

A marketing consultant offloaded her entire intake system. Her Freedom Maker virtual assistant collects info through a form, creates client folders, and adds everything into project management tools like Asana or ClickUp. She is able to just show up for the kickoff meeting, ready to deliver.

A service provider juggling two businesses realized their Freedom Maker virtual assistant could be the bridge between him and his clients. She now answers emails, tracks tasks, and even sends thank-you gifts after successful launches.

Our client data consistently shows that bringing a Freedom Maker virtual assistant who specializes in client intake and care onto your team reduces the burden of administrative tasks so you can focus on doing the work you actually built your business to do.

Why Small Business Owners Specifically Need This Support

If you're like many of our clients, you are busy, passionate, and service-driven. And you've likely hit a point where doing it all yourself either just isn't sustainable or has become a burden you no longer want to shoulder.

Delegating your client intake and experience support can allow you to:

Spend more quality time with each client
Build out new content, courses, or white papers
Deepen your offers with strategic thinking and innovation
Focus on the big picture
Integrate a better balance , so you feel better and avoid burnout

Bringing a Freedom Maker virtual assistant who specializes in client care onto your team is a win-win. Your clients get an excellent experience, and you get relief, as well as a renewed energy to focus on what you genuinely love doing.

Reach out to our Discovery Team to discuss how a Freedom Maker can help your business run more smoothly!

Bring on a Data Entry Virtual Assistant to Save Time, Prevent Errors, and Boost Growth

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 16:20:57 GMT

Why Data Entry is Costing You More Than You Think

Every business owner understands the importance of accurate data. Client records, CRM updates, invoices, calendars, and email exchange history are the operational backbone of a thriving business. But just because it’s essential doesn’t mean you should be the one doing it.

If you’re spending hours updating spreadsheets or chasing down client information, it’s time to ask yourself: Is this really the best use of my time?

Manual data management is necessary, but it’s also one of the most significant time drains entrepreneurs face. A survey by Time etc. found that entrepreneurs spend an average of 36% of their workweek on administrative tasks like invoicing, data entry, and scheduling. That translates to critical time that could otherwise be spent growing your business, nurturing client relationships, or launching new products.

A Data Entry Virtual Assistant can transform your day-to-day operations by freeing you from repetitive, error-prone tasks, so you can get back to focusing on growth.

The Hidden Cost of Doing Data Entry Yourself

When you started your business, it probably wasn’t because you loved inputting numbers into spreadsheets. More likely, you had a passion for your products, services, or clients. But as your business builds, you might find yourself buried under:

Entering payment data
Updating client notes in a CRM
Scheduling appointments and follow-ups

These to-do list items are critical because when data entry isn’t done consistently or correctly, it quickly lead to big problems like missed payments, a breakdown in client communication, tax implications, or even legal headaches.

Outsourcing this administrative work to a Data Entry Virtual Assistant who enjoys and is skilled at this type of meticulous detail work ensures your information is accurate, up to date, and easy to access.

Case Study: From Overwhelmed to Organized

Brandon, a financial services entrepreneur, came to us when he became frustrated by messy spreadsheets, missed updates, and inconsistent records. He was spending more time fixing backend issues than serving his clients.

We matched him with Sarah, a Freedom Maker specializing in data and systems support. Within weeks, Sarah:

Migrated all client data to a simpler CRM
Set up automated appointment scheduling
Organized payment logs for accuracy and easy tracking

The result? Brandon reclaimed his time, improved his client experience, and grew his services without being chained to his admin work.

What a Data Entry Virtual Assistant Can Do for You

Freedom Makers who specializes in data and systems support are skilled in the platforms and workflows that keep your operations running . This combination of traits make them easy partners in efficiency.

Common tasks include:

Organizing and maintaining up-to-date client records
Tracking invoices and payments to prevent missed revenue
Keeping your CRM clean for better follow-ups
Automating appointment scheduling and reminders
Running regular data audits to catch costly errors early

Additionally, our Freedom Makers who specialize as Data Entry Virtual Assistants are often a business owner’s first line of defense against client and customer headaches. They can identify inconsistencies and warn you if they spot missing information, data gaps, or future conflicts.

Tools We Use to Make Your Life Easier

Most Freedom Makers are proficient in the platforms you already use, which means faster onboarding and immediate results. Or, they can take your non-system systems and streamline workflows by suggesting and implementing today’s best platforms. Popular tools include:

CRM platforms: HubSpot, Keap, Thryv
Project management: Asana, Monday.com, Airtable
Data tracking: Google Sheets, Excel
Automation: Zapier, workflow integrations

Even if your current system is disorganized, a Data Entry Virtual Assistant can bring structure and efficiency from day one.

The ROI of Hiring a Data Entry Virtual Assistant

Outsourcing data entry isn’t just about getting tasks off your plate. It’s about transforming how you work. By delegating to a skilled Data Entry Virtual Assistant, you can get back valuable hours each week for the higher-value work that grows your business. A Freedom Maker specializing in Data Management can help you prevent costly errors that could ruin client relationships or your bottom line. You'll gain confidence knowing your business data is always accurate and that there are streamlined systems in place.

As your Freedom Maker becomes more integrated into your operations, they can easily step in and support your marketing, operations, or scheduling. They can become a partner in your business, maximizing your return on investment.

A Data Entry Virtual Assistant from Freedom Makers can give you the accuracy, efficiency, and time freedom to focus on what matters most. Contact our Discovery Team today, and we’ll match you with the perfect Freedom Maker to support your next level of success.

Redefining Balance: Achieving Work-Life Integration Through Delegation

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 15:23:07 GMT

The statistics are striking:

81% of business owners work nights
89% work weekends
Many work more than 49 hours a week

Yet, research shows that working more than 40 hours per week negatively impacts our health, relationships, and longevity.

Burnout, exhaustion, and chronic stress often follow. How do small business owners avoid this trap without sacrificing their goals?

At Freedom Makers, we believe the answer isn't about "balance." It's about work-life integration.

What Is Work-Life Integration?

Unlike "balance," which weighs work against life, integration means designing a life where your work and personal priorities coexist naturally. In other words, it's not about splitting time evenly. It's about making space for what matters most.

That starts with outsourcing the tasks that drain your time and energy.

Work-Life Integration in Action

JD Schramm , a leadership communication coach and longtime business owner, knew the value of staying close to his clients. However, operational tasks kept chipping away at his focus. In his case, he didn't decide to bring a Freedom Maker virtual assistant onto his team to get more done. Instead, he started outsourcing tasks to a virtual executive assistant to get back to his purpose. As he explains, "I'm no longer the one digging into slide formatting, onboarding tools, or payment processors. My EA figures it out, gets it done, and keeps things moving."

Before that, he was the one managing every detail, which left little time for what actually mattered. JD needed a partner to manage the back-end logistics so he could stay forward-facing with clients.

Freedom Maker Jacqueline came on board and has built systems for email triage, CRM upkeep, event coordination, Zoom logistics, and follow‑ups.

With Jackie handling his systems, onboarding tools, and back-end logistics, JD has found space again for his clients, his business growth, and his personal life.

"Since bringing on an EA through Freedom Makers Virtual Services, I've been able to shift more of my focus back to clients and business development... That time back has made room for deeper client work as well as for family time I wasn't getting before." – JD Schramm

JD's experience is a clear example of how outsourcing the right tasks can create more space . How you use that space - for deeper client work, for family time, or working in the parts of business that energize you - is up to you. In JD's case, he didn't split his time more evenly between "work" and "life." He simply started spending his work time on the things that truly needed his focus, and handed off the rest.

Where to Begin: The Task Audit

Most small business owners are caught in the weeds. Not because they're doing anything wrong, but because they're doing everything. Most don't start their companies to spend their days in spreadsheets, answering scheduling emails, or manually updating CRMs. And yet, that's precisely what consumes so many of their hours.

Entrepreneurs don't lack vision. They lack capacity.

We encourage the small business owners who come to us for support to hand off tasks of their choosing to a Freedom Maker virtual assistant. Not everything needs to be outsourced. Some operational tasks might actually energize you or help you feel grounded within your business. Those drivers are unique to you.

Our Task Audit is a free tool that helps you:

Identify what truly needs your attention
Highlight what can be handed off
Begin prioritizing your time more strategically

Work-life integration doesn't happen by accident.

It's a choice, and it starts with deciding what you can let go of. We believe in creating pairings that support you and your business where you need and want assistance so that you can lead your business with clarity and intention.

�� Take our Task Audit and begin your journey to true integration. ��

And if you are already working with a Freedom Maker, now may be the perfect time to take your delegation journey to the next level. If you've already outsourced your inbox or calendar, what's next?

Use our Assignment Task Audit (found on your Client Resources Page) to:

Reevaluate what's still on your plate
Identify new areas your Freedom Maker can support
Continue evolving your partnership toward even better integration

Reclaim Your Time And Realign Your Energy

Work-life integration isn't a milestone you reach; it's something you continually shape.

Just as your priorities shift as your business grows, so will your work-life integration. When you get clarity on what you are willing to outsource, you let go of the tasks that no longer require your direct attention, you make room for the kind of presence that fuels both your business and your life.

So, whether you're just starting to explore outsourcing or already working with a Freedom Maker, take another look at your task list. The more intentionally you delegate, the more fully you can show up for your business, your clients, and yourself.

Reach out to our Discovery team today so we can help you find the right support for your unique business needs.

What a Virtual Executive Assistant Does (and Why Your Business Needs One)

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 14:22:47 GMT

There’s a point in every growing business where the admin work starts to get in the way. You’re managing your calendar, answering emails, prepping for client meetings, following up with vendors, and somehow still trying to plan your next launch or hire and spend quality time with your clients and customers.

It’s a lot.

A virtual executive assistant is someone who can step in and help with all of that remotely, and on an hourly-as-needed basis. They work alongside business owners and entrepreneurs to manage the back end of operations, allowing the front-facing, client-side aspects to run more smoothly.

Virtual executive assistants can also support higher-level functions, like project management, internal coordination, and client communications , in addition to more basic admin tasks like calendar and email management, allowing them to develop into true partners in your business’s success.

Virtual executive assistants create space so you can focus on the work only you can do.

What Does a Virtual Executive Assistant Actually Do?

Every virtual executive assistant’s role looks a little different, depending on the business and the type of support needed, but there are some common threads.

For many of our clients who bring a virtual executive assistant onto their team, the relationship often begins with basic administrative tasks, such as managing your calendar, ensuring meetings are scheduled (and not double-booked), and helping to manage your inbox. From there, it often expands into:

Coordinating travel plans and creating detailed itineraries

Preparing meeting agendas and tracking action items

Managing client onboarding or intake steps

Organizing and updating CRMs or shared drives

Supporting internal and external communication or managing simple projects

What sets virtual executive assistants apart isn’t just the list of tasks they can handle. It’s the way they approach those tasks. A skilled virtual executive assistant brings experience and also has the awareness to take initiative. They tend to notice when something is slipping or when a system could be smoother, even if no one’s pointed it out. This initiative allows them to solve problems before they become problems.

Over time, your virtual executive assistant can become a steady presence in your business. The kind of person who follows through, keeps things from falling through the cracks, and brings a level of reliability that lets you finally breathe a little easier.

Why Not Just Hire an Assistant in Person?

For years, the default was to hire someone in-house. But for many companies operating in today’s business landscape, that model doesn’t always make sense.

What makes a valuable executive assistant is their ability to provide high-level support to leaders by taking on essential administrative responsibilities that keep a business running smoothly. They manage a ton of admin, draft communications, plan travel, and ensure follow-up on key tasks. Executive assistants (virtual or otherwise) have excellent organizational skills, discretion, and the ability to work independently while supporting others. Whether sitting just outside the executive’s office or operating remotely, they help free up time, reduce overwhelm, and create more space for strategic decision-making.

The key difference lies in how the support is delivered. Traditional executive assistants work on-site as salaried employees, typically receiving benefits and using company-provided tools and equipment. Virtual executive assistants, on the other hand, offer the same level of support but do so remotely, on a flexible, hourly basis. They are experienced professionals who manage their own business operations, including taxes, insurance, and training. They stay up to date with emerging platforms and systems, continually learning new project management software and CRMs, and are often able to offer suggestions to improve workflows.

Here’s how the two compare:

Flexibility That Works for Your Budget

In addition to a more heads-up approach to the tools and technology that enhance efficiency, a huge differentiator between hiring an in-house executive assistant and bringing a virtual executive assistant onto your team is cost and flexibility.

Traditional executive assistants are typically full-time employees with a fixed salary, regardless of workload or business conditions. Whether it’s a busy season or a slower quarter, what you pay them stays the same. For small businesses with fluctuating needs or uncertain cash flow, this model can be limiting.

Bringing a virtual executive assistant onto your team offer a more adaptable solution. They charge only for the number of hours worked each week.

The virtual executive assistants in our Freedom Makers Virtual Services community work hourly, to the minute, and we never round up. That means you can scale support up or down depending on your current workload or financial bandwidth.

A few key advantages:

Cost control: Pay only for the hours or deliverables you need

Scalability: Adjust support seasonally or based on your business cycles

No overhead: Virtual executive assistants manage their taxes, insurance, and equipment

Faster impact: They often require minimal onboarding and come ready to contribute

Virtual executive assistants also understand the realities of small business ownership. They know that budgets shift and priorities evolve. Most are comfortable adapting their hours and responsibilities as your needs change, without disruption.

And because virtual executive assistants operate independently, they know how to customize their support to fit each client’s unique goals. They can prioritize high-impact tasks, offer process improvements, and assume responsibilities beyond traditional administrative work.

Their proactive approach enables you to stretch your budget and provides more value for every hour worked.

How to Know When It’s Time to Bring on a Virtual Executive Assistant

If you’ve ever wrapped up your workday and thought, “I was busy all day, but I’m not sure what I actually got done,” you’re not alone. For many business owners, that moment of frustration is what leads them to consider a virtual executive assistant. It’s not necessarily about being “too busy.” It’s about realizing that your time is being spent on things someone else could be handling.

A virtual executive assistant gives you more than just help with tasks. They provide you with breathing room. They create space in your day by not only managing your calendar or inbox, but also by helping you build better systems so things don’t pile up in the first place.

The truth is, most people don’t start with a clear delegation plan. That’s okay. You don’t need to have every detail mapped out. What you do need is to notice the patterns and signals that suggest it’s time for support. Have you ever noticed that:

You’re spending more time organizing and managing work than actually doing it

Follow-up emails, meeting logistics, or small project steps are starting to fall through the cracks

You’ve delayed launching something important because the backend isn’t in place

Your to-do list is long on “someday” tasks that never seem to get done

You know what needs to be handed off, but you haven’t had time to make it happen

When a new client comes to us, we reassure them that they don’t need a complete SOP binder or a polished onboarding plan to bring a virtual executive assistant onto their team. They just need a starting point and a willingness to let someone step in. Often, the act of handing off just one task opens the door to a much smoother, more focused way of working. That’s how it begins for many of our clients. And for most of them, it’s what makes growth finally feel possible again.

What to Look for in a Virtual Executive Assistant

There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to support. The best virtual executive assistant for your business is one who not only has the skills to manage your specific needs, but can also align with how you work and become dedicated to the mission of your business.

You’ll want someone who communicates clearly , follows through, and isn’t afraid to ask clarifying questions or even push back when something doesn’t make sense. These are the kinds of soft skills that make a remote partnership successful. Experience supporting other small businesses or remote teams is a plus, as is comfort with tools like Google Workspace, Slack, or project management platforms.

Technical proficiency is pretty easy to identify. What matters more is how a virtual executive assistant candidate thinks, how they organize, and how they collaborate.

At Freedom Makers, we begin the process of finding you the right support by helping you clarify what kind of support you need. Our matching process is over 10 years in the making - we know good partnerships are not just about what tasks will be delegated, but what kind of communication style and initiative level will work best. Some clients prefer someone who executes with precision based on detailed instructions. Others want a virtual executive assistant who can take a general idea and run with it.

Understanding that distinction upfront leads to our success making strong matches and exceptional outcomes.

If You’re Thinking About It...

A virtual executive assistant brings more than task management; they bring steadiness, adaptability, and the kind of proactive thinking that helps businesses not only function but grow. Whether you’re growing and scaling your business or simply trying to reclaim time for the work that matters most, a virtual executive assistant can become a powerful force behind the scenes, helping you run your business with greater ease, clarity, and confidence.

If you’re curious or even just considering what this kind of support could look like for your business, book a call with our Discovery Team . We can help you find the right virtual executive assistant for your business who can help you find a bit more space, a bit more order, and a bit more time to do the work you actually want to be doing.

How to Keep Your Virtual Assistant Aligned With Your Business Goals

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 00:32:14 GMT

Running a business often feels like driving a car while the road is still being built. You're steering toward your next goal, dodging obstacles, making decisions in real time, and sometimes changing direction altogether. Maybe you've got a team member or virtual assistant in the passenger seat, helping you navigate, checking your blind spots, and handling the little things so you can keep your eyes on the constantly changing road ahead.

But here's where it gets interesting. Driving your business isn't always about big, sweeping turns. More often, it's a series of small adjustments, quiet course corrections, and tiny refinements that slowly steer you toward your next chapter. And that's exactly why your Freedom Maker virtual assistant (or any virtual team member) needs regular business alignment meetings with you throughout the year.

Even if their day-to-day work seems steady and predictable, your business is quietly evolving behind the scenes. Quarterly or mid-year check-ins give both of you a chance to pause, take a breath, and make sure you're still headed where you want to go .

Routine Tasks, Evolving Business

Your Freedom Maker might be managing your inbox , updating your CRM, handling social media, or managing client care. Those tasks may not change dramatically from month to month. But your business is not standing still.

If you are exploring a new service offering, adjusting your pricing, or entering a busy (or light) season, those shifts may seem internal or specific to you.

However, they can ripple out into areas your Freedom Maker virtual assistant touches every day.

That's why scheduling intentional conversations about your business strategy at natural points during the year, whether they are quarterly or every six months, can be one of the smartest habits you can build into your relationship with your virtual team members. These check-ins differ slightly from the routine check-in calls we encourage all clients to hold. Instead, they serve as a chance to step back, zoom out, and realign your Freedom Maker virtual assistant to the bigger picture of your business goals.

What Happens During an Alignment Meeting?

Goal alignment meetings aren't complicated. You're not trying to conduct a performance review or hand out a list of new assignments. Instead, you're simply creating space for a true business conversation.

You might talk about:

Where your business is today compared to six months ago
What goals you're aiming for in the next quarter or year
Any new opportunities you're exploring
Any services, clients, or processes that feel different than before
Friction points that are starting to show up (growing pains)
New systems you're considering

Bringing your Freedom Maker into these higher-level business conversations gives them valuable context. When they understand your "why" and where you're headed, they're better equipped to support you. That can even include support in new ways you may not have even anticipated.

Some business owners hesitate to host these conversations, believing they've already explained everything before. But one of the quiet truths of leadership is that repetition creates alignment. Regularly speaking your business goals out loud helps your Freedom Maker reconnect with your priorities, stay attuned to how you're thinking about the business, and recognize how their work may need to evolve alongside your goals. And as their understanding deepens, they may begin to spot additional ways to support your business even more effectively.

And often, simply taking the time to explain your plans out loud has an unexpected benefit: it helps you clarify your own thinking as well.

The Unexpected Benefit: Idea Generation

Something beautiful often happens during these check-ins: your Freedom Maker virtual assistant can begin to offer insights. Because they sit inside your business systems every day, they often see patterns, redundancies, or opportunities you may not notice from your seat.

They might suggest:

Automating some of your client onboarding procedures.
Cleaning up old processes that no longer serve your direction.
Repurposing marketing content to serve new audiences.
Shifting recurring reports to better match your current priorities.

And because these suggestions emerge inside the context of your stated goals, they're often both helpful and actionable.

Alignment Meetings Build Stronger Partnerships

Over time, these conversations about strategy have the potential to build deeper partnerships.

As military spouses , Freedom Makers are wired to support a mission. It's in their DNA to stay flexible, anticipate needs, and remain committed to the larger purpose. When you open the door and include them in your business conversations, you deepen their connection to your business and expand their capacity to serve. They begin to see themselves not just as task executors but as trusted teammates who understand where you're headed and why their contribution matters.

The win for you is that you're no longer carrying every detail alone. Instead, you've built a teammate who is actively keeping an eye on the road with you. They can better spot opportunities and gently nudge you back toward your goals if the scenery starts to shift.

A brief 30-45 minute conversation, held a few times a year and focused on where your business is headed rather than just what's on the to-do list, creates valuable space for the partnership with your Freedom Maker virtual assistant to deepen. And with it, you can unlock one of the most powerful dynamics in any business: true alignment.

Why a Military Spouse Virtual Assistant Is Your Best Cybersecurity Ally

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 27 May 2025 15:00:32 GMT

Delegating to a virtual assistant can free up your time and help your business run smoothly, but giving someone access to sensitive accounts and data requires a thoughtful, secure approach.

In today's unsafe cyber climate, even the smallest businesses are potential targets for bad actors. When deciding on a virtual assistant to partner with, it's critical to choose someone who understands the importance of supporting your business and preventing it from being vulnerable to data breaches, phishing attempts, and ransomware attacks.

Military spouse virtual assistants, or Freedom Makers, are uniquely prepared to help safeguard your business.

The Military Mindset: Built-In Security Awareness

Military spouses live in a world where privacy and security are not optional - they are non-negotiable. Spouses and those who have loved ones serving our nation are intimately familiar with the practice of protecting critical information from falling into the wrong hands, known as Operational Security (OPSEC).

Because of frequent overseas deployments or involvement in classified exercises or sensitive missions, military spouses are trained to think ahead, limit exposure, and minimize risks. Across all branches of the military, spouses are educated through briefings and base programs on how to recognize and protect information that could jeopardize missions or personnel. They are taught to avoid sharing deployment details, specific job duties, unit movements, and any information that could be pieced together by adversaries to expose operational activities.

The risks are high and real. This heightened awareness creates a mindset of caution, discretion, and critical thinking, which serves as a backdrop in a military spouse's work as a virtual assistant. Their experience with strict security protocols makes them exceptionally trustworthy stewards of client data and business confidentiality.

A deeply ingrained “safety-first” mindset makes them ideal partners for small business owners who want an assistant who will instinctively guard their business’s data, passwords, and property.

How a Freedom Maker Protects Your Business From Within

When you delegate tasks to a virtual assistant, you must share access to your business systems. That creates inherent risks, even within trusted partnerships. A Freedom Maker military spouse virtual assistant understands these risks and takes deliberate steps to protect your business from within.

This commitment starts with the basics: maintaining secure, updated technology. Freedom Makers know to keep their devices patched with the latest software and security updates to prevent known vulnerabilities from being exploited. They avoid working on outdated or unsecured devices that could put your data at risk.

Additionally, Freedom Makers are trained to avoid unsafe work environments. They do not access sensitive business systems over public or unsecured Wi-Fi networks (such as coffee shops, airports, or hotel lobbies). If remote work must be done outside the home, they use VPNs (virtual private networks) to encrypt connections and protect data transmission.

They also follow best practices in file management and data handling:

Sensitive files are stored on secure, password-protected platforms.
Personal and client data are kept separate to avoid accidental exposure.
Passwords and login credentials are never saved in unsecured documents or shared via email or text.

Freedom Maker virtual assistants respect and actively protect your data through disciplined, security-conscious work habits that reduce the internal risks of delegation. Even small decisions like locking their computer when stepping away reflect habits that a Freedom Maker easily applies to help safeguard your business.

Cybersecurity Starts With a Strong Foundation

A military spouse virtual assistant understands that prevention is better than reaction. They can also help you design and maintain simple internal policies to bolster your business’s cybersecurity posture:

Password Management: They can organize your business’s access credentials into a secure password vault like Bitwarden, LastPass, or 1Password. Instead of juggling sticky notes, spreadsheets, or shared emails (huge red flags in cybersecurity), your Freedom Maker virtual assistant is familiar with these tools and employs them when working with clients.

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): They can help you set up 2FA on your key accounts, adding that extra layer of protection against hacks and phishing attacks.

Data Backups and File Protection: A Freedom Maker can help you schedule regular backups and store sensitive documents on secure platforms.

Phishing & Scam Monitoring: Their heightened situational awareness makes them excellent at spotting suspicious links, emails, or messages before they become a real problem.

Small businesses often skip security steps because they assume they are too small to be a target. Unfortunately, small businesses are more likely to be at risk because they often don’t have robust security policies. Thanks to OPSEC training, military spouse virtual assistants don’t assume “it won’t happen to us.” They work to minimize risk wherever possible.

Why It Matters for Small Business Owners

Military spouse virtual assistants bring vigilance in addition to administrative excellence. A Freedom Maker can provide:

Peace of mind knowing that security is baked into their workflow.
Operational consistency pulled from their experience working within defined structures and procedural guidelines.
Increased trust, knowing your virtual assistant will treat your data with the same care they would for their family’s personal security.

In today's dangerous digital landscape, you want a virtual assistant who does more than check boxes. You want someone who is also a partner in protecting your business's assets. A military spouse virtual assistant brings a unique combination of professionalism, reliability, adaptability, and an ingrained sense of operational security. This combination translates into a level of support that protects your business’s reputation, finances, and future.

Why You Should Outsource Data Entry to a Virtual Assistant

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 16:30:00 GMT

Every business owner understands the importance of accurate data—client records, CRM updates, invoices, calendars, and email logs are the operational backbone of a thriving business. But just because it's essential doesn't mean you should be the one doing it. If you are spending hours updating spreadsheets or chasing down client information, it's time to ask: is this the best use of your time?

Manual data management is necessary. It is also one of the most significant time drains entrepreneurs face week after week or month after month. A recent survey by Time etc reveals that entrepreneurs spend an average of 36% of their workweek on administrative tasks such as invoicing, data entry, and scheduling. That's time that could be spent growing your business, nurturing client relationships, or developing new products and services.

Rethink how you are spending your hours. A Freedom Maker virtual assistant can transform your day-to-day operations .

The Hidden Cost of Doing It Yourself

When you launched your business, was it because you loved data entry?

Probably not! More likely, you had a passion or expertise for the business you developed. Yet, tasks like entering payment data, updating client notes, or scheduling meetings are stealing hours from your week.

What's more, when data entry isn't done consistently or correctly, it can snowball into bigger problems. A single incorrect digit in an invoice or CRM record can lead to missed payments, poor client communication, or even tax issues. Outsourcing these tasks to a virtual assistant who a) enjoys this kind of work and b) is good at it! ensures your business data is accurate, up-to-date, and easily accessible.

A Real Example: From Overwhelmed to Organized

Brandon, a financial services entrepreneur, explained his situation when he reached out to be matched with a Freedom Maker. His spreadsheets were once manageable but had become a mess of disorganized tabs, missed updates, and inconsistent records. He realized he was spending more time fixing backend issues than actually coaching his clients.

That's when he connected with Sarah, a data and systems support Freedom Maker. In just a few weeks, Sarah cleaned up his entire digital infrastructure. She migrated Brandon's client data to a streamlined CRM, set up automated appointment scheduling, and began organizing payment logs.

With his administrative load off his shoulders, Brandon was able to return his focus to what he did best: helping clients and expanding his services. For him, bringing Sarah onto his team wasn't just about outsourcing -- it was about reclaiming time and peace of mind.

What a Freedom Maker Can Handle for You

A Freedom Maker who specializes in data and systems support can become a lot more than just a data entry clerk. They can become a partner in business efficiency. They understand the platforms, systems, and workflows that keep things running smoothly. A Freedom Maker who has experience with data management can put their skills to work for you and help your business become optimized.

Here are just a few ways a Freedom Maker can support your business:

Organize and maintain client records so they're always up to date
Track invoices and payments to ensure nothing slips through the cracks
Keep your CRM updated for better client follow-ups
Automate appointment scheduling and reminders
Run regular data audits to catch costly errors before they happen

Another Freedom Maker, Sandra, supports a marketing agency who came to us when they realized they were drowning in disjointed reports. Sandra implemented a centralized reporting system, automated their data tracking, and ensured accuracy. Not only did they save time, but they also now have better insight into how their campaigns perform, which is leading to smarter, faster business decisions.

Starting with Data Entry Is Easier Than You Think

If you've never outsourced anything before, data entry is an ideal place to start. It's task-based, easy to delegate with a Loom video or simple written instructions, and can provide almost immediate results.

Most Freedom Makers have deep experience with the tools you likely already use, like Google Sheets, CRMs, and other accounting platforms. That means minimal onboarding time and a quick onramp to action. A Freedom Maker can even step in if your data is all over the place and there is no system to speak of. Our military spouse virtual assistants excel at bringing structure to mess.

The ROI of Delegation

Outsourcing data entry allows you to:

Reclaim hours every week

Avoid costly data errors

Gain confidence in your operations

Refocus on strategy and growth

And as your Freedom Maker becomes more integrated into your business, you'll likely find even more areas they can support. Once they know and understand your business, a lateral move to support your marketing, operations, or scheduling is easy.

So, if your business still relies on you to manage data manually, you're not just wasting time, you could also be holding your growth back.

Outsourcing data management to a Freedom Maker virtual assistant allows you to focus on the higher-impact tasks in your business that can drive growth. Whether you're just starting out or scaling quickly, having someone you trust managing your backend operations makes all the difference.

If you are ready to release yourself from the drone of data entry, contact our Discovery Team today. We can help find the perfect Freedom Maker to support your next level of success.

Why Military Spouse Virtual Assistants Are a Smart Choice for Small Businesses

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 13:53:38 GMT

If you're a small business owner, you've likely dreamed of finding that perfect team member or partner in support. You would love to have someone who is dependable, adaptable, and committed to getting down in the weeds with you and helping your business grow. Someone who doesn't just complete tasks but shows initiative and brings calm to chaos. That kind of support can make all the difference between simply surviving and actually thriving as an entrepreneur.

Those qualities you're searching for are already deeply embedded in a remarkable group of individuals whose lifestyle has them set up perfectly for remote work: military spouses .

As we approach Military Spouse Appreciation Day on May 9th , it's the perfect time to explore how the life experience and the mindset of military spouses make them uniquely qualified to be exceptional virtual assistants .

Who Are Military Spouses?

Military spouses are a diverse and highly educated group. According to Military One Source , there are over 600,000 active-duty military spouses in the United States. Most are women, averaging 32 years old, and many hold advanced degrees or professional certifications.

What's surprising, though, is how often these smart, driven, and skilled individuals face challenges in the job market.

Despite their qualifications:

More than 1 in 3 military spouses have a four-year degree or higher , making them more educated than many of their civilian peers.
Their unemployment rate is about 20-25%, which is nearly seven times higher than the national average.
Even when employed, many are underemployed , working in jobs that don't match their experience or skill set.

Frequent moves, irregular schedules, constant change, and the strain of long deployments are difficult things to navigate. But military spouses have what it takes to rise to the challenge. These experiences have shaped them into incredibly capable, proactive, and adaptable professionals.

And that's precisely what makes them ideal candidates to become virtual assistants for small businesses .

Why Military Spouses Make Outstanding Virtual Assistants

Being a virtual assistant is more than just answering emails or managing a calendar . It's about providing crucial support in a way that is reliable, efficient, and tailored to the unique needs of a growing business. This is where military spouses shine.

Their dynamic lifestyle aligns perfectly with the demands of virtual assistant work.

Flexibility: Built for the Job

Flexibility is a must-have character trait for military spouses. They are continually asked to adjust their daily routines to accommodate their spouse's unpredictable military schedule. That often means solo parenting, last-minute travel, or sudden changes in location.

Because of this:

They're used to managing shifting schedules and responsibilities. When you bring a military spouse virtual assistant into your business, you can be confident you are working with someone who can jump into new tasks and pivot quickly when priorities change.

They often prefer freelance or contract roles. They are committed to and grateful for flexible opportunities because they allow them to work around family responsibilities and adjust their workload as needed.

They don't need the traditional 9-to-5 to be effective. Many are available outside conventional business hours, which can be a huge asset to business owners working across time zones or with evening clients.

For example, a small business owner in New York can easily delegate off-hour tasks to a military spouse virtual assistant living near a base in California or even overseas. This time zone advantage can provide businesses with almost 24/7 coverage without the cost of hiring multiple employees.

Portability: Work That Moves With Them

One of the biggest hurdles military spouses face when looking for traditional employment is that they often move every 2 to 3 years. That means starting over again and again: new homes, new communities, new jobs, new obstacles.

Working as a virtual assistant solves this challenge.

Military spouses can take their work with them , no matter where the military sends them. Whether stationed in Texas, Japan, California, or Germany, they can keep serving the same client. No gaps in employment means no loss of income.

All they need is a laptop, Wi-Fi, and a plan. With access to tools like Zoom, Slack, Google Workspace, and task managers like Asana, they stay super productive and in sync with their clients from anywhere.

Online learning platforms like Udemy and Skillshare allow them to build skills between moves, giving them even more value to offer.

These online tools and platforms make continuous work not only possible but sustainable. And because military spouses are so used to solving problems on their own, they often take the initiative to learn new software or systems quickly when needed.

Service-Minded and Resilient: The Ethos Advantage

Military spouses don't just bring skills. Those associated with the military bring an entire ethos built around service, sacrifice, and strength .

The everyday life of a military spouse includes things many people can't imagine:

Being both mom and dad during long deployments
Managing households through stress, uncertainty, and isolation.
Supporting their spouse through physically and emotionally demanding military roles.

This experience builds a mindset that's ideal for business:

They show up even when life is hard. Military spouses are used to pushing through unpredictable and stressful situations while staying calm and focused.
They're emotionally intelligent. Years of balancing relationships, change, and sacrifice make them highly empathetic and thoughtful communicators.
They're proactive. They don't wait to be told what to do. They are problem solvers who find solutions, take initiative, and stay organized even when everything around them is in flux.

Our Freedom Makers Virtual Services clients frequently comment on how their military spouse virtual assistants not only get the job done but often anticipate business needs before they're even spoken.

What This Means for Small Business Owners

If you're a business owner juggling too many tasks, a military spouse virtual assistant could be your best investment this year. Here's what you can expect:

Cost-effective support. Bring on a military spouse virtual assistant for a few hours to start, to help with specific recurring tasks or even a one-time project. You can get the support you need without paying for the overhead of a full-time employee.

Consistency and commitment. Military spouses are grateful for meaningful work and build deep connections with their clients. Our Freedom Maker/client pairings often stay together for years.

Fresh perspective. Military spouses come from diverse backgrounds and varied experiences, so they bring new ideas and fresh energy to your business.

They don't just help you run the admin side of your business. Military spouses can help you grow it.

Final Thoughts: A Win-Win on Military Spouse Appreciation Day

On Military Spouse Appreciation Day , we should all take a moment to thank these remarkable individuals for their quiet service behind the scenes.

And, if possible, consider giving them an opportunity to contribute financially to their families in a way that works best with their service-driven lifestyle.

Bringing a military spouse virtual assistant into your business gives you more than administrative, operational, and/or creative support. You're investing in someone who knows how to stay strong through changing circumstances, brings empathy and intelligence to the table, and is committed to making a difference.

At Freedom Makers Virtual Services , we are proud to connect clients with virtual assistants who show up and elevate everything they touch.

If you're ready for reliable, mission-driven support, contact our Discovery Team today. A military spouse virtual assistant may be the best teammate you never knew you needed.

10 Lessons I’ve Learned in 10 Years of Running a Small Business

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 18:15:01 GMT

This year, Freedom Makers turns 10.

When I look back, I see a journey filled with late nights, learning curves, and moments of real joy.

We’ve grown from an idea to a company that’s served over 590 small businesses and provided work opportunities to over 1,030 military spouses. We’ve generated over $2 million in revenue for military families, and our team continues to grow stronger each year.

I’m so excited when I think about how far we’ve come.

In honor of our 10-year milestone, here are 10 things I’ve learned from building Freedom Makers. I hope these lessons might be helpful to you, whether you’re just starting out or deep in the grind.

1. Building a Business Should Be the Good Hard

It should feel like a workout – challenging, but satisfying. It should stretch you, make you stronger, and yes, maybe leave you breathless sometimes. But like a great workout, you should walk away saying, “That was hard, but worth it.” That’s how I’ve always approached building Freedom Makers.

2. Know Your Purpose and Build Everything Around It

Our purpose, vision, mission, and guiding principles are how we make decisions. They’ve carried us through tough calls, client challenges, and internal growth. When you know what you stand for, and you share it boldly, you attract the right clients and team.

3. Always Be Learning

What worked for us in year 1 didn’t work in year 5, and won’t work in year 10. That’s why I read, listen to podcasts, talk to mentors, and attend conferences. I believe a lot of our growth happened because we were willing to adapt and learn. The market changes, your clients change, you change.

4. The More You Know Yourself, the Better You Can Hack Your Success

Self-awareness is a superpower. If you’re the bottleneck, identify it. Are you the visionary who gets stuck in execution? Hire support. Are you great at operations but light on ideas? Get a coach. I’ve learned that building around your strengths and being honest about your shortfalls is key to sustainable momentum.

5. Have an Accountability Partner

Being an entrepreneur can be lonely. Having someone you trust, someone who sees your vision and can encourage you through the tough spots makes all the difference. The right accountability partner can remind you of your why when you forget.

6. Action Matters More Than Anything

Too many entrepreneurs get stuck in analysis paralysis. But at the end of the day, a business is built through action. Make the sales calls. Deliver the service. You can clean up your systems, brand, or tech stack later. Our best growth happened when we dove in, launched our “Zero Draft” and got started.

7. Cash Flow Matters

This lesson hit hard in the early years. No matter how passionate or mission-driven you are, cash flow keeps your business alive. Learn to understand your finances in a way that makes sense to you and watch it like a hawk.

8. Stop Worrying About What Everyone Else Is Doing

Every time I hear “I have to do social media,” I ask – do you really? If your business only needs 5 clients at a time you might get more bang for the buck building a referral based business through networking instead. Follow strategies that align with your goals, not just what’s trending.

9. Perfection is the Enemy of Progress

Remember action is the most important thing you can do to get your business going. Don’t wait until it’s perfect. Launch it. Then tweak, improve, and evolve. Waiting until your product or service is perfect may only produce marginally better return on your investment. And, I’ve found that people are pretty forgiving of small business! Just start.

10. Believe in Yourself

This might sound cliché, but it’s the truth. You have to believe you can do this, especially when it feels like no one else does.

To anyone out there thinking of starting a business, or trying to keep one going: you’re not alone. It’s not supposed to be easy, but it is supposed to be worth it.

Ten years ago, I started Freedom Makers because I wanted to help small businesses get the support they needed to succeed and I wanted to help military spouses find meaningful, flexible work.

I had no idea it would grow into what it is today, and we are just getting started!

Here’s to building businesses the good hard way – with purpose, progress, and people by your side.

Cheers!

Organize, Streamline & Spring Clean Your Business with Your Freedom Maker Virtual Assistant

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 14:00:07 GMT

As the days grow longer and the air fills with the fresh promise of spring, it's only natural to want to bring that sense of renewal into all aspects of life — including your business. While most people think of spring cleaning as something reserved for closets and garages, your digital workspace and operations deserve just as much attention.

Organizing your digital files, tightening up workflows, and building out your business playbook could be the key to finally finding some breathing room and making space for real growth.

The good news? You don't have to tackle this alone. Your Freedom Maker is more than capable of helping you bring order to the chaos and set you up for success.

Declutter Your Digital Life

You're not alone if your Google Drive, Dropbox, or inbox looks like a digital junk drawer.

Over time, documents pile up, naming conventions fall by the wayside, and soon, you're spending more time searching for files than actually using them. Your Freedom Maker can help audit your digital storage systems, sort and label essential documents, and archive anything that's no longer relevant. With a few strategic updates, you can breathe easily, knowing everything has a place and is easy to find when you need it.

Create Repeatable Workflows

From there, it's time to look at how work gets done. If you repeat the same instructions or reinvent processes each time a task comes around, it may be time to formalize your workflows. Your Freedom Maker can help document the steps you take to complete regular tasks — whether it's onboarding a new client, posting to social media, or handling invoices — and turn them into simple, easy-to-follow guides. Having documented processes frees you up to delegate more effectively and helps your business run more smoothly whether you're at your desk or on vacation.

Build a Business Playbook

As your workflows become concrete, you may find now to be the perfect opportunity to build your business playbook. Think of this as your company's operating manual — a centralized hub for everything from login details and communication preferences to key policies and procedures. Your Freedom Maker can help organize this, piece by piece, using tools like Notion , Google Drive, or even a simple shared document. Over time, a business playbook can become a vital resource when you are ready to scale your team, bring on new support, or simply create more peace of mind in your day-to-day operations.

Organize Communication & Delegating Systems

Communication also plays a vital role in how your business flows. If your email is your main tool for managing clients, projects, and team communication, you might be experiencing decision fatigue without even realizing it. Your Freedom Maker can introduce new systems to help manage and streamline communication, from setting up a clean and organized inbox with filters and tags to helping you use platforms like Slack or project management tools like Asana to keep everything — and everyone — on track.

Spring is also the perfect time to reflect on your business goals and create a system to measure progress. Your Freedom Maker can help you break out your big goals into actionable steps. Together, you can outline priorities, track deliverables, and create a rhythm for progress check-ins. Whether you're aiming for growth, stability, or simply more sanity in your schedule, these systems will get you there — and your Freedom Maker is the perfect partner to help.

Spring cleaning your business doesn't have to be overwhelming or time-consuming. With a bit of teamwork, thoughtful delegation, and strategic organization, you can transform the way your business operates — and how it feels to run it. And just like opening a window to let the fresh air in, bringing clarity to your business processes can leave you feeling lighter, more focused, and ready for whatever's next.

How Letting Go Leads to Bigger Wins: The Psychology of Delegation

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 19:00:03 GMT

When you started your business, you were the one doing everything - every email, every decision, every tiny detail rested on your shoulders.

It all required your attention, focus, and dedication. After all, this was your vision, passion, and hard work bringing it to life. It made sense to be involved in every aspect.

But as your business grows, so do the demands on your time. Your once manageable to-do list might be becoming overwhelming. As your business grows and develops, you might be finding there aren’t enough hours in the day. Bearing the weight of handling everything yourself could be starting to feel impossible.

At this point, you have a choice: keep doing it all and risk burnout , or start delegating.

Delegation sounds like the better, easier choice. And it is! However, handing off tasks to someone else just might be one of the hardest mental shifts you’ll make as a business owner. Because the truth is, delegation is not just about offloading work - it’s about letting go.

Why Letting Go Feels So Hard: The Psychology of Control

At its core, delegation is about trust. And trust, especially when it comes to something as deeply personal as your business, is not always easy to give. Many entrepreneurs struggle with what psychologists call the illusion of control - the belief that you can guarantee better results by handling everything yourself. This belief, while comforting, is often false.

The reality is that by trying to maintain control over everything, business owners actually limit their ability to grow.

Another major challenge in delegation is perfectionism. Many entrepreneurs hesitate to hand off tasks because they believe no one will execute them exactly the way they would. And in truth, that’s likely the case - every person has their own approach, their own systems, their own way of doing things. But the real question isn’t whether someone will replicate your method exactly - it’s whether they can achieve the same high-quality result.

Another psychological barrier to delegation is identity attachment. For many business owners, their business is not just their job but a reflection of themselves. Handing over responsibility to someone else can feel like a loss of identity, a relinquishing of the sense of ownership you have fought so hard to build. But in reality, successful delegation strengthens leadership, allowing you to shift from being a doer to becoming a strategist.

The Transformation That Happens When You Delegate

So, if you feel hesitant about delegation, you are not alone. Many small business owners struggle at first. But, we see time and time again that once you take that first step - once you bring on a virtual assistant to support your business - your world will begin to change. At first, it can feel uncomfortable, even unnatural. But over time, and certainly as you start to see the results, the benefits become undeniable.

Some examples:

A client in the web design and marketing industry had been considering virtual support for some time but struggled to integrate a Freedom Maker virtual assistant into his operations. Initially, he wasn’t sure what tasks he could entrust to someone else or how to make the transition smooth. As he slowly began delegating smaller tasks, he noticed an immediate improvement in workflow efficiency. More importantly, he gained a perspective he didn’t even realize he was missin g, and with his virtual assistant's help, he finally saw a clear path to scaling his business. N ow, years later, his Freedom Maker Crystal has become an indispensable part of his team, and he can’t imagine running his business without her support. He recently reported that she is “exceeding my expectations.”

Another client in the consulting industry started with limited delegation, assigning only basic administrative tasks to her virtual assistant. She was hesitant to let go of anything more complex, worried that an external team member might not fully grasp her expectations. However, as they worked together, she saw that her Freedom Maker was completing tasks as efficiently and effectively as her in-house staff. Now, her Freedom Maker virtual assistant Aimee is often her first point of contact when something needs to get done. Focusing on strategy and growth, rather than getting mired in day-to-day admin has been a game changer for her business' growth.

Sometimes, the biggest hurdle isn't just deciding what to delegate - it is trusting another person.

For example, a client who works in th e healthcare services industry was apprehensive about giving someone access to her systems and sharing passwords. The idea of integrating an external assistant into her workflow felt overwhelming. However, once she implemented structured processes and set clear expectations, she realized that her Freedom Maker wasn’t just capable but became an essential key in streamlining operations . Looking back, she recognizes that had she worked through those initial fears sooner, she could have accelerated her business’s growth much earlier.

What We’ve Learned About Delegation and Business Growth

Years of matching clients with Freedom Makers has taught us that businesses in industries where delegation is embraced regularly - such as consulting, coaching, and marketing - tend to experience faster revenue growth. It makes sense: when entrepreneurs free themselves from routine, time-consuming tasks, they finally have the capacity to focus on strategy, client relationships, and revenue-generating opportunities.

We have also seen a clear pattern emerge: once a business owner starts delegating, they almost always continue!

Many clients begin by handing off smaller tasks, enlisting support for just a few hours each week. But as they start to feel the impact - more time, fewer distractions, smoother operations - they quickly recognize the true power of delegation. It’s a reinforcing cycle: the more they delegate, the more value they see, and the more their business thrives.

But it’s not just about revenue. Over the years, we’ve learned that delegation also leads to something just as valuable: a healthy integration of their work into their life. Business owners who make the shift from doing everything themselves to trusting a virtual assistant gain more than just time for their business - they gain time for themselves. We’ve watched clients go from feeling overwhelmed and stretched thin to feeling in control again. They reclaim their joy for their business. Instead of being trapped in a never-ending to-do list, they have time for family, hobbies, and their personal well-being again.

As the constant stress of trying to handle everything alone fades, it is often replaced by a renewed energy and focus.

Time and time again, we see that when you delegate, your business grows, and so do you.

How to Start Delegating Effectively

While the idea of delegation sounds great in theory, the execution can feel daunting. Here’s a practical approach to getting started:

The Freedom That Comes with Letting Go

Delegation doesn’t mean losing control - it means taking control of your time, your focus, and your business’s future. By empowering others to take on tasks, you can open the door to growth, clarity, and the ability to lead your business with vision rather than exhaustion.

If you are ready to take a step into delegation, contact our Discovery Team today. We can help you navigate this new road and find the right support for your business.

How A Virtual Assistant Can Simplify Your Business with Automation

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Fri, 21 Mar 2025 19:04:31 GMT

If time is money, the best way to save money is to save time.

So naturally it follows that if every saved minute counts, streamlining your operations isn't a luxury - it's a critical strategy for success. That's where a skilled virtual assistant and automation tools like Zapier can make all the difference. A Freedom Maker virtual assistant with Zapier experience can work to simplify your daily workflow by eliminating repetitive tasks from your to-do list. Your business will run more smoothly.

To truly appreciate the magic created by combining automation with a virtual assistant, let's take a closer look at Zapier, a tool that makes automation effortless. Think of Zapier as the duct tape that connects all your favorite applications and platforms so that they collaborate seamlessly to make things happen behind the scenes.

Whether it's Gmail, Slack, QuickBooks, or thousands of other platforms, Zapier binds them together, making your workflow more intuitive and less time-consuming.

Zapier: The Secret Ingredient to Simplified Workflows

At its core, Zapier works by creating "Zaps" - automations that consist of a trigger (e.g., receiving a new email) and an action (e.g., saving an attachment to Dropbox or updating a spreadsheet). Without needing to code anything, you - or your virtual assistant - can build systems that handle your day-to-day tasks.

For instance, you might have a new client inquiry that comes in through a form on your website. With Zaps in place, the inquiry can automatically trigger an email notification, add the client's details to your CRM, and then create a task in your project management tool.

This all can happen "behind the scenes" without you having to take any action.

Use Your Virtual Assistant as Your Automation Architect

Zapier is a powerful tool, and a virtual assistant can harness that power. You can ask your Freedom Maker virtual assistant to evaluate your workflows, identify bottlenecks, and implement automation that saves time and energy.

By leveraging tools, processes, and platforms , Freedom Makers can implement automation in areas like client communication, scheduling, data entry, lead generation, and even bookkeeping.

With automation as an ally, a Freedom Makers can reduce friction and reduce failable human intervention.

For example, a Freedom Maker might set up email sequences for client follow-ups, automate social media scheduling , or create workflows in HubSpot, Salesforce, or Pipedrive to streamline sales pipelines. They also optimize password management with LastPass, establish SOPs for recurring tasks, and integrate AI-driven chatbots to handle initial customer inquiries.

Automation and A Virtual Assistant - Perfect Together

For one Freedom Maker client in the restaurant industry, automation implemented by their virtual assistant ensured that weekly marketing emails went out without fail, even during their busiest hours. For another client, transitioning from one CRM system to a new one was simplified by a virtual assistant who automated data migration. No details were lost along the way.

Yet another Freedom Maker has harnessed the power of automation tools and AI to streamline operations and optimize her client's time for high-value activities. By integrating AI-driven solutions, she has significantly improved workflows and reduced "hands-on" efforts.

For instance, using notes from proposals and prospective clients, she automated the creation of templates to streamline business development processes. She has also developed email templates for meeting confirmations and outreach, so communication and messaging is always consistent. She uses tools to transcribe client speeches from audio files which allows for better feedback without the need for manual note-taking.

Additionally, this Freedom Maker leverages AI to generate social media content. She uses AI to pull key snippets from newsletters to build graphics to expand reach and engagement. She has also automated a templated "Welcome Email" for new subscribers, which helps make sure they experience a seamless onboarding experience. Even resource handouts have been optimized. She uses AI to create brief, impactful descriptions for one-page client materials , making them clearer and more actionable.

Through these automation-driven strategies, this Freedom Maker has not only saved her client time and reduced operational costs but also enhanced his ability to delegate effectively, ensuring he is able to spend more time on working with customers and growing his business.

Getting Started Automating with Your Virtual Assistant

It can feel overwhelming if you're new to the idea of combining a virtual assistant with automation. But the payoff is worth it. Start by identifying the repetitive tasks that eat up your time and discuss these with your Freedom Maker virtual assistant. They'll help you map out a plan, set up the right automation, and monitor their performance to ensure everything runs smoothly.

Within our own operations and in the work Freedom Makers do for clients, we've seen firsthand the wins that come from harnessing automation. Whether handling client onboarding, managing social media, or streamlining back-office operations , the right virtual assistant can make automation work for you in ways you never thought possible.

Give yourself the gift of simplicity and combining the power of automation and the knowhow of a virtual assistant, you can reclaim your time and energy so you can focus on what truly matters. Reach out to our Discovery Team today and let us match you with the right virtual assistant to support your business.

5 Must-Have Tools for Virtual Collaboration

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 04:53:09 GMT

Why Collaboration is Different in a Virtual Setting

When working in a traditional office setting, collaboration happens organically. Physical proximity makes communication seamless, whether that takes the shape of stopping by a colleague's desk for a quick update, brainstorming over lunch, or holding an impromptu meeting. But when working virtually, the lack of face-to-face interaction can make staying connected and moving forward in a cohesive way more difficult.

Thankfully, structured collaboration tools help teams stay connected, organized, and efficient.

For Freedom Maker virtual assistants and their small business clients, digital platforms are the backbone of day-to-day operations. Whether managing calendars, tracking projects, or handling marketing campaigns, the right tool makes all the difference.

Freedom Makers are highly skilled virtual assistants who utilize many platforms that bridge the gap between virtual and in-person work. These platforms allow them to manage their tasks, track progress, and maintain open lines of communication with their clients.

Based on our data and real-world applications, here are the five most commonly used tools by Freedom Makers and how they help clients in different industries:

Why These Tools Matter

At the end of the day, successful virtual collaboration isn’t about using more tools. It’s about using the right tools, with intention. When small business owners and Freedom Makers are aligned on platforms, expectations, and communication, distance fades into the background.

Virtual support really shines when it frees business owners to focus on growth, strategy, and the work only they can do. Each of these tools plays a crucial role in making virtual collaboration seamless. By taking advantage of what Google Workspace, Asana, Slack, Canva, and Zoom can offer in collaboration, Freedom Makers help their clients stay organized, communicate effectively, keep projects on track, enhance their marketing presence, and build strong virtual working relationships.

If you're ready to find a virtual assistant who understands your unique needs and can help you make the most of these collaboration platforms, contact our discovery team today. We'll help you identify the right virtual assistant to support your business.

Turning Delegated Tasks into Thriving Partnerships with Freedom Makers Virtual Services

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 23:02:34 GMT

For small business owners and solopreneurs, achieving business goals year after year often requires balancing strategic vision with the daily demands of running a company. Many of our Freedom Makers Virtual Services' clients have discovered that a strong partnership with their virtual assistant is a game-changer, allowing them to reclaim their time and energy and focus on what matters most.

By investing in a relationship with their Freedom Maker, they have successfully turned routine delegation of tasks into true partnerships that are helping drive business success.

From Delegation to Partnership Through Trust

The journey starts with clear goal setting.

Our clients who take the time to define their business goals and align them with how they plan to use their Freedom Maker are the ones who see the most significant returns. For instance, clients in the coaching and consulting industries often start by delegating administrative tasks like email management , scheduling, and CRM updates.

However, with consistent communication and relationship building, Freedom Maker virtual assistants can evolve into trusted collaborators who can manage client-facing projects, develop workflows, and introduce new tools to the business.

One long-time client, Kristi, shared how her Freedom Maker became her "go-to" resource - even among some internal team members - for high-priority tasks. By exploring additional ways her Freedom Maker could contribute to her team, Kristi has embraced a transition from task delegation to true partnership. Kristi now trusts her Freedom Maker with some strategic decisions like maintaining brand consistency.

And, because Freedom Maker virtual assistants come from diverse professional backgrounds, each has experience working in multiple industries and on various platforms. The reach of this type of knowledge can be invaluable for a busy solopreneur, handling all the ins and outs of their business operations. A collaborative spirit (built on trust) helps our business owner clients to innovate and scale without being bogged down by operational details.

For example, a restaurant owner client initially engaged a Freedom Maker to handle social media content creation. Over time, their role expanded to include customer engagement strategies and promotional campaign planning.

By leveraging the assistance of a Freedom Maker, our clients can often free up valuable time and energy to invest in new areas for business growth. Another client reported that delegating tasks like grant writing and event coordination freed up their schedule and allowed them to focus on scaling a new coaching program.

Tools, Trust, and Transformation

The secret to growing a relationship with a Freedom Maker virtual assistant into a thriving partnership lies in clarity and communication.

At Freedom Makers Virtual Services, our Success Managers emphasize the 4Cs of delegation - Clarity, Constraints, Coaching, and Communication. These principles ensure each Freedom Maker understands both the "how" and "why" of their tasks. If a small business owner allows their Freedom Maker to understand their greater goals and long-term vision, the Freedom Maker can better align their task completion with the impact it can have.

Tools play a pivotal role in this transformation. Platforms like Asana , Trello, and Monday.com streamline task management and allow a shared visibility into projects, keeping both the client and Freedom Maker aligned. Communication tools like Slack and Zoom strengthen collaboration and create opportunities for real-time updates, fostering trust and transparency in the partnership.

One of the Freedom Makers within our community reported how helping her client manage her LinkedIn engagement helped her achieve some of her business growth goals. Through goal setting, meeting regularly, and robust task tracking, Sandra helped her client remain consistent and top of mind on her social media platforms. Through strategic posts and engagement, she amplified her client's professional presence with financial services professionals and connected her with potential partners, clients, and collaborators.

This type of strong relationship starts with identifying the right tasks to delegate. For instance, the FMVS Task Audit Tool allows small business owners to assess and identify the tasks they are doing that don't contribute directly to their goals. Having that insight and sharing it with their Freedom Maker at the beginning of the relationship can not only reduce stress but also open opportunities for automation or process improvements.

Even if the business owner starts small, only handing off a task or two early on, the framework for collaboration is set.

A Collaborative Future

The power of a Freedom Maker virtual assistant lies not just in what they do for businesses but in how they do it.

By introducing new efficiencies, a Freedom Maker can help their client achieve their goals and reach milestones - whether they are small or ambitious ones.

Freedom Makers are proactive, with skillsets bolstered by tools like Asana, Monday.com, and Trello, to keep tasks on track and build trust. They are reliable and committed to delivering results that align with your business goals. They can integrate into your operations and provide the type of support that goes beyond task execution to include process improvements, workflow optimization, and problem solving.

Whether it's maintaining a professional online presence, managing customer relationships, or refining internal systems, Freedom Makers have experience and adaptability to support your business. By working IN your business, they help you have the time and energy to work ON your business.

A trusted Freedom Maker can become an extension of your team, bringing a fresh perspective and often introducing you to new strategies and tools you hadn't considered.

If you're already working with a Freedom Maker, consider deepening your partnership by utilizing our new Assignment Task Audit tool , or speaking directly with your Freedom Maker about what else you may accomplish together. And if you're thinking about bringing a Freedom Maker into your business, know that you're not just getting task support - you're gaining a potential partner who will be 100% invested in your success.

At Freedom Makers Virtual Services, we're proud to support our clients' goals and help businesses thrive. Contact our Discovery Team to learn how to add a Freedom Maker to your team today!

How Email Chaos is Costing You More Than You Realize

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Mon, 17 Feb 2025 20:45:00 GMT

Picture this: It’s Monday morning, and you saddle up to your desk, ready to tackle your to-do list. You open your inbox, planning to spend just a few minutes skimming through emails before moving on to more pressing tasks. But as you scroll, new messages flood in. Some require immediate action, others need thoughtful responses, and many are just noise - newsletters you can’t remember subscribing to, promotional offers, and reminders to follow up on things that should have been handled days ago.

Before you know it, an hour has passed. Your to-do list untouched, and your morning momentum is gone.

If that image sounds familiar, you’re not alone. According to a study cited by the Harvard Business Review, the average professional spends 28% of their workday reading and answering emails. This translates to over 2.5 hours each day dedicated solely to managing their inbox.

Email is both a lifeline and a relentless taskmaster for many business owners . Email is a constant stream of demands that never stops. An unmanaged inbox can silently steal hours from your day, leaving you reactive instead of proactive, overwhelmed instead of in control.

The only way to remain productive and operationally efficient, is to adopt effective email management strategies.

Stop losing valuable hours of your day to the email hampster wheel.

How Email Overload is Sabotaging Your Productivity

Email is an essential tool for running a business, but it can become a serious liability when left unchecked. The time you spend each day reading and answering emails can add up to over 10 hours each week - time that could be better spent growing your business, serving your clients, or just taking a well-deserved break.

An unorganized inbox doesn’t just cost you time. It also:

Interrupts deep work – Constant email checking forces your brain to switch contexts, making it harder to focus on high-level projects.
Leads to missed opportunities – Important messages can quickly get buried under a mountain of unread emails.
Creates unnecessary stress – A cluttered inbox can feel like an endless to-do list, adding to decision fatigue and mental exhaustion.
Delays important responses – Clients and partners expect timely replies and a slow response time can hurt your reputation and relationships.

Despite knowing these pitfalls, many business owners continue to handle their inbox themselves. It either feels like too daunting a task to tackle, or they mistakenly believe that email is just part of the job.

But what if it didn’t have to be?

Taking Back Control of Your Inbox

The good news is, you don’t have to stay stuck in an endless cycle of email overwhelm. With the right email management system - and the right support - you can regain control of your inbox and free yourself from the daily grind of sorting, responding, and organizing.

Instead of spending hours wading through emails each day, imagine waking up to a perfectly organized inbox where urgent matters are highlighted, routine messages are handled, and distractions are filtered out before they ever reach you.

This dream can become your reality!

We recently started offering an Gmail Management Essentials Kit that provides the foundation you need to get organized. For less than $100, we dig into your email and provide you with the essential tools that help you:

Set up automated filters and sorting systems to prioritize important messages.
Establish email templates that cut down response time.
Create a structured inbox workflow so emails don’t pile up.

But the real transformation happens when you decide to delegate your email management to a skilled virtual assistant - someone who can maintain order in your inbox and ensure that every critical message gets the attention it deserves.

Stop dreading your inbox! Imagine opening it with confidence, knowing that everything is under control. Urgent matters are highlighted, routine messages are handled, and distractions are filtered out before they ever reach you.

Take the First Step Toward a More Organized Inbox

If your inbox is running your life, it’s time to take action.

STEP 1

Find out where you stand on the "email chaos spectrum." Take our free quiz to assess your current email habits

STEP 2

Get the tools you need to take control. Visit our website and get started with our Gmail Management Essentials Kit . Let us help you build a system that works for you!

STEP 3

Bring in virtual support. Schedule a call with our team to discuss how a Freedom Maker virtual assistant can help you reclaim your time and sanity.

Email doesn’t have to be a burden.

With the right system and the right help, you can turn it into a powerful tool that works for you - not against you. Let us help you make that shift!

Reach out to our Discovery Team today to learn about all the ways a military spouse virtual assistant can support your business!

Top 3 Ways to Foster Trust and Reliability with Your Virtual Assistant

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 20:00:00 GMT

Virtual assistants are becoming essential allies for entrepreneurs and small business owners.

Many have found that delegating routine and time-consuming administrative or operational tasks to a virtual assistant can free up time and energy that can then be redirected into areas like strategy, growth, and innovation. Clients of Freedom Makers Virtual Services have discovered that the real magic happens when the relationship with their virtual assistant evolves beyond task management and grows into a trusted partnership.

Fostering trust and reliability can create a powerful partnership between you and your virtual assistant that becomes the secret ingredient to the most productive and rewarding collaborations.

A Journey Toward Trust: From First Steps to Flourishing Partnerships

Take Brandon and his Freedom Maker, Sarah.

Over two years ago, Brandon, who is both active-duty military and a small business owner, realized that managing the administrative and operational demands of business on his own was unsustainable. He approached Freedom Makers with a specific need for a virtual assistant who could manage his email inbox, coordinate and schedule meetings, and input client data into Salesforce. “I’m looking for a teammate,” Brandon shared when he first partnered with Sarah, “someone who loves being part of a team, has a learning mindset, and can make a huge positive impact.”

He selected Sarah, the spouse of a US Marine, to help out with administrative support.

Over the past two years, Sarah has become an indispensable part of Brandon’s business. After proving her proficiency and commitment - and as Brandon came to trust and rely on her - Sarah began to play a pivotal role in improving Brandon’s workflows. She encouraged Brandon to transition from Salesforce to Google Sheets for client tracking, which simplified the process and saved valuable time.

Additionally, Sarah now helps to execute Brandon’s marketing strategy by working alongside his external marketing team. Brandon now has more time to focus on expanding his coaching business.

Through bi-weekly check-ins and robust collaboration, Sarah gets her tasks done efficiently and also is encouraged to make the types of suggestions that bring value and drive the business forward. Their ongoing relationship is a testament to the fact that trust, clear communication, and a shared mission can turn a virtual assistant into a true partner in success.

Brandon and Sarah’s story is not unique.

Across industries, business owners have discovered that their virtual assistants are eager to contribute meaningfully to the businesses they work within.

Your virtual assistant can become a true partner, invested in the success of your business if you focus on three critical strategies: communication, clear expectations, and thoughtful onboarding.

1. Build Rapport Through Inclusive Communication and Regular Check-ins

The foundation of any strong partnership is communication. Just as you would nurture a relationship with an in-office team member, maintaining open and regular communication with your virtual assistant creates a sense of inclusion and trust.

At its core, communication is about connection building. When both parties feel heard and understood, there can be an alignment of endeavors toward accomplishing common goals. Regular check-ins create opportunities to clarify expectations, discuss potential challenges, and find new ways to bring your virtual assistant further into your business. When communication flows freely, it creates a strong, comfortable, collaborative environment where both you and your virtual assistant can thrive.

At Freedom Makers Virtual Services, we suggest:

Schedule Regular Meetings: Consistent check-ins, whether weekly or bi-weekly, provide a platform for updates, feedback, and alignment. These conversations create a space for brainstorming and problem-solving together.
Use Collaborative Tools: Platforms like Slack, Asana , or Zoom facilitate ongoing communication and help both parties stay connected, even when working asynchronously.
Cultivate Inclusivity: Share your vision and involve your virtual assistant in strategic discussions. Their investment in your business grows when they feel like part of the team.

At Freedom Makers Virtual Services, we don’t just emphasize the importance of communication and inclusion - our goal is to build it into every client relationship from the start.

Our hosted Kick Off Call (KOC) ensures that new assignments begin with clarity and connection.

During this structured meeting, we work to align on goals, establish workflows, and set clear communication preferences, which help set a strong foundation for collaboration. We work to smooth out any areas where potential misunderstandings could occur, as well as equip both our clients and our Freedom Makers to embrace communication as the main tool for long-term success.

2. Set Clear Expectations and Encourage Accountability

Trust often falters when there’s confusion about roles, responsibilities, or expected outcomes. Setting clear expectations ensures a smooth workflow and builds confidence and trust.

Setting clear expectations from the start of your relationship helps overcome the challenges that can arise when working remotely with a virtual assistant. Without clear guidance, task execution can fall into isolated “stovepipes,” where your virtual assistant’s work progresses without a broader understanding of your goals. This can potentially lead to frustration, the need to rework tasks, or missed deadlines.

Quick clarifications can happen easily in a traditional office setting, which is not the case when working with virtual team members. Therefore, being super deliberate and intentional when communicating is essential. By establishing expectations around how and when to communicate, task turnaround times, and preferred workflows upfront, both you and your virtual assistant can move forward with confidence and clarity.

We have found that the business owners who clearly outline priorities for their project, along with deadlines and preferred communication channels, have the most long-term success with their Freedom Maker. Setting expectations early reduces the need for reactive problem-solving or constant input or redirection, even across different time zones.

To build clarity and accountability:

Create SOPs: Document step-by-step guides for recurring tasks, giving your virtual assistant the confidence to work independently.
Leverage Task Management Tools: Tools like Trello, Monday.com, or ClickUp ensure transparency in tracking progress and deadlines.
Provide Constructive Feedback: Timely, specific, and constructive feedback helps your virtual assistant grow and feel valued, strengthening their commitment to your goals.

3. Invest in Onboarding and Continuous Development

The first few weeks with your virtual assistant can really set the groundwork for how successful your relationship can grow to be. Executing a robust onboarding is where you can share your goals, introduce your workflows, and build the type of rapport that sets the tone for your partnership.

At Freedom Makers Virtual Services, we have seen first hand how important a structured and thoughtful onboarding process can be to setting the groundwork for a successful relationship. By sharing your goals, introducing your workflows, outlining clear objectives, sharing access to tools and platforms, and scheduling regular check-ins, your virtual assistant will be ready to hit the ground running.

Likewise, encouraging the professional development of your virtual assistant is an investment not just in their growth but in the success of your business as a whole. If you create an environment that values learning, your virtual assistant will appreciate the opportunity to grow in a meaningful way that could be very meaningful to your business. You can provide opportunities to explore new tools and platforms, encourage them to suggest improvements to existing processes, or give them a chance to expand their responsibilities as they become more familiar with your business.

When a virtual assistant feels supported and valued, they’re more likely to feel comfortable bringing fresh ideas - based on their depth of experience - to the table. Celebrating their contributions and encouraging their growth can cultivate the type of mutual respect and loyalty that is prized in any working relationship.

Try:

Thorough Onboarding: Share detailed information about your business, from mission and values to specific task workflows. Tools like Loom for screen-recorded training or shared Google Docs for resources are invaluable.
Encourage Development: Provide opportunities for your virtual assistant to expand their skills, whether through training or taking on new challenges.
Recognize Contributions: Small gestures like celebrating milestones or acknowledging exceptional work can go a long way in fostering loyalty and trust.

Building trust and reliability with your virtual assistant doesn’t happen overnight.

It requires intentional effort, clear communication, and a willingness to invest in the relationship. At Freedom Makers Virtual Services, we work hard to connect small business owners with the right military spouse virtual assistant to meet their unique needs. Our onboarding process is designed to pave the way for success from day one, ensuring that virtual support can become a gateway to valuable partnership.

Reach out to our Discovery Team today to discuss how a Freedom Maker can make a difference for your business!

Leverage Your Virtual Assistant to Achieve Your Goals in 3 Simple Steps

Fri, 24 Jan 2025 17:00:02 GMT

More clients, bigger sales, greater engagement, smoother operations - and less stress. Full of promise, the turn of the calendar page to a new year invites us to pause, imagine what's possible, and chart a roadmap for success.

If you're already working with a Freedom Maker virtual assistant, you have a secret weapon at your disposal, ready to deploy in 2025.

And if you're considering bringing a virtual assistant into your business, this is the year to make it happen. A Freedom Maker isn't just an assistant - they're a business asset that can help you grow, streamline, and scale your business in ways you may not have even imagined.

The Foundation: Building Trust Through Delegation

For many clients, the relationship with their Freedom Maker begins with handing off one or a few essential tasks: scheduling, email management , maybe some light customer care... These tasks are structured workflows that are easy(ish) to hand off. They become a natural starting point for building trust and establishing a rhythm with someone you work with virtually. Over time, these simple delegations can lead to something far more valuable - a relationship built on trust and mutual understanding.

However, a common challenge that can stagnate growth often arises just as things become established and routine.

Once a client becomes comfortable handing off routine tasks or two, they sometimes stall out. They trust their virtual assistant and are thrilled with the time they've reclaimed. But they express something along the lines of, "My Freedom Maker is doing great, but I don't know what else to give them to do." Meanwhile, their Freedom Maker may think, "I know I can help more, but I'm not sure how to suggest it!"

Many clients admit during their Success Checkpoint with our client success team that they feel as though they underutilize their Freedom Maker. At this point, we encourage them to explore what's possible beyond the basics. Our goal is to create long-lasting, mutually beneficial relationships. There is nothing we hate more than witnessing a great relationship stall out because no one knows how to take the next steps together.

Here is a 3 Step plan to help you fully leverage your relationship with your virtual assistant:

Step 1: Reassess What Your Freedom Maker Can Do

The start of the year is a perfect time to pause and reassess your Freedom Maker's role. Ask yourself:

What recurring tasks am I still holding onto that I could (now) delegate?
Are there areas of my business I want to grow but haven't had time to focus on?
Am I fully tapping into my Freedom Maker's skills and experience? (and do I know what those skills are?)

Freedom Makers are, more often than not, multi-talented professionals. They typically possess skills extending far beyond the administrative tasks they were initially brought on to handle. From managing your social media to optimizing your CRM , many Freedom Makers are eager to bring more value to your business.

But it starts with a conversation. Take time to talk with your virtual assistant about their skill set, strengths, and any untapped areas where they could contribute. Depending on their past experiences, training, and current availability, you and your Freedom Maker might find many places to expand your relationship into.

Step 2: Expand Delegation Strategically

Once you've built trust and identified areas of opportunity, it's time to think about expanding - but you should proceed strategically. We suggest that you consider what will have the greatest impact on your business so that you don't just hand off random tasks.

Start with Recurring Tasks : Identify additional tasks that are still time-consuming and repetitive, like managing your inbox, coordinating appointments, or preparing weekly reports. Maybe you didn't initially consider handing these off to a stranger, but now that you know and trust your virtual assistant, reconsider. Are you now ready to delegate these to-do items?
Tap into Creative Projects : Freedom Makers can shine in areas like content creation, graphic design, and marketing . They can help you execute your marketing strategy, engage with your target audiences on your social media platforms, and help you grow your brand in a consistent way.
Optimize Processes: Freedom Makers excel at documenting while doing, which helps you have standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the areas in your business for which your virtual assistant is responsible. They are also excellent at streamlining workflows and identifying inefficiencies. Your Freedom Maker can help you save time and reduce errors by helping you improve how your business operates.

Step 3: Align Delegation with Your 2025 Goals

Delegation is more than just getting tasks off your plate. When done correctly, delegation can align beautifully with your strategic goals.

By handing off time-consuming responsibilities like email management, customer service, or project coordination, you can focus on scaling your business, developing new products, or building key relationships. Delegating strategically can also free you to prioritize personal goals, whether it's spending more time with family, pursuing hobbies, or achieving a better work-life integration. Strategic delegation creates space for big-picture thinking, allowing you to refine your vision, foster innovation, and make meaningful connections that drive growth and success.

As you consider what more you can delegate this year, take the time to:

Define Your Goals : What big-picture outcomes are you striving for in 2025? Whether it's scaling your operations, launching a new service, or improving customer retention, write these down.
Prioritize Tasks : Break your goals into actionable steps and identify which ones your Freedom Maker can support. For instance, if you want to grow your email list, your virtual assistant could handle newsletter creation, subscriber management, and report on who engaged with your offerings.
Set SMART Goals : Be specific about what you're delegating and the expected outcomes. Keep your plans (S)pecific, (M)easurable, (A)chievable, (R)elevant, and (T)ime-bound. Clear objectives, explaining your "why," and building in timelines will help both you and your Freedom Maker stay on track.
Keep the Dialogue Open : A successful, growth-oriented partnership with a Freedom Maker is built on communication . Regular check-ins allow you to evaluate progress, provide feedback, and uncover new growth opportunities.

The Takeaway: Growth Through Partnership

Clients often tell us that what sets our company and our Freedom Makers apart is the kind of collaborative mindset that makes them more than just task-doers. They become growth enablers.

Working with a Freedom Maker can propel your business forward if you take the time to reimagine what's possible, begin a conversation about where strengths align with needs, and set a clear path toward

Your Freedom Maker is ready to help you achieve more. The question is: are you ready to let them?

Reach out to our Discovery Team today -we're here to help you make the most of 2025.

Maximize Your Productivity: Delegate Your Calendar Management To A Virtual Assistant

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 17:00:00 GMT

Calendar management is an essential but time-consuming task that is often overlooked or mishandled by small business owners in almost every industry. Stretched thin by other responsibilities, scheduling gets done, but not done well. Mishandled calendar management can lead to missed opportunities, double bookings, and unnecessary stress.

A virtual assistant can revolutionize how you manage your time, creating a more professional and streamlined approach to scheduling your work and personal life.

Why Delegate Calendar Management to a Virtual Assistant?

Delegating your calendar management to a virtual assistant allows you to have a schedule that is organized with appointments that align with your priorities. On the practical level, using a virtual assistant will eliminate missed meetings or the need to go back and forth when something has to be rescheduled.

Here are some additional reasons to consider a virtual assistant for calendar management on the tactical side:

Save Time and Focus on Growth: Y our time is your most precious commodity. By delegating your calendar management, you can reclaim hours in your day that you can then invest in strategy, networking, or personal time. Instead of playing calendar Tetris, your virtual assistant makes sure everything fits perfectly into your schedule.

Enhance Your Professional Image: A well-managed calendar reflects an organized, professional image to clients, partners, and team members. In addition to making sure you know when each meeting is, your virtual assistant can schedule time for you to prep so you don't have to reschedule or appear unprepared.

Reduce Stress and Overwhelm: The mental load of coordinating schedules, tracking invitations, and avoiding conflicts is exhausting. By outsourcing this responsibility, you free yourself from this source of daily stress.

An Easy Introduction to Delegation : Calendar management is a fantastic starting point if you're new to delegation. It's a task that's easy to outsource because its execution can be tailored to your preferences, and its impact can be measured. Many of our Freedom Makers Virtual Services clients started with their Freedom Maker handling their calendar because it is a low-risk way to get comfortable with a virtual assistant partnership.

How a Virtual Assistant Can Transform Your Calendar Management

Calendar management can go beyond simply booking appointments. A virtual assistant can organize your schedule strategically, aligning calendar to-do items with your goals. Our Freedom Maker community of virtual assistants network includes many military spouses with experience that can be tailored to fit nearly every industry.

For example, Shannon, a Freedom Maker working with a technology firm, uses tools like Microsoft Teams and Planner to coordinate project meetings and deadlines. She also keeps an eye on all schedules to avoid conflicts and aid collaboration within the team.

Another Freedom Maker, Pua, supports an entrepreneur who attends frequent events and client meet-ups. Pua coordinates travel, schedules meetings during trips, and even helps create presentation materials for each event. Her support helps her client remain productive even when on the road.

Tools and Platforms For Calendar Management

Freedom Maker virtual assistants use various tools that integrate with popular calendar systems like Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, and Apple Calendar.

Google Calendar : Ideal for business owners already relying on the Google Workspace ecosystem. A virtual assistant can schedule meetings, set reminders, manage shared calendars, and integrate mail and Google Meet for easy communication.
Microsoft Outlook : A go-to for businesses using Microsoft 365. Its robust features, including integration with Teams and Planner, allow your Freedom Maker to coordinate projects, track deadlines, and handle meeting logistics.
Apple Calendar : Perfect for those in the Apple ecosystem, Apple Calendar aids synchronization across iPhones, Macs, and iPads. A virtual assistant can ensure all your devices are updated with the latest schedule.
Calendly : This powerful scheduling tool automates booking with clients and customers. A Freedom Maker can be set up in Calendly to eliminate back-and-forth emails when confirming meeting times by syncing them with your primary calendar.
Asana and Monday.com : These project management tools make it simple for a virtual assistant to align calendar tasks with broader projects so your schedule works to support your larger business goals.

Calendar Management Success Story

Kristi, the owner of a leadership development consultancy, has been working with her Freedom Maker, Aimee, for several years. As a busy entrepreneur who balances workshops, speaking engagements, and client meetings, Kristi needed a reliable partner to manage her calendar and communications.

Aimee quickly became more than just a scheduler - she's now a trusted collaborator helping Kristi make sure her business operations run smoothly. From creating workshop handouts to coordinating speaking engagements, Aimee's involvement makes sure Kristi's schedule is aligned with her professional priorities. Kristi credits Aimee with providing a level of support that, at times, even surpasses her full-time staff.

More success stories like this exist! Reach out to our Discovery Team to learn more.

Delegating calendar management to a Freedom Maker can be a transformative decision in your business. It's a chance to free yourself from the daily grind of scheduling so you can focus on big-picture tasks that truly matter to growing your business. Whether you're looking to create a professional image, reclaim your time, or take the first step toward robust delegation, calendar management is the perfect starting point.

How Freedom Makers Connects Military Spouse Virtual Assistants With Small Business Owners

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Wed, 01 Jan 2025 15:11:35 GMT

A Human-Centered Approach to Building Remote Teams

Freedom Makers Virtual Services was founded with a mission: to transform how small businesses build their remote teams and how military spouses access meaningful, flexible work.

Founder Laura Renner , an Air Force veteran and former officer in foreign relations and human resources, witnessed firsthand the challenges military families face as well as the often-overlooked value military spouses can bring to the workforce. She also saw how overwhelmed small business owners can become when bogged down in daily operations. Laura saw a potential for supply to meet demand through the intersection of two needs.

Freedom Makers Virtual Services was born in 2015.

At the heart of our company is the belief that great work relationships are transformational, not just transactional. We don't just fill roles; we work hard to create aligned partnerships between driven entrepreneurs and qualified military spouse professionals. The outcome? A more productive, thriving business supported by a dedicated, loyal, and committed Freedom Maker.

Why Military Spouses Make Exceptional Virtual Assistants

Military spouses are an untapped powerhouse of talent. Despite resumes that might reflect gaps in employment due to frequent military moves, military spouses are resilient and bring extensive skills, education, and experience across industries.

According to a 2019 Military OneSource report , 33% of military spouses hold four-year degrees, which is higher than their general-population colleagues. However, systemic challenges like geographic moves they are powerless over, limited local job markets, and frequent employer bias contribute to an unemployment rate nearly 7 times higher than their civilian counterparts .

FMVS exists to bridge that gap.

By creating flexible, remote freelance opportunities, we help military spouses reclaim control over their careers and their ability to contribute financially to their families. Our Freedom Makers are tenacious, resourceful, and agile – traits honed by navigating an unpredictable military life of service. They bring these strengths into their virtual assistant roles, supporting small business clients with clarity, commitment, and care.

Our Model: Freedom for Clients and Contractors

Unlike many other virtual assistant staffing firms, Freedom Makers operates on a 1099 contractor model. This gives the virtual assistants in our community - our Freedom Makers - the freedom to:

Choose their clients

Set their working hours

Determine how much or how little they want to work

Take their work with them wherever military life leads

Our model removes rigid commitments and high overhead risks for small business clients. There are:

The opportunity to select the right Freedom Maker for you and your business based on your preferences and needs

No minimum hour requirements (bring on a Freedom Maker for as few or as many hours of support you need)

Guaranteed refund of any unused hours

You work with a Freedom Maker on your terms and can adjust the support you need up or down as your business changes.

This mutual flexibility is what makes the FMVS ecosystem sustainable, scalable, and empowering for both sides.

How the Matching Process Works at FMVS

After a decade of refining our approach, we've developed a proven process that ensures strong alignment between clients and Freedom Makers.

Step 1: Understanding Client Needs

As a new client, you'll first talk with a member of our Discovery Team, who can help define what kind of help would best complement the needs of your business. You'll then complete a simple Get Started Form where you will outline their business goals, day-to-day needs, preferred tools (if known), and delegation style . This conversation gives us a holistic view of what success could look like in that partnership.

Step 2: Selecting the Right Freedom Maker

From our robust community of vetted military spouse professionals, we identify several potential matches based on skills, personality fit, and experience. You'll meet up to four of them during our "selection call" process. These are the "finalists" from those that have expressed interest in working with you. The final choice is yours!

Step 3: Kick-Off & Onboarding

We walk you and your Freedom Maker through a structured onboarding, including SOP sharing, tool access, task management, and preferred communication methods. During a hosted Kick Off Call, we endeavor to help you build your task roadmap, categorize your priorities, and set clear expectations.

Ongoing Relationship Support: Our Success Management System

Once the relationship with your Freedom Maker begins, our Success Management Teams remain engaged to ensure things run smoothly. This is not just a passive system. We have structured our Success Management system to be an active layer of support for both you and your Freedom Maker.

We conduct regular check-ins (separately) with you and your Freedom Maker to identify any struggles or issues and celebrate and capture successes to capitalize on.

If communication starts to break down, we step in to re-align expectations.

We help troubleshoot workflow, tools, delegation strategies, and team dynamics, bringing in additional support if needed.

This system ensures that both sides feel supported, respected, and heard. Our Success Management teams operate as a "human buffer" that helps ensure smooth relationship growth as tasks evolve or business needs shift.

Empowering Freedom Makers to Succeed

Our Freedom Makers receive more than just access to opportunities. They're part of a values-aligned professional community that invests in their growth.

The military spouses, veterans, and family members in our community have access to the following:

Monthly live and recorded trainings (e.g., social media, CRM tools, CyberSecurity best practices, etc.)

A private internal network to ask questions and share tips, resources, and encouragement

Access to mentorship and coaching

We also encourage Freedom Makers to upskill continuously, positioning them to take on increasingly strategic roles for clients.

The "Click": What It Feels Like When It Works

The "click" is what we strive for with every client–Freedom Maker pairing.

The client feels relieved as they finally get time back in their day.

The Freedom Maker feels engaged and empowered, knowing they're contributing meaningfully.

Tasks begin to flow naturally. Needs are anticipated. Questions are answered quickly. Trust builds.

Before you know it, your Freedom Maker is not just an assistant – they're a trusted partner and an extension of the business. Likewise, you are not just a client. Your Freedom Maker is fully invested in and committed to your success.

This "click" is not by chance. It results from thoughtful onboarding, clear values, intentional communication, and a shared commitment to success.

A Community Built on Excellence and Impact

Our mission is to support small businesses, the backbone of America, and to uplift military families, the backbone of our way of life.

The ripple effect of a strong client-Freedom Maker connection goes far beyond just task completion. It creates stability, freedom, growth, and a sense of thriving for both parties.

When a new client refers others to us, or a military spouse recommends FMVS to their network, we know we're doing something right.

Ready to Connect With a Freedom Maker?

If you're a business owner looking for flexible, high-quality support, contact our Discovery Team to get started finding the military spouse virtual assistant who will become your partner in growth.

And, if you are a military spouse seeking meaningful remote work and a supportive, mission-driven community, check out the Join Our Team link at the top of our website. Watch the video, complete a form, and become a Freedom Maker!

5 Best Onboarding Practices When You Welcome Your Virtual Assistant

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 31 Dec 2024 18:30:00 GMT

Bringing a virtual assistant into the mix is a game-changer for small business owners, solopreneurs, and micro-teams. It's the opportunity to offload tasks that drain your energy and focus on the areas where your business truly needs you. However, if you don't transition to having a virtual assistant thoughtfully, you may wind up with more of a headache than a help.

That's why a thoughtful and streamlined onboarding process is essential. It can be just the key to help your virtual assistant succeed, and your business thrive.

Instead of spending your days buried in administrative tasks or wondering if your assistant is clear on their priorities, you could have a trusted partner seamlessly integrated into your workflows. It all starts with setting the right foundation.

Begin with Clarity and Purpose

Before your virtual assistant ever logs in, take the time to define the role they will play in your business. This means more than creating a simple to-do list. Consider how their efforts will align with your goals, the key outcomes you hope to achieve, and how success will be measured. These early conversations will help you both start off on the same page and avoid missteps down the road.

It's easy - and commonplace - to feel overwhelmed when delegating for the first time. Be honest about what tasks you're ready to hand off and which might take longer to let go. Communicating these boundaries clearly will give your virtual assistant the confidence to take the initiative without overstepping. It also helps you avoid micromanaging, which is a habit that can hinder both productivity and trust.

Set Up Tools and Access with Care

Efficiency is everything. Your virtual assistant's ability to have a fast and lasting impact on your business operations depends on them having the right tools and access in place when they are ready to get started. Don't waste valuable time or jeopardize your business' security. Sharing passwords securely through tools like LastPass or setting up shared folders in Google Drive may seem like small steps, but they're critical for a smooth start.

Think about the platforms they'll need to access and whether any additional accounts or permissions are required. If you don't already have structured systems in place, this is an excellent opportunity to build them with your new virtual assistant's help. Many virtual assistants - especially those in the Freedom Makers' community - are skilled and experienced in organizing workflows, setting up CRMs , or streamlining processes that may have become messy over time.

A common concern for small business owners is sharing sensitive information. You should take comfort in knowing that many virtual assistants are accustomed to signing confidentiality agreements or NDAs. They know how important trust building is and see the value in protecting your business. Together, you can build a foundation of trust.

Make Time for Orientation

Some solopreneurs just hand over tasks and hope for the best. However, taking the time to truly bring a virtual assistant into your business often proves to be a harbinger of a successful pairing. Plan to share your vision for your business. Explain the core values that drive your decisions and how your assistant fits into the bigger picture. This onboarding step isn't just about logistics; it's about connection. When your assistant understands what you're working toward, they'll be better equipped to anticipate your needs and adapt their approach to align with your priorities.

Additionally, even if your processes are informal, consider providing some initial training or insight into your processes. Screen-sharing sessions or Loom videos can be a great way to demonstrate how you prefer tasks to be handled. Or, if you lack established workflows, consider enlisting your assistant's help in documenting what is getting done as you or they go. Small businesses often benefit from a collaborative approach, which can turn onboarding into an opportunity to refine your operations.

Build Communication into Your Workflow

For businesses with small teams, communication is the backbone of collaboration. Understand that it's not enough to touch base sporadically if you want the best outcome. A professional virtual assistant will thrive in your business when provided regular opportunities to ask questions, clarify priorities, and share updates. You should, when possible, schedule weekly or bi-weekly meetings where you connect and review your virtual assistant's progress.

These one-on-one meetings don't have to be lengthy, but they should be regular. They are the perfect opportunity to provide constructive feedback and refine tasking requests. They can also provide the means to recognize your assistant's help. Is their work helping you have more time in your day-to-day schedule? Does having them handle some of your administrative tasks give you more energy as you go about running your business? A simple acknowledgment of their contributions can help foster a positive and productive relationship that will last as your business grows.

If something isn't working, address it early. Small businesses thrive on adaptability; a quality military spouse virtual assistants have in spades. Meeting, talking, and executing a quick course correction can often prevent larger issues from arising.

Treat Your Virtual Assistant as a Partner

Perhaps the most critical element of a successful onboarding process is creating a sense of partnership. When you involve your virtual assistant in strategy discussions or ask for their input on improving workflows, you're not just delegating - you're empowering.

Many small business owners are surprised to discover how much value their assistants bring beyond completing tasks. A skilled virtual assistant can suggest a new tool to save time, build automation into existing processes, or call out inefficiencies you hadn't noticed.

A virtual assistant can be a key driver of growth and innovation in your business.

Fostering a collaborative partnership starts with trust. Share your wins and challenges openly, and encourage your assistant to do the same. Over time, you'll build a working relationship that feels less like tasker-taskee and more like teamwork.

Onboarding a virtual assistant may take effort upfront, but the rewards are well worth it. For solopreneurs and small teams especially, having the right support can make the difference between burnout and balance. By investing in a robust and thoughtful onboarding process, you'll create a foundation for long-term success - freeing up your time and energy to focus on what matters most.

If you're ready to find a virtual assistant who understands your unique needs, reach out to our Discovery team today. We'll help you identify where a virtual assistant could make the most significant impact in your business so you can start enjoying the benefits of skilled support as soon as possible. Let us help you take your business to the next level!

Why 2025 is the Year to Embrace Hourly Virtual Assistance for Your Business

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Sat, 07 Dec 2024 00:57:39 GMT

The secret to thriving as a small business owner is having someone handle the repetitive, time-consuming tasks that pull you away from strategy and growth. That's because time is one of your most valuable assets. Every hour you spend on administrative tasks or routine processes is an hour taken away from growth-oriented activities like strategizing, networking, or innovating.

Flexible, scalable, and tailored to your needs, bringing a virtual assistant into your business will allow you to adapt to market changes, cash flow dips and surges, and workflow fluctuations - all while gaining valuable time to focus on growing your business.

Here's how a virtual assistant could transform how you run your business in 2025:

The Key Benefits of an Hourly Virtual Assistant

Flexibility to Match Your Cash Flow and Workload: The beauty of hiring a virtual assistant on an hourly basis is its adaptability. Whether your business is experiencing a seasonal lull or is ramping up for a big project or event, you can scale the hours of support you need.

Cost-Effective Support: Unlike hiring a traditional in-house employee, a virtual assistant can save you significant overhead costs. You won't need to pay for office space, provide benefits, or purchase additional equipment. Instead, you only pay for the hours worked. This ensures that you get the support you need at a streamlined cost.

Increased Efficiency and Focus: Delegating tasks to a virtual assistant allows you to concentrate on areas of your business that are more growth-oriented or revenue-producing. You have the freedom to focus entirely on strategy, client relationships, or product development while your virtual assistant handles scheduling, email management, and other administrative duties.

Access to Specialized Skills: Many virtual assistants bring specialized experience to areas like digital marketing, customer service, bookkeeping, or social media management . With the right virtual assistant with the right skill set on your team, you can fill gaps in your operations quickly, often without lengthy training.

Enhanced Scalability: As your business grows, so can your virtual assistant's role. You can start small with a few hours a week and gradually increase their responsibilities as your trust, familiarity, workload, and revenue expand. This incremental approach allows you to grow your relationship and support while keeping overhead low.

A virtual assistant can also be a powerful partner in helping your business scale and expand in 2025. If you bring on a virtual assistant to manage time-intensive tasks that might be holding your business back -- like updating your CRM, efficiently handling your invoices, or simply working to more effectively coordinate meetings -- your business will begin to run more smoothly. A virtual assistant can also boost your marketing efforts by managing your social media accounts, crafting email campaigns, and assisting with content creation. This work can bring new audiences to your website, bolster the growth of your online community, and ensure your business' presence remains strong and consistent. A virtual assistant can enhance client retention by handling inquiries, follow-ups, and routine communications so your clients feel valued.

Delegating these tasks will free you to focus on strategic growth initiatives in 2025, such as attending industry events, expanding your network , or exploring new markets. Bring a virtual assistant into your business and set the stage for scaling in the year ahead. Whether you're looking to improve efficiency, reduce stress, or access specialized expertise, a virtual assistant offers the flexibility and support you need to thrive.

Ready to embrace all a virtual assistant can do for your business in the new year? Reach out to our Discovery Team to discuss how a talented, military spouse virtual assistant could support you and your business.

Virtual Assistant Help, Tailored for You: Free Support for Delegation Success

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 17:00:00 GMT

Why a Virtual Assistant Could Be Your Key to Success in 2025

As the holidays approach, many business owners find themselves buried under professional and personal to-do lists. The rush that accompanies the end of the year, coupled with the responsibilities of planning for the new year, can feel overwhelming. Amid the chaos, the idea of handing off some routine tasks to a virtual assistant emerges as a lifeline. If you are a solopreneur or a business owner with a super small team, now might be the moment to consider how outsourcing tasks could not just help you get through the holidays, but could transform your day-to-day operations in 2025.

While certainly useful as a temporary solution to a busy period, a virtual assistant can actually provide a far greater benefit. They can become a partner in efficiency and provide significant benefits by handling repetitive administrative tasks so you can focus on higher-level priorities.

How to Identify the Right Tasks to Delegate

For clients of Freedom Makers Virtual Services, the impact of thoughtful, strategic delegation has proven to be a valuable investment in their business. Military spouses virtual assistants bring reliability, adaptability, and a continual striving for excellence, whether they’re managing professional operations or assisting with personal responsibilities.

But, if you’ve never worked with a virtual assistant before it might be hard to imagine how to best utilize a second set of hands, especially if you are accustomed to doing everything yourself.

Take a moment to imagine what it would feel like to hand off just one task that drains your time or energy.

What could you accomplish with the extra time?
How much more focused could you be on your initiatives if someone else was handling the repetitive admin details?

The tasks that consume your energy but don’t necessarily require your expertise - or the tasks that you simply don’t enjoy doing - are often the best tasks to hand off. With the right virtual assistant, even small shifts in your workload can free up significant time and mental space to focus on growing your business. By thinking through your daily responsibilities and identifying pain points, you can begin to see how delegation might benefit both your business and your well-being.

Need a starting point?

Consider the professional tasks that tend to pile up, like calendar or email management . Sorting, replying, and organizing your inbox is critical but often time-consuming. Managing your calendar with all the back and forth, cancelations and rescheduling needs, and competing priorities is exhausting. A Freedom Maker virtual assistant can help you regain control by prioritizing emails, drafting responses, and filtering out unnecessary clutter. With a streamlined inbox, you’ll have more time to focus on the big picture - like strategic planning for the year ahead. They can also create automations or integrate a program like Calendly into your calendar workflow to help you manage your schedule. By adding a signature block to your email that includes your Calendly link, your email will work for you, populating your calendar to only schedule events when you are free.

Delegation doesn’t have to stop at emails. Many Freedom Maker virtual assistants also help with client onboarding, scheduling, customer care, and marketing support. By handing over these time-consuming but essential tasks, you can ensure that your operations will run smoothly even if you take your hands off those wheels. A Freedom Maker might handle appointment scheduling, draft marketing materials , or oversee social media engagement, all while maintaining accuracy and efficiency. Hours of work taken off your plate, completed to your specifications and desired amount of oversight.

Some clients also find that their Freedom Maker’s support extends beyond business, helping to bring balance to their personal lives. From organizing family schedules to managing travel plans or holiday preparations, virtual assistants can offer relief in ways that free your time and energy for what matters most.

Free Resources to Help You Start Delegating

If the idea of delegating still feels overwhelming, you’re not alone. Knowing which tasks to hand off and how to do it effectively can be a challenge. That’s why Freedom Makers offers Task Audit Open Office Hours , hosted by Laura Renner on the third Tuesday of every month. These free, no-pressure brainstorming sessions are designed to help you clarify where to start and how to maximize the benefits of working with a virtual assistant. Whether you’re curious about the types of tasks you can delegate or need help creating a delegation roadmap, these sessions provide actionable guidance.

Starting now - before the new year begins - gives you the chance to really envision how a virtual assistant would fit into your workflow. Thinking through the onboarding process will help you imagine what is possible if you weren’t tethered to the tasks that tie you down.

Many Freedom Maker Virtual Services clients are proof that by working with a trusted and skilled virtual assistant, you can reclaim your time, channel your energy into growth and innovation, and find more balance in your personal and professional life. This holiday season, take the first step toward transformation and make 2025 the year your business - and your well-being - thrives.

For more information on Task Audit Open Office Hours or to explore the Task Audit Tool , visit www.freedom-makers.com and discover how we can help you start the new year stronger than ever.

Build or Improve Your Website with a Skilled Web Design Virtual Assistant

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 16:30:00 GMT

In today's digital world, a website is essential to connect a small business with customers, establish credibility, and remain competitive. Whether you're a small business owner building an online presence for the first time or you are ready to enhance your basic site, investing in a smartly designed website can significantly impact your business.

A professional, modern-looking website can help attract new customers, convert visitors into clients, and support your brand's growth.

Freedom Maker virtual assistants specializing in web design provide a flexible, cost-effective solution for business owners who want to create or improve their website without incurring the cost of a full-time developer.

Your business can have a polished website that captures your unique brand and drives results.

Here's how a Specialty Freedom Maker with web design experience can assist in each stage of your website project:

Creating Your First Website: Building an Online Presence

Estimated Hours: 12-25 hours

Starting from scratch can be challenging, especially when you're already juggling the demands of running a business. With a virtual assistant specializing in web design, you don't have to face this alone. They'll guide you through each step, from understanding your brand goals to launching a simple yet powerful site.

A Freedom Maker virtual assistant can begin working with you to set up the site structure by identifying the most crucial pages and functionalities for your business. They might recommend a homepage to introduce your brand, an "About Us" page to build trust, a "Services" or "Products" page to detail offerings, and a "Contact" page to make it easy for customers to reach out.

The 12-25 hour time range covers initial consultation, design setup, and a basic setup with essential pages (usually 4 main pages without sub-menu) and content (copy, images, branding and hosting platform) if those things are already available. If your business requires additional industry-specific features like booking widgets or integrations, or if there are extensive change requests after initial delivery, more time may be needed.

Enhancing Visual Appeal and User Experience

Estimated Hours: 10-25 hours

An attractive website that is easy to navigate can entice visitors to stay on your site longer, which may help convert them into customers. If you already have a basic site, your web design virtual assistant can elevate it by enhancing design elements that align with your brand. They'll evaluate the layout and user interface, focusing on making navigation simple and intuitive.

An experienced web design virtual assistant can also help with aesthetics that match your business's style. Whether you prefer a minimalist look or a colorful, vibrant aesthetic, good design helps your website look professional. A virtual assistant with experience in web design can also ensure that your site is mobile-friendly (looks good and works on any device), which increases visitor trust.

This type of project typically includes revising layouts, updating graphics, and adjusting color schemes. If your site requires a more complex redesign or you have a website with specific industry requirements, like interactive features or custom layouts, the hours may increase. Additionally, if the redesign involves a migration or a staging site to replace an old theme or layout with a new one, the project may require more hours.

Building Trust and Credibility with Optimized Content

Estimated Hours: 10-20 hours

A website is often the first interaction customers have with your business, so making a great impression is essential. A specialty Freedom Maker with web design or copywriting skills can assist in creating quality content for every page. They can craft engaging product descriptions, team bios, and compelling customer testimonials. They can also write blog posts and answer FAQs to make your site a valuable resource for visitors.

Valuable, relevant content will establish your credibility and help with search engine optimization (SEO). Search engines favor sites that are frequently updated with fresh content, which means your web design virtual assistant can periodically update your site's content to keep it current.

Developing content for main site pages generally takes 10-20 hours. Large-scale content projects or those requiring SEO-focused content may require 20 hours or more. Also, if you need ongoing content creation like blog posts, additional hours may be required.

Boosting Visibility with SEO Optimization

Estimated Hours: 10-15 hours

A beautifully designed website needs to be visible to attract visitors, and search engine optimization (SEO) is key to that visibility. Many web design virtual assistants have SEO skills and can perform keyword research, identify phrases relevant to your business, and ensure these are strategically included in your website content. They can also add meta descriptions, create image alt text, and structure page URLs for optimal ranking on search engines like Google.

SEO can also improve your site's user experience by enhancing page speed and fixing broken links, which impact ranking. With a solid SEO foundation, your website will be better positioned to attract organic traffic.

Basic SEO setup, including keyword research and implementing on-page SEO strategies, typically takes about 10-15 hours. Ongoing SEO improvements may require additional hours monthly.

Ongoing Site Maintenance and Updates

Estimated Hours: 3-5 hours

Once your website is up and running, it requires regular maintenance to stay secure, functional, and valuable. Your web design virtual assistant can handle ongoing tasks like updating plugins, adding new content, monitoring page performance, and keeping an eye on security issues. They can also perform routine checks for broken links and outdated information and tweak your design so your site remains polished and professional.

This level of attention is especially helpful for small businesses that don't have the resources to have an in-house employee monitor website functionality. With a specialty skilled Freedom Maker handling these updates, your website becomes a robust and reliable asset for your business.

Maintenance needs can vary greatly depending on the size and functionality of the site. Larger or more complex sites, especially those with frequent updates or features like e-commerce, require more time which should be expected. For example, adding a lot of new stores to a WooCommerce site on WordPress could take around 10 hours to ensure the stores are listed alphabetically with correct links, etc. If only a few stores are added, the work might take 2 hours or less. In general, plan for maintenance and updates to take around 3-5 hours a month for a site without industry-specific or e-commerce requirements.

Integrating Tools for Growth and Social Media Connections

Estimated Hours: 5-10 hours

A website is a powerful hub that can support other marketing efforts, especially on social media. A Freedom Maker virtual assistant with a website design specialty can create connections with your social media profiles by integrating tools like email marketing platforms and analytics. By linking your site to your social accounts, a web design virtual assistant can help drive social engagement, manage campaigns, and even create automated posts to keep your content fresh.

With tools like Google Analytics, they can track site traffic, monitor user behavior, and provide insights on what's working. This integration not only increases your reach but also allows you to make data-driven decisions about your business.

Setting up integrations for email marketing and configuring basic analytics tools (think Google Console ) can typically be completed in a 5 to 10 hour timeframe if all goes smoothly. However, it is important to keep in mind that integrating certain tools may be complicated depending on your platform, and occasionally, a virtual assistant with web design as their specialty may need to add products manually, which can be quite time consuming. In those instances (when many products need to be added) it is not uncommon for this process to take over 10 hours, especially if issues arise with the integration.

Additional Considerations

The hours estimated for these projects do not convert directly into a specific number of days for completion. External factors, like waiting on hosting providers or third-party services for industry-specific integrations (e.g., booking widgets for real estate sites), can impact timelines. Project scope, client requests, and complexity ultimately determine how quickly the final result can be delivered.

Why Work with A Specialty Freedom Maker to Create or Improve Your Website?

Partnering with a Freedom Maker who specializes in web design allows you to create or improve your website without the cost and commitment to a full blown project. Our virtual assistants with web design experience are flexible, and can work within your budget, adding pages or features as needed and as your cash flow allows. With support customized to your needs, your business will see its reach extended and its credibility enhanced. A website becomes a 24/7 resource for potential customers who can explore your polished site and get to know your business and its offerings.

Whether you're building a new website or refreshing an existing one, Freedom Makers Virtual Services can match you with the right specialty virtual assistant to bring your vision to life. Contact us to learn more and find the perfect Freedom Maker with web design experience to help your business stand out online.

Click Here! to learn about all of the specialty services Freedom Makers offers.

*Special Thanks to Freedom Maker Patricial Nyambal for her assistance with this article.

Essential Tools for Managing Tasks with Your Virtual Assistant

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 17:21:40 GMT

A virtual assistant can offer much-needed support for small business owners as they juggle everyday tasks with an eye toward growing and scaling their operations. However, in order to make any delegation partnership effective in a remote collaboration, it’s important to utilize tools and platforms that have the ability to streamline communication, organize task management, and facilitate the organization (and retrieval) of information.

Freedom Maker virtual assistants use a wide variety of tools with clients in different industries and market areas. Consider these categories and whether adopting a tool in one might help you delegate more effectively and stay on top of your deadlines and deliverables.

Project Management Tools

Project management platforms are crucial for tracking tasks, managing deliverables, and ensuring that everything stays on schedule. These tools provide clarity on who is responsible for what and can keep both you and your virtual assistant accountable and aligned when it comes to task completion.

Asana : Widely used by Freedom Makers, Asana allows you to create projects, assign tasks, and set deadlines. With its intuitive layout, Asana helps keep your VA organized and on top of priorities. It’s scalable, with a free version ideal for small businesses.

In a recent training for Freedom Makers within our community, Operation Manager Erin Close, who is an Asana Ambassador, explained some of the features and functions of Asana and how we as a team use Asana to manage core functions.

Trello: Trello is another user-friendly option that uses boards, lists, and cards to track tasks. Its visual nature makes it popular for creative projects and team collaboration.
ClickUp: Combining features from multiple project management tools, ClickUp allows you to manage tasks, docs, goals, and more in one platform. It’s highly customizable and great for both small teams and growing businesses.

Communication Tools

Effective communication is the key to a successful and enduring relationship with your virtual assistant. Tools that facilitate instant messaging, video conferencing, and seamless updates can save time and prevent misunderstandings.

Slack : Frequently used by Freedom Makers, Slack enables real-time communication through dedicated channels for different projects, teams, or topics. It integrates with other tools like Google Workspace and Asana, making collaboration seamless.
Zoom : For video conferencing, especially for regular check-ins with your virtual assistant or important meetings with clients, Zoom is a go-to tool. Its ease of use and reliable video quality make it essential for maintaining clear communication.
Google Workspace (Gmail, Chat, Meet) : Google’s suite of tools offers comprehensive solutions for communication, document sharing, and more. Google Chat is great for quick messages, while Meet handles video calls. It’s ideal for those already using Gmail.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Tools

A CRM tool is invaluable for managing client relationships, tracking customer interactions, and automating sales tasks. Many Freedom Makers work with clients using CRM platforms to track customer data and communication. Because CRM platforms are scalable, a Freedom Maker virtual assistant is able to recommend what CRM might be right for your business.

HubSpot : HubSpot is one of the most popular CRMs among Freedom Makers clients, offering accessible and affordable tiers that include email marketing, sales tools, and customer management. It’s excellent for tracking leads and customer interaction history.
Zoho CRM : A cost-effective alternative to some of the more expensive CRMs, Zoho offers a full suite of tools for managing customer data, automating marketing, and even handling customer support.

Calendar and Time Management Tools

Scheduling and managing time efficiently is a cornerstone of productivity, especially when coordinating across different time zones with your customers and clients. Freedom Maker virtual assistants excel at setting up and making these tools work for you. Once in place, they dramatically reduce the back-and-forth traditionally associated with getting something on the calendar.

Google Calendar : Google Calendar is widely used for scheduling meetings, setting deadlines, and managing time. It integrates seamlessly with other tools like Asana, Slack, and Gmail, making it a perfect all-in-one calendar solution.
Calendly : This tool is particularly useful for scheduling client meetings without the back-and-forth emails. Simply share a link to your available time slots, and clients can book directly.

File Sharing and Collaboration Tools

Securely sharing files and collaborating on documents in real time ensures that both you and your virtual assistant have access to the latest versions of your work, reducing confusion.

Google Drive : Google Drive remains a top choice for document sharing and collaboration. Your Freedom Maker can help organize shared folders for easy project access and collaboration.
Dropbox : For businesses handling large media files or documents, Dropbox provides a reliable solution for storing and sharing data securely.

Social Media Management Tools

For businesses needing help with social media, these tools can streamline the process of scheduling posts, managing content, and tracking engagement.

Canva : Canva is essential for graphic design work, allowing you and your virtual assistant to create visually appealing content for social media, newsletters, and websites.
Meta Business Suite : If you are focused on managing Facebook and Instagram accounts, this tool allows you to schedule posts, track engagement, and manage multiple accounts in one place.
Buffer: A simple, user-friendly tool for managing social media posts across multiple platforms. Buffer allows you to schedule posts, analyze performance, and manage all your accounts in one place, making it ideal if you are looking to streamline your social media efforts.

These tools can significantly enhance your social media management, allowing you to focus on growing your business.

Why These Tools Matter for Your Business Growth

Even if you’re just starting your business and don’t yet see the need for these platforms, investing in these tools can help lay the groundwork for future growth. Many platforms, like Asana, Slack, and HubSpot, offer free versions with scalable features, making them an excellent fit for businesses of all sizes. Whether automating repetitive tasks, improving customer management, or streamlining project collaboration, these tools are a smart investment in efficiency and productivity.

Need Help Choosing the Right Tools? Not sure which tool is best for your business? One of the significant advantages of working with Freedom Makers is that our virtual assistants are experienced with a wide range of platforms. They can advise you on the most cost-effective and scalable options for your specific needs, ensuring your business continues growing smoothly.

Check out this list of platforms that are commonly used by Freedom Makers who support small business clients like you:

By leveraging these essential tools (and other ones that fit your business needs), you can focus on what truly matters while your virtual assistant ensures that no details slip through the cracks. These tools save you time and energy and help prevent miscommunication, keep projects on track, and ensure that nothing falls through the gaps—leaving you free to concentrate on your priorities with peace of mind.

To experience the full potential of a partnership with a Freedom Maker, reach out to our Discovery Team today. By leveraging the right tools and platforms, you can streamline operations and stay ahead on your goals. Our Freedom Maker virtual assistants bring experience across project management, communication, CRM, scheduling, and social media tools to give you peace of mind while keeping projects organized and on track.

Time Management Tips for Small Business Owners

Fri, 18 Oct 2024 16:30:00 GMT

As a small business owner, your time is one of your most valuable assets. With narrow margins and endless demands on your attention, it is really important to manage your day wisely. The good news? With a few smart strategies, you can take control of your time, boost productivity, and reduce stress without spending a fortune.

Here are some simple, cost-effective time management tips to help you get the most out of each day.

Identify Time-Wasters and Productivity Pitfalls

The first step toward better time management is recognizing where your time goes. Track your activities for a week to see which tasks are draining your energy without providing real value.

Common time-wasters include:

Frequent, unplanned meetings that lack a clear agenda or actionable outcomes, eating into your productive time and disrupting your workflow
Endless email checking, especially if you're constantly monitoring your inbox throughout the day instead of setting specific times to process and respond to messages efficiently
Multitasking on low-priority activities, like juggling minor emails and other less important tasks simultaneously, instead of focusing on more significant, more impactful goals
Spending excessive time on non-strategic social media activity (such as aimless scrolling or posting without a clear plan)
Getting caught up in repetitive administrative tasks that could be streamlined or outsourced

By identifying these time traps, you can consciously avoid them and focus on the tasks that truly matter.

Prioritize Tasks and Activities

Once you've identified what's eating up your time, you need to prioritize your tasks. Not everything on your to-do list deserves the same level of attention. Use techniques like the Eisenhower Matrix (urgent vs. important) to separate the genuinely critical tasks from the less important ones. Focus on activities that drive growth, build client relationships, or move your business forward.

Here's a quick tip: Try listing your top three priorities at the start of each day. These are your "must-do" tasks that will make the biggest impact, leaving lower-priority items to be tackled only once these are complete.

Create a Daily/Weekly Schedule

Establishing a daily or weekly routine helps bring structure to your chaotic workday. A well-planned schedule ensures you're dedicating enough time to high-priority tasks while also reserving time for essential breaks. Use a digital calendar or planner to block off time for different tasks. This method, known as time blocking , reduces distractions and keeps you focused.

Consider blocking off a couple of hours in the morning for deep work, such as strategy planning or writing, and reserving afternoons for meetings or administrative tasks. Many find that having a set schedule allows you to streamline your day and make better use of your energy.

Overcome Procrastination and Stay Focused

Procrastination is one of the biggest enemies of productivity. To beat it, break down larger tasks into smaller, more manageable steps, and tackle the most challenging tasks first. Known as the "Eat the Frog" method , this helps you build momentum by getting the most difficult or unpleasant task out of the way early in the day.

Another effective strategy is to work in short, focused bursts. Set a timer for a specific period - something like 20, 25, or 30 minutes - and commit to working on just one task during that time. Once the timer goes off, take a brief break to recharge before starting the next work session. This method might help you stay focused, reduce the pull towards distractions, and make large, less desirable tasks feel less overwhelming.

Outsource Time Consuming Tasks to a Virtual Assistant

Sometimes, saving time means spending a little money - which only makes sense if it's an investment that can pay off big. Outsourcing small, time-consuming tasks to a virtual assistant allows you to focus on the bigger picture while ensuring your daily operations run smoothly.

In order to make a strategic decision here, you need to think about how much your time is worth. If you spend hours on repetitive tasks that could be delegated, it may be costing you more than you realize.

Let's say your time is worth $150 per hour. If you spend two hours managing your calendar or responding to emails, that's $300 of your time. By bringing a virtual assistant into your business for $45 an hour to handle these tasks, you can save your valuable time and energy for other tasks. You free yourself up to focus on high-value activities like growing your client base or developing new products.

Consider outsourcing tasks like:

Calendar management
Email follow-ups
Online marketing
Data entry and CRM input
Research and competitor analysis

A Freedom Maker military spouse virtual assistant is highly experienced and efficient at handling administrative tasks , meaning they are able to get the work done faster and error free. Even outsourcing a few hours of administrative work each week can make a significant difference, giving you more time for high-impact activities that will drive the growth of your business.

In Conclusion

Mastering time management as a small business owner is about working smarter, not harder. You can reclaim valuable hours in your day by cutting out time wasting activities, staying focused on high-impact tasks, and creating a schedule that works for you.

And sometimes, the best way to manage your time is by recognizing when it's valuable to hand some things off to an admin professional.

Outsourcing tasks like email follow-ups or calendar management to a Freedom Maker virtual assistant isn't just about saving time - it's about making sure your time is spent where it counts the most. If you're ready to streamline your workload and free up space to focus on the bigger picture, reach out to our Discovery Team today to learn how a Freedom Maker can help.

Onboarding Your Virtual Assistant for Long Term Success

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Fri, 04 Oct 2024 16:30:05 GMT

Imagine this: You’ve finally taken the leap and hired a virtual assistant to lighten your load. But a few weeks in, tasks aren't getting done in the way you had hoped, communication feels clunky, and you aren't sure if your virtual assistant understands you or your company's goals. Now you're wondering if bringing a virtual assistant on is actually saving you time, or creating a new set of problems.

A nightmare scenario, to be sure. But it is likely that the root of the problem isn't your virtual assistant -- it's your onboarding process.

Delegating to a virtual assistant can be like bringing in a partner to help grow your business. But without a proper introduction and clear expectations, even the most experienced assistant will struggle. That’s why an effective onboarding process is essential. Not only does it ensure a smooth start, but it also lays the foundation for a productive, long-term relationship that can help you focus on what you do best: running your business.

If you want to build a long-term, healthy, and productive relationship with your virtual assistant, you need to conduct an onboarding so your virtual assistant feels like a valued part of your business. When a virtual assistant feels integrated into your business, they become even more enthusiastic and motivated to contribute to your business operations.

A robust onboarding process can set the stage for a successful and mutually beneficial partnership, leading to increased longevity and tremendous productivity.

Why Robust Onboarding is Crucial

Properly onboarding a virtual assistant is essential for several reasons. First, a deliberate, structured onboarding process ensures clarity and understanding. By providing your virtual assistant with a clear picture of your business operations, long-term goals , expectations for collaboration, and where their tasks fit into that larger picture, you are reducing the opportunity for misunderstandings and errors.

Robust onboarding also fosters engagement and commitment. When a virtual assistant feels connected to your business, they are more likely to be engaged and committed to your goals. If you have a person on your team who is fully invested, both you and your business will reap the rewards.

Additionally, by taking the time to onboard your virtual assistant, you are laying the foundation for a trusting and harmonious working relationship, which becomes crucial during collaboration. Take care of your future self by setting the groundwork for an easy, respect-based relationship that can weather stressful situations and grow as your business grows.

Proper onboarding is an absolute necessity if you want a virtual assistant who is happy, a true team player, and willing to work hard to boost your business's productivity.

Steps for a Robust Onboarding Process

Preparation Before Onboarding

The best onboarding starts with good, thoughtful preparation. Start by considering the roles and responsibilities your virtual assistant will have and think through the expectations you have for how your collaboration will play out. Be honest with yourself about your delegation comfort level. If you are apprehensive about outsourcing tasks - even if you are excited about doing so - consider how you can structure the handoff so you don't cause yourself unnecessary stress. You will eliminate misunderstandings and miscommunications by expressing your preferences early on and providing a roadmap for how you will work together.

Your virtual assistant needs to know where you hope the relationship and your business goes. Sharing your overall plan will position you both to build a thriving work relationship. The best collaborations occur when each person involved is informed and working toward a common objective.

At Freedom Makers Virtual Services, we encourage our clients to establish their expectations with their Freedom Maker virtual assistant in a formalized manner so that nothing is left to speculation. By working through a series of prompts and deciding on the methodology of your collaboration (things like communication channels, turnaround time, working hours, and if-then scenarios), you can ensure a smooth integration of your virtual assistant into your business.

One of the most critical elements of establishing expectations is deciding what communication methods you will use throughout the onboarding process and going forward as you work together. Consider tools such as email, Slack, Google Chat, or Zoom, and ensure both you and your virtual assistant are comfortable using them. Because effective communication is the backbone of any successful working relationship, having channels established from the beginning is vital.

As you prepare to onboard your virtual assistant, think through any documentation you might have that you will share with your virtual assistant. Are there company policies, procedures, or standard operating procedures (SOPs) in place? Providing these will help your virtual assistant have a clear understanding of how your business operates.

Finally, think through what your virtual assistant might need to execute their work for you. Will they be sending correspondence on behalf of the company and need a company email address? How will you share passwords and login information? Do you need to establish a shared drive? Will additional user seats be needed for the software your business uses? Having these practical things set up in advance of your first meeting will allow your virtual assistant to get to work more quickly.

The Onboarding Process

Once you've prepared, it's time to start the onboarding process. Begin with a warm welcome and an introduction during which you share about yourself. Think through your background and any relevant information that might help your virtual assistant understand who you are as a person and a leader. Be sure to give a thorough and robust overview of your business, its mission, and your values. These things will help your virtual assistant understand the bigger picture and feel more connected to your business.

Be sure to leave time for your virtual assistant to introduce themselves to you. Listen for areas of commonality and previous work experiences that you might be able to leverage in the future. Virtual assistants frequently have a wide range of experience working with companies in many different industries. Their insights into other business spaces may be an asset for you down the road.

Next, work to familiarize your virtual assistant with any structures your business might have in place. Explain to your virtual assistant which tools and platforms you currently use and how you manage projects. If your company utilizes a CRM, be prepared to walk them through how you manage your information. This is your opportunity to provide any and all relevant login information, passwords, and access points they may need in order to complete their work.

Finally, build in time for training so you can demonstrate how specific tasks should be performed. You can use screen sharing and recorded videos for step-by-step guidance. Having hands-on training and something to refer back to will help your virtual assistant get up to speed quickly and execute their tasks with confidence and accuracy.

Establishing Communication and Creating a Sense of Belonging

Establishing ongoing communication and support is critical for the continued success of your working relationship. Schedule regular check-ins, whether weekly or bi-weekly, to discuss progress, address concerns, and provide feedback. For your virtual assistant, regular meetings are critical in helping them understand how they can be more successful in their role. Regularly communicating with you provides them with the safety of knowing where they stand based on your feedback. It allows for any course deviations to be corrected with ample time to prevent larger problems and to save your relationship from going south. Regular check-ins help maintain open communication and ensure your virtual assistant has a regular opportunity to raise questions, bring suggestions to you, and continue to feel like part of the team.

If you can put yourself into the mindset of being a partner-like leader with your virtual assistant instead of donning the hat of a traditional boss, you can help create a sense of belonging for your virtual assistant. Work to create meaningful interactions and try to recognize and appreciate your virtual assistant's efforts regularly. A simple thank-you email or a shout-out during team meetings can go a long way toward making them feel valued. Recognition is motivating! It boosts morale and can significantly enhance your virtual assistant's job satisfaction and overall happiness. This leads to longevity and productivity, which makes good business sense.

Detailed Onboarding Plan

To help you implement these steps, here's a two-step onboarding plan that you can follow:

STEP 1: Introduction and Orientation

Meet face-to-face virtually (Zoom, Google Meet, etc.) and complete the following:
Spend time with warm, personalized introductions
Give a robust overview of your business, its mission, and your values
Work through your collaboration expectations document
Introduce your business's essential tools and platforms and provide access to any documentation needed
Screen share task-specific training and suggest your virtual assistant screen record. Or, provide a recorded version of the task you've shown
Set your first-task priorities
Schedule your next meeting

It can be helpful to send a follow-up email that summarizes this information. Be sure to include a copy of the completed expectations for the collaboration document.

STEP 2: Integration, Evaluation, Feedback & Growth

Establish a rhythm for recurring meetings.
Leave time for open communication, task evaluation, and feedback
Be patient and make adjustments as necessary
Focus on progress and discuss any areas that need improvement
Ask that your virtual assistant document the steps they take when they execute their tasks so you begin to build out your business's playbook with SOPs
Celebrate small wins!
Assign additional tasks as your virtual assistant gains confidence and you feel comfortable letting more tasks go.
Determine if any additional training, access, or software licenses are needed
Let your virtual assistant know about any business-related events or developments you are focused on, even if they are outside of their assigned task area.
Keeping them "in the know" helps them feel like they are part of the team
Regularly recognize and appreciate your virtual assistant's efforts and contributions
Seek your virtual assistant's feedback
Ask your virtual assistant for their insights into your business and workflows. How do things appear from their perspective?
Do they see any opportunities to add automation or to increase efficiencies?
Are there other areas of your business in which they feel comfortable supporting you?
Offer opportunities for professional development and growth

Being deliberate about onboarding your virtual assistant is essential for effectively integrating your virtual assistant into your business and getting the most value and productivity from the relationship. By investing time and effort into onboarding, you can ensure that your virtual assistant feels valued, supported, and motivated to contribute to your business's success.

For more information about onboarding a virtual assistant, and for access to our Onboarding Checklist, click here .

And, if and when you're ready to experience the benefits of a well-integrated virtual assistant, our Discovery team is here to help. Contact us today to start your relationship with a Freedom Maker virtual assistant. With our hosted KickOff Call and comprehensive onboarding tools, we'll ensure a smooth start.

Let's work together to set you, your business, and your virtual assistant up for success!

Clearing the Path to Business Growth with a Virtual Assistant

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 23:01:01 GMT

For solopreneurs and small business owners, finding the time to grow or scale your business often feels like the elusive goal that remains just out of reach. Every day, you're racing against the clock, trying to check off enough tasks to finally focus on what will make a big impact on your business's development. Administrative and operational hurdles stand in your way on a daily basis. With so many areas demanding attention just to keep the wheels turning, it is a challenge to carve out the time and energy needed for big picture strategies. The reality of running a small business means constantly juggling an endless list of responsibilities. Things like nurturing clients, innovating new ideas, and building out growth strategies can get buried under administrative duties.

Hurdle after hurdle, day after day, and the passion that fuels your enterprise starts to fade. The next thing you know, you start to experience burnout, and any inclination toward progress gets stalled.

Sound familiar?

If you feel like you are ready to reclaim the time needed to get to working on those big picture goals, bringing a virtual assistant onto your team can be a game changer. A skilled military spouse - a Freedom Maker virtual assistant - can start clearing those administrative hurdles that stand between you and business growth.

A Freedom Maker can free up your time so you can focus on scaling your business and increasing your revenue.

Working hourly, Freedom Maker virtual assistants provide dedicated, focused support, tailored to your specific needs. Whether it's managing emails, scheduling, or keeping your CRM up to date, they can handle the tasks that you identify as being the biggest drain on your time and energy.

By outsourcing those tasks - and only paying for the time worked on the work you need to get done - you've suddenly got time to reinvest into revenue-generating activities. Outsourcing time sucking tasks to a Freedom Maker is a cost-effective strategy that allows you to offload administrative tasks without the cost overhead of a full time or in-person employee. Time saved and a small monetary investment can serve as a significant driver of growth for your business.

The Administrative Hurdles That Hold You Back

Every small business owner or solopreneur faces the challenge of balancing core business activities with the administrative work that keeps operations running. Here are some of the most common hurdles and how Freedom Maker virtual assistants have been successful in helping small business owners overcome them:

EMAIL OVERLOAD : For many business owners, the inbox is an endless stream of demands, updates, and follow-ups. It's easy to lose hours every day sorting, responding, and flagging emails. This time spent "in the weeds" is time you could be using to build client relationships or develop new products.

CASE IN POINT: Karen is an attorney running a growing legal practice. As her caseload expanded, Karen looked to bring on a Freedom Maker to assist with various administrative tasks. Karen selected Debbie, who now helps manage the volume of client emails and communication Karen receives on a daily basis. Debbie helps ensure that client inquiries are promptly addressed, and she keeps Karen updated on critical conversations by cc’ing her on important messages. In addition to this, Debbie schedules meetings, compiles large legal packets for court filings, and assists in client-facing Zoom meetings to provide guidance on budgets and expenses.

CALENDAR CHAOS: Scheduling meetings, coordinating appointments, and managing time zones can create logistical nightmares for busy entrepreneurs. When meetings overlap or important appointments slip through the cracks, it disrupts your workflow and reduces your productivity. Freedom Makers excel in calendar management. Let them take over the time-consuming (and mind-numbing) task of coordinating your schedule.

CASE IN POINT: Alene is the owner of a coaching company that helps professionals and organizations achieve their personal and career development goals. As her business grew, Alene looked to bring on a Freedom Maker onto her team to assist her with booking speaking engagements. She selected Sarah, a Freedom Maker and the spouse of a retired United States Airman, for this role. Sarah manages outreach for potential speaking engagements using a pre-established spreadsheet and templated emails. She sends initial emails, follows up via phone or Zoom, and tracks responses. Sarah also handles key inquiries, like speaker fees, and organizes bookings, including potential repeats for the following year.

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT : Social media is essential for building brand awareness, but it can become a major time sink for business owners trying to stay consistent across platforms. The process of brainstorming content, creating graphics, scheduling posts, and engaging with followers can take up valuable hours that could be used to grow your business.

CASE IN POINT: Katie is the owner of a business dedicated to helping audiologists grow their social media presence and increase patient referrals through improved professional relationships. As Katie's business grew, she looked to bring a Freedom Maker on board to help her with tasks like uploading and editing social media content, creating product images in Canva, managing website and Amazon S3 uploads, turning existing Canva designs into Reels, and formatting captions for future posts. She selected Chelsie, a Navy wife who works 3 to 5 hours per month for Katie, formatting and editing social media posts, adding relevant hashtags and emojis, and ensuring each post reflects the empathetic tone required when discussing health related topics.

and

CASE IN POINT: Geneve owns a consulting company that provides expert financial consulting services. As her business expanded, Geneve looked for a Freedom Maker to help manage her LinkedIn pod engagement by thoughtfully liking and commenting on members' posts twice a week at a specific time. Geneve selected Sandra, a United States Air Force veteran and spouse, who ensures all LinkedIn responses are unique, typo-free, and written in Geneve's voice. Sandra's ability to craft thoughtful responses to posts ensures that Geneve remains engaged and visible in her professional community without spending hours online.

Client Relationship Management (CRM) and Data Entry: Tracking new leads, maintaining client records, and keeping CRM systems updated are critical to building a successful business, but the routine, repetitive nature of these tasks can prevent you from focusing on high-value activities like sales or business strategy.

CASE IN POINT: Diane runs a successful fitness business . As her client base expanded, Diane looked for a Freedom Maker to join her team to assist with client outreach, social media management, weekly newsletters, member management, client onboarding, podcast recaps, and follow-up from interest forms. She selected Leigh, the spouse of a Navy sailor. Leigh works to help Diane by tracking client projects, updating the business's CRM, and assisting with sales calls. This tailored support allows Diane to focus on building her fitness programs and deepening client relationships.

CUSTOMER SERVICE: Responding to customer inquiries, managing client complaints or questions, and providing routine updates can eat up your time, especially when it involves repeated tasks that could easily be delegated. Freedom Makers are professional and polished. They can handle your customer care and ensure that your clients receive timely, thoughtful responses.

CASE IN POINT: Jenn is a coach specializing in leadership and personal development. As her coaching business grew, Jenn looked to add a Freedom Maker to her team to help with various administrative tasks like managing her online courses, tracking client progress, ensuring onboarding completion, sending newsletters, scheduling meetings, and posting content to LinkedIn and her websites. Jenn selected Amy, the spouse of an Air Force veteran. Amy helps Jenn by answering client questions and creating Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure business consistency. She also manages Jenn’s schedule, arranges travel, formats newsletters, and automates text messaging, keeping clients informed and engaged.

Why Administrative Tasks Detract From Business Growth

Administrative and operational tasks are essential to running a business but don't directly contribute to revenue generation or business expansion. Outsourcing these tasks to a virtual assistant is a wise investment. Some of the things a Freedom Maker virtual assistant can save you from experiencing are:

Time and Energy Drain : Administrative tasks often require focus and attention to detail, pulling you away from high-level strategic thinking. Time spent on emails, scheduling, or data entry is time that could be better spent on client acquisition, business development, or exploring new revenue streams. By offloading these duties to a virtual assistant, you free up your mental energy for more impactful work.

Reduced Agility : Administrative tasks can slow down your response time when it comes to seizing new opportunities. When you're tied up with routine administrative or operational tasks, it's harder to pivot quickly to take advantage of market trends or sudden opportunities. With a Freedom Maker virtual assistant managing your daily operations , you remain agile and ready to act on new possibilities.

Opportunity Cost : Every hour spent on administrative tasks is an hour that could be spent on higher value activities like refining your products, developing partnerships, or expanding into new markets. The opportunity cost of doing it all yourself can be significant.
Lack of Expertise : As a business owner, you may not have the specialized skills needed for certain tasks, such as graphic design, website maintenance, CRM setup, or data management. Freedom Maker virtual assistants are able to bring specific expertise to these tasks, improving the quality of work and saving you from spending time learning a new skill.

Freedom Maker Virtual Assistants: The Key to Clearing the Path for Growth

At Freedom Makers Virtual Services, we are proud of our community of virtual assistants who are highly skilled, adaptable, and experienced across various industries. Each Freedom Maker is carefully vetted and onboarded , so they know how to deliver top-notch quality to our small business clients. They also are part of a supportive environment - their own team - that offers training, collective problem solving and training opportunities. Military spouses are in it together, and know how to support one another, whatever the question or challenge.

Handing over the tasks you identify as time killers or hurdles to your growth to a Freedom Maker virtual assistant is not just about outsourcing tasks; it's about reclaiming valuable time and energy that can be redirected toward growing your business. Bringing a Freedom Maker into your business is an investment that pays for itself by allowing you to offload routine administrative work so you can free up your schedule for important activities like client acquisition, product development, and strategic planning.

Freedom Makers can handle everything from managing meeting minutes and streamlining internal processes to creating Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and organizing special projects. This type of support allows you to focus on strategic initiatives without being bogged down by the nitty gritty of daily operations. Whether it's refining workflows, managing client onboarding, or coordinating events, Freedom Makers ensure that the administrative and operational side of your business runs smoothly while you focus on other things.

Let a Freedom Maker jump the mundane hurdles so you can focus your time, energy, and intellect on your core competencies and the activities that bring the most value to your customers.

Finally, a Freedom Maker can bring fresh perspectives and innovative solutions to the table. Their experience working across industries gives them insights into newer tools and systems that could streamline your business processes. For example, they might introduce automation in your workflows or suggest new productivity management platforms that improve the way you operate. Their knowledge, insights and experience can not only save your time but also will help you stay agile and responsive in your competitive market.

Ultimately, by investing in a Freedom Maker, you're buying back time - time that can be reinvested into the parts of your business that matter the most to you - and to the clients you serve.

Reach out to our Discovery Team today to learn more about how a Freedom Maker can help clear the administrative hurdles that stand in your way to business growth and lasting success.

Why Leadership Matters Even When Your Team is Small

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 16:00:02 GMT

Leadership is often thought of as something to focus on when your business reaches a certain size, but the truth is that leadership is essential right from the very beginning. Whether you are a solopreneur or you have just one or two people supporting you, leadership will play a crucial role in the success of your business. In fact, it can be even more critical in the early stages of your business’s development, when the foundation you establish now will set the tone for the future.

Every decision and interaction carries weight when you’re running a small business. The way you lead, even with a small team or a single virtual assistant, will directly impact the culture of your business. Effective leadership provides the guidance and clarity necessary for everyone to move toward a shared goal. You want to lead not only so that the work gets done but also so you create a clear sense of purpose. Set the conditions so that your business grows upon a strong foundation.

Clear Communication: The Foundation of Success

One of the first things to consider is the importance of clear communication. When your team is small, it’s easy to assume that everyone is on the same page, but this isn’t always the case. Take the time to clearly define roles, responsibilities, and expectations from the outset. Doing so can make a significant difference in productivity, morale, and loyalty down the line. By establishing a solid communication foundation, you will create a work environment where everyone knows their part and feels valued for their contributions.

Another critical aspect of leadership in a small business is the ability to share your vision. Even if you’re working with just one other person, communicating your business’s goals and objectives is vital. When your vision is clear, it inspires those who support you, which can foster a sense of ownership and dedication to the mission. Becoming a leader who is comfortable sharing your vision will motivate your team and align all efforts.

Your business wins when everyone works toward the same goals.

Leadership Through Effective Delegation

Delegation is another essential component of effective leadership, especially when resources are limited. As a small business owner, trying and doing everything yourself is tempting. It might seem like a quicker path to getting everything done, but going it alone can quickly lead to burnout.

Consider how delegation can free up your time to focus on the bigger picture. Trusting your team to handle operational, administrative, or creative tasks allows you to devote more of your energy to strategic decisions that will drive your business forward. This isn’t just about lightening your load—it’s about empowering your team (even a small team) to take ownership of their work, which can lead to better results and a more engaged workforce.

Additionally, if you already have a small team or a virtual assistant supporting you, consider other areas of your business you can task out because you have someone you trust on your team. Reassessing the areas you once thought you had to do yourself - sales, customer service, finances, client intake - and now choosing to hand them off to someone you trust is a true marker of leadership through delegation.

Leading by Example and Building Culture

Leadership isn’t just about managing tasks; it’s about guiding your small business with intention and purpose. This means investing in your development as a leader, whether through learning opportunities, mentorship, or reflecting on how your past experiences have shaped where you are today. The more you grow as a leader, the better equipped you’ll be to navigate the challenges that come your way.

Leadership also involves leading by example. The way you conduct yourself sets the tone for your business. At Freedom Makers Virtual Services, we believe that if you approach your work with integrity, transparency , and a willingness to collaborate, your team will be inspired to do the same. This kind of leadership fosters a positive working environment where trust and respect are the norms, making it easier to achieve your business goals with your team by your side.

It’s easy to think that leadership can wait until your business is larger or more established, but in truth, it should be cultivated from the very beginning. By focusing on leadership now, you’re preparing your business for future growth and ensuring that the journey will be a personally fulfilling one for you.

The principles of good leadership can make a profound impact on you and your business.

Leadership is the engine that drives your business forward. It’s what turns ideas into action, challenges into opportunities, and a small team into a powerhouse. Embrace the leader in you that inspired you to start your business! That instinct will lay the groundwork for your business to thrive.

The Business Benefits of Choosing a U.S.-Based Virtual Assistant

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 17:46:04 GMT

In our interconnected world, hiring an overseas virtual assistant is super tempting.

Agencies seated in countries like India, China, and the Philippines offer efficient, experienced and educated virtual assistants who can complete tasks at a fraction of the cost of a U.S.-based virtual assistant. Thanks to lower living expenses in their home countries and different labor laws governing minimum wage, hiring a virtual assistant native to another country can be seen as a budget-smart decision. Indeed, an overseas virtual assistant can bring unique advantages to your business - such as working through American holidays and providing overnight support due to time zone differences.

However, despite these benefits, there are significant strategic advantages to hiring a U.S.-based virtual assistant that can make a substantial difference in your business operations. Here are a few factors to consider:

Cultural Understanding and Communication

One of the primary advantages of bringing on a U.S.-based virtual assistant is their deep, native understanding of American culture and seamless communication skills. Working with a U.S.-based assistant ensures fluency and familiarity with American expressions, slang, and nuances, which makes communication between you and your virtual assistant smoother and more effective. This is particularly important during phone calls or video meetings when establishing expectations and planning for how you will collaborate on tasks and projects.

For instance, imagine a U.S.-based virtual assistant helping a client with social media outreach . Their native understanding of American culture allows them to craft posts that resonate well with the target audience, using appropriate humor, references, and tone. When responding to customer inquiries or comments on social media platforms, they can easily navigate and engage with the audience in a culturally relevant and sensitive manner. This not only enhances the authenticity of the interactions but also boosts engagement and follower trust.

Additionally, having first-hand experience with American business customs makes it easy for a virtual assistant in the U.S. to manage direct client interactions. Whether responding to customer inquiries, managing social media engagements, or conducting follow-ups, a U.S.-based virtual assistant will be well-versed in American business etiquette and customs. In addition to reducing the risk of cultural misunderstandings, enhanced communication and cultural alignment directly contribute to higher customer satisfaction, which can be vital for maintaining a positive business reputation and fostering growth.

Time Zone Alignment

Working within the same or similar time zones offers many practical benefits. U.S.-based virtual assistants can provide quicker response times and more efficient collaboration during regular business hours. When working with a virtual assistant, having regular, well-timed meetings allows a business owner to provide timely feedback on projects, discuss urgent matters, and set priorities without delays. This real-time collaboration accelerates workflow, reduces bottlenecks, and ensures that projects stay on track. Scheduling meetings becomes far more convenient when time zones are more closely aligned. Both parties can engage during regular working hours without the need to juggle early morning or late-night calls.

For instance, consider a small business owner based in New York who needs regular check-ins with their virtual assistant. If the virtual assistant is also in the U.S., they can schedule meetings during typical office hours, say, 10 AM to 2 PM, when most businesses are operational. The alignment ensures there is no need to juggle early morning or late-night calls, so parties are fresh, focused, and at their productive best.

Closer time zone alignment can also eliminate the frustration of waiting for overnight responses to urgent queries and enables you to be more flexible and responsive to market demands. Although you may work asynchronously with your U.S.-based virtual assistant, having the option to communicate quickly when urgent matters arise allows your business to operate more responsively.

The ease of coordination based on time zone alignment enhances overall productivity and can streamline operations.

Legal and Regulatory Compliance

Navigating the complexities of legal and regulatory compliance is another area where U.S.-based virtual assistants win out over overseas-based virtual assistants. A U.S.-based virtual assistant is likely to be more familiar with U.S. data protection and confidentiality laws, such as the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). This familiarity can help you ensure that your business practices align with regulations and can help reduce the risk of data breaches. By working with someone who understands these critical guidelines, your business gains an additional layer of security and peace of mind.

Moreover, holding a U.S.-based virtual assistant accountable is more straightforward due to shared legal and business standards. Any issues that arise can be addressed within a familiar and shared legal framework, ensuring clarity and accountability. The shared understanding of legal expectations and business norms can benefit your business's overall efficiency and reputation.

Integration with U.S. Tools and Services

U.S.-based virtual assistants are often more familiar with the tools, software, and platforms commonly used by American businesses. Whether it's project management tools, CRM systems, or communication platforms, a U.S.-based virtual assistant's familiarity means they can hit the ground running without the need for extensive training or adaptation. In many cases, a U.S-based virtual assistant can suggest platforms that might work best for your business, due to their knowledge and experience working with other American-based small businesses. This can be an asset to your growing business.

Additionally, thanks to their communication skills, native understanding, and time-zone alignment, U.S.-based virtual assistants typically have better access to technical support for American-based software and services, which can resolve technical issues quickly and minimize downtime.

Trust and Relationship Building

Building trust and a strong working relationship is often easier with someone who shares a similar cultural background and experiences. U.S.-based virtual assistants can more intuitively relate to your business context and operational environment, which can lead to a sense of partnership and mutual understanding. This personal rapport can significantly enhance collaboration and productivity.

Finally, a U.S.-based virtual assistant might bring a network of contacts and resources that can be beneficial to your business. Their connections can provide additional value beyond their immediate tasks, offering new opportunities and support that might not be accessible through overseas assistants.

Discover the Freedom Makers Virtual Services Advantage

Our community of Freedom Makers is composed of talented, educated military spouses , veterans, and family members who embody a service mindset and a strong sense of community. Due to the nature of military life, our Freedom Makers have often lived and worked in different geographic areas. They thrive in dynamic small business environments, bringing dedication, resilience, and a unique perspective to your team.

By choosing a U.S.-based virtual assistant from our community, you are investing in a reliable, culturally aligned, and highly skilled professional who can drive your business forward.

Contact our Discovery Team to explore the strategic advantages of bringing on a U.S.-based virtual assistant to support your business. Let us help you find the perfect match to meet your business needs and propel your success.

How To Handle Your Small Business' Slow Seasons

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 15:02:25 GMT

In many industries, the summer months are synonymous with slow or quieter-than-normal periods of growth. Sales and new business acquisitions sometimes “slump” in the summer months as many people let their endeavors hit cruise control so they can travel or vacation. Regardless if it happens during the summer or over holiday periods, most businesses will experience financial ups and downs throughout the year – times when sales are booming and when sales are in a drought.

As a small business owner, it’s a good idea to have strategies for handling slow periods or deviations in your business’s path toward success.

Reframe The Slump

Don't Panic. Brainstorm!

If the volume of your sales calls has cooled off as the dog days of summer heat up, you might find that you have the time to look critically at the business system that has been barely limping along. This might be just the time you need to explore some of the newer tools and platforms that might better fit your business needs.

Which processes have you been wanting to overhaul to create a better customer experience for new and existing clients?
Is there a tool or platform you’ve wanted to try but have been too busy keeping up with inventory or invoices?

Take this time to automate some repetitive, administrative tasks, or think about what you could add to your marketing strategy that will resonate more deeply with your customers.

In other words, when business is slow, use your extra time to examine and audit your processes, and think creatively. Chances are, when things are quiet, you’ll discover opportunities to improve inefficiencies and find new solutions to old problems.

Find Some Friends

Strategize and Prepare for Busier Times

Focus On Leadership

By continually building your foundation and creating a more solid team, bolstered and empowered by your leadership, your business will sail through quiet times as effortlessly as it does during times of prosperity. Use your business’ quiet stretches to strategize and regroup, re-prioritize and rest. Doing so will ensure maximum growth and profit during your peak seasons!

How Effective Communication Shapes Virtual Assistant Collaboration

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Wed, 26 Jun 2024 19:54:48 GMT

If you own a small business, you know that being agile and adaptable are critical elements to survival, and that you have to think outside the box to gain that slight edge over your competitors.

Everyone knows that bringing a virtual assistant onto your small team can be a game changer. Having a virtual assistant handle some administrative burdens frees you to focus on growing your business, which can save significant time and energy.

But did you know that if you strategically invest that saved time and energy, you can take the virtual assistant advantage one step further?

Pro Tip: By being clever with your time and energy investments, you can get all the support your business needs, even if you don't have the budget to hire a large staff.

If you can reframe your view of your virtual assistant, you can develop a dynamic partnership that transcends mere task delegation and you can become a true leader in the process.

A virtual assistant is a remote professional who provides administrative, technical, or creative support to businesses. While not all virtual assistants aspire to become strategic partners, most thrive in an environment where they feel their contributions are appreciated, and they are helping your business grow.

Nurturing your relationship with your virtual assistant through effective communication strategies is key to realizing the relationship's potential.

Communication forms the cornerstone of effective leadership. Good communication builds trust, clarity, and a sense of partnership. When leaders communicate effectively with their team members, whether in-person or remotely, they foster an environment where trust is established through transparency and clarity is achieved through clear expectations and feedback.

A sense of partnership develops through collaborative decision-making and mutual respect.

By embracing open dialogue, regular check-ins, and deliberately sharing your purpose and why with your virtual assistant, you have the potential to enhance your business operations, cultivate leadership skills, and develop a long-lasting and productive partnership.

Practical Strategies for Effective Communication with Your Virtual Assistant

Set Clear Expectations: From the start, outline your expectations clearly. Define the roles, responsibilities, and specific tasks you need your virtual assistant to handle. This clarity will prevent misunderstandings and ensure that your virtual assistant is positioned for success.

Access a free, customizable template that you can use with your new team member. A shared document will ensure your team member is informed, accountable, and aligned with your objective and vision.

Share Your Vision: Communicate your business goals, vision, and values. When your virtual assistant understands the bigger picture, they can align their efforts with your objectives and work to contribute more meaningfully to your business. Understanding how and where their support fits into your goals might inspire your virtual assistant to help find other areas where they can help.

Regular Check-Ins: Schedule meetings to discuss progress, address concerns, and provide feedback. Your regular check-ins can be brief but should be consistent. Deliberately creating a routine and being reliably available for communication fosters a positive work environment.

Open Dialogue: Encourage two-way communication where your virtual assistant feels comfortable sharing ideas, asking questions, and providing updates. Being receptive to your virtual assistant's insights and perspective will build trust and create a more collaborative working relationship that will benefit you and your business. Use cloud-based platforms specifically designed to streamline tasks and enhance communication. Leveraging tools like Asana, Trello.com, Slack, and Monday.com can organize tasks, ease communication with your virtual assistant, and enrich the collaborative experience.

Provide Constructive Feedback: When your virtual assistant starts delivering, offer feedback that is specific, actionable, and focused on improvement. Be positive, recognize achievements, and provide guidance on areas needing growth. Constructive feedback helps your virtual assistant develop professionally, and learning to deliver feedback in a constructive way is a hallmark of good leadership.

By implementing these communication strategies, you can build a strong, thriving partnership with your virtual assistant. With care and deliberate effort, this partnership can become a cornerstone of your business's success.

Case Study: Success by way of a Thriving Partnership

Consider the story of Moon Crest Valley Ranch LLC , a family-owned and operated property in Half Moon Bay, California. After years of working in the tech industry and serving as a Marine, Brendan O'Donnell and his wife, Amanda, purchased the 45-acre parcel in 2015. They sought to create an environment where people could connect, hike, and stay overnight while being good land stewards. Raising their young, busy family on the Ranch, Brendan needed support for their social media presence and digital marketing needs.

Brendan contacted us because he liked our mission of supporting military spouses. He expressed needing help improving the Ranch's social media storytelling through videos, pictures, and audio tracks. After interviewing several qualified virtual assistants, Brendan selected Allison, a Marine Corps spouse living in Quantico, VA. Allison has a strong background in social media management, client onboarding, marketing, and content creation.

Allison quickly began collaborating with Brendan, leveraging her expertise to enhance Moon Crest Valley Ranch's digital presence. Weekly phone calls ensure they stay aligned on upcoming events and content strategy. Brendan praises Allison's work, noting her professionalism, thoughtfulness, and ability to capture the Ranch's authentic stories. He says, "[Allison] has been great to work with and works independently at a strategic level. She clearly communicates timelines and meets them without fail."

Allison, in turn, appreciates Brendan's openness to suggestions and his collaborative approach. She tells us, "[Bendan] is great to work with and is open to suggestions and is always willing to try out something new. He values the experience I have with social media but also challenges me with looking at things from a different perspective. It has been a great experience."

This case study exemplifies how a well-nurtured virtual assistant relationship can evolve into a thriving partnership.

To nurture such relationships, consider:

Encouraging your Virtual Assistant's Professional Development: Encourage and support your virtual assistant's professional growth through training programs and workshops that enhance their skills and keep them up to date on industry trends - both within your market space and within the world of virtual assisting. Virtual assistants often have multiple clients in varying fields. When encouraged, they can often see a problem from a fresh perspective or bring "outside the box" thinking to something you might be struggling with in your industry.
Involving your Virtual Assistant in Strategic Planning Sessions: Similarly, work to include your virtual assistant in higher-level discussions about your business's future. Those same unique perspectives can provide you with valuable insights while encouraging them to feel more invested in your success. It's a win-win.

By being strategic about building your relationship with your virtual assistant, you can create a partnership that alleviates administrative burdens and drives your business forward. Set clear expectations , share your vision, maintain regular check-ins, and foster open dialogue to unlock both your virtual assistant's full potential and their impact on your business. This approach not only enhances your business operations but also positions you as a leader who can adapt and thrive in any competitive landscape.

If you are ready to transform your business with the power of effective communication, contact our Discovery Team today to get started on finding the perfect virtual assistant to meet your needs.

And, if you're already one of our valued clients, make sure to check out your Client Resources page for more tools and tips to maximize your relationship with your Freedom Maker.

Let's build a successful partnership together!

Boost Your Business, Reach Your Goals With A Virtual Assistant

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 01:57:06 GMT

Effective goal setting can lead to substantial professional growth.

Goals provide direction, focus, and a roadmap for growth. When goals are well-defined and strategically planned, they serve as benchmarks for progress and success. However, the journey from setting goals to realizing them can be a winding road, especially for small business owners who become bogged down by administrative and operational responsibilities and lose traction on goal progress.

The strategic utilization of a virtual assistant can be a difference-maker in boosting your business. By bringing a virtual assistant onto your team to help with specific tasks, you can re-prioritize your time and effort and make progress toward your goals.

A collaborative approach with a virtual assistant can drive real results for solopreneurs.

A virtual assistant is a remote, self-employed professional who provides administrative or other services from a home office. Virtual assistants like Freedom Makers often specialize in administrative support activities, which can free you from the routine, repetitive tasks that are essential to running your business but don't propel growth.

Having a virtual assistant on your team will allow you to focus on the high-priority goals that lead to lasting success.

While a virtual assistant handles tasks like managing emails, scheduling appointments, creating social media content, conducting data entry, and invoice assistance, you can spend your time and energy working on strategic initiatives.

They work IN your business so you can work ON your business.

Bringing On A Virtual Assistant

Start by conducting a self-assessment to identify your key professional goals. What matters most to you and your business? Then consider what routine administrative tasks stand in the way of you working on those goals.

We suggest utilizing the Freedom Makers Virtual Services Task Audit to determine what to get off your plate and out of your way toward goal accomplishment. This free tool asks you to imagine your business six months into the future and then ask yourself - what it will take to get there? By walking through the tasks associated with the significant areas of your business, like sales, customer service, finances, executive assistance, marketing, client intake, etc., you can start considering which tasks, when outsourced, would make the most significant positive impact on your time and energy.

Those are the tasks to delegate to a virtual assistant.

The 4c's of Delegation

CLARITY

Be super clear about your goals and the desired outcome.

CONSTRAINTS

Set guidelines and specifics regarding budget, turn-around time, etc.

COACHING

Train your team member, and let them get started!

COMMUNICATION

Give and receive feedback. Celebrate wins and build on success.

During the onboarding process, explain why you have chosen to outsource the tasks you have and give your virtual assistant a more comprehensive view of your business and overall vision. Next, establish robust, consistent and clear communication so that you begin to involve your virtual assistant in the goal-setting process.

By sharing the why of your partnership - why you brought them onto your team - your virtual assistant can understand the bigger picture and how their role contributes to your efforts. On a tactical level, your virtual assistant can conduct industry research or do a deep dive into your business' data and provide insights into market trends, customer behavior, and competitor activities. They can contribute fresh perspectives, assist in setting milestones, and help create actionable plans so you can achieve your goals effectively.

What A Virtual Assistant Brings To The Partnership

Virtual assistants often work with various clients, industries, and platforms, so they gather an extensive range of practices and platform experience. They often bring innovative solutions that can help your goal-setting process. You can leverage your their insights and organizational skills by brainstorming and refining objectives together. They can introduce new tools, techniques, and methodologies you might not have considered. Tapping into this exposure can help you expand your own knowledge base and try new approaches in your strive toward goal accomplishment.

A collaborative approach ensures that your virtual assistant not only understands your goals but also has the potential to become a valuable partner in achieving them.

Familiarity with a wide range of productivity and project management platforms means your virtual assistant can recommend and implement the best tools for your business and goals. If they have worked with platforms like Trello, Asana, or Monday.com for task management and collaboration, they can help you implement the one that will enhance your productivity for your unique business. In addition to helping you and your virtual assistant stay on the same page about task completion, productivity tools can also significantly strengthen goal tracking and management.

At Freedom Makers Virtual Services, we believe that robust communication is not just a key but the very essence of any successful collaboration. Email, messaging apps, or scheduled video calls ease communication with your virtual assistant so they can be fully "in" your business.

Software programs and cloud-based platforms are designed to enhance communication, streamline tasks, and ultimately foster more productive partnerships between remote team members. Strategically leveraging these tools can ease communication and enrich the collaborative experience.

Consider These Tools:

Finally, your virtual assistant's experience with different systems has likely taught them how to create efficient workflows that can save time. By asking your virtual assistant to introduce automation and organizational tools where they see an opportunity to do so, your business processes will become more streamlined, leaving more time for goal accomplishment.

The real power of this type of partnership lies in the synergy between your strategic vision and your virtual assistant's operational support. Outsourcing tasks to a virtual assistant leads to a healthy reallocation of your time and resources, creating more time for achieving your vision. At the same time, the experience and breadth of knowledge your virtual assistant brings to the relationship can lead to a smooth path to goal completion.

By embracing a collaborative approach with the right virtual assistant, you will equip yourself with the tools, insights, and support necessary to propel your business toward sustained success.

The right virtual assistant can be the key ingredient in business success and growth. Contact our Discovery team today to learn how to add a Freedom Maker to your team!

Want to Delegate More Effectively To Your Virtual Assistant? Take These Steps

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Thu, 02 May 2024 17:45:00 GMT

As a small business owner or entrepreneur, the constant juggle of multiple tasks and responsibilities is somewhat inescapable. Delegating some of these tasks can be your escape. Outsourcing tasks can be a game-changer for your productivity and overall success – but only if your delegation process is effective.

Delegating tasks isn't just about lightening your load; it's about flexing your management skills and maximizing productivity through strategic empowerment.

Delegation involves assigning the right tasks, steering clear of micromanagement, and refining your leadership skills so that your team members grow to be indispensable contributors to your business's success.

Good delegation requires careful planning and execution so that you can get the most out of the money you are spending to have tasks taken care of for you. If you are deliberate about your delegation process, you can build a true team – an alliance between you and your virtual assistant.

How do you do this?

Freedom Makers Virtual Services has been matching talented military spouse virtual assistants (our Freedom Makers) with solopreneurs and small business owners for over nine years. Not only do we have a deep appreciation for the challenges many face when it comes to delegating tasks effectively, we’ve also seen firsthand what works and what doesn’t.

If you are starting your delegation journey, you can avoid many pitfalls and points of stagnation that can be the leading cause of failure between a business owner and a remote employee.

Check out these steps, which will help you streamline your task delegation process and unlock greater efficiency in your business.

IDENTIFY REPETITIVE TASKS FOR DELEGATION

What Are The Right Tasks To Outsource?

The first crucial step in your delegation journey is properly identifying the repetitive, mundane, and/or undesirable tasks that can be passed to a virtual assistant. This initial assessment is the key to understanding where you are spending significant amounts of time in your business.

Are you pouring over invoices for hours a week?
Checking your emails when you should be networking?
Going back and forth with a lead, trying to schedule a time that works in both of your schedules?

Start here!

We also recommend checking out our Task Audit. This tool will guide you through your business areas so that you can pinpoint the tasks that you could or should outsource. By leveraging our Task Audit, you can see where you could save more time in your day by getting those burdensome, repetitive tasks off your plate.

ASSESS YOUR CURRENT WORKFLOW

How Do You Do What You Do?

Once you've identified the repetitive tasks for delegation, the next step is to assess your current workflow . Take a close look at your daily, weekly, and monthly tasks to determine which ones are essential for you to handle personally and which ones you could delegate to someone else.

What are the steps involved each time you execute this process?
Is it optimized?

Being introspective (and a little self-critical) about your workflows and processes will allow you to really see how and where your time is being spent. You will then more clearly understand the opportunities for outsourcing that will provide the most significant return on your delegation investment.

CREATE STANDARDIZED PROCEDURES AND GUIDELINES

Can You Get It Out Of Your Head?

Assessing your workflows might actually be the first time you've ever given much thought to how - or why - you do things the way you do inside of your business. If all your processes live inside your head, you are not alone! However, to ensure consistency and efficiency in task delegation, it's essential to be able to express and explain the task you are outsourcing.

Your virtual assistant will need to have some sort of guideline or procedure to follow, even if it is just a verbally expressed walkthrough of what you do. The more clearly you can outline your expectations, deadlines, and desired outcomes for each task, the better. Start by creating an easy step-by-step screen recording of yourself as you execute a workflow within your business.

Having a Loom video to share can help immensely when explaining your process to a new delegate. But you don't have to have it documented perfectly! At Freedom Makers, our experienced virtual assistants excel at doing that work for you. Once they understand the steps needed to complete the task, they can create a standardized procedure for you. They will incorporate your process into a documented, streamlined workflow within which productivity is maximized.

So, don't be dismayed if the thought of "getting it out of your head" feels daunting. Just lay it out as best you can, and ask your Freedom Maker to "document as they do" so you end up with a record of the task's workflow.

AUTOMATE TASKS WHERE POSSIBLE

Streamlining Means Time and Cost Savings

Consider the power of automation when thinking about delegating effectively. Automating repetitive processes to further streamline your workflows is where you can save a ton of time and money.

Your Freedom Maker virtual assistant can help identify opportunities for automation and implement the tools and software that will simplify your tasks and save time. Whether it's setting up email automation, implementing a tool like Calendly for scheduling, or using a scheduling software so that all your social media posts are laid out, asking your virtual assistant to find and implement automation can significantly boost efficiency in your business.

MONITOR PROGRESS AND ADJUST AS NEEDED

Check In Early & Often To Avoid Micromanaging

Finally, know that effective task delegation requires ongoing monitoring and communication to ensure that tasks are being completed accurately and on time. While providing guidance and feedback to your virtual assistant is important, it's also essential to empower them to take ownership of their tasks and work independently.

At Freedom Makers Virtual Services, we recommend frequent, regular check-ins during the early stages of working with your virtual assistant so that you feel comfortable with the level of delegation you've committed to. Regular check-ins and ongoing, robust communication is the key to successful collaboration -- making "work" not only about task completion, but team building as well. The trust established through thoughtful, deliberate communication will help you avoid micromanaging and create a productive working relationship that will benefit you and your virtual assistant.

Delegation isn't merely about offloading tasks; it's about crafting an alliance between you and your virtual assistant.

It's about recognizing the repetitive, time-consuming tasks that bog you down and entrusting them to capable hands so that you can focus on nurturing your business's core vision and driving its growth. With the help of one of our skilled and experienced Freedom Makers, you can take your business to the next level and achieve greater success.

Contact our Discovery team today to add a the right Freedom Maker to your team so you can get the support and you need to make your business thrive.

Time is Money: How Outsourcing Can Free Up Your Most Valuable Resource

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 16:50:37 GMT

Time is the one thing we can't replenish. Each person has a limited amount of time; your time bank cannot be re-filled once it's spent. As a result, the concept of time is surrounded by a sense of preciousness and urgency.

Am I wasting my time?
Where did the time go?
How much time do I have left?

At some point, everyone should take a hard look at how they are spending their time.

This is especially true for small business owners who are often caught spending their precious time building and maintaining their business. Limited financial resources mean you have to draw from your time bank again and again and again.

There comes a point when you need to ask yourself:

What is my time actually worth?

Time and "The Grind"

When you realize you are spreading yourself too thin and sacrificing your precious time to endeavors that aren't paying you back, it is time to look into re-investing your resources.

Time is Money

"Time is more valuable than money. You can get more money but you cannot get more time" - Jim Rohn

The Benefits of Outsourcing to a Virtual Assistant

When the cost of the grind begins to outweigh the benefits, it is time to consider strategic outsourcing to a virtual assistant.

A virtual assistant can become a valuable ally when you are ready to stop spending your most precious asset: time. Outsourcing support tasks to a virtual assistant offers a wide range of benefits, including increased productivity, enhanced scalability, and more flexibility within your day-to-day schedule. By delegating time-consuming administrative tasks like email and calendar management , data entry, social media management, and customer follow-up, you can free up valuable hours to focus on strategic initiatives and revenue-generating activities or re-energize yourself by hanging out with family and friends.

When you bring a specialized virtual assistant onto your team, you suddenly gain access to high-quality and efficient support.

Tasks that might have taken you an hour to complete can now be done in half the time and at a fraction of what your time is worth.

That is an excellent return on your investment.

Maximizing Efficiency and Productivity:

Outsourcing administrative, operational or creative tasks to a virtual assistant will also allow you to use your time more effectively because a) you suddenly have more of it, and b) your mental load is lightened. You can now pour your energy into areas that align with your strengths, like refining product offerings, nurturing client relationships, or exploring new market opportunities. With a virtual assistant on your team, handling day-to-day administrative burdens and ensuring operations run smoothly, you can now pay more attention to the things that drive business growth and innovation.

Or, take a few hours off in the afternoon to spend more time with your loved ones.

When efficiency is maximized, energy and productivity skyrocket.

Unsure What Tasks To Outsource?

What lingers on your to do list?

Are there tasks you just dread doing?

What can you outsource to a virtual assistant?

Take Our Task Audit

How Virtual Assistants Are Cost-Effective

Spending a small amount of money on a virtual assistant to save time also saves you time, energy, and money.

Virtual assistants are independent, self-employed contractors who file 1099 taxes and provide their own medical insurance. They work remotely, own their equipment, and are accountable for most expenses they incur. They have already acquired the skills and training needed to execute your tasks, and they train on platforms on their own time. You can choose what virtual assistant best fits your needs and only contract with someone who already has experience on the platforms you want them to use.

Virtual assistants are self-driven and independent. They are skilled time managers and know that dedicated, focused, error-free work leads to success and a positive reputation. They are motivated and capable of being proactive and productive; they do more in less time than traditional employees. Many virtual assistants create time blocks to ensure they are efficient and work with time-tracking tools that ensure diligence through transparency. Because they work from a remote location, they are inherently less distracted and can accomplish tasks quickly and without error.

At $40+ per hour, the pay rate for a skilled military virtual assistant may initially seem high. But remember: you are saving yourself the cost of having to pay taxes, benefits, office equipment, and vacation and sick time. What's more, virtual assistants love what they do , and they enjoy the value they add to the business that employs them.

As skilled, experienced workers, virtual assistants know what their time is worth.

Can you say the same?

Blogs On Sale

When you are ready to stop withdrawing from your time and energy bank, contact our Discovery Team to discuss how a Freedom Maker virtual assistant can help you achieve your goals.

The Solopreneur's Guide To Finding The Right Virtual Assistant

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 17:30:00 GMT

Finding the right virtual assistant for your business can be daunting. With countless options available, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. Entrusting the care of your business to someone else can feel like a deeply personal decision. Just as a mother seeks a nanny or babysitter who has experience with children and shares a connection and rapport with her, your ideal virtual assistant will have not only the necessary skills and knowledge, but will align with and support your vision, values, and working style.

But how do you find that one person who is qualified, resonates with your personality, and shares your passion and commitment to the business's success out of a sea of candidates?

Several key steps can help you identify the right virtual assistant for your needs.

Working On Your Game Plan?

What lingers on your to do list?

Are there tasks you just dread doing?

Take Our Task Audit

This tool will guide you through taking a close look at your day-to-day tasks and help you assess how you spend your time.

The Freedom Maker's Virtual Services Task Audit tool can guide you as you assess your day, week, and month.

It can help you think through how your time is spent when you are "in the office" so you can identify tasks that may be right as you start your delegation journey.

As you audit your time, you will gain valuable insights into areas where introducing a virtual assistant could make a significant impact.

Once you've got your game plan, a good next step is identifying the specific qualities and qualifications desired in a virtual assistant. Think through your expectations, and create a list of "must haves" and "would-be-nice-to have" skills.

To streamline your search, consider:

What skills or experience are required?
What specific platforms are used?
Do you need a native English (or other language) speaker?
How many hours per week (or month) will be required to complete the task?
What is your budget?

Many virtual assistants specialize in administrative, creative, or operational support skills, so finding a person with the right technical knowledge and experience might be the easiest part of finding the right virtual assistant.

Finding the right virtual assistant for your business is a significant endeavor and can feel as important as entrusting the care of your business 'baby' to someone else. After determining what tasks your virtual assistant will help you with and determining your budget for having them do so, your journey to finding the right virtual assistant involves identifying necessary skills and qualifications while assessing intangible qualities like communication, availability, and personality fit.

The process may seem daunting, but following key steps such as making a game plan, identifying desired soft skills, considering the use of a virtual assistant agency, and conducting thorough interviews can streamline the search and lead to a successful partnership.

If you are interested in leveraging all the help and support our agency can provide as you conduct your search for the right virtual assistant, reach out to our Discovery Team and let us know your game plan! We'll take it from there. www.freedom-makers.com/get-started-here

Outsourcing 101: A 3-Step Guide to Getting Started with a Virtual Assistant

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Thu, 07 Mar 2024 13:00:07 GMT

Even if you are used to managing your business single-handedly, outsourcing can be a powerful addition to your entrepreneurial toolkit.

Knowing how to delegate is not just empowering; it's liberating.

Your entrepreneurial journey likely began with a passion for your product or service, a desire to be your own boss, and/or a drive to do things your way. But now the day-to-day running of your business involves executing a bunch of repeatable tasks that drain your energy and keep you from enjoying the freedom that being your own boss offers.

Outsourcing redundant tasks to a virtual assistant can be a game-changer, freeing up your time and energy and allowing you to focus on what truly matters.

Identify Your Priorities

For many entrepreneurs, burnout begins when passion takes a backseat to being burdened by routine tasks. Are you drowning in administrative duties, responding to emails, or managing routine operations?

Delegation is not about offloading any task; it's a strategic move to propel you and your business forward.

Identifying the tasks monopolizing your time is crucial to knowing what to outsource. Take time to list the responsibilities that eat away at your day, and highlight those that you consistently postpone or find draining. Then, determine what the expertise requirement is. Search for things on your to-do list that :

don't require your specific expertise.
administrative, repetitive, or time-consuming.

The Freedom Maker's Virtual Services Task Audit tool can guide you as you assess your day, week, and month. It can help you think through how your time is spent when you are "in the office" so you can identify tasks that may be perfect as you start your delegation journey. As you audit your time, you will gain valuable insights into areas where introducing a virtual assistant could make a significant impact.

The Task Audit can help you create a personalized outsourcing strategy tailored to your specific needs.

Take a closer look at your day-to-day tasks and assess how you spend your time.

CLICK HERE
Take Our Task Audit

What lingers on your to do list?What can you outsource to a virtual assistant?

Calculate the Value of Your Time

Time is money, and as a business owner, your time is exceptionally valuable. Outsourcing does involve costs, but the key benefit is the return of your time.

By assigning day-to-day administrative or operational tasks to a virtual assistant, you free up valuable time. Delegating to a virtual assistant is an effective way to streamline your workload so you can dedicate your time "at work" to higher-value tasks. It can also provide you more "free" time to do things like take business courses, attend conferences, or network.

Creating space in your life for personal or professional growth is essential, and should be taken into consideration when calculating the cost of outsourcing.

Should you spend hours of your own time on tasks that could be delegated?

If you compare your own "rate" to the hourly rate of a virtual assistant, you'll likely find a compelling case for optimizing your time investment.

A talented military spouse virtual assistant ranges in cost from $41 to $47 per hour. When you delegate tasks to a virtual assistant, you have the potential to increase your productivity at a lower cost than doing the work yourself.

That's because virtual assistants practice time blocking and do not have to execute task-switching. Virtual assistants are laser-focused on the task at hand when working for their clients. Because they excel in admin, they all tend to be detail-oriented professionals who take pride in getting their work done on time and without error. Military spouse virtual assistants take great pride in supporting their clients and enjoy being a critical part of the team.

Imagine getting three times more work done efficiently by a dedicated team member without overspending. Suddenly, outsourcing becomes not just a cost but an investment in your time, productivity, and overall well-being.

Find The Right Virtual Assistant

Matching the skill set of a virtual assistant to your identified tasks is crucial, but finding the right person is not just about completing tasks. Your support person can become your bridge to scaling and be the key to your business' growth.

Success comes when you have someone who understands your business and works well with you. Finding a virtual assistant who has the particular set of skills, personality and commitment you need is critical because they have the potential to become a part of your team, albeit remotely. The right virtual assistant will be talented at what they do, understand your vision, and be invested in their partnership with you.

Our commitment to sourcing, onboarding, and training dedicated military spouse virtual assistants ensures a customized arrangement that aligns with your business needs.

We believe that when you get the proper support, it's not just a job; it's a partnership.

When you schedule a call with Freedom Makers Virtual Services, one of our internal team members will talk with you to help figure out what type of Freedom Maker virtual assistant would best suit your needs.

Once you've settled on the information you want to include in your position description, your opportunity will be sent out to our community of military spouse Freedom Makers. Each Freedom Maker interested and qualified will complete a form indicating their skills, availability, past relevant experience, and any other pertinent information you may want or need to know.

You will be provided with up to four vetted, skilled Freedom Makers to talk with via phone or video interview. You will then be able to select the virtual assistant who you envision becoming an extension of your team.

They will possess the technical skills required and also resonate with your style and communication preferences.

Our approach to matchmaking creates partnerships that go beyond outsourcing for task completion. We love creating solid and thriving partnerships that can propel you and your business forward.

Ready to embark on the outsourcing journey? Reach out to our Discovery Team to start leveraging the support of a virtual assistant.

The Expert Exchange Podcast: Designing Your Business Around Your Goals And Lifestyle

Tue, 27 Feb 2024 03:09:03 GMT

Laura was thrilled to speak with Joshua Carnes of Lion Business Advisors on his Expert Exchange podcast. They went in depth about designing a business around your goals and lifestyle, something Laura is passionate about!

The Expert Exchange is a platform where individuals can discover inspiration, innovation, and invaluable lessons from leading experts in the business. Whether you are a seasoned entrepreneur seeking fresh perspectives or a business enthusiast eager to learn, The Expert Exchange is a treasure trove of information and knowledge.

Visit The Expert Exchange to listen to the podcast, or click below. Full transcript follows:

The Expert Exchange: Designing Your Business Around Your Lifestyle and Goals

Welcome to The Expert Exchange with your host Joshua Carnes and expert guest Laura Renner. Today's show is brought to you by Lion Business Advisors.

The content in this show is for informational purposes only. You should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. The Expert Exchange is not a fiduciary by virtue of any person's use of or access to this content. The Expert Exchange is not licensed to practice law or provide legal advice. Nothing contained within this show is intended to be an offer to either buy or sell securities.

Joshua Carnes

Welcome to The Expert Exchange , the podcast where knowledge meets success. I'm your host Josh Carnes. Today, on the show, we are going to have expert guest Laura Renner, and we're going to be talking about designing a business around your goals and lifestyle. Laura is with Freedom Makers Virtual Services. You can find more about Laura and her team online at freedom-makers.com. That's freedom-makers.com.

Laura Renner

I think for one, it's important because we can. We do have that liberty, particularly as Americans, to be able to do what we want with our lives. But a lot of times people start a business because they want to get out of the corporate rat race or the trap that is a corporate job. But if you're not intentional, you run the risk of creating your business to be just another trap, just another J-O-B, and then you're just as miserable as you were before. Maybe even more miserable, because now you're responsible for your misery and for your income versus if you're miserable in a corporate job, you could slide for a few weeks and still get paid. But in a business, you can't do that. Then you just add to your own misery when you wasted an opportunity to really design how you want to do it.

Joshua Carnes

There's a lot of business owners who started their business out of a talent, out of a passion, and they might not have those specific goals in mind yet. "Here's my talent, here's my passion, here's what I want to do," and they're diving in full force to a business. What are some of the goals that a business owner should look at when they're doing that talent-based or that passion-based business to move over to that lifestyle? What are some things they should consider?

Laura Renner

I think that's great to think about. It could even be the types of clients you go for. But it could also be as simple as, "What's your workday?" I saw that when I was starting my business and a few of my friends were starting theirs, you feel this pressure that you're supposed to work 8:00-5:00. Maybe COVID helped reframe that a little bit, but you felt guilty if you weren't at your desk during a "typical workday".

Laura Renner

I remember someone asking me, "Do you go to the grocery store midday?" I was like, "I struggle with that." She had been in her business for a while, and she said, "Oh, no, I love it. I go get pedicures mid-afternoon because then there's no line and I can just enjoy it." I remember that really unlocked for me how much freedom we have in designing our goals. Especially when you're starting out with a talent or a passion, that's all you're focused on, which is great. But you can really take advantage of designing things like, What is your minimum income goal? How big do you want to be? Do you want to turn into running a business, or do you want to continue to hone your talent and your passion?

Laura Renner

Either answer is perfectly fine. Recognizing which one you want to do helps you determine what to do within your business. For example, if you want to grow your business to where you're running it, then you have to hire people who have that same talent and passion as you. If you want to stay focused on your talent and passion, then you have to hire people who can run the business or recognize these are the things that will always fall by the wayside, and I'm okay with that.

When you design it that way, then you can really be clear on what you need to focus on next, or again, designing your workday. Even, like I said, how you want to live, the type of clients that you are willing to take on, how many you want to take on, you can really design all of that by thinking through how you want to apply your talent and passion.

Joshua Carnes

It's been interesting because at Lion, at my company, when we're recruiting, I tell people, I go, "Look, this is a lifestyle business. You're going to get what you're going to make out of it." I give them the example of, I have three boys and single dad. For me, coaching my kids in youth football, that's our thing. That's what we do. When the fall comes around, I'm out of the office every day by 4:30. I'm the guy who goes and helps set up fields and does all of that. But I'm back in at nine o'clock working. But that's the lifestyle I've chosen. That's what I want out of it.

It is interesting when we're recruiting, we take that lifestyle approach into our new recruits, and we tell them, "Hey, look, it's a family-first. This is how we're going to run it. Go do what you need to do. Just make sure your clients are taken care of, and you can schedule your clients around what it is you need to do." But I love what you're talking about, setting goals with that because we didn't initially do that. It just happened, right?

Laura Renner

Yeah. Can I ask you, on that journey, did you ever feel guilty about it? How did you embrace, "Hey, I am going to leave at 4:00 every day," and be okay with that and recognize that you get joy from that, too?
Joshua Carnes

That's one of the things is start with now. Take that time, figure out what do you want to do. Do you want to coach football? Do you want to take spring break with your kids? Whatever it is you want to do, and work toward that.

I'll go back to the challenges as well. But I remember once when I was… I think I was starting this business, maybe it was a business before, but I had become convinced that I wanted to do it alone. I didn't want any employees, I didn't want any contractors. I just wanted to be able to run a business that I could do by myself. I was very excited and very happy about it. I shared it with a mentor, and she said, "That's great, but don't lock yourself into it. You might change your mind." I was like, "Oh, okay, great." Sure enough, three years later, I had employees. I think a big part of what that looks like is being willing and being open to trying new things, recognizing that you can always backtrack, too.

I remember once, it was Freedom Makers. I felt like I could go in any number of directions. I was terrified that if I went in a direction, it would sink the business. I was frozen, I didn't know which way to go. I was using the example of I was on a rock that was sitting on a point. If I went one way, it would tip the whole rock over. A friend of mine said, "You're thinking steps 1 through 10 is step one, and that if you fail in that one step, you're going to sink the whole business. But really, you're going to get enough warning, enough lead time to know that you need to backtrack and go try a different step."

Joshua Carnes

That this isn't right.

Laura Renner

Exactly. I think that's part of it, is sometimes we get stuck in our heads that if I only take on this type of client, it will sink my business. Or if I only work till 4:00 PM, it will sink my business. But really, it won't. You just got to try it to see that it won't, or just have faith that you'll see that it's starting to impact you negatively and be able to backtrack. You'll have that time to be able to backtrack.

Laura Renner

Then I had a friend who was constantly—I don't want to say constantly—but all the advice she was given was about scaling and growing, and she just wasn't comfortable with it. But she would come up with, "Okay, I'm going to do this, this, and this, and that's going to set us up to grow." Then she would never complete it.

Laura Renner

Joshua Carnes

This has been a really beneficial conversation for me. Hopefully it's been that way for everyone else. If someone wants to learn more about Freedom Makers Virtual Services and reach out to you guys, it's two-fold question, one, how do they get a hold of you? We'll close with that. But two, I don't think we really hit on it, and I would like to highlight a little bit if it's okay with you.

You hit on what Freedom Makers is. It's not just virtual services, right? That's the core and that's the service you're providing, but you're putting those spouses of military people to work while they're at home. For those who don't know the industry, like you said, they can be moved around at any moment. It's a, "You're moving next week, here you go," sometimes even closer. Putting them in a situation where they can earn that extra income—and that is huge for those families—I think is an amazing passion project. I don't even know if it's your passion project, but it's an amazing passion project to have. Could you hit a little bit more on what you're doing in that space and then how people can find out about you?

Laura Renner

Sure. Yeah. Thanks for… I know I don't talk about it enough. I was originally doing recruiting for small business owners, and I was meeting a lot of small business owners who weren't ready to hire. Either because they were solopreneurs with not necessarily consistent or predictable revenue, or they just weren't sure if they had enough work for an employee. Then, of course, the compliance side. They were a little bit nervous around having the responsibility of an employee, but they still needed help. Then meanwhile-

Joshua Carnes

A lot of businesses like that.

Laura Renner

Yeah. Meanwhile, I come from a military family. I was in the military. My brother is still active duty. And so I saw my mom go through it. I saw my coworkers' spouses go through it, and I see my own sister-in-law. Every time they move, she has to look for new work. Depending on where they move, there may or may not be those type of career-type roles available in that local economy.

When I was thinking about it, they were getting ready to move, and they were actually moving internationally. I said, "What are you going to do for work?" I'm like, "Man, I have asked her that like three times already in the 10 years they've been married," so something clicked for me. I'm like, "Man, there is this untapped source of talent and this unmet need on the business owner-side or the small business-side."

When I think about military spouses, regardless of education, regardless of work experience, every one of them that I've met are for sure good at two things: research and organization. Because when you only have a week's notice to move, and you're going somewhere you don't know, and you've got to find a house that has good schools, you got to take care of the move yourself because your spouse is gone. Every single one of them, they're all organized, and they know how to research. What do small business owners need? Organization and research.

You're not buying the big data analytics that the big companies are buying. You need someone who can Google, "I need businesses in this zip code," or something like that. That's what they can do. The other thing is they all tend to be renaissance people who are just good. They can do a little bit of everything. What do small business owners need? Someone who can do a little bit of everything. I definitely did not know that or appreciate that when I started. I just knew there was this untapped source of talent, but that seems to be our sweet spot.

So you now find yourself stuck behind your desk. You are fulfilling orders, managing your customer database, chasing down invoices, and responding to email inquiries. You no longer have the time to be creative or the energy to make that extra sales call or go to that networking event. You have hit a certain point in your business development where your energy is being drained, and your passion has become divested. You are spending hours working IN your business rather than ON your business.

Passion takes a backseat to being encumbered.

The solution? Delegate tasks to a virtual assistant.

Delegating administrative tasks can free up time and energy, allowing your passion to reignite.

Why Delegation Matters

The benefits of delegation are far-reaching. Expanding your leadership skills through delegation is an excellent step in personal growth. Delegation can lead to a healthier work-life balance and prevent burnout. By delegating support tasks to a virtual assistant, you can remain focused on the big picture and have more energy for efforts that can catalyze growth and innovation.

As a solo business owner, recognizing the power of delegation is critical to reclaiming the passion that ignited your entrepreneurial journey.

The first step toward delegation is a series of assessments that, when completed, can orient you and your business toward success.

The first step is to conduct a thorough self-assessment. Identify your strengths, weaknesses, and the tasks that consume a significant portion of your time. What tasks do you push off to the end of the day, week, or month? What tasks do you dread doing? Be honest about those tasks. Do you really need to be doing them?

Tasks that do not require your specific expertise and can be performed by someone else are ideal to delegate. The same goes for tasks you may dread or aren't very good at. Pay special attention to administrative, repetitive, or time-consuming tasks. Support tasks are critical to your business's health but don't lead to breakthroughs and business growth. Even if you enjoy this type of work, should you really be spending your valuable time working on rote to-do items?

The next assessment is a budgetary one. After carefully considering tasks that can or should be delegated, you will have to examine your budget. Because delegating tasks will allow you to refocus on high-impact aspects of your business, it is appropriate and even necessary to factor in the value of your own time compared to the tasks beneath your ability or skill level.

You rarely hear of CEOs of large corporations doing their own data entry or managing their own schedule.

With an average cost of $38 per hour, delegating tasks to a virtual assistant is a smart move. Let's assume your time, energy, and expertise is worth at least $150 per hour. Spending 2 hours of your own time on a task that could be delegated will "cost" you $300.

An experienced, versatile military spouse virtual assistant- like the Freedom Makers we have onboarded- will charge an hourly rate between $38 and $46.

By outsourcing that task, the same $300 could buy you over 6 hours of time with an experienced virtual assistant.

That is 3x the amount of work accomplished. With the addition of a virtual assistant, your business will have the potential to be 3x more productive.

The Delegation Business Boost

Suddenly, your mental energy is renewed, and your passion is reignited.

Let's take the example of digital marketing. If you are burnt out on blog writing or coming up with clever social media posts each day, you've likely begun to dread the time you will have to spend doing these tasks. You know you need a digital presence, but writing doesn't come quickly to you, and you find building posts tedious and frustrating. The anticipation of the task each week causes you anxiety and stress, which can be distracting even when you are working on other tasks. Just knowing you need to sit down and spend a chunk of time hammering out a blog for your website can be distressing! You might wind up procrastinating or spinning your wheels, wasting even more valuable hours down the drain.

Blog writing and social media management are the perfect tasks to outsource to an efficient virtual assistant or support specialist. A creative virtual assistant who enjoys writing can complete this essential job in a lot less time than it would take you. They can quickly find your voice and channel your brand's message into powerful posts that convert scrollers to subscribers. The focus and experience they bring to the task you dread ensures a better overall result.

Again, imagine your time is worth $150 per hour. Instead of getting one blog written for $300, your virtual assistant could bank 2 AND manage your email. That leaves you with free time and more energy! You can attend that networking event, brainstorm your next product launch, or make that many more sales calls with the energy only you can bring to sell your business.

Delegating tasks to a virtual assistant is a strategic investment and tactical maneuver. Outsourcing mundane and time-consuming tasks makes bringing a virtual assistant onto your team a cost-effective catalyst for renewed enthusiasm and entrepreneurial vigor. Imagine a threefold increase in productivity! Your mental energy and passion are poured back into the essence of your business, and your business has even more potential to boom.

Start Small, Win Big: Outsource Email Management For Huge Time Savings

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 05:35:33 GMT

What could you get done with a few extra hours of free time each week?

There is no better time than the present to take stock of your business. What is working? What isn't? Periodic reevaluation of your strategies can help you explore innovative ways to enhance future productivity and growth.

For solopreneurs and businesses with small teams, outsourcing some key operational and administrative tasks can be a game changer. Freeing yourself from some repetitive and recurring tasks will allow you to focus instead on the high-impact activities that drive growth.

Utilizing a virtual assistant is an excellent move if you are looking to optimize your workflow, streamline tasks, and free up your valuable time. By outsourcing even just one administrative responsibility each week, you can begin to reclaim your energy and allocate your time more efficiently.

CONSIDER HOW MUCH TIME YOU SPEND IN YOUR INBOX

While the amount of time small business owners spend sorting emails and responding to inquiries varies, many report spending anywhere from one to three hours per day managing their inboxes. Maintaining consistent communication with clients, partners, and stakeholders is important as it helps build your brand and encourages loyalty. It is an important tool for marketing, documentation, customer support, networking and more. However, spending nearly a third of your day clicking "reply" is draining and not the best use of your time.

Handling your email is an administrative task that is time-consuming, administrative in nature, and repetitive.

Even though email is an absolutely essenital business tool, the management of your inbox should be delegated to a skilled virtual assistant.

Email management involves organizing and responding to messages, handling customer inquiries, and prioritizing emails.

Having someone handle your email for you can be a great place to start your outsourcing journey. Because managing your email involves a series of regular and recurring actions, it is a relatively easy set of tasks to delegate.

Imagine creating a simple "if/then" list of how you handle unread emails. You can very quickly train your virtual assistant by walking them through the procedures you currently have in place. A simple screen-sharing session will allow a virtual assistant to watch you work within your email. Following your lead, they can quickly replicate your processes (or improve them!) so you can spend your time doing whatever comes next on your to-do list.

LET IT GO

A Freedom Maker virtual assistant can categorize emails, flag those requiring immediate attention, and organize others for later follow-up. You can work with your virtual assistant to design an email management system that aligns with your preferences. You can also work to establish clear guidelines regarding the confidentiality and security of specific emails and how you prefer your virtual assistant to handle sensitive information.

By entrusting a skilled virtual assistant with sorting, responding to, and prioritizing emails, you can ensure that your communication with clients and potential customers remains streamlined and responsive while you handle other tasks.

Check out the benefits of outsourcing email management:

GET SYSTEMIZED!

A well-organized email folder system that categorizes and stores emails based on priority, projects, clients, or other relevant criteria will prevent delays and dropped balls.

HOW IT WORKS: Based on your preferences and business needs, your Freedom Maker virtual assistant will create filters and rules to sort incoming emails into appropriate folders automatically. The prioritization created will identify and filter important emails that require your immediate attention.

CORRESPONDANCE MADE SIMPLE

Imagine cutting down on the amount of time crafting well-written, grammatically correct, and prompt responses. No more writing, re-writing, editing, spell checking! You can start this process closer to the finish line by outsourcing your email management.

HOW IT WORKS: Your Freedom Maker virtual assistant can draft emails, proposals, or other business correspondence and send routine emails, responses, or acknowledgments without your oversight. They can also proofread outgoing emails to catch errors or inconsistencies and create, customize, and manage pre-written templates for email threads and follow-ups.

NO MORE SCHEDULING SPAGHETTI

How about Friday at 10 am? Sorry, I'm not available. Thursday at 2 pm? What time zone? UGH! Once freed from the chaos of an unorganized inbox, you can utilize your email system to schedule appointments, meetings, and calls.

HOW IT WORKS: Your Freedom Maker virtual assistant can create automations or integrate a program like Calendly into your workflow. By adding a signature block that includes your Calendly link, your calendar will populate meetings and events when you are free. Your Freedom Maker can also handle the back and fort h sometimes necessary to handle your calendar the old-fashioned way.

MAINTE NANCE MANAGEMENT

Want To Unsubscribe From This Email? Yes, please! Your Freedom Maker virtual assistant can routinely clean up your inbox by archiving or deleting unnecessary emails and conducting periodic purges. The result is a clutter-free and efficient email environment.

HOW DOES IT WORK? With access to your inbox and guidance regarding your preferences and needs, your Freedom Maker will be empowered to log in, manage your spam, and maintain the integrity of your inbox so that it remains a clutter-free hub for your business.

OUT OF YOUR INBOX, INTO YOUR CRM

Squeeze those emails for every last bit of information! Good email management will allow you to build out your CRM with relevant data obtained through your customer and client correspondence.

HOW DOES IT WORK? Your Freedom Maker virtual assistant can perform data entry tasks related to contacts, leads, and other business-related information, helping you ensure all critical information is in the right place and retrievable when needed!

Outsourcing your email management to a virtual assistant frees you from doing this tedious task yourself. As an added benefit, the fresh set of eyes your Freedom Maker brings to your inbox will enhance the efficiency of your email communication. Getting those extra hours back each week will allow you to focus on higher-level tasks like refining your business strategy, networking to identify new opportunities, or digging into your creative side to innovate and stay ahead of your competitors.

Take the first step toward transforming your business this year by contacting our Discovery Team today to find out how a military spouse virtual assistant could be the catalyst for your success. Start small - with your email management - and watch as your relationship with your virtual partner grows into a partnership. Let 2024 be the year you redefine productivity, maximize your time, and propel your business to new heights!

Goal Setting, Growth, and the Power of Virtual Assistants

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Wed, 20 Dec 2023 15:28:36 GMT

As the year draws to a close, we often find ourselves reflecting on the past while simultaneously thinking about the future. What worked well in 2023, and where could improvements be made? The relatively quiet period of the holiday season can serve as a much-needed period of introspection and goal-setting! Now is the time to assess the challenges and victories of the past 12 months and consider all the possibilities for growth and improvement in the new year.

Reflection and Resolution

Small business goal-setting requires a structured and strategic approach. As a solopreneur or manager of a small team, it falls to you to consider all the various aspects of your business—finance, marketing, operations, and more. By attempting to gather a comprehensive understanding of last year's strengths and weaknesses, you can hopefully identify any internal and external factors that could influence your goal setting.

Many recommend conducting a thorough SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) to identify internal and external factors that might impact your goal-setting. Take an honest, data-based approach to understanding things that affect your operations, like finances, resources, and market trends. Once you have a clear picture of your business landscape, you can more accurately set goals, break them down into smaller tasks, and look at strategies for accomplishing them.

Define Clear and Realistic Goals

What are your objectives? Start outlining your priorities. Is it increasing revenue? Expanding your customer base? Enhancing your digital marketing? Getting specific will help create a roadmap for the next 12 months.

Bite-Sized Chunks

Large goals can be overwhelming. Breaking them down into manageable tasks makes making progress less daunting. Strive for small wins!

Leverage the Power of Time Management

Time is your most precious commodity! Your time as the leader of your organization is valuable, and you should spend most of your time doing the things that directly impact revenue and growth. How can you best optimize the hours in your day?

When you are planning for the new year, consider what productivity tools and platforms might help you streamline your daily tasks, and consider outsourcing some of your administrative support to a virtual assistant.

A virtual assistant can become a versatile partner who can quite literally revolutionize the way you manage your operations. Freedom Maker virtual assistants can be brought on part-time or full-time, as needed. They can help with many tasks, from scheduling appointments and responding to emails to data entry, research, and marketing . Outsourcing just an hour of work a day can free up your time and energy to focus on more strategic tasks like networking, sales, and product development. Letting a Freedom Maker virtual assistant handle some of your administrative work is a cost-effective way to get the support you need without the expense of hiring a full-time employee.

Not sure where to start? Take a look at your day. How busy are you in direct proportion to how much time you spend doing repetitive, recurring, daily, weekly, and monthly tasks. How much time are you spending doing:

Tasks you don't like doing or tasks you do not have a natural talent for.
Tasks that are below your "pay grade" or experience level.
Tasks that keep your business running vice things that keep your business growing.

If nothing changes, nothing changes!

Outsourcing tasks can free up time and energy for long-term goals.

A Freedom Maker virtual assistant is skilled, trained, experienced and can easily handle most administrative and back-office support tasks. They can become a thought partner, add more capacity to yourself and your team and can exponentially boost your company's productivity while reducing stress and pressure.

A Freedom Maker virtual assistant can:

Execute Administrative, Creative, and Operational Tasks

What could you do with an extra hour in your day? A Freedom Maker virtual assistant can contribute to any business area you dread doing or is a time and energy drain on you.

Automate for Repetitive Tasks

A Freedom Maker virtual assistant can leverage automation tools to handle repetitive tasks. From social media management to invoice generation, automation allows you to focus on strategic decision-making rather than routine chores.

Enhance Workflows and Document SOPs

Consistency is vital for sustainable growth, and a Freedom Maker virtual assistant can be the backbone of your business. They can "document while doing" and create Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) across your business functions. You'll then have smooth workflows and greater ease when onboarding new team members.

Streamline Business Operations

Efficiency is the cornerstone of a successful business. A virtual assistant can implement systems and processes, bring a fresh perspective, identify bottlenecks, and suggest improvements. Now, you are ready for scalable growth.

Strategic Planning & Partnership for Success

By streamlining operations and embracing automation, you not only save time but also can position your business for sustainable growth. As you usher in the new year with fresh goals and plans, think about ways to streamline operations and embrace automation in order to save time and position your business for sustainable growth. Then, consider the strategic advantage of incorporating a Freedom Maker virtual assistant into your team. By outsourcing your support tasks to a virtual assistant, you get high-quality professional support for the operations side of your business at an hourly rate. You are then freed from those tedious tasks and can use your valuable time to grow your business.

Congratulations on the past year's accomplishments, and cheers to the new year ahead! May it be filled with achievement, innovation, and endless possibilities!

We would love to be a part of your journey in the new year. If you are interested in exploring what a Freedom Maker virtual assistant can do for your business, reach out to our Discovery Team . We can help you figure out what to outsource so that you have more time and energy in 2024.

Best Communication Strategies For Successful Remote Collaborations

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Thu, 07 Dec 2023 14:29:31 GMT

At Freedom Makers Virtual Services, we believe effective collaboration is the key to small business success.

And, the key to effective collaboration is frequent, deliberate, and clear communication.

This is especially true for small business owners and solopreneurs who rely on virtual assistants to support the running of their businesses by outsourcing administrative or operational tasks. Developing sound and deliberate communication practices when delegating tasks to a virtual assistant is essential in the creation of a thriving remote partnership.

Robust communication will establish a foundation of trust and mutual understanding that will lead not only to task completion but also to a seamless collaboration that will contribute to lasting success.

Key Communication Practices For Remote Teams

Effective communication forms the cornerstone of successful collaboration for solopreneurs and small business owners working with virtual assistants. Frequent, deliberate, and clear communication is crucial. As the business owner delegating tasks, ensuring your messages are easily understandable will help streamline your collaboration and lead to task completion.

When you begin delegating, make sure your virtual assistant understands your needs, the expected outcome, and the timeline for delivery. Set up regular, re-occurring check-ins to foster an environment where your remote team members feel comfortable asking questions. This can further streamline the workflow and reduce the likelihood of any misunderstanding. Solidify healthy and prosperous collaborations by being deliberate in your communication practices.

We routinely train our Freedom Maker virtual assistants on best communication practices. Our practices are based on years of experience guiding relationships between small business owners and the virtual assistants who support them. We have seen firsthand that clarity is paramount, so we make sure our Freedom Makers are comfortable reaching out and communicating directly with their clients. If they are uncertain about a task or expectations, our guidance is to always be proactive.

Asking questions ensures a comprehensive understanding of the client’s needs and contributes to a smoother workflow. We suggest that Freedom Makers ensure that their messages to clients are frequent, professional, and easily understandable. Regular communication ensures that both parties are aligned regarding goals and objectives.

Transparency also plays a crucial role in thriving collaborations. When both sides of the relationship are “in the know,” miscommunications and frustrations are minimal. In a dynamic business environment, changes are inevitable. A solopreneur should always keep their virtual assistant in the loop if delays, mistakes, or potential budget issues could affect the project their Freedom Maker is working on.

Good communication practices will allow your Freedom Maker virtual assistant to adjust their support to best fit new or changing circumstances, and proactively sharing information will build trust and establish an open and honest relationship with your virtual assistant. It will also help your Freedom Maker feel integrated into your business and allow them to become a true contributing member of your team.

Similarly, we guide our Freedom Makers to be good communicators if something on their side might prevent the timely delivery of a project. If a Freedom Maker knows that their life circumstances are changing, for example, or if they are running into complications with task execution, it is their responsibility to reach out and let their client know.

Early and often is a guiding principle when it comes to communication. We have seen many successful collaborations form as a result of both sides of the relationship committing to this tenet. Frequent, deliberate, and clear communication creates an open channel where both parties can share their thoughts, concerns, and suggestions that can benefit the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the business.

By implementing the following communication practices, your remote partnership will develop into an effective, successful collaboration:

Set Communication Expectations: Decide how communication should be conducted and the preferred response time.
Schedule Check-ins: Establish a routine of regular check-ins- either daily or weekly - to discuss project progress, address concerns, and receive updates.
Practice Active Listening: Both sides should practice active listening during meetings to fully grasp the information being shared. Repeat back things stated and decided so that each side is in agreement on what is being communicated.
Keep Detailed Records: Maintaining detailed records of tasks, discussions, and decisions can help avoid misunderstandings and serve as a reference point for future conversations.
Seek Feedback: Both sides should work to create an environment where feedback is sought and received in a positive and healthy manner.

Communication and Collaboration Tools

Many software programs and cloud-based platforms are designed to enhance communication, streamline tasks, and ultimately foster more productive partnerships between remote team members. Strategically leveraging these tools can ease communication and enrich the collaborative experience. From project management platforms that facilitate task delegation to communication tools ensuring real-time clarity, many of the tools our Freedom Maker virtual assistants are familiar with can ease collaboration, fortify your connection, and create a proper team environment within a virtual workspace.

Here are some essential tools to consider using with your remote team:

Project Management Tools:

Process Street, Asana , Trello, Monday.com

Streamline tasks, deadlines, and project progress

All-in-One Workspace:

Notion

Take notes, share documents, create workflows and collaborate all in one centralized space

Note-Taking Apps:

Good Notes, OneNote, Evernote

Enhances organization and ensures the accessibility of shared information

Delegation:

Todoist , Checklist

Task management is made simple with these applications, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks

Screen Recording:

Loom

Facilitates clear communication through screen recordings

File Sharing and Collaboration:

Google Drive , Dropbox, OneDrive

Seamlessly share, collaborate, and store files with cloud storage solutions

Instant Messaging:

Slack

Fosters real-time communication, quick updates, and team collaboration

As you embark on the journey of remote collaboration, consider integrating these tools into your workflow. If you don’t know where to start, ask your Freedom Maker! They can advise you on what tools will work best with your business based on the tasks being outsourced. Your success is our priority, and we are here to support you every step of the way.

At Freedom Makers Virtual Services, we believe that robust communication is not just a key but the very essence of any successful collaboration. Establishing a foundation of trust and mutual understanding becomes the cornerstone for not only task completion, but will also foster seamless collaborations that will contribute to the lasting success of your business.

If you are interested in building your team and growing your business with an experienced, professional Freedom Maker virtual assistant, please feel free to schedule a call with our Discovery team . We have been successfully pairing virtual assistants with small business clients to create successful partnerships for almost nine years and are excited to learn more about your business’s support needs.

Freedom Makers Virtual Services: Leading the Way in Remote Work Solutions and Support

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 18:00:00 GMT

The virtual services agency industry has experienced substantial growth and competition in recent years, with many companies entering the market. At Freedom Makers Virtual Services, we are valued for our distinct approach to helping small business owners and entrepreneurs grow their businesses with virtual support.

Over the last eight years, our small business growth has been marked by a steadfast dedication to improving our processes so that we can provide incredible value to our clients. In our now-crowded industry, we stand firm in our commitment to a remote work support model based on freedom, transparency, and a continual strive for excellence.

Our unique approach provides both solopreneurs and military spouse virtual assistants with the freedom to thrive.

Freedom To Thrive encapsulates Freedom Makers Virtual Services' core principles and mission. It signifies a commitment to what we consider a critical two-fold freedom. First, our mission enables military spouse virtual assistants to have the freedom to contribute financially to their families through flexible career paths that accommodate the demands of their dynamic lifestyles. Due to frequent military relocations, meaningful work opportunities are often hard to come by for talented military spouses. Through training and support, we empower our Freedom Makers to be successful in any virtual space so they can take their work with them when they have to move!

Our Freedom To Thrive model simultaneously provides solopreneurs and small business owners relief from the burdens of administrative, operational, or repetitive tasks. With that freedom, a solopreneur can reallocate their time and energy as they see fit, whether for personal pursuits, professional growth, or an enhanced integration of their work and life.

The term "thrive" was not chosen lightly. At Freedom Makers Virtual Services, we believe everyone should be able to flourish and excel, not just survive. What thriving looks like is, of course, unique to each individual. So, to that end, we are dedicated to ensuring that both sides of the partnerships we create reach their full potential and live life on their terms.

Not Just Another Remote Work Support Company!

As more and more people create their own companies and/or transition to remote work arrangements, the demand for tailored support services has grown. We have a proven track record of offering real, practical, and custom solutions that have helped both military spouses and small business owners thrive.

Remote Support Case Study

The wonderful folks over at Moon Crest Valley Ranch LLC took the time to provide us with valuable feedback about their experience with their Freedom Maker, Allison. The relationship match between Moon Crest Valley Ranch's needs and their Freedom Maker is positive proof of how well our unique business works!

Moon Crest Valley Ranch is a family-owned and operated property in Half Moon Bay, California. After spending years as a Marine and then working in the tech industry, Ranch owner Brendan O'Donnell and his wife, Amanda, purchased the 45-acre parcel in 2015. Because they believe in being good stewards of the land, they work hard to care for the property while inviting others to share in all that it offers. Brendan and Amanda are raising their young, busy family on the Ranch and have created an environment where people can connect, hike, and stay overnight.

Brendan reached out to Freedom Makers in February 2023. He needed help with the Ranch's social media presence and wanted to outsource his digital marketing needs to a Freedom Maker. Brendan liked Freedom Makers' mission of supporting military spouses. He says,

"Matching high-quality professionals that are moving around the world every 2-3 years with meaningful virtual work is a mission I always want to support. The values listed on their website aren't just words; they are a lifestyle and commitment. We are proud to be associated with them as a family."

Brendan explained the Ranch's needs. "We looked to Freedom Makers for support with our Social Media accounts. This would include taking content and improving the quality of our storytelling through videos, pictures, and audio tracks. The desired end state was for [a Freedom Maker] to run with minimal guidance and to be able to capture our authentic voice as a family and a business."

Our internal team got to work pre-screening candidates for Brendan. After interviewing several qualified virtual assistants, Brendan selected Allison, a Marine Corps Spouse currently living in Quantico, VA. Her profile shows a strong background in social media management, client onboarding, marketing, content creation, and process and systems setup experience.

Allison explains that she became a Freedom Maker because she was looking for something she could do from home and continue doing while moving every couple of years. Allison says,

"One of my favorite things about Freedom Makers is their mission to help employ military spouses. They understand the lifestyle that we live and have created a beautiful space to allow Freedom Makers to find clients and job descriptions that fit a myriad of talents and expertise, many that aren't always captured on a resume. I appreciate the flexibility, the ability to have continuity in employment, and the variety of clients."

Allison got right to work collaborating with Brendan! She relied on her knowledge and background in social media to help grow Moon Crest Valley Ranch's presence in the digital world. Allison explains, "I currently take the pictures and videos Brendan provides and curate Instagram and Facebook content. The goal is to share a glimpse of their family ranch and life in Half Moon Bay, CA. Their mission is to improve the land and share it with others. We have weekly phone calls to discuss any upcoming events or happenings on the Ranch and brainstorm the best content to share."

Brendan is thrilled with Allison's work and its benefit to the Ranch.

"Allison has been an invaluable virtual addition to our team. Her depth of knowledge with Social Media has increased the reach of our account, but more importantly, she is capturing the authentic stories we want to tell about our Ranch and business."

Brendan has also been happy with Allison's professionalism and thoughtfulness. "She has been great to work with and works independently at a strategic level," Brendan explains. "She clearly communicates timelines and meets them without fail. More times than not, her work outpaces expectations, and we find ourselves trying to keep up with her great ideas! We love that she has pushed us to think differently!"

Allison appreciates her interactions with Brendan. "He is great to work with and is open to suggestions and is always willing to try out something new. He values the experience I have with social media but also challenges me with looking at things from a different perspective. He wants his social media accounts to be authentic, honest and grow organically."

Allison is thriving in her work with Brendan. She says,

"It has been a great experience. I have been working with Freedom Makers for about 4 years and have had various clients, but creating content about a Ranch is new for me. It challenges me to have a fresh perspective on how to create content, what provides value for the consumer, and how to best showcase in an authentic way the daily happenings of a ranch. It forces me to think outside the box with the type of content I am creating."

In a world where remote work solutions abound, Freedom Makers Virtual Services' commitment to freedom, transparency, and excellence makes us unique. The success story of Moon Crest Valley Ranch and our dedicated Freedom Maker, Allison, exemplifies the tangible impact of our mission — crafting meaningful partnerships that enable businesses and individuals to thrive.

If you're a small business owner seeking a trustworthy partner to handle administrative, operational, or repetitive tasks, we invite you to schedule a call with our Discovery team today! We promise to create customized support to fit your unique needs. We charge by the minute with complete transparency, and remain unwavering in our dedication to your freedom. Experience firsthand the unique approach that makes Freedom Makers Virtual Services the ideal partner for your business journey.

The Heavy Lift: Fitness Professionals Leveraging Virtual Assistants for Efficiency

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 24 Oct 2023 17:00:00 GMT

Getting to do what you love and call it work is fantastic! But today, attracting clients and building a thriving business requires more than talent and enthusiasm.

Fitness professionals are passionate about helping clients accomplish their health and wellness goals. Most trainers, nutritionists, dieticians, martial artists, dance studio and gym owners have all invested countless hours in their own physical health, industry-specific education, and business building. But it's not enough to excel in your core competency to create a lucrative company.

You must also do all the necessary business building -- alongside the bodybuilding.

Fitness professionals thrive on the gym floor, coaching clients and personalizing workout plans to ensure each individual reaches their health and wellness objectives. But they simultaneously must be an awesome customer service representative, financial analyst, marketing strategist, and a whiz at business operations. They even have to be able to stay up to date on emerging software platforms and look into what automations might optimize their business's efficiency.

Fitness professionals are at their best when they are hands-on with clients. They typically don't want to be sitting in an office working on spreadsheets, building social media posts, writing a blog, or deconflicting their calendar!

There are no gains to be had stuck behind a desk.

Every fitness professional wants a thriving business. But, all the administrative work necessary to keep operations on track can divert their focus and drain their energy, leaving less time for their clients.

It's time to get back to the gym!

The right virtual assistant can help manage the operational support aspects of any fitness business and serve as an invaluable partner.

Outsourcing Gym Admin To A Virtual Assistant

"Working hours" often conflict with "workout hours" as many folks want to get their exercise in during the day. Data management, CRM maintenance, social media management, and client communication… these administrative tasks take time to execute and take valuable time away from the time a fitness professional could otherwise be meeting with clients.

Over the last few months, we have onboarded fitness professionals and gym owners as clients excited to outsource administrative tasks to a Freedom Maker. Our military spouse virtual assistants are ready to step in and take over many of the operational support tasks that burden fitness professionals.

Here are some of the tasks our Freedom Maker virtual assistant are involved with:

Client intake and document management
Data entry post workout
Progress tracking through report generation
Outreach to clients who have fallen off their programs
Scheduling & calendaring (cancellations, rescheduling, deconflicting, etc)
Setting up email reminders and automated follow-ups
Answering inquiries
Processing payments, holds, cancellations, etc.
Client database management
Outreach/follow-up on no-shows, late cancellations, etc.
Marketing support, including:
Social media content creation & management
Podcast & interview support
Managing online fitness challenges & contests
Management of online communities
Brochure, flyer, newsletter design and creation

The Right Virtual Assistant For Fitness Professionals

Freedom Maker virtual assistants are military spouses and are often health-conscious and physically active individuals due to their affiliation with the military. Their dynamic lifestyle demands it! Military spouses understand the importance of health and wellness and know firsthand how challenging it can be to fit exercise into an already hectic lifestyle. This allows an enhanced empathy when dealing with a fitness professional's clientele. Also, a virtual assistant who is committed to living a healthy lifestyle shares that value with a fitness professional business owner! Communication is easy, and a shared understanding can lead to an effortless synergy and a positive, productive working relationship.

Additionally, Freedom Makers are skilled professionals who are used to working independently at a high tempo to get the job done. They value consistency, reliability, and dedication. A virtual assistant who is a military spouse is the perfect choice for fitness professionals seeking remote support.

Professional, Efficient Support

Freedom Makers excel in managing essential but time-consuming tasks, including data entry, scheduling, and client communication. By delegating responsibilities like entering client progress data, scheduling classes and sessions, managing CRM information, and processing billing, fitness-focused Freedom Makers allow their fitness professional clients more hands-on time with customers.

A Cost-Effective Solution

Hiring a full-time (or even part-time) administrative employee can be cost-prohibitive for many small business-owning fitness professionals. Freedom Maker virtual assistants offer a cost-effective alternative. In addition to eliminating overhead expenses, fitness professionals only pay for the hours their virtual assistant works. And because Freedom Makers are trained to work efficiently and without distractions, a lot can get done in a short amount of time.

Scalability

As a fitness professional's business grows, a virtual assistant can adapt to evolving needs and increase their support areas. A trainer or gym owner who is ready to finally start their podcast or offer group fitness sessions can add those tasks to their Freedom Maker's to-do list. Or, we make it easy to add a Freedom Maker with the necessary additional skills to the team.

A military spouse virtual assistant can be significantly valuable to any fitness professional running their own business. Our Freedom Makers, working with gym owners and trainers, handle every administrative or operational support task with professionalism and skill. Their strong work ethic and discipline are super compatible with the fitness industry, and their resilience due to their military lifestyle positions them to handle the dynamic nature of the fitness industry easily. By leveraging a military spouse virtual assistant for operational and administrative support, a fitness professional or gym owner can spend more time on the gym floor, building personalized workouts for their clientele.

SOPs for Solopreneurs: The Virtual Assistant Advantage

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 10 Oct 2023 16:30:00 GMT

WHAT IS AN SOP?

An SOP is a way to formalize or document a set of procedural tasks.

As a solopreneur or small business owner, the days are often long, and the demands on your time sometimes seem endless. It's easy to get lost in the chaos and overlook the power of documenting your Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and workflows. But if your business regularly repeats specific steps to complete projects, there may be nothing more important than taking the time to list out all the essential steps that must be taken to complete each task. Getting started doing so might seem overwhelming, but documenting your SOPs might be the key to unlocking the full potential of your business.

The Power of SOPs: A Roadmap to Success

Check out all the reasons you should invest time and energy into documenting your SOPs:

Consistency Amidst Chaos

Maintaining consistency is really important if you want to control the chaos of running a business. Imagine if every time you emptied the dishwasher, the plates, cups, and bowls ended up in different places. Without a system, you would never know where to find your coffee mug! SOPs ensure that every task is executed consistently, reducing errors and enhancing the quality of your products or services.

Efficiency and Time

Time is your most valuable resource. Documented workflows eliminate guesswork and the mental load of remembering and streamline your operations. The net effect is your precious time saved. With structured processes in place, you can focus on strategic growth and even integrate a more favorable work-life balance.

Scaling Without Stress

Are you planning to grow your business? SOPs lay the foundation for scalability. When you're ready to expand your team, documented processes make onboarding super smooth.

Risk Mitigation

SOPs help identify any places where your efforts might be duplicated. They can identify potential risks and any vulnerabilities in your processes. It can help you figure out where you could add safeguards (think: if this, then that) that would serve as an insurance policy for your project if something were to go wrong.

Efficient Time Management

SOPs help you prioritize tasks and manage your time efficiently. By following structured workflows, you can identify how your day is spent. Knowing where you are investing your energy can help you determine what operations you can delegate to your team. Then, you are free to use your time for higher-value tasks. Additionally, documented SOPs ensure that your knowledge is preserved and can be transferred when needed, reducing your dependence on any one individual (yourself included!) Maybe you could even take that vacation!

Quality Control

Well-created SOPs include quality checks and standards to maintain the quality of your products or services.

Adaptability and Process Enhancement

Documented processes can be updated and adjusted as needed, providing a framework for continuous improvement. You'll be able to more easily identify areas where pivots will help your business stay afloat when market conditions make waters rocky. Also, SOPs can help pinpoint root causes of inefficiencies so you can quickly develop solutions when problems arise.

Business Value

Well-documented SOPs enhance the value of your business if you ever decide to sell it. Potential buyers will appreciate organized and efficient operations.

ARE YOU CONVINCED?

Maybe you've agreed with and gotten excited about all the reasons you should document your SOPs. The question may remain: How do I start? What is the best way to capture all the steps I take to execute all my projects? How will I ever find the time to do this?

Enlist a Skilled Virtual Assistant to Help You With Your SOPs

A virtual assistant can be a game-changer if you're already overwhelmed with tasks. The right virtual assistant is like having a highly skilled and reliable right hand who not only performs tasks but also documents them as they go. Here's how a Freedom Maker virtual assistant can make your life easier:

Task Execution: Freedom Makers are smart, capable professionals who can handle almost any administrative or creative task remotely. They not only complete tasks efficiently but can also ensure they are correctly documented.

Workflow Streamlining: Once you hand a task over to your Freedom Maker, they can help you optimize your process through the documentation. When a workflow is documented, it can become obvious where it could become more efficient and streamlined.

Scalability: With a Freedom Maker executing and documenting tasks, scaling suddenly becomes possible. As your business grows, SOPs documented by your Freedom Maker can easily be handed off to new team members.

Time and Energy Savings: By delegating tasks and the responsibility for documenting them to a Freedom Maker, you save valuable time and energy, allowing you to focus on what truly matters for your business's success.

Tools and Technologies for SOP Documentation

Thankfully, there are many tools and tasks that make documenting SOPs possible. Freedom Makers are skilled in efficiency and often rely on these tools in their work with clients. Bringing someone onto your team who already knows these tools will make the entire process of documenting your SOPs smooth.

Project management tools like Asana , Trello , or ClickUp can help you and/or your Freedom Maker create and manage your SOPs in a structured and organized way. But if you are still deciding whether to commit to a platform, you can use a simple Google sheet to outline the steps. A spreadsheet is a great place to start; the document can be shared during collaborations.

Simple checklist apps like Todoist or Any.do can be great for creating quick and easy-to-follow task lists. Or, for more complex processes, consider screen recording tools like Loom or Camtasia by TechSmith to record video tutorials. Loom can record your camera, microphone, and desktop simultaneously, so as you click and talk, you can create a video record of all the steps you take to get something done. It is then instantly shareable with your team members. Our internal team at Freedom Makers uses Loom all the time to explain our processes to one another. We have all our Looms stored in an Asana resource library for easy access across departments. This eliminates the time (and headache) of having to ask someone to explain how to do something, which is especially important when working remotely. We are all in different time zones, so having an accesssible record of how to execute a task prevents time delays! Everyone has access to the same information, so procedures are completed the same way each time.

Having documented SOPs helps you control the chaos of running your business and reduce the mental load of remembering each step each time. SOPs help keep your business running smoothly and are essential for growth and scalability. A virtual assistant can be your partner in this journey! A Freedom Maker virtual assistant can help you execute tasks efficiently and document them effectively. With the right tools and technologies, your Freedom Maker can help you upgrade your business processes so you can take your business to new heights.

Cybersecurity for Small Businesses: Best Practices With Your Remote Team

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 19 Sep 2023 23:20:14 GMT

Running a small business in today's digital age can be incredibly rewarding. However, it also comes with its fair share of cybersecurity challenges, especially if you have a remote team. Cybersecurity is not just for large corporations; it's also a critical concern for solopreneurs and small business owners. Here are some practical tips and tools to help safeguard your business, whether you're a solo business warrior or working with a small team.

Protecting Your Business from Cyberattacks

EDUCATE YOURSELF AND YOUR TEAM

Start with the basics and educate yourself and your team about cybersecurity risks and best practices. While it may seem daunting, plenty of free resources are available online to help you get started. Understanding the threat landscape is the first step in protecting your business.

USE STRONG PASSWORDS AND MULTI-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION

Your passwords are the first line of defense against cyberattacks. Use strong, unique passwords for all accounts, and consider a password manager to keep track of them. Enable MFA wherever possible – it's a low-cost way to add an extra layer of security to your accounts.

REGULARLY UPDATE YOUR SOFTWARE

Software updates often include security patches. Make sure your operating system, applications, and plugins are regularly updated to protect against known vulnerabilities.

SECURE YOUR WI-FI NETWORK

If you work from home or have remote team members, secure your Wi-Fi network with a strong password. Don't rely on default router passwords, a mistake many make! Change all default passwords to something unique.

BACKUP YOUR DATA

Regularly back up your business data to an external drive or cloud storage. That way, even if disaster strikes, your critical information remains safe.

USE ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE

Invest in a reputable antivirus or anti-malware program. Many free or low-cost options provide adequate protection for small businesses.

BE CAUTIOUS OF EMAILS AND LINKS

Phishing attacks often target small businesses. Train yourself and your team to recognize suspicious emails and avoid clicking on questionable links or downloading unknown attachments.

Secure Your Devices

Ensure that all devices used for work, including personal ones, have basic security measures like screen locks and up-to-date antivirus software. Even if your remote team members use their own devices, you can request they take precautions on behalf of the business.

Keep Personal and Business Accounts Separate

Avoid mixing personal and business accounts, especially emails. This minimizes the risk of personal data exposure affecting your business.

Regularly Monitor Financial Transactions

Stay vigilant about your business finances. Regularly check your accounts for any unauthorized transactions or unusual activities.

Limit Access

Only grant access to sensitive data and systems on a need-to-know basis and be cautious when giving permissions.

Implement a Firewall

Use a firewall to protect your network from unauthorized access. Many operating systems come with built-in firewalls.

Consider Cybersecurity Training for Your Team

Invest in cybersecurity training for your team members. Educated team members are your first line of defense.

Consult Professionals

Consider consulting with cybersecurity experts if you're still uncertain about your business's setup or if you need specialized assistance. A consultant can provide tailored advice for your unique business needs.

Delegating To A Virtual Assistant While Safeguarding Your Business

Embracing virtual assistants is a game-changer for small business owners seeking to supercharge productivity and efficiency. It's like having an extra set of capable hands, and it can work wonders for your operations. Yet, as with any innovation, it's essential to navigate the cybersecurity landscape confidently. Here's how to make the most of your virtual assistant's skills and talents while simultaneously ensuring your business stays secure:

Secure Communication

Use encrypted communication tools like Signal or WhatsApp. Your sensitive information will remain confidential, giving you peace of mind as you strategize and plan with your remote team members.

Collaboration Platforms

Embrace secure collaboration platforms such as Slack or Microsoft Teams. These tools allow you to control access and permissions, fostering seamless teamwork while protecting your digital assets.

VPN (Virtual Private Network)

Forge a secure path with a VPN, ensuring that your connections are encrypted and shielded. When you or other remote team members are accessing business resources remotely, when you've got a VPN connected, you're protected against cyber threats.

Clear Policies

Empower your remote team with clear cybersecurity policies. Your virtual workspace will remain secure if everyone knows the rules - from data handling to device security (like when to use that VPN).

Regular Check-Ins

Stay ahead of the curve by scheduling regular cybersecurity check-ins with your team. Like in all areas, communication is the key! By fostering awareness of the latest threats and best practices, you create a united front against cyber challenges.

How A Virtual Assistant Can Enhance Your Cybersecurity

Your virtual assistant can do more than handle tasks while handling them with cybersecurity in mind. They can also play a pivotal role in bolstering your cybersecurity efforts. You can task your Freedom Maker virtual assistant to:

Recommend Cybersecurity Tools: Leverage your virtual assistant's research skills to find budget-friendly cybersecurity tools and software that can help safeguard your small business.

Implement Security Protocols: Task your Freedom Maker with setting up and enforcing security protocols within your organization. They can ensure that everyone follows best practices.

Stay Informed: Your virtual assistant can keep you updated on the latest cybersecurity trends and news. They can help you stay proactive in the ever-evolving world of cyber threats.

With the right approach to cybersecurity and the support of a savvy virtual assistant, your small business can stay safe and thrive in the digital age!

Navigating Growth Together: The Forum’s Conference for Solopreneurs and Small Teams

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 20:44:00 GMT

In the constantly evolving realm of entrepreneurship, growth is the heartbeat that propels us all forward.

For solopreneurs and small business owners, the growth journey can be simultaneously exhilarating and challenging. As circumstances change and businesses reach new stages and plateaus, strategies, and insights are needed to overcome fresh obstacles and challenges. That's where The Forum Growth Conference comes into play!

Hosted by Freedom Makers Virtual Services and co-hosted with Elise Woodworth of Woodworth Enterprises , our exciting event, "Navigating Growth For Solopreneurs and Businesses with Small Teams," promises to be a community-building experience designed to provide valuable insights, foster resource-sharing, and create lasting connections for individuals all traveling separate-but-similar paths to success.
A Gathering of Minds

The Forum Growth Conference aims to bring together a dynamic array of perspectives, experiences, and knowledge to empower solopreneurs and small business owners. Set to take place on Thursday, September 21st , this virtual conference is a unique opportunity for solopreneurs from a variety of industries to gather from the comfort of their own spaces and tap into a wealth of expertise. The event is free and open to the public because it is our vision that all solopreneurs and businesses with small teams should have the opportunity to learn and grow.

Signature Talks: A Journey to Success

The heart of the conference will be our signature talks, each designed to offer a unique perspective on the journey to growth and success. Driven by the passion to empower others, our selected speakers have unique perspectives from their individual experiences within their respective fields. From unlocking the power of incremental progress to transforming money mindsets, harnessing the potential of systems, and cultivating "The Small Perspective" for success, The Forum Growth Conference's talks will provide attendees with actionable insights and strategies to drive their businesses forward.

Dr. Ian Barford: "Incremental Steps To Reach Your Goals"

Dr. Ian Barford 's accomplished federal research and development career led him to a transformative realization. Recognizing the challenges small business owners face, he harnessed his expertise to establish ClearlyApps . ClearlyApps aims to help build the future of small businesses through custom app development. With a skilled software development team, ClearlyApps is dedicated to aiding small businesses in achieving their goals, be it scaling, organization, quality growth, or market differentiation. Drawing from firsthand experience and a commitment to meaningful impact, ClearlyApps guarantees results by blending expertise with a keen understanding of the small business landscape.

Ian's talk will be about navigating the challenges of limited resources and fierce competition that all small businesses face. Through incremental steps and a focus on maintaining a quality-growth equilibrium, Ian's philosophy is geared to empower all solopreneurs and small business owners to grow and expand without compromising on quality. His wisdom will inspire Growth Conference attendees to take the consistent steps that will guarantee remarkable success.

Tracy Latona: "Mission and Money Mindsets"

Tracy Latona is the visionary owner of Golden Rose Financial Coaching . As a dedicated veteran's wife, Tracy's mission is to empower those facing financial stress by guiding them toward conquering their money goals. She believes in transforming financial challenges into lasting success. Recognizing that money knowledge constitutes 20% while behavior holds an impactful 80%, Tracy champions the role of financial-coach-as-guide to foster accountability and address the root causes for profound, generational financial change.

Tracy's Forum Growth Conference talk will focus on the idea that money is intrinsically tied to mindset, habits, and behaviors. Her mission is to help fellow solopreneurs transform their financial landscape by fostering control, confidence, and clarity. During Tracy's talk, attendees will learn to unlock a world of financial possibilities by aligning their mission with their money goals.

VR Small: "The Small Perspective: 5 Strategies for Superior Success"

VR Small is a Navy Veteran, motivational speaker and visionary, turning dreams into reality. As the founder and CEO of the Veteran Women’s Enterprise Center (VWEC), she spearheads a national initiative empowering military-affiliated women entrepreneurs to achieve scalable success. VR and the VWEC aim to foster impactful social and economic change through advocacy, leadership, and innovation.

During her signature presentation, VR will share her blueprint for success with "The Small Perspective": a compass forged from life's crucible, distilling into five crystalline success strategies. Rooted in time-tested wisdom, and curated best practices, these strategies, denoted by the acronym SMALL, are harnessed by VR Small, the visionary Founder & CEO for VWEC. Her mission in this session is to equip and embolden those attending to pave their unique path to success.

The SMALL Perspective: stands as a beacon, illuminating five critical corridors to success:

Setting Your Stage for Success: An orchestration of preparation, setting the scene for your grand performance in life.

Manifesting a Multi-Million-dollar Mindset: Cultivating opulence in thought, translating mental abundance into tangible riches.

Amplifying an Attitude of Anticipation: Elevating the spirit of expectancy, catalyzing innovation, and resilience.

Leveraging Life's Lessons: Extracting wisdom from every experience, transforming challenges into steppingstones on your road to success.

Level Up & Lead: Ascending to new echelons of excellence, while inspiring others to do the same.

The introspective application of these strategies elicits extraordinary personal and professional outcomes, producing a symphony of accomplishments that can reverberate through time.

Attendees of 'The SMALL Perspective' will depart F.R.E.E. (Focused, Rejuvenated, Enthusiastic, and Empowered), to author their own narrative of success into a best seller!

Laura Renner: "Unleashing the Power of Systems: The Easy Way to Build a Thriving Business"

Closing out the speakers, our very own Laura Renner , the founder of Freedom Makers Virtual Services will take attendees on a deep dive into the realm of systems and efficiency. Her talk will cover how to streamline workflows, delegate effectively, and achieve consistent success - the factors that ultimately pave the way for business growth.

Laura is a U.S. Air Force Reserve member, and FMVS was born from her profound commitment to assisting small business owners and military families alike. Drawing from nearly two decades of experience in foreign and public relations, education, and human resources, Laura excels in understanding and empowering individuals.

Community Building: Sharing, Connecting, Growing

Beyond the signature talks, The Forum Growth Conference will offer a networking opportunity for registrants to share about their own endeavors, seek tailored advice, forge meaningful connections, and promote their businesses.

In a world where solopreneurship can often feel like an individual journey, The Forum's Growth Conference reminds us that we're not alone. We believe in the power of community and creating a safe space to exchange ideas, seek solutions, and amplify growth in a collaborative environment. The journey towards success isn't meant to be walked alone - and we are lucky to have many on our path willing to share their experiences so others can successfully navigate challenges.

Success is not a destination; it's a journey, and together, we're making strides towards achieving our goals.

Click below to register today! Or visit our Conference Event Page to learn more!

Sync and Succeed: How Communication Amplifies Remote Delegation

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 05 Sep 2023 21:34:37 GMT

Effective communication continues to announce itself as the critical element to successful delegation when outsourcing tasks to remote team members. That's because delegation is not merely about assigning tasks; it's about entrusting responsibilities, sharing expectations, and facilitating the achievement of common goals. Communication is the glue that holds these elements together and transforms them into a cohesive and productive relationship.

While the virtual workspace offers flexibility and autonomy, it also introduces unique challenges in fostering trust, understanding, and collaboration. How can relationships be formed without in-person social cues, water cooler chats, and casual encounters? How can a company's culture be forged?

The Remote Reality: A Paradigm Shift in Communication

Establishing a strong communication foundation in remote delegation demands commitment from both sides – the small business owner clients and their Freedom Maker virtual assistants. They must both be prepared to employ effective communication techniques to nurture a successful partnership.

Here are some best practices for both parties to think about:

Proactive Engagement: Solopreneurs and their remote team members must proactively initiate communication. Regular check-ins, video meetings, and voice calls can help bridge any physical gap and foster familiarity and rapport.

(see below for a list of tools and platforms that can aid in the flow of effective communication)

Clarity and Transparency: If effective communication is the lynchpin for delegation success, the cornerstone of effective communication is clarity. Both Freedom Makers and clients should articulate expectations, responsibilities, and concerns transparently. Transparency helps preempt misunderstandings and promote focus, effort, and goal-setting alignment.

Embracing Technology: Video calls and conferencing tools simulate face-to-face interactions, allowing for non-verbal cues to be picked up and providing a more immersive communication experience. Hopping on a Zoom to hash out a complication or collaborate helps maintain a positive environment of support and teamwork.

Feedback Loop: Regular feedback sessions enable continuous improvement. Constructive criticism, celebrating small wins, and frequent suggestions for enhancement should be shared openly to enhance collaboration. Feedback goes both ways!

Problem-Solving Mindset: Challenges are inevitable, but effective communication can turn obstacles into opportunities. A problem-solving mindset and open discussions can lead to innovative solutions.

Flexibility and Adaptability: Remote delegation demands flexibility. As contexts change, communication strategies may need to be adjusted to suit evolving circumstances.

Thankfully, a wide variety of software tools and cloud-based technologies exist and streamline the process of delegating administrative support activities. They enhance communication and collaboration. The following tools can help bridge the gap created by physical distance and facilitate effective communication across teams:

Instant Messaging and Chat:

Slack: Real-time messaging allows you to create channels for different topics, projects, or teams.

Microsoft Teams: Offers chat, video calls, and integration with other Microsoft apps.

Video Conferencing:

Zoom: Video conferencing tool that supports meetings, webinars, screen sharing, and recording for virtual face-to-face interactions.

Google Meet: Provides video conferencing capabilities, making collaborating within the Google ecosystem easy.

Voice Calls:

Skype: Enables voice, video calls, and messaging.

Microsoft Teams: Microsoft 365's voice calling functionality with video conferencing and chat features.

Project Management and Collaboration:

Trello: Manages tasks and projects through boards, lists, and cards, allowing collaboration and progress tracking.

Asana: Allows task assignment, due date tracking, and project management that enhances visibility and accountability.

Virtual Whiteboards and Visual Collaboration:

Miro: Visual collaboration through virtual whiteboards for brainstorming and planning.

Email and Communication Hubs:

Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 are central communication hubs, allowing you to send messages, share documents, and manage calendars.

Basecamp: Project management combined with communication features, providing an integrated platform for remote team collaboration.

Internal Wiki/Knowledge Base:

Notion: This enables you to create shared documents, databases, and wikis, providing a centralized space for collaboration.

Luckily, many of the platforms mentioned above offer free or low-cost versions for small teams with tight budgets. And most communication tools have mobile app capabilities, which allow you and your remote team members to stay connected and productive while on the go! Be sure to select the tools that align with your business's communication needs, team size, and preferred workflow.

A well-communicated delegation process ensures that everyone on the team is aligned, motivated, and working towards a common objective. Maintaining a consistent and clear communication strategy is essential while encouraging open dialogue to foster a collaborative remote work environment. This synergy positively impacts the overall performance of the team.

Freedom Makers Virtual Services specializes in matching talented military spouse virtual assistants with solopreneurs and business owners with small teams to best facilitate the positive relationships that lead to the best delegation success loop! Contact our Discovery team today to learn how to add a Freedom Maker to your team!

Delegating Made Easy: Laura's Five Tips for Success in Less Than Five Minutes

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 16:30:00 GMT

Learn the art of effective delegation with these five practical tips in under five minutes! Click below to watch FMVS President and Founder, Laura Renner break down the basics of delegating to remote team members. In this video, Laura describes how to identify tasks for delegation, set appropriate levels of responsibility, establish clear communication expectations, embrace constructive feedback, and create 'set it and forget it' systems for seamless task management.

TRANSCRIPT

Today I'm going to share with you five tips for delegating effectively in less than five minutes. Here we go.

To start with, you want to identify the task that you want to delegate. I caution you: stay away from responsibilities that are too broad, a little too vague. Get super specific with the task that you want someone else to take care of for you. Start with that biggest thorn in your side, the thing that's always on the to-do list and you just never seem to get to. Start there. Even if that seems too big, keep breaking it down into smaller and smaller chunks till it's something you're comfortable letting go of.

Once you've identified those tasks, then you want to move on to the levels of delegation. Level one is, "Do exactly what I said, how I said to do it when I said to do it." Level five is, "Here, fix this. I trust you completely." For each task, think through and decide which level of delegation you're comfortable with. They can vary by task. The one thing we caution you about, though, is when you think, "I want to start at a lower level till I trust them," that's totally fine. Don't expect them to grow beyond more than two levels because now you're getting into skills and experience limitations. Stick with them within two levels as far as growing trust and letting go of more things.

Once you've identified those levels of delegation, then think about your communication expectations. How do you want them to communicate with you? Primarily text, email, Slack. Do you want to have a regularly scheduled meeting, which we recommend? Then what do you want to cover during those meetings? What's your default turnaround time? If you have a default turnaround time of something like a week, do you want them to at least acknowledge that they received your request? What is that turnaround time? Whatever you expect is totally fine. It's absolutely okay. You just got to communicate that expectation to them so they know what you want and they can agree to meet you there.

Once you have those communication expectations, then you want to set the groundwork for feedback. Feedback is always easier if you set it up ahead of time, like, "Hey, these are my expectations. I'd also like us to have a monthly check-in where we're going to talk about this could be improved or what could be improved and what went well on each side." That's key, too, around feedback. You got to be willing to hear it as well as give it. Schedule those feedback sessions, set them ahead of time, and also set your expectations upfront so that they know what they are, and then you guys can openly discuss it without too much stress and awkwardness when it comes to feedback.

Finally, create set it and forget it systems. We call them “set it and forget it” systems. There are three components to it; triggers, tools, and actions. Using a voicemail, monitoring, and returning calls as a case study. The trigger might be every morning at 10:00 AM, log into my voicemail and listen to every voicemail. Now, what do you want them to do with that afterward? You might want them to send you an email summary of all the voicemails. Or there are certain ones that you might feel comfortable having them call the person back. Let's say it's to make an appointment. Then you have the action for them to call back, so then they're going to need a script. They're going to need to know your calendar rules for booking appointments, things like that. Then that comes in the tools area. They need access to your voicemail, and they need access to everything else they need to complete that task, and however you defined it.

Those are the three components of a set it, forget it system; triggers, tools, and actions. You have all five of those, and then from there, you can get started. The key thing that we talked about here is around identifying what you need, identifying the type of person who can do what you need, and then having a successful relationship with the communication, expectations and feedback, and effective systems. There we did it in less than five minutes! We also have a task audit. If you want to explore different tasks that you can delegate, be sure to check out that QR code or connect with us on our website. Thank you!

Solving Solopreneur Overwhelm: Partnering with a Virtual Assistant

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 14:20:50 GMT

By definition, a solopreneur is someone who runs and manages a business on their own. They are responsible for every aspect of their business, including product or service development, marketing, sales, customer service, finance, and administration. The term "solopreneur" is a combination of "solo" and "entrepreneur," which emphasizes the idea that they handle all aspects of their business independently and have complete control and flexibility over their business decisions, operations, and work schedule.

Solopreneurship has become increasingly popular in recent years due to technological advancements, making it easier for individuals to start and run businesses independently. The rise of cloud based tools and access to consumers and customers through digital platforms has provided solopreneurs with the resources and ability to reach a broader audience and compete in almost any market.

However, while solopreneurs are "solo" and work primarily alone, they can - and often should! - collaborate with others by outsourcing specific tasks or partnering with other professionals on a project-by-project basis.

Building a coalition or team to support their business can be a transformative step in a solopreneur's journey to success.

In recent years, we have seen a noticeable trend of solopreneurs outsourcing administrative tasks to virtual assistants. Virtual assistants have become the most cost-effective, flexible solution when a solopreneur is looking to optimize their time, benefit from niche expertise, increase their productivity or output, begin to scale, or simply want a better work-life integration and balance.

A solopreneur-virtual assistant relationship can be extraordinarily beneficial to both parties and can empower a solopreneur to concentrate on core business activities, achieve growth, and enhance their overall well-being.

STEPS TO SET THE STAGE FOR A SUCCESSFUL RELATIONSHIP

Often, we hear from solopreneurs when they begin to feel overtasked or overwhelmed with administrative tasks that they dread. They are ready to get more time back into each day in order to focus on what they do best and what brings the most value to their business. Some solprenuers find us during periods of growth, when they are beginning to feel outmatched by the amount they have to do, and the demands on their time.

A virtual assistant can help them scale their business and keep operations running smoothly because virtual assistants specialize in administrative tasks and have the skills and experience to handle them efficiently and professionally, and to the specifications that the solopreneur demands.

Building a solid relationship with a virtual assistant requires deliberate effort. Consider incorporating these critical steps to your delegation process:

Clearly define tasks and expectations: Communicate which tasks your virtual assistant will handle and set specific expectations regarding deadlines, quality standards, and reporting procedures.

Establish effective communication: Determine your preferred communication channels and frequency of check-ins. Slack? Email? Text? Phone Calls? Daily? Weekly? Biweekly? Regular communication is essential for a smooth working relationship.

Be sure to onboard: Offer training, resources, and/or relevant insight into your business's operation to help your virtual assistant understand your processes and the tools they'll be using.

Be open to feedback and questions: Encourage your virtual assistant to ask questions and provide feedback. Also, be prepared to receive said feedback without awkwardness. Establishing a rapport fosters a collaborative environment and will go far in ensuring that tasks are completed to your satisfaction.

Learn boundaries and time zones: Understand that your virtual assistant may be in a different time zone and/or have multiple clients! Determine regular working hours and avoid expecting immediate responses outside of those hours.

Appreciate and recognize their efforts: A virtual assistant will appreciate recognition for their hard work, just like any other employee. Virtual Assistants are not robots or AI droids! They are people working hard and doing their best! Expressing gratitude and acknowledging how their contributions are helping you will engender loyalty, commitment and help build a positive relationship.

Building a beneficial relationship with a virtual assistant is an ongoing process that will grow and evolve, just like any other professional relationship. Remain adaptable and open to expanding your trust when and where appropriate. Continuously assess and refine your work processes, communication methods, and collaboration techniques so that you can fully embrace the journey of a positive virtual coalition.

Utilizing Virtual Assistants with Laura Renner

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Thu, 20 Jul 2023 14:00:02 GMT

Pillar6 is a San Francisco-based wealth advisory firm focusing on clients who appreciate having clarity and control over their finances. The company was founded in 2010 as a solo-advisory practice and continues to grow with a dedicated team of professionals working together for the benefit of their loyal clients.

The experts at Pillar6 help their clients make smart financial decisions so that they can protect and preserve their wealth wisely.

In a recent episode of the Pillar6 Podcast, Pillar6 Founder and Managing Principle, Roman Polnar , interviewed Laura about how hiring military spouses as virtual assistants can help entrepreneurs and small business owners grow their businesses.

Together they discussed how finding the ideal virtual assistant can be challenging. Laura shares why military spouses are ideal candidates for virtual assistant roles, what criteria to consider when hiring a virtual assistant, and why solopreneurs and businesses with small teams can benefit from the help of a virtual assistant.

In The Podcast:

Laura explains what makes Freedom Makers Virtual Services unique
Why military spouses are the ideal virtual assistants
Laura's journey to becoming a business owner & how she built Freedom Makers to accommodate her passion for travel and adventure
How and when to "get out of your own way" as a leader
Why communication is the key in business and in life

The transcript of Roman and Laura’s awesome conversation is below. Or, take a listen here:

Welcome to the Pillar Six podcast where we talk about important topics around money, life, success, and the balance of it all. While money can't buy happiness, it can buy time and freedom to do what you want with the people you care about most. Now let's get started with the show.

Hello everyone, Roman Polnar here, I'm your host. And on this show, we talk with thought leaders, business leaders, authors, speakers, and professionals about success at that often elusive intersection of life and money and I asked them to share their top tips that helped them lead a well-rounded, fulfilling and successful life.

And in today's episode, we'll be talking with Laura Renner.

Laura is the founder of Freedom Makers which is a virtual assistant agency that helps business owners get things done by pairing them with qualified, versatile and experienced military spouses for remote administrative support.

She is also an Air Force reservist and a travel junkie. I think we'll talk more about that. I want to know more about it!

And just before I welcome Laura, a quick word from our sponsor.

[SPONSORSHIP] This episode is brought to you by Pillar6 Advisors . Pillar6 is a financial planning and wealth management firm for successful individuals and families with active lifestyles. Pillar Six clients appreciate having clarity and control over their finances and the peace of mind in knowing that their finances are well aligned with their core values, goals and priorities. To learn more, go to pillarsix.com or email hello@pillar6.com .

ROMAN POLNAR

And so without further ado, Laura, welcome to the Pillar6 podcast.

LAURA RENNER

Thank you. I'm happy to be here.

ROMAN

We're glad to have you here. So I've got a lot of questions and I know you travel a lot and you run a business that helps. I think other business owners get some time back so perhaps they could do some traveling too.

But before we get into all that, I don't know if I introduced Freedom Makers in the best way that you would want me to introduce it. So tell us! Give us that high-level flyover view of what is Freedom Makers.

LAURA

Sure.

Oh, I like that flyover view. I might copy that from you. It is a virtual assistance agency and we primarily support solopreneurs and small businesses with virtual admin support. And we do that by pairing them with military spouses.

I came up with this idea back in 2015 because at the time I was doing recruiting for small businesses and I was just meeting a lot of business owners who weren't ready to hire. Either they didn't have enough consistent work or they were concerned about the consistent revenue to be able to pay someone else or the compliance side of it. So they still needed help, but they didn't have enough help or didn't need enough help even just for consistent part-time support.

Meanwhile, my brother is still active duty. And at that time he was getting ready to move and I was talking to my sister-in-law about what she was going to do for work at their next location. I'm like I keep having this conversation with her over and over. And when I was in, I watched my colleagues' spouses go through that. My dad was military. We watched my mom go through that.

And I was like, we have this untapped source of talent over here and this unmet need on the business owner side can put two and two together that supports what both need in a way that also solves an issue or solves a problem.

ROMAN

See, I was going to ask you like, how did you come up with the idea? And so you answered that question before I had a chance to ask it.

LAURA

(laughs) But then the question is, did I answer your first question?

ROMAN

Well, you did. I think most of our listeners probably know what kind of a virtual services agency is. I just thought it was really unique that you focus exclusively on working with military spouses. I don't know. Does anyone else do that?

LAURA

There are a couple, yes. We all specialize in different ways. For us, a big differentiator is the freedom side of it. It's a big part of our name and with that we don't have a minimum hour requirement for clients. Again, speaking to that sort of inconsistent need on the solopreneur and the small business side, we focus a lot on what provides the most flexibility to both the spouses and the clients and the business owners.

So like on the spouse's side, we never assign work. We let them express interest in the work that they are able to do and available for and then we match them that way. Whereas other agencies might say, oh, you can have a VA within 24 hours, and it's because they're just arbitrarily assigning based on availability maybe or something like that.

So that's a big difference for us. And part of it too is people say, oh, but you could expand to first responders or moms who left the corporate world and absolutely we could. However, we haven't even tapped the surface of the talent within the military spouse community. So when we grow so big, then maybe we can expand outside of military spouses.

We have some veterans and retirees as well, but it's predominantly military spouses in our community.

ROMAN

So I'm interested to hear in your eight years of running Freedom Makers, and I'm sure you've spoken to a lot of business owners who have given you feedback about their experience in working with a Freedom Maker, kind of combined with your prior experience of doing recruiting, what would you say are some of the most consistent feedback that you get about why businesses continue to use your service in working with military spouses? Like, what makes that unique?

LAURA

I think a big piece is sort of the versatility.

What I've come to realize over time is military spouses, regardless of their education, experience education or work experience. Every single one of them knows how to research because they move so much. They have to research their next location without even having a chance oftentimes to go there and visit, right? So they're looking up schools, they're looking up homes, they're looking up work opportunities. And they're able to do all of that. And that's oftentimes what a small business owner needs. Like, hey, can you help me find XYZ a list of client businesses in this area? Right? So that's part of it. And I think another part is there's certainly the trust factor that comes with working with... your foundation of trust starts higher than outside of the spouse community. But what military spouses are also… what we have found is they tend to be renaissance people. They can do a little bit of everything. And that's also what solopreneurs and small business owners like and so once they come in and they find one that is a fit for them and they're like, oh wow, you're taking care of this now you're going to take care of that, take care of that?

They just really start to... it gets their business organized. I saw someone post: you think you're organized? Work with a military spouse and they'll tell you so! That's certainly, I think, a big part of it. And then I think just I hold the company's commitment to serving our clients serving spouses, and constantly trying to improve how we do that, I think also resonates with our clients.

ROMAN

I think it's possible that one of or if not the person who said that quote is probably someone that we both know and I think I should definitely give her a shout out right here and right now, because if it wasn't for Patricia Defonte, we might not have been having this conversation. So Patricia, this is a plug for you. I know have worked with Patricia for a while, but for our listeners who don't know Patricia, she is an estate planning attorney here in San Francisco Bay Area. She runs Defonte Law and I think she is just an evangelist for Freedom Makers

And she talked so much to me about how working with Freedom Makers totally transformed her business. And she's like, "I didn't know what organized was until I had a Freedom Maker, and then I realized how disorganized I was!" And so anyways, long story short, Patricia, thank you for the introduction, for making this episode possible.

But she also finally, I don't want to say directly, but indirectly, convinced me to become one of your customers. So for full disclosure for our listeners, we're also customers of Freedom Makers, and I have firsthand experience and absolutely love the work that you do. So thank you.

LAURA

Thank you so much.

I appreciate that. I don't know if it's a shameless... It's a proud plug for Patricia. Working with her and what she does... I haven't met anyone who does the work she does - estate plans and things like that - to the level that she does. And so I will proudly also plug Patricia and the work she does.

ROMAN

Yeah, it's interesting. So you talked a little bit about how small business owners have all these different needs and I think it also in a way goes to our kind of personality types and the way that our minds work. It's like we're constantly coming up with this, oh, we can do that better. And we can do this better, and we should really change it the way we do this for our clients. And it's like better, better, better, but somebody has to do the work. And I think oftentimes we get stuck because we're like our worst enemies in a way. We generate ideas, but then who gets to implement them? And I think that from my personal experience.

And I'll give another shameless plug for our Freedom Maker, for Tova, who has been an awesome addition to our team. And she's just able to listen, take in all these ideas and some of them are off the charts. And she just has this really incredible way to organize this otherwise disorganized stream of thoughts and say, all right, we're going to do it in this way. And there's something that is unique, I think, to the way that they're able...

m aybe it's the structure or the discipline that maybe exists within their own families because they're military families that really does come across.

LAURA

I think so. And not to put words into people's mouths, but from what I've experienced watching spouses, oftentimes they're the ones who have to run the house because the service member is gone all the time or just the demands of the service member.

So they're the ones who have to run the house. But then you're dealing with it in a lot of ambiguity. Like you don't know when they're coming home, you don't know where you're going next. You have to have it all organized in order just to manage what you can manage. So I think you're right that the nature of their lives lead them to be very organized and organized within chaos, which is what every small business basically is!

ROMAN

Yeah! It's an organized ball of chaos that does good work. But yeah, it's a lot of moving pieces. There's never time off.

LAURA
Right! And that's what when we onboard New Freedom Makers, we talk about that like a small business. Their sales, their operations, their customer service, their accounting, it marketing. They're doing everything in addition to the work of how they're supporting their clients. So when they hire you, when we're speaking to the freedom here, it's like they might take off a hat completely and hand it to you and be like, you got this. Or they might be like, you're going to help me with a little bit with each of these hats? And so we do talk to them about how do the challenges small business owners face. And we ask them, too, what has been your experience as part of our screening with small businesses? So they understand the unique challenges that you don't get if you're working in the accounts receivable department of a large corporation, you don't get that exposure to the challenges that you face when you're wearing every single hat.

ROMAN

Well, I know also when choosing an assistant, and not just the personal assistant but let's just call it, say virtual assistant, right. I think it's difficult to also find, if not impossible to find, kind of a master of all right, because you end up kind of dabbling, but not really being good at any one thing. Does Freedom Makers have these different silos where businesses can choose a candidate that has an expertise in one of those areas. Like marketing or writing, sales or operations, et cetera.

LAURA

Yes and no. Part of our screening, for lack of a better phrase, process for clients is what we look for is, are they systems oriented ? They might not have the systems in place, but if they can at least think through I'd like A, B and C to happen, and if my Freedom Maker could document that or build that, that'd be great, right? So we kind of look for that also, I always say we're equipped to execute. So sometimes people will come to us say, as an example for social media.

I need a social media strategy. And it's like, okay, well, you need a consultant for that, but once they build it, we can execute it. So sometimes we're always looking for do they think they're going to find a unicorn? In which case that's unrealistic and we need to clarify that with them. Or do they need someone who can dabble a little bit of everything or some things, and then we can also look for that, right.

But when they do need something specific, like, I'm looking for someone who can help me write my blogs or someone who can do some bookkeeping, that kind of thing, we do definitely screen for that. And that goes back to that freedom side, because sometimes we'll get people who have bookkeeping experience as an example, and they are burnt out and they don't want to do it anymore. So we're not going to go to them and say, oh, well, you got to support this bookkeeping. I don't want to say categories, but we tag them, for lack of a better phrase, within their profile so that when we go and search for people with specific copywriting experience or bookkeeping experience, we can find them and then ask them if they're interested if the client's looking for something that specialized.

ROMAN

Laura, how many Freedom Makers do you currently have in your ecosystem?

LAURA
We have about 100 I'm sorry, 300 in our network and about 100 actively working at any given time.

ROMAN

And I know you touched on pieces of this earlier when you were describing Freedom Makers and what makes it unique, but what would you say to someone who is either using a VA currently or maybe is thinking about hiring a VA, probably traditional and more common offshoring VA kind of universe?

LAURA

Sure. Yeah, so I generally say there are four types of VAs. Offshore being one, agency style - which is what we call us - being another. Then there's like the tech platforms like Upwork or Fiverr and then the freelancer, another solopreneur. And so when it comes to offshore versus us as an agency, they're almost like two extremes. With offshore it's certainly a lot cheaper. And so then you have, you can hire them full time, you know, and, and you take that time to train them or get them up to speed because the, the price point is favorable in that regard.

But then you're dealing with, or at least for us on our side, everyone is familiar or knows US culture, US Work style, communication, nuances, things like that. So I don't want to say they are US based because they might be stationed overseas or a foreign spouse, but they are aware of or they're American by that standard or whatnot, but they all know American language, American management styles, that kind of thing. And then usually they're going to be within the CONUS time zones as well. So you're able to have sort of more nuanced relationship or I call it a thought partner. They become a thought partner, whereas offshore is going to be more like task management type relationship, which that might be what you're looking for, right? And that's totally fine. And so it's more about understanding what you're looking for and finding a fit that way.

So I always say the pros of offshore is that it is cheaper and it's very task management and if that's all you want, that's great. For us, it's more service oriented. One, we have people who know American business management style, right? But two, they become more like a thought partner and then you have us in the background supporting the relationship. And then like Fiverr and Upwork, it's more about if you are comfortable handling hundreds of applicants, right. For us, our screening process, we choos four, up to four for the client and the client chooses other agencies. They just assign a VA. But Upwork and Fiverr, you have to do all that yourself. But if you want that, then that's the place to do that, right? And then the solopreneur is great. If it's more of finding them through your network. The risk there though is they are usually a one person shop and so you definitely create that thought partnership relationship with them, but maybe not with a backup or a safety net that an agency provides.

So those are a quick rundown of all the pros and cons of the four types of VAs in general.

ROMAN

That actually really resonated with me because I think I've tried virtually all of those over the last 20 years. I've had a dedicated assistant that worked with me for several years, and then she moved away. And this was before Zoom, and this was before remote work was a thing, and we couldn't work together when she had to move to a different city and it was too far.

And then I remember thinking, like, well I'll get a VA, but we're in a very not just compliance side heavy, but in a very confidential type of business. Confidentiality is very important. Security is very important so I didn't feel comfortable with a VA that was somewhere else. So that was almost off the table and then finding somebody is hard and then you try these agencies, like you said, and you get 100 applications.

It's like posting a job on a job board and it's like, oh, my God, I got to find an assistant to help me go through all the applications to find the person to hire as an assistant. So I think that the fact that you guys do the screening, I can personally just say from experience is really, really meaningful and is a huge time saver. And the fact that I think they're part of the military spouse, not spouse, military family in a military environment, I think there's a level of confidentiality there that's built in because, you know, sort of where they are.

LAURA

Sure!

ROMAN

All right, let's pivot. Let's shift gears a little bit. I want to talk to you about how did you start a business as a business owner? What was that like?

LAURA

Yeah, so this is actually my third business, and my first one never got off the ground, and my second one was doing the recruiting for small businesses. And the funny thing is, they say starting a business is hard, and that second business was so hard, and I just kept saying, oh, it's because starting a business is hard. I realized in hindsight it was hard because I didn't like it. It wasn't a fit for me. And so once I pivoted to Freedom Makers, then it became hard, but in a fun way or a good way, it was a challenge because there's so much to do and you're trying to do it. I remember using the analogy of every morning you're rolling a rock or you're rolling a wheel, but you have to start from it being still. And so all that energy that you have to find in yourself to start the wheel rolling again every morning, and eventually it starts rolling itself, and you just have to make sure it keeps rolling, right? But until that point, it's a challenge. But it's a good challenge because you can see, oh, I just ironed out that rocky part. It's going to roll more smoothly next time, that kind of thing, right?

Versus I think I was trying to roll a box during the second one. It wasn't a fit for me, right? And so I think that was part of it is recognizing when they say starting a business is hard, it's a good hard, it's like a workout hard where you feel the benefits of it either during or shortly after, right? And then I think my first big learning moment, if you will, was the irony of me starting an admin support company is… I really suck at admin.

ROMAN

I was going to ask you about that.

LAURA

So I started the business in April 2015. Our first client was in June. So by default in 2016, we grew necause we had full twelve months, right? And then in 2017 we grew by, to us a measly 11%. And I realized that I was the one holding us back. Because the amount of scheduling that goes into scheduling, we call them selection calls, is tremendous. And it's not easy. You're scheduling between multiple people. And we have yet found a software that lets us do it without us being required to be there, right? The calendar based on the host kind of thing. And I sucked at it, to be honest. It'd be like the day before, I'm like, oh snap, hey, are you available tomorrow?

One of my first hires was having someone else, a military spouse, to do the scheduling. And then we grew, I think the next year we grew by 60% or something. Like it was crazy getting out of my own way, letting go of what I was holding the company back on was a big learning moment for me as, as an owner and a leader around, you know, recognizing my weaknesses and instead of trying to strengthen them, hire out for them.

ROMAN

So what's, what's your thinking around this? Do you have one dedicated personal assistant that then knows and manages multiple aspects that you're not strong at? Or do you have more kind of incremental part time assistants, but there's multiple, each handling a specific task that they're excellent at?

LAURA

That is a great question, and it really goes off of what you prefer. We now are a team of eleven that run the company but when I first hired, I think, I hired two people at the same time. One to do all the scheduling and the other one to do client management. Or we call it client success. Generally speaking, though, part of it is skill set and experience, but part of it is also what I call actually, I stole it from a guy named Michael Hyatt: Levels of delegation. And so for the scheduling, I wanted it done exactly a certain way and so I wanted someone who would honor that and stay within that level of delegation for client success. I was like, you know what, I don't know much about that, so I need someone who knows how to do it and you kind of run it, but we'll work on it together, right?

So I needed someone who was willing and able to take more leeway, whereas the coordinator, the scheduling coordinator I wanted it done a specific way, right? So for me, that made me choose two different people because I wanted the different levels of delegation, right? When I give talks, I always say like… Google “Michael Hyatt and the five levels of delegation.” But I stole that from him. I'm sorry. I was inspired by…

ROMAN

Well, if you're crediting him, you're sort of then just you're borrowing. Spreading his word!

LAURA
That's one of the things I say. Sometimes you can find someone who can do both. I always recommend really choose by level of delegation because then it's a little bit easier. Here's maybe a clearer example. We've had attorneys sometimes within the spouse community we'll have paralegals. So sometimes we've had attorneys where they will hire the same person, but some of their tasks will be admin tasks, and some of their tasks will be paralegal tasks. And those are different rates, right?

And so it conceivably could be two different people or it could be the same person. And in our time tracking system, they're called assignments. So we'll just create two different assignments. So the Freedom Maker will log time in or log time as the paralegal. So you can do it with one person or you could do it with multiple people.

It just depends on, one, your willingness to manage, the more people, harder to manage, and two, your comfort level with levels or what levels of delegation you're doing for each type of task.

ROMAN

That's awesome. So let's talk a little bit about your traveling because I know that you're a big traveler. I think you actually added adventure travel junkie. So there's more than just travel junkie. You’re an adventure travel junkie. Let's talk about that.

LAURA

Yeah, I just like to do different things. I can't say I'm extreme. I've never climbed Mount Empress or anything like that. But yeah, back last year I did the Machu Picchu hike. So I do like to do things like that and I'm an avid snowboarder. I'm not doing like the crazy jumps or anything, but I do snowboard every season, that kind of thing. So I like to try new things and I do like to be active and I don't… like my comfort zone is being on the move. I've noticed when I'm home too long my productivity dips a lot.

ROMAN

So how has has like running a business or building a business and then running a business, has that slowed down your travel or not?

LAURA

That's the beauty of starting a business is you can design it around your life. And remember when I started Freedom Makers, the whole thing is that it had to be completely virtual. And even I would get clients who would say, I get that you're virtual. That's great. Do you have anyone local who could come in one day a week? And maybe we did, maybe we didn't. But I would always respond with maybe. But then once they move, then you're not going to have them and they're going to lose out on work, they're going to lose a work opportunity. So we were committed to being completely virtual from the start. We also within the company, within the internal team. Part of our culture is that we work asynchronously we do, have meetings and things like that. But the whole idea is that if you build it so that you can run it through a project management tool or communication tools like Slack or whatnot that you can grow it that way or honor it that way.

From the start, I remember I was talking to someone who they were like, oh, when I'm ready to travel, I'll make my company virtual. They were meeting their clients in person. And that's hard to shift. COVID kind of helped force everyone to shift their mindset, but prior to that, that was a huge mindset to have to shift. And so for me, I just committed to it from the beginning that we were going to allow people to work from anywhere. And I always say I'm on permanent workcation.

ROMAN

Yeah, I mean, it gives a different dimension to lifestyle business because I think a lot of business owners who think about a lifestyle business, they think it's either something that doesn't make any money or it's something that they will be able to do later... once that ball gets the wheel, as you called, it gets rounded off and it starts to kind of roll on its own, then it becomes a lifestyle business. But I think you're right that COVID really did shift everyone's perspectives around virtual work in general, or just remote work, not even virtual remote work. I imagine you're seeing the same thing in your business. You probably have more people now being open to virtual and remote work than before.

LAURA

Definitely. And even to your point, knowing what virtual is, I remember when I would go to networking events, I started the company in Oakland. I go to networking events in this… I don't want to say the suburbs, but the far reaches of the same area. And I would say I have a virtual assistance agency and people would be like, what's a virtual assistant? And now I don't have to explain that everyone knows what that is. That did shift the whole culture around remote work. But I'll say, too, that going back to your point about when I get the viewpoint was when I get to this point, then I can have the life I want to have. But what I've noticed is that that constantly shifts, even with me, right?

Like as we grow, I'm like, oh, well, then we'll be able to do this. I find myself thinking, when I get here, I can do this. But really it's a moving goalpost. The wheel never gets completely rounded out, right? You keep adding new things to it that makes it a rocky wheel. I think by definition, when you start a business, it's because you want to do things a certain way and so then you're just constantly moving that goalpost, right? Because you're an overachiever. That's why you started a business!

ROMAN

Guilty, charged.

LAURA

Right? Yeah. So to me, yes, our society is more open to it and is understanding it more now. But I think it's still a mindset thing that you have to as a business owner, you have to be willing to shift. Like I can design the business around the kind of lifestyle I want to have and I need to do it now because I'm never going to get there because when I think I'm there, I move the goalpost, right? Our society now has made it a little bit easier when it comes to virtual work or remote work.

ROMAN
Well, and I will just add that again, being in one of the professions where confidentiality is very important, security is very important. These things have often been the obstacles in the way of working with a traditional virtual assistant because we really didn't have a lot of control and visibility.

And so especially if it's a solopreneur if they're offshore somewhere, there's just too many what ifs and the risk is not worth the savings. And so that often would hold a lot of people back in other business areas as well.

And so I think that one of the things, and I do want to underline this as personal experience. Even though Freedom Makers is virtual, there's an element or several elements and layers of that security and confidentiality and controls that are in place that give us not only more confidence but it's not just this kind of blind faith confidence, but it's actual visibility and confidence that information is safe, processes are followed, systems are followed. So I just want to highlight that because I really do appreciate it, having gone through that full circle of working with different types of assistants in the past.

So as we're coming towards the tail end of our conversation, I just want to see if there's anything else that you wanted to offer kind of a highlight takeaway to our listeners who are business owners, are considering using a virtual assistant or maybe somebody that is just going to benefit from your words of wisdom. Having had your experience, what would you leave our listeners with?

LAURA

I think I guess my parting wisdom in life in general and in business is the more you can clearly communicate but also recognizing how you communicate. I realize I'm a better verbal communicator than I am written. Because I know that about myself. I will record videos for my team rather than type it all out.

That's my parting Thing is communication is the key to everything.

ROMAN

Communication, I love that. Well, not just in business. I mean at home exactly in our communities and friends and spouses absolutely. Through and through. That's a great reminder. I appreciate that.

LAURA

Yeah.

ROMAN

I'm going to ask you another personal question and I always ask this At the end of every one of our conversations. Is there a favorite book that you would share with our listeners or maybe something that you're reading now that you're really enjoying?

LAURA

Yeah, so I would say probably a favorite book or a favorite business book if you will, is Extreme Ownership , and it's a book written by someone from the military about business, but it's just about if you take ownership of what you're responsible for, and everyone on your team does just how powerful that can be. So my favorite sort of business leadership book, but also I tend to rotate. The books I read, like, between business self Hhelp, I do have a foreign policy background and then just fiction. So I am reading a book on the modern history of Korea right now. But my little trick that I've been hoing for about a month now that I learned from someone else is she set a rule as part of her morning routine that she would read three pages a day, regardless of what book it is, just to make sure that she's making a little bit of progress each day.

So I adopted that about a month ago, but I do about ten pages a night. It's just nice because you're able to get progress. A history book can be kind of dry, right? So I've been making progress on that book, so that's what I'm reading on a personal level.

But also my highly recommend book is Extreme Ownership.

ROMAN

What's your favorite fiction book or maybe a writer that you like?

LAURA

Okay, my favorite writer is a man called Andre Dubus. D-U-B-U-S. He passed away, but I think I probably have a lot of his books. I just love his style. I majored in English and undergrad, so it’s like I have all kinds of authors, but he's probably my favorite.

And then sort of my, I guess guilty pleasure book is a young adult series. The first title is called Daughter of Smoke and Bone. It's a fantasy book, but it's a nice, idealistic read, I think, a fantasy book. So those are always fun.

ROMAN

I love it. Well, we're going to put links to the books that you'd mentioned in the show notes so that if or when our listeners want to pick up a book that resonates with them as well, I think it's great that we're sharing and kind of helping share what we're really into.

LAURA

Sure. Yeah. Well, in that case, the book is called Korea's Place In The Sun, and it's a modern history of Korea, so it's actually about 20 years old, but it was modern back then.

ROMAN

Depending on the length of time you're looking at 20 years ago, it's just a blink of an eye away.

LAURA

Fair. Yeah.

ROMAN

I spent some time with a geologist, and when we talk about recent events. In geological events, he's talking about thousands of years. And so he's like something that happened 100,000 years ago is just so recent it's not even worth talking about. We can't use that as measurement just yesterday.

LAURA

Right, that's true.It's all relative.

ROMAN

Yeah.

LAURA

Part of my role in the Air Force was focusing on foreign policy and I focused on East Asia. And that's a famous quote you heard from I think it was Mao Tse Tung. But when they talked about sort of the communist rule in China or whatnot. And he was like, oh, I mean it hasn't been that long because China has a 5000 year history, right? So the past 200 years seems very short to them.

I'm not sure it's the right direction for the next 5000 years. I think within those 5000 years, there's probably another 200 year blip in there somewhere, right?

ROMAN

That's right. Well, it's been really good talking to you. And I know we've covered a lot of ground. Laura, where can people find you?

LAURA

Yeah, our website is freedom-makers.com, and there's a lot of stuff on there. We even have a task audit for people to take where you can determine what you're willing to let go of. But that's probably the best place to find out about us.

ROMAN
Awesome.

All right, well, we've been talking to Laura Renner, founder of Freedom Maker Virtual Services. And, Laura, thanks again for being with us, for sharing with us some time, your insights. Great having this conversation, and thanks to all of our listeners. Be well, everybody.

Thanks for listening to the Pillar Six podcast. We'll see you again next time and be sure to click subscribe.

Project Management Made Simple: A Guide for Small Businesses

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 11 Jul 2023 14:04:53 GMT

As a small business starts to do more business, effective project management becomes more and more important. Establishing processes and (eventually) finding and implementing the right project management software can significantly enhance collaboration, organization, and overall project success, especially as your business grows.

Here are some things to keep in mind:

Begin with the End in Mind

In Dr. Stephen R. Covey’s The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, the second habit is to “begin with the end in mind.” In the context of project management, that means starting each project with a clear vision of where you are going and a pinpointed destination. This will set the framework for a proactive rather than reactive approach to getting the job done.

Think About What Your Project Needs

Consider what is required to get to your desired destination and think through what will become the stages of the project as it travels through its “life cycle.” Some phases often include:

The Conception Phase: This is the stage where you define the project, understand the “why,” and obtain (or give yourself) approval.
The Planning Phase: During this stage, you create your project’s plan, determine your budget and obtain the necessary resources. Start to set your goals and parameters for risk.
The Execution Phase: Start working through the steps of the project! During execution, look for mini-markers that ensure your progress aligns with your desired outcome.
The Monitoring Phase: Your project is underway! If you have team members executing parts of the project, continually check on their progress, address issues as they arise, and adjust plans to keep on track to your destination. If it is just you working on this project, keep the goal in mind as your project moves toward completion.
The Closing Phase: Cross the finish line. Conduct any necessary post-mortem evals and celebrate the successful completion of your project!

Do You Need A Project Management System?

No! But it could help.

Often, a simple written outline or spreadsheet can document the steps and stages of a project and keep everything organized. But when undertaking projects that involve multiple tasks, team members, and timelines, a project management tool can help bring structure and organization to the project.

A project management system is a tool or platform that helps organize projects and overall business operations. It allows you to break down complex projects into smaller, manageable tasks, set dependencies, and track your progress. Project management systems can be especially useful in the age of remote work because they enable team members to access project information, update tasks, and communicate regardless of their physical location.

Using a project management tool can be empowering in that it can help you streamline your workflow, enhance collaboration, improve your time management, and provide insights into a project’s performance.

But not all projects require them. Sometimes a simple shared document with expectations, stages, and checkpoints is all that is required to get the job done.

But, as your business expands, you might find yourself outgrowing your “zero draft” of project management. Having manual or disjointed systems can wind up creating significant challenges and hold you back from being as efficient and productive as possible as your projects increase and their complexity intensifies.

Project management tools often allow for greater scalability and growth.

Choosing the Right Tool For You

When you are ready to evaluate project management tools, you should consider several factors to find the right fit for your business:

Cost: Consider the pricing structure, whether it’s a one-time purchase, subscription-based, or free with limited features. Evaluate the price based on your budget and the value the tool provides for your specific needs. One size does not fit all.
Ease of Use: Look for user-friendly interfaces and intuitive navigation. Consider whether the tool offers a short learning curve and provides adequate support and training resources.
Scalability: Assess whether the tool can truly accommodate your business’s growth. Will it be able to handle an increasing number of projects, users, and data without significant limitations?
Collaboration Features: Determine if the tool offers features like task assignments, team communication, file sharing, and real-time collaboration to facilitate efficient teamwork. If it doesn’t, keep looking!
Customization and Integration: Consider the ability to customize the tool to fit your specific project management needs and integrate with other essential tools or platforms used in your business.
Security: Assess the security measures implemented by the tool, such as data encryption, user access controls, and regular backups, to ensure the protection of sensitive project information.

Here are a few inexpensive project management software options, along with their pros and cons:

TRELLO

Pros: User-friendly interface, visual boards for task management, easy collaboration, customizable workflows, and integrations with other tools.

Cons: Limited reporting features may lack advanced project management functionalities for complex projects.

ASANA * (a FMVS favorite!)

Pros: Intuitive interface, robust task management features, project templates, timeline visualization, team collaboration, and integration options.

Cons: Advanced features like portfolio management and custom fields require premium plans and limited reporting capabilities in the free version.

CLICKUP

Pros: All-in-one project management solution, customizable views, task automation, time tracking, document management, and integrations.

Cons: Complexity for beginners, learning curve, certain advanced features limited to higher-priced plans.

AIRTABLE

Pros: Flexible and customizable project management tool, combines spreadsheets and databases, offers various views, collaboration features, and integrations.

Cons: It may require customization for specific project management needs and limited reporting capabilities compared to specialized tools.

Ready To Delegate Parts Of Your Project?

Outsourcing or delegating parts of your project to a virtual assistant can be a valuable strategy to lighten your workload and focus on core business tasks. Even if you don't yet have a project management tool, a virtual assistant can help you organize your tasks and ensure your projects will be completed. If you're working in your business and thinking about the projects you have and the processes you use, consider if bringing on a remote team member might be helpful. What will it take to get your project to the finish line? Would having administrative support help ensure success? Would having someone automate tasks and spot-check deliverables ease some of the burden for you?

If you choose to bring on a virtual assistant, be sure to establish effective communication channels and clearly communicate deadlines. Provide access to any necessary tools and/or platforms they may require. Regularly check in on task progress and provide timely feedback or guidance as needed. Remember, effective communication, clear instructions, and ongoing feedback are vital when outsourcing tasks to a virtual assistant.

Using a simple project management methodology (i.e., beginning with the end in mind), considering the benefits of project management platforms, and strategically delegating tasks, you can efficiently complete tasks and create a foundation for future projects!

Reach out to Freedom Makers Virtual Services' Discovery Team to learn more about how a virtual assistant can help you with your project management needs!

Empowering Military Spouses as Virtual Legal Assistants: Insights from Lindsay Kennedy's Journey

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 20 Jun 2023 18:00:00 GMT

Lindsay Kennedy's journey began after graduating from law school, where she discovered a genuine passion for legal research and writing. However, her life took an unexpected turn when she met her active-duty husband, who would later become her spouse. Embracing the military lifestyle, Lindsay found herself moving frequently.

Like the employment and licensing challenges many other military spouses face, Lindsay struggled to continue practicing law due to the time-consuming process of obtaining licensure in each new state every 2-3 years. Seeking an outlet for her legal expertise, she ventured into freelance ghostwriting for other lawyers. Ghostwriters craft written content like briefs, motions, contracts, and articles on behalf of an attorney or law firm. Her work as a ghostwriter allowed Lindsay to continue utilizing her skills while adapting to the nature of her military-affiliated circumstances.

Over the course of seven years, Lindsay's freelance work spanned various legal areas, including bankruptcy, tax law, and civil litigation. Lindsay's diverse exposure to different areas of law uniquely positions her to understand the challenges solo and small law firms face.

Witnessing their struggle, Lindsay identified a pressing need for additional assistance, not only from other attorneys but also from virtual legal assistants.

Simultaneously, as a military spouse herself, Lindsay knew of a pool of highly educated and motivated military spouses eager to pursue legal careers. Recognizing the potential for mutually beneficial connections, Lindsay reached out to us at Freedom Makers Virtual Services – and together, we are empowering military spouses as they work as virtual legal assistants.

Lindsay knows what solo practitioners need in the way of support, and we are grateful to her for offering her insights, relevant experience, and platform expertise to Freedom Maker virtual assistants working for law offices and those interested in pursuing work in the law field

Bridging the Gap: Virtual Legal Assistants in Support of Solo Practitioners

During a recent training session for Freedom Makers Virtual Services, Lindsay began by describing the commonalities and differences between paralegal work and the work of a virtual legal assistant, the traits a virtual assistant working in the legal field should have, the platforms most widely used by attorneys and the importance of helping solo practicing attorneys with their scheduling.

Lindsay explained that In the United States, the terms "paralegal" and "legal assistant" are often used interchangeably by attorneys due to regional variations and personal preferences. The American Bar Association (ABA) has provided definitions that distinguish between the two roles. According to the ABA, a paralegal is an individual who is qualified through education, training, or work experience to perform substantive legal work under the supervision of a lawyer. But in practice, the term "paralegal" often encompasses many responsibilities a virtual legal assistant would handle. Similarly to paralegals, virtual legal assistants primarily engage in administrative tasks commonly found in any industry, like client communication, email correspondence, scheduling, document management, client updates, and basic drafting.

Enhancing Efficiency with Clio: The Power of Case Management forVirtual Legal Assistants

Lindsay discussed why a virtual assistant should train on the prominent client case management software platform, Clio . Clio is a comprehensive database that includes crucial information such as contacts, opposing counsel, client details, relevant documents, and notes. A virtual assistant with knowledge of Clio can significantly contribute to a lawyer's productivity and efficiency.

By having a solid understanding of a platform like Clio, a virtual assistant can provide valuable support to lawyers in several ways:

Case Management: A virtual assistant proficient in Clio can efficiently manage and organize case-related information within the platform. They can input and update client details, opposing counsel information, and case notes, ensuring that all relevant data is easily accessible to the lawyer. This helps streamline the workflow and enables the lawyer to focus on the legal aspects of the case.
Document Management: Clio allows for seamless document management, and a virtual assistant well-versed in the platform can handle the organization and storage of digital files. They can upload, categorize, and retrieve important documents, ensuring the lawyer can easily access the necessary materials for their cases.
Communication and Collaboration: Clio provides features for efficient communication and collaboration within a legal team. A virtual assistant familiar with Clio can utilize its tools to facilitate seamless communication between team members, including lawyers, paralegals, and clients. They can assist in sending messages, scheduling appointments, and coordinating tasks, ensuring effective collaboration and smooth information exchange.
Deadline and Calendar Management: Clio offers features for tracking deadlines, court dates, and appointments. A virtual assistant can utilize these functionalities to manage the lawyer's calendar effectively. They can enter important dates, set reminders, and help the lawyer stay organized and on top of their schedule, reducing the risk of missed deadlines or scheduling conflicts.
Client Relationship Management: Clio allows for the management of client information and interactions. A virtual assistant proficient in Clio can help maintain client records, update contact information, and log communication history. This ensures that the lawyer has a comprehensive overview of their clients, their cases, and the progress made, facilitating effective client relationship management.

Clio offers a free seven-day trial, allowing virtual assistants to explore its features, experiment with different scenarios, and undergo training. Its YouTube channel provides a wealth of videos for users to learn and practice the platform. Lindsay made it clear that once someone becomes proficient in Clio, transitioning to other case management systems like CASEPeer or CosmoLex becomes easier. While there are many platforms legal professionals use, they generally follow similar structures. Therefore, understanding Clio will provide a foundation for efficiently navigating and adapting to other systems.

Mastering Scheduling: Virtual Legal Assistants And The Art Of Coordination

Finally, Lindsay explained that it is critical that a virtual legal assistant perfect the art of scheduling. This skill involves understanding the court schedule and other crucial aspects of the law firm's operations. Lindsay emphasized that learning to do it well cannot be overstated.

Among other things, scheduling involves:

Coordinating depositions.
Responding to motions within designated timelines.
Managing client appointments.
Aligning with court schedules.

By skillfully navigating these scheduling complexities, a virtual legal assistant can contribute to the efficient functioning of the law firm and ensure that important legal activities are appropriately planned and executed. For example, attorneys often allocate specific days and times for phone calls with clients due to the mental exertion involved in selling their services and presenting themselves effectively. By carefully arranging these calls, Lindsay explained that a good virtual legal assistant can act as a gatekeeper, ensuring that the attorney has sufficient energy and capacity to handle all pressing tasks.

Lindsay's insights and expertise sparked an exciting conversation and provided invaluable tips and encouragement. Her emphasis on learning platforms like Clio, coordinating complex tasks with professionalism, and mastering scheduling highlighted the significant role that a virtual legal assistant can play in enhancing the efficiency and productivity of a small law office.

Lindsay's life and passion aligns perfectly with the core values we hold dear at Freedom Makers Virtual Services. Her commitment as an attorney, mother, and military spouse is unwavering and something we as a community appreciate and celebrate. Moreover, our partnership with Lindsay enables us to optimize our service offerings to the legal community and ensure all Freedom Makers are poised and positioned to provide the highest level of virtual legal assistance possible. We are grateful for the positive impact Lindsay's dedication is making on solo practitioners and the military spouse community!

Thriving Solo: How a Virtual Legal Assistant Can Provide Essential Support

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 18:11:58 GMT

Running a solo law practice can be rewarding for attorneys who choose to strike out on their own. It allows them to have greater autonomy, flexibility, and direct control over their cases and clients. However, solo practitioners also face unique challenges, particularly when it comes to handling administrative tasks and managing their practice without the support of a large team. This is where a virtual legal assistant can be a game-changer, as they provide essential support and help solo practitioners run their businesses more efficiently and effectively.

Challenges Faced By Solo Practitioners

Administrative Overload: Solo practitioners often find themselves overwhelmed with administrative tasks that consume valuable time and energy. From managing client communication and scheduling to handling billing and invoicing, the administrative workload can be daunting and detract from focusing on core legal work.
Limited Resources: Without a team of support staff, solo lawyers may lack the resources to handle various administrative functions. They must wear multiple hats and juggle different roles, which can lead to burnout and hinder their ability to provide quality legal services.
Time Constraints: Solo practitioners often face time constraints, as they are responsible for both legal work and administrative tasks. Balancing client representation, court appearances, and managing the practice's day-to-day operations can take time and effort, leaving little time for strategic planning and business development.
Professional Isolation: Solo practitioners may experience a sense of professional isolation due to the absence of colleagues and peers within the same physical workspace. This isolation can limit opportunities for collaboration, learning, and sharing best practices.

How A Virtual Legal Assistant Can Help

A virtual legal assistant can provide comprehensive administrative support to solo practitioners, handling client communication, scheduling, and calendars. They can also assist with document management, perform legal research and writing, and provide up-to-date information for legal arguments. Virtual assistants can also help with client relationship management, billing and invoicing, social media and online presence, case management and translation, CLE compliance, conflict resolution, and mediation support.

Administrative Support: A virtual legal assistant can provide comprehensive administrative support to solo practitioners, handling tasks such as client communication, email and phone inquiries, and scheduling appointments. They can efficiently manage calendars, ensuring smooth coordination of meetings, court appearances, and deadlines.
Document Management: Virtual assistants can assist with document organization, indexing, and retrieval, ensuring easy access to critical information. They can help draft, review, and edit legal documents, including contracts, pleadings, and correspondence, ensuring accuracy and professionalism.
Legal Research and Writing: Solo practitioners often lack the time and resources to conduct extensive legal research. A virtual legal assistant can analyze case law, statutes, and regulations, providing attorneys with well-rounded and up-to-date information to support their legal arguments. They can also assist in writing legal memos, briefs, and other documents, saving attorneys valuable time.
Client Relationship Management: Virtual assistants can help solo practitioners enhance client relationships by maintaining client databases, tracking communication, and managing client inquiries. They can assist with client intake processes, collecting and organizing all necessary information and documentation.
Billing and Invoicing: A virtual legal assistant can handle billing tasks, including time entry, generating invoices, and tracking payments. They can manage client billing inquiries, follow up on outstanding payments, and help maintain accurate financial records, allowing attorneys to focus on their legal work.
Social Media and Online Presence: Virtual assistants with digital marketing experience can assist solo practitioners in establishing and maintaining a solid online presence. They can create and schedule social media content, update websites, and engage with followers, helping attorneys increase their visibility and reach a broader audience.
Case Management and Organization: Virtual assistants can help with case management by organizing case files, maintaining calendars, and tracking deadlines. They can also assist with electronic document management systems, ensuring efficient and secure storage of legal documents.

Translation: Virtual assistants can transcribe recorded interviews, depositions, and court proceedings, saving attorneys significant time and effort. Additionally, those with language skills can provide translation services for legal documents or assist with interpretation during client meetings or hearings involving non-English-speaking individuals.
Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Compliance: Virtual assistants can help solo practitioners stay on top of their CLE requirements by researching and identifying relevant courses, assisting with registration, and tracking compliance deadlines.
Conflict Resolution and Mediation Support: Virtual assistants can assist in conflict resolution and mediation processes by preparing documents, coordinating schedules, and facilitating communication between parties.

Why Choose A Military Spouse Virtual Legal Assistant

Law firms looking to bring in additional support help through a virtual legal assistant can significantly benefit from the unique attributes and experiences that military spouses bring. Military spouses possess a distinct skill set and a wealth of knowledge that make them an excellent fit for the legal industry.

Military spouses are known for their determination, flexibility, unwavering work ethic, and dedication. They excel at adapting to new environments due to their frequent relocations, making them well-prepared to handle the fast-paced nature of law firms. They also effectively manage multiple responsibilities while prioritizing their family and community. This level of discipline aligns perfectly with the demanding nature of law firm work, where long hours and tight deadlines are expected.

Due to the need to be organized in the face of changing circumstances, military spouses possess a natural inclination for meticulousness and an ability to handle sensitive information. Their experience in managing various aspects of their lives with precision and recall translates seamlessly into tasks such as legal research, document prep, and case management, and their understanding of Operational Security (OpSec) enables them to understand and respect the potentially sensitive backgrounds of clients and colleagues.

Moreover, military spouses are leaders in their homes, communities, and volunteer organizations, which nurtures their teamwork and collaboration skills. Knowing these dynamics inside and out makes military spouses invaluable to many law practices.

Running a solo law practice offers many benefits, but it also presents unique challenges, especially in managing administrative tasks without a large support team. By leveraging the expertise of a military spouse virtual legal assistant, solo practitioners can focus on their core legal work, provide better client service, and achieve greater success in their solo law practice. Schedule a call with our Discovery Team to learn more about how a virtual legal assistant can help you run your practice!

Driving Success with Project Broadcast: How A Freedom Maker Virtual Assistant Can Upgrade Your SMS Marketing

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 30 May 2023 19:52:46 GMT

“I have been using Project Broadcast for several years now, and I love how easy it is to send birthday greetings, catch up on what’s new with clients and create landing pages for special upcoming events and releases. It’s truly a game changer for small business owners!” - Marie Olson, Freedom Maker

Staying current with trends and new platforms is essential for small businesses to remain relevant, engage with customers effectively, adapt to changing market dynamics, and gain a competitive edge. By embracing new opportunities and technologies, small businesses can position themselves for growth, innovation, and long-term success.

This is especially true when working to reach new clients and customers.

Embracing effective marketing strategies is crucial if a small business or entrepreneur wants to compete, thrive and grow. Over the last few years, SMS messaging has begun to transform the way companies can connect with their customers… and many small businesses are eager to get on board!

Some of the benefits small businesses who use SMS messaging are experiencing are:

Direct and Immediate Communication: SMS messaging enables businesses to communicate directly with customers, delivering time-sensitive information and notifications promptly.
High Open and Response Rates: SMS messages have impressive open rates! According to TextSanity.com , SMS text marketing has an open rate of over 98% compared to an open rate of just 20% with emails.
Personalized and Targeted Marketing: SMS messaging allows businesses to deliver highly customized content tailored to customer preferences and behaviors, enhancing customer engagement.
Automation and Scalability: With SMS marketing platforms, businesses can automate campaigns, saving time and effort. Automation features enable scheduling, drip campaigns, and personalized responses based on customer interactions.

SMS messaging has become a powerful tool for businesses to engage customers, deliver personalized experiences, and drive business growth.

About Project Broadcast

One of the platforms leading the charge into SMS Messaging is Project Broadcast (PB). Project Broadcast enables businesses to connect with clients, customers, and consumers through targeted, personal SMS messages. User-friendly and intuitive, the PB platform has made its interface simple and easy to navigate with drag-and-drop tools. Project Broadcast also offers pre-built templates for various campaign types, further streamlining the process.

This accessibility ensures that small businesses can harness the power of SMS marketing without requiring extensive technical knowledge or resources.

One of the key advantages of Project Broadcast is its flexible pricing model. Small businesses can enjoy a "pay-as-you-go" structure, eliminating the need for long-term contracts or commitments. The cost of using PB’s platform depends on the chosen plan and the number of messages sent. Starting at just $25 for 500 credits (equivalent to 500 messages), Project Broadcast offers a range of plans with different features and pricing. This affordability allows small businesses to allocate their marketing budgets effectively and scale their campaigns according to their needs and budgetary constraints.

Bring On A Freedom Maker

However, setting up and managing SMS marketing campaigns can be time-consuming - even with a powerful and easy-to-use tool like Project Broadcast. Small businesses with limited resources often don’t have the bandwidth to explore new marketing areas, even if they are known to be effective! That's where the expertise of a Freedom Maker virtual assistant comes into play!

By combining the power of the PB platform with the expertise of a Freedom Maker virtual assistant, a small business can harness the power of Project Broadcast to create impactful campaigns and engage with its customers in a more personal and direct way.

By collaborating with a Freedom Maker, companies can delegate the responsibility of managing SMS marketing campaigns. A Freedom Maker virtual assistant can ensure that campaigns are well-executed, targeted, and aligned with the business's goals, all while saving their client’s time and effort. They are freed to focus on other critical aspects of their operations.

Case Study

Efficiency Made Easy: Inexpensive Automation Tools for Small Businesses

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 30 May 2023 17:00:00 GMT

In today's fast-paced business landscape, automation can be a game-changer. Even the smallest of businesses (yep, looking at you, solopreneurs!) can leverage technology and implement automation tools to streamline operations, save time and money, and boost overall efficiency.

Automation benefits your day-to-day operations. Consider the following reasons why you should think about adding automation to your operations, and how and when to implement these tools effectively.

Ways Automation Can Help Your Business

Time and Resource Optimization:

Automation reduces manual effort and automates repetitive tasks. By automating routine processes like data entry, document generation, and email marketing, you can focus on more strategic initiatives which enhance your productivity and efficiency.

Cost Savings:

Automation can lead to significant cost savings for small businesses. By automating tasks that would otherwise require hiring additional personnel, you can minimize expenses and reallocate resources to core business areas.

Improved Accuracy and Consistency:

Human errors can be costly and time-consuming to rectify. Automation eliminates the risk of human error by ensuring accuracy and consistency. You can look to automate things like inventory management or financial processes and, in so doing, minimize mistakes and improve data integrity.

Enhanced Customer Experience:

Automation enables businesses to deliver a more personalized and timely customer experience. You can engage customers effectively, provide prompt responses, and nurture lasting relationships by automating customer interactions through email marketing campaigns, chatbots, and order processing.

How to Implement Automation Tools

Implementing automation doesn't have to be an all-or-nothing approach. Start with one or two key areas where automation can bring immediate benefits. As you gain confidence and experience with automation, gradually expand its use across other functions within your business.

First, identify pain points and repetitive tasks. Begin by considering areas in your business where automation could significantly impact your day-to-day. Look for repetitive tasks, manual data entry, or processes that are time-consuming and prone to errors. This assessment will help you prioritize the implementation of automation tools.

Then research and select the right tools. Choose automation tools that align with your business needs, budget, and technical capabilities. Consider factors such as user-friendliness, scalability, integrations, and customer support.

Check out the table below for ideas and suggestions for automation tools!

Finally, once you've selected and gotten familiar with the platforms that will work best for you, integrate and train your team. Providing adequate training and support will ensure a smooth integration of automation tools into your existing workflows and systems. Be open to feedback and willing to change courses as you refine your automation processes. If a tool doesn’t work, don’t be afraid to switch to one that integrates more seamlessly with your company.

Automation lays the foundation for scalability. As your business expands, the right automation tool can adapt and accommodate increased workloads, ensuring your operations remain efficient and effective even as you grow.

Areas To Automation

There are many inexpensive tools available that can help small business owners automate processes and improve efficiency. Some common areas of automation small businesses often start with are:

Project Management: These platforms allow you to create tasks, assign them to team members, track progress, and collaborate efficiently.

Communication and Collaboration: Team members can chat, share files, and collaborate in real time. These tools help streamline communication and reduce email overload.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM): CRMs enable businesses to manage customer interactions, track leads, and automate other sales processes.

Email Marketing: Create and send professional marketing campaigns, automate email sequences, and analyze campaign performance.

Social Media Management: Scheduling assistants help you manage social media posts across various platforms, saving time and effort in maintaining a consistent online presence.

Accounting and Invoicing: Software with features like expense tracking, generating invoices, and managing financial records can help eliminate human error and create more data integrity and trustworthiness with customers.

E-commerce Platforms: Entrepreneurs can set up online stores with ease, manage inventory, process payments, and track orders.

Task Automation: The "duct tape" that allows your platforms to talk with each other. With a task automation tool, you can create automated workflows between different apps, eliminating repetitive manual tasks and integrating various systems.

Assess, Select, and Learn

Assess your specific business needs before choosing any tool, and take advantage of free trials or free versions to test suitability for your operations.

The following is a table of popular tools geared toward small businesses!

(Please note that the prices mentioned are approximate and may vary depending on the provider's current offerings. It's always a good idea to check the official websites of each platform for the most up-to-date pricing information.)

P ros and Cons

The following comparisons may help you evaluate the pros and cons of each platform within their respective categories. However, every small business is unique! We recommend that you do your own research and consider your specific business needs, budget, and preferences when choosing the most suitable tools for your operations.

Grouped by type, some pros and cons of each platform:

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

PROCESS STREET

Pros:

Offers pre-built templates for various business processes.
Easy-to-use checklist-style interface.
Collaborative features for team members.
Provides automation capabilities to streamline repetitive tasks.

Cons:

Advanced features and customization options are limited in the free plan.
Reporting and analytics capabilities may not be as robust as in dedicated project management tools.

ASANA (a FMVS favorite!)

Pros:

Powerful task management and collaboration features.
Robust project tracking and progress visualization.
Integration with various third-party tools.

Cons:

The learning curve may be steep for some users.
Advanced features are limited to premium plans.
It may feel overwhelming for more straightforward project requirements.

COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION

SLACK (a FMVS favorite!)

Pros:

Real-time messaging and collaboration for teams.
Organized communication through channels and threads.
Integration with numerous third-party apps and services.

Cons:

Limited message history in the free version.
Search functionality can be limited.
Higher pricing plans can become expensive for larger teams.

MICROSOFT TEAMS

Pros:

Integration with Microsoft 365 suite and other Microsoft services.
Extensive collaboration features, including file sharing and video meetings.
Robust security and compliance capabilities.

Cons:

The interface can be overwhelming for new users.
Fewer integrations compared to Slack.
Occasional performance issues and glitches.

CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT (CRM)

STREAK FOR GMAIL

Pros:

Built directly into Gmail, offering a seamless integration with your email.
User-friendly interface with a familiar Gmail-like experience.
Provides pipeline management, email tracking and scheduling capabilities.
Allows for easy collaboration and sharing of customer information

Cons:

Limited customization options compared to more robust CRM platforms.
Advanced features are limited in the free plan.
May lack some of the extensive automation and reporting capabilities of dedicated CRM platforms.

ZOHO CRM (new for FMVS! We have adopted this platform and are currently learning to use it!)

Pros:

Affordable pricing plans with comprehensive CRM features.
Customization options for different business needs.
Integration with various Zoho applications and third-party tools.

Cons:

The user interface can be overwhelming for new users.
Some advanced features may require technical expertise.
Limited automation capabilities compared to more advanced CRMs.

EMAIL MARKETING

MAILCHIMP

Pros:

User-friendly interface with a drag-and-drop email builder.
Robust automation features for email campaigns.
Advanced analytics and reporting capabilities.

Cons:

Pricing can become costly as the subscriber count increases.
Some features are only available in higher-tier plans.
Limited customer support for free users.

BREVO

Pros:

Affordable pricing plans, especially for businesses with more extensive subscriber lists.
Advanced marketing automation features.
Offers SMS marketing along with email marketing.

Cons:

The interface can be less intuitive compared to other platforms.
Some advanced features are only available in higher-tier plans.
Limited email template options compared to Mailchimp.

Final Thoughts

Taking the first steps to automate tasks can feel overwhelming, so we suggest talking to fellow small business owners and others in your market space to learn what works for them and why. Starting small - automating your scheduling by using a tool like Calendly , for example - can be a great place to get your feet wet!

Freedom Makers virtual assistants are familiar and experienced with automation tools and can help you implement some strategies that will help you as your business grows! Reach out to our Discovery Team today to find out more about how a military spouse virtual assistant can support your business.

Small Business Growth: Leveraging SOPs, Workflows, and Automation to Scale

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 09 May 2023 15:32:19 GMT

Small businesses often operate with small teams, which means that everyone wears many hats and performs multiple tasks. With limited resources and a lot of ground to cover, it's easy for small businesses to fall into chaos and confusion. Imagine if every morning when you emptied the dishwasher, you put away your dishes in a different, random cabinet. Without a system... chaos! Every time you wanted coffee, you would have to open all the doors and search everywhere to find a cup! Having a repeatable process that guides where you put away your coffee mugs each morning will save you time and prevent frustration.

The same is true in a small business environment. Process and procedure leads to efficiency.

The way you approach making your business more efficient will depend on your specific needs and goals. However, a common approach to becoming more efficient (and preventing frustration) is through the creation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and workflows. Those processes and systems can then be used when delegating and outsourcing and can help you identify areas where you can automate.

TERMS AND DEFINITIONS

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) : The first step toward efficiency is to create SOPs for the key processes and tasks in the business. SOPs are step-by-step instructions that document how a specific task should be completed. They clearly outline the steps and tasks involved in completing each process and provide guidelines for quality control, safety, and compliance. They are essentially a set of rules that govern how work should be done within an organization. SOPs should be detailed but not overly complex or difficult to understand. In this way, SOPs can standardize a wide range of activities, including customer service, marketing, manufacturing, and administrative tasks.

Workflows: Once SOPs are in place, the next step is to create workflows for each process. Workflows are the specific steps and tasks required to complete a process and should include details such as who is responsible for each task, what tools or resources are needed, and what the desired outcome is. Typically, workflows are visual representations of the steps involved in completing a specific task or process. Workflows often include a set of steps, diagrams, flowcharts, or other visual aids that show how different stages of a process are connected.

IDENTIFYING AREAS FOR AUTOMATION

With SOPs and workflows in place, the next step to improve efficiency is finding areas where automation can be applied. This may involve identifying repetitive or time-consuming tasks or tasks that are prone to error. It is essential to prioritize areas where automation can have the most significant impact on efficiency and productivity.

There are several compelling reasons why a small business should automate processes:

Increased efficiency: Automation can significantly improve the efficiency of a small business even further by reducing manual and repetitive tasks. This saves time and resources and allows employees to focus on higher-value tasks that require creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
Improved accuracy: Automation can also improve the accuracy of tasks by reducing the risk of human error. For example, automating data entry tasks can eliminate errors caused by typos, incorrect data formatting, or transposition errors.
Consistency: Automation can ensure process consistency by enforcing standard operating procedures and workflows. This ensures that tasks are completed the same way every time, regardless of who performs them.
Scalability: Automation can help small businesses scale by allowing them to handle larger volumes of work without hiring additional staff. This is particularly important for companies experiencing growth and needing to manage an increasing workload.
Cost savings: Automation can result in cost savings by reducing the need for manual labor and streamlining processes. This can result in lower labor costs and reduced expenses related to errors or rework.

For example, if a small business owner wants to automate their bookkeeping process, they must first create an SOP outlining the steps involved in bookkeeping. This SOP should provide a clear and consistent guide for completing bookkeeping tasks, such as recording transactions, reconciling accounts, and generating financial reports.

Once the SOP is in place, the business can create a workflow that automates specific tasks, such as data entry or generating financial reports. This workflow should include triggers, tools, and actions that initiate particular tasks or processes. It may then become apparent that setting up automated data feeds from bank accounts would be the best method for imputting information. Or, maybe a tool would be identified that would automatically generate reports on a recurring schedule.

MORE ON TRIGGERS, TOOLS, AND ACTIONS

Once areas for automation have been identified, triggers, tools, and actions can be implemented to automate tasks and processes. (Triggers, tools, and actions are also often utilized in the creation of SOPs and workflows, as they can help define and create the process used to obtain the specific objective.)

Triggers are events or conditions that initiate a workflow or a specific set of actions in a business process. These events or conditions can be predefined, such as a date, a deadline, or a particular action being taken.

Tools are software applications, hardware devices, or other resources that are used to execute the various actions in a workflow or business process. For example, tools might include project management software, accounting software, inventory management software, or CRM systems. These tools are often integrated into a more extensive business automation system or platform to streamline workflows and increase efficiency.

Actions are the specific steps or tasks that are performed in a workflow or business process. Actions can be manual or automated, depending on the tools and systems used. For example, a manual action might be a staff member entering data into a spreadsheet. In contrast, an automated action might be an email or text message generated by a CRM system.

Using the triggers, tools, and actions provides a structured framework for improving efficiency and productivity while allowing small businesses to identify areas for improvement. Triggers, tools, and actions can the be used to implement automations in a targeted and effective way.

READY TO SCALE?

Making a small business more efficient typically involves creating SOPs and workflows, identifying areas for automation, and then implementing triggers, tools, and actions to automate tasks and processes. Similarly, as your business grows and you are ready to hand off some of the operations your business relies on, having documented SOPs and workflows can be a game-changer. SOPs and workflows create a scalable blueprint framework for completing tasks, making it easier to train a new employee - or outsource to a virtual assistant! When tasks are clearly defined and documented, delegating them to remote team members is easier, and you can focus on higher level endeavors.

Some ways SOPs and workflows can help a small business delegate tasks to remote team members:

Standardization: SOPs ensure that tasks are performed consistently, regardless of who is doing them. This makes it easier for remote team members to understand what is expected of them and to complete tasks without constant supervision.

Clarity: Workflows provide a clear visual representation of the steps involved in completing a task. This makes it easier for remote team members to understand how to complete a task, even if they are unfamiliar with the business or the industry.

Communication: SOPs and workflows provide a common language for discussing tasks and processes. This makes it easier for remote team members to communicate with each other and the business owner, which is essential for effective delegation.

If you're a small business owner, it's worth taking the time to create SOPs and workflows for your most important tasks. Start by identifying the most important tasks to your business, and then create step-by-step instructions and visual representations of the workflows involved. With the right SOPs and workflows in place, you can start automating and delegate tasks with confidence. The confidence will help you focus on new initiatives and growing your business.

PRO TIP: Bring on a Freedom Maker to help you create and document your SOPs and workflows! In addition to executing SOPs and workflows, our Freedom Maker virtual assistants are also skilled at creating them. Let us help you get your process out of your head and into a consistent, repeatable system. Your Freedom Maker can also help you figure out what and where you can start automating, and help you identify the best tools to get started. Contact our Discovery Team today to learn more about what our military spouse virtual assistants can do to help you grow your business.

Case Study - TinkerTech Camps

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 18:43:44 GMT

Claire Comins | claire@tinkertechcamps.com

ABOUT: TinkerTech and Claire Comins

TinkerTech's Founder, Claire Comins, believes coding is learned best when it is a shared experience - whether that's when kids are working with other kids, or kids are working with a teacher or mentor. In business now for over 10 years, TinkerTech has a dynamic curriculum of fun hands-on STEM activities and projects to ignite and excite students ages 7 to 14. Based in Marin County in California’s Bay Area, TinkerTech's workshops and camps are also available to schools and clubs by license.

JOURNEY: To Freedom Makers Virtual Services

Claire always knew she wanted to enhance her marketing and build out her website with a unified look. She says, "it was a task on my list that I had never fully tackled in the past." She approached Freedom Makers in search of project manager with good design skills to help launch a new website for TinkerTech Camps, and then develop a coherent brand message and look for all marketing.

CALLOUT QUOTE:

"The coherent look creates a professional look that in turn makes me more confident to reach out to new potential partners, including schools and grant-awarding organizations."

TASKS DELEGATED:

Claire's Freedom Maker Naomi sets up SOPs (operating procedures) for everything from how to add a new class to the website to designing a post for Instagram to best practices for hiring and onboarding new teachers. Naomi also creates marketing materials, including presentations and media packs. Claire says, "I have found having a thought partner with a bright smile and a can-do attitude to be very motivating!"

CALLOUT QUOTE:

"It is easy to get stuck in the weeds as a small business owner - the right Freedom Maker can help you look at your own business from a more elevated position!"

The National Nonprofit All Call: Creating Connections for Nonprofit Success

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 18 Apr 2023 17:30:01 GMT

Attention all nonprofit organizations AND all supporters of the nonprofit sector!

Mark your calendars for Thursday, April 20th at 1:00pm-3:00pm eastern time, as Freedom Makers Virtual Services and Woodworth Enterprises present The Forum’s National Nonprofit All Call.

WHAT IS AN ALL CALL?

The term "All Call" comes from the military, where it means an announcement made to everyone in a unit or group. In this case, it means an announcement to all nonprofit organizations and those who support them! Our National Nonprofit All Call is modeled after The Forum’s All Call which is a monthly virtual forum for veteran and military spouse business owners. Nationwide and free for all, participants share their businesses and make connections for support and networking.

Thursday’s National Nonprofit All Call is specifically designed to support the growth of veteran and military-spouse run nonprofit organizations. These organizations play a significant role in the nonprofit sector.

Nonprofit endeavors are vital to society, bridging the gap between government and industry to provide essential services and resources to those in need. And within the larger nonproft community, veterans and military spouses bring unique skills, experiences, and perspectives that are incredibly valuable to the organizations and the people they serve.

Veterans often create and run nonprofit organizations once they leave the service. Many veterans have a strong desire to continue serving their country and community in meaningful ways after they have completed their military service, and starting a nonprofit organization can be a way to channel this desire to continue making a positive impact. Veterans also have the strong leadership, organizational, and strategic planning skills that are essential in the nonprofit sector.

Many veterans and military spouses also want to address specific challenges or issues that they experienced during the time they were closer to direct military service. Issues such as mental health and under and unemployment are not unique to veterans and military families, but are challenges that military-affiliated nonprofits often try to help.

The desire to continue serving their country and community is something that should be celebrated and supported! The National Nonprofit All Call aims to do just that in addition to strengthening the community of like-minded individuals who are dedicated to furthering social good.

The theme of Thursday’s National Nonprofit All Call is: “Creating Community & Connection”

Creating Community And Connection is not just a catchy phrase, but it is the foundation of what nonprofit organizations aim to achieve. It is through creating a sense of community and connection that we can begin to make a positive impact on society because nonprofit organizations cannot operate in a vacuum; they need community support to succeed.

Creating Community And Connection is an opportunity for individuals to network with like-minded individuals, share ideas and best practices, and collaborate on ways to make a positive impact on society.

Our National Nonprofit All Call is not just about providing a platform for networking and learning though. It is also about creating a sense of community and connection that extends beyond the event itself... It is about fostering relationships that will continue to thrive long after the event is over, so that nonprofits and their supporters can begin to make a real difference in society.

Thursday’s event will feature two incredible speakers who have made it their mission to empower and support the veteran and military spouse community.

Melissa Washington, Women’s Veterans Giving.

Melissa Washington is an award-winning advocate, speaker, author, entrepreneur, CEO, publisher, Radio Show Host, and proud Navy veteran. She is the founder of Women Veterans Giving , a nonprofit organization committed to raising funds to provide women veterans with scholarships and professional development opportunities. Melissa will share her inspiring message on the power of giving back and how it can positively impact the lives of women veterans.

Sid Taylor, National Veteran Business Development Council

Sid Taylor is a Marine Corps veteran with over 48 years of experience as a leader in the Automotive Industry. He currently manages the 50 State Manager Program for the National Veteran Business Development Council (NVBDC) , a program designed to raise funds, identify ROTC recipients, and award them scholarships so that every community can become more involved with our Veterans. Sid's extensive experience and expertise make him an invaluable member of the NVBDC Board, and his insights on leadership and business development are sure to inspire.

Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to connect with other nonprofit organizations and learn from some of the most inspiring leaders in the veteran and military spouse community.

Register now for the National Nonprofit All Call and join us as we build a community of individuals dedicated to making a difference!

Unlocking the Potential of Inbound Marketing with A Virtual Digital Marketing Assistant

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 11 Apr 2023 17:30:00 GMT

In today's world, digital marketing has become a crucial aspect of running a successful business! A strong online presence can help a business reach new customers, build brand awareness, and increase sales. However, while digital marketing is a super effective way to reach and engage with potential customers, it can be cost-prohibitive! That is because digital marketing encompasses a wide range of tactics, such as search engine marketing (SEM) and display advertising which can quickly become expensive and deplete a small business marketing budget.

This is where inbound marketing, with the help of a virtual digital marketing assistant, can come in handy.

THE INBOUND MARKETING APPROACH

Inbound marketing is a type of digital marketing that focuses on attracting potential customers through online channels. In other words, inbound marketing is a subset of digital marketing that specifically focuses on creating valuable content and experiences that attract potential customers to a brand. It is becoming increasingly popular as a cost-effective way to reach a target audience because it involves creating highly targeted content and then promoting it through various digital channels.

Inbound marketing allows businesses to target specific audiences based on their interests, preferences, and behaviors. This means that a small business can focus efforts on the customers who are most likely to engage with their content, make a purchase, or buy a service.

With the help of a virtual digital marketing assistant, small businesses can execute strategic inbound marketing campaigns that help them compete with larger enterprises.

Specifically, a virtual digital marketing assistant can efficiently and cost-effectively carry out the three main pillars, or corridors, of an inbound marketing strategy: blog writing and editing, content creation and social media management, and email newsletter outreach.

BLOG RESEARCH, WRITING & EDITING

Firstly, blog writing and editing are essential because they provide an opportunity for businesses to share valuable information with their target audience. A well-written blog post can establish a business as an authority in its industry and build trust with potential customers. A virtual digital marketing assistant can help with everything from writing and editing blog posts to optimizing them for search engines.

CONTENT CREATION & SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT

Content creation and social media management are essential components of any inbound marketing strategy. Social media platforms allow businesses to connect with potential customers and build brand awareness. However, managing social media accounts can be time-consuming, which is why many small business owners turn to virtual digital marketing assistants for help. A virtual assistant can help with everything from creating content to scheduling posts and engaging with followers.

EMAIL MARKETING

Lastly, email newsletter outreach is another important component of inbound marketing. Email marketing allows businesses to reach out to their target audience directly and provide them with valuable information about their products or services. A virtual digital marketing assistant can help with everything from creating email newsletters to managing subscriber lists and tracking open rates so a small business can figure out who their message is reaching and what elements of their marketing are the most appealing.

A virtual digital marketing assistant can be an invaluable asset for small business owners looking to effectively execute an inbound marketing strategy in digital spaces. Engaging with a virtual assistant for digital marketing can be beneficial for small businesses as it allows them to leverage the expertise of a professional without incurring the costs of hiring a full-time employee. By providing support in areas such as blog writing and editing, content creation and social media management, and email newsletter outreach, a virtual assistant can help businesses build their online presence and connect with their target audience in a meaningful way. Virtual digital assistants can also provide a fresh perspective and contribute new ideas to help the business stay competitive in the rapidly evolving digital landscape. Finally, engaging a virtual digital assistant for inbound marketing tasks will allow a small business owner to focus on other essential aspects of running the business while still reaping the benefits of a robust inbound marketing strategy.

At Freedom Makers Virtual Services, we offer our Freedom Makers monthly training on the three main pillars of an inbound marketing strategy. We have many virtual assistants in our community that are skilled and experienced digital marketing assistants. Because we continuously update our training to provide new techniques and tools, Freedom Makers are knowledgeable of the latest market trends and social media marketing techniques. They are ready to effectively execute your marketing strategy!

Contact our internal team to learn more about what a digital marketing assistant can do for your business!

Celebrating 8 Years of Growth: Supporting Small Businesses and Military Spouses

Tue, 04 Apr 2023 17:00:00 GMT

As Freedom Makers Virtual Services celebrates our eighth year, I am filled with gratitude for the opportunity to reflect on our journey of growth and success. We have expanded our customer base, and our military spouse virtual assistants have consistently provided excellent, customized support to our clients. Their hard work has allowed more and more clients to focus on growing their businesses with less time spent on administrative support and repetitive tasks! I am proud to say that we have continued to stay true to our mission of strengthening small businesses while supporting our military community.

Of course, as with any growing business, we have faced our share of challenges and growing pains along the way. In that regard, last year did not disappoint! However, we have learned from them, and we are undoubtedly a stronger and healthier company as a result. I am grateful for our team's hard work and dedication, and I look forward to the next chapter of our journey.

In the months since our last birthday, we changed our name from Freedom Makers to Freedom Makers Virtual Services. This decision was more of an addition than a change. Our new name (and snazzy new logo!) more accurately reflects all that we are and all that our military spouses offer to small businesses.

In the past year, we also made a significant move by merging with Re4ormed, which allowed us to create The Forum . The Forum’s initiative is built on the visionary idea of Mark Mhley , and we are committed to continuing what he set out to create. Today, the Forum provides a supportive ecosystem for veteran and military spouse-owned businesses through networking events and partner offerings. It is through the Forum’s monthly All Calls and quarterly conferences that we are able to meet and connect with veteran and military spouse business owners and build a strong network of collaboration and support. In addition, The Forum offers a directory of vetted partners, business services, and products. Now on our website you can now easily search for enterprises that offer support and resources to small businesses, including products developed and sold by veteran and military spouse-owned companies.

In our expanding market, we remain committed to doing things our own way, growing our company sustainably and in a way that we can feel proud of. Our ongoing goal is to always strive for excellence, and this year, we are also focusing on micro-improvements and making quick pivots. By always seeking ways to improve, we are able to better serve our clients and our military spouses.

That’s because, at Freedom Makers Virtual Services, we value people above profit.

What that looks like for us is that we are discerning about our process of selecting the right military spouse virtual assistants to join our community. We understand that a resume doesn't capture the full scope of one's capabilities, so we strive to identify a unique mix of tangible and intangible attributes that have proven to be the “special sauce” for Freedom Maker success. We offer onboarding counseling to strengthen skills and monthly training sessions on how to be a successful Freedom Maker. Once “in,” we do everything in our power to support our Freedom Makers in their virtual assistant journeys.

We not only value our community of military spouse virtual assistants, but we also place a high value on the clients we work with. We want to ensure healthy and successful working relationships for both our Freedom Makers and our clients! We work hard to help our clients match with a Freedom Maker who has the potential to become a collaborative partner they can trust and rely on as they grow their business. We have a client success management team in place to help clients get underway with their virtual assistant, help clients navigate through the delegation process, and offer support and backup through any potential areas of friction. We want every client to feel that they are in good hands, and the CSM team is always working on new ways to build on our strong foundation of service.

Of course, we have made mistakes along the way, but as we celebrate our eighth birthday, I am excited about where we'll go next!

Here's to many more years of success, growth, and making a positive impact on the lives of small business owners and military spouses.

Happy Birthday, Freedom Makers Virtual Services!

-Laura

Virtual Assistants for Lawyers: Expert Tips on Delegation and Growth - Lawyers Business Advantage Podcast

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 28 Mar 2023 17:00:07 GMT

Listen in as Laura speaks with Alay Yajnik, one of the founding partners at Law Firm Success Group, a coaching firm, dedicated to helping attorney earn more money, get better clients and spend more time with family. Alay also hosts the Lawyer's Business Advantage Podcast . He and Laura discussed the value a virtual assistant can bring to a law practice, about the importance of setting expectations and establishing great communication channels. They also discussed the specifics of delegating to a virtual assistant in order to ensure productivity and efficiency. Take a listen below:

WELCOME TO LAWYER BUSINESS ADVANTAGE. THIS PODCAST IS DEDICATED TO HELPING ATTORNEYS EARN MORE MONEY, GET BETTER CLIENTS, AND SPEND MORE TIME WITH FAMILY. I'M YOUR HOST ALI YAJNIK, FOUNDER OF LAW FIRM SUCCESS GROUP. SMART BUSINESS GUIDANCE FOR SMALL LAW FIRMS BEGINS IN THREE, TWO, ONE.

ALAY:

And it's my pleasure to have on Lawyer Business Advantage my friend and colleague, Laura Renner, president and founder of Freedom Makers Virtual Services. Laura! Welcome to lawyer business advantage… Finally!

LAURA:

Yes, thanks, Alay! I'm happy to be here.

ALAY:

So I've got a question for you. When it comes to virtual services and attorneys, what is the number one thing that attorneys should be thinking about as they explore virtual services of all kinds?

LAURA:

The number one thing they should be thinking about is: what are their strengths, what gives them energy, and therefore what should they look at delegating first, if that makes sense.

ALAY:

Give me an example.

LAURA:

So an example is especially with sort of solo practicing attorneys, right? You're balancing running a business and practicing law. And presumably, most people enjoy practicing law more than running a business, right? And so then if that's the case, then they probably don't like the client intake process or there might be certain parts of it they don't like, maybe scheduling the first meeting, that kind of thing. So that's what it's like. Okay. That part is what always slows me down or what trips me up. So that's the part I'm going to delegate first. And so that helps not only grow their practice, but also… I call it energy management instead of time management because it might only take 30 seconds, but if it totally drains you or makes you put off doing anything else, then it's taking longer than that because it's costing you energy. So that's why I say think about things around what drains your energy and get rid of, or delegate

those things first.

ALAY:

I love that. I expect some of our audiences thinking, “that sounds like my clients, they drain my energy!” If that's you and you're listening to this, don't worry, I've got a whole other segment on that that we can cover. But virtual services means different things to different people. And what does it mean to you in the context of Freedom Makers?

LAURA:

Yes. So we are by definition a virtual assistant agency, but we do so much more than that. So that's why we refer to ourselves as virtual services. But other people might think that's a tech platform or they might think that's various different things. But for us, we are virtual assistants plus! Virtual assistants and more.

ALAY:

Well, tell me about the more.

LAURA:

More well, so we hire military spouses to do the virtual assistant and they come with a wide variety of skills. So while they are doing administrative work and being an assistant in that regard, we have ones that are helping coordinate projects, even managing projects, or they really become collaborative partners with our clients and just especially the solo business, right? You're wearing all the hats, you're marketing it, finance, operations, customer service. And so then when the Freedom Maker joins the team, then they become either they start wearing some of those hats or they help you wearing those hats. And so they become more of a collaborative partner than quote unquote, just an assistant, if that makes sense.

ALAY:

It does, and we're going to dig into that more. First of all, I want to thank you for your service to our country. Deeply appreciated. And I know you have a deep connection to Freedom Makers because of that. Tell us a little bit about how you started Freedom Makers and why.

LAURA:

Yeah, so I was originally doing recruiting for small businesses, and I was meeting a lot of business owners who weren't ready to hire or weren't ready to commit even with a part-time employee, partially because maybe their revenue wasn't consistent or predictable enough or they just didn't have enough work for even part-time. They just needed something super part-time. Meanwhile, I had been out of the military at that point for about maybe seven or eight years, but my brother was still in, and I was seeing my sister-in-law go through trying to find work every time they moved. I watched my mom go through that. We grew up as a military family, and even coworkers’ spouses go through that when I was in. And I just saw that there's this untapped source of talent on the military spouse side and this unmet need, especially in the solopreneur side. And I just thought, let's do it, let's go for it! And so that's what led me to start it.

ALAY:

Love that. And there's a huge potential, I think, in the law firm space. And I know you work with a lot of law firms. What are some of the traditional law firm roles that the Freedom Makers fill for firms?

LAURA:

I think a big one is client intake systematizing. That and then making that run more smoothly. The example I like to give is like, if you think about contracts… it is almost like your kitchen cupboard. And let's say every time you empty the dishwasher, you put the bowls in a different place. And it's sort of like if you don't have a template for your contract and you just go to your email and find the last client that you send a contract to, that kind of thing. So when you have It systematized, you are able to have someone else take care of it for you, especially if you have things that you get from every client! So every client fills out a certain form or they have a certain appointment that they make with you, all that can be systematized and handed off to a virtual assistant. And so we see that a lot, in fact. And we know that Clio is a popular tool. So we're always looking for military spouses that have Clio experience because that's a big part of client intake and just managing the client from an admin side. And then, if the attorney is using social media , they will oftentimes ask their Freedom Maker to help with the consistency of posting and even sometimes curating or creating content for that.

Sometimes too, they will have the Freedom Makers help with email and calendar management, particularly a solopreneur where you might have leads coming into your email, and you just don't have time to track at all. So then you might have your Freedom Maker sort of organize your email for you so you can get to those leads a little bit faster.

ALAY:

Awesome. So client intake, social media and then leads management through email and calendar, those consultations.

LAURA:

Exactly.

ALAY:

Awesome. And one of the challenges that my clients run into a lot when they're looking at bringing in an outsourced service provider is they don't have the process in place. So if they go hire a virtual assistant, they've got to then spend all this time trying to figure out the process and train the virtual assistant on the process, and it turns out to be a big headache. How do you overcome that in your work with law firms?

LAURA:

Well, even a little bit before that we offer a task audit that could just help them determine what to delegate. But during the sort of onboarding process we're asking them what do you have in mind for what you'd like your Freedom Maker to do? And we're looking for even if they don't have a process built, if they at least have it in mind, then they can have their Freedom Maker build it for them or document it for them. But if they can't even pause to create something, just think about it, then we know they're probably never going to get off the ground with their Freedom Maker. So that's one of the things we actually look for is even if you don't have it built, if you just have what you think it would look like, then oftentimes they work with their Freedom Maker to capture that and then to go build it for them.

ALAY:

So I think that's a really important distinction and hopefully you attorney entrepreneurs that are listening will pick up on this. To actually have the virtual assistant service and the virtual assistant collaborate with you to take the heavy lifting off of your shoulders to build your process for you and document it for you is a huge value adds. So that's fantastic Laura, that you all provide that. You mentioned something that I want to dig into a little bit. You mentioned something about a task audit or something like that.

LAURA:

Yeah, we're a small business too, so we use small business tools and it's on Jotform but you can click different sort of functions like marketing or operations where you're like, “these are the things I'm thinking about delegating.” And then when you do that it opens up with some common solopreneur task. And then you choose, “only I can do this,” “someone else can definitely do this.” Or, “it could go either way.” And it just helps trigger ideas for people in what they could delegate or what definitely needs to stay in their bucket, if you will.

ALAY:

Got it. Awesome. And so now we're going to move to the other side of the coin. We've talked a lot about how they can actually take advantage of these virtual services. Let's talk about maybe some situations where virtual services aren't a good fit because it's really important for clients to know that. So what are some situations where you would not recommend the client actually hire a virtual assistant?

LAURA:

Great question. I think there are a couple of things. One, maybe not for attorneys… but in businesses in general. Where they sometimes think they can delegate sales and because in their mind, if they only pay if the sales closes, then it's a win-win for them. What I have seen, though, is when they do that, no one can sell as good as they can. Right. And especially an attorney where you're selling your expertise, right? So we don't necessarily do that in our firm, but also just in general for using it for sales. I'm not talking about lead generation, but just actually closing the stage.

ALAY:

That consultation.

LAURA:

Exactly. I don't recommend that. The other piece for us at least is anything that's sort of live-based, such as answering a phone. For us, we charge by the hour. It's not really cost-efficient. There are answering services that charge by the minute or by the call. That's a better fit. And then finally, some law may need to be done in person. Right? Some can be done virtually. But if you're thinking about things that would be handled by an associate attorney that you wouldn't want to delegate. I also see that sometimes they're wanting to delegate paralegal work to a virtual assistant, which you really want to make sure you're relying on someone with that expertise, a paralegal expertise. So yeah, so it's more like seeing what's appropriate for a virtual assistant level versus a paralegal and then versus in person. I mean, I'm the owner of a virtual firm. I believe most things can be done virtually in the services space. So it really depends on the clients you serve and what you're willing to do virtually in that regard. But as far as what you can outsource or delegate, you want to delegate what gives you that most impact. For example, consultation is probably not a good thing to delegate unless it's to an associate attorney who's been with you a long time, that kind of thing, right?

ALAY:

And even then, maybe not.

LAURA:

Right?

ALAY:

Yeah, those are great tips. Thanks for sharing that. And you mentioned another great word which I want to dig into, which is delegation. Attorneys generally haven't been trained in the management techniques of people. A lot of them are just naturally talented at it, and they're just able to do it. Many are not. And so oftentimes, a virtual relationship may not work out because the attorney is not great at delegating. So how do you address that issue?

LAURA:

Yes. So tactically, right off the bat, I always recommend have a regularly scheduled meeting with whoever's working with you virtually. Whether that's weekly, I would suggest at least weekly so that you're able to keep base with them and touch base, that kind of thing. The other thing, particularly for firms that might be in a hybrid environment, where you have people in the office as well as virtual have a single source of truth that is online. You run that risk of if you make a decision in the hallway talking to someone and that doesn't get shared company-wide, then the people who are working virtually miss out on that decision. And then that impacts culture, that impacts the way the firm can move forward when half the team knows something and the other half does it. So you want to make sure that you're deliberate about having that single source of truth. But when it comes to delegation, whether it's in person or virtual, I love recommending the five levels of delegation. And they can vary by task or responsibility. And it's just really a question of how much control you want to have.

So level one is: do exactly what I said, how I said to do it, when I said to do it, don't do anything outside of that. Right. And level five is: I trust you completely, don't even update me, just take care of it. And then kind of in between. Level two might be go do the research and share with me what you found, and then I will make a decision and tell you what to do next. Level three might be do that research, make a recommendation, but I still decide and we'll tell you what to do next. And level four is do the research, make a decision, tell me what you did right. And it can vary. It could be: this task, I want level one, that task, I want level five. And then that can help you determine who to hire as well as how much you're willing to let go or how much sort of wiggle room you're willing to give them.

ALAY:

I really like that. And what's interesting about that is when they hire a Freedom Maker, which is their virtual assistant, and they come on board, they may have a very specific scope. And then as they start to build trust and rapport with the Freedom Maker, now they want them to do more things because they trust them more. But even though they trust them more, they still have to be careful because if it's a new task for the Freedom Maker, it's really challenging to just say, well, I still trust you completely go ahead and figure out this completely new task on your own. What tips do you have for the attorneys who are looking to expand the responsibilities of their virtual assistant?

LAURA:

Great question. And I will go back and say too, that I've seen that too! Where someone's like, well, I'm going to start them at a level one or a level two. And as I trust them, I'll open up to level four or something. But some people aren't capable of moving. They're always going to want to know explicit instructions on how to do something or they're always going to do it their way regardless of what you ask them to do, right. When people say that, I recommend we'll really only consider expanding up or down one or two levels. After that, you might be getting beyond capability, right. But when you want to expand scope and even responsibilities, I always like to recommend that you ask first. Do they have the availability, do they have the interest and the capability to do that? And if they are, then you can explore what does that look like and what does that mean as far as what you would want them to do? For example, if you're having them do level three work and you want them to start a new thing, that would be level five. You have to be clear, like, hey, I want you to just run with this, go explore it, go take it and run with it, figure it out and let me know what happens kind of thing, which is different than how I've been having you do it before.

So be explicit with what you're looking for ahead of time and make sure they agree to it. The example I like to give is: it's your sandbox. So you're letting people play how you want them to play in your sandbox, but they have to know how you want them to play before they can play the way you want them to, right. But when you go to their sandbox, you have to play how they want to play. And so the key part is you got to let them know, what are the rules in my sandbox?

ALAY:

Yeah. Be really clear about expectations and how you want to work with your virtual assistant. And please remember, for those of you attorney entrepreneurs, delegation is not abdication. I know you're overloaded. And when you get that virtual assistant who demonstrates a glimmer of competence and responsibility, the initial take maybe to just shove everything their way, wipe your hands with it, and go off and do other things. But I promise you that is not going to be a road for success. So strong delegation, especially up front and means you got to be very clear about what you want them to do. Give them a deadline for when to do it. Make sure you check in with them to make sure they're clear and you've answered all of their questions, and that they're on board to work with you on this project to completion. And then just do regular check ins over time.

LAURA:

Yes, we host a kickoff call with our client and the Freedom Maker when they're getting started and there are a few things we make sure gets covered if it doesn't get covered organically. And that is default turnaround times. Default… sort of check-in. Or, how do you want to communicate? Do you want email, Slack text, phone? What's the best way to communicate? We always recommend that they set up a weekly meeting. There are standard things that we always get cover to make sure that the expectations are clear from that or the foundations for expectation are off to a good start.

ALAY:

Awesome. And Laura, from your point of view, what are some of the real benefits of hiring a virtual assistant versus hiring an actual assistant?

LAURA:

I think the nice thing about a virtual assistant is you're really paying for time where they're actually working, and you get the most out of them when you're systematized. And an assistant who's in the office with you. Sometimes it can be like the tiger grabbing the tiger by the tail where you're just throwing stuff at them, and they can keep up because they're there right by your side. And yes, that might be what you want. However, that's not very efficient, and that doesn't lead to growth, whether growth in your firm or just growth in balance of your life and your work. Whereas if you have a virtual assistant, then you might only need them two, three hours a day when it comes to actual work because they're able to be more productive and more efficient working from home and doing tasks that you genuinely need done versus being pushed and pulled in all different directions based on what's happening throughout the day and you paying for a full day for them to be there.

ALAY:

That makes sense. So it's just a lot more efficient, a lot more productive. And you can take advantage of the fractional nature of the service so that you don't have to invest all in. And it's a great trial run. If you're someone, as an attorney, entrepreneur, who's on the fence, you don't necessarily know that you want to hire somebody full-time. Using a virtual assistant is a great way to get used to working with somebody else without having all of the cost, expense and responsibility of a full time employee.

LAURA:

That does remind me too! For example, using social media and client intake. Maybe if you have an assistant, you would want someone who could handle both, and that might be harder to find because you need someone who's creative and someone who's more operations focused. But on that fractional nature, you could even have two different assistants. One who's focused purely on the creative side of social media and one who's focused purely on the operational side of client intake. And it still costs you less than having someone, an assistant in the office. So it's fractional for time, but it's also you can fractionalize expertise rather than trying to find one person who can do it all.

ALAY:

Awesome. And just another point about Freedom Makers, specifically. All of the Freedom Makers, and all the virtual assistants are spouses of the U.S. Military and everything that goes along with that. So it's not like you're working with an agency offshore somewhere. These are mostly Americans married to Americans, typically highly educated people. And as you said, Laura, an amazing resource that we should all try and take advantage of. So as you think about Freedom Makers and the future, what really excites you over the next year, year, and a half?

LAURA:

Oh my goodness. So much part of the thing for me and my role is I'm the strategy, the vision person, so I'm always having new ideas. And part of that is, as a small business, being able to make sure we can do that wisely and as we have the resources and capacity to do that. And so this year our theme is quick pivots and micro improvements. So rather than making sort of grand gesture improvements kind of thing, we're just looking at what are the little things we can do to better serve our clients, better serve our Freedom Makers, and continue to grow. And so the nice thing about… I don't want to say nice thing, but with the economic uncertainty that's happening right now, it's really helping us to focus on our bread and butter and our foundation, making sure the foundation is strong so that we can continue to grow. And you notice the resiliency of American business continues to show that through our clients and through our Freedom Makers as well. For the next year, year and a half, that's primarily what we're focusing on. And primarily focusing on four areas: and that is sales and our sales process, refining that I call it ‘alignment of information flow’ is our second one. Even as efficient as we try to be in a system, we try to practice what we preach, you still end up putting things in different places because your systems don't really line up. So that's one of the things we want to focus on is how do we align our information flow so that everything goes where it should and it flows smoothly kind of thing. And then refining our marketing and then really continuing to improve how we recruit and train spouses to be Freedom Makers to serve their clients.

ALAY:

Love that. And so since you mentioned it, just real briefly, what does that training process look like?

LAURA:

Yeah, so for now, right now, we offer a few trainings monthly. We have live training, which we generally will talk about how to thrive as a Freedom Maker. And then we offer video trainings that tend to be technical in nature, like how to make a graphic in Canva or how to create a template in Asana. The live trainings also talk about how to support your clients in the different ways that they might ask you, or especially if you're balancing multiple clients, that kind of thing. And then we offer things like because it's a top request, we do offer sort of intro level social media, we offer cybersecurity training, things like that that we're getting signals from our clients are very important. In fact, we are looking at offering a Clio training just because we get those signals from our clients, and that's what we work on with our Freedom Makers. They come to us already with so many skills and experience as you stated earlier. They may not know how to translate that into small business language, so we do train on that as well, but also just making sure they know the latest tools.

And that's the thing about small business tool too, is if you know one tool within that space, it's pretty easy to pick up on the others in the small business space. So generally those are the things we focus on. One of our long-term plans is to have a way more structured training plan program. But for now, that's what we have, and we have mentoring and coaching as well.

ALAY:

It's great that you provide all of that. I mean, training, mentoring and coaching, a lot of these virtual assistant services don't provide that, or if they do, it's not to that level. So that's really awesome. And Laura, if someone wants to reach out to you, whether to inquire about Freedom Makers Virtual Services for themselves or just to connect with you, what's the best way for them to do that?

LAURA:

Yes, if they're interested in hiring a Freedom Maker, the best way is to go to our website, www.freedom-makers.com. That way they can get scheduled in with our team more quickly. If they'd like to connect with me to chat about business or anything like that, LinkedIn would be a great place. And also my email Laura at laura@freedom-makers.com. LinkedIn might be faster! So that's why I was saying if people want to inquire about hiring Freedom Maker, the fastest ways to go through our website to connect with me, email, or LinkedIn would be good.

ALAY:

Awesome. Well, Laura, thank you so much for being a Lawyer Business Advantage today. It's been an awesome conversation.

LAURA:

Yeah, thank you. I've enjoyed it. It's been great.

ALAY:

Everyone. That is Laura Renner of Freedom Makers Virtual Services.

AND THAT'S A WRAP FOR THIS EPISODE OF THE LAWYER BUSINESS ADVANTAGE PODCAST. ONE THING THAT WOULD REALLY HELP BOTH US AND OTHER NEW POTENTIAL LISTENERS IS FOR YOU TO RATE THIS SHOW AND LEAVE A COMMENT IN ITUNES, STITCHER OR WHEREVER YOU TUNE IN TO LISTEN AND I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU. SO CONNECT WITH ME ON LINKEDIN AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK OF THIS EPISODE. AND IF YOU ARE A SOLO OR AN OWNER OF A SMALL LAW FIRM AND YOU'RE LOOKING TO EARN MORE MONEY, ATTRACT BETTER CLIENTS OR REDUCE YOUR STRESS. WE WOULD LOVE TO TALK WITH YOU TO SEE HOW WE CAN HELP. REQUEST YOUR FREE LAW FIRM ASSESSMENT BY VISITING LAW FIRMSUCCESSGROUP.COM AGAIN. URL IS

LAW FIRMSUCCESSGROUP.COM. WE LOOK FORWARD TO TALKING WITH YOU SOON. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. MY NAME IS ALAY YAJNIK. UNTIL NEXT TIME. REMEMBER, YOU CAN SEIZE FREEDOM. YOU CAN EMBRACE HAPPINESS. YOU CAN BUILD YOUR PERFECT PRACTICE!

From Overwhelmed to Organized: The Small Business Owner's Toolkit for Integrating Your Work and Life

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 18:00:00 GMT

Small business owners often work long hours, are constantly stressed, and struggle to achieve a healthy work-life balance. However, with the help of technology and cloud platforms, entrepreneurs can streamline business operations and improve efficiency, leading to less time spent on the keyboard. Additionally, modern platforms, tools, and apps facilitate a better work-life integration.

If you love your work AND you love your job, balancing both shouldn't feel like a burden! Here are some tips on harnessing the power of technology and cloud platforms to achieve a better work-life balance.

CLOUD-BASED PROJECT MANAGEMENT TOOLS

Cloud-based project management tools like Trello, Asana, and Basecamp can help you stay on top of tasks and deadlines. These tools allow users to create and assign tasks, set due dates, and track progress. They also provide real-time updates and notifications, making tracking projects and communicating with team members easier. Using these tools, you can better prioritize tasks and delegate responsibilities, freeing time to focus on other aspects of your business or personal life.

CLOUD-BASED ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE

Cloud-based accounting software, such as QuickBooks and Xero, can help you manage your finances more efficiently. These tools allow users to track income and expenses, create invoices and estimates, and generate financial reports. They also offer integrations with other software, such as payroll and inventory management systems, making it easier to keep track of all aspects of your business. A Freedom Maker virtual assistant skilled in using cloud-based accounting software can reduce risk of errors and save you time on manual bookkeeping tasks.

VIRTUAL COMMUNICATION TOOLS

Virtual communication tools like Zoom and Skype can help you stay connected with your remote team members and clients. These tools allow users to host virtual meetings, share screens, and collaborate in real time. They also eliminate the need for travel which saves time and money! By using virtual communication tools, you can stay on top of your work while still being able to spend time with your family and friends.

AUTOMATION OF REPETITIVE TASKS

Repetitive tasks, such as data entry and email responses, can take up much of your time. However, these tasks can be automated by using tools like Zapier. Zapier allows users to create workflows that automate repetitive tasks, such as adding new leads to a CRM system or sending a personalized email to a new customer. Automating these tasks can save time and reduce stress, allowing them to focus on more important tasks.

Many Freedom Maker virtual assistants have extensive experience setting up automations and creating integrations between apps and software platforms to increase efficiency and productivity. When you speak with our internal team, you can request to interview Freedom Makers who specialize in creating these workflows!

CLOUD-BASED FILE STORAGE AND COLLABORATION TOOLS

Cloud-based file storage and collaboration tools, such as Google Drive and Dropbox, can help you store and share files with your team and with your clients. These tools allow users to access files from anywhere with an internet connection and collaborate on documents in real time. They also provide version control, making it easy to keep track of changes and updates. By using these tools, you can save time on file management and improve your collaboration endeavors.

Additionally, busy small business owners can use modern applications and media to become inspired, energized, and motivated. This is the true sweet spot… integrating your work and life so that you don't HAVE to do the work of maintaining a balance. Instead, your work and your life can become integrated so that you can live a more harmonious, fulfilled life -even as a busy small business owner.

How?

Read books and articles on work-life balance.

Many books and articles written by experts in the field of work-life balance can provide you with practical tips and strategies for achieving greater balance in your life. By reading these resources, you can gain insights into prioritizing your time, managing stress, and taking care of yourself.

Listen to podcasts about work-life balance.

Many podcasts focus on work-life balance and provide tips and advice for busy professionals. You can listen to these podcasts to get inspired and motivated to change your life.

Follow health and wellness influencers on social media.

Social media can be a good thing! It contains a wealth of information about health and wellness. By following influencers who specialize in those areas, you can get ideas for healthy meals, exercise routines, and self-care practices to help you achieve a healthier work-life balance.

Use apps and online tools to track progress.

Many apps and online tools can help you track your progress toward achieving a greater work-life balance. These tools can help you set goals, track your time, and manage your schedule more effectively, making finding time for self-care and other activities outside of work easier.

Specifically, take a look at the following:

Headspace: Headspace is a meditation app that can help you manage stress and improve your focus. It offers guided meditations for various situations, including work-related stress, and can be used during breaks or before bed to help you relax.
RescueTime: RescueTime is a time-tracking app that can help you understand how you spend your time on your computer or phone. It provides detailed reports on your daily activities, highlighting areas where you might be spending too much time or getting distracted.
Sleep Cycle: Sleep Cycle is an app that tracks your sleep patterns and wakes you up during your lightest sleep phase, helping you feel more rested and refreshed. It can also provide insights into your sleep quality and help you establish healthier sleep habits.
Calm: Calm is a meditation and relaxation app that offers guided meditations, breathing exercises, and sleep stories to help you manage stress and improve your sleep. It also includes a variety of nature sounds and music to help you relax.

Overall, these apps can help you integrate your work with the rest of your life… or vice-versa! By managing your stress, increasing your focus and productivity, improving your sleep, and helping you stay organized and on track with your tasks and deadlines, you won't have to perform the work required to achieve a balance. Staying organized and becoming more efficient at work can lead to more time with friends and family, doing what you love - outside of work! And feeling fulfilled and more actualized in your personal life can help you stay focused and have clarity on the passion that drives your work.

At Freedom Makers Virtual Services, we believe that in your work and in your life, you should have the power to choose the things that are most important to you. Reach out to our internal team to learn how our Freedom Makers can help you integrate all the things that are important to you!

Beyond the Business: The Value of Work-Life Balance for Small Business Owners

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 07 Mar 2023 17:03:39 GMT

As a small business owner or entrepreneur, getting caught up in the daily grind of running a business can be easy. However, it is important to remember that prioritizing rest, balance, and self-care is essential for achieving personal happiness and professional success.

Consider Max's story:

Max had always been drawn to the idea of running his own business, and for the first few years it was in operation, his passion for his work fueled every aspect of his life. Max had worked for years in the hospitality industry and was drawn to the idea of running his own business. As his desire to become an entrepreneur grew, Max took a trip to a part of the world's "Coffee Belt" in Central America. He was blown away by the variety and complexity of the coffee flavors he tasted in Colombia and Brazil and spent hours learning about the different roasts, blends, and brewing techniques used. Max couldn't shake the feeling that he wanted to bring that experience back home with him. He suddenly knew it was time to start his own business.

With his hospitality background and newfound passion for coffee, Max poured his heart and soul into creating the perfect coffee shop - a cozy, trendy spot that became a favorite among locals. He spent months experimenting with different roasts and blends, perfecting his recipes until he was satisfied that he had created something truly special. Max had finally found a way to combine his passion for coffee with his desire to run his own business, and he was thrilled to see his hard work paying off.

But as his business grew, Max began to feel the strain of the long hours and constant demands of running a small business. Max found himself burnt out from working long hours without any rest or relaxation. Additionally, as his business grew, he found himself increasingly bogged down by the administrative tasks that come with running a company.

Tasks that once seemed manageable - managing payroll, bookkeeping, and scheduling - began to feel like a heavy burden, taking him away from interacting with his customers and creating new coffee blends. Increasingly trapped at his desk in the back of the store, Max began missing the touchpoints with his customers and the beans that kept him excited and energized by his work. He started dreading going to the coffee shop. The administrative tasks wore on in a never-ending cycle, and he felt like he was losing the passion that drove him to start his business in the first place.

One day, Max woke up feeling completely exhausted. He felt like he had been running on a hamster wheel, going through the motions of work without feeling any joy. Max knew he needed to make a change. He closed the coffee shop for a day and walked through the city, trying to clear his mind and figure out what he needed to do to achieve balance.

As Max walked, he saw people hurrying around him, going to work, having lunch with friends and family, running errands, and living their lives. He realized he had been so focused on his passion that his life had become unbalanced. Suddenly, work felt like... work. The added stress and pressure of his business's administrative tasks kept him from even experiencing the happiness his work had provided in the past.

Max knew that he needed to incorporate rest and balance into his life if he was going to be truly happy.

He made a list of things he enjoyed doing outside of work, like reading, listening to music, and spending time with friends. He decided to set aside time each day for these activities, even if it meant closing the coffee shop early. He also brought on a talented virtual assistant who specialized in administrative support. Max discovered that for just a small monthly investment, his virtual assistant could quickly and efficiently take care of many of the tasks Max dreaded.

At first, it was difficult for Max to step away from work and focus on himself. He worried that his customers would be unhappy with the changes he was making, and he struggled to turn off his work brain. However, as his relationship with his virtual assistant grew, he increasingly began to trust her to execute many back-office support tasks. He began to feel more and more confident stepping away from his desk to interact with customers and even leaving the coffee shop altogether to attend family events and to spend time with friends. As Max started to reprioritize his days and focus on creating a healthier balance in his life, he found himself energized and excited again about his business.

With the help of his virtual assistant and a renewed focus on self-care and balance, Max achieved a healthier work-life balance. He realized that balance wasn't about working less, but about working smarter. With more time and renewed energy, Max continued to pour his heart and soul into his coffee shop, but he also made time for the things he loved outside of work. He was able to create new blends of coffee and connect with his customers on a deeper level, all while feeling fulfilled outside of work.

By running his coffee shop on his own renegotiated terms, Max is even happier than before. He has come to realize that his entrepreneurial journey is about much more than just coffee - it is about creating a space where people can come together and connect.

The journey we are all on is about finding a way to live a more fulfilling and balanced life. That is the true definition of success.

TIPS FOR FINDING BALANCE

Finding balance between work and personal life is essential for a busy entrepreneur's mental and physical well-being. Some of the best ways you can achieve balance are:

Prioritize tasks & Schedule Work and Fun

Do you really need to calendar rest into your schedule? YES. Put it on the calendar and take it as seriously as you do a meeting with a prospective client.

Take breaks

Taking regular breaks throughout the day can help reduce stress and increase productivity. Use the 20-20-20 method. Every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away from your computer for 20 seconds.

Set boundaries

Avoid checking emails or taking work calls outside of work hours, and make sure to disconnect from work when spending time with family or friends.

Say No & Practice Self Care

Say no to unnecessary commitments and instead take that time to cultivate self-care activities like exercise, meditation, or getting a good night's sleep.

Delegate

Stop doing everything yourself! Delegating tasks can free up time and reduce stress.

DELEGATE SUPPORT TASKS TO FREE UP TIME

Many small business owners have found that working with a virtual assistant or outsourcing some of their administrative tasks can free up more time for them to focus on what they love. A virtual assistant can help a small business owner or entrepreneur (even one with a tight budget) find balance by taking on tasks and responsibilities that can be time-consuming and draining.

A Freedom Maker military spouse virtual assistant can:

Manage schedules, emails, event planning, customer relations, order fulfillment, client communications, etc.

Take care of personal errands like online grocery shopping or individual appointment booking, travel planning, research, setting up reminders, and follow-up appointments.

One of the most significant ways a VA can help a small business owner or entrepreneur prioritize rest is by handling administrative tasks. These tasks can include scheduling appointments, responding to emails, managing a calendar, researching market data, and handling customer service responsibilities. This can include responding to customer inquiries, handling complaints, and providing support. A Freedom Maker can also assist with event planning and coordination, like organizing meetings, conferences, and other events.

A virtual assistant can also help a small business owner or entrepreneur prioritize rest by handling social media and marketing tasks. This can include creating and scheduling posts and managing social media accounts. By taking on these responsibilities, a Freedom Maker can free up a business owner or entrepreneur from having to constantly monitor and maintain their social media presence.

Additionally, a virtual assistant can perform many financial tasks, such as lite bookkeeping, invoicing, data entry, and budgeting. Small business owners can break free from having to constantly monitor and manage the financial aspects of the business, which can be time-consuming and draining. This can help to reduce stress and allow for more time for rest and relaxation.

A virtual assistant can be a valuable asset for small business owners and entrepreneurs in helping them achieve a healthier work-life balance. By leveraging the expertise of one of our talented Freedom Makers, a small business owner or entrepreneur can save time and resources… and maintain a healthy work-life balance. And, like Max was able to experience, a healthy work-life balance ultimately leads to better productivity and success in their business.

Click below for more tips about prioritizing and delegating, and reach out to our internal team to get started with your virtual assistant today!

Tax Time: How Small Business Owners Can Use A Virtual Assistant's Help

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 14 Feb 2023 18:00:00 GMT

Tax season can be a stressful time for small business owners, but with proper planning and organization, it doesn't have to be.

A virtual assistant can be a valuable asset for small businesses in the process of preparing their taxes. With a wide range of skills , a virtual assistant can help streamline the tax preparation process and ensure that all necessary information is accurate and organized.

One of the primary ways a virtual assistant can assist with tax preparation is by helping to organize financial records. This can include tasks such as collecting and sorting receipts, invoices, and other documents related to business expenses. A virtual assistant can also help to input this information into accounting software, such as QuickBooks or Xero, to ensure that all data is accurate and up-to-date.

Additionally, because small businesses can be organized differently, there can be some confusion about what forms are needed and how each individual business will be taxed. A virtual assistant can help a small business owner determine their tax filing status and the forms they need to file. For example, a sole proprietor will file a Schedule C with their personal tax return, while a partnership will file a Form 1065.

Another way a virtual assistant can assist with tax preparation is by helping to calculate and track deductions. As a small business owner, it's important to claim all eligible deductions to minimize your tax liability. A virtual assistant can help with this by researching tax laws and regulations and working to identify deductions that may be applicable to your business. They can be on the lookout for deductions for things like home office expenses, business travel, and employee benefits.

In addition, a virtual assistant can also help with the preparation of tax forms, such as the 1040, 1065, and 1120. They can take over tasks such as gathering information, entering data, and reviewing forms for accuracy. A virtual assistant can also assist with filing these forms, whether electronically or through traditional mail.

A virtual assistant can also assist with the preparation of quarterly and annual tax estimates. These estimates are critical for ensuring that a small business is not hit with a large tax bill at the end of the year. A virtual assistant can help calculate estimated tax payments and ensure they are paid on time.

Similarly, a virtual assistant can assist with the preparation of year-end tax documents, such as W-2s and 1099s. They can collect and organize employee and contractor information, prepare and distribute forms, and ensure compliance with state and federal regulations. Because this can be time-consuming, a virtual assistant is well-equipped to set up systems to request these forms early and track when they are in hand. This will prevent any last-minute scramble for forms and necessary documents.

Finally, a virtual assistant can also assist with tax-related research and planning. This can include researching tax laws and regulations, identifying potential tax savings opportunities, and helping a small business owner develop a plan to minimize their tax liability.

But if the thought of doing your taxes is simply too stressful - even with the help of a virtual assistant - a virtual assistant can help you hire the right tax professional to take on this daunting task each year. They can research, recommend reputable experts in your area, and even schedule your appointments with them. Your virtual assistant can be the go-between, aiding the communication and sending the necessary documents to the tax professional ahead of any appointments to streamline the process.

Remember: if you already have a virtual assistant working within your business structure, tax time is the perfect time to hand off additional tasks so you can focus on the necessary work that goes into filing each spring. Because your virtual assistant already knows the ins and outs of your business, they can provide enhanced administrative support, which can free up your time and allow you to focus on the important tax-related tasks at hand.

By leveraging a virtual assistant’s expertise and administrative know-how, a small business owner can save time and resources and focus on growing their business - even during tax season!

To find out how a Freedom Maker virtual assistant can help you grow your business, click our get started link . A member of our internal team can talk you through the process of outsourcing tasks to one of our talented military spouse virtual assistants!

Click below to download our Small Business Tax Guide, chock full of checklists and dates-to-remember as you move through this tax season!

The Forum Growth Conference: Align Your Mind, Body & Business For Success

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 19:01:10 GMT

Our very first Growth Conference will take place on February 16, 2023. With Woodworth Enterprises LLC , and sponsored by MLH Services, Freedom Makers Virtual Services is thrilled to present an afternoon dedicated to personal and professional growth at the start of 2023!

By cultivating a strong mind and body and becoming more intentional in your personal life, you can create shifts in your focus that will help you achieve the business and professional outcomes you desire.

Align Your Mind, Body, and Business for Success In 2023

Our featured speakers will share their unique perspectives on areas we all struggle with as we grow as people and as business owners. Participants will be inspired and activated by the expertise offered, and they will leave the conference armed with tactical applications and practices that they can start implementing in their own life and work.

Meet Our Speakers!

PETE CANALICHIO Brand Alive

Are you telling a story that makes your brand come alive in the hearts of those you serve?

Pete is the global authority on brand expansion, a licensing expert, TEDx speaker, and an award-winning author. His goal is to help entrepreneurs learn why brands matter and how to build the platform for their own unique brand because, in part, Pete believes that consumers deserve to be delighted by new and innovative products and services from brands they come to know and love.

Pete served in the Navy as an aviator and instructor pilot, honing his leadership and decision-making skills as commander of a large multi-engine aircraft and 12-member crew during Cold War tensions. He then earned his MBA at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill before starting his business, Brand Alive .

His company, BrandAlive, helps clients craft and tell their brand story, so their businesses come alive in the hearts of those that experience them.

In 2022, Pete developed a Brand Strategy Course that guides business owners on building their personal and company brand strategies. Now also a book titled: Your Brand Is A Promise, Pete hopes to reach even more entrepreneurs and individuals looking to build their brands. During the Growth Conference, Pete will share excerpts from his course and book with participants to help them begin their brand-building journey.

GREG HITCHCOCK Greg Hitchcock Communications

An Army veteran with over 20 years of journalism, video production, and public relations experience, Greg knows firsthand the challenges transitioning veterans face when leaving service.

Greg is a disabled veteran, having been rated by the Veterans Administration (VA) for Individual Unemployability (IU) for the last five years. IU is a unique part of the VA's disability compensation program, which allows the VA to pay certain compensation at a 100 percent rate.

Looking back, Greg sees himself going through this period with a fear of losing his financial safety net. However, he knew something was missing in his life. Greg began to explore ways to grow within his experience and give back to others. He began using his skills, talents, and past experiences as a video producer, journalist, and illustrator and now runs Greg Hitchcock Communications, LLC . As an entrepreneur, Greg has experienced new successes, including an honorable mention from Full Sail University and the embassies of France for an independent video project for the United Nations.

Greg’s inspiring message of venturing past fear to create the life and business you want will teach participants a lot about themselves, life, and the value of meaningful work.

NICOLE MALONE Dark Horse Nutrition

A published author, speaker, wellness consultant & certified nutrition coach, Nicole has a passion for helping people achieve optimal health.

As someone who has struggled herself with obesity, emotional eating, and yo-yo dieting, Nicole brings a unique perspective and approach gained from her own personal experience. After serving in the Air Force for 14 years, Nicole then spent 11 years working as a Federal Government Contractor before earning her certification and launching Dark Horse Nutrition.

She takes a holistic approach by focusing on four key areas that helped her on her own journey: Mindset, Nutrition, Emotion, and Exercise. She believes that everyone should be able to find the right balance that fits their busy lifestyle.

Using science-backed research and data, Nicole will shed light on how the power of nutrition and wellness can positively impact your business and mission.

STEVE KIDD Thriving Best Sellers

Steve is a minister, a 30+ year business coach, and the host of the Thriving Entrepreneur Radio show. Through his business, Thriving Best Sellers , Steve has created a system that has taken over 3000 people’s expertise and turned them into #1 Best Sellers. His method helps get participants clear on their message and teaches budding authors best practices when presenting their stories to the world. Steve’s book launchpad program is designed to help veterans write their stories, and publish and market their books because he believes that absolutely everyone has a story to tell.

Steve believes that ongoing wealth -- better known as true abundance -- is about understanding what really makes you wealthy and then doing the things that intentionally create that in your life. Abundance isn't about the amount of money in your bank account, it is about:

1. Knowing who you are

2. Defining who you are meant to serve (your one)

3. Sharing you with your one

4. Maximizing while it is called today

5. Celebrating your victories every day and letting your struggles go

Steve’s message will give attendees an inspired purpose, direction, and renewed hope that what they are doing in this world WILL succeed!

Small Business Success Formula: Tools, Automation & Outsourcing

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 18:06:20 GMT

Small business owners and entrepreneurs stare down a massive list of daily responsibilities, from managing finances and inventory to communicating with customers and marketing their products or services. Time after time, the end of the work day arrives to find a small business owner exhausted yet still overwhelmed by all that didn't get done. It is nearly impossible to make a dent in the larger list of business priorities – like innovation and growth – when the day-to-day operations consume the majority of each hour.

When polled, small business owners say that managing administrative tasks is one of the most challenging and time-consuming aspects of running a small business. These tasks can include everything from scheduling appointments and responding to emails to data entry and maintaining records.

If you run your own business, it is time to rethink your day.

Cloud-based software programs, automation, and outsourcing are changing how small business owners get work done. Thankfully, the "go-it-alone" / "do-it-all-yourself" model is no longer standard issue for entrepreneurs.

Today, you can streamline your business processes using online tools, automate recurring or repetitive events, and easily outsource a wide variety of administrative or support-based tasks to a virtual assistant.

ONLINE TOOLS

Cloud-based tools and software programs can significantly enhance the efficiency of a small business. Today's tools offer a variety of features that can help with tasks such as communication, project management, and data storage. They allow for collaboration and data sharing with team members and partners, which can greatly increase productivity and efficiency. Some examples of cloud-based tools and software programs that can help a small business owner run their business more efficiently include:

Google Workspace (formerly known as G Suite) - This set of productivity tools includes Gmail, Google Drive, Google Calendar, and Google Docs, which can be used for communication, collaboration, and document creation and management.
Slack - This team communication tool allows for real-time messaging and file sharing, making it easy for team members to stay in touch and on top of projects. It also integrates with other tools, making it easy to bring all your work together in one place.
Asana - This project management tool allows you to create boards and cards to keep track of tasks, assign them to team members, and monitor progress.
QuickBooks - This accounting software is designed to help small business owners with tasks like invoicing, expense tracking, and financial reporting.
Zoom - This video conferencing tool allows you to hold meetings, webinars, and virtual events with anyone, anywhere. It also offers screen sharing, recording, and breakout rooms.
Canva - This graphic design tool makes it easy for small business owners to create professional-looking designs for marketing materials such as social media posts, flyers, and infographics.
Jotform - This tool allows you to create customized online forms to collect information and requests from clients and subcontractors.
Calendly - This modern scheduling platform makes "finding time" a breeze. It integrates with personal calendars and allows you to customize meeting types and availability to make scheduling easier.
Zapier - Get a taste of automating with Zapier! This "middle man" for programs connects apps and software programs and can be customized to trigger automation & workflows.
Loom - Free! This tool allows you to record your voice and computer screen and share it with others. Invaluable for training & sharing workflows.

These tools allow small business owners to streamline operations, communicate more effectively with their teams, and make data-driven decisions.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

Cloud-based tools are typically subscription-based, meaning that small business owners can pay for only what they need and quickly scale up or down as their business needs change. Additionally, they can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection and often include automatic updates, backups, and robust security features.

AUTOMATION

One of the best ways to free up time and energy for more important tasks is to automate as many administrative tasks as possible. Automation lessens the burden of administrative tasks and allows small business owners to focus on higher-level matters like growing their businesses. Automation can be achieved through the use of technology, such as software and apps, that can automate tasks like scheduling appointments and managing emails. For example, scheduling tools like Calendly allow you to easily schedule appointments and meetups, while email management apps like SaneBox and Unroll.me can help you to triage and manage your emails more effectively.

Another way to automate administrative tasks is through chatbots. Chatbots are computer programs that can simulate human conversation and are becoming increasingly popular as a way to handle customer service inquiries and simple tasks like scheduling appointments and making reservations.

Automation can keep businesses streamlined and agile. Additionally, incorporating automation into small business processes can help small business owners operate their companies more smoothly and without human error, which saves additional company dollars.

If you are a small business owner, consider looking into these areas first as you begin your automation journey:

Marketing and Sales Processes

Making deals and closing sales will likely always require human involvement. But innovations in marketing technologies allow small businesses to reach wider audiences and increase sales potential. Marketing automation software targets customers on multiple channels with a consistent and cohesive strategy. Email, social media, and websites are united in their outreach to potential clients through automation integrations, allowing a business owner to generate more new leads and act more quickly on inquiries and website visits. Inexpensive and effective automation software programs like ActiveCampaign, Keep, Hubspot, and Ontraport can operate the baseline for your marketing endeavors and expand as you grow to accommodate your business's future needs.

Customer Relations Management and Customer Service

Automating some of your customer relations management (CRM) can help a small business build better, longer-lasting customer relationships. CRMs can maintain your client database, create drip campaigns and track contact points with potential customers and active clients. The client's journey becomes seamless with current cloud-based CRM tools, ensuring no balls are dropped and no future customers are missed. Most CRM systems can help manage leads, alert to new opportunities, forecast sales, and even help to identify cyclical trends. CRM tools like Salesforce Sales Cloud, Pipedrive, and Zoho can help you deliver the type of customer experience that will help you convert more leads into sales.

Finance and Accounting

A large percentage of small businesses still rely entirely on human accountants to handle their companies' finances, even though automation exists that cut down on hours and helps prevent errors. Accounting automation helps to reconfigure workflows from manual, formulaic tasks. Software bots mimic human activity using robotic processing automation (RPA). The bots can repeat tasks faster and more accurately than even the most experienced human. Copying and pasting data, interpreting applications, and processing transactions can happen smoothly behind the scenes. And you can start small! Even relatively simple changes to your accounting process can make a difference. For example, optical character recognition (OCR) software can scan and digitize receipts, saving hours and inevitable data-entry mistakes. These developments in automated payment processing can speed up the time between invoices submitted and bills paid, keeping clients and employees happy and content. Some accounting automation technologies to look into are Xero, Intuit QuickBooks, FreshBooks, and Wave.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

Salesforce surveyed 500 small businesses in 2017. They discovered that companies that automate some of their processes are 1.6 times more likely to grow than those that don't.

Intuitive automation platforms are helping small businesses grow and scale. They can also help a small business owner get back to the core of what makes their small business unique – custom, personalized interactions, and specialized service offerings.

OUTSOURCE

Outsourcing administrative support tasks to a virtual assistant is another effective way for small business owners and entrepreneurs to save time and focus on growing their businesses. A virtual assistant is skilled, trained, and experienced and can easily handle most of your administrative, back-office support tasks. Virtual assistants like Freedom Makers can be brought on on a part-time or full-time basis, as needed. They can help with many tasks, from scheduling appointments and responding to emails to data entry, research, and scheduling, freeing small business owners and entrepreneurs to focus on more strategic tasks like marketing, sales, and product development. Outsourcing administrative work to a virtual assistant is a cost-effective way to get administrative support without the expense of hiring a full-time employee.

From administrative and technical to marketing and even creative work, the right virtual assistant can exponentially boost a small business' productivity and reduce the stress, and pressure entrepreneurs face. Outsourcing invoicing, data entry, social media, blog writing, and calendar and meeting management to a virtual assistant provides access to high-quality professional support at an hourly rate.

Employing some new strategies this year could help you refocus on your business goals and put some energy and time into tackling your priorities.

We know there is no one-size-fits-all strategy when it comes to small business operations, but we believe these suggestions are the formula to orient your business toward growth!

When You Are Ready To Outsource, We Are Ready To Help

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 03 Jan 2023 16:00:00 GMT

Outsourcing tasks to a virtual assistant is crucial when an entrepreneur is ready to scale. Outsourcing is also the right move when a small business owner is ready to become more deliberate about how they spend their valuable time. As the new year begins, Freedom Makers Virtuals Services recommends that every small business owner reevaluates their day-to-day tasks.

Think about how busy you are in direct proportion to how much time you spend doing repetitive, recurring, daily, weekly and monthly tasks. Think about the following:

Tasks you don’t like doing or tasks you do not have a natural talent for.
Tasks that are below your “pay grade” or experience level.
Tasks that are maintenance-focused, as opposed to growth-focused.
Tasks that keep you working IN your business instead of working ON your business.

Your time as the leader of your organization is valuable, and you should spend most of your time doing the things that directly impact revenue and growth. A virtual assistant is skilled, trained, and experienced and can easily handle most of your administrative, back-office support tasks. They are an affordable answer to adding more capacity to yourself and your team. From administrative and technical to marketing and even creative work, the right virtual assistant can exponentially boost your company’s productivity and reduce stress and pressure. By outsourcing your invoicing, data entry, social media, blog writing, and calendar and meeting management to a virtual assistant, you get high-quality professional support for the operations side of your business for an hourly rate. You are then freed from those tedious tasks and can use your valuable time to grow your business.

No-brainer, right? Yet some small businesses are slow to take advantage of the consistent, remote support virtual assistants provide.

Even though the decision to outsource tasks and responsibilities to a virtual assistant is a logical step, it can feel like a leap of faith to trust another person to care for something you have created.

So… how do you find the right virtual assistant for your business?

Freedom Makers Virtual Services provides finds, vets, trains, and maintains a pool of independent military spouse professionals ready for any work opportunities clients may have. Freedom Makers are reliable, highly skilled, and trustworthy virtual assistants prepared to support clients looking for help with ongoing administrative, technical, or creative tasks. Through our honed vetting and onboarding process, we have the utmost confidence (and proven track record) in our Freedom Maker virtual assistants. Our military spouses are our most valuable asset and are the reason we attract and maintain clients from all different market spaces. We are always grateful for the small business owners who trust us to help them find the perfect virtual assistant for what they need.

WHAT MAKES FREEDOM MAKERS DIFFERENT FROM OTHER AGENCIES?

Because we are a small business, we are proud that our business model supports the growth of other small businesses. And because we are veteran owned, we are proud to help military spouses find success, financial freedom, and meaningful work through us.

FMVS is positioned to meet the unique challenges of small business owners and become part of the solution to reduce military spouse unemployment and underemployment nationwide.

Our passion for the communities we serve is strengthened by our deep understanding of the human factors that contribute to successful working relationships and dynamic remote teams. We have been creating “perfect pairings” since 2015 and endeavor for each client-Freedom Maker match to be a long-lasting and productive relationship.

Freedom Makers Virtual Services is unique, special, and different from other companies in our business space. Our practices and ideals set us apart.

First and foremost, FMVS is structured around what freedom represents. On the client side, this means that small business owners who engage with us experience freedom from stress and the daily, mundane, and tedious tasks that steal valuable hours from each day. Once they bring on a Freedom Maker, our clients finally have the freedom to work ON their businesses rather than spend all their time working IN their businesses.

Freedom also comes to our clients by reducing the commitment or financial burden they might find encumbering. We do not require clients to buy a set amount of hours or commit to a budget when they find a Freedom Maker through us. We understand that small business budgets fluctuate, and the amount of work and income ebbs and flows. We provide the freedom for our clients to use our services as much or as little as they need.

Military spouses are skilled, talented, and effective. They are dedicated, loyal, and proactive problem solvers. We believe military spouses who find work through us should be free to grow their careers as they see fit. When they find work through us, they choose their clients, their working hours, and the amount of time they will work each week. They are also free to take their work with them when the military reassigns their family to a new duty station.

Freedom is our guiding principle, along with Transparency and always Striving for Excellence. We are constantly looking for ways to improve and will go the extra mile to support our clients and help them find success.

Contact us today to have an exploratory conversation with a member of our internal team. They can talk you through all of the options when it comes to the virtual assistants in our ranks. They can even help you figure out which tasks you should outsource first as you begin your relationship with your Freedom Maker.

We look forward to working with you in the new year!

New Year Planning For Small Businesses

Tue, 13 Dec 2022 14:38:12 GMT

As the end of 2022 approaches, the busy holiday season makes planning for the new year pretty low on the to-do list. But as a small business owner, there are some important areas of your business you should focus on now so that the new year starts off as smoothly as possible.

Here are five things to think about before ringing in 2023:

FOCUS ON YOUR FINANCIALS

The end of the calendar year is the right time for a year-end financial report that includes year-end income statements, details about your assets and liabilities in the way of a balance sheet, and a cash flow statement. Analyzing those reports and tracking performance will help you assess how your business actually performed the previous year and can indicate how 2023 will shape up. Are your numbers trending up or down? Can you track why? These data points can inform your business plans and goals for the coming year.

Additionally, spending some time settling accounts in the waning days of December will allow you to head into January with your business locked up and tidy. Work to make sure all payables are paid and try to chase down those pesky outstanding receivables. Then, in a quiet moment, take a look at the length of your sales cycle. Sales data and other metrics can indicate where you could streamline or adjust your process so the flow of funds is smoother in 2023.

Making time to focus on your financials will let you know if your business is healthy or if changes should be made in 2023. Additionally, getting a good idea of your money situation could be extra important if your goals for 2023 includes expanding or scaling, acquiring new funding, or bringing on a mentoring partner. The financial documents you put together now will help those outside parties better understand your business model and be in the right position to work with you in 2023.

READY, SET, ACTION! NEW YEAR, NEW GOALS

The end of the year is the perfect time to take another look at your business's vision and goals - both for the long term and the upcoming new year. Based on your end-of-year financials, does your business need to shift so you can hit your previously stated goals, or do you need to create new plans that are more in line with where 2022 brought you? Engaging in some strategic planning before 2023 begins can be super beneficial to businesses of all sizes. Brainstorm with team members, analyze your competitors and the market trends, and do a little research. Consider what pitfalls might lie ahead and plan how your business will be proactive in navigating what will come in the new year. Now is the perfect time to make sure your business will be fully equipped to meet whatever goals you set out to accomplish in the months ahead.

PLAN YOUR APPROACH

Reaching new customers or ensuring current clients remain engaged and loyal also requires some proactive thought. Looking ahead and planning your digital marketing strategy is a great way to hit the ground running in 2023. Create a rough outline of what your marketing will attempt to achieve. Think through blog topics, campaigns, future sales or discounts that will drive engagement, and what content you can provide that will continue to position your business as a relevant, valuable authority in your market area.

Consider your current business's marketing foothold as you put together your 2023 marketing plan. Who is your target audience, and are you reaching them sufficiently? Do you want to drive more website traffic? Would you like to solicit more comments and community engagement on your social media platforms? Then consider your budget and create an action plan that prioritizes tasks and lays out your approach.

If your budget is small, but your goals are robust, consider bringing on a Freedom Maker virtual assistant who specializes in executing social media strategies for small businesses.

PREPARE FOR GROWTH

If your financials indicate that growth is on the horizon in 2023, take some time during the next few weeks to think about what your business will need to support that growth. Do you need to grow your internal team? Do you need to shore up your back office and administrative support so you can focus your energies on networking, sales, and relationship building? Thanks to advances in technology, cloud-based software, and the ability to find exceptional remote talent, running a smooth and efficient business of any size is easily attainable.

Investing in tools and systems now can support your business's future growth. As the new year looms, take a moment to inventory your technology assets and think about whether they are current and appropriate. Older model hardware and software tools can pose cybersecurity risks and limit productivity and efficiency -- are yours ready to support your growth, or could they become a liability and hold you back from scaling? For example, if your client database is currently a clunky spreadsheet, consider bringing on a virtual operations virtual assistant to help you switch to a more robust customer relationship management (CRM) tool. Many new inexpensive platforms can help you manage, track and interact better with current clients and potential customers. Similarly, consider what administrative tasks you should outsource to a virtual assistant in 2023. Use our task assessment tool to determine what you can get off your daily task list so that you can invest more time and energy into the core of your business.

CELEBRATE PAST WINS, LEARN FROM PAST FAILURES

Finally, as you look to the new year, take some time to reflect on 2022. Can you identify critical successes and turning points that helped you and your business? What decisions did you make as a leader that contributed to your accomplishments? Celebrate that! Remind your employees and remote team members of all they added to the business this year, and make sure they know they are appreciated. Take a minute to recognize individual and collective successes -- yours included! And then also take a moment to think back on any failures or setbacks that may have been avoided. Doing so will work toward building a strong and healthy culture within your business.

As a small business, there will surely be bumps and detours along the way to success. Identifying setbacks and fearlessly analyzing and discussing them is a sign of strong leadership and can build a more healthy core team. Talking through the downturns of the past year as a team can help elicit creative suggestions for how to shore up whatever riverbanks need reinforcement in the months ahead. Learning from past potholes can protect the business from repeating any missteps as the new calendar year begins!

Thankful Now and Grateful Throughout the Year

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 16:38:17 GMT

As we approach Thanksgiving and the holiday season, it is the perfect time to reflect on our good fortune and express our enduring gratitude.

A Freedom Makers Virtual Services, we are grateful for our clients, partners, consultants, small business allies, the veteran community, and our extraordinary military spouses that are our business's most valuable assets.

WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR OUR CLIENTS

Because we are a small business, we are proud that our business model supports the growth of other small businesses. It is proven that outsourcing tasks to a virtual assistant is an important step when an entrepreneur is ready to scale. A virtual assistant can free up critical brain space for innovation and big-picture growth! But bringing on help can require a leap of faith, so we are always grateful for the small business owners who trust us to help them find the perfect virtual assistant for what they need. We work hard to create "perfect pairings" and endeavor for each client-Freedom Maker match to be a long-lasting, productive relationship.

Our clients believe in our mission and have seen the benefits of utilizing all that military spouses can bring to their businesses. Here are some of the things they have expressed in the way of gratitude for their Freedom Maker:

Rebecca B: We absolutely love Alison! She's a great fit for us and has been working hard to help our social media grow and succeed.
Brandon J: Sarah is a vital member of the Tier One Life Insurance team. She routinely makes suggestions to improve and grow the business. One of the best decisions I made for the business this year was teaming up with her!
Hillary V: Paige has been an absolute game-changer for us. I have been able to schedule so many more meetings, which means we are getting paid sooner and able to take on more cases thanks to the wonderful work Paige is doing and taking off my plate. Bringing her on has been one of the best business decisions we've made, and we have loved getting to know her.
Erica B: Breanna is working out great! She takes great care of my books and always asks if something is unclear or does not make sense. She also will suggest best practices when asked about them.
Robert H: Things are going well with Samantha. She is very quick to complete what I need help with. I am looking for more ways to include her in my business!

We are enormously grateful that our clients share news of their success with us - and with their friends and colleagues! We have been able to grow our business due in significant part to word-of-mouth referrals. Our client's confidence in us has, in turn, allowed us to provide more meaningful work opportunities to our talented military spouses.

WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR OUR COMMUNITY

We are grateful for the veteran community of which we are a part. A shared entrepreneurial spirit of giving and support exists among those who have answered the call to serve our nation. Our own Air Force veteran founder, Laura, is always looking for ways to contribute to the veteran and military spouse entrepreneurial circle. We now offer virtual networking events in the form of All Calls and a directory of vetted businesses on our website. These partners actively look to support veterans and military spouse-owned businesses or link to products created by talented veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs.

WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR OUR MILITARY SPOUSES

And, of course, we are grateful for our military spouses! Because of their service mindset, they make fantastic, talented, committed, and professional virtual assistants. The military spouses that work as Freedom Makers are determined, resilient, and proactive. They know how to persevere and thrive in the dynamic and fluid work environments small businesses often experience, and their dedication to their clients makes us incredibly proud.

Finally, our military spouse Freedom Makers are grateful to - and for - their clients! They are thankful to have the opportunity to contribute to their family finances and to build a career that fits the needs of their busy, daily lives. Freedom Makers Virtual Services' mission is to connect military spouses with the small businesses that need them. On the whole, our Freedom Makers are grateful to be working remotely in a field that allows them to take their job with them when the military moves their family.

Supporting spouses in this way is how we endeavor to "give back" to a community that gives so much to the defense of our nation.

About their clients and work through FMVS, our Freedom Makers say:

Rebecca has amazing leadership qualities and helps me challenge and grow my skills! - Jessica R.
Attollo, LLC rocks and always makes me feel like part of the team! - Sharmin R.
Emily and Sherman are exemplary professionals, amazing leaders, and mentors! - Khalisah V.
My clients trust me to deliver quality work for them month after month and for that I am grateful! We PCS’d this summer from the east coast to California and I was able to move with my job! I had one less worry, knowing I would still have my work when we got settled. -Sarah C.
I am thankful for my clients that provide consistent work that I enjoy doing and allow me the freedom to still be an active mom. - Kaci H.
Ron is very understanding, nice, and has a good heart! - Christy F.
Kacey is an answered prayer and the best boss I have worked for! - Kia C.
My Client genuinely cares about all those who work on his team. - Allison S.
Krista is easygoing, a pleasure to work for, and patient as I learn about her organization's operations. - Julie P.
I'm thankful that my client Steve is as generous and understanding as he is funny. He keeps my job interesting. -LeeAnna T.
I am thankful my clients provide a non-traditional work environment. I can work flexible hours, which allows me time to spend with my family. It's great having work I can do at 2 pm or 2 am as long as it gets done! -Amy K.

Thanksgiving is a terrific time to slow down and take a good look at the things in one's life that bring joy, peace, and happiness. At Freedom Makers Virtual Services, we are grateful for our clients, our Freedom Makers, our partners, and all those who believe in and support our mission . We are also grateful for the challenges we’ve faced and the discussions we’ve had that have inspired us to grow. We look forward to the year ahead and all that it will bring!

Happy Thanksgiving!

New Partnership: National Veterans Business Development Council

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 16:35:52 GMT

We are excited to announce our partnership with National Veterans Business Development Council (NVBDC)! As part of NVBDC’s Military and Veteran Organization Task Force, Freedom Makers Virtual Services will have an enhanced ability to offer resources and support to the veteran-owned business ecosystem.

NVBCD is listed in the Forum directory, and we look forward to a long, rewarding relationship with their impactful organization.

Check out NVBDC’s recent press release, announcing our new partnership!

Freedom Makers Virtual Services has joined NVBDC Military & Veteran Organization Task Force

Freedom Makers Virtual Services' virtual assistants are military spouses, who understand how to be flexible and deliver service and support to businesses.

DETROIT, MI, UNITED STATES, October 21, 2022 -- National Veterans Business Development Council (NVBDC) welcomes Freedom Makers Virtual Services (FMVS) to NVBDC Task Force. FMVS helps small business owners and entrepreneurs focus on what matters most — growing their business — by providing reliable, highly skilled, and trustworthy virtual assistants.

What Sets Freedom Makers Virtual Services Apart?

Freedom Makers Virtual Services believes that in your work, and in your life, you should have the power to choose the things that are the most important to you.

Their watch phrase, Choose Your Freedom, is for their clients and their military spouse virtual assistants . It speaks to the freedom built into the core of who they are, how they operate, and what they provide: freedom for military spouses to choose their clients, and to grow their careers as they see fit. And freedom for clients from stress and the daily, mundane, and tedious tasks that steal valuable hours from each day.

Freedom Makers Virtual Services has three guiding principles:

● Freedom

● Transparency

● Strive for Excellence

“Freedom Makers Virtual Services is excited to partner with National Veteran Business Development Council in conjunction with our Re4ormed merger. We are looking forward to uplifting both missions of NVBDC and FMVS through our ever-expanding network,” said Laura Renner, Founder, Freedom Makers Virtual Services.

NVBDC Task Force

NVBDC’s Military and Veteran Organization Task Force enables the NVBDC to collaborate resources with task force partners to increase awareness and join together to establish a respected position in the industry supporting Veteran Business success.

“We work with Military and Veteran Service Organizations to identify Veteran business owner members and provide them with information about NVBDC and the importance of certification. At the same time, we are creating reciprocal business relationships that will enhance our values and directives as a Veteran business support agency—creating a win-win opportunity,” commented U.S. Army Lt. Col. (ret) Kathy Poynton, Military & Veteran Organization Task Force D irector.

National Veteran Business Development Council NVBDC

“NVBDC is the leading Veteran Ow ned Business Certification organization developed by Veterans for Veterans. The purpose is to provide a credible and reliable certifying authority for all size businesses, ensuring that valid documentation exists of a Veterans status, ownership, and operational control,” said Keith King, Founder & CEO. Keith King, NVBDC Founder & CEO.

To learn more about the certification process, visit www.nvbdc.org

or call 888-CERTIFIED .

To learn more about Freedom Makers Virtual Services, visit their website at www.freedom-makers.com

To learn more about the Military & Veteran Organization Task Force, visit their website at www.nvbdctaskforce.org

How To Utilize A Virtual Assistant This Holiday Season

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 15:00:02 GMT

Time is rarely on your side.

Even if you are a disciplined, organized, methodical, and efficient small business owner, you likely still feel the crunch of the clock on a near-daily basis. Head down, door closed, charging through your to-do list with little-to-no distractions… you look up, surprised to find the day is almost over.

Where did the hours go?

Time can feel elusive and incredibly finite, even during relatively calm periods when everything is on track and somewhat manageable. Getting everything done each day is a logistical puzzle.

Small business ownership is not for the faint of heart, even under the best circumstances.

'TIS THE SEASON

Each year, the additional pressures of the holiday hustle make the time you do have feel cut in half.

Increased networking events, holiday party invitations, hosting employee gatherings, making time for shopping and gift giving, sending out holiday cards, creating client appreciation incentives, maintaining family traditions and expectations… all while your employees and team members are looking to take some much-deserved time off.

Logging your typical long work hours might not feel enough with the added demands of holiday happenings. But where - and how - can you find more time?

As a small business owner, preparing for the upcoming holiday season is critical to protecting your business… and your sanity!

To get everything done that your business and your personal life requires, we suggest outsourcing some of your regular, end-of-year, or holiday-related tasks to a capable virtual assistant.

PROTECT THE TIME YOU HAVE

Do you already have a Freedom Maker as part of your remote team? You are already halfway to help.

While some clients feel reluctant to ask their Freedom Maker to help them with things outside the scope of their current relationship, our military spouse virtual assistants have a service mindset and know how to get the job done - whatever that job is. They are multitaskers who have a variety of skills that they would love the opportunity to exercise.

Whether they help you with your social media management, client onboarding, invoicing, research, or CRM management, your Freedom Maker can also help you with holiday-related tasks and projects - even if those tasks are more personal in nature. It might seem difficult to navigate, but you simply need to have an exploratory conversation with your Freedom Maker! We are confident you will discover that they are happy to help you with whatever needs doing - even if what needs to get done isn’t “business” related.

So, think about what might steal your time - and joy - this holiday season, and then open up a dialogue. Are there tasks and events looming in the next few months that are causing you stress? Are you already losing sleep, wondering how you will get it all done?

Check out the following list of project-based tasks that your virtual assistant will be more than happy to help you with this holiday season!

(If you don't yet have a Freedom Maker, no worries! Use this list to get inspired about outsourcing. Know that our internal team can quickly get you started with a virtual assistant so you can get everything done before the new year begins!)

TASKS YOU SHOULD CONSIDER OUTSOURCING DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON

Additional Administrative Tasks
Handing off additional items from your company's to-do list will leave more time for holiday joy! Think about tasking your Freedom Maker with email and calendar maintenance, social media management, data entry, and invoice follow-up. Check out our services page for ways other small business owners utilize their virtual assistants.
Research into Charitable Giving
This time of year, many small businesses look to give back to the communities that support them. Your Freedom Maker can research ways your company or family can contribute to a meaningful, charitable cause this holiday season.
Ordering of Company Swag
Let a virtual assistant build that brand awareness by researching and ordering a new supply of functional and fun items that promote your business. Your Freedom Maker can help you find the most cost-effective way to head into the new year with your logo on some cool stuff!
Holiday Gathering Event Planning & Coordination
Are you hosting your neighborhood’s holiday block party? In charge of an online Zoom happy hour? Your virtual assistant can research/select/purchase prizes, build photo slideshows, and organize themes and games. They can take care of all the little things you don't have the brain space for.
Blog Writing (Get Some In The Bank For Busy Times)
In just a few hours, a Freedom Maker can help you pre-write blogs for the busy weeks heading into the holidays, so you don't have to spend hours at your computer keeping up with your SEO.
Plan, Write & Send Holiday Newsletters
Are you thinking about announcing an end-of-year sale? Do you need some eye-catching graphics to include in your special-edition newsletter? Let a Freedom Maker build, schedule, and send it out – error-free.
Address List Maintenance (Business & Personal)
Have friends or family members moved since the last time you send them a holiday greeting? Do you have new clients in your CRM that should be added to specific mailing lists? You need to reconcile your address list if you send holiday cards each year! This is the perfect task for a virtual assistant. They can even purchase your cards, stamps, and mailing supplies, saving you time and a trip to the dreaded post office.
Customer Holiday Gift Management (including research, purchase & delivery)
It's the giving season! Your customers and clients will appreciate small tokens of your appreciation this holiday season. A Freedom Maker can do all the legwork to make them feel valued by you and your business.
Cost Audit Analysis For The Upcoming Year
Are you unclear about where your cash flow is going? Are you suspicious that your monthly business or personal subscriptions are unnecessarily eating into your bank account? A Freedom Maker virtual assistant can look at all your accounts for you so you can get a solid picture and understanding of where all the dollars are going. It is great to head into the new year with a clear picture of your finances!
Enhance Your Holiday Packaging
A virtual assistant can help you curate inserts for your customer mailings that are holiday themed. Think postcards, branded stickers, or cards. Outsourcing this small project to a Freedom Maker will have a big impact on your customers.
Planning, Creation, and Execution of Holiday Promotions On Social Media Platforms
Let a Freedom Maker help you run a giveaway or promotion on your social media platforms to give thanks to your community this holiday season. They will help you run a contest, illicit feedback through polls, or share a discount only available to online followers.
Holiday Vacation Cover (Customer Relations When Employees Are Out)
Outsource your business's “front office” interface while your offices are empty. Your virtual assistant can respond to website inquiries and email requests during holiday and vacation periods when your regular customer service coverage might be thin.
Capturing And Creating A "Look Ahead" Calendar For 2023
Do you have sticky notes and scraps of paper with good ideas all over your office or digital workspace? Let a Freedom Maker create a calendar filled with your brainstorms, so you don't lose your next significant innovation as you head into 2023. A virtual assistant can also introduce you to a project management system like Asana to help you take charge of and track all your plans in the new year.
2023 Strategic Planning Prep
Want to get started planning a company retreat or strategic planning session ? Your Freedom Maker can research facilitators, costs, locations, and even book spaces to take this task off your plate.
End-Of-Year E-File / CRM / Database Clean Up
If your CRM is a mess and your files are just thrown into your Google drive without rhyme or reason, you can use a Freedom Maker to organize your files and eliminate any redundancies. They can help you document, streamline and manage your records this holiday season, so your 2023 starts off on the right foot.

PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING YOU CAN THINK OF, YOUR FREEDOM MAKER CAN DO

The tasks and ideas listed above are only some of the things you should consider handing off to a virtual assistant during the upcoming busy holiday season. Short-term projects, one-off endeavors, end-of-year activities… our Freedom Makers have the flexibility and desire to help you with whatever you need.

Consider what you could outsource to help you find more time for joy and peace this holiday season! Then contact us (either your Freedom Maker or our internal team) and let us make that happen for you!

Why You Need A Social Media Marketing Assistant For Your Small Business

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 14:15:00 GMT

A social media presence is increasingly becoming an essential part of any marketing strategy. Outsourcing your social media marketing to a virtual assistant can help your small business build your brand’s online presence.

With over 4.5 billion social media users worldwide , social media marketing is a highly effective way to market your small business. It is a unique and unparalleled way to reach a large, disparate audience of potential clients and customers. Social media marketing drives increased traffic to small business websites and is a no-brainer in today’s competitive, 24/7 market environment.

However, even though most small business owners know they need to strategize and optimize their online presence, they find it difficult to imagine adding more to their already overflowing plates.

Bringing on a virtual assistant skilled in social media management is the best way to utilize this powerful, 21st-century marketing tool.

A social media marketing assistant works remotely to create, manage and maintain your company’s social media-related tasks. They work from home and can operate independently or under guidance, depending on your comfort level and desired amount of oversight.

SMALL INVESTMENT - BIG IMPACT

A virtual assistant specializing in social media marketing will use free-to-set-up social media channels, inexpensive online content creation tools, and low-cost social media scheduling sites like Buffer and Hootsuite. With these easily accessible cloud-based tools, a social media marketing virtual assistant can build brand awareness and help retain loyal customers more effectively than traditional sales or marketing channels allow.

When you hire a virtual assistant to develop or manage your social media marketing, you are only responsible for paying for the actual hours worked or the agreed-upon project rate. And because virtual assistants work independently, they are not distracted or multitasking when they are "on the clock." They are skilled time managers who are quick and nimble with social media tools for creating and posting due to their experience on the platforms. With a social media marketing assistant, you get a lot of bang for your buck.

Social media marketing virtual assistants are creative and artistic people who are also good at representing big thoughts and concepts in easy-to-understand, eye-catching graphics and images. They can quickly learn your brand and voice and channel it into clever, thought-provoking content that will resonate with those in your market space. They use best digital marketing practices to tell the story of your business, share company news, and interact with your community. Social media virtual assistants research the best strategies for engagement and can adapt to incorporate the latest trends and styles that drive the most likes and clicks. Keeping your image and priorities in focus, they can create campaigns that amplify your business.

Today, it is super easy for every small business to have an organized, cohesive, and creative online social media presence for a small investment in time and money.

A social media marketing assistant can:

Build, manage and maintain company social media channels, including Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter, and other relevant platforms based on your particular industry.

Create a brand guide for your business if you don’t yet have one, or execute your social media strategy using your colors, fonts, mission and vision statements, and tone of voice.

Monitor and respond to customers and clients who visit and comment on your social media platforms.

Develop overall concepts and strategies for social media “pushes."

Create content - blogs, posts, and videos - and schedule content to be shared with regular frequency on the company’s platforms.

Determine what content should be posted and when, keep a schedule and rotation of evergreen or recyclable content, and refresh content as necessary.

Optimize content following best search engine optimization (SEO) practices.

Implement strategies - like polls, that focus on increasing audience engagement.

Research social media trends and digital marketing strategies to build an authoritative voice in your business landscape.

Research and connect online with people, businesses, influencers, etc., who have shared business interests for networking and collaboration.

Write and coordinate the distribution of newsletters that tie in with social media strategies.

Proactively engage with online audiences by creating and monitoring specific hashtags.

Evolve your digital marketing strategy to incorporate new social media trends.

Social media is an effective way to market your small business. Although it is a new technique to find and appeal to a client base, it is also unparalleled in its ability to reach a large, disparate audience of potential clients and customers. Social media growth can take time, but the payback is worth the investment… especially when the investment is a small one!

A strategic, creative, and experienced social media marketing virtual assistant can help you grow your business’s following through authentic and organic social media engagements. At Freedom Makers Virtual Services , many of our virtual assistants have experience working as social media managers and supporting clients in various industry spaces. They have proven track records growing their client’s online presence and connecting with new customers, all while building relationships with existing clientele.

Contact Freedom Makers today to learn about our social media marketing virtual assistants who can help you build, take care of, and enhance your brand’s online presence!

Freedom Makers Virtual Services Merges with Re4ormed

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 04 Oct 2022 16:05:25 GMT

Leading military spouse virtual assistant agency will host weekly community support symposiums, develop partnerships and offer enhanced resources through vetted business products and services

Effective immediately, Freedom Makers Virtual Services (FMVS) has merged with Re4ormed to create The Forum . The Forum’s mission is to grow veteran and military spouse owned businesses by providing an ecosystem of support through “All Calls” and partner offerings.

The merger was a natural one. FMVS’s mission is to connect small business owners with professional, capable military spouse virtual assistants . This aligned well with Re4ormed’s goal to help veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs launch and grow their businesses. A new logo has been revealed as part of the merger and launch.

The founder of Re4ormed , Navy Veteran, Mark Mhley, says, “There is clearly defined entrepreneurial spirit shared by those who have worn our nation’s cloth and supported the defense of our nation. I believe that combining forces with FMVS will scale and improve our collective impact and amplify the voice of our community’s offerings.”

“All Calls” are a dynamic part of The Forum’s ecosystem. They consist of weekly, time-zone-based virtual support forums, quarterly professional symposiums and other networking events held throughout the year. All veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs are encouraged to join the community to “get a little help and give a little help” by sharing their businesses through executive pitches and connecting with one another online and in the real world.

The Forum’s directory of vetted partners, business services and products can be found on FMVS’s website. It provides a searchable catalog of enterprises that offer support and resources to small business patrons. It also features products from veteran and military spouse-owned companies.

“We believe small businesses make up the backbone of our country and military spouses are the backbone of our military,” Laura Renner, FMVS’s founder, says. “Veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs deserve marketplace access and resources. Supporting the growth and sustainability of small businesses and the income earning potential of military families are at the heart of what we do. Mark and I believe in each other’s missions and I’m honored and excited to partner with him.”

Renner is also a U.S. Air Force Academy graduate. After serving as a Public Relations Officer, she earned her International MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Renner currently serves as an Air Force Reservist.

About Freedom Makers Virtual Services:

FMVS was founded in 2015 and continues to grow. It’s built on a foundation of principles: freedom, transparency and striving for excellence. Because the virtual assistants who find work through FMVS are associated with the military, they understand how to be flexible and deliver top-notch service to small businesses and entrepreneurs who are working to grow and scale their companies. FMVS prides itself on delivering excellent, customized support while simultaneously proffering meaningful, flexible work for military spouses around the globe.

Why, How, and What Small Businesses Should Automate

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 27 Sep 2022 15:45:00 GMT

Automation is transforming the ways small businesses operate.

Once considered dangerous to small business survival, business automation is becoming the key to small business growth and scaling. Automation was once only available to large companies with cash to spend. Today, more and more small businesses and entrepreneurs are able to automate business processes as a way to manage costs, introduce new capabilities, and free up valuable hours better spent generating revenue.

No longer just animatronic robotic arms replacing humans on advanced assembly line floors, business automation uses technology applications to perform repetitive tasks. Today's business automation includes software platforms, software-as-a-service (SaaS), and artificial intelligence (AI) to power processes.

Cloud technology has freed companies from the expense of buying complex hardware server towers and hiring teams of IT specialists to maintain them. The entrance fee to modern applications is now low enough for many cash-conscious small business owners to consider how business automation might help their operations… and they are finding terrific success!

In a 2017 survey that interviewed 500 small businesses, Salesforce discovered that companies that automate some of their processes are 1.6-times more likely to grow than those that don't.

Intuitive automation platforms are not only helping small businesses grow and scale, but they can also help a small business owner get back to focusing on the special sauce of what their unique small business offers the marketplace – custom, personalized interactions, and specialized service offerings.

WHAT TO AUTOMATE

Freed up from the hours spent doing something a software program can complete in minutes, business owners can focus more on sales, networking, strategic growth planning, and innovation. Likewise, small businesses that adopt automation don't have to pour resources into hiring additional staff members or paying to revamp out-of-date operations. Automation can keep businesses streamlined and agile. Additionally, incorporating automation into small business processes can help a small business owner operate their company more smoothly and without human error, which saves additional company dollars.

If you are a small business owner, consider looking into these areas first as you begin your automation journey:

Marketing and Sales Processes

Making deals and closing sales will likely always require human involvement. But innovations in marketing technologies allow small businesses to reach wider audiences and increase sales potential. Marketing automation software targets customers on multiple channels with a consistent and cohesive strategy. Email, social media, and websites are united in their outreach to potential clients through automation integrations. This allows a business owner to generate more new leads and act more quickly on inquiries and website visits. Inexpensive and effective automation software programs like ActiveCampaign, Keep, Hubspot, and Ontraport can operate the baseline for your marketing endeavors and expand as you grow to accommodate your business's future needs.

Customer Relations Management and Customer Service

Automating some of your customer relations management (CRM) can help a small business build better, longer-lasting customer relationships. CRMs can maintain your client database, create drip campaigns and track contact points with potential customers and active clients. The client's journey becomes seamless with current cloud-based CRM tools, ensuring no balls are dropped, and no future customers are missed. Most CRM systems can help manage leads, alert to new opportunities, forecast sales, and even help to identify cyclical trends. CRM tools like Salesforce Sales Cloud, Pipedrive, and Zoho can help you deliver the type of customer experience that will help you convert more leads into sales.

Finance and Accounting

A large percentage of small businesses still rely entirely on human accountants to handle their companies' finances, even though automation exist that cut down on hours and helps prevent errors. Accounting automation helps to reconfigure workflows from manual, formulaic tasks. Software bots mimic human activity using robotic processing automation (RPA). The bots can repeat tasks faster and more accurately than even the most experienced human. Copying and pasting data, interpreting applications, and processing transactions can happen smoothly behind the scenes. And you can start small! Even relatively simple changes to your accounting process can make a difference. For example, optical character recognition (OCR) software can scan and digitize receipts, saving hours and inevitable data-entry mistakes. These developments in automated payment processing can speed up the time between invoices submitted and bills paid, keeping clients and employees happy and content. Some accounting automation technologies to look into are Xero, Intuit QuickBooks, FreshBooks, and Wave.

START SMALL

If starting your automation journey still seems daunting, try starting with something smaller.

Automating your appointment scheduling is an excellent entry to more complex business process automation. Software like Calendly or Calendarwiz helps de-conflict schedules when booking appointments and allows potential clients to find time with you when it works best for both parties. Gone is the back-and-forth trying to settle on a day or time. The flexibility and ease (automatic reminders!) of an appointment scheduling platform will save you time and energy – the ultimate goal of all business automation.

Automation in a tiny area - like calendar management - can help you see the potential for where it will work for your business in other areas.

Finally, if automation interests you but technology is not your thing, reach out to Freedom Makers Virtual Services! Our military spouse virtual assistants are trained on a wide variety of automated technologies and platforms. They are well versed in new cloud-based technologies and can help you identify and figure out the right platforms for your business.

Why Virtual Assistants Are In High Demand

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 20 Sep 2022 15:37:42 GMT

The demand for virtual assistant support services is increasing. The secret is out – virtual assistants are a valuable asset to any business.

But as recently as a decade ago, the idea of an assistant working remotely was nearly unheard of. Remote work, or "working from home," is any work environment where team members do not need to share the same physical space. Remote work is often done by individuals who are spread out across different locations or in different time zones.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, remote work was typically only utilized as a special arrangement for upper or middle management to accommodate specific cases, commuting conflicts, or hardships. It was not often extended as an option to those who make up a company's foundational levels of support.

TECHNOLOGY ADVANCES FACILITATE REMOTE WORK

However, technological advances over the last five years have made remote workfor support staff not only possible, but often, preferable.

Mobile work tools like laptops and cellphones, cloud-based project management platforms like Asana and Trello, interconnected communication channels like Slack, Google Suite, and Skype, and video conferencing like Zoom and Google Meet have become standard workplace tools for teams sharing an office or working geographically apart from each other.

Technology now allows all workers to get the same job done, no matter where in the world they are.

CHANGING PERCEPTIONS ABOUT REMOTE WORK

Working from home once had a bad reputation. But today, new research is emerging that proves remote workers are just as likely to be productive and successful as workers who commute to an office environment each day.

The company Ergotron polled 1,000 remote and hybrid workers about their productivity and wellness. Like many others, Ergotron found that working from home improves work-life balance, increases productivity, and fosters healthier lifestyles. Specifically:

56% of those polled reported improvements to their mental health due to remote work

40% of workers report working longer hours now that they are remote/hybrid (helping to dismantle the myth that remote workers are not productive)

With data like that, it is not surprising that for those who have a workplace outside of their home, 61% choose not to go into their workplace. They are happier and more productive! With more and more businesses becoming comfortable with outsourcing work to remote teams, outsourcing support tasks to a virtual assistant has become more appealing and desirable.

VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS ON THE RISE

Virtual assistants like the ones in the Freedom Makers Virtual Services community are independent professionals who provide critical support services to businesses and entrepreneurs from remote environments. They are highly-skilled contractors that can help a company with various tasks, ranging from administrative and technical to marketing and creative work.

They are hard-working customer service specialists, executive assistants, social media creators and blog writers, and data and operations managers . They have extensive experience using cloud-based platforms like:

Asana, Process Street, Trello, Clio, Microsoft Planner, etc.
Zoho
MailChimp
Salesforce
Streak
Quickbooks
Google Suite
Canva
HootSuite
Buffer
MailChimp and Constant Contact

Business owners have begun to recognize the benefits of outsourcing their administrative support to a virtual assistant to reduce their workload and increase the overall productivity of their business. Today, more and more companies, regardless of size, are looking to outsource their support tasks to talented, qualified virtual assistants.

When polled, the most highly reported reasons for the demand for virtual assistants are cost savings and time savings.

COST SAVING

Of course, all companies, regardless of size, look to save money on overhead. Every little bit counts. Many businesses are downsizing from expensive corporate spaces and eliminating redundant employee hiring. Instead, business owners are looking to save money by investing in virtual assistants who are knowledgeable about and comfortable with cloud-based technologies.

Business owners are also finding they can reduce their capital needs by outsourcing tasks to virtual assistants.

The cost of engaging a virtual assistant is substantially less than hiring a traditional employee due in large part because virtual assistants are 1099 workers. Business owners do not have to pay the same taxes they would for a full-time employee or provide employee benefits like medical or dental healthcare or paid vacation leave.

Because virtual assistants work from home and can utilize flexible schedules, they are typically happier workers who are more productive and stay engaged with their company for more extended periods of time.

Virtual assistants are in high demand because, with remote workers, there is less churn. And if a virtual assistant does step away, it is typically less costly to replace them with someone with a similar set of skills than it is to replace a traditional employee.

Additionally, virtual assistants are hired based on the specific needs and requirements of the business or entrepreneur, so they can be brought on as part-time or full-time team members, paid hourly, or contracted project-by-project as needs arise. Virtual assistants are only paid for the work completed as agreed upon at the beginning of the relationship. Due to fluctuating cash flows, most business owners find this arrangement far more preferable and cost-effective than bringing an employee into a traditional office environment. Not having to provide physical office space, desks, computers, etc., helps keep overhead low.

Also, management and training costs are reduced when virtual assistants are brought onto teams. Virtual assistants can perform different support endeavors due to their exposure to other industries. To remain competitive in their field, they must know and train on a wide variety of platforms. Our military spouse virtual assistants - our Freedom Makers - have a range of skills and depth of technical understanding, making them capable in many areas.

Freedom Makers, and virtual assistants in general, have a bias toward learning that can be an extraordinary benefit to business owners who don't have the time or capacity to be forward-looking themselves.

Additionally, because they often work for multiple clients, virtual assistants are used to adapting to different management styles. They can quickly learn the ins and outs of various business systems and environments. Without having to constantly invest in training a traditional employee to new technologies or emerging platforms, business owners find more capital available for other areas of their business.

Virtual assistants are in high demand because business owners can lower their costs while simultaneously building up their teams efficiently and increasing the quality of the work produced.

TIME SAVINGS

Because virtual assistants typically take on administrative , tactile, or repetitive tasks, they can vastly free up the time of other members of the team so that they can do things more geared toward revenue building or lead generation. Note-taking, submitting monthly expenses, tracking invoices, creating content for social media platforms, and responding to customer inquiries are essential to the operation of a business. Still, they take a lot of time when more critical tasks are at hand. When business owners delegate these support services to a virtual assistant, they find they have the brain space to think strategically, network with energy and enthusiasm, and develop new ideas.

Virtual assistants are in demand because they work IN the business, allowing owners and entrepreneurs to work ON the business.

When business owners aren't locked into low-level (yet essential) tasks, they can innovate and grow their company. In fact, one of the reasons virtual assistants are currently in such high demand is because the statistics show that outsourcing administrative tasks like email and calendar management , customer support efforts, and blog writing can bridge the gap between startup and growth.

84.4% of business owners interviewed by VirtuDesk expressed a positive impact on their business since outsourcing tasks to a virtual assistant. Many report hitting higher growth rates due to the contributions of their virtual assistants and that they can focus more on complicated tasks.

It just makes sense.

If you are a business owner, burnt out on blog writing or coming up with clever social media posts each day, you begin to dread the time you will have to spend doing these tasks. You've committed yourself to your social media strategy, but writing doesn't come easily to you, and you find building posts tedious and frustrating. The anticipation of the task each week causes you anxiety and stress, which can be distracting even when you are working on other tasks. Just knowing you need to sit down and spend a chunk of time hammering out a blog for your website can be distressing! You might wind up procrastinating or spinning your wheels toward exhaustion. Valuable hours are down the drain.

Blog writing and social media management are the perfect tasks to outsource to an efficient virtual assistant or support specialist. A creative virtual assistant who enjoys writing can complete this essential job in less time than it would take you. They can quickly find your voice and channel your brand's message into powerful posts that convert scrollers to subscribers. The focus and experience they bring to the task you dread ensures a better overall result.

THE SKY IS THE LIMIT FOR THE DEMAND FOR VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS

Business owners know that time and energy are their most valuable and least renewable resources. For a fraction of the money it would take to bring on a traditional employee - or to do the task themselves - they are choosing to outsource jobs to a virtual assistant. Virtual assistants are in high demand because they are increasingly becoming the key that allows a business owner to redistribute their time, energy, and cash flow to the things that add value to their business.

Invest In A Virtual Assistant To Save Time, Money and Energy

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 30 Aug 2022 15:27:40 GMT

Starting a small business can be a lonely experience.

Even though some of the roads on the journey to small business ownership are similar, and the overall experience of entrepreneurship is a shared one, no two small businesses are exactly the same.

Every small business owner will encounter a set of circumstances unique to them.

Perhaps it is because of that loneliness, there is a camaraderie that exists between entrepreneurs. Small business owners share a robust community with each other. Business owners who have struggled often try to help others avoid making their same missteps.

And those who have found success – or have discovered a trick or tip that might make someone else’s journey easier – are more often than not eager to share it. Successful entrepreneurs are happy to answer questions and be interviewed on podcasts to explain how they got to where they are and they often point out the mistakes they made along the way.

Most small business owners look to inspire and encourage others coming along, so owning a small business can feel isolating, but the community as a whole is more congenial than cutthroat.

TROUBLE AHEAD - AVOID THIS PITFALL

One of the mistakes entrepreneurs and owners of startup companies often recall in interviews is that in the early days, they tried to do everything themselves. Many remember wearing multiple hats to take care of all their business’s needs in the early days of their company’s existence. They thought they had to do everything themselves and inevitably felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of daily tasks on their to-do list.

They all speak of the growing mountain of daily stresses that relentlessly pushed them toward burnout, the mental exhaustion brought on by prolonged stress.

They fell into the trap of believing that only they could do all the work to keep their company up and running. Motivated by perceived monetary constraints or the belief that no one else was capable, they tried to go it alone. And then, each recall, they became overwhelmed by the never-ending onslaught of administrative details.

Business owners that have weathered a few storms and notched some wins along the way often recognize the same key ingredient that helped ensure their business' success. At some point in their journey, they recognized that they had to become super-efficient with their time and carefully manage how they spent their energy. They had to dedicate most of their time and effort to the activities leading to new business development and the company’s growth. And to innovate and create revenue, they had to prioritize and delegate.

The tip many small business owners share over and over with those in the very early days of their startup is this: If you aren’t proactive in managing your time, you can find yourself running in place for hours and weeks at a time, taking care of all the things that keep the wheels of your company spinning, but not actually moving forward.

PRO TIP: If you aren’t proactive in managing your time, you can find yourself running in place for hours and weeks at a time, taking care of all the things that keep the wheels of your company spinning but not actually moving forward.

NATURAL LEADERS: DIFFICULTY DELEGATING

Although small business owners are usually natural-born leaders , delegating tasks to others is often outside of their comfort area.

But because they always have to have an eye on strategic planning and be focused on the endeavors that bring in revenue, small business owners need to be willing to hand off smaller tasks so they can focus more effectively on the bigger ones.

Successful entrepreneurs will tell you that YOU are where the rubber hits the road as a business owner! Essential tasks like networking, sales outreach, partnership building, and the big ideas will always be your responsibility because you have the passion, vision, and drive that will propel the company’s growth and ensure its survival.

But how will you find the time and energy to do all those essential things if you are mired in the maintenance-focused, redundant weekly and monthly tasks?

When you delegate your businesses’ administrative work, you will be free to handle the higher-level tasks that are more appropriate for your skillset.

Those administrative and operations-focused tasks should fall to a virtual assistant .

DELEGATE TASKS TO A VIRTUAL ASSISTANT

A virtual assistant can begin helping your business almost instantaneously. They will take on whatever you want to hand off: blog writing, inbound marketing strategy development, CRM management , invoicing, bookkeeping, electronic filing, data entry, and calendar management. They can help with workflows and establish procedural-related to-do list items like making/receiving phone calls and appointment scheduling. Virtual assistants can also manage email accounts and social media engagements, conduct research, and facilitate operations . Or, you can bring on a virtual assistant to handle your personal life’s administration so you can spend those hours brainstorming about your business.

Because virtual assistants are utility players, they can often fill gaps and create safety nets so that nothing slips through the cracks. And because they are paid hourly and work as 1099 contractors, they cost a fraction of the rate you would pay yourself or a full-time employee.

Those same successful tips-and-tricks-sharing entrepreneurs? Their other repeated message to business owners in their early days: don’t be afraid to spend a little money to save your time and energy.

PRO TIP: Spend a little money to save your time and energy.

Almost every small business owner who has invested in a virtual assistant will tell you that the choice to spend some money to save their time and energy was more than worth it in the end. They will testify that a virtual assistant is a cost-effective way to hand off administrative tasks or get specialized support in the areas where they need the most help.

Take this example: You are a business owner who has hit the point of exhaustion when it comes to payroll each month. Processing payroll can be complex and tedious, and it is absolutely critical to get it right. You also must maintain your records for reference if there is a discrepancy between an employee’s net pay and what they expect to receive. You’ve figured out how to do it, but the process plagues you each month and causes you stress and anxiety. Not to mention the time it takes and all the other tasks that have to wait so you can give payroll your full attention.

This is the perfect task to hand off to an efficient support specialist. A virtual assistant who enjoys doing payroll can also help streamline the process to make it more efficient. They can complete this essential job in less time than it would take you. Payroll for your business is the only thing on your virtual assistant’s plate during the hours they work on it. The focus and experience they bring to the task can ensure fewer errors and smoother execution.

Time and time again, virtual assistants prove their worth and add value . Successful business owners happily - and loudly - credit their virtual assistant as being the difference-maker at critical junctures in their business’s growth. Often the addition of a virtual assistant is just the thing that can help propel a company that is on the cusp of a breakthrough.

Successful entrepreneurs will all tell you that time is your most valuable resource. For a small investment, a virtual assistant can handle the tasks that steal your time so you can redistribute your energy to the things that add value to your business. The extra set of hands - and the alleviation of stress - could be just what your small business needs to make it up the next step on the ladder to success.

Get started outsourcing your administrative support work today by contacting Freedom Makers . Not only are we a small business and part of the entrepreneurial community, but we can provide a solution to your support needs!

The Value Of A Virtual Assistant

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 23 Aug 2022 15:30:24 GMT

At Freedom Makers Virtual services, we are fortunate that many new clients find their way to us through referral. Often during sales calls, we discover that a small business owner has heard about our business model and the excellent military spouse virtual assistants in our agency through a friend or business colleague. The referring acquaintance is usually a loyal and long-term client who has benefited from their relationship with their Freedom Maker for years. But sometimes, the referring peer will be a client who is newer to our roster and already seeing the benefits of outsourcing tasks to a virtual assistant. They are eager to share their good fortune with others.

It only takes a few weeks to begin experiencing and understanding the true benefit and value a virtual assistant can bring.

Many prospective clients reach out to us because they are already intrigued! Motivated by the success their friend is having with their virtual assistant, they are excited about the possibility of freeing up a few hours in their schedule each day. They are enticed by the thought of handing off some of the repetitive administrative tasks plaguing them.

They are ready to learn more about what kind of value our virtual assistants could bring to them.

But even though they've taken the first step to explore our business and learn about our military spouse virtual assistants, some small business owners are hesitant. They’re not immediately convinced they should pay for a virtual assistant to do the work they have been doing themselves.

Small business owners are universally reticent about parting with their earnings. And for good reason! They typically operate with slim margins and they want to be confident that the investment in a virtual assistant will add value both in the short term, and the long run.

We feel this.

Because Freedom Makers Virtual Services is a small company, we deeply understand the need entrepreneurs have to watch costs and guard assets. Even though we are seven years old and have notched many successes in growth and scaling over the years, we still examine even the most minor expenditures. For example, at FMVS, we take stock and regularly audit our monthly subscriptions to ensure we extract the maximum value from each expense.

That frugality is why we don't require any clients (old or new) to sign contracts that commit them to a minimum amount of hours or payment. They are free to use their Freedom Maker for as many hours or as few hours as they feel comfortable with -- even if that amount varies weekly. Doing away with contracts or minimums is one way we honor the challenges small business owners face. Fluctuating cash flows characterize the small business landscape! We believe there is inherent value in not being locked into an expenditure if circumstances change.

The Value of a Virtual Assistant

Simply put, a virtual assistant is an independent professional who provides critical support services to businesses and entrepreneurs from a remote environment. Virtual assistants are highly-skilled contractors who can help you with various tasks, from administrative and technical to marketing and creative work.

Many of the tasks a virtual assistant does are the ones you as a small business owner have to do but tend to put off until the last minute. They are the things that feel overwhelming week after week. They are the monotonous administrative to-do items that must be completed consistently and accurately. They are the ever-present tasks that are simultaneously super important but not of the utmost urgency. They are the agenda items with multiple, repeated steps that need following or a system that needs to be executed. They involve a workflow or are a critical part in the completion of one.

Ask yourself: what is it in your business that takes up your time, is essential to your business running smoothly, but you pretty much loathe doing week after week?

Consider these tasks when you run through all the things you take care of on a daily or weekly basis:

Blog writing
Travel arrangements
Email follow up
Making/receiving phone calls
Calendar management
Appointment setting
Researching new market niches
Bookkeeping
Customer intake
Customer contact
Social media engagement and scheduling
Graphic design
Marketing events follow up
Building document templates
Form management
Creating monthly flyers
Website updates
Customer Relations Management (CRM) / Database support

Virtual assistants are skilled and talented at the exact things you do not enjoy doing. They specialize in the very things that tax your passion and eat your time, and because of this, they add immeasurable value to your business and life.

How?

Virtual assistants can improve your day-to-day work-life balance , which will help you reconsider your mentality around the equation of money versus time and energy. Small business owners HAVE to focus heavily on the money aspect, but they often sacrifice too much of their energy and time thinking they are saving money. Time and time again, this is proven to be a falsehood.

Those happy small business owners that send their friends our way?

They've learned an elusive small business secret: spending a little money to save their time actually protects their energy! And they experience a secondary win. They've discovered that when they outsource the daily admin work that drains them to a virtual assistant, they are reinvigorated. They wind up making the most of the way they spend the time they've saved.

By delegating specific tasks, you will have more time for your business's mission . You can have the energy to grow your business without being slowed down. Your workday can actually end at 5 pm rather than 10:00 because you will have handed off those time-intensive administrative tasks that are a hindrance to getting home to your family or just getting out of the office.

Still not convinced? Take a look at this simple math:

If you figure your time, energy and expertise are worth approximately $150/hour, spending 2 hours on administrative tasks will "cost" you $300.

An experienced, versatile military spouse virtual assistant -- like the Freedom Makers we have onboarded -- will charge an hourly rate between $38 and $46 per hour.

For the same $300, you could afford nearly 6 hours of outsourced work! That is three times the amount of work accomplished. With the addition of a virtual assistant, your business has the potential to be three times more productive.

Instead of getting one blog written for $300, your virtual assistant could bank three!

The value - both monetary and intangible - becomes apparent quickly.

Your Freedom Maker is an efficient, independent professional. When your virtual assistant takes on the responsibilities that are "beneath" your paygrade, their work IN your business will free up your time to spend however you choose.

To bring more value to your time and your business, contact Freedom Makers Virtual Services today for a free consultation. We are experts at helping you find the right virtual workforce member to complete your team and bring actual value -- both in the short term AND in the long run -- to your business.

Email Nirvana Is Within Reach

Tue, 16 Aug 2022 15:54:06 GMT

nir-va-na

/nərˈvänə,nirˈvänə/
a transcendent state in which there is neither suffering nor desire

Even though many new online tools are used today for workplace communication, Email still reigns supreme… or at least reigns most ubiquitous. But Email can be a frustrating, tedious, and time-consuming process. Achieving email nirvana often feels impossible. But it IS within reach!

While computer-based messaging began in the 1960s, the first ‘@’ symbol wasn’t used until 1971. That ‘@’ ushered in the era of modern email communication as we know it today. Email addresses have become a necessary baseline for businesses, governments, educational outlets, commerce, and daily-life communication between friends, family members, and colleagues.

Many tools newer than Email claim to boost and enhance communication. Some are, in fact, super effective at what they do. Instant messaging platforms like Skype, Facebook Messenger, Google Chat, and Jabber are great for internal teams. Some others like Microsoft Teams, Slack, Trello, and (our favorite) Asana are even better for quick collaboration and group endeavors.

But Email continues to dominate the modern office thanks to its flexibility and reach.

Email is the most widely used modern communication in part because everyone knows how to use it, and access to Email is easy and free. Email has the added benefit of creating documented records of correspondence, eliminating confusion or he-said, she-said situations.

But Email does have some limitations. Checking Email frequently throughout the day can be distracting and dampen productivity. Spending time composing something because it creates a record - even when not urgent - can be a time suck. And the tone or context of an email isn’t always readily identifiable.

And one of the biggest problems of our modern-day use of Email is the crowded, overloaded inbox, full of spam, irrelevant material, unrequested marketing onslaughts, and phishing attempts.

Absolutely necessary and yet also ridiculously difficult to manage.

Email is a double-edged sword.

If at the end of the day, you’re tired, and you feel like you’ve been working so hard, but you look at your To-Do list, and very little has been checked off… what were you doing all day?

The answer is likely: checking, responding to mail, and putting out fires in your inbox.

A 2016 study conducted by the Harvard Business Review set out to examine how a CEO spends their time each day. 27 CEOs had their movements and time tracked for over 60,000 hours. Surprisingly, researchers discovered that emailing took up about 24% of a CEO’s time.

Many business owners spend time sorting, reading, and opening (but not even responding) to their emails. Without a system of organization, Email can quickly become a significant drain on productivity.

Having a plan of attack to have your emails automatically organized and attended to is critical for maintaining a competitive advantage over your competitors and not losing a ton of time on a task that doesn’t need all of your attention.

You CAN take control of your Email and, in so doing, take control of your day.

At Freedom Makers Virtual Services, we have compiled 10 best practice tips for managing your inbox. Scroll to the bottom for a PDF download for more detail. Email Nirvana is within your reach!

TIP #1: Set up an auto-responder outlining your availability.

TIP #2: Use Forms to collect information from clients and prospective buyers that you usually get through Email.

TIP #3: Create a separate “clients only” email address for the most crucial inbound mail.

TIP #4 : Use a customer service software to assign work to your team.

TIP #5: Use a messenger app for internal team communication (see above!)

TIP #6: Create templates for recurring tasks.

TIP #7: Create templates for commonly sent emails.

TIP #8: Systemize when you respond to particular messages

TIP #9: Use a calendar app for scheduling meetings

TIP #10: Change your email settings.

Click here to download more details about each tip, and look out for a bonus tip to help you get even more done with less energy spent!

Take the path to Email Nirvana and reclaim your time! With a clean inbox and systems in place to keep it that way, you will become more productive and be able to focus on the bigger task of growing your business.

MoneyTale$ Podcast: Money vs. Time vs. Energy, with Laura Renner

Tue, 09 Aug 2022 16:22:22 GMT

Laura was a guest on the MoneyTale$ Podcast!

MoneyTale$ is a podcast that dispells the myth that money is a taboo topic. The MoneyTale$' co-hosts, Sandi Bragar and Cammie Doder, interview leaders to demystify money. Their goal with the podcast is to help others learn the vocabulary and skills needed to understand, evaluate and financially plan for life!

Check out the MoneyTale$ website for Laura's and other episodes!

TRANSCRIPT:

In American society, money is a taboo topic. We're taught at a young age it's improper to talk about it, but we're also bombarded with messages about the power and importance of money in our everyday lives. And by not talking about it, we miss out on the skills and lessons we need – need to effectively understand and financially plan.

That changes today.

Welcome to MoneyTales . Hosted by Sandi Bragar and Cammie Doder, MoneyTales brings more than 35 years of combined professional experience and personal finance to demystify money and demonstrate what it's like to speak openly about personal financial matters. Join us each episode as we interview modern-day movers and shakers about how many decisions intertwine with their daily lives. In order to give you better insight into productive financial conversations, subscribe today and register for our blog Fathom@asperient.com podcasts to increase your money mojo. And now here's Cammie and Sandi.

INTRODUCTION

Hi, this is Cammie. Laura Renner is our guest this week on MoneyTales. Laura is a United States Air Force Academy graduate with an MBA who found herself walking dogs and dog sitting to make ends meet as she launched her third and current business. While she enjoyed being with the dogs, she knew it wasn't prestigious work and felt a little bit ashamed because that's not something that you imagine an MBA doing. However, after talking about it with a friend, Laura realized that she was happy, and doing this temporary work allowed her to self-fund a business that she cared so much about. Laura is a member of the US. Air Force Reserve. She founded her business Freedom Makers Virtual Services , out of a passion to help small business owners and military families. As a small business owner herself, she understands the stress and challenges that come with being a business owner and the difficulties that military spouses have building and maintaining a career when they may be transferred at a moment's notice. Through Freedom Makers Virtual Services, Laura creates freedom for business owners and military spouses.

Hi, this is Sandi. Here are three key MoneyTales conversation topics Laura hits on in this conversation. First, how people tend to focus on the cost of things rather than on time and energy. Laura talks about the value of doing more of the things that give you energy and being willing to pay to outsource the things that take an equivalent amount of time and drain your energy. The net value creation can be much greater. Second, the importance of learning how to manage cash flow in a small business environment. And third, how understanding your values allows you to live those values. If you like this episode, be sure to share it with a friend and please subscribe to MoneyTales on your favorite podcasting platform. Now onto our conversation with Laura Renner.

CAMMIE: Hello MoneyTalk listeners. This is Cammie and I'm here with my cohost Sandi.

SANDI: Hi Cammie, it's great to be here today.

CAMMIE: I'm excited for this conversation and Sandi, I was reading the bio of our guests and noticed that she went to the same business school as my husband. They're separated by five years, and he was just at his reunion, just a great experience. He met amazing people, learned a ton. But in the context of this conversation, I was starting to think about business goal because my reunion was also recently. Here's an education that's kind of all about money... It's definitely a big investment of money. I was thinking about the money conversations in business school, which were about investments, and you would talk about salaries, but never really what the purpose of money was, Sandi!

SANDI: Oh, interesting. Were you aware of that at the time?

CAMMIE: I wasn't. I wish I was. Really? I think it would have helped. When we were talking about recruiting and what our intentions were, it was almost like you had to be talking about what was going to maximize the potential salary.

SANDI: I'm curious, Cammie. Were you taught how to negotiate for salaries at that time?

CAMMIE: There was a negotiations class that you took – one, but not much. I don't remember the recruiting center really helping you think through that at all. It was sort of like, if you get the offer, take it.

SANDI: Interesting.

CAMMIE: It is interesting.

SANDI: That is so interesting. I remember once getting a job offer that I really wanted. I had uprooted myself, moved to a new city, didn't know anybody, tried to get into a new profession. It didn't work, and I just desperately needed a job. So I was delighted to get the offer and I took it, and I left that job three years later, the person who ran to practice asked, are you a little surprised by why you got so many really high raises compared to your peers? And I said, oh, well, I didn't really realize that. And he said, well, yeah, because you didn't negotiate on your way in. You should always negotiate on your way in. That was a big learning for me. I was so naive and again, just so pleased to have a job. So I was always curious about business schools. There was a lot of preparation down there.

CAMMIE: Sandi, not in my experience, but I think you're shining a light on something that's really important, and maybe it's changing these days. Maybe through MoneyTales, it's changing.

SANDI: I hope so.

CAMMIE: Let me introduce our guest today. Welcome, Laura Renner. It's wonderful to have you with us on Money Tales.

LAURA: Thank you for having me. I'll add that in my one negotiations class, all I remember them saying is that because your salary at new jobs are based on your salary at your last job, by not negotiating that first salary, women generally lose out on a million dollars in salary over the lifetime. I hope that's changing, especially with a lot of state laws prohibiting asking what the previous salary was to help alleviate that gender pay gap. But that's the one thing I remember from the negotiations class I took.

SANDI: Well, that's a good lesson. Oh my goodness. A million dollars. That's a lot of money.

CAMMIE: And I don't want to rely on state laws. I want it changing through mindset and attitude, walking in and coaching.

SANDI: Laura, would you please introduce yourself and share two to three pivotal moments that really impacted you, influencing who you are today and what you're doing.

LAURA: My name is Laura. I'm the founder of Freedom Makers Virtual Services, a virtual assistance agency where we pair military spouses with small business owners to support them remotely. And I think that's a part of the pivotal moment of who I am because it's going back to I don't know about going back to salary, but just this whole idea of the underemployment levels in military spouses because of how frequently they move and so being able to provide flexible working opportunities for them, but meet a need for small business owners too. So it's just like a win-win in that regard. I grew up military. My dad was career Army. I was born on a military base, had my first passport at four months old, went straight to the Air Force Academy out of high school, so I stayed in the military. But I realized while I was at the Academy that I was more interested in business strategy versus national security. And so I left in my mid to late twenty s and went to business school right out of the Air Force. And it was during that time I graduated from business school literally the day before my 30th birthday.

And for whatever reason, that meant a lot to me, but now it's whatever. So I spent the better part of my 30s really taking time to discover who I am and what drives me and what is the purpose of money in my life and the kind of life I want to live, and things like that. That led to the third phase of my life, and that is around being an entrepreneur and being a leader and designing the life I want to live through my business, because my business and my life are kind of wanting the same.

CAMMIE: I'm curious, what did you do in the Air Force?

LAURA: I was a public affairs officer, so really the equivalent of public relations. And then I wasn't training to become a foreign area officer. They generally work at the Embassies, fostering military exchange programs, things like that.

CAMMIE: You're growing up in this transient family because you've moved in a lot of places. Tell us what were the conversations you all were having around money?

LAURA: One of the things too is my dad was a spender in the family and my mom was the saver. So it was more about that battle clash, if you will.

SANDI: How does that manifest itself Laura?

LAURA: It manifested a lot of fighting. My mom was also an immigrant and I remember her saying that my dad drank a lot of soda and she thought that every American drank a lot of soda and he's like a young private at this time, they could have been saving a lot of money not buying soda. And once she figured that out, she immediately prevented him from buying. I remember that story is a thing that manifested of pinching pennies where you need to type thing in ways that may or may not be fulfilling from a lifestyle standpoint. I mean, he switched to coffee. He was fine.

CAMMIE: As we know, coffee is not cheap.

LAURA: Well, back then, maybe, right? But often times people, when they're thinking about money, they feel like they have to suffer without really having some of the things they love. When you really maybe not all of it, but you can with some of it. And just figuring out, going back to what you were saying about if you know what the purpose of the money is in your life and you can prioritize and give yourself something that means something to you regardless of how much you're making or how much you have.

SANDI: Laura, what was that like for you as a child, seeing your parents argue about money?

LAURA: My brother and I, we both took away from responsibility in the sense of making sure we always had a cushion. And my mom was very debt averse. So my brother has that mentality. Today I'd say I'm more debt tolerant, but I feel comfortable with how I use debt. I personally think I'm responsible with how I use debt as a way to grow my business or things like that. But I think that's something that we took away from it. We watched, especially after my parents split our dad struggle. Granted, that was through the lens of our mother, but we watched him struggle financially, and we watched her make ends meet when he was making a lot more than her. Yet she seemed to make ends meet, and he always seemed to be broke, which also is a mentality thing too. And I think that's probably a big lesson I've learned, is whether or not you think you have money. There's a mentality around that in addition to reality, right? Absolutely.

CAMMIE: Can we drill into that? Tell us what that means to you.

LAURA: So I remember my dad, he acts like he doesn't have money. He's always like, I can't afford that, or I can't do that because I can't afford that. And one day I asked him how much he made, and I was blown away. I was like, Wait, you make that much and you think you don't have any money? Whereas my mom was uneducated retail worker making minimum wage or just above minimum wage. Yet somehow, we didn't have debt collectors coming to us. We didn't have late notice payments type thing. We never had that. So she somehow made it work. We certainly weren't living high on or whatever that phrase is, but she could make things happen for us when we really wanted it, and she somehow made that work. Whereas my dad's immediate mentality, anytime you ask me, I don't have any money, I can't afford. That's his default response to anything. You would think he wasn't making good money when he was working and he was making decent money.

SANDI: You're taking this all in. As young person, you decided to go to the Air Force Academy. Were you thinking about money for yourself at that point and bringing in this idea of cushion and making sure you had enough?

LAURA: I was thinking, too, about how people's relationship with money is also driven or bounded by fear. As I mentioned, my mom was an immigrant. We knew nothing about college. My dad hadn't gone to college. And what we saw was that anyone who went out of state from my high school seemed to come back after one year, and she thought it was because they couldn't afford out of state tuition. I didn't know any better. I didn't know maybe they were homesick or had trouble adjusting. Like, we just all thought it was because they didn't have the money. So that was a big reason why I went to the Academy, because that was a guaranteed four year scholarship to school. I would not have to worry about finding enough scholarships or grants for my 2nd, 3rd, 4th years of college, because that was the number one rule, is we could not take on student loan debt for college.

CAMMIE: That was the family mantra.

LAURA: Exactly. That was her number one rule. We could not take on student loan debt. So that was one of the big reasons I went to the academy.

SANDI: So did you feel squeezed by that?

LAURA: I can't say I enjoyed the academy while I was there. I'm certainly grateful now, and I appreciate it now. And of course, I look back on it with fond memories. I remember one semester I took something like eight classes, and it was just because they were all interesting to me. That's the only reason I took them. And I remember my mom saying, I'm so glad I'm not paying for your school, because I wouldn't have the heart to tell you you can't take all those classes because I can't afford it. So I was aware of the freedom it was offering me, and I majored in English. But it's an engineering school. I know how plane flies. I know how engines work. I know how satellites orbit. And I appreciate it knowing that, especially as a liberal arts major, as much as it sucks.

CAMMIE: Laura, we talked about business school, but let's talk about the Air Force Academy. Were they providing any financial literacy at school? And if so, what was it?

LAURA: Absolutely not. My freshman year, we made $60 a month. All of our books were paid for dorm, clothes, food. Everything was paid for, and we got a whopping $60 a month. I remember my senior year, our pay went up to I want to say 150 or 250 a month. And I remember my very first big purchase I ever made was a TV, and I was able to buy it with one paycheck, and I was like, oh, look at this. And we were able to get loans going into our junior year, if I remember correctly, that the payments weren't going to be due until we graduated. They used to call it a car loan because most cadets would use it to buy a car, but at that point, we could use it for anything. But I don't remember getting any kind of financial literacy education outside of just being paid.

SANDI: Did you take advantage of that loan?

LAURA: If I remember correctly, I gave it to my mom and she invested it, and I'm not sure what happened to it after that. You're stuck at first, mom.

SANDI: There's some wisdom in that. You're studying English, you're learning all sorts of engineering, and you become interested in business.

LAURA: I'm not sure how that happened. So there was one management class, and I remember learning about Southwest Airlines in that class. I remember learning the Air Force will take on different management techniques, and I remember learning about one of those, and I can't say it was so much business, but rather strategy. I was very interested in strategy and in the military, yes, you can have impact on strategy. Anyone can have impact on strategy in your office or on your team. But the young, immature me wanted strategy at the biggest level, and it takes 20 years to get up there in the military. But in business, depending on the size of the company, you can have impact on strategy from day one. And that's what was attractive to me. And I remember my one corporate job suggesting something to the president, and he agreed to it. I was blown away by that, a manager level. And the president took one of my ideas and ran with it. And I'm like, oh, wow, that's exactly what I was hoping for, having impact on strategy.

CAMMIE: I mean, this was your first job out of business school.

LAURA: Yes, except I started a business in between business school and that job.

CAMMIE: Okay, let's start there, because you mentioned something as you were introducing yourself about entrepreneurship being where you felt more in control of your life. And for those of us who see entrepreneurship as great risk, that's an interesting way of positioning things. So tell us what drew you to entrepreneurship.

LAURA: I will say one of the things, too, that I took from my mom was I became very averse to feeling trapped. And what I mean by that is, when I was in high school, she was in a pretty toxic work environment, and I remember asking her, Why doesn't she just leave? And she said, Because I need the health insurance for her line of work to leave, to go to another store. She'd have to start from the bottom without health insurance and stay long enough to be eligible for it. This is 20 years ago, and I remember feeling I never want to be in that situation where I'm in an environment that I don't want to be in, but I can't get out because of something I need, whether it's money or health insurance or something like that. So for me, I love to travel. And it seemed like every job I had, my leave balance was always bouncing off of zero, and I had to wait to get some leave and then I'd be gone again. And I just never had it built up to anything. When I finally figured out the kind of life I want to live and the purpose that I want for my business and my money, part of was being able to have that flexible life where I could travel and work at the same time.

So now I have seven employees and we have an unlimited PTO policy because I want to travel.

SANDI: You're living your values.

LAURA: Exactly. And it was funny. Our newest person, when I told her that, she looked at me like, what? And I thought she didn't like the policy. And I was trying to explain it, and she's like, It's just one of those things where it's like too good to be true. So then I explained like, this is a very important thing to me. That was a big thing for me, is defining the values of my company to be the values that I desired as an employee.

SANDI: And Laura, this all sounds so wise, especially for someone in her 30s that's really just getting started in her professional, non-military career life. How did these ideas come to you?

LAURA: It reminds me of two stories. Speaking of business school, there's this imagined or real pressure coming out of business school that it is about the high salary. What kind of life are you living for the money?

CAMMIE: The prestigious job.

LAURA: Exactly. The status, things like that. And I didn't really care for any of that. I remember telling someone, I'd rather be paid less but have more employees so I can travel more. And she said to me, you can have both. And I'm like, oh, good point. But I think for my size of business, I had employees sooner than most business owners would have at the size that I hired. Because I just recognized, too, that if I don't enjoy doing something or if I'm not good at it, I don't do it. So I needed to hire someone to do it in order to grow the business. And once I recognized that, I started to grow the business. And in fact, that person I hired, I was chatting with her this morning, and I'm like, that's amazing how you love to do the things that I don't enjoy doing. Like, it's such a good partnership in that regard. So I self-funded all my businesses. This is my third one, and while I was getting going, I was doing things like dog sitting, dog walking to make ends meet. And that is not something that is prestigious or has status, in my opinion, at the time, for a business school grad for an MBA.

And I remember saying that to a friend. I really enjoy it. I love being outside, I love playing with the dogs, especially in the beautiful Oakland hills or even the flatlands when you're walking out in the gorgeous sunshine. It's like, how do you not enjoy that? The exercise and the gorgeous California weather with dogs. But part of me felt a little bit ashamed because that's not something that you imagine an MBA doing. And I said that to a friend of mine who's a classmate. She was like, Are you happy? And I said, yes. She goes, Then what does it matter? Just that there just released all of it.

SANDI: Power of conversation.

LAURA:Yes, yes. When you're a business owner, you commune with other business owners and often times you commune with people who are at the same level as you as far as the phase of your business. And I one day decided to hire a house and I realized it was because I don't enjoy cleaning my house, so I procrastinate doing it, therefore I get nothing done. But if I hired a house cleaner, yes, it was an expense that maybe it would be a luxury or maybe I shouldn't justify, but I just was so much more productive by having a house cleaner. So trying to explain that to other business owners, to me it wasn't a luxury. To me it was a smart expense because it unlocked my productivity and just sort of exploring that. My whole business is around delegating and outsourcing. So really exploring that mentality around money versus time versus energy . And people tend to focus on the money side of things rather than the time or the energy because yes, me paying that house cleaner, I could have saved that money, but I actually made more in energy by doing that. That came about through conversations as well.

So I think going back to your original question, I do have lots of conversations with people. I tend to think out loud or process out loud. When I don't understand why I'm feeling the emotions I'm feeling or don't know what I think, I'll call up a friend and just start talking and then usually get some nuggets from them.

SANDI My heart is so warm right now. I'm so glad you're saying that. Laura, you just mentioned that you founded your first three businesses with cash. And earlier in the conversation you were talking about your comfort with debt and investing in your business. So can we talk a little bit about that? How did you get comfortable using leverage in your business? At some point, which wasn't at the very beginning.

LAURA: In my first business, I drained my savings and did do credit cards and then took a corporate job, paid all that off, rebuilt my savings, and then took off for another business. For me, I realized my business in some ways is not capital intensive, and in some ways it is, because this doesn't sound bad, but we're selling labor and a significant portion of our revenue instantly goes out the door to pay the wages of our workers. So in that regard, it is capital intensives, but there's not a big investment needed to do it. So there was a lot of time spent on managing cash flow, really, and figuring out how to manage cash flow in my business for that reason. And I remember telling someone, it sucks right now trying to figure it out, but it's going to be an amazing case study once I figure it out. I think a couple of things. One, cash flow management was a huge lesson to learn. And in fact, I ended up reading a book called Profit First. I am an avid fan of that. I tailor it to use my own way, but basically it's like you become your own bank a little bit.

Where I have, I think, seven bank accounts, and I just use them to compartmentalize our cash. I put money aside for taxes. I put money aside for profit that we turn into dividends or quarterly distributions. And one of the things I do is you get those annual dues for subscriptions or memberships or whatnot, and they come due, and that can be a big expense at one time. So I built a spreadsheet for all those expenses and then figured out how much do I need to put aside each month to be able to cover that expense when it comes to you. And I still use it to this day. And as we add new subscriptions or adding now, we are doing semi annual retreats. So that's a major expense to fly everyone and put them in hotels and whatnot. So I put money aside each month for that, and that's how I'm able to afford things without taking on too much debt. But my second point is, as small business owners, you get creative around how to fund things. As an example, when I was first getting started, a friend of mine wanted to start his web design company .

And he approached me and said, can I do your website for free? Simply so I have something in my portfolio. And I didn't ask him. That's important to me to say that I didn't ask him because I don't believe in asking for free work. But he offered it to me and I said sure, because we needed a website and he was willing to do it. We work together to this day, and of course we now pay him his rates, but we work together to this day. And that's the way that we were able to find out something that we couldn't afford at the time. But there was another one where I was trying to figure out how to get two different software to talk to each other, and there needed to be a third one in between, and I couldn't figure out how to get to work. So I reached out to one of our freedom makers who I knew was a software developer or a student to be one. I was like, this is too easy for you. This is below your level, but can you help me figure this out? She's like, Actually, I'm looking for a capstone project for my senior class.

Could I do this for you? I'm like, Well, I think it's too easy for you, but sure. And then they ended up building this whole big thing, and we ended up hiring them to finish it, to make it live. And that one thing completely catapulted our business. And we of course, paid them, but we came up with like a payment plan so that we could afford it. The reason I bring that up is because all that time we hadn't necessarily taken on debt. We had debt for other things, but we hadn't taken on debt. But seeing how that helped us grow, it made me open to take on debt to help us for the next level. And I know there's a risk with that, but it's a risk I was willing to take because I think it will give us another catapult.

CAMMIE: Really appreciate you highlighting the importance of cash flow management. We've had a number of guests talk about this and the Entrepreneurs Challenge. Thanks for sharing how you do it, because I think everybody does it their own way. But these are some really thoughtful, like the compartmental bank accounts, the managing when things are coming. So really, being mindful of all that, your business you talked about is outsourcing what you don't enjoy. And you do this in your life so that your energy is on things that drive value. But it's quite common for people to have trouble with that, that they feel, well, I should be sometimes it's a cost thing, I shouldn't spend the money. Sometimes it's a feeling that they should. How do you recommend to listeners to get over something that might be holding them back?

LAURA: I'll give two analogies. One is a mindset and one is how to get started. I always give an example of say you're thinking about cooking a meal, and let's say for this example, it takes 30 minutes to cook the meal and it takes 30 minutes to clean up. Some people enjoy both and some people enjoy neither. But for the most part, people enjoy one or the other.

But if you think about it, in this example, they both take 30 minutes. If there's one that you enjoy, then that might actually give you energy, but if there's one you don't like, it drains your energy. But yet they both have taken 30 minutes. So when you think about that mindset, there are. Some things that you do that might give you energy. And there are some things that you do that might drain your energy. The ones that drain your energy are the ones that you want to consider letting go of, because then you have more energy for the things that will presumably make you more money or bring in more revenue. So then how to do that? What I say is think about the biggest pebble in your shoe, the thing that annoys you the most, the thing that's always on your to do list but you never get to. That's probably the thing that drained your energy. So that's why it's always on the bottom of your list. But the problem though, is because it's on your list, it's taking up brain space. So simply being on the list is draining your energy. So start with that one. And even if it seems so big, break it down and let go of one piece of it.

I remember talking to someone who said he wanted to let go of his sales process. But the sales process was quite large. One phase was researching the people to reach out to. The next phase was reaching out to them. And then the third phase was following up with them. He was like, there's no way I could let go of all of that. I'm like, that's true, but you can let go of one piece of it. Like, let go of the research side or let go of the follow-up side. Just start with one piece. Look at that biggest pebble. And if it seems too big to let go, break it down into smaller pieces and let that go. And the funny thing is, once that's gone, you don't even notice that it's annoying anymore. But then the next pebble starts to annoy you. It almost becomes an addiction. Like, oh, what's the next thing I can get rid of?

SANDI: Now that you're running a successful business, how are you thinking about money in your personal life?

LAURA: I'm still thinking about the cushion. So that's where I think I'm at in my money journey. Even though I've been paying myself steadily for a while now, I still worry that one day there may not be enough in the business bank account to pay myself. And how do I have a cushion for that? What's my contingency plan for that? And sometimes I remind myself, hey, you have past history to be confident that you'll still be able to pay yourself. But I don't know. I remember for a while, I kept telling my team, I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop. I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop. And one of my employees said, you've been saying that for a long time, and it's never dropped. And I was like, oh my gosh, you're right. Internally as well. I have to remind myself, hey, yes, it's good to be prepared, but you don't have to always be afraid that the other shoe is going to drop or you don't have to always be waiting for it. And I think that's where I'm at with my personal money journey right now, around the self-funding debt.

I was able to pay back the income that I quote unquote, would have made if I had a job I haven't necessarily made back. However, I've made that back in happiness and fulfillment. So I think for me, when it comes to straight money, I think that's where I'm at in my journey is that it will always be there or for the long term will be there.

SANDI: Thanks for sharing. That such a human way. It really points out that we can be successful and there's still many things to think about and focus on and goals to achieve.

LAURA: It reminds me of what I said at the top of the hour with my dad always thinking he was broke and my mom making ends meet. Maybe I knew it was just my mindset, too.

CAMMIE: It's traveling back and forth, it sounds like. And you also talked about some people have relationship with money that could be bound in fear. So sounds like Laura, you're aware of that? I think that's part of it. Talking about it is a part of that step also.

LAURA: Yeah, especially for someone like me who processes out loud.

SANDI: Laura, what's your next money conversation going to be and who's it going to be with?

LAURA: It's probably going to be with my accountant around budgeting for my employees. We're growing and how do you prepare for that growth? But also as we grow bigger, how do I give them a budget and let them decide what they're going to do with their team? That's probably the next phase of our business. We're at that point well, we've been at that point where every time we're in new territory, I have to learn that new territory. And so that's where we're at is how do I give a budget to each of my teams and let them run with it?

CAMMIE: That's great. Next-level conversations. Laura, congratulations on everything you've done. We love that you are living your values with how you're running your business. It's really an important message for listeners to hear and we wish you great and continued success with freedom makers.

LAURA: Thank you very much.

CAMMIE: Thanks for joining us on MoneyTales.

How We Work: The Importance of Communication Within Remote Teams

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 20:03:41 GMT

“The most important thing in communication is to hear what isn’t being said.” – Peter Drucker

The key to building any successful relationship is good communication. This is true both in your personal interactions and in your professional ones. But as the world moves toward virtual workplaces, many people are discovering that building strong, trusting, professional relationships is difficult. Without seeing someone on a daily basis and without water cooler interactions, hallway run-ins, and breakroom chats, relationship building can break down, leading to an erosion of trust and company culture.

Communication practices become even more critical in the virtual workplace .

We have learned how important communication is when building a team with virtual assistants or when outsourcing projects or tasks to a Freedom Maker.

For example, we recently had a client come to our Client Success Manager (CSM), and report that their Freedom Maker was not meeting their needs. The client expressed frustration and even some disappointment. Our CSM and our Freedom Maker Success Manager (FSM), were surprised to hear of this client’s dissatisfaction because the Freedom Maker in question was reasonably experienced working with clients and handling various administrative tasks.

Our FSM quickly reached out to the Freedom Maker to find out what was happening. Our practice is to obtain a complete picture of the issues between the client and their virtual assistant. We have two internal team members working together to facilitate relationships. We always ask for the Freedom Maker’s input and observations and the client’s. In this case, the Freedom Maker was just as surprised about the feedback as the internal team was!

The client had not communicated any frustrations or unhappiness to the Freedom Maker.

We then encouraged the Freedom Maker to reach out to the client directly. They met via Zoom, and through their discussion, the client and the Freedom Maker uncovered a misunderstanding regarding the clients’ expectations. The client believed they had been clear about what they needed, but when they heard what the Freedom Maker had understood to have been her responsibilities, the client could see clearly why the Freedom Maker wasn’t delivering.

Together, they reset expectations and began again.

Up to that point in their relationship, they were not meeting once a week or having regular communication. Things were getting lost in the email back-and-forth. Once they spoke and went through expectations, the Freedom Maker could begin fulfilling the client’s needs quickly.

Within just a few months, the client provided an excellent review of this same Freedom Maker, and they are continuing to enjoy a productive, trust-filled working relationship.

This example - and others like it - prove that communication is of the utmost importance and cannot be taken for granted, especially in the early days of the Freedom Maker/client relationship.

To establish excellent communication, the client needs to be willing to carve out time working with their virtual assistant during the first few weeks. Likewise, the Freedom Maker must be ready to step up, ask questions, request clarification when there is confusion, and help establish that flow of communication.

The Freedom Maker Virtual Services’ “click” is more easily obtained when communication flows.

The click is when the Freedom Maker seamlessly fits into a client’s business and team. The Freedom Maker makes life easier for the client by taking on their tasks with confidence and enthusiasm. The client finds they can rely on the Freedom Maker and quickly leans on them for the success of their business.

The click can be immediate or grow through excellent and regular communication.

In the circumstance outlined above, the click was not immediate. Because communication was impeded, the relationship between the Freedom Maker and the client was almost abandoned. Instead, improved communication practices created the perfect foundation for a terrific FMVS click!

In a different example of the necessity of communication, one of our clients had been working with her Freedom Maker for a few months when an issue presented itself. The client is very busy and overwhelmed with her workload (typical of many small business owners!). She had great plans for her Freedom Maker and began outsourcing tasks. However, because of her busy schedule and the time and training for some of the tasks intended for the Freedom Maker required, it was difficult for the client to find the time to hand off all the work. Her Freedom Maker did an excellent job training for the tasks she was given and was quickly producing fantastic results. The client noticed and was thrilled! She planned to increase the Freedom Maker’s work and responsibilities. Still, because she was so busy, she hadn’t had time to communicate her hectic schedule or her intentions of further utilizing Freedom Maker to her Freedom Maker!

From the Freedom Maker’s perspective, she was excited to work with this client because of the hours proposed and the job described. The number of hours per week fit with her schedule and would help her pay the bills and add to her family’s financial security.

However, because the client was so busy, the work had not increased to meet the hours estimated. The Freedom Maker reached out to our FMS to explain that she was considering stepping back from this client so that she could pursue other opportunities that would fulfill her hourly requirements. Jenny listened through the Freedom Maker’s concerns and then contacted our CSM to discuss the issue.

At the same time, the Freedom Maker notified the client that she would be moving on. The client was so surprised! She highly valued her Freedom Maker and didn’t understand the issue – or even that there was one. Our CSM was able to explain the situation to the client over the phone.

Again, a lack of communication and muddled expectations were the root of the problem!

Not wanting to lose her Freedom Maker, the client scheduled a meeting, and the two parties talked it through. Once they communicated clearly with each other, they were both able to move forward happily in their relationship! The client could outsource additional tasks to her Freedom Maker, who was then working more hours each week.

Despite a rocky start, their click was established, and a successful working relationship continues today.

This example illustrates how communication can resolve issues and even prevent a dissolution of a relationship!

At Freedom Makers Virtual Services, we recommend that clients and their Freedom Makers frequently meet in the early days of their working relationship to discuss any issues or hiccups they are experiencing and bring forth whatever is on their minds. We have found these communications should happen via phone or a Zoom video call — not through email. Often the issues result from solvable problems, such as technology malfunction or misunderstanding of expectations.

Both parties must be honest, professional, forthright, and transparent in their communication.

Transparency is one of our Freedom Maker Virtual Services guiding principles . It helps establish expectations, boundaries, tasks, and rules of engagement. The client and the Freedom Maker must both practice transparency through their communications so issues can be worked out.

The small, non-verbal clues typically perceived during interactions can be lost in a virtual world. Without frequent “face-to-face” (by way of video messaging) meetings, we might not recognize that something is wrong or that there is dissatisfaction. You can’t hear the groan over the cubicle wall or see the crossed arms when talking about a task. You can’t see the tightened jaw or overhear a frustrated tone during a venting session with a friend.

In a virtual workplace, clear, concise, transparent communication is critical.

Of course, not every issue between a Freedom Maker and their client can be resolved. If a resolution cannot be achieved, or if the “click” (a positive, symbiotic, professional relationship) is missing between a client and their Freedom Maker, the internal team can help find a replacement or additional Freedom Maker to help resolve the issue.

Because Freedom Makers Virtual Services is structured around what freedom represents, both the Freedom Maker and the client can walk away from a relationship that doesn’t benefit them. But our goal is for each client and each Freedom Maker to click and reap the benefits of an awesome working relationship.

If you are interested in learning more about who we are and how we work, reach out and schedule a call .

Top Podcasts for Small Business Owners

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 19 Jul 2022 12:59:08 GMT

As the world of podcasts continues to expand and gain traction, more and more genres are represented - and gaining audience share. More and more listeners are gravitating to shows and topics that fit their interests.

Podcast Insight's October 2021 data report shows that over one-third of Americans report listening to podcasts regularly, which means that nearly 104 million people tune in to hear audio content on a daily or weekly basis.

Most people polled explained that they listen to podcasts because they are curious, interested in self-improvement, or listening specifically to the content they want to become more knowledgeable about. Podcast listeners report that they turn to podcasts to learn or get helpful information.

With shows and topics ranging from true crime to global news, sports, and even discussions of the paranormal, there is indeed an audience for every niche podcast.

Including entrepreneurs and small business owners!

Podcasts are aired by podcast listening apps called directories which sort and filter content based on topic categories. Some popular podcast directories include Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, and Stitcher. Each time a new podcast is produced, that podcast submits its RSS feed to a podcast directory. The RSS feed contains information about the show, its episode content, and topic relevance. In other words, the RSS feed is the link between the podcast's actual audio files (that are listened to) and the information those files contain.

Guess which RSS feed is among the top five most popular podcast genres?

You guessed it – the business genre.

It should come as no surprise that there is a massive appetite for podcasts with business as a focus. Never before has it been so easy to learn tips and tools and hear from those with experience building a new business, and even from those who have had one fail.

Business podcasts are (obviously) focused on business-related topics. Many are conducted by one or two podcast hosts who interview guests considered subject matter experts or have relevant experience that would be interesting to business-minded listeners.

If you are looking for insight into how to start, grow or scale your business, here are some of our recommendations for some great podcasts for small business owners and entrepreneurs. While in no means a fully inclusive list, we think you will enjoy these podcasts for the tips they offer, for the peek behind the scenes at how businesses function, and, at times, for the humor and laughter that brings levity into an otherwise serious arena!

How I Built This

Produced by NPR and hosted by the award-winning journalist Guy Raz, How I Built This is a podcast about "innovators, entrepreneurs, idealists, and the stories behind the movements they built." How I Built This's first episode was recorded in 2016, and listeners love that the podcast takes them on a ride, describing the ups and downs and unexpected turns experienced by all business owners - from wildly successful endeavors to those that ultimately failed. How I Built This exposes the grit and resilience necessary to take a business from conception to success.

Get Started Here:

Listen to Spanx with Sara Blakely

Listen to Khan Academy with Sal Khan

The Goal Digger Podcast

The Goal Digger Podcast is a workshop-style business podcast that offers actionable tips to help listeners realize their dreams of business success. The Goal Digger Podcast's host is Jenna Kutcher, who describes herself as an educator, digital marketer, podcaster, author, hype-woman, and achiever. Jenna bought a $300 camera off Craigslist to begin her career as a photographer and built a seven-figure empire. Her podcast provides strategies, productivity tips, inspiring stories, and truth-telling guests.

Get Started Here:

Listen to 14 Ways to Get More Done in Less Time

Listen to If I Had $1,500 to Start a Business, Here's Where I'd Spend It

Entrepreneurs on Fire

Entrepreneurs on Fire is hosted by John Lee Dumas and boasts over 3000 episodes. Designed for listeners who have already started their business, are dreaming of leaving corporate America, or are about to enter the business world, Entrepreneurs on Fire offers interviews about entrepreneurs from a wide variety of industries. Dumas has a list of interview questions and subjects that provide insightful and diverse "aha!" moments of what drives people and businesses to lasting success.

Get Started Here:

Listen to Getting Acquired - How an Entrepreneur Built and Sold his SaaS Startup with Andrew Gazdecki

Listen to Leading a Business as a Woman of Color: Obstacles and Opportunities with Nastassia C. S.

The $100 MBA

The premise of the $100 MBA podcast is that anyone can start and run a business if they have the correct information. Shunning the idea that an expensive degree is the only way to business success, the $100 MBA offers quick action lessons in business that teach listeners how to improve and enhance their business strategies. The host, Omar Zenhom, is intent on covering business fundamentals and supporting topics like digital marketing and social media engagement.

Get Started Here:

Listen to How to Discount Your Product While Maximizing Revenue

Listen to Are You A Good Enough Leader?

The BizChix

Hosted by Natalie Eckdahl, a career coach, The BixChix is tailored to advise on the specific challenges women face when building their businesses. With weekly episodes that vary in length each week, listeners appreciate the practical and tactical guidance The BixChix offers. Subscribers often remark that the combination of mindset and helpful tips offered creates a sense of community and inspires return listeners.

Get Started Here:

Listen to Do You Have Too Many Services or Offers?

Listen to Overcoming the Fear of Rejection

Some other business-focused podcasts you might be interested in checking out:

Veteran On The Move

https://veteranonthemove.com/

24-year veteran Joe Crane's podcast works to connect entrepreneurial veterans and their families to the people, programs, and resources that will help them transition successfully into the small business world.

Mind Your Business

https://www.mindyourbusinesspodcast.com/

Host James Wedmore has a different take on the perspective and mindset necessary for small business success. He believes in aligning your physical and emotional drivers to be truly successful in life and business.

Professional On The Go

https://www.spreaker.com/show/professional-on-the-go

This podcast is focused on small business owners in service-based industries and the challenges they have dealing with clients, invoicing, transactions, and marketing.

Free To Slay

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/freedom-slay-podcast/id146889595

Host Gaynete Jones' podcast is geared to female entrepreneurs looking to fast-track their side hustles to gain financial freedom.

Startup Stories

The Startup Stories podcast endeavors to give listeners the belief and courage to start their own companies. It interviews the founders of some of the most successful brands known today to understand the factors that go into growing a business.

Let us know what you think about our list! And if you have any other podcasts you think we should include, tell us about them.

Also, if you want to start your podcast, be sure to use a talented Freedom Maker virtual podcasting assistant to help you get it started! Your Freedom Maker will make adding your podcast to lists like these not just a dream but a reality!

Why You Should Bring On A Virtual Operations Assistant or Manager

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 12 Jul 2022 16:42:14 GMT

I s it time to bring on a virtual operations manager?

During the early days of your business, it probably felt like doing every task yourself was the only way to ensure that everything got done and done well. Now that everything is up and running, it is imperative that you develop and document the procedures for your business.

Regardless of size, every business should have systems for every area of operation.

If you are seeing early success – increases in clients, product demands, and service requests – you may feel it is time to hand off some of your systems to a virtual operations manager . That person can take daily tasks off your plate, free up your time to innovate and help propel your business to the next level.

WHAT IS A VIRTUAL OPERATIONS MANAGER?

Virtual operations managers are experienced virtual assistants who are innovative, detail-oriented administrative professionals with a passion for continually improving how things get done.

They work closely with teams and business owners to ensure company workflows, systems, and practices run smoothly and within budgetary guidelines. They can manage and monitor various daily, weekly, and monthly business activities with a bias toward maximizing effectiveness. Virtual operations managers are skilled at identifying new technologies for optimizing efficiency and can create strategies to improve productivity .

At Freedom Makers Virtual Services, our virtual operations specialists are ready to handle the daily nitty-gritty tasks your business requires. If you are mired in managing your day-to-day operations, you can’t focus on the planning your business will need to grow and scale.

FMVS’ virtual operations managers and virtual operations assistants will free up your time so you can focus on innovation and strategy.

WHAT CAN A VIRTUAL OPERATIONS MANAGER DO FOR YOUR TEAM?

A Freedom Maker virtual operations manager will ensure that the daily administration of your business practices runs smoothly and will position your company to achieve the highest levels of efficiency possible.

Some of the things a virtual operations manager can be made responsible for are:

developing metrics and checks to improve business systems continually
strategically leveraging technology to streamline processes
onboarding, training, and team development as company growth requires
overseeing any compliance requirements
enforcing procedures and policies to support small business teams
incorporating feedback from all levels to continually improve the way things are done
adjusting software to accommodate your business’s workflows
contributing to an efficient workplace environment.

If your business has a set of workflows to ensure that work is done correctly, that consistency will build trust with your client base.

Your Freedom Maker virtual operations manager will work behind the scenes to support your business endeavors.

VIRTUAL OPERATIONS MANAGER: TOOLS OF THE TRADE

Countless online project management tools can help a company run and coordinate its workflows and manage day-to-day operations. Our Freedom Makers are professionals who are knowledgeable in these cutting-edge cloud-based platforms and infrastructures designed to deliver entire suites of workflow operations. These tools have been developed to help your company prioritize and take control of everything from simple to complex projects within business support areas like onboarding, accounts payable, payroll administration, and bookkeeping.

If your business has not yet discovered which tools are optimal, our Freedom Makers who specialize in operations can advise which online platforms would work best.

Our Freedom Maker operations managers have experience with the following online project management tools:

Asana
Process Street
Trello
17 Hats
CLIO
Monday.com
Microsoft Planner
Microsoft Teams
Basecamp
…and more

Once up and running, your virtual operations manager will work closely with you to execute daily operations, assisting in problem-solving and troubleshooting to optimize your day-to-day workflow.

PROVEN SUCCESS STORIES

Our Freedom Makers Virtual Services client, Maurine, is grateful for her virtual operations manager , Taylor . One of Taylor’s accomplishments was researching the best platform for Maurine’s company to adopt and employ. Maurine writes, “I so deeply appreciate Taylor and her commitment to service. She is very flexible and comes through when I need her. She is great at systems and researching new platforms. We are able to work through the process of growing and expanding together, which is SO important!”

Freedom Maker virtual operations managers love the dynamic and creative aspect of their work for clients.

Likewise, Freedom Maker Elethia finds it incredibly rewarding to seek out and find the perfect project management platform for her client. She recall s, “I recently introduced a client to Asana, and it has helped so much keeping our tasks organized.” Her client is grateful for improved efficiency and smoother running of their business’s project management.

VIRTUAL OPERATIONS ASSISTANCE AND CUSTOMER SERVICE

Additionally, if your business is looking for a better way to communicate and track clients and leads, our Freedom Makers have experience with a variety of Customer Relationship Management (CRMs.)

CRMs are software systems used to build and optimize customer relationships. These systems are designed to help track and manage all interactions with existing and potential customers. The right CRM can automate customer support, identify patterns in your customers’ behavior, and provide analysis that will allow you to understand your clients better to enhance your offerings to them.

Having a powerful CRM that is optimized for your business helps build loyalty.

Our Freedom Makers specializing in CRM management can help identify the right CRM for your company and assist you as you set up your new platform. An experienced Freedom Maker can be brought on to manage and step up a system you already have established.

Our Freedom Makers have experience with the following CRMs:

Constant Contact
MailChimp
Zoho
Hubspot
Streak
Insightly
Salesforce
…and more

HOW TO GET STARTED

When you schedule a call with Freedom Makers Virtual Services, one of our internal team members will talk with you to help figure out what type of Freedom Maker would best suit your needs. Together you will decide how we can best help you get set up with your virtual operations manager. We will discuss your business model, your current needs, areas you’ve identified needing assistance, and the types of skills our virtual operations managers can bring to the table.

Once you’ve settled on the information you want to be included in the position description, the opportunity goes out to our community of Freedom Makers by email. Each Freedom Maker interested and qualified will complete a form indicating their skills, availability, past relevant experience, and any other pertinent information you may want or need to know to select the right Freedom Maker. You will be provided up to four vetted, skilled, professional virtual operations manager candidates to talk with by way of either phone or video interview.

Once you’ve selected your Freedom Maker, our Client Success Manager and Freedom Makers Success Manager will work together to get your account with us up and running. You will quickly be able to start your relationship with your Freedom Maker and begin outsourcing tasks.

Remember, Freedom Makers Virtual Services does not require you to buy a minimum of hours or commit to a long term. We understand the fluctuating cash flows that small and growing businesses experience. We are committed to helping you find a “click” with your Freedom Maker and will work hard to ensure your relationship is a productive one.

Our commitment to our guiding principles - freedom, transparency, and striving for excellence - as well as our military spouse virtual assistant assets - sets Freedom Makers Virtual Services apart from any other agency in our business space.

More often than not, we find that as you and your Freedom Maker establish your rhythm, you will begin to feel more and more comfortable delegating tasks to your virtual operations manager. In no time, you might discover your Freedom Maker to be indispensable to the running of your growing, thriving business!

How A Virtual Assistant Can Improve Your Workflows

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 15:30:00 GMT

Workflow: The steps taken to reach an outcome, in the order they need to be taken and by whom.
System: The tools, triggers, and infrastructure needed to complete the workflow.

Even in the earliest days of your company's existence, developing and documenting procedures for your business workflows is essential. Every business, regardless of size or age, should have systems for every area of operation.

Systems create consistency, and consistency is key to building consumer trust and loyalty.

DO THE WORK TO DOCUMENT YOUR SYSTEM

Documenting a workflow can feel like a difficult task. To capture the entirety of the effort, you must move simultaneously in all directions - from the end result back to the beginning steps. You have to be able to see the entire forest as well as each individual tree. Many business owners fall into the trap of just doing and not documenting.

However, getting the "how this gets done" out of your head and capturing it in a document, Loom video, or process map can help your business succeed faster.

Why?

Because systems streamline the business tasks that repeat daily or month after month. Having a step-by-step workflow minimizes errors and increases efficiency.

Having systems also allows you to outsource the workflow and trust the outcome will be the same as if you did it yourself.

And outsourcing your workflow to a talented, professional Freedom Maker virtual assistant can lead to a more efficient and effective system.

WHAT THE RIGHT VIRTUAL ASSISTANT CAN DO FOR YOU

At Freedom Makers Virtual Services, our military spouse virtual assistants are skilled at executing workflows and identifying any problems, friction, or repetition that the system may contain. From the smallest detail to the most critically complex process, Freedom Makers can take over those tasks and get the job done.

They can also make it better.

A Freedom Maker virtual assistant can also be tasked to identify new software platforms, cloud-based technologies, and automation techniques to improve your system and the individual steps within your workflow.

You might be asking yourself, "why would I want a virtual assistant to change my business workflow? It took me forever to document this system; why would I want to change how we do business?"

IF IT ISN'T BROKEN. . . DO PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE AND LOOK AHEAD

History is riddled with failed businesses – successful, massive companies – that struggled to adapt to changing technologies and industry trends.

Take Kodak, for example. Despite inventing the digital camera in 1975 and producing a white paper that essentially foretold the future's reliance on digital camera technology, Kodak couldn't – or chose not – to pivot. A company that practically invented consumer photography and grew to have over 140,000 employees over a century in business did not adapt to 21st-century emerging technology or the disruptive focus in their business environment. They didn't change. And in 2012, Kodak filed for bankruptcy .

You can more easily adapt by constantly looking for ways to improve your business systems through emerging platforms. Every business environment goes through upheavals at some point in time due to market forces and changing consumer needs. To stay in business, a company has to ride the wave of innovation.

Being willing to change can make your company more agile, more productive, and more competitive – and help ensure its survival.

As a business owner, you need people on your team who are continually looking for ways to streamline systems both for efficiency and cost savings.

A Freedom Maker virtual assistant can do that for you.

HOW FREEDOM MAKERS HELP YOU IDENTIFY AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT

If you've brought a Freedom Maker onto your team to help you execute some of your established systems , you may have assumed that she would simply take that workflow off your plate and execute it as you would have. And they will do just that.

You have "Se It And Forget It" triggers and workflows, and your virtual assistant will execute those to the highest degree of professionalism and efficiency.

And then they can do so much more for you.

Because virtual assistants sit outside of your business and likely have other clients, they often perform different types of support endeavors in divergent industries. To remain competitive in the burgeoning virtual assistant career field, they must know and train on a wide variety of platforms. Freedom Makers have a range of skills and depth of technical acumen, making them capable in many areas.

They have their hands in many pots.

Freedom Maker virtual assistants have a bias toward learning that can be an extraordinary benefit to small business owners who don't have the time or capacity to be forward-looking themselves.

Working for multiple clients affords a Freedom Maker to experience different management styles and learn the ins and outs of different workflows and business systems. They see how other businesses work.

Why not take advantage of that "insider" knowledge?

Your Freedom Maker may be able to identify other methods or technologies that could help you improve your workflows and streamline your systems. You did the heavy lifting, getting your business up and running and creating the processes that make your business work.

Your Freedom Maker virtual assistant can help you with your second draft.

Freedom Maker virtual assistants are independent professionals providing critical support services to businesses and entrepreneurs from their remote environments. They are highly-skilled contractors that can help a company with a variety of tasks, ranging from administrative and technical to marketing and creative work.

Asana, Process Street, Trello, Clio, Microsoft Planner, etc.
Zoho
MailChimp
Salesforce
Streak
Quickbooks
Google Suite

Some of the more experienced Freedom Makers know which online platforms would work best for you and can assist in setting up and managing them. Once a project management platform is set up, we have virtual assistants who can help with the business's operations.

Contact Freedom Makers Virtual Services today to start documenting, streamlining, or improving your business systems.

Tools and Culture for the Virtual Workplace

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 21 Jun 2022 14:18:50 GMT

The COVID-19 pandemic brought about many changes to the ways we think, socialize and conduct business. Before the early days of the pandemic, when businesses shuttered their doors and sent employees home to work remotely, it was rare to find someone who “teleworked” or “worked from home.”

But since the COVID upheaval in 2020, more and more workers say they are working from home now by choice rather than necessity. According to a Pew Research Center study , 61% of those who can work from home say they choose not to go into their workplace.

For years now, employees have been getting their work done remotely. They find they are more productive and have been able to establish a better work-life balance . Employers are meeting resistance as they begin to push for a return to the traditional workplace.

It is clear today that the pandemic accelerated the trend of the virtual workplace and remote work in general. Virtual is the new landscape for many companies and entire industries. Businesses used to working in traditional, in-person environments are navigating new and exciting remote dynamics. Additionally, more and more newly established small businesses are building their teams remotely and looking to understand how to do so efficiently.

We are happy to help!

Our business model at Freedom Makers Virtual Services has always been virtual. We always had an idea that the future would be more virtual! And while not the ideal vehicle for ushering in a new era, the pandemic has brought the future to today.

Here are some key insights and some guidance for building effective remote teams.

REMOTE TEAMS, LIKE IN-PERSON TEAMS, START WITH CULTURE

Managing a virtual company and team, like the one that does its work in person, starts with your culture. People must be comfortable interacting with each other and get to know each other, regardless of physical distance.

Focusing on creating a robust remote culture is arguably even more critical when creating a culture for a remote team. In the virtual business landscape, you should focus on: celebrating victories, caring for team members, communication, and collaboration.

CELEBRATE

Connected teams have leaders who seek ways to celebrate individual achievements and collective accomplishments . Knowing and recognizing birthdays and life events might seem obvious and small. Still, they are super important to creating an atmosphere of care. Collectively celebrating all the elements that enrich our individual lives makes us feel connected to one another on a personal level. Acknowledging when people are hitting milestones in their work-life can also create a sense of belonging and encourage healthy competition to foster learning and self-improvement.

For instance, at Freedom Makers Virtual Services, we have a series of badges to recognize when a Freedom Maker attends training, gets a stellar review, or goes above and beyond in their efforts. A Freedom Maker can be nominated by an internal team member based on established criteria. Their earned badge is displayed on their profile for clients to see, which may give them an advantage when competing for client opportunities. Our badge system is both an incentive for Freedom Makers and a way to celebrate hard work and dedication.

CARE & COMMUNICATION

Businesses that take care of their people are the ones with the strongest cultures. Establishing a baseline of trust and psychological safety with workers is critical. Understanding your team’s personalities, goals, talents, and limitations goes a long way. If your team members feel like they can make mistakes and are encouraged to give and receive feedback, they will feel connected and inspired to do their very best work. People believe their well-being is being looked out for when you are genuine and honest.

Additionally, you need to be comfortable establishing and embracing a deliberate structure for communication . If you don’t invest here, your team will feel frustrated by the inability to move forward on initiatives, projects, and tasks.

Your ability to embrace a virtual landscape, find the best remote platforms for your business and provide the support your team needs is crucial. Even in a remote environment, team members will feel it if their leader is a listener. Listening is best proven when you do things as a leader to meet everyone’s needs, so they are best equipped to do their jobs.

COLLABORATION

Finding and establishing communications systems and workplace tools go a long way to make sure everyone is supported and workflows are optimized for collaboration. Many practical, cloud-based tools have been built and developed for our remote world. They range from simple email and instant messaging to video conferencing apps and asynchronous project management team hubs.

BEST TOOLS

EMAIL: Office 365, Gmail

CALENDAR MANAGEMENT: Calendly, Google Calendar

INSTANT MESSAGING: Microsoft Teams, Slack, Glip, Chanty, Chatter & Zimbra

PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLATFORMS: Asana, Trello, Monday.com, GoToMeeting, FlowDock, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365

PASSWORD STORAGE: LastPass, 1Password

VIDEO CONFERENCING: Zoom, GoogleMeet, Zoho, Gather, Skype & Yammer

CLOUD STORAGE: OneDrive, Dropbox

SOCIAL MEDIA SCHEDULING: HootSuite, Buffer

COMPLIANCE & DOCUMENT SIGNING: HelloSign, PandaDoc

Good communication and helpful workplace tools can be the determining factor in team effectiveness in the remote workplace. Strong strategies here can lead to a company culture of “we’re in this together” in the virtual business world.

REMEMBER:

Regardless of size, working with a distributed team differs significantly from everyone working in the same location.

In a virtual business:

You do not have a whiteboard to throw notes on and leave for all to see when they walk in.
People do not have the attention span to sit down and hash things out in a meeting all the time.
There is no water cooler or community kitchen to confirm ideas and meetings or share a joke.

While these challenges exist, our experience is that you can still build your culture the way you want it to be. As you embrace the virtual landscape and find the right resources for your business, don’t forget that your team needs to be nurtured in ways similar to the way it was before, when everyone was together in person. Workplace connection impacts how team members view their organization. Feeling connected - to each other and to the company - is more likely to keep team members engaged with your business and its mission.

Top 3 Ways A Virtual Assistant Boosts Productivity

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 14 Jun 2022 16:15:14 GMT

Virtual assistants are your path to a higher rate of productivity in your work and personal life.

Though it is a high-frequency term in business environments, productivity is not just a buzzword.

Defined as the ratio of output to the amount of time devoted to creating that output, productivity is the rate at which a person does useful work.

The simple math of productivity is the faster a person can create the output, the more productive they are.

The same is true for a company. The more productive the members of a business are, the faster goods and services can be delivered to clients and customers. Increasing the output rate allows a company to grow its revenue and, eventually, scale the business.

Increasing productivity is also critical when trying to obtain an advantage over competitors.

But increasing productivity should never be done at the expense of quality, especially in a small business environment. Instead of cutting corners, small businesses need to become more efficient to increase their productivity rate.

Virtual assistants lead to efficiency – and efficiency leads to higher productivity.

According to Small Business Trends and a study by The Alternative Board, 72% of small business owners feel overwhelmed by their responsibilities and the amount of work they have to do. 64% of those same surveyed business owners believe they need to delegate more duties to feel less stressed.

Sound familiar?

Delegate tasks for better efficiency to increase productivity.

As a business owner, you can easily delegate administrative and support work to a professional virtual assistant so you can focus on the tasks that directly affect your business’s growth. A virtual assistant is a cost-effective way to get specialized support in areas you most need help. By helping you run the nitty-gritty areas of your business, virtual assistants can become trusted partners in the overall growth of your business.

Let’s break down three ways delegating tasks to a virtual assistant can increase your (and your business’s) productivity.

1) VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS DO NOT GET DISTRACTED

Snack breaks, gossip, long lunches to celebrate birthdays, scrolling social media, and shopping online. Careerbuilder lists these as some of the most common workplace distractions that hinder productivity. Some workplace distractions are apparent. But workplace distractions can snowball. The Association for Psychological Science explains that being distracted by workplace interruptions can degrade the quality of the work done, even when the task gets resumed. In other words, once distracted, it is hard to get back to work, and additionally, the quality of the work can suffer due to the “restart”/”where was I?” factor.

You probably know this all too well. Rushing from task to task , putting out fires, and responding to incoming inquiries… it can often seem like you are continuously reacting to the events in your day. Instead of setting your hours and structuring your day as you would like, you find yourself going from one email to the next, pulled into last-minute meetings, and addressing every urgent or non-essential thing that falls in your path. Hours go by as you work in your business, leaving little time to work on your business.

Freedom Maker virtual assistants get the job done efficiently.

Virtual assistants are not distractable because they focus solely on the tasks. Freedom Maker virtual assistants can get more work done each hour by working from their home office environment. They are equipped with the skills that make them proficient at time blocking. They can prioritize doing the task or task they have been assigned and work solely on that effort. They clock in to do a job and work determinedly and continuously on that one thing until complete. Without a noisy office environment, Freedom Makers can increase your company’s productivity.

Focusing on completing tasks one-by-one over a dedicated period of time is scientifically proven to increase productivity.

2) A VIRTUAL ASSISTANT IS SPECIALIZED AND EFFICIENT

Once your business is operational, many tasks must be done daily to keep the business running. Many of these tasks are administrative in nature: answering calls, responding to emails, creating spreadsheets, designing graphics in Canva, posting on social media and managing comments, writing blog content, formatting newsletters, bookkeeping entries, etc.

Do you find these tasks vexing?

You started your business with talent and passion. Your area of expertise – whether as a website designer, craftsman, law practitioner, software developer, or florist – is unique to you and dominates your skillset. It is what you care about!

But a small business software developer must also rapidly become a talented bookkeeper, customer relations manager, marketing maverick, and blog writer.

Exhausting.

The churn associated with becoming good at things outside your wheelhouse can lead to lowered productivity levels.

Freedom Maker virtual assistants specialize in the exact same tasks you find tedious and time-consuming.

Tasks typically outsourced to a virtual assistant include, but are not limited to:

Daily office functions like:

making/receiving phone calls
Appointment scheduling
Calendar management
Making travel arrangements
Managing email accounts
Blog writing
Bookkeeping
Social media engagement and scheduling
Graphic design
Website content management and design services
Marketing services
Research
Project coordination
Event management
Operations management
Customer Relations Management (CRM) / Database support

With a wide variety of professional backgrounds and areas of focus, Freedom Maker virtual assistants are skilled and talented at the exact things you do not enjoy doing. Many specialize in the areas that tax your passion and eat your time. Virtual assistants execute the tasks you choose to delegate more quickly because of their “time in rank” and extensive knowledge.

Familiarity leads to speed. Speed increases productivity.

3) A VIRTUAL ASSISTANT FREES UP YOUR TIME

Bringing on a virtual assistant gives you back your valuable time to reinvest in other areas of your business.

This makes YOU more productive.

Regardless of what your business provides or sells, time is your most valuable resource. When you try to do all the things, all the time, all by yourself, you quickly realize that hours in each day, the days in each week, all slip by super fast.

Have you ever looked up at the end of a long day, knowing you were super busy all day but can’t point to any specific progress made? You’re exhausted but don’t feel like you have been particularly productive.

A virtual assistant can handle the tasks that steal your time so you can invest your energy into the things that add value to your business. Delegating administrative tasks, social media management, and database maintenance to a virtual assistant will make you exponentially more productive in the areas of innovation and growth.

Need more proof?

If you were to run the numbers and analyze your day-to-day schedule, you’d discover you are spending too much time on maintenance-focused tasks as opposed to growth-focused ones. According to one Harvard study , nearly 24% of a CEO’s time is spent reading, responding, and managing their email inbox.

Important, yes. Productive? Not really.

The data indicates that a typical small business spends an average of 120 working days per year on administrative tasks… which equates to a nearly 5% decrease in productivity.

That decrease in productivity can also lead to restricted business growth.

Suppose too much of your time is spent on administrative tasks, and your energy is wasted on maintenance-focused operations. In that case, you aren’t working ON your business in areas like:

Strategic planning
Innovation within your business landscape
Leadership growth and mentorship
Internal culture building

Those critical, foundational touchpoints must be reinforced while building your organization. If administrative processes are inhibiting your leadership productivity, your business will suffer in the long term.

Contact Freedom Makers Virtual Services to learn how a virtual assistant will increase your - and your businesses’ - productivity.

Why You Should Take Some Time Off

Tue, 07 Jun 2022 14:45:00 GMT

Did you find yourself working on Memorial Day?

A federal holiday, Memorial Day is the official kickoff of summer and is dedicated to honoring the men and women who died while serving to protect our country. Memorial Day is traditionally spent with loved ones, enjoying the freedoms afforded us by the sacrifices of others.

Were you in the office?

When you are a small business owner, entrepreneur, or virtual assistant , you can easily find yourself married to your business. Your life and work are intertwined, especially if you are in the beginning stages of being self-employed.

It is hard to “turn it off.”

For most of us working remotely, the flexibility and ease of access to our work life from our home environment is awesome! But it can also mean that you never truly leave work. Sure, you can go to the grocery at non-peak hours and can work until midnight if you choose. No cleaning staff coming through with vacuums at 8pm! But it can also mean that there is little separation between the times you are not working and times you are “on the clock.”

At Freedom Makers Virtual Services, we recommend taking time off when you can. Getting the work-life balance right is essential.

But your definition of what “taking time off” actually is must be concrete, and deliberately defined.

Our Freedom Makers Success Manager, Jenny Boyles , worked as a virtual assistant for years before moving onto the internal team at Freedom Makers Virtual Services. In addition to being a 1099 freelance professional serving clients, Jenny also ran her own virtual assistant business. She describes the evolution of her work-from-home life this way:

“When I started working, I had a desk and computer. It was stark, but I was up and running! Now, I have a very comfy chair, a couple of computers and screens, nicer desk furniture and even a television in the office so I can watch the news if I wish. I created my office into a space with all of my favorite things and I honestly enjoy being in it. My office is by the front door of my home, so I can watch my teenage children come and go. I like to think I do not miss a bit as a mother and a virtual assistant. So I have dug for the past few years, day in and day out. Pretty much every day, I entered that office to check on something or do some work.”

Turning work off is important for your mental health. Your quality of life improves with balance, and it is critical that you find a way to give your full attention to the other priorities in your life, like family, friends, and hobbies.

Jenny recalls the first time in her career as a virtual assistant that she endeavored to turn work off:

“The first summer I chose to shut the doors to my office for more than hours at a time felt very strange. I actually stopped working for some time off! Literally, I had to do the following to set the stage for NOT working:

shut the office doors
turned off the computer
cleaned off my desk
sent out calendar reminders to my clients
set an email message stating that I am OUT OF THE OFFICE

Since it had been 3 years, I was nervous to step away. Even if I spent a day on vacation with my family or out with them on a day trip, I had been in the practice of checking email in the early morning or late at night. I would even take afternoons to get work done. Do I regret it? Not exactly; my business was growing and I was establishing myself.

But that June, I did it! Baby steps though, as it was just for 3 days. And wow! I had a blast. I thought for sure that I would sneak some work in, so I still brought my laptop. But nope! After the first day of not looking, I spent the other two enjoying my family. I was refreshed and relaxed.

And when I returned, guess what? My clients were still there and the world had not ended. Yes, I had to do some more work the weekend prior and after, but it was worth it. Those 3 days gave me a breather and when I returned I was ready to get back to work.”

As a small business owner, or as a Freedom Maker virtual assistant who has chosen a career path that allows freedom and flexibility , it’s ironic to feel like you can’t take time off without detriment. But as Jenny’s experience proves, the world will still spin, your clients or customers will understand and respect your decision, and you will feel refreshed and renewed.

Taking time off is a win for everyone.

Of course, at Freedom Makers Virtual Services, we recommend communicating with everyone who could be affected by your absence, including coworkers, clients, and support staff, well in advance of your time off. Make sure you set up some automated systems that can handle things that might come up, or contact us about bringing a virtual assistant on to cover down on your responsibilities while you are away.

But then go and enjoy your time away from work! As Jenny says,

“I highly recommend TAKING A DAY OFF for your sanity and for the benefit of your business. You will return recharged – and the work will still be there!”

Outsource Tasks To A Virtual Assistant For A More Relaxing Summer

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 24 May 2022 14:00:02 GMT

A virtual assistant can mean the difference between a relaxing summer and one full of late nights and weekend work.

The summer’s official kickoff, Memorial Day weekend, is right around the corner. It will usher in backyard BBQs, pool parties, afternoon trips to baseball games, and days at the beach. You may even have blocked off a whole week in August for your first real vacation in three years!

Do you really want to spend it checking emails and trying to stay on top of invoices?

Bring on a virtual assistant to help tackle some of the daily tasks that could take you away from summer fun! Here are three areas you can outsource to increase your chances of having a relaxing summer.

CALENDAR AND EMAIL MANAGEMENT

A virtual assistant can provide effective day planning for small business owners and entrepreneurial professionals. They efficiently tackle tasks like appointment scheduling and inbox management, enabling you to stay organized and build time back into your schedule for tending to core business-building endeavors like one-on-one meetings, sales calls, and networking opportunities.

Some of the calendar-related administrative tasks a virtual assistant can handle for you this summer are:

Scheduling appointments
Organizing your to-do list
Prioritizing your deadlines based on urgency and time sensitivity
Making calls and sending emails to follow up on appointments and task deadlines
Entering important dates into your calendar
Keeping your cloud-based calendar and other digital or paper calendars synced
Keeping a record of all your meetings, events, tasks, and deadlines
Sending notifications of your events to employees, partners, vendors, and clients
Making sure you come to meetings prepared by populating calendar entries with agendas, resource materials, and notes

Likewise, a virtual assistant can manage your email inbox. Keeping on top of new, incoming mail can be overwhelming. Small business owners spend countless hours each week going through emails, sorting spam from high-priority. A virtual assistant can manage your inbox quickly and efficiently to meet your needs.

The military spouse virtual assistants available through Freedom Makers Virtual Services have the minimum of an associate’s degree and often a Bachelor’s degree if not a Master’s degree. They typically have between 2-15 years of experience in a professional setting; often, they will have worked for a C-suite executive or upper management in a prior position. They are efficient and responsible, knowing your business relies on accuracy and attention to detail. FMVS virtual assistants will help ensure your business runs smoothly while you take some time for family this summer.

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT

Are you suffering from spring fever? Do you find yourself staring out the window at the blue sky and blooming flowers while you are supposed to be hammering out your business’s next blog post? Let a virtual assistant take over the task.

Most small businesses know that having an effective social media strategy can help capture new swaths of clients. There are 4.2 billion active social media users who spend, on average, 2.5 hours every day on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Establishing an account on social channels is free, but optimizing a social media strategy takes some time and effort. This is where a virtual assistant can make all the difference.

A well-managed account can boost sales and increase client rosters.

Virtual assistants can create graphics and posts that position your business and establish your brand as an authority in your business space. They can also schedule all your posts using Buffer or HootSuite, so your content goes out regularly. A virtual assistant can help write, research, outline or edit informative, helpful blog posts that educate your audience on both your business services and the industry in which you operate. Solid content offerings can help establish your voice as an authority and resource and increase your SEO. A virtual assistant can also create and manage your newsletter, engaging email users with content that reminds them of who you are and what you can provide.

Marketing your business is obviously of high value. Doing so yourself is not cost-effective .

At Freedom Makers Virtual Services , our virtual assistants are creative and detail-oriented. They will research your business area and help you cultivate valuable content that will be exciting and relevant to potential clients and customers. They are skilled at unifying your brand’s image across your social platforms. Our Freedom Maker social media virtual assistants know how to capitalize on the excellent online tools available to create visually stimulating, meaningful, and informative posts that will keep your business attracting followers and gaining likes.

DATA ENTRY AND CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT

Data entry takes time! It is tedious and wearisome, yet getting it right is critical. We all know that boredom and attention to detail do not make good bedfellows! It is hard to ensure accuracy if you fall asleep at the keyboard or work as fast as you can through irritation and annoyance.

Your data entry and CRM might suffer if you are rushing to make it out to a summertime networking happy hour.

Instead, task a virtual assistant with this thankless-yet-important job.

A virtual assistant can save you time by inputting and processing that information as needed. They can edit and delete files, check for accuracy, and convert your data into different formats as required.

A virtual assistant can also help take care of your clients to ensure happy and loyal customer relationships. Communicating and responding to inquiries is essential so that your client base knows they are important to you. A virtual assistant will make sure your clients are receiving emails and placed into your CRM.

At Freedom Makers Virtual Services, our skilled virtual assistants ensure that no lead goes unanswered. They will manage or create your templated responses to appropriately communicate with potential and current clients and work to establish proper workflows for each. They are skilled onboarding specialists and can help develop, track and manage new contracts or proposals.

Making sure the correct information is captured - and the proper response delivered - when someone reaches out can build trust and confidence in your business. Your Freedom Maker will give clients and future customers the attention they deserve.

A VACATION IS WITHIN REACH

Remember that trip you are looking forward to in August? Chances are you haven’t even had time to plan it! Yet another reason to bring on a virtual assistant before the summer heat kicks in. A virtual assistant focusing on administration can easily coordinate travel plans for you! Booking hotels, researching flights, finding fun activities, and making reservations are all easily within a virtual assistant’s area of operation.

Save yourself hours by outsourcing… no commitment required.

At Freedom Makers Virtual Services , we don’t expect you to purchase a minimum amount of hours to get started with your virtual assistant. We understand that you might just want that extra help for an hour or two a week so you can spend that time with your kids at the pool. We also know that cash flow fluctuations go hand in hand with being a small business owner.

Our military spouse virtual assistants are efficient and can get up to speed quickly. They can take over your email and calendar management in no time, create and schedule your social media posts without hassle, and take care of your clients with unmatched professionalism. Give us a call today to get started ! A more relaxed summer is within reach.

Choose Your Freedom

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 17 May 2022 13:54:01 GMT

As many of you reading this blog already know, we have changed our name ! We are now Freedom Makers Virtual Services or FMVS for short. We love our new name because it reflects the full spectrum of services we offer and the growth our company is experiencing.

Thanks to many factors, we grew over 200% in 2021! More and more small businesses and entrepreneurs are seeking the services our talented and professional military spouse virtual assistants provide.

It is thrilling for our internal team to be able to extend many new, dynamic, and diverse work opportunities (with new and old clients alike!) to our Freedom Makers.

To remain agile and responsive to our clients through our growth, we increased our internal team with five new Freedom Makers to ensure nothing falls through the cracks. Last year, we also got together for the first time in our company's seven-year history! The management team met for a week-long Strategic Planning Session to brainstorm and plan our goals for 2022 and beyond.

A STATEMENT OF VISION FOR FREEDOM MAKERS VIRTUAL SERVICES

During our planning session , we worked hard to envision the future for our company -- where we see it going and how best to get it there. FMVS is positioned to meet the unique challenges of small business owners and become part of the solution to reduce military spouse unemployment and underemployment nationwide.

What we see as possible is awesome, and we have spent the last few months working out how best to execute our vision while remaining true to our ideals.

Freedom Makers Virtual Services is growing, expanding, and scaling, and we are determined to remain committed to our firmly-held core values and guiding principles through the process. These practices and ideals make Freedom Makers Virtual Services unique, special, and different from other companies working in our business space.

How do we best communicate who we are and what we stand for to our clients, Freedom Makers, and potential partners?

The answer came in the form of our new mantra or watch phrase… Choose Your Freedom!

CORE VALUES = FREEDOM THROUGH PROFESSIONALISM

Our Freedom Maker Virtual Services core values are reliability, accuracy, decision making, and communication.

These core values are practices that have become part of our culture. They help define our approach and the way our company operates. We expect all Freedom Makers who find work through us to understand and agree to uphold these values, and we work hard to hold ourselves accountable to them at all times. We strive to be reliable, accurate, proactive, and communicative when working with each other internally and in all our dealings and interactions with our clients.

Our core values are how we carry out our guiding principles.

OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES SERVE AS OUR ANCHOR

When Laura founded FMVS in 2015, she wanted to do things differently. Rather than build a competitor to other virtual assistant staffing agencies, Laura wanted Freedom Makers to strive to achieve its own levels of excellence. Continually striving for excellence would guarantee that our company would never settle for standards set by other companies.

Once we achieve a level of excellence, it becomes FMVS' new standard. Then we strive toward the next level of excellence.

Always striving for excellence defines how our company is, how we operate, and why we make the choices we do. Striving for Excellence - along with Freedom and Transparency - are Freedom Makers' guiding principles .

Striving For Excellence has been our watch phrase for the last year. It is hung on our website, put forward in our collateral, is included as part of our marketing strategy, and is called out verbally when making decisions or deciding which new path to take.

Now we feel it is time to add to that mantra.

CHOOSE YOUR FREEDOM

We thought long and hard about what we wanted to say next. We believe our new watch phrase should tie into our name and directly reflect our guiding principles.

Freedom was the obvious choice.

Freedom Makers Virtual Services is structured around what freedom represents. Freedom for military spouses who find work through us to choose their clients, choose their working hours and choose the amount of time each week they will work. They also have the freedom to take their work with them when the military reassigns their family to a new duty station, and they have the freedom to grow their careers as they see fit.

Freedom is also what we strive to provide our small business clients. Freedom from stress and the daily, mundane, and tedious tasks that steal valuable hours from each day. Freedom from working IN their business when they could be working ON their business.

Freedom also comes to our clients by reducing the commitment or financial burden they might find encumbering. We do not require a client to buy a set amount of hours or commit to a budget when they find a Freedom Maker through us. We understand that small business budgets fluctuate, and the amount of work and income ebbs and flows. We provide the freedom for clients to use our services as much or as little as they need.

We believe that in your work, and in your life, you should have the power to choose the things that are most important to you. With Freedom Makers Virtual Services, we want you to Choose Your Freedom.

Choose Your Freedom is for our clients AND our military spouse virtual assistants. We are confident that it speaks to the freedom built into the core of who we are, how we operate, and what we provide.

We are thrilled to be growing! We are always so proud of the hard work, dedication, and value our military spouse virtual assistants deliver, and we are beyond grateful for the trust our clients have placed in us. We are excited about our new name - Freedom Makers Virtual Services - and we are proud to add Choose Your Freedom alongside Striving for Excellence to proudly proclaim what we stand for.

Freedom Makers Is Now Freedom Makers Virtual Services

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 10 May 2022 14:30:04 GMT

Freedom Makers Announces Name Change to Freedom Makers Virtual Services

Leading military spouse virtual assistant agency rebrands to reflect the company’s

full range of service offerings.

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, May 6, 2022 –- Freedom Makers, a leading military spouse virtual assistant services agency, has announced that it will begin operating under a new name – Freedom Makers Virtual Services (FMVS ). This name change goes into effect immediately and better reflects the company’s comprehensive service offerings. A fresh new logo accompanies the name change too.

The company is uniquely positioned to become part of the solution to reduce military spouse unemployment and underemployment, nationwide.

The rebranding is designed to showcase the full spectrum of services offered to small business owners and to highlight its most important assets. Military spouse virtual assistants who find work through Freedom Makers Virtual Services will continue to be known as Freedom Makers.

“Clients can rest assured that the company’s ownership, mission and ethos have not changed,” Laura Renner, founder says. “The company was founded on the principles of freedom, transparency and striving for excellence.”

FMVS is composed of military spouse virtual assistants. Due to their association with the military, its virtual assistants understand how to be flexible and deliver top-notch services to small businesses and entrepreneurs, working to grow and scale their companies.

“The needs of small business owners and military spouses vary greatly,” Renner says. “Our new name better reflects how our selected network of military spouses have consistently risen to meet the unique challenges of small business owners.”

As the need for quality virtual support services continues to grow, FMVS plans to offer continued support and solutions to help small business owners and military families reach their full potential.

Learn more about FMVS solutions: https://www.freedom-makers.com/virtual-assistant-services

About Freedom Makers Virtual Services:

Freedom Makers Virtual Services (FMVS) was founded in 2015 by Laura Renner, a U.S. Air Force Academy graduate. After serving in the U.S. Air Force as a Public Relations Officer, Renner earned her International MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. She currently serves as an Air Force Reservist and is passionate about helping small business owners and military families reach new heights.

Freedom Makers Virtual Services delivers excellent, customized support while simultaneously providing meaningful, flexible work for military spouses around the globe.

For more information, visit our website: https://www.freedom-makers.com/ or email our marketing manager, Sarah Clarkson at

sarah@freedom-makers.com

Why A Small Business Owner Should Outsource Work To A Virtual Assistant

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 03 May 2022 14:20:45 GMT

Outsourcing is a popular, high-frequency term in our industry, but what is it really? How does it apply to a small business owner?

The concept of outsourcing has been around for a while and is pretty easy to understand: lighten your workload - both figuratively and literally - by shifting the burden of some of your daily tasks to someone outside of your company. Once mainly used as a cost-cutting measure that only large corporations could consider, today, the practice of outsourcing is being utilized by more and more small business owners.

Advances in technology and cloud computing have made it possible to outsource a wide variety of tasks and work to virtual assistants. Even if you are a business owner with a staff of one, outsourcing is a fantastic strategy that allows you to focus on the client-facing aspects of growing your business.

Here’s why:

Handing off simple or redundant tasks can free up your time, permitting you to handle higher-level tasks more appropriate for your skillset. Outsourcing small, tedious, time-consuming, and repetitive tasks to a skilled, professional virtual assistant can also help your company run more smoothly.

In today’s technologically enhanced work environment , you can outsource just about any business function: marketing, calendar management, bookkeeping, customer service and database management, etc. And while there is no catch-all formula for what a business owner should outsource, there are tools you can use to help yourself determine which tasks would be best handed off to a virtual assistant.

For example, Freedom Maker’s free task audit can help you decide what tasks to outsource. It works by asking you to separate specific tasks into columns of what things only you can do and what jobs you don’t want or need to do yourself. By envisioning the impact streamlining the work in those areas would have on your business in 6 months, the task audit reminds you that your time is a precious, valuable commodity, especially within your business environment.

Outsourcing tasks to a virtual assistant can equate to a long-term win for the company.

So why you should outsource is clear. But when? And can you afford it?

Yes!

Consider the following scenario: you RSVP “yes” and attend a networking event in your area for two hours. You enthusiastically “sell” your business and services to three new, interested clients who schedule calls with you. Your personality and infectious energy for your product make a huge impact, and the connections you made during the event convert two of those potential clients into customers. Win! And not only do they become loyal customers, but they love your company so much, they begin sharing your contact information with their network affiliates, colleagues, and friends. They sing your praises and provide glowing testimonials about your business, and the client referrals keep rolling in for months and years to come.

Amazing, right!? Two hours of your time and a financial windfall!

Now consider the alternative scenario: your inbox is flooded with customer service inquiries that have come in from your website. You’ve gotten so far behind in your responses because you spent three hours yesterday hammering out a blog for your website and formatting your newsletter. Some of your emails bounce, so you have to dig into your CRM and figure out if there is an input error, if those leads were bots, or if they were potential customers that decided to unsubscribe because you hadn’t responded to their initial inquiry on your website’s landing page.

Today you also realize you’ve also gotten behind tracking your invoices and are missing a few critical payments from customers. You have to follow up with them to solicit payment, or you won’t be able to execute payroll.

There is no way you have the time or energy for the networking event later today. Even though you RSVP’d “yes,” you are a no-show.

In the second scenario, you have spent hours of your week frustrated by tasks you find tedious. More to the point, they are also tasks below your pay grade and skillset. You’ve lost new revenue and an unknown number of future clients because of the missed opportunity to network.

What happened?

You spent your week working IN your business when you could have - and should have - spent your week working ON your business.

How do you avoid scenario two? Consider investing in a virtual assistant. The missed opportunity cost of not attending the networking event is super high. In contrast, the price of a virtual assistant is practically negligible.

Virtual assistants are skilled and talented at the exact things you do not enjoy doing. Many specialize in the areas that tax your passion and eat your time. Virtual assistants are efficient and effective at executing the tasks you choose to delegate! They can quickly improve your day-to-day work-life balance , and you can return your focus to the drivers that encouraged you to create the business in the first place.

Still not convinced? Let’s break down the numbers:

If you bill $150/hour, the two hours you spend at the networking event would “cost” you $300.

Should you really spend those hours doing administrative tasks at this point in your business? If you chose to outsource some office tasks, you could spend your hours at the rate you are worth pursuing sales and growth.

An experienced, versatile military spouse virtual assistant will charge an hourly rate of somewhere between $38 and $46 per hour. For the same $300, you could afford nearly 6 hours of outsourced work!

Your Freedom Maker is an efficient, independent professional. She could easily write your blog, manage your newsletter, handle your inbox, and chase down your unpaid invoices. Her work IN your business will free up your time to spend however you choose.

(Pssst… choose to attend the networking event!)

Once your business is up and running, a million tasks need to be done daily to keep it functional. Many of these tasks are administrative in nature: answering calls, responding to emails, creating spreadsheets, designing graphics in Canva, writing blogs, tracking down invoices, posting on social media and managing comments, formatting newsletters, reconciling CRM entries, etc. All these tasks are critical to the viability of every small business, but they do not directly generate any revenue.

As a business owner, you know that time is your most valuable resource. When you try to do all the things, all the time, all by yourself, you quickly realize that time is precious, finite, and often feels insufficient. The hours in each day, the days in each week, all feel like sand running through your fingers. For a small investment, a virtual assistant can handle the tasks that steal your time so you can redistribute your energy to the things that add value to your business. Get started outsourcing the administrative support work today by contacting Freedom Makers . We can help you get hours back into your workweek… so you can make it to that all-important networking event!

How Can A Virtual Assistant Help A Realtor

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 16:15:03 GMT

According to the Bureau of Labor & Statistics, most real estate brokers and sales agents work more than 40 hours per week. They work evenings and weekends to accommodate their clients’ schedules and spend additional hours every week networking and attending community events hoping to meet potential clients.

If these statistics sound familiar, you know they don’t even paint half the picture of how busy you are!

Last year’s pandemic-fueled real estate market saw extremes never before experienced. Median list prices shot up by more than 13% last year , with homes in some areas spiking 30%! Buyers are asking realtors to put in offers well over the asking price, write up agreements that waive contingencies, and schedule visits to open houses only to find the home had sold before the event.

Emotions have always run high in real estate, but today they are fraught.

Many realtors are used to the hectic pace of their work environment, but even as the market begins to cool, many discover they are having a hard time keeping up with demand.

60-hour workweeks are just not sustainable! Is it time to consider bringing a real estate virtual assistant onto your team?

Yep!

WHAT IS A REAL ESTATE VIRTUAL ASSISTANT?

A real estate virtual assistant is an independent professional who provides critical support services to real estate specialists from a remote environment. They are highly-skilled contractors who can help a realtor with various tasks, ranging from administrative and technical to marketing and creative work. Real estate virtual assistants are often asked to take charge of general administration tasks like database management, customer service responses, lead generation management, and outreach or work within the real estate field specifically, drawing up contracts and executing transactions. Due to the wide variety of what they do, many real estate virtual assistants become the essential right hand of the realtor they assist.

Real estate virtual assistants are not licensed real estate professionals. They can’t prepare contracts, but they are talented and specialized in your field. Additionally, using an agency like Freedom Makers makes identifying the perfect real estate virtual assistant easy and accessible for most real estate agents.

WHAT SKILLS DO REAL ESTATE VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS HAVE?

Many virtual assistants specializing in real estate have either worked for a realtor before or have relevant experience and/or certifications. They have a minimum of a high school diploma, but many have either bachelor’s or master’s degrees. Real estate virtual assistants can be hired as full-time remote workers or for as little as an hour a week as needed.

In addition to their years of administrative support experience, real estate virtual assistants are typically proficient in MS Office, Dropbox, Google Suite, and applications such as Dotloop, Docusign, Skyslope, Transaction Desk, Mailchimp or Constant Contact, and Canva. They will have experience working with Matrix (MLS) (or will train) and have a general knowledge of real estate contracts. Of course, as virtual assistants, all will have strong communication skills, outstanding organizational abilities, and be proactive problem solvers.

Freedom Maker military assistants are proven highly capable of working independently and as part of a team and are trustworthy, transparent allies to your work.

WHAT CAN REAL ESTATE VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS DO?

Delegating tasks to a real estate virtual assistant is a multi-layer “win” for realtors. In addition to having administrative office functions and non-real-estate core tasks managed by someone else, realtors also reclaim valuable hours each day to show homes, close deals, and network for new clients. Instead of spending hours scheduling meetings, updating listings, and filing transactions, you could be out earning a commission!

Even though there is not a one-size-fits-all strategy for what real estate professionals should delegate, handing off simple or redundant tasks can free up your time to handle higher-level tasks more appropriate for your skillset. If delegating or outsourcing does not come easily to you, start by delegating small, tedious, time-consuming, repetitive tasks… and ones that you are terrible at!

Freedom Maker’s free task audit can help you choose which administrative or real estate-specific tasks to outsource to a real estate virtual assistant. Our tool will help you see clearly that your time is more valuable than the small hourly fee you will pay to a real estate virtual assistant. We are confident that once you see the benefit of spending a small amount of money to save your valuable time, you will better understand a real estate virtual assistant’s actual value and the priceless return on your investment.

DELEGATE THESE TASKS TO YOUR REAL ESTATE VIRTUAL ASSISTANT

As you take stock of your daily task list and consider which tasks you should hand off to a real estate virtual assistant, consider our guide for what a real estate virtual assistant can do for you:

Generalized real estate related administrative office support activities, including:
Managing your calendar
Coordinating your travel
Handling bookkeeping
Inputting and updating listing information in MLS, including writing copy for descriptions
Coordinating property showings
Handling sign ordering and installation
Coordinating new listing photography/video documentation
Updating your website with new listings, sales volume, etc.
Researching information about properties
Handling phone calls and emails
Following up on client requests or projects
Creating and maintaining client CRM databases
Soliciting client feedback and testimonials
Real estate sales support activities, including:
Prospecting and cold calling
Researching buyer & seller leads
Updating CRM databases with notes
Preparing offers and listing paperwork
Following up on leads
Setting appointments for viewing
Coordinating the staging of homes for showings
Updating sellers on weekly performance
Data Reconciliation (sorting through contacts, removing duplicates, errors, etc.)
Fact-checking to ensure all transaction information is accurate
Coordinating closing and seasonal gifts for clients
Real estate marketing support activities, including:
Creating social media posts for listings, open houses, etc
Execute SEO strategies as defined by marketing experts
Finding content to post for agents’ blogs, newsletters, social media
Photo Editing of listing photos for print and web publications.
Creating weekly or monthly newsletters
Creating flyers, brochures, business cards, postcards, etc
Creating buyer’s packets and slide decks
Sending mailers to increase client awareness
Ensuring marketing strategies are uniform, consistent, and effective
Tracking marketing analytics

Having a professional real estate virtual assistant responding to inquiries and helping you put out potential fires with frustrated clients can grow your business and create increased client loyalty. Working from a remote environment free from office distractions allows a real estate virtual assistant to manage multiple projects simultaneously and make all deadlines under pressure. Virtual assistants are skilled at working efficiently when they are “on the clock,” which real estate professionals recognize as invaluable within their fast-paced environment.

As a super busy realtor, handing off time-consuming administrative tasks like prospecting, research, and paperwork can help you focus on closing the deals! Contact Freedom Makers today, and find out how a real estate virtual assistant can best support you.

5 Ways To Increase Small Business Efficiency

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 19 Apr 2022 13:40:20 GMT

We have all heard the expression, “work smarter, not harder.” The phrase is catchy and sounds obvious. But if you are a small business owner, making a pivot from your current path can feel like a massive and exhausting disruption. Making any changes, even smart ones, can actually feel like working harder.

But growing businesses need to run efficiently in order to create an advantage over nimble competitors. In today’s business environment, companies can’t afford to be slowed down by processes that aren’t optimized or systems that waste more time than they save.

Because they don’t have unlimited budgets or large teams, small business owners have to make every minute and every investment count, whether that investment is in a person, platform, or technology. Replacing inefficient processes and practices can ultimately save both time and money.

Here are five areas to consider when looking to increase small business efficiency.

1. AUTOMATE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE

Automation for small businesses means using technology to perform business tasks faster and more accurately by involving minimal human intervention. Using technology to streamline workflows , simplify tasks, and improve operations will save time and prevent costly mistakes. Automation can also increase productivity by freeing up the time it would take an employee to do complex, technical, or tedious repetitive tasks.

For example, scheduling a meeting between multiple parties can become a complicated mess of email, texts, and back-and-forth calls. Using a virtual assistant enabled with automated software option like Calendly, ScheduleOnce, CalendarHero, or HubSpot Meetings can drastically reduce the time and tracking involved in finding available times for all parties. These programs can take care of all the pre-and post-meeting business like sharing the agenda, automatically setting up video calls, and sending follow-up emails with meeting summaries.

Nurturing leads and responding to customer service inquiries are also areas where automation can make a huge difference. Visitors to your website who are interested enough to sign up for your newsletter should automatically receive engagement through a welcome email rather than waiting for an employee to reach out. Initiating a conversation on your website using an automated chatbot might convert a potential customer into a paying one. And using a Customer Relations Management (CRM) tool to set up automatic reminders and renewals, send proactive messages, and offer self-service resources can more easily resolve customer service inquiries and save time for both the business and the client.

2. USE ALL THE TOOLS

Having productivity tools employed in your business to help automate your workflows and processes can give you hours back to your workweek. But only if you have the right tools . As a small business owner, affordability and ease of use are critical to any business tool. When evaluating what tools are suitable for your small business, there are three main criteria to consider.

Must have an extended free version. Don’t waste time migrating information and setting up a program for your entire business that forces an upgrade after only two weeks. Or worse, invest only to discover it doesn’t suit your needs.
Must be subscription-based. Flexibility is critical when cash flows fluctuate—canceling or downgrading to a less expensive platform if necessary can be helpful when cash flow is light. Likewise, pivoting to a new software release or a product with richer features is also an excellent option.
Must be easy to use and have excellent customer support. Small businesses with limited resources benefit from quick setups and at-call service when necessary.

Some software products can help your business be efficient and more competitive.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT: Asana, Monday.com, Trello
COMMUNICATION: MailChimp, Constant Contact,
SALES: Streak, ActiveCampaign, Zoho
MARKETING: LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Buffer, HootSuite, Canva
CUSTOMER SERVICE: Help Scout, Zendesk, Zoho Desk

Identifying the right tools can help a business save money without sacrificing quality. Once your tools are in place and proven to improve efficiency, you can leverage them and grow your business more rapidly.

3. CONSOLIDATE TASKS

Small business owners know the daily grind all too well. Rushing from task to task, putting out fires, responding to incoming inquiries… it can often seem like you are continuously reacting to the events in your day. Instead of setting your hours and structuring your day as you would like, you find yourself going from one email to the next, pulled into last-minute meetings, and addressing every urgent or non-essential thing that falls in your path. Hours go by as you work in your business, leaving little time to work on your business.

Continuously responding to events is disruptive, distracting, and a bane to productivity. Focusing on completing tasks one-by-one over an extended period is scientifically proven to lead to productivity. Consolidating or batching tasks – what is known as time-blocking - allows you to take control and structure your day.

For example, setting the first few hours of your workday to check and respond to emails rather than one by one as they come in will prevent you from getting pulled from other tasks throughout the rest of your day. If you have customer service inquiries automated with a landing page, new clients get an immediate response which you can follow up with when you are in your emails.

Other daily time blocks that can help get actual work accomplished are:

Content writing for social media or newsletter campaigns
Tasks that set up new clients
Sales follow-ups and outreach
Project management (pick one project at a time, rather than one task bracket in multiple projects)

By blocking chunks of time on your calendar as best fits your business’ needs, you will be able to dive deeply into whatever you are working on without interruptions. Time blocking is a sure-fire way to become more efficient.

4. CREATE SYSTEMS

Busy and productive are two separate things, even though they are often confused and thought of as one and the same. Being busy does not necessarily mean you are productive. Sharp or dramatic increases in clients, product demands, and service requests can make you feel busy, but is your productivity optimized? Without systems in place, things can get out of control. Stress and pressure escalate, and balls get dropped.

When looking to increase your business efficiency, look to create business systems. Checklists, outlines, and if-then structures create standard operating procedures (SOPs) that define the systems that can help optimize your business. Documenting processes and outlining how things are done in your organization can move your business toward perpetually achieving goals. Business systems and workflows allow you to transfer duties, automate functions easily, and delegate assignments, ensuring nothing gets missed or overlooked.

Having business systems in place also creates consistency in your delivery. Consistency helps build trust because your audience, clients, and customers will know what to expect from your business and that they can rely on you. Once your systems are in place and are proven effective and efficient, you can leverage them, build on that trust, and grow your business more rapidly.

5. DELEGATE AND OUTSOURCE WHEREVER POSSIBLE

Outsourcing some business operations can also help your company run more efficiently. By delegating simple tasks, you can free up your time to handle higher-level tasks more appropriate for your skill sets. You can outsource just about any business function: bookkeeping, marketing, customer service and database management, etc. In general, you should seek to delegate small, tedious, time-consuming or repetitive tasks and tasks you are terrible at.

But there is no one-size-fits-all strategy for what a business owner should delegate. For some, delegating comes easily. For others, their business is their baby, and they have difficulty handing the care of their baby to someone other than themselves. Doing everything with their own two hands feels like the only way things will get done.

Using Freedom Maker’s free task audit can help you choose which tasks to delegate. Our tool helps each business owner reframe their struggles with outsourcing by reinforcing the idea that their time is more valuable than the small hourly fee paid to a virtual assistant to take care of outsourced tasks. Once a business owner sees the benefit of spending a small amount of money to save their valuable time, they are more likely to understand the long-term win for the company.

For instance, if you bill $150/hour, should you really spend that hour doing an administrative task? If you delegate it, you could bill more hours at the rate you are worth. Let’s say there is a recurring task - like creating your weekly newsletter. Each week, it takes an hour to do. You could delegate that and pay someone else $30/ hour to complete. While the virtual assistant works on your newsletter for one hour, you will spend that hour working with a client that you bill for $150. Therefore, you have netted $120. Additionally, if you had done the newsletter yourself, you would not have had time to work with that client. So by trying to save $30, you actually would have lost $120.

This is why delegating is critical to enhancing small business efficiency. Effective delegation can give your company an edge over your competitors.

Freedom Maker virtual assistants are practiced at executing workflows and business systems - and are even skilled in helping create and define them. Engaging a virtual assistant to perform some of your business’s systems or to help streamline functions is a great way to delegate as you scale. A virtual assistant can save you time and ensure nothing is missed or left untended.

CONCLUSION

At some point in every business’s growth, leaders need to step back and evaluate what processes are working and which can be optimized for efficiency. While it can seem challenging to step outside of day-to-day operations, becoming entrenched in how things are often inhibits competitive advantage. Seek to increase efficiencies wherever possible, and reach out to Freedom Makers to get started!

Virtual Legal Assistants: Lightening the Load for Overworked Lawyers

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 12 Apr 2022 14:00:04 GMT

Everyone knows that the legal profession is a stressful one.

Many lawyers work long days and scramble through hectic schedules of client meetings, court appearances, deep legal records research, and all the paperwork that comes from handling deeds, contracts, wills, and appeals.

Long hours, the pressure of meeting deadlines, and the work of winning cases can be overwhelming and even dangerous to a lawyer’s mental health. According to a 2020 survey of over 3,800 lawyers, 31.2% of those asked said they feel depressed, 64% feel they have anxiety, 10.1% think they have an alcohol problem, and 2.8% believe they have a drug problem.

Without support, lawyers are nearly three times as likely to suffer from depression than the average adult in the United States.

So while the field can be rewarding, it can also prove dangerous. That’s because a lot goes on behind the scenes, and if a lawyer doesn’t have the right support in place, their days, weeks and months can be long and draining.

Lawyers have to run their businesses and oversee the millions of administrative and maintenance tasks that allow their firms to function. If a lawyer runs a solo practice without support, they can be especially swamped by to-do list minutia.

Thankfully, there are virtual legal assistants that can help.

WHAT IS A VIRTUAL LEGAL ASSISTANT?

Virtual legal assistants are professionals working to provide administrative and other services within the legal field. A virtual legal assistant works remotely from their own home, is typically self-employed, and files a Form 1099-MISC, Miscellaneous Income, to report payments. A virtual legal assistant is responsible for paying their income and self-employment taxes because the lawyer or firm that the virtual assistant serves does not withhold taxes from their pay. A virtual legal assistant is also responsible for providing their own medical, dental, and vision insurance and pays for and maintains their home office equipment .

VIRTUAL LEGAL ASSISTANT QUALIFICATIONS

Virtual legal assistants must have a minimum of a high school diploma or GED certificate, but many have bachelor’s or even master’s degrees. Most virtual legal assistants will have previous experience at a law firm or working for a lawyer.

Some have even completed paralegal studies or legal certificate programs. All virtual legal assistants are strong communicators and organizational gurus, have killer research skills and understand legal terminology and processes.

HOW A VIRTUAL LEGAL ASSISTANT CAN HELP YOUR LAW OFFICE

Today, more and more lawyers and law firms are seeking the support of virtual legal assistants to handle repetitive, time-consuming-yet-essential tasks.

Remote technologies are changing the way legal business is done for the better. New software platforms have made virtual legal assistants’ work more practical and possible than ever before. Fast and stable internet connectivity, video conferencing and instant messaging tools, cloud storage, and file-sharing applications allow for high levels of legal administrative support and

collaboration between a virtual legal assistant and the firm, regardless of geographic proximity.

Some lawyers that come to Freedom Makers for help are looking for virtual assistants to create content for their LinkedIn accounts, to help keep their website up to date, edit billing entries, and help with invoicing. Many virtual assistants working with lawyers write biographies, draft or edit blog articles, and assist with uploading legal-tip videos to YouTube or other channels. While not directly related to the law, these services can help a lawyer grow their business, establish their credibility, and become a legal authority in their geographic area.

Lawyers find that outsourcing tasks like research, calendar scheduling and social media management to a virtual assistant is more cost-effective than hiring an in-house employee.

Here are some of the ways the legal profession uses virtual legal assistants to lighten their load and make the hectic day-to-day life of a lawyer more manageable:

PHONE AND EMAIL INQUIRY MANAGEMENT

Until just recently, companies had to rely on onsite assistants to handle incoming and outbound calls. But new voice-over-internet-protocols - or VoIP systems - are eliminating the need for an assistant to be physically present to answer the phone. VoIP systems are a proven technology that allows phone calls to be placed and received over an internet connection. Thanks to increasing broadband, call routing is now seamless and creates an undetectable connection between a client and a virtual legal assistant working remotely, allowing a virtual legal assistant to handle traditional office demands. They can even initiate calls on behalf of the firm, facilitating necessary customer service logistics.

And virtual legal assistants are experienced in managing email inboxes. They know how to prioritize inquiries and client requests and can notify the lawyer of their inbox arrival or even make the first response on behalf of the firm. This, with access to the calendar (read on) would allow a virtual legal assistant to handle all scheduling coordination for opposing counsel or any other meetings.

CALENDAR, SCHEDULING, AND TRAVEL MANAGEMENT

A virtual legal assistant can easily manage a lawyer’s calendar and keep things on track. They will set up reminders and set-it-and-forget-it systems to ensure meetings, appointments, and deadlines are kept. An efficient virtual legal assistant will streamline the hours spent organizing a calendar and pushing appointments around. They can also be engaged to schedule hearings, respond to scheduling requests, and ensure all appointments are made in a timely manner.

The same is true for travel arrangements. Court-appointed appearances, witness meetings, arbitrations, and business deals often require litigators to travel. Lawyers can outsource the research of flights, locations, rental cars, and hotels to a virtual legal assistant who will make plans efficiently and save you hours of your time.

Likewise, a legal virtual assistant can serve your firm by tracking client leads and documenting incoming client calls or emails regarding possible representation. They can also be relied upon to track ongoing projects and follow up on emails and/or assignments as needed to avoid missing deadlines.

FILE ORGANIZATION

Freedom Maker virtual assistants are highly organized with a strong attention to detail. A virtual legal assistant can be tasked with keeping all the legal offices’ files organized. Misplaced documents or things filed in the wrong place can wreak havoc on a law firm and create a loss in revenue. In the worst-case scenario, vital evidence that is lost or mishandled could mean the end of a lawyer’s career.

A virtual legal assistant can be given access to cloud-based systems to assist legal professionals with docket reviews and to help manage pleadings. A virtual legal assistant can organize records, documents, correspondence, and files. And since more and more frequently, documents are filed electronically, this a task that can be outsourced to a virtual legal assistant.

LEGAL RESEARCH AND WRITING

Legal research and writing are critical functions in every legal procedure or process. Both are strong buttresses to trying a successful case or arguing a motion that wins. However, research and writing are time-consuming and labor-intensive and can steal hours from a litigator’s day.

A virtual legal assistant provides excellent professional writing and researching services like drafting, reviewing, and analyzing legal documents. They can also conduct legal and factual site checking and even edit briefs to standards and applicable court rules. In this way, virtual legal assistants help lawyers immensely as they prepare for trials.

DRAFTING, REVIEW, AND EDITING LEGAL DOCUMENTS

Depending on the type of law practiced, virtual legal assistants can be tasked to work with legal documents in many different ways. They can draft motions, judgments, orders, and cover letters. For instance, many virtual legal assistants are asked to handle contract review and management. Since contracts are legally binding promises they are a core element of nearly every law practice. Internally, law firms draw up and execute contracts with clients for services retained or some practice contract law (this is when businesses hire lawyers to review their contracts). Because of this, many firms engage a virtual legal assistant to handle contract review and management. A virtual legal assistant can draft contracts using provided details and make sure the contract is understandable to all parties involved. They can input changes and track the document’s drafts from inception to execution.

TRANSCRIPTION

Many legal proceedings are recorded to ensure accuracy and documentation for all official motions. Turning those recordings into written documents is often something that lawyers and legal professionals often outsource to virtual legal assistants. They are familiar with legal terminologies and jargon and can work efficiently from their remote environment. Having a virtual legal assistant transcribe hours of court proceedings can free up an extraordinary amount of a lawyer’s time, which can then be used for more valuable endeavors.

LEGAL ACCOUNTING

Accounting details are another time thief in the legal world. Small law firms and solo practitioners who do not have an accounting department can spend hours upon hours handling the finances of their accounts. A virtual legal assistant can assist in this area by entering billable time and creating invoices, crediting retainers to invoices, and sending invoices to clients. They can conduct follow up, communicate with clients on your behalf regarding statements, chase down late or missing payments, and help resolve any issues that surround cash flow. These tasks are critical to keeping smaller legal firms in the black, with resources on hand to serve their clients best.

HOW TO CHOOSE A VIRTUAL LEGAL ASSISTANT

If you need support in some of the above areas, it is time to bring on a virtual legal assistant for your law firm, it is important to find someone who is qualified and reliable. Fortunately, Freedom Makers Virtual Services can help streamline this process by providing access to a pool of pre-vetted and qualified virtual legal assistants.

Choosing a virtual legal assistant from Freedom Makers Virtual Services ensures that you don't have to worry about the vetting process. You can save time and resources that would have been spent on drafting a job description for the open market and hoping good candidates apply. Instead, you can speak to a member of our internal team, tell them what you need, and we will bring qualified candidates to you. You’ll start the process by interviewing and selecting an already qualified virtual legal assistant who meets the specific needs of your law firm. During your discussions with Freedom Maker candidates, you can instead focus on describing your management style and your needs, so your potential virtual legal assistant will know your expectations. You can start working on the “click” with your virtual assistant, instead of reading their resume.

CONCLUSION: THE IMPORTANCE OF VIRTUAL LEGAL ASSISTANTS FOR YOUR LAW FIRM

It is important to remember that while a virtual legal assistant can be a lifesaver, they are not legal practitioners! Even though virtual legal assistants can not provide legal advice, they can support lawyers in nearly every other administrative capacity. Virtual legal assistants help lawyers reduce their costs while creating stable, efficient operations and executing workflows that help keep the office running smoothly. They can even help with client growth and retention. Perhaps most importantly? A virtual legal assistant can give a lawyer hours of their day, week, and month back, which has a proven, positive effect on any busy lawyer’s mental health.

Lawyers are brilliant experts in the law. Having a virtual legal assistant (or team of virtual legal assistants) to operate the office allows a lawyer to spend more of their time actually being a lawyer! Additionally, they’ll be able to spend more time out of the office relaxing, with confidence that all details are being handled professionally.

Reach out to Freedom Makers Virtual Services today and let a member of our internal team guide you through the process of getting started with your virtual legal assistant today!

Happy Birthday Freedom Makers!

Wed, 06 Apr 2022 15:00:03 GMT

Happy Birthday, Freedom Makers!

We are seven years young this month. Our journey has been an amazing one so far, and it blows my mind when I look back and realize just how far we have come!

When I started Freedom Makers , I knew I wanted us to create something different and do it in our own way. I believed we had a solid concept and that we could be successful, but until we were profitable, I admit to having a seed of doubt (I mean, everybody does things the same way because it works, right?). Doing something different would require some risk and a lot of faith!

At the time, I was working with small business owners, helping them with their recruiting. I recognized a recurring theme: the small business owners I worked with needed help, but they were very hesitant about hiring an employee in the traditional sense. They weren't sure if their fluctuating revenue streams would be able to support a salaried employee and were uncomfortable with the additional financial strain of providing benefits, a workplace, equipment, etc. They didn't want to commit to paying an employee if they only needed help a few weeks out of the month or a couple of hours each week. They needed help but didn't feel like it made sense financially.

At the same time, my brother, on active duty in the Air Force, was given orders to move. Again I found myself having a conversation with my sister-in-law about how the move would affect her employment and what she was planning to do for work once they got settled in their new location.

It was a lightbulb moment for me!

I knew that pairing military spouses with small business owners would be a win-win. Connecting these two groups would accomplish two things simultaneously. It would alleviate stress and burnout for business owners while not causing an unmanageable financial burden. And it would help address the significant unemployment and under-employment issues military spouses experience.

Back in 2015, remote work was still new to many businesses that were used to operating in traditional ways.

I had already started (and closed!) two small businesses at this point, so I was fortunate enough to start Freedom Makers using lessons learned. From the beginning, I knew that military spouses were intelligent, professional, capable, and determined. I knew their value, so I started with the people. I found clients in the Bay area who were open to outsourcing work to a virtual assistant. I worked hard to pair those clients with the right military spouses who could step into their business, get up to speed and boost productivity quickly. It worked, and our reputation grew. Our priority is making the right matches between clients and Freedom Makers to this day. Focusing on the people has proven to be the path to our success.

I would say that while I am really proud of our growth (we had over 200% growth in 2021 !), I am most proud of some of the intangible things about Freedom Makers. First, we do things differently - in our own way. We established our guiding principles - freedom, transparency, and striving for excellence - and we have held ourselves accountable to them. We have worked to establish our systems and document our approach so that we can continue growing sustainably and in a way that we can feel proud of.

Sure, we've made mistakes, but we always try to learn from them. It is crushing when a client we bring on dismisses the value of administrative support or when a Freedom Maker doesn't fully appreciate the support our agency provides or the opportunity to work flexible hours and move their job with them. But those instances are atypical and do not define our culture.

I am genuinely grateful for our internal team . They are all committed to our guiding principles and to our approach. We succeed through transparency, crossing lanes for each other, and genuinely believing in our mission. I pinch myself at what we've built together.

I am also very grateful for our clients who value their Freedom Maker and us. And I am thankful for the Freedom Makers who are committed to choosing freedom for themselves and supporting their clients. They are dedicated, value their work, and enjoy being part of a community.

We have come so far in seven years, and I am so excited about where we'll go next. That's part of the fun we've created — we never know what new idea for improvement we'll have! Each time we've had a brainstorm, it's been a great experiment to try out, with some amazing advancements (IVY) and some… learning experiences!

Thank you for being part of our journey.

Happy Birthday, Freedom Makers!

What If My Virtual Assistant Doesn't Work Out?

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 16:05:01 GMT

It is a terrible feeling when your partnership with a new team member or colleague isn’t working out. You’ve likely invested a good deal of time and energy developing the relationship, sharing projects and processes, teaching procedures, and explaining how your company works.

If and when it becomes apparent that the partnership is not as productive or as effective as it should be, both parties in the relationship can experience a sense of defeat, frustration, and even sadness. Tension escalates if issues aren’t addressed. This could mean an unhappy end and lingering bad feelings.

If you’ve brought a virtual assistant onto your team and things aren’t going smoothly, you might feel even more acutely frustrated. Knowing that the work you so desperately need help with isn’t getting done can cause an exorbitant amount of stress. Communication issues, confusion, and misrepresented or misunderstood expectations can create a downward spiral for the business owner and the virtual assistant.

Freedom Makers knows just what steps to take when things start going sideways. Because we are an experienced virtual assistant agency, we have a proven track record of making terrific matches between clients and virtual assistants. But it doesn’t always happen right away, so when client-virtual relationships get off to a rocky start, we know how to handle it.

PURSUE THE “CLICK”

At Freedom Makers, we understand that not every client-Freedom Maker relationship “clicks” right away, and sometimes, the “click” doesn’t ever happen. What we call the “click” is one of those difficult to describe feelings when the client and the virtual assistant are an excellent match, fall into a smooth and easy rhythm, and quickly develop a comfort level with one another.

One of our core values is striving for excellence. Pursuing that “click” for both the client and the Freedom Maker is one way we embody this value.

Everyone knows a “click” when they experience it!

A client experiences the “click” when their virtual assistant quickly begins to make their life easier. The virtual assistant seamlessly fits in with the energy and environment of their business and begins delivering work in a timely and consistent manner. As the client, you feel an extraordinary sense of relief and confidence that the work you’ve outsourced is being handled beautifully by a professional who is eager and excited for the opportunity to be a part of your team.

The “click” is experienced by a virtual assistant when they feel like they fully understand what is expected of them and know they can contribute their whole skill set to their client. They feel empowered to deliver their work and are confident that any questions or concerns will be addressed quickly and respectfully. A virtual assistant experiences the “click” when they quickly feel like a valuable member of the team and know they are contributing to their client’s success.

A quick “click” is the goal, leading to a happy outcome for client-virtual assistant relationships.

But some clicks don’t happen right away.

It is important to remember that not every business owner and virtual assistant will find their click instantaneously. Some partnerships take a bit more effort and finesse to start working optimally.

Following is our Freedom Maker’s guide for finding your click and establishing a great working relationship with your virtual assistant, as well as what to do (and how we can help!) if things are not working out:

IN THE BEGINNING

If things are rocky and challenging in the beginning, don’t panic! Please remember that even the happiest and longest-lasting relationships require a transition period at the very beginning. The early days with your virtual assistant is the getting-to-know-you stage. You are both discovering each other’s particular likes, interests, and style of doing things. As our Freedom Maker Success Manager, Jenny Boyles, says, "The beginning of a client-virtual assistant relationship is like an awkward dance. You are trying to figure each other out. But eventually, you will and the dance gets easier about 4-6 weeks in."

But either way, it can be super frustrating and disorienting: you selected your Freedom Maker because their skills and experience were compatible with your needs. They seemed like a perfect fit during the interview phase and kick-off call. You had such high hopes! Now things seem rocky and uncertain, and you really need help! Your Freedom Maker isn’t responding quickly to your emails and isn’t delivering exactly what you need. What happened?

At the first sign of disconnect or difficulty, try to assume positive intentions.

Remember, during the first month, your Freedom Maker is learning your systems , getting up to speed with the new work rhythm, and figuring out how to best deliver the tasks they have been assigned. Sometimes a virtual assistant experiences technical difficulties with things like password sharing and credential management that can cause delays or issues once they’ve onboarded with you.

If this is the first virtual assistant you’ve engaged as a client, there is likely an acclimation period on your end as well. Getting used to someone new and working remotely can create awkwardness and hiccups as you express what you envision for the relationship and establish a workflow. Adjusting to a new and different style of interaction and remote communication can take some time. Learning how to utilize your virtual assistant best can also slow things down.

COMMUNICATION ISSUES

In general, communication is often cited as one of the most common problems between a client and a virtual assistant. Unfortunately, communication issues that present themselves very early in the working relationship and aren’t resolved quickly can cast the entire partnership in a bad light. What could simply be an issue due to time zone, geography, or working hour differences can seem like a significant and insurmountable obstacle.

That’s why Freedom Makers recommends weekly meetings during the first month of the working relationship. Regular, frequent meetings early on can work to hammer out any communication conflicts and confusion. These early get-to-know-you meetings should be held via Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, or any other video conferencing service. Seeing each other face to face is preferable to simply emailing instructions or telephoning with updates. Non-verbal cues and facial expressions can be an aid when establishing a relationship and can help engender more positive, congenial feelings. Additionally, a person’s temperament or style can be more easily perceived when seen, which can help create a foundation of understanding as the relationship moves forward.

Use these frequent meetings to share task lists, calendars, google drives, or whatever tools and systems you have at your disposal that will aid communication and deepen your Freedom Maker’s understanding of how your business operates. These meetings can provide a perfect opportunity for your virtual assistant to ask additional questions as they arise and hammer out any unforeseen uncertainties as the relationship gets underway.

If communication has not improved after the first month, and you still are experiencing issues with your Freedom Maker, we recommend bringing your concerns to your Freedom Maker as soon as possible.

WHEN NEGATIVITY FESTERS, PRODUCTIVITY SUFFERS

The longer you hold off expressing your concerns and dissatisfaction with your Freedom Maker after the initial month, the more difficult the conversation will be. If your virtual assistant is unaware that you are unhappy with their work, they should be given the opportunity to address your issues in a timely manner. Invite your Freedom Maker to a video meeting with you.

As a client, you are most likely frustrated. However, remaining professional and communicating your concerns without emotion or accusation will always yield a better result.

First, discuss any areas of success. Talk with each other about what is working, and let your Freedom Maker know if they have been helpful. Then, mention areas where your Freedom Maker can improve and suggest specific corrections to their work. Going over a deliverable or something your virtual assistant has produced for you over a video conference will allow your virtual assistant to see precisely what is and isn’t working. They will get a clear picture of what you prefer, and you can express your needs directly.

Be straightforward with your Freedom Maker, so there is no confusion about the reason for the meeting. Let them know that this is an opportunity for redirection. Hopefully, by this point in your relationship, you’ve thought clearly about how best to utilize your virtual assistant and have some more specific ideas about the type of help you need and the work you would like them to do. This conference is an excellent opportunity to reset expectations and try again for a successful relationship.

WHAT IF THINGS DON’T GET BETTER?

If things don’t improve after an initial, deliberate, and thoughtful attempt to directly address concerns with your virtual assistant, please contact Freedom Makers. The sooner you let us know what is going on, the sooner we can troubleshoot with your Freedom Maker and get you the help you need.

This is the benefit of working with a reputable virtual assistant agency .

Freedom Makers is always standing by to monitor and oversee any difficult situation or issue between a client and virtual assistant. Our job is to serve as a helpful middleman between the business and the virtual assistant, hammering out problems and working to ensure that both sides of the relationship feel respected and satisfied.

At Freedom Makers, dedicated Success Managers safeguard the rapport and relationship between the virtual assistant and the client, and the client and the virtual assistant agency.

Specifically, we have a Client Success Manager (CSM), Sharmin Romero, and a Freedom Maker Success Manager (FSM), Jenny Boyles. If a client brings their concerns to Sharmin, she can best determine the next course of action and help ensure satisfactory performance from the Freedom Maker they have engaged. On the other side, our virtual assistants are encouraged to bring their issues and concerns to Jenny so that she can help advise or advocate on their behalf.

Allowing the internal team at Freedom Makers to step in and attempt to work through problems is critical at this juncture. Both Success Managers endeavor to get a full and complete picture of the situation. With an unemotional assessment of the situation and from the standpoint of years of experience mediating similar issues, both the CSM and the FSM work to make sure that the situation is clearly understood and that everyone’s concerns are heard. They will streamline communication, smooth friction points if possible, and suggest solutions, remedies, and ways forward.

MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER OR PART WAYS

Sometimes, simply having our Success Managers step in will fix the issues between the client and their Freedom Maker. We have many examples of client-virtual assistant relationships that started rocky but evolved into thriving, successful partnerships after intervention and a little counseling.

However, sometimes in the course of mediation, it will be determined that the client and virtual assistant are simply not a good match for one another. Despite best intentions, if the client and virtual assistant are too far apart in style, the relationship just can’t work. If all efforts have been exhausted, and everyone agrees that collaboration is not possible, it is time to end the relationship and bring on a different virtual assistant to help with your needs.

Again, this is where a reputable virtual assistant agency like Freedom Makers saves you both time and money.

MOVING ON TO SOMEONE NEW

Please remember, it is okay to change Freedom Makers! We maintain a pool of vetted independent professionals with a wide variety of work experience, temperament, and styles. Our roster is deep, and our screening process is designed to find a virtual assistant who best suits the client’s needs.

We know that as a small business owner, you operate with a tight budget and with limited time. While it might feel challenging to sever ties with your current Freedom Maker, we understand that you need to do what is best for your business… and we want your business to be successful!

We also understand that even though your selected virtual assistant might have had all the experience and expertise required, sometimes the soft skills or style differences can mean the difference between a relationship that thrives and one that fails to launch.

Once you decide you would like to replace your Freedom Maker, Sharmin immediately begins the internal hiring process again. With “lessons learned” and a clearer understanding of your style and needs, we search our roster for a different virtual assistant that will be a better match for you.

At Freedom Makers, we give the client the choice of doing a complete re-start which involves issuing an updated opportunity to our community, screening up to 4 new candidates, having a new kick-off call, etc. Or we will do an internal, deep-dive search and hand-pick a virtual assistant based on your needs and our increased understanding of your style and wants.

We will move quickly to keep disruption to your business to a minimum. We appreciate your trust in us, and we take enormous pride in our hand-picked, talented Freedom Makers. We have seen firsthand how matching the right virtual assistant with the right job can be a game-changer for our small businesses clients and our military spouses.

Even though finding the right virtual assistant might require some trial and error, we are confident our roster contains the right virtual assistant for you. By employing these best practices, having a little patience, and letting us help when things go sideways, we know you will soon be on your way to a happy relationship with a Freedom Maker. A “click” is within reach!

[Please feel free to download and print our desk-top guide and use it as a reference as you move through your relationship with your virtual assistant!]

How Can A Virtual Assistant Can Help You With Your Podcast

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 15 Mar 2022 15:45:31 GMT

The podcast industry is booming, and a virtual assistant is your ticket into this exciting arena.

According to Podcast Insight’s October 2021 data report, there are more than two million active podcasts. Over one-third of Americans report listening to podcasts regularly, which means that nearly 104 million people tune in to hear audio content on a daily or weekly basis.

That means that nearly 60 percent of all US consumers are podcast listeners!

With shows and topics ranging from true crime to global news, sports, and even discussions of the paranormal, there is indeed an audience for every niche podcast production.

PODCASTING IS AN EFFECTIVE MARKETING TOOL

There are many reasons why hosting a podcast can be an effective marketing tool for any business looking to increase its client base. First, the demographic of podcast listeners are the ideal target audience: people aged 26-35 with higher incomes on average. Secondly, podcast listening is widely used by the curious for self-improvement. Podcast listeners report that they turn to podcasts to learn or get helpful information. These thoughtful, insightful folks are the ideal client or customer! Because podcasts are often subscription-based, listeners tend to return often for new episodes. Positive podcast experiences can create a bond and build loyalty between the listener and podcast host. Finally, creating and publishing a podcast is inexpensive. With a relatively small investment, you can create professional-sounding content and have access to an enormous audience base.

Sounds good, right? But if you are like most small business owners, adding a podcast to your already busy daily to-do list does not sound appealing or even remotely feasible.

So... let a virtual assistant help you!

The right virtual assistant can help manage your podcast from the pre-production phase all the way up to delivery, marketing, and promotion. A virtual assistant can work on both your podcast’s administrative and creative aspects and make sure everything runs smoothly.

A podcasting virtual assistant can:

RESEARCH SUBJECTS AND BOOK GUESTS: The average podcast runs 22 minutes in length. New podcasts are released daily, biweekly, weekly or monthly, depending on how much content you have or how often you desire. If your podcast is an interview format, inviting and speaking with experts requires scheduling and booking guests , building out research packets, and outlining topics. Your virtual assistant can handle all the administrative back and forth with scheduling and work to develop content guides, interview questions, and prep the guest to ease each conversation.

ASSIST WITH SET UP AND LOGISTICS: Podcasts can be recorded and produced using simple tools like a phone or laptop, microphone, headphones. Solo podcast hosts often record at home, in a closet or room prepped to muffle sound, and interview guests remotely. You don’t need an elaborate setup or professional equipment to make a great-sounding podcast -- you just need a great virtual assistant! A podcasting virtual assistant will know tricks to make the sound quality of your recording sounds professional. Your podcasting virtual assistant will test all equipment and incoming and outgoing sound waves to ensure the recording platform is operational and that everything is captured appropriately.

MANAGE THE RECORDING OF EACH EPISODE: There are many applications available for podcast recording with low or no-cost subscriptions. Popular options are Audacity, Zencastr, Spreaker, Iris, and Squadcast. Your podcasting virtual assistant will likely have a favorite and can advise which one would be best for your use. They will utilize the platform’s features to produce a quality recording by ensuring that each track (host and guest/guest audio) matches volume and output. They will listen for any background noise, interference, or static, and advise on how to record cleanly, so each recording session is done in a timely and efficient manner.

EDIT THE RECORDING: Professionals use expensive and intricate audio editing software, but inexpensive options can be just as powerful. Programs like Adobe’s Audition, Audacity, GarageBand, and Reaper all offer tools that allow a virtual assistant to combine tracks, edit out background noise, level audio, take out any extra “um’s” and “uh’s,” sniffles, barking dogs, etc., and improve the overall sound and flow of the recording. Mess up and call the guest the wrong name, or forget your place in your script? That is no problem for a virtual assistant who will edit errors out of your final product. They can also be responsible for adding intro and closing music, inserting advertisements, musical stings, or other produced elements you desire. The audio engineering aspect of a podcast can run the gamut from simple, straight-to-upload limited editing, or intensive, highly post-produced episodes. The decision about how much time to spend finalizing your podcast will be up to you and your virtual assistant. In either case, your podcasting virtual assistant will create a single, tight. MP3 file, ready for upload.

POST-PRODUCTION WORKFLOW: A podcasting virtual assistant can help you add tags, show, and description notes to your podcast for SEO purposes, and they will upload episodes to the podcasting hosting site of your choice. Buzzsprout, PodBean, Captivate, RSS and Resonate offer different levels of production assistance like transcription and affiliate marketing integration, cross-platform analytics, and listener statistic support. Your virtual assistant can ensure that all the nitty-gritty details involved with getting your final podcast into the ears of subscribers are taken care of.

MARKETING AND SOCIAL MEDIA PROMOTION: Finally, your podcasting virtual assistant can get the word out about your latest episode and help you build a buzz around your podcast. They can create a transcript from your conversation and help you turn it into a supporting blog post on your website. They can use content from your conversations to make graphics for social media pushes and even create video clips for upload onto YouTube (if you recorded video while you talked). They can be tasked to link your podcast to conversations on social media and respond to inquiries and comments left by listeners.

START YOUR PODCAST TODAY!

The podcast industry is growing steadily and is an excellent, inexpensive marketing endeavor for your small business. Like with video content, audio can convey emotions and passion and create a real bond with your listeners. Your voice and business will become known to your audience and clients in a way that will naturally emphasize connection through transparency. They will feel like they know you and are in constant communication with you. You can use your podcast to convey your brand and views, which can, in turn, build loyalty and convert listeners into customers and clients.

Podcasting virtual assistants can help you manage your podcast, record and edit the episodes, engineer the audio, market the final product, and interact with your audience.

Contact Freedom Makers today and tell us that you would like to add a podcast to your small business! We have military spouse virtual assistants who are skilled at all areas of podcast production and promotion. They can advise you how to get started, will handle the workflow from start to finish, and help you add value to your business!

3 Strategies To Help Your Remote Team Feel More Connected

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 08 Mar 2022 16:46:25 GMT

Fostering an environment of connection can be incredibly difficult when team members work remotely from their home offices, located across disparate time zones and geographic areas.

Having a remote team offers many benefits, but it is much harder for a business owner to gauge if team morale is dropping or if team members are considering moving away from their position.

Workplace connection impacts how team members view their organization. If folks don’t feel connected - to each other or the company - they are more likely to become disengaged from the business and its mission. Disenfranchisement leads to turnover, which is expensive and time-consuming.

Nurturing an atmosphere of connection is critical to remote team success.

There are three critical ‘C’s’ of connection… three strategies that a remote business should focus on so their remote team feels an allegiance toward the company and one another. Those strategies are communication, collaboration, and culture.

COMMUNICATION

Good communication is integral to every workplace environment. It can prevent problems, promote performance, increase productivity, and keep a team strong and engaged. Good communication is more than just the clear presentation of ideas and intent. It also involves creating a safe space where team members feel comfortable consulting with each other.

Communication is an art form and a core leadership skill . It requires creativity and a high level of perception. The tone for workplace communication is set by a business owner who can delegate clearly and create an environment where everyone has a voice and the opportunity to be heard. Leaders empower team members to ask questions, present alternating viewpoints, and offer suggestions or critiques where necessary.

Without an atmosphere that encourages communication, remote employees can begin to feel left out, uninformed, or even mistreated.

Everyone on a remote team must be on the same page. If every team member understands the expectations for communication and has adequate tools at their disposal, they will feel safe expressing themselves. Feeling heard and validated by their colleagues and superiors will help them feel connected to their team and company.

But in a remote environment, employing the best communication practices can feel elusive. HOW do you communicate? How will you get project updates? How will meetings be conducted?

Business leaders should establish systems for communicating and commit to regular check-ins to ensure everyone feels supported. Each team member should train on the platforms used by the business and be given guidelines by which to operate.

Thankfully, many practical communication tools have been built and developed for our remote world. They range from simple email and instant messaging apps to video conferencing apps and asynchronous project management team hubs.

Some examples from each category:

EMAIL: Office 365, Gmail

INSTANT MESSAGING: Slack, Glip, Chanty, Chatter & Zimbra

VIDEO CONFERENCING: Zoom, GoogleMeet, Gather, Skype & Yammer

PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLATFORMS: Asana , Trello, Monday.com, Google Workspace

Good communication can be the determining factor in team effectiveness and engagement in the remote workplace. Good communication strategies can lead to a company culture of “we’re in this together.”

At Freedom Makers , we rely on Asana to communicate tasks and projects. Asana is where we document ongoing projects, maintain client communications, and layout weekly meeting agendas. We can tag each other on it, create tasks for each other, and see what our whole team is doing for the overall company.

We assume positive intent within Asana – knowing that “tasks” are not “orders” and” tone” can be, unfortunately, defined by space allowed. The way we utilize Asana had become part of our unwritten operating code but was recently deliberately documented. It is explained to new team members as part of our onboarding process. Our core team felt that capturing how we communicate was critical to keeping our remote team strong and feeling connected. We ask that all who join us adopt similar communications practices.

Our philosophy of communication – and the tool we have in place that works for us – enables us to feel connected to each other and the company as a whole. We endeavor to understand all facets of the business so we can assist, contribute and cross-check with each other as we grow.

COLLABORATION

Remote teams have to work extra hard against the drivers that create silos. Siloing – working independently or existing in a bubble – is a proven pitfall teams working remotely are prone to.

In a report published in September 2021, researchers with the Nature of Human behavior found that the shift to remote work as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic caused the collaboration network of workers to become more static and siloed, with “fewer bridges between disparate parts.”

Without the proper emphasis on connection through communication, team members aren’t inclined to share information and are uncomfortable crossing lanes to collaborate with each other.

Collaboration in a remote environment is more complicated than collaborating in person. How do you re-create the hallway run-in in a remote environment? How do you pitch in to put out a colleague’s fire if you don’t witness it happening?

Theoretically, it might seem that dictating hours when everyone must be online would facilitate virtual “run-ins” that could prevent siloing. But there are drawbacks to that approach in addition to the limitations of actual time-zone differences. When working from home, team members juggle kids and partners and choose to work hours that fit their schedules best. This is how remote workers can be generally more productive when working – they work when they are free from home-based interruptions AND the interruptions that occur in an office environment.

Effective collaboration in a remote environment requires a deliberate, practical strategy.

If your team members are working on a project together but reside in different time zones or work opposing schedules, how will they share information or handle the workflow? How will the right hand know what the left one is doing? When people cannot interact in person, they need access to the other tools available (like email, video meetings, or instant messaging apps) and a clear understanding of how their remote-collaboration workflow will look.

Clearly establishing communication expectations is critical to encouraging collaboration.

At Freedom Makers, we have a 24-hour response time. As long as someone checks their messages and responds within one business day, we do not care what time they work. We also have regularly scheduled core team meetings with a published, shared agenda where everyone is asked to contribute, participate and pitch in.

Having simple tactical processes prevents delays, decreases frustration, and improves efficiency and collaboration among our team members.

CULTURE

Building a vibrant company culture can be challenging with a remote team because the physical distance between team members can weaken the ties that bind colleagues together. However, if a business owner is mindful and deliberate when establishing the company’s core values, remote workers will feel connected, both to each other and to the business’s mission.

When creating a culture for a remote team, there are three more ‘C’s’ to help keep that culture intact and team members connected. They are: caring for team members, celebrating victories, and congregating when possible.

C ARE ABOUT YOUR PEOPLE

Effective leaders truly take care of their people. When a leader is genuine and honest, the people that follow them will feel connected. They believe their well-being is being looked out for. Even in a remote environment, team members will know if the person they work for is an effective leader or is simply good at “managing up.”

What’s the difference?

A true leader listens and does what is needed so that everyone is best equipped to do their jobs. Leaders create a baseline of trust and psychological safety when they work to understand a team’s personalities, goals, talents, and limitations. If people feel they can make mistakes, are encouraged to give and receive feedback, and believe they will learn while being supported, they will feel connected and inspired to do their very best work.

C ELEBRATE !

If work was supposed to be a party, they wouldn’t call it work.

But the remote workplace should be one where celebrations occur regularly. Teams that are connected have leaders who seek out ways to celebrate individual achievements and collective accomplishments.

For example, we developed a system to celebrate the amazing work our Freedom Maker virtual assistants do. We created a series of badges as a way of recognizing when a Freedom Maker goes above and beyond. The way it works is that a Freedom Maker can be nominated by an internal team member based on established criteria. When they are awarded a badge, it is placed on their profile for clients to see. Our badge system is both an incentive for Freedom Makers, and a way to celebrate hard work and dedication.

Currently, we have three badges (Team Player, Life-Long Learner, and Client Excellence). Each Freedom Maker can earn a badge three times. A star is added each time to indicate the additional award. We are currently working to improve this as many Freedom Makers are maxing out categories and we don't want their hard work to go unrecognized!

We have also created a Spotlight feature in our newsletters that allows clients and potential clients to hear about a different, specific Freedom Maker each month. Tailored specifically to each Freedom Maker, Spotlights highlight the professional diversity on our team and help personalize our virtual assistants by including a segment about their lives and interests outside of work. We all love learning about one another and finding commonalities.

It is also vital that remote teams celebrate holidays, work anniversaries, promotions, and birthdays! Collectively celebrating all the elements that enrich our individual lives makes us feel connected to one another on a personal level.

C ONGREGATE

For the first time in our company’s history, the Freedom Makers internal team gathered together in Dallas, Texas, last September for a week of camaraderie and strategic planning . The internal team traveled from Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Florida, and San Antonio. Teammates that had been working together for years finally had an opportunity to meet in person, strengthening their working relationships and deepening their connections with one another.

Of course, strategic retreats aren’t always feasible! Virtual congregations become super important if your team can’t ever get together in person.

Allowing time during routine video meetings where casual conversations are encouraged can bolster a team’s sense of connection and unity. Setting an expectation that team members keep their cameras on during weekly touchpoints might feel uncomfortable at first. Still, it will add to each colleague feeling like they know one another. Encourage team members to share anecdotes and what is going on in their personal life. Witnessing communication through non-verbal cues (like facial expressions) is important and just not possible over the phone or with the camera off.

ALSO, DISCONNECT

Finally, in a remote work world where team members are laboring hard from their individual houses, the lines between work and home are too often blurred and fluid. Fostering an environment where a work-life balance is encouraged will ultimately lead to an atmosphere of healthy, supported engagement. Encouraging team members to take time for themselves, set boundaries, and unplug from work where appropriate will ultimately lead to greater feelings of solidarity, united purpose of mission, and team connection.

Is It Time To Bring On A Virtual Assistant?

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 16:00:49 GMT

Bringing a virtual assistant into your business can feel like a big step. For managers and entrepreneurs used to handling day-to-day operations by themselves, it can be difficult to know when it is the right time to outsource tasks.

And yet, it is proven that outsourcing to a virtual assistant brings relief, lowered stress, and renewed energy. With the support of a virtual assistant, business owners see productivity increase and more efficient, streamlined processes take hold.

That’s because the tempo of the daily to-do is relentless. It can make business owners feel overworked and overwhelmed, burnt-out, and mentally exhausted.

So… there is never a wrong time to engage a virtual assistant to take some tasks off your plate, and the ideal time to do so is before things get out of hand!

Truth is, the best time to engage a virtual assistant is often before you realize you need one.

Hint: You need one now!

Virtual assistants can help your business from day one. They can help build systems and document them as they develop. They can help establish procedural-related to-do list items like making/receiving phone calls, appointment scheduling, and calendar management. Virtual assistants can manage email accounts and social media engagements , handle bookkeeping and invoicing, conduct research, and facilitate customer relations.

Because virtual assistants are utility players, they can often fill gaps and create safety nets so that nothing slips through the cracks.

Virtual Assistants Give You Your Time Back

Business owners and solopreneurs know that time is their most valuable resource. When you try to do all the things, all the time, all by yourself, you quickly realize that time is precious, finite, and often feels insufficient. The hours in each day, the days in each week, all feel like sand running through your fingers.

A virtual assistant can handle the tasks that steal your time so you can redistribute your energy to the things that add value to your business. Delegating administrative tasks, social media management, and database maintenance to a virtual assistant will save you hours each day.

Additionally, a virtual assistant costs a fraction of the rate you would pay yourself or a full-time employee. So outsourcing to a virtual assistant saves you time and money, the two things every small business desperately needs.

Bringing on a virtual assistant when your company is in its startup days is ideal but not always possible. If things with your business are “fine” but not “great,” or “functional” but not “optimal,” it is likely time to find a virtual assistant.

There are some clear signs that now is the time to engage a virtual assistant:

1. YOU ARE SPENDING MORE TIME IN YOUR BUSINESS THAN ON YOUR BUSINESS

Once your business is established and operational, many tasks need to be done daily to keep the business running. Many of these tasks are administrative in nature: answering calls, responding to emails, creating spreadsheets, designing graphics in Canva, posting on social media and managing comments, writing blog content, formatting newsletters, bookkeeping entries, etc.

These tasks are critical and important to the viability of every small business, but they do not directly generate any revenue. Scheduling internal meetings and documenting systems, managing CRM entries, and organizing documents is time intensive! Those things help keep your business organized, but they don’t help your business grow.

How time-intensive? Before the pandemic shut down in 2020, Harvard conducted a study that revealed how much time CEOs spent on email alone each day. At the time, it was surprising that nearly 24% of a CEO’s time was spent reading, responding, and managing their inbox. And yet, that percentage has likely increased dramatically with the number of businesses now existing remotely. You might not realize just how many hours each day you spend inside your inbox.

If you were to run the numbers and analyze your day-to-day schedule, you’d discover you are spending too much time on tasks that are maintenance-focused as opposed to growth-focused… and your energies are needed elsewhere.

It was your passion and innovation that led to your business’s creation – and it will be your continued creative endeavors and sales generation that will ensure its success.

The majority of your time should be spent on pursuits that add value.

That includes honing leadership skills , establishing core values , planning and executing business strategy, and networking to expose your business to a larger audience of potential clients and customers. But data indicates that small businesses currently spend an average of 120 working days per year on administrative tasks, equating to a nearly 5% decrease in productivity.

If you struggle to focus on your business’s vision because of all the administrative tasks pulling on your time, it is time to engage a virtual assistant. Adding a virtual assistant to your team can return time and productivity to your business.

2. YOU’RE STRUGGLING TO MEET DEADLINES

Consistently meeting deadlines is critical as a small business establishes its reputation.

Delivering services on-time and meeting supply chain deadlines are the tell-tale signs of a dependable and reliable company. If you deliver, your customers will have confidence in you and will more readily refer your business to their networks.

How will you ensure there is enough time to handle operational tasks to the best of your team’s ability if you are primarily responding to emails flooding your inbox or working on uploading daily content to your social media platforms?

When deadlines slip or are missed entirely, it can be a sign of poor time management or inadequate use of resources. If you’re struggling to meet all your deadlines and deliver on expectations in a timely manner, it is time to engage with a virtual assistant.

Why? Virtual assistants tend to be terrific problem solvers . They can identify where your delivery problems are and set up reminder systems and triggers , so everything flows as expected. They can also streamline project management by finding and eliminating the gaps that hold up delivery timelines.

By empowering a virtual assistant with a seemingly simple task like flagging key and essential emails that could prevent delays, your team can head off a problem with delivery before it affects your clients. Likewise, a virtual assistant can be charged with monitoring comments and feedback on social media channels, so potential leads don’t get missed and customer frustrations are quickly addressed and rectified.

But virtual assistants are also skilled at more complicated scheduling and project planning.

Outsourcing delivery problems to a virtual assistant who excels in timeline strategy can help identify what activities or inactivities are causing delays, can help you develop a new, more viable schedule, and can help you create project planning documents that facilitate workflow.

In short, a virtual assistant can help you keep things on track – or get things back on track.

3. YOU’VE DISCOVERED INEFFICIENCIES IN YOUR BUSINESS OPERATIONS

Are multiple team members working on the same projects? Does the left hand of your business not know what the right hand is doing? What would happen if you were suddenly unable to do the things you do each day? Are your processes documented so someone else can keep the business running?

If the answer to any of these questions is no, you have inefficiencies in your business operations, and it is time to engage a virtual assistant.

Many small businesses take off before processes are in place or wind up outgrowing their initial cobbled together structures, creating a chaotic and inefficient operational environment. A business owner who types responses to all email inquiries, posts daily on social media, or manually creates invoices, spends valuable time and energy on systems that could become automated by a virtual assistant.

Inefficiencies can cost a business as much as 30 percent of its yearly revenue!

Virtual assistants can integrate themselves into existing workflows or collaborate to redesign some operations to help small businesses run more smoothly. They can help set up and automate things like client intake and follow-up forms, scheduling systems, data entry, and project tracking.

Freedom Makers has virtual assistants who create, manage and assist business owners with workflows and operations. Many are trained and experienced on platforms and like:

Google Suite
Asana, Process Street, Trello, Clio, Microsoft Planner, etc.
Zoho
MailChimp and Constant Contact
Salesforce
Streak
Quickbooks

Virtual assistants can also organize and streamline your existing files and systems.

Allowing a virtual assistant to use their experience to establish or manage your operations can increase efficiency and benefit everyone involved - even when the virtual assistant isn’t “on the clock.”

4. YOU’RE SPENDING TOO MUCH TIME ON TASKS YOU ARE NOT GOOD AT OR DON’T ENJOY

You started your business with talent and passion. Your area of expertise – be it as a website designer, craftsman, law practitioner, software developer, or florist – is unique to you and dominates your skillset. It is what you care about!

But without help from a virtual assistant, a software developer must also become a talented bookkeeper, customer relations manager, marketing maverick, and blog writer.

Many small business owners feel burnt out doing the support tasks and discover they have less time to design websites, create art or develop software. Eventually, the energy required to innovate and network with passion is depleted.

If you happen to love administrative or technical tasks as much as you love the reason you started your business, you might just be a unicorn!

But if you are spending a lot of your time struggling with recurring tasks AND only doing a mediocre job at them, now is the time to bring on a virtual assistant.

Virtual assistants free up time by taking care of essential, recurring, and tedious tasks like:

Email and calendar management
Planning events or trips
Creating spreadsheets and documents
Brainstorming and writing blog posts
Creating and posting social media and blog graphics
CRM management and bookkeeping

Virtual assistants are skilled and talented at the exact things you do not enjoy doing. Many specialize in the very areas that tax your passion and eat your time. Virtual assistants are efficient and effective at executing the tasks you choose to delegate! They can quickly improve your day-to-day work-life balance , and you can return your focus to the drivers that encouraged you to create the business in the first place.

Unburdened by the stress and discomfort slogging away at tasks you don’t like, your passion and energy will undoubtedly return.

5. YOU ARE READY TO SCALE YOUR BUSINESS

Scaling a business involves growing revenues while minimizing costs. Scaling improves your profit margin while increasing efficiency.

Bringing a virtual assistant into your business can be an essential step as you scale.

A virtual assistant will increase your capacity while saving you money (compared to doing the work yourself or hiring a traditional full-time or part-time employee). Because virtual assistants are independent, self-employed contractors who file 1099 taxes and provide their own medical insurance, they don’t cost the same financial burden an employee’s salary, benefits, or additional taxes would.

Virtual assistants work remotely, often from their own home, and are accountable for all expenses they incur. This typically includes their computer equipment and internet service, software subscriptions, and other workplace items.

Additionally, they already have the skills and training needed to execute their tasks.

A virtual assistant can alleviate pressure by increasing your team’s capacity. You can outsource onboarding tasks, systems building and documentation, and the more mundane administrative functions while you focus on business development.

IN CONCLUSION

So… when is the right time to bring on a virtual assistant?

Yesterday.

Consider engaging a virtual assistant as soon as you establish your business, as you set your foundation, as you discover inefficiencies, or are ready to grow or scale. In addition to all the practical hands-on tasks they execute, virtual assistants provide much more than just tactical to-do list tasks for a business. The intangible benefits a virtual assistant offers in the way of reduced stress is nearly impossible-to-quantify.

It is never too early to delegate specific processes to virtual assistants to free yourself from the exhaustion that comes with executing daily, tedious tasks. With the help of a virtual assistant, you will have more time and energy to reevaluate your priorities, brainstorm, implement new ideas, and focus on your business’s core mission.

Still not sure where to start?

Freedom Makers’ task audit can help you precisely determine what a virtual assistant can do for you. By working through the prompts, an impartial assessment can help you see what tasks only you can and should do and which can be done by a talented virtual assistant!

Why You Should Focus On Leadership

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 22 Feb 2022 18:56:16 GMT

“Good business leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision,

and relentlessly drive it to completion.” -- Jack Welch

You are a busy small business owner, running in a million directions, juggling all the balls, and wearing nearly all the hats! This business is your baby. Your passion created it, and it is your commitment and dedication to it that will keep it afloat.

But who will steer it?

Unfortunately, it is not enough to own and manage your business – even if you do so flawlessly.

You also must lead it.

Some small business owners mistakenly believe that they only need to become leaders when their company grows to include a large number of employees. But the truth is leadership is just as important – if not more so – when your business is small. In fact, the act of nurturing and guiding your business into existence is, in and of itself, a form of leadership! From the getgo, having strong leadership skills is critical for any business, regardless of size. Effective leadership can mean the difference between a small business that fails and one that succeeds.

As a small business owner, you hardly have time to have lunch! However, you should make time to focus on cultivating the leadership skills that will carry your business into the future.

WHAT IS BUSINESS LEADERSHIP?

Business leadership is often described as having the ability to lead employees and a company through anything that affects the business in any way. Leadership is most often discussed as important and necessary during difficult circumstances or conditions. But leadership is critical through times of positive change as well, like during periods of rapid growth or evolution. Business leaders help navigate all types of dynamic environments, negotiating opportunities and obstacles while keeping the end goal in mind.

Effective leadership is a complex undertaking that involves defining, providing, and maintaining a vision and path that will lead to growth and success.

There are several reasons why cultivating effective leadership skills is critical for any small business owner.

1. Effective business leaders give the company direction. Business owners and managers handle invoices and product development, establish social media marketing strategies, and provide customer support and service. Business leaders create a vision for the company and keep an eye on the bigger picture of the business’s landscape. Small business leaders direct the company toward goals, constantly reorienting productivity and productivity to keep the company heading in a specific direction.

2. Effective business leaders set the tone for the business. Similar to determining a company’s core values , setting the tone for a business can be of nearly equal importance. By setting the tone for company culture, business leaders model the ideas and beliefs that characterize it. Is the culture laidback and relaxed? Is it striving and ambitious – ruthless in its pursuit of profit? Does the company value doing good and making positive change? By identifying the blend of unique characteristics that make the company unique, a business leader aligns themselves with the actions and the intentions the company embodies and encourages other team members to do the same.

3. Effective business leaders motivate others to work towards collective goals. In every business – especially those with slim operating margins – everyone must remain motivated to do their part and help bring the company to success. An effective always keeping the company’s best interests in mind and leads by example. Celebrating small victories and acknowledging hard work keeps enthusiasm for the business high. When a business leader can make members of the company feel valued, they are more likely to remain engaged and work hard on the business’s behalf.

WHAT LEADERSHIP SKILLS SHOULD SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS FOCUS ON FIRST?

You need a deliberate leadership structure and strategy even before your business hires a single employee or contracts with a single virtual assistan t.

The data indicate that the best leaders:

Develop a vision and consistently inspire others
Stay focused on a set of clearly communicated goals
Give and receive feedback
Can ask for help and admit their weaknesses
Are transparent, reliable, and approachable
Understand and identify strengths and weaknesses within the context of the environment

These skills are among the most important ones to cultivate as a small business owner looking to add to their leadership toolbox.

MILITARY LEADERSHIP LESSONS LEARNED

Rich lessons in leadership are also readily found within the military. Freedom Maker’s leader, Laura Renner, is an Air Force veteran. She adds three additional leadership qualities to the list above from her time on active duty.

She believes the best leaders:

Truly take care of their people. People will follow people who are genuine and real. They know if their leader is a leader or is simply good at “managing up.” A true leader listens and does what is needed so that everyone is best equipped to do their jobs. Small business owners should work truly know and care for the people they bring into their company. Understanding your team’s personalities, goals, talents, and limitations can help you best care for their needs while they serve the company.
Remain flexible always. Flexibility is a critical key to effective leadership. Leaders must be able to constantly adapt as new challenges and opportunities arise. In small business environments, even minute or seemingly slight challenges could cause large ripples and potentially throw a company off course. An effective business leader can nimbly adjust and weather any storm.
Put the mission first. Effective business leaders are able to capably communicate the mission to all who work to accomplish it. Communication is critical in leadership because everyone in the organization must understand the mission and know what their role is to achieve it. A strong leader models this mission-first ethos by setting their own ego aside and asking for help when needed. Openly receiving feedback and making adjustments as necessary helps ensure that the business’s mission is successfully achieved.

SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS SHOULD FOCUS ON LEADERSHIP

Leadership helps provide a vision for any business, project, or venture. Fundamental leadership skills are critical to successfully executing any strategy and can mean the difference between entrepreneurial success or failure. Regardless of the size or scope of your business, it is never too early to start focusing on what being a leader means to you and honing your skills.

Start carving out time in your schedule to focus on leadership. Contact Freedom Makers today to outsource some of your daily, administrative or time-intensive tasks to a qualified virtual assistant and lead your business to success!

What Skills Do You Need To Be A Virtual Assistant?

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 15 Feb 2022 15:40:02 GMT

The skills a virtual assistant needs are both specific and diverse.

A virtual assistant is an independent professional who provides critical support services from a remote environment. They can help a company with a wide variety of tasks, and are able to vastly improve a business’s productivity by providing support in any and all areas, from administrative and technical functions to marketing and creative work.

Because of this variety, it is difficult to pinpoint precisely which specific skills a virtual assistant will need. But there are critical strengths every virtual assistant should cultivate that will best position them for success.

WHO ARE VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS?

Statistics from a 2020 study suggest that over 82% of virtual assistants are female. The majority of virtual assistants are in their 30s and 40s, and over 50% have bachelor’s degrees.

A virtual assistant is brought on part-time or full-time, paid hourly, or by the project as needs arise. Some virtual assistants run their own business , marketing themselves for work on places like Indeed or LinkedIn and connecting with business owners and managers independently. They take on clients and projects as they arise and fit within their self-managed schedule. Or a virtual assistant can be part of an agency like Freedom Makers , which maintains a pool of talented, vetted virtual assistants. Agencies connect with businesses and entrepreneurs who have identified the need for a virtual assistant and then serve as a matchmaker, finding the best-qualified virtual assistant for the job that needs to get done. The agency does the leg work to find the virtual assistant with the suitable skillset and experience.

All virtual assistants work offsite, often from their own home, and typically provide and pay for their computer equipment, software programs, and internet service. Business owners who engage virtual assistants share privileges and passwords a virtual assistant needs to remotely access drives, documents, calendars, spreadsheets, the backside of websites, etc.

VIRTUAL ASSISTANT TREE ANALOGY

When considering what skills a virtual assistant needs to be successful, picture a thriving oak tree.

The roots of a well-established tree hold it in place and cultivate the nutrients needed by the rest of the system from the soil surrounding them. The tree’s trunk is healthy and strong as it grows and expands. The trunk’s main task is to remain stalwart through every condition and serve as a consistent conduit from the roots to the branches. The branches of the tree reach upward and outward, adjusting as they grow and constantly adapting so the tree can reach its full potential.

Applying the tree analogy to a virtual assistant:

The roots are the foundational and critical strengths a virtual assistant needs to anchor themselves in their career choice. The roots are a virtual assistant’s mindset.
The trunk is the solid pathway from those critical strengths to the branches. The trunk ensures the conditions are set for a virtual assistant to grow and thrive. The trunk houses a virtual assistant’s determination and strength as well as the actual physical environment they operate from.
The tree branches are the virtual assistant themselves! The branches are fed by the roots and the trunk and spring out into every support area a business might need. The branches continuously grow by cultivating tactical skills so they can best contribute to their client’s success.

THE ROOTS OF A VIRTUAL ASSISTANT

A virtual assistant must be rooted in a strong foundation and have a growth mindset.

A virtual assistant’s roots must consist of a specific mix of practical skills and intangible qualities that are strong and tenacious under every circumstance, helping guarantee success.

Those skills include:

TIME MANAGEMENT EXPERTISE

A virtual assistant must have stellar time management skills, along with excellent organizational and multitasking abilities. Because they work from home, in typically a solitary environment, a virtual assistant must be self-motivated. They must have the ability to work with minimal supervision and still be driven and determined to deliver their work on time and error-free.

INDEPENDENT LEARNING ENTHUSIASM

A virtual assistant must be enthusiastic about independent learning. Each client will expect their virtual assistant to adapt to their unique work environment and learn their company’s specific platforms and ways of operating. A virtual assistant must be willing and eager to train to new skills - or update outdated ones. Doing so will help them stay relevant and competitive in a landscape that constantly shifts and changes.

ADAPTABLE FLEXIBILITY

Virtual assistants must be flexible. Changing deadlines, fluctuating cash flows, increases or decreases in sales volume - these are the challenges many businesses face as they gain a foothold in their marketplace. Being adaptable and resilient are vital components of building a successful virtual assistant career.

COMPETENT COMMUNICATION

Virtual assistants must be clear and continual communicators with their clients to best carry out their duties. They must be curious! If there is a question or doubt, virtual assistants must be proactive in obtaining the answer and information to help them succeed. Virtual assistants must also be honest about their ability to perform the duties needed and exude confidence through proven success to get the job done.

DEDICATED TRANSPARENCY

Time is money! Virtual assistants must be transparent and track their progress for their clients. Keeping a log and providing a report will allow both the virtual assistant and the client to know where and how they spend their time. The goal of a virtual assistant is to add value. Successful virtual assistants do this by focusing solely on the tasks at hand when they “clock in” and work without distractions.

CONSCIENTIOUS CARING

Perhaps the skill a virtual assistant needs most to be successful is that they must care about their client’s needs and genuinely want to contribute to their success. Completing the smallest of tasks with a keen eye for detail and being accountable for the quantity and quality of the work they produce is an essential element of being a successful virtual assistant. Therefore, virtual assistants should always be resourceful when handling aspects of their client’s business, and they should possess the passion, determination, and perseverance to work within dynamic environments.

THE TRUNK OF A VIRTUAL ASSISTANT

The tree’s trunk is the core that delivers and enriches the nutrients from the foundation to the rest of the system. A healthy and thriving trunk allows a tree to grow and reach its greatest potential.

A virtual assistant’s ‘trunk’ is the established and steady set of conditions that provide a vital channel for their practical skills and intangible qualities to reach their branches.

Specifically:

Education and Experience: All virtual assistants must have a high school diploma or GED. Most virtual assistants (including those at Freedom Makers) have associate’s or bachelor’s degrees and/or advanced certifications. Virtual assistants must also be comfortable and familiar with the many current workplace technologies that make remote work possible and seek ways to self-train.
Home Office: All virtual assistants must have a computer and a reliable, fast internet connection to execute their tasks. They also must have a quiet, dedicated workspace and possess professional decorum. A virtual assistant should equip their home office space with items that make working remotely possible and comfortable. Many virtual assistants invest in powerful laptops with high processing speeds, updated operating software, and headphones for meetings and video calls. Many also purchase a second monitor for their computing system so that they can have multiple tabs open simultaneously for cross-referencing and ease of use. Of course, any home office would not be complete without pens, paper, highlighters, and other staples that make organization easier.
Independent Mindset: A virtual assistant must manage their own hours, including taking personal days to reset and handle personal business. Business owners who engage a virtual assistant do not pay the same taxes they would for a full-time employee, nor do they provide medical or dental healthcare or paid vacation leave. A virtual assistant is a freelance contractor who typically files a 1099 form to pay taxes. No state or federal income taxes, social security, or Medicare taxes are taken out of what a virtual assistant earns. They are solely responsible for paying self-employment tax. There are specific costs 1099 workers can deduct from their self-employment income taxes, so every virtual assistant must have a general understanding of the tax code or have an accountant help them file appropriately.

THE VIRTUAL ASSISTANT AS A BRANCH

The branches of a tree shoot off from the trunk in all directions looking for access to direct sunlight.

A tree’s branches can symbolize the individualized path a virtual assistant takes.

A virtual assistant, like a branch, chooses to work and stretch into areas that best complement their interests. It is here a virtual assistant works to obtain the specific tactical skills they need to do work that is meaningful to them.

Because each virtual assistant’s career path is unique to them, not every virtual assistant will need the same set of skills. Which skills they need will depend on what tasks they do.

Virtual assistants execute tasks that include, but are not limited to:

Daily office functions like making/receiving phone calls
Appointment scheduling
Calendar management
Making travel arrangements
Managing email accounts
Blog writing
Bookkeeping
Social media engagement and scheduling
Graphic design
Website content management and design services
Marketing services
Research
Project coordination
Event management
Customer Relations Management (CRM) / Database support

Every virtual assistant should have relevant and relatable professional experience in the role they fulfill for a client. For instance, if a virtual assistant supports a business in their customer service area, they must have a skill set that involves working directly with people. Having empathy, exemplary communication skills, being versed in conflict resolution, and having persuasive speaking skills are some of the necessary skills a customer service virtual assistant should cultivate. Having creative, visual design skills is vital for graphic or website work. Attention to detail and an enjoyment of process are critical skills when supporting a business with CRM, research, bookkeeping, or calendar management.

Virtual assistants also support specialized fields like real estate transactions, medical coding or transcription, paralegal work, and accounting. These virtual assistants have or gather the niche-specific skills that will help them best support their business owners.

Virtual assistants with strong skills, experience or interest and desire in a particular area will best position them to integrate into existing workflows and begin providing value for the client without additional training.

Additionally, all virtual assistants must know or learn the tools available to make working from a remote location possible in today’s fast-moving business environment. These technical skills can be specific to the areas of support the virtual assistant specializes in and include:

Scheduling apps like Calendly, Google Calendar, Honeybook, etc.
File sharing apps like Google Suite, Dropbox, Huddle, etc.
Communication and collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams, Slack, Zoom, DocuSign, etc.
Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.
Graphic image development tools like Canva, PicMonkey, etc.
Project management tools like Asana, monday.com, Trello, Basecamp, etc.

The best way for a virtual assistant to have the tools they need is to determine what areas they are best suited for and enjoy, and then work to build their skillset with that specific area in mind.

VIRTUAL ASSISTANT SKILLS

The most successful virtual assistants have a rich and diverse set of skills. With a growth mindset, they can branch out into all areas of interest, acquiring the specific skills they might need by seeking out education and training opportunities, completing certificate programs, and honing their skills with practice. Because practical skills and inherent qualities anchor them, there are no limits to how far they can go.

Localvest: Supporting Small Business & Military Spouses

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 08 Feb 2022 15:47:45 GMT

Localvest is a SaaS (software as a service) issuer/investor communications platform that invests in military founders.

Localvest shares Freedom Maker’s mission to raise awareness about the challenges military spouses face when seeking employment, and we were thrilled and honored to be featured by them on their website!

At Localvest we are proud to have a large community of entrepreneurs, business leaders, and investors who have served our country in all branches of the military. We are also really proud of the military spouses in our community, including the military spouse supporting our team! Raising awareness about the challenges military spouses face when seeking employment is important to us. That’s why we’re excited to introduce you to Freedom Makers, a growing veteran-founded company that is leading the way in creating flexible, remote work opportunities for military spouses.

INTRODUCING FREEDOM MAKERS VIRTUAL ASSISTANT SERVICES

Freedom Makers was founded in 2015 by Laura Renner, an Air Force Academy graduate who served as a Public Affairs Officer in the U.S. Air Force before earning an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Laura and her team, many of them military spouses, are passionate about helping small businesses succeed and know firsthand that active-duty spouses understand how to provide a high level of support while remaining flexible and adaptable. These qualities make military spouses a perfect fit for growing businesses and solopreneurs needing an extra pair of hands to help them juggle various tasks.

Herein lies the genius of Freedom Makers, the company connects business owners and entrepreneurs with reliable, high-skilled and trustworthy virtual assistants. These virtual assistants (also known as Freedom Makers) are professional and experienced military spouses who are eager to work and passionate about striving for excellence. A Freedom Maker can provide business support with everything from executive and administrative assistance to social media management and almost anything in between. Laura’s company not only gives business owners and entrepreneurs the freedom to focus on growing their businesses, but also provides military spouses with meaningful, remote employment, which gives them the freedom to work wherever the military sends them. It’s truly a win-win scenario for everyone involved.

WHY MILITA RY SPOUSES?

We know that military spouses are educated and experienced individuals who are eager to work. Despite this, nearly 35% of military spouses report they are not employed, but need or want employment. Child care needs and education requirements, service members’ long hours, unpredictable work and travel schedules, and the demands of frequent moves are among the top five reasons why military spouses are unemployed. While the military spouse unemployment rate is currently at 20%, the civilian unemployment rate is only 3% and spouse employment is one of the biggest concerns for active duty military families. Nearly 40% of military families consider leaving active-duty service due to spouse employment issues, making it a national security imperative.

In 2021, Freedom Makers grew 2.5 times over their 2020 growth rate. In quarter four alone, the company brought on 49 new Freedom Makers and broke a record for monthly hours worked. Freedom Makers’ phenomenal success highlights the pressing importance of the company’s mission, a growing demand for the virtual services they provide, and the positive impact they are making on the well-being of military families. At this rate, Freedom Makers is quickly becoming part of the national solution to reduce military spouse unemployment.

“Being a Freedom Maker means I now have a job that moves with me and fits into my schedule. I can be honest and transparent with Freedom Makers and with my clients who understand my lifestyle. This freedom is not only helping me support my family, it’s also helping me engage more effectively with my work and realize what I am passionate about. I’m really grateful for everything Freedom Makers is doing on behalf of military spouses and I’m thankful to be part of a supportive, like-minded team at Localvest.”

Learn more about Localvest by visiting their website !

Why Business Systems Are Important

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 01 Feb 2022 13:56:44 GMT

Multitasking, and doing more than one thing at a time – all the time – is simply part of being an entrepreneur. Knowing how to juggle is essential to starting and building a business.

In the early days of a start-up, doing every task yourself feels like the only way to ensure that every job gets done and gets done well.

But fast and early success can sometimes be a double-edged sword. Sharp or dramatic increases in clients, product demands, and service requests can put an enormous strain on a business, even if those things are precisely what can propel a business to the next level.

Without systems in place, things can get out of control. Stress and pressure escalate, and sometimes despite an entrepreneur’s best intentions, balls get dropped.

Slow delivery of goods, inconsistent response times to clients, or a breakdown in quality can mean an irrecoverable death spiral for a business just starting out.

That's why it is never too early to adopt business systems and automate wherever possible.

WHAT ARE BUSINESS SYSTEMS?

Business systems are documented procedures that outline how things are done in an organization to best ensure smooth operation and continual movement toward achieving business goals. Checklists, outlines, and if-then structures all create standard operating procedures (SOPs) that define the systems that can help optimize your business.

In other words, a business system is a workflow. Workflows and systems allow you to easily transfer duties, automate functions, and delegate assignments when necessary.

Business systems save time and help guarantee nothing gets missed or overlooked. They keep things running effectively and efficiently. Business systems can even be a stopgap, preventing small business failure.

WHAT AREAS OF A BUSINESS COULD BENEFIT FROM A SYSTEM?

Every business area can benefit from a system, process, or workflow.

The good news is: if you already have an established way of working on a task that you repeat time and time again because you have found it to be efficient and effective, you likely already have a system! Documenting that system is vital as your business grows or scales because having workflows “in your head” is simply not as practical as having them accessible to colleagues, co-workers, or subordinates.

Systems can do anything from simple tasks like automating responses to email or prompting the sending out of monthly newsletters. They can also be used in the execution of complicated business functions like processing payroll and invoicing clients.

Documenting your systems will allow you to hand off tasks, knowing they will be done to your specifications. Additionally, outlining your processes will allow you to see areas that you could potentially automate. You can then step back and redistribute your time and energy to grow the business.

HOW TO CREATE YOUR BUSINESS SYSTEMS

Every business is different, so the creation of your business’s systems will be unique to your company. But there are some specific steps to take to create any business system.

The first step is to identify what activities you engage in daily, weekly, or even monthly. Examine your operational activities, sales practices, marketing endeavors, and bookkeeping specifics. Do you push daily notifications to social media platforms, engage in daily or weekly sales calls, regularly onboard new employees, or invoice accounts? If there is a task in your organization that is likely to be repeated in the future, it makes sense to develop a system for it.
Next, you want to break down the components of each activity, taking into consideration what tools, people, and strategies are used to best complete each task. By mapping and documenting the procedural elements of the task, you can capture the actions necessary to complete the job in sequential order.
Then, write down the order of tasks, create a template, checklist or build out a SOP. At this step, you can create Loom or video recordings to show how you work. Written or filmed artifacts will be essential in the future when you train others in your processes.
Test your system! At the next opportunity, follow your outline and see if it yields the desired results. Are there steps you missed? Details you can add? You can also use this step to identify where things might be redundant or areas where you can consolidate efforts for quicker resolution.
Finally, determine whether your system is fully equipped. What tools and platforms are being employed, and do they best serve your needs? In some cases, once your system is documented, you might find areas where automating specific tasks would be an enormous time-saver and could simplify a process from start to finish.

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

The expression “work smarter, not harder” applies here.

Today’s software tools help small businesses with their systems and workflows. Cloud-based platforms provide small businesses with the means to collaborate remotely, track productivity and financial operations, and facilitate communication.

At Freedom Makers , we rely on several tools to help execute our business systems. Some of our favorite tools are:

Asana

Asana is a web and mobile work management platform designed to help teams organize, track, and manage their work. We use Asana internally at Freedom Makers, which has changed the way we do business. Asana is an excellent way for a team to stay connected when working virtually because everything is sharable and in one place. It is easy to follow workflows tasked in Asana.

Constant Contact

Constant Contact is a platform that helps manage clients, customers, and potential clients. It allows users to design custom campaigns for each segment of your email list with automated emails and newsletters and provides a powerful data analysis tool, so you can learn what content sees the best result.

JotForm

Jotform is an online platform to collect information and requests from clients and subcontractors. Its forms offer flexibility, conditional logic, notifications, and integrations with many other apps for seamless process flow.

Calendly

Calendly is a meeting scheduling hub that eliminates the back-and-forth required to determine a mutual time between parties to meet. It is user-friendly, allows you to customize meeting types and availability, and does the tedious calendar work for you.

Streak

Streak is a customizable customer relationship management (CRM) tool that interfaces with Gmail to meet your specific needs. You can use Streak as a CRM for prospective, active, and inactive clients or as an applicant tracking or project management tool.

Loom

Loom is an asynchronous screen recording platform that is a great way to interact, train and teach instantly. Team members can use Loom in a variety of ways. It is a fantastic way to record and share a business system or workflow with other members of your organization.

SET IT AND FORGET IT SYSTEMS

Finally, what good is a system if you don’t use it?

Once a system is created and documented, it needs to be executed regularly to actually assist your business’s productivity. Effective business systems initiate getting things done semi-automatically, so a critical step when creating business systems is implementing a “Set It and Forget It” system.

Create a system to make sure you use your systems? Yes!

There are three components to each Set It and Forget It system:

Triggers
Tools
Actions

Triggers are responsible for kickstarting a system into action. Establishing time-based calendar reminders and nudges, such as “every Monday” or “when someone fills out this form,” will trigger the business system you have established.

Tools are the things that equip your system and make completing the work easier. (see the list above!) Tools can also include people on your team, like a virtual assistant .

Actions are the steps necessary to accomplish the task at hand.

For example, our marketing strategy at Freedom Makers involves twice-daily posts on three different social media channels. Instead of spending time each day creating and posting in real-time, we have created a workflow, complete with triggers, to help us complete all the actions necessary to accomplish our marketing goals. We also utilize several tools.

First, we looked to automate where possible. We set up Google alerts to comb the internet for helpful information and content to share with our audience. Each day, a marketing team member is triggered by a reminder to check for viable links and add them to a spreadsheet for future use. On certain days of the week, tasks in Asana, our project management tool, trigger the creation of relevant graphics with the assistance of Canva, an online collaborative graphic design tool. When all the elements have been created and collected, we use Buffer to schedule the following week’s entire collection of posts. This workflow and the tools utilized save both time and money, while still allowing our marketing team to have complete creative control.

Each week, our triggers reset, and the process begins again. Our social media management system has streamlined this repetitious task and we never have to worry about losing sight of our marketing goal. We have documented the steps and actions necessary to execute our strategy with Loom videos and have written outlines and SOPs so any team member can step in and assist if necessary.

Automating activities, finding appropriate tools, delegating tasks, and establishing a workflow has allowed us to “Set It and Forget It.”

EFFECTIVE BUSINESS SYSTEMS LEAD TO SCALING AND GROWTH

Freedom Maker virtual assistants are practiced at executing workflows and business systems and are even skilled in helping create and define them. Engaging a virtual assistant to perform some of your business's systems or to help streamline functions is a great way to delegate as you scale. A virtual assistant can save you time and ensure nothing gets missed or is left untended.

How A Virtual Assistant Can Help With Your Social Media Marketing

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 25 Jan 2022 15:30:14 GMT

Part 2 of our series for small business owners, looking to increase traffic to their website. Check out Part 1: How A Virtual Assistant Can Help With Your Blog, here !

Are you a small business owner, wondering if you genuinely need a social media presence? What does social media do anyway? Maybe you are convinced that you need a social media presence, but you have no idea where to start!

The answers to the questions above are:

Yes, you do need a social media presence!
Social media is how new clients will find you and is the path to growing your business.
You start by engaging with a virtual assistant who can do this work for you inexpensively!

WHAT IS SOCIAL MEDIA ANYWAY?

Most small business owners have heard that they need to market their business on social media and write a weekly blog to increase traffic to their website. But many don’t understand why, what is involved, or the best ways to unify their online presence. More still can’t imagine finding yet another hour in their already busy work week, creating content for the internet.

But social media statistics are mind-boggling!

There are 4.2 billion active social media us ers , each of whom spends an average of 2.25 hours every day on social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, etc. It is clear that if your business isn’t in the social media “game,” you are missing out on an enormous growth opportunity.

The term “social media” can be a bit misleading. The name itself is a relic from the past when people used social media primarily to create and grow personal connections, build interpersonal relationships, and strengthen communities. As little as a decade ago, using social media for business was pretty unheard of. However, social media for business purposes has grown and evolved. Today, in addition to its former usages, social media is also a fertile ground for marketing and promoting any type of product or service.

Bloggers , content creators, and micro-influencers are all shaping what we see online and are a significant force determining which products and services gain market traction.

HOW TO DEVELOP AN SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE

Having a social media presence is more accessible than ever before. There are free platforms for scheduling social media posts on hosting sites like Buffer and Hootsuite and inexpensive online content creation tools like Canva and PicMonkey. Today, it is super easy for every small business to have an organized, cohesive, and creative online social media presence for a small investment in time and money.

How? Bring on a social media managment virtual assistant to get this work done.

A virtual assistant can create and post graphics that link social media followers back to your website or point of service and create and build community and conversation around your product.

SOCIAL MEDIA FOR WEBSITE PROMOTION

Social media is a powerful tool for marketing because it can grow a business and increase brand recognition, all for relatively low monetary investment. In fact, 55% of consumers learn about new brands on social media.

Social media marketing is on the rise, while tv, radio, and print marketing are deflating in value.

There are many social media platforms. Some overlap in audience and usage, but having a presence across many is essential to ensure your business can reach the broadest possible audience share. Some of the most popular social media platforms include:

Facebook: Facebook claims 2.895 billion users and is considered an essential social media channel. Facebook’s audience’s ages range from teenagers to octogenarians. A business can sign up for business pages, create groups, and host online events. Facebook has options for paying for targeting advertising and even live streaming videos and broadcasts.

LinkedIn: LinkedIn is known as a business-oriented social media channel for networking. It claims over 740 million users and helps professionals, entrepreneurs, and small businesses reach out to other business-to-business users. On LinkedIn, users can post on their profiles and create a business page to increase brand awareness. Members can also use LinkedIn for hiring and resource sharing.

Instagram: Instagram is projecting it will have 127.2 million monthly active users by 2023 . It is a visually-driven social media channel that began as a photo-sharing app. Most people access Instagram through their mobile devices, so Instagram users are demographically younger. Instagram users post photos, short videos, and short-lived “stories.”

YouTube: YouTube has more than 2 billion monthly users and is a social media outlet for video content. A business can upload videos for free and share them with their other social media channels. Its audience base is extremely diverse. Content on YouTube is widely accessible because you do not need an account to view a video about a product or service.

HOW A VIRTUAL ASSISTANT CAN HELP WITH SOCIAL MEDIA

A social media marketing virtual assistant knows the differences and nuances that make each social media unique and can tailor your business’s marketing strategy to each channel’s audience. They can adeptly create a plan to get the maximum exposure for your business across all the essential social media channels.

A social media marketing virtual assistant can research your business area and cultivate valuable content that will be exciting and relevant to potential clients and patrons. They can then tailor a specific social media campaign that will appeal best to your target audience.

A social media marketing virtual assistant can ensure that each social media channel your business has a presence on reflects a consistent message and similar information. Unifying your brand’s image across all platforms is an essential part of your social media strategy. A virtual assistant can make sure any business updates or new offerings are communicated to your audience. They can invite audiences to participate in contests and post creative polls to build consensus or begin conversations and update your status, all with the goal of creating a buzz around your business.

Social media marketing virtual assistants are typically skilled at creating graphic elements using online tools like PicMonkey or Canva. They can build terrific infographics and engaging photographs, find inspirational quotes and stylize product images to appeal to your niche audience. These online graphic studios have subscription levels from free to professional, making visual development exceedingly affordable. A virtual assistant can make other graphics for your business, like a logo for your blog, that will reflect your company and associate your brand with your social media content.

It is vital that a business’s social media accounts stay active and that your virtual assistant posts consistently. Bringing a virtual assistant on to create a plan to post new content and add to conversations regularly will ensure that your audience stays interested and engaged. Many virtual assistants do this cost-effectively by creating an account with HootSuite or Buffer, online social media management tools. By dedicating an hour of time, they can schedule posts for an entire week’s worth of content.

A social media marketing virtual assistant can also be counted on to participate in online groups and communities where your business could benefit from having a presence. A virtual assistant can be tasked to reach out to people and respond to comments and questions asked on your social media sites. Having someone on hand to rapidly respond to inquiries can build consumer trust and confidence.

Finally, if your website has a blog (and it should!), a virtual assistant can share the link to it on social media. They promote your blog by using the title of newly posted blogs in a graphic, or they can pull a quote from the blog and post it on your business’s social media platforms with the hope of sparking conversation. People who see the post or enjoy the blog can share it with their connections and followers, which helps your business get exposure to new audiences.

SOCIAL MEDIA, DONE EFFECTIVELY BY A VIRTUAL ASSISTANT

Social media is a terrifically effective way to market your small business. It is a unique and unparalleled way to reach a large, disparate audience of potential clients and customers. Creating social media accounts for your business is free, but managing those accounts effectively can be costly if done inefficiently. Bringing on a virtual assistant skilled in social media management is the best way to utilize this powerful, 21st-century marketing tool.

Contact Freedom Makers today to learn about our social media marketing virtual assistants who can help you build, take care of, and enhance your brand’s online presence!

How A Virtual Assistant Can Help With Your Blog

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 18 Jan 2022 15:20:12 GMT

Part 1 of our series for small business owners, looking to increase traffic to their website. Check out Part 2: How A Virtual Assistant Can Help With Your Social Media

If you run a business and your website does not have a blog, read on.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown of 2020, not having a website blog might not have been a significant detriment to your business. But the pandemic drastically reshaped the way consumers use the internet. More and more, people are going online to make informed decisions about the products and services they use.

Specifically, buyers and consumers have dramatically increased their use of the internet and social media as tools for identifying products, researching and evaluating products, engaging with businesses, and making purchases.

DO SMALL BUSINESSES EVEN NEED A BLOG?

Today, having a website blog – and a strategy to guide it – is one of the very best ways to drive traffic to your website. Regardless of the size of a business, having an active, frequently updated blog is one of the most cost-effective ways to promote the company organically. Today, a website blog is a critical part of any digital marketing plan because it can easily reach your target audience and bring them directly to your website. Additionally, a blog increases communication with current clients and can drive conversations that will convert leads into new clients or customers.

Even the smallest of businesses can benefit from having a blog.

But who has time to blog? Small business owners are already working incredibly hard. One of the most common reasons for not having a blog is feeling like there is no time for one. With nearly 90% of entrepreneurs working on the weekends and a large percentage working more than 49 hours per week, adding hours to write and post valuable content feels, understandably, impossible.

The purpose of THIS blog is to explain why a blog is critical and why bringing on a virtual assistant to help with it will ultimately be a wise, inexpensive step toward growing your business.

WHAT IS A BLOG, AND WHAT CAN IT DO?

A blog is a terrific way to communicate new service offerings to your clients or keep them abreast of what is happening with the company. A blog can be used to talk specifics about product developments, industry trends, personal insights, or whatever else may be of interest to a business’s audience. The blog space on a website can be used to promote any interviews, videos, or podcasts that the company has created or has been featured in. Blogs post offerings can be a continual stream of new content to be shared in newsletters or emails distributed to current and potential clients, reinforcing what the business is all about.

Blogs can be a terrific way for a small business to distinguish itself from competitors and others within its market sphere.

A blog might spark a conversation with your readers, enriching their interaction with your website. Exchanging ideas with readers can foster greater intimacy with your clients, which can deepen loyalty. A blog can also create a feeling of connection with your prospective clients and buyers, encouraging them to choose to do business with you. Readers — both clients and potential clients – may feel compelled to share your blog with their connections, friends, and colleagues, which can help increase brand awareness.

Additionally, your blog can quickly become the gateway to your website for anyone who uses a search engine!

HOW BLOGS HELP DRIVE TRAFFIC FROM THE INTERNET

Every time a new blog posts on your website, it gets analyzed by major search engines like Google. The search engine’s crawler analyzes the blog and indexes its information and content. Indexing makes a blog searchable. Indexed pages show up in a search engine’s results page, which means if someone is looking for content, products, or services that you’ve written about, your blog, and your associated brand and website will show up as an option to click on by the searcher.

A new blog post is a signal to Google and other search engines that the website is active and viable.

Google and other search engines make it possible for people to find and then visit your site through your blog’s presence on the web. Those people might make a purchase or become a client, adding to the growth of your business.

So, blogs can become a great source of the traffic to your client’s website, and increased traffic means new clients or people interested in buying whatever services or products your client is selling.

HOW A VIRTUAL ASSISTANT CAN HELP WITH BLOGGING

A virtual assistant can do any blogging task that needs to be done. Virtual assistants can help small businesses with developing content for the blog. They can help come up with new and fresh blog post ideas, and become a brainstorming partner or sounding board. A virtual assistant can also research your niche to discover what is trending in your market space. They can read competitor blogs to learn which topics have been well received and study which keywords are most searched by internet browsers.

Additionally, a virtual assistant can help create an editorial calendar that keeps the blog on track with new and fresh offerings. They can write outlines or first drafts of each new blog or even write the entire post at a business owner’s direction. A virtual assistant can infuse each blog with the business owner’s voice and tone so that it sounds authentic to the company.

Alternatively, the virtual assistant can simply edit, enhance or clean up blogs after the business owner has written them. Having a second set of eyes to proofread each blog post can help prevent grammatical errors and will typically improve the final written outcome.

A virtual assistant can respond and engage with blog readers and make sure any comments or questions are addressed and answered. They can build a relationship with your blog’s audience and gain valuable insights into which topics and subject matter best resonate with readers.

A virtual assistant brought on to help with blogging can be expected to have a basic understanding of search engine optimization (SEO). A virtual assistant who understands SEO can ensure that keywords are used. They will make sure blog titles are the appropriate length, appeal to the largest audience, and accurately reflect the blog’s content. A virtual assistant will know how to tag images and graphics and create internal links that keep visitors to your webpage engaged for longer than it takes them to read the blog.

An additional benefit of having a virtual assistant who helps with your blog is that they can easily translate the blog into new content for social media posts and site promotion. They can also format recent blog posts into email or newsletters to share directly with your client list.

BLOGGING IS BENEFICIAL

Having a blog is an essential tool for a business of any size. Valuable blog content can help you connect with your website’s audience, engage with new and returning customers, and help establish your brand or services offerings as an authority in your business space. Bringing on a virtual assistant to help write, edit, manage and post your blog is an inexpensive way to ensure your business stays relevant and on the path to success.

Many of Freedom Makers’ virtual assistants are talented blog writers and editors who know best blog practices for maximum impact! Reach out to us through this link or email us at info@freedom-makers.com and let us show you how we can help get your blog on the right track to help your business grow.

(And stay tuned for part two of this blog series! Next week’s blog: How A Virtual Assistant Can Help With Your Social Media! )

Reasons to Carve Out Time For Strategic Planning

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 11 Jan 2022 15:23:53 GMT

Most entrepreneurs start their own businesses for one, all, or a combination of three main reasons:

Because they are passionate about what they do.
Because they want to bring something new to the market.
Because they want the freedom that comes with running their own company.

It is safe to say that all entrepreneurs desire a profitable, thriving, long-enduring business. But despite best intentions, many small businesses won’t make it to year five in operation.

Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show that approximately 20% of new businesses fail during the first two years of being open and 45% fail during the first five years. Only 25% of new companies make it to 15 years or more.

Entrepreneurs work incredibly hard on their businesses. Nearly 90% work on weekends and a large percentage of entrepreneurs work more than 49 hours per week. Small business owners are often so consumed with the hard work of keeping their business running from day to day.

They hardly have time to eat lunch, let alone make time for goal setting or planning for the future.

But even though it doesn’t feel as though there are enough hours in a day, carving out time to look ahead and plan can prevent a business from stalling and becoming obsolete. Adopting a strategic plan can keep a business on a growth path toward success.

WHAT IS A STRATEGIC PLAN?

A strategic plan is a statement of vision for your business. It serves as a roadmap or atlas to help guide business decision-making and ensure steps toward growth are taken. It provides a direction and can detail specific goals. A strategic plan reflects the startup’s initial intention (the passion, innovation, or freedom that inspired the business’ creation). It also holds business owners and employees accountable to that intention as they encounter challenges when trying to reach milestones.

Small businesses often travel bumpy and winding roads on the way to success, but with a strategic plan in place, those twists and turns can be far less frightening. New companies will survive and have a better chance of reaching subsequent success levels if they have a strategic plan in place.

THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS

Strategic planning is the process of establishing the direction for the business by first acknowledging where the company is and then determining where it will go. While the outcome of the strategic plan is critical, there is great value to be derived simply from embarking on the exercise of the planning process.

Most strategic planning sessions attempt to accomplish three primary goals: a mission statement or aspirational goal, a set of initiatives, and a plan of how best to align those initiatives with the budget and financial constraints.

The strategic planning process specifically sets out to:

1. Set a vision that encourages proactive decision-making.

Every small and large business that hopes to grow and last needs a vision for its company and a generalized set of steps needed to achieve that vision. The strategic planning process attempts to lay a strong foundation for the business’s growth, rooted in the realities of the business’s environment. A good strategic planning session should enable a company to foresee potential future challenges, which will allow it to be proactive instead of simply reacting to unfavorable situations. The strategic planning process can help a business prepare for whatever may come and potentially avoid future problems or unfavorable turns.

2. Provide a roadmap to increase efficiencies.

Investing time and energy in the strategic planning process helps set a clear vision and series of goals. An essential outcome of the process is the establishment of a roadmap or directional guide that ensures the business stays on a course toward its goals. An effective strategic plan helps chart a path to obtain the vision and objectives like a GPS system advising on turns and traffic detours.

The strategic planning process endeavors to guide future decision-making by giving shape to the company’s day-to-day operations. In other words, the strategic planning process’s outcome of a roadmap helps determine the appropriate use of finances, profits, and resources.

When done optimally, the strategic planning process ensures the business will operate efficiently, and the business owner can make effective decisions.

3. Safeguard the business so it can face future turbulence.

Ultimately, the strategic planning process helps business owners and stakeholders focus on current and potential future market trends when setting their vision and priorities. It is extremely helpful in ensuring the longevity of a business to know what is possible and what may happen within their market sector. Studying the market environment through the strategic planning process provides valuable insights which may increase growth and profitability and provide backup plans and contingencies.

The foresight proper strategic planning encourages can safeguard a company when the business landscape gets rocky.

WHY STRATEGIC PLANNING IS IMPORTANT FOR BUSINESSES OF ALL SIZES

Many small businesses lack a strategic plan.

Entrenched in day-to-day operations and working hard to meet short-term goals, small business owners often forgo long-term planning and future goal setting.

The idea of strategic planning can feel too lofty an ambition for an entrepreneur because it is time-intensive and highly conceptual for a business just starting out. However, having a strategic plan is as crucial as setting core values . Just as core values determine and impact the tone and ethos of a business, a strategic plan sets the direction and steps to success. Both help unite a team – regardless of size – in the pursuit of a shared, understood endeavor.

Some small business owners also fear that having or creating a strategic plan will take away from the passion behind their startup. They worry that planning for the future could detract from the organic growth and success they envision. However, engaging in the planning process – which includes brainstorming conversations, market and competitor analyses, and research – can be extraordinarily beneficial in the long run. While every small business is unique, studying how and why other small businesses “made it” can be inspirational and encouraging. Knowing what pitfalls could lie ahead encourages calm, proactive navigation that can lead to better outcomes.

IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO CARVE OUT TIME FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING

While strategic planning is highly advantageous when a business is in its early days, it is never too late to embark on the process. Getting clear about the business’s direction and including employees and stakeholders in the process will undoubtedly contribute to its strength and longevity whenever it happens. Reflecting on the status of the business and considering future goals is an essential step in the evolution of any small company, at any point, especially during times of transition or growth.

For example, Freedom Makers met for its first-ever in-person strategic planning session in Dallas, Texas, this fall. While we have always been forward-looking as an organization, we typically focused on short-term goals for the upcoming quarter. But our company experienced remarkable, 200%+ growth in 2021, and our core team members prioritized meeting to plan out new strategic goals for 2022 and beyond.

Gathering together to take stock of where a company is and refocusing on where it wants to go in the future helps ensure future growth.

Finally, strategic planning is not a one-time “set it and forget it” event. Instead, proper strategic planning should be an ongoing, cyclical process of examination and re-evaluation. As growth occurs and decisions are made, it is important to occasionally recalibrate the strategic plan and shift resources and concepts to better anticipate and respond to market forces. Carving out time for strategic planning and every so often stepping out of the day-to-day operations to reassess the strategic plan should be a high priority for all small businesses.

Reasons to Use A Virtual Assistant Agency

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 04 Jan 2022 15:35:31 GMT

You’ve decided that you are ready to bring on a virtual assistant.

You have likely spent a good deal of time over the last few months thinking about how busy you are in direct proportion to how much time you spend doing repetitive, recurring, daily, weekly and monthly tasks. You’ve likely discovered that you are spending valuable hours each day doing:

Tasks you don’t like doing, or tasks you do not have a natural talent for.
Tasks that are below your “pay grade” or experience level.
Tasks that are maintenance-focused, as opposed to growth-focused.
Tasks that keep you working IN your business instead of working ON your business.

You’ve done the analysis and you’ve also run the numbers. Virtual assistants are highly skilled in a wide variety of service areas and can provide critical support to essential tasks wherever it is needed. A virtual assistant is also an affordable answer to adding more capacity to yourself and your team. From administrative and technical to marketing and even creative work, the right virtual assistant can boost your company’s productivity exponentially and reduce stress and pressure, all with minimal monetary investment .

Simply knowing the daily to-do list is being handled can bring about immense relief and renewed energy.

FINDING THE RIGHT VIRTUAL ASSISTANT

Even though the decision to outsource tasks and responsibilities to a virtual assistant is a logical step, it can nevertheless feel like a monumental and daunting proposition because it requires trusting another person to care for something you have created.

So… how do you find the right virtual assistant for your business?

Some business professionals and managers have luck finding virtual assistants through their private networks. Others wind up scouring websites and online marketplaces, hoping to find a person whose resume indicates some experience completing the skills needed. However, it can be time-intensive and tedious to read resumes, set up and conduct interviews, negotiate rates, work out a trial period, etc.

Finding the right person to alleviate stress can wind up being stressful and time-consuming!

Thankfully, there is a better way: the virtual assistant agency.

WHAT IS A VIRTUAL ASSISTANT AGENCY?

By far, the best way to find a virtual assistant is to first engage with a reputable and credible virtual assistant agency.

A virtual assistant agency provides outsourcing services to clients by finding, vetting, and maintaining a pool of remote, independent professionals ready for any and all work opportunities clients may have. Virtual assistant companies – like Freedom Makers – provide reliable, highly-skilled, and trustworthy virtual assistants to businesses looking for help with ongoing administrative, technical, or creative tasks. Virtual assistant agencies attract clients by maintaining a corral of responsible, vetted virtual assistants who have a wide variety of skill sets and work experience.

A reputable virtual administrative agency knows the skills and talents of their virtual assistants and has people who are trained and ready to work. With the agency’s assistance, a business can onboard and begin outsourcing tasks to a virtual assistant much more quickly than they could if they searched for and tried to hire a virtual assistant on their own.

BENEFITS OF AN AGENCY

There are several advantages to finding a virtual assistant through an agency.

1. Consulting: Virtual Assistant Agencies Help You Figure Out What You Need

Virtual assistant agencies like Freedom Makers can even help a business owner figure out precisely what a virtual assistant could do if they aren’t sure how best to outsource tasks. An agency can examine the business and help identify areas where a virtual assistant would be most beneficial.

For example, Freedom Makers provides a free task audit on their website to help small businesses decide which tasks or systems could be outsourced and how a virtual assistant could best assist the company. By working through the prompts the task audit asks, a business owner can come face to face with an impartial assessment of which tasks only they can do and which could be done by a virtual assistant.

Tasks typically outsourced to a virtual assistant include, but are not limited to:

Daily office functions like making/receiving phone calls
Appointment scheduling
Calendar management
Making travel arrangements
Managing email accounts
Blog writing
Bookkeeping
Social media engagement and scheduling
Graphic design
Website content management and design services
Marketing services
Research
Project coordination
Event management
Customer Relations Management (CRM) / Database support

2. Virtual Assistant Agencies Screen And Vet Their Talent Pool

There are some small upfront costs when using a virtual assistant agency that may initially make it seem like you could hire a virtual assistant less expensively on your own. However, if you consider the costs of advertising, pre-employment screening, training, onboarding, mentoring, and performance monitoring, using an agency is usually the less expensive path to the right virtual assistant.

This is because a virtual assistant agency vets and screens the members of their talent pool before endorsing them to clients. As a result of doing skills assessments, background checks (if necessary), and analyses of experience and expertise, agencies know which virtual assistant would work best with which types of clients. Business owners can rely on the agency to match their needs to the best-qualified candidate.

Virtual assistants who are part of an agency are typically 1099 workers, which means they file their own taxes as freelance contractors. The virtual assistant does not “work for” the agency; instead, the agency serves as a broker between the virtual assistant and the client or business that needs support. A virtual assistant attached to an agency expects to provide and maintain their own computer equipment, software subscriptions, WiFi, home office supplies, etc.

Additionally, agencies like Freedom Makers provide its active virtual assistants with training opportunities and a community of like-minded individuals for camaraderie, asset-sharing, and problem-solving. These offerings can help assure a business owner that the virtual assistant they engage with is up to date with the latest technologies and is self-driven to stay current on skills and skills.

3. Virtual Assistant Agencies Reduce Hiring Risk

What’s more, a virtual assistant agency reduces the risk of hiring a virtual assistant. If the virtual assistant selected is not a fit for some reason, the agency is on standby to monitor and oversee the situation. An agency serves as a helpful middleman between the business and the virtual assistant.

At Freedom Makers, dedicated Success Managers safeguard the rapport and relationship between the virtual assistant and the client and the client and the virtual assistant agency. They streamline communication and smooth any friction points as the working relationship unfolds.

If necessary, an agency can easily offer a different virtual assistant who would better suit the business owner to get the work done. This is a huge time and cost savings.

4. Virtual Assistant Agencies Handle Payment

Another advantage of using a virtual assistant agency is that they take care of the virtual assistant’s hourly tracking and payments. An agency ensures transparency and guarantees the virtual assistant is paid on time and the correct compensation for the hours worked. This can be a significant time and headache-saver for a small business.

TRUST AND CONFIDENCE - THE TRUE VALUE OF A VIRTUAL ASSISTANT AGENCY

Agencies know that the actual value of a virtual assistant is, in some ways, impossible to quantify. In addition to the physical, tactical to-do list tasks they complete each day, virtual assistants also provide a wealth of intangible benefits. The right virtual assistant frees business owners and entrepreneurs from the stress and exhaustion of executing daily, tedious tasks.

Virtual assistant agencies take enormous pride in their hand-picked, talented virtual assistants and the successes clients have outsourcing tasks to them. Additionally, virtual assistants that find work through an agency are often happier, more loyal workers who are grateful for the opportunities the agency finds for them.

Having seen firsthand how matching the right virtual assistant with the right job can be a game-changer for a small business or entrepreneur, virtual assistant agencies like Freedom Makers are passionate about their business model. They desire to help as many clients and virtual assistants as possible get started on the path to success!

2021: Freedom Makers' Year In Review

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 14 Dec 2021 14:54:25 GMT

2020 went down in the business record books as one of the strangest and most unpredictable years in history. We will remember 2021 similarly, even though we hoped it would be much different! A year that was to be one of society transitioning to a post-COVID-19 era, the pandemic continued to loom large.

But small business ownership proved resilient and strong!

According to NPR , during the 16 months from March 2020 to June 2021, a record number of entrepreneurs began new business startups. Thanks to having extra time due to shutdowns and financial cushions provided by stimulus checks, many people took the plunge and opened their own businesses. This was the positive trend business forecasters had hoped would happen during the 2021 economic recovery.

At Freedom Makers , we feel fortunate to have experienced many positives within our corner of this small business industry! Check out some of our 2021 highlights:

GROWTH

Freedom Makers experienced over 200% growth in 2021! In just the 3rd quarter of 2021, we gained 40 new clients and our Freedom Makers worked over 4500 hours. We are thrilled to be growing, and we are beyond grateful for the trust our clients have placed in us. And as always, we are ridiculously proud of the hard work, dedication and value our military spouse virtual assistants are delivering.

While we are excited by our remarkable growth, we know it is important to create a solid plan to scale while holding true to our values and business ideals. As we grew during 2021, our focus became increasingly directed on our systems and processes, on our core team, and, of course, on our Freedom Makers.

COMMUNITY

In 2021, we welcomed over 100 well-qualified, eager, and ready-to-work Freedom Makers to our team. Our roster is chock full of military spouse virtual assistants with a wide range of experience and expertise, allowing us to expand our service offerings… and we are always looking for more talent. We continue to receive enthusiastic feedback about the work our Freedom Makers do and the ways they are helping their clients succeed, and we couldn’t be more proud.

This year, we worked hard to best equip our Freedom Makers to land their first clients and lend even better support to clients already being served. We fleshed out and streamlined our Onboarding Procedures for new Freedom Makers by creating an onboarding video and conducting video interviews with the help of Zoom. We also created a tracker that makes sure nothing gets missed through the process.

We continue to ensure all new Freedom Makers:

Understand how we work as a company.

and

2. Know and epitomize our core values of reliability, accuracy, availability, decision making, and communication .

Our new Freedom Makers - like our veteran ones - embrace our guiding principles .

COMMUNITY AND TRAINING

We endeavored throughout 2021 to enrich and enhance our company culture by encouraging peer-to-peer communication and community building through our internal Facebook page. Freedom Makers ask questions, seek guidance, offer up useful tools and support each others’ successes.

We instituted monthly, free training for our community of virtual assistants and saw a significant uptick in attendance at the sessions throughout the year. Our Freedom Makers always look to learn new skills and strengthen others! We have also made “popcorn training” available. These short videos are Loom recordings that focus on easier-to-learn things like adding a brand logo to Canva, finding the best free images on the internet, the best website to help navigate time zone conversions, etc. We even created a self-reporting tracker for training so that Freedom Makers can earn badges as they grow their skill sets. In addition to formal training such as these, we have started one-on-one feedback sessions on such things as professionalism.

Overall, we’ve increased our internal resource offerings so that each Freedom Maker has the opportunity to grow as individuals and bring more value to current and potential clients. It is a win-win, and we will continue building our resource library in 2022.

In 2021 we also encouraged our Freedom Makers to focus on maximizing their profiles so that clients can best understand their skills and talents. We continue to believe that profiles trump resumes and want clients to be able to see and best understand which Freedom Maker is right for them.

Finally, we also improved and streamlined our Kick-Off Call to set up both the client and the Freedom Maker for success. Expectations are set up front on this call.

SUCCESS MANAGEMENT TEAM

Success management was also a big focus of 2021.

What started as a trial became a permanent operating procedure for us! Adding a core member to the Success Management team enhanced this critical part of our company culture, ensuring both clients and Freedom Makers feel entirely supported. Jenny Boyles works to provide Freedom Makers with the resources they need so they can provide top-quality work to their clients. Eleanor Lynch continues to safeguard our rapport with clients and be their primary point of contact. Together, Jenny and Eleanor streamline communication and smooth any friction points as client-Freedom Maker relationships unfold.

We understand the trust it takes to bring someone into a small business, and so it remains one of our very highest priorities to have our clients’ expectations surpassed. Of equal importance to us is showing our Freedom Makers the respect they deserve for the hard work they put forth.

Our reputation for providing excellent virtual assistant services is growing, and our Success Management Team is in a great place to ensure continued success!

TRANSPARENCY, TIME TRACKING & IVY

Time tracking at Freedom Makers has come a long way. If you’ve been a Freedom Maker for a few years, you might remember when we used to track time on shared Google spreadsheets. Freedom Makers would have to search for the Google sheet, type in the date, type in the task, and manually timestamp each entry. Then they would “tally up” their hours and manually submit them twice per month. You can imagine this might get time-consuming and difficult, especially when supporting multiple clients!

We launched TwinBee in 2020 as an upgrade to our old system but realized some of its offerings still did not match the needs of Freedom Makers or their clients. So in 2021, we took what we learned from TwinBee and created Ivy, our new and beloved billing and time tracking portal.

After months and months of hard work, Ivy was ready to “go live” in May 2021.

Ivy has proven to be another significant step in our promise to meet our client’s needs and ensure our Freedom Makers have good tools at their disposal. Ivy provides our clients with a seamless billing experience and access to their Freedom Makers’ time entries. With Ivy, clients can set up subscriptions or automatically reload their accounts. They have greater visibility into available hours and hours worked.

With Ivy, Freedom Makers can easily clock in and out and switch between clients seamlessly. They are able to view their up-to-date payroll information and view their client’s prepaid balance. Ivy ensures even better transparency, which we strongly believe enhances the trust between our clients and their Freedom Makers and between Freedom Makers and our core team.

Ivy is awesome, but no system is perfect! We have been listening to feedback from clients and Freedom Makers and will be working to implement improvements to Ivy over the next year. If you have any feedback regarding Ivy, please do not hesitate to reach out to us!

PARTNERS AND NEW FRIENDS

Freedom Makers appreciates our thriving partnerships! In 2021 we sought new ways to nurture our valuable relationships through our social media channels, webinars, and quarterly newsletters. We looked to partner with entities that share our mission and can provide our clients with things we cannot.

Our newest partner, Skyline Business Solutions, is a perfect example of this pairing. They offer specific expertise in some service areas (like bookkeeping) that exceeds what our virtual assistants can offer. Through our partnership, we are able to refer clients to Skyline, which helps us ensure that our clients have all their needs met.

We are always thrilled to celebrate our partners’ successes and growth and let our people know when good things are happening! In 2021 we worked hard to become a reliable resource for our partners, clients and others working within our business landscape. We hope that our nearly weekly blogs , article sharing, and valuable tips and tricks will help connect us as a community and provide those we serve with relevant and substantive content.

Also in 2021 we were invited to participate in outreach and broader community events. We provided a Master Class on How to Become a Virtual Assistant for the AMSE community. Jenny Boyles, our Freedom Makers Success Manager, joined the Hiring our Heroes’ newly formed Remote MSEEZ as the TRAIN pillar chair.

Our partnerships grew and evolved this year. We will keep building our connections and supporting one another so that we continue to best serve our clients, constituents, military families, and veterans in the business space.

INTERNAL TEAM

As any business scales, it is likely to need more help - and Freedom Makers was no different this year!

In 2021, we grew the internal team with five new Freedom Makers pulled from our own ranks. Laurie, Amy, Kaci, Sarah, and Reanna each assist or assisted the core team with different areas of operations, making sure nothing slips through the cracks. With their help, we are even more agile and responsive. Each new internal team member is excited to be helping us grow, and we are thrilled with their work and commitment to our values as a company.

Finally, the Freedom Makers management team happily came together for a successful, first-ever, in-person Strategic Planning Session in Dallas, Texas! While we have always been forward-looking as an organization, we typically focused on each next quarter. It was great to finally have a chance to all be together to talk and plan out our goals for 2022 and beyond! Great things are in store.

WELCOME, 2022!

It is nearly impossible to predict what 2022 will look like, but we are confident it will be a great year. Thanks to our clients’ continuing trust and support, we can provide meaningful work opportunities to military spouses all over the world, and for that, we are eternally grateful.

As we travel into the new year, we are mindfully re-examining our core values to ensure we always hold ourselves accountable to our intended purpose. We believe strongly in our mission and know that we have a gold mine of talent to offer our clients. The need for excellent virtual support services will, without a doubt, continue to be in high demand in 2022, and we very much look forward to engaging new businesses that will be happy to discover what our awesome Freedom Makers can do.

If anything is certain in 2022, it is that Freedom Makers will continue to, in all ways, strive for excellence.

Happy New Year and Cheers to 2022!

How A Virtual Assistant Can Help You Achieve A Healthy Work-Life Balance

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 07 Dec 2021 19:21:19 GMT

The numbers are pretty astounding.

According to data provider SEMrush , 81% of business owners work nights, and 89% work weekends. Additionally, a large percentage of small business owners work more than 49 hours per week.

Yet the science is clear that working more than 40 hours a week is not good for your health or the health of your relationships.

Specifically:

Working more than 40 hours a week is associated with increased alcohol and tobacco consumption, unhealthy weight gain in men, and depression in women.

Working more than 10 hours a day is associated with a 60 percent jump in unhealthy cardiovascular issues.

Ten percent of people working 50 to 60 hours a week report relationship problems.

While every professional (and grown adult, for that matter) struggles from time to time to manage their work and personal lives, small business owners and entrepreneurs have an even tougher challenge balancing competing priorities. In addition to the difficulties many face juggling work, relationships, health, and family goals, managers and small business owners also wear all the necessary hats to keep their business running. They do ALL the work. And often, they feel that they alone are responsible for keeping the wheels spinning and the business growing.

Without the help of a virtual assistant , a small business owner’s responsibilities weigh heavily on them and make the elusive work-life balance feel even more out of reach.

PITFALLS ON THE PATH TO FREEDOM

Ironically, most small business owners or entrepreneurs set out on their path to avoid stress! They want to run their own business so that they can be free from the burdens of working within a corporate environment. They want to feel invigorated by the innovative process of building something unique to themselves and creating something meaningful that they can call their own.

Entrepreneurs are usually passionate, creative, and highly energetic people. They seek to be their own boss and work for themselves. Ideally, the business ownership path would allow them to choose their priorities. "Being the boss" should let them decide when to work, when to play, where to live, when to build or grow their family, et. cetera.

However, they often don't foresee or expect the pitfalls and potholes on the path to that freedom.

More often than not, entrepreneurs and small business owners get sidetracked by tedious, time-consuming tasks and the exhausting day-to-day work of running a business. The work-life balance becomes even more evasive, and the freedom they desire slips further and further out of reach.

SMALL BUSINESS BALANCE CHALLENGE

When managing a small business, every little thing seems as important as the next. The relentless tempo of the daily to-do makes entrepreneurs feel overworked and overwhelmed, burnt-out, and mentally exhausted. Stress can snowball. Fried circuits make attention-to-detail that much more difficult, making accomplishing small, tedious tasks even harder.

The passion and energy needed to innovate and maneuver into new areas stagnates.

Being stressed and beleaguered can be a drain on relationships and cause significant problems between spouses and family members. Stress can often lead to depression and other mental health issues, to say nothing of the physical toll stress exacts on a body.

Not prioritizing healthy eating or exercise or choosing to self-soothe by using tobacco, alcohol, or drugs can lead to long-term problems and a shortened life expectancy. Seeking short-term relief from stress can mean making choices that have detrimental or even dangerous effects in the long run.

Getting the work-life balance right is essential.

SETTING YOUR PRIORITIES: THE PATH TO GOOD HEALTH, WELL-BEING, AND POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS

When balancing work and personal life responsibilities, experts agree there are two main steps to take when setting priorities:

Determine what needs to be done.

and

Decide the order in which to do the tasks.

Freedom Makers believes - and is not alone asserting - that there is a third, and perhaps most important step when it comes to prioritizing:

Choose to let go of some tasks and responsibilities to protect your health and personal life.

True prioritizing means deciding that the most important tasks get worked on first. An entrepreneur who decides that their health, well-being, and relationships are the most critical items on their to-do list will be more likely to embrace the idea of handing less essential tasks off to someone else.

However, putting "life" before "work" can feel like a conflict when your small business is your "life's work."

Trusting someone else to care for something you have created can feel like a massive undertaking. But choosing to do so can mean the difference between experiencing a breakdown or having a breakthrough.

WHAT THE RIGHT VIRTUAL ASSISTANT CAN DO

Virtual assistants are independent professionals who provide critical support services to businesses and entrepreneurs from a remote environment. They are highly-skilled contractors and can help with a wide variety of tasks, ranging from administrative and technical to marketing and even creative work.

Freedom Makers provides a free task audit on their website to help small businesses decide how a virtual assistant could best assist the company. This valuable tool helps business owners and solopreneurs determine which tasks or systems could or should be outsourced to a virtual assistant. By working through the prompts the task audit asks, a business owner can see an honest assessment of which tasks only they can do and which could be done by a virtual assistant.

Tasks typically outsourced to a virtual assistant include, but are not limited to:

Daily office functions like making/receiving phone calls
Appointment scheduling
Calendar management
Making travel arrangements
Managing email accounts
Blog writing
Bookkeeping
Social media engagement and scheduling
Graphic design
Website content management and design services
Marketing services
Research
Project coordination
Event management
Customer Relations Management (CRM) / Database support

Virtual assistants improve productivity and free up a business owner's time by taking care of essential, recurring, and tedious tasks. They can vastly improve any small business owner's productivity. The relief, lowered stress, and renewed energy managers feel knowing the daily to-do list is being handled professionally brings a significant benefit to any business.

Many factors go into determining a virtual assistant's pay rate , but the fact that a virtual assistant can be hired for as many or as few hours as needed means there is an affordable, talented, hard-working virtual assistant for every small business that needs one.

Moreover, a virtual assistant does more than just physical, tactical to-do list tasks for a business. The impossible-to-quantify value of a virtual assistant lies in the intangible benefits they provide. By delegating specific tasks to virtual assistants, business owners have more time and energy to focus on the core mission of their business. Freed from the stress and exhaustion of executing daily, tedious tasks, entrepreneurs have the space to reevaluate their priorities.

Help and balance are within reach when a virtual assistant is brought into the equation.

BALANCE IS WITHIN REACH

Every individual has the same number of hours in their day as everyone else. The allocation of those hours is within each person's control, dependent on their responsibilities and how they choose to prioritize their time. How a person spends their day can often determine how they feel about their life, which is why setting out to achieve a healthy work-life balance is an extremely worthwhile endeavor.

For small business owners and entrepreneurs, the struggle for balance is exceedingly difficult… and therefore, even more essential to obtain. An excellent first step on the path to true freedom and happiness is outsourcing busy work and stressful, tedious tasks to an experienced virtual assistant.

Freedom Makers' military spouse virtual assistants are dynamic, service-minded individuals who are proactive and communicative problem solvers. They consistently contribute to their client's success by supporting their clients' choice to pursue a healthy work-life balance. They have helped countless others… and are ready to help you today.

Defining and Refining Your Core Values

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 30 Nov 2021 12:32:59 GMT

It is critical to define your business' core values. And then equally critical to purposefully refine them as your company grows.

Core values are a set of fundamental beliefs that determine and impact the tone, direction, and ethos of a business. They help members of a company unite and function together as a team, compelling them to pursue common goals. Core values set the expectations a business leader has for themself, for the members of their team, and for the people or clients the business serves.

Core values represent the company's highest priorities, and they should drive every endeavor.

They are the heart of what a business stands for.

FREEDOM MAKER'S PATH TO DEFINING OUR CORE VALUES

At Freedom Makers , our core values were directly derived from Laura Renner's passion when she founded the company in 2015. Rather than build Freedom Makers as a competitor to other virtual assistant staffing agencies, Laura wanted Freedom Makers to strive to achieve its own levels of excellence. Continually striving for excellence would guarantee that Freedom Makers would never settle for standards set by other companies.

Once a level of excellence is achieved, it becomes Freedom Makers' new standard. Then we strive toward the next level in excellence.

Always striving for excellence defines the way our company is, how we operate, and why we make the choices we do. Striving for Excellence - along with Freedom and Transparency - became Freedom Makers' guiding principles.

Freedom Makers' core values support the endeavor of striving for excellence. And they continue to nurture our company's culture as it grows.

Freedom Makers' core values are reliability, accuracy, availability, decision making, and communication.

HOW TO DEFINE YOUR COMPANY'S CORE VALUES

Freedom Makers' core values flow from and support Laura's passion for always striving for excellence. But sometimes, a business's core values are not as clear or obvious and need to be carefully selected.

Defining core values requires a close examination of a company's culture and vision. What ideas and beliefs characterize the company? What matters most to those that work there? Is making a profit the ultimate goal? Is creating change? How do you want customers or clients to think of your company?

Every company can and should be explicit when deciding what core values they want to pursue.

Core values should be inward-facing while also looking outward. They should accurately represent the company while also outlining the business's aspirations and ambitions for itself. Core values should be concise, specific, and unique to the company they speak for.

While the words are not themselves unique, the specific blend of words and concepts a company chooses as their core values should be unique to their entity.

Some words that could be core values are:

Honesty
Trust
Loyalty
Agility
Accountability
Simplicity
Openness
Innovation
Respect
Equality
Teamwork
Balance
Empathy
Results
Growth

When defining or refining their core values, companies should try to find the right blend of concepts that supports their mission, aligns intentions with actions, and educates clients and potential patrons about the company as it grows.

CORE VALUES SUPPORTS A COMPANY'S VISION

Freedom Makers' core values support our company's vision of striving for excellence, reflecting our founder Laura's personal ideology. She defined what was important to her and used that belief as she brought members into the Freedom Makers' team and began to grow the company.

Being reliable, accurate, available, executing stellar decision-making, and having excellent communication are embedded into Freedom Makers' every aspect. It is what we expect of all Freedom Maker virtual assistants and how we interact with our clients. Our core values complement our vision for what success looks like.

CORE VALUES ALIGN INTENTIONS WITH ACTIONS

Intentional, firmly-held core values impact everything a company does. They help small businesses make decisions and take actions that are in line with their intentions. Because they become part of the culture, core values can define the way a company operates, help it choose the clients it works with, and steer the way to the partnerships the business builds.

For example, asking the question, "are we living up to our core value of being available to and communicating with our clients?" helped identify the need for Freedom Maker Success Managers. These critical team members are always available to meet the needs of our clients. Success Managers help navigate our clients' relationships with their virtual assistants and build a communication bridge between the two entities. Success Managers also focus on nurturing our Freedom Makers. They help our virtual assistants navigate difficulties they may encounter with clients, and Success Managers also ensure that all Freedom Makers embody our core value of being accurate and reliable. This helps us strive for excellence, continually delivering the highest quality assistance to our clients.

CORE VALUES EDUCATE POTENTIAL CLIENTS ABOUT WHO YOU ARE

Defining and refining core values communicates what the company is and what it strives to be to clients and potential clients. Core values can set a business apart from any competitors in its market sphere because they clarify how it envisions itself and helps predict how it will conduct itself. Core values tell a client what the company's goals are. They can also tell potential clients what kind of people make up the company's team. Having clearly defined values can make a difference when competing for new business. If a business' core values resonate with a potential client or customer, they may choose to do business with that company over a similar service provider.

Core values can lay the groundwork for meaningful business relationships.

THE IMPORTANCE OF REFINING CORE VALUES AS A BUSINESS GROWS

Once a business is established and growing, it is essential to take stock of the organization and determine whether it is fulfilling the intended goals of its stated core values. Is the company holding itself accountable to what it set out to accomplish and how it promised to get there?

Refining core values often requires asking a new set of questions to see if anything should be changed or added as the business moves forward.

What is our business actually doing?
Are we acting in accordance to our intended purpose?
Is our company culture living up to our guiding principles?
Do we still have the same goals?

Freedom Makers has experienced remarkable growth over the past year, and we are in the process of re-examining our core values to ensure we are still, in all ways, striving for excellence.

Refining core values to ensure they align with actions will serve to deepen the trust clients have in your company and bolster managerial credibility internally.

Every small business should review its core values often to make sure everyone on the team understands and agrees with their stated purpose. Asking team members for their input will allow business owners to gauge how accurately those working for the company feel its core values reflect its culture. If team members don't feel the stated values of their company ring true, they can become cynical about the company they work for, accelerating dissatisfaction and problems with retention.

Refining or redefining core values based on input from team members can help keep a business focused on its priorities or help reshape a business' priorities as it grows.

CONCLUSION

Defining and redefining a small business's core values both creates and then nurtures a company's internal culture and helps identify the company's goals to external parties. A strong, healthy internal culture drives more robust interactions with clients and customers. As the business grows with new opportunities or encounters different challenges along the way, core values should be examined, refined, or redefined so that they best reflect - and inspire - everyone involved.

What Is A Virtual Administrative Assistant?

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 16 Nov 2021 15:17:46 GMT

At a certain point in the growth of every new venture, small business owners realize they are spending far too much time maintaining the company’s foundation and not enough time building the business. While the foundation to any structure is critical and should always be maintained, a point is eventually reached when it is time to delegate the clerical, administrative maintenance tasks so they can have more time to innovate.

In the past at this juncture, many have chosen to hire an administrative assistant.

Administrative assistants were the backbone of most successful organizations for decades. Critical in nearly every industry, they were often a business’ most essential worker, ensuring that everything behind the scenes ran smoothly.

But today there is a new option for overworked managers and entrepreneurs looking for help with their day-to-day tasks.

The work administrative assistants do is increasingly being outsourced to independent contractors - virtual assistants . And for good reason!

Virtual administrative assistants , who work from their home office, are rapidly replacing onsite administrative assistants, and taking over the role of buttress in any growing business. In fact, a virtual administrative assistant can do everything an administrative assistant traditionally does - and more - and at a lower cost to small business owners!

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ONSITE AND VIRTUAL ASSISTANCE?

Administrative assistants have traditionally supported managers and employees with a variety of clerical and organizational tasks. They typically work in a company’s physical headquarters and usually receive benefits as full-time employees. Administrative assistants historically answer telephones, arrange meetings, book travel, and manage schedules. They help smooth interactions between a company’s management and employees. Administrative assistants also often serve as the first point of contact between the company and potential clients or patrons of the business.

A virtual administrative assistant can do the same, and for less money . Virtual administrative assistants are often part-time workers, who are independent contractors, filing as 1099 workers. This means they are responsible for their own taxes and benefits. They are paid hourly or the time worked or task accomplished. No longer do employers have to shoulder the cost of employee overhead, or even provide a workspace, computer or telephone for their administrative assistant.

NEW TECHNOLOGIES HAVE CHANGED THE GAME

Remote technologies are changing the way business is done, for the better. New devices and software platforms have made virtual administrative assistant work more practical and possible than ever before. Fast and stable internet connectivity, video conferencing and instant messaging tools, cloud storage, and file-sharing applications allow for high levels of administrative support and collaboration between workers, regardless of geographic proximity.

Technology is advancing to allow nearly every task to be accomplished from a remote environment.

For example, until just recently, companies relied on onsite administrative assistants to handle incoming and outbound calls. But now new voice-over-internet-protocols, or VoIP systems, are eliminating the need for an assistant to be physically present to answer the phone. VoIP systems are a proven technology that allows phone calls to be placed and received over an internet connection. Thanks to increasing broadband, call routing is now seamless and creates an undetectable connection between a client to a virtual administrative assistant working from home. He or she can even initiate calls on behalf of the business which facilitates this important customer service logistics.

Even support services like ordering lunch for an important meeting or providing coffee for management can be accomplished by a virtual administrative assistant. Even though they aren’t physically present, they can place an order using a food delivery service like GrubHub or UberEats, and achieve the desired end result.

VIRTUAL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS HAVE INCREASED CAPABILITIES

Often an administrative assistant working in a traditional office has a role that is limited to entry level assignments. But because virtual administrative assistants are highly-skilled contractors, they more often have the ability to offer a business a more robust menu of assistance.

Administrative and clerical tasks typically outsourced to a virtual assistant include:

Daily office functions like making/receiving phone calls
Appointment scheduling
Calendar management
Making travel arrangements
Taking and transcribing notes and memos
Sending and receiving correspondence
Bookkeeping
Form management
Data Entry
File management
Managing email accounts

In addition to the traditional tasks an administrative assistant executes, a virtual administrative assistant can also help a company with a wider variety of tasks, including technical, financial, marketing and even creative work. In addition to the clerical tasks they are experts at, many virtual administrative assistants can also handle tasks like:

Graphic design
Social media engagement and scheduling
Blog writing
Editing and proofreading
Website content management and design services
Marketing services
Online review management
Research
Project coordination
External vendor management
Bill payment
Event management
Customer Relations Management (CRM) / Database support

Virtual administrative assistants can also have niche-specific skills that prove an enormous help to business owners in specialized career fields like real estate transactions, medical coding or transcription, paralegal work, and accounting. Beyond being able to tackle clerical office tasks, many virtual administrative assistants have degrees or certifications that help these practitioners become more productive.

A virtual administrative assistant can vastly improve productivity by taking care of essential, and recurring tasks that are not only administrative in nature. This increased capability is an inexpensive option to getting many necessary jobs done.

VIRTUAL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS ADD VALUE

Hiring a virtual administrative assistant is smart business investment. As a small business begins to scale, there are suddenly more orders to fulfill, more meetings to take, more emails to answer, a windfall of prospective clients now interested in offerings... all while current clients and customers need attention.

Virtual administrative assistants are cost effective and flexible. Due to the nature of their work, virtual administrative assistants understand that small businesses are fluid environments with fluctuating cash flows. When money is tight, or there is a downturn in the amount of work needed, virtual administrative assistants understand this means a decrease in the number of hours they will work. Gone are the days of paying an assistant their salary when there isn’t enough work to keep them busy. Virtual administrative assistants can adjust to and accommodate the changing needs of a small business.

This built-in flexibility also means that virtual administrative assistants can assist with last-minute requests, unforeseen circumstances, and special projects . Because most virtual assistants are highly skilled in multiple areas due to years of varied professional experience, they are more likely to provide a business owner with a wide and deep range of support.

Virtual administrative assistants are competent and professional. They are independent and self-driven and do not require a ton of time consuming supervision. They are experienced at getting up to speed quickly and working efficiently. In this way, virtual administrative assistants free up time, alleviate stress and give business owners back their time. The renewed energy small business owners feel knowing their daily to-do list is being handled professionally is a huge value to any company.

IN CONCLUSION

Virtual administrative assistants are talented, resilient and skilled individuals who are rapidly becoming a small business life-saver. They surpass the abilities of a traditional onsite administrative assistant by offering overworked business owners a wide variety of professional skills in addition to being able to perform essential administrative and clerical tasks. Because they are 1099 workers and paid hourly, virtual administrative assistants are a less expensive option to get nearly every type of job done.

Freedom Makers are military spouse virtual administrative assistants. Due to their association with the military and their service mindset, they understand how to be flexible and deliver top-notch service! Check out our task audit to figure out which tasks to delegate, and find the right virtual administrative assistant for your business!

What Can A Virtual Assistant Do For Your Business?

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 02 Nov 2021 11:00:45 GMT

Virtual assistants are an increasingly invaluable part of today’s modern workforce because of all they can do to assist a business as it grows.

Cloud-based platforms and new technologies have changed the way we work - for the better. Portable, remote work is now more practical and possible than ever before. Fast and stable internet connectivity, video conferencing, and file-sharing applications allow nearly every industry to save on the hidden - and not-so-hidden - costs of hiring traditional employees .

Business owners and entrepreneurs utilize virtual assistants more and more every day, as they outsource daily, weekly or monthly tasks and responsibilities. For a relatively low investment, virtual assistants provide massive value in return.

A virtual assistant can do a massive variety of things for any business. Some tasks a company can outsource include but are not limited to:

Daily office functions like making/receiving phone calls
Appointment scheduling
Calendar management
Making travel arrangements
Managing email accounts
Blog writing
Bookkeeping
Social media engagement and scheduling
Graphic design
Website content management and design services
Marketing services
Research
Project coordination
Event management
Customer Relations Management (CRM) / Database support

Business owners also utilize virtual assistants to help with niche-specific skills in specialized career fields like real estate transactions, medical coding or transcription, paralegal work, and accounting. All virtual assistants strive to complete their tasks efficiently to provide the ultimate value for business owners.

HOW VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS ADD VALUE

A few of the reasons virtual assistants are so valuable to businesses today is that they are:

Cost-effective: Companies do not have to pay taxes or benefits. Virtual assistants train on their own time and provide their own equipment, and there are no or low turnover costs if the relationship ends.
Flexible: Companies can task a virtual assistant with a lot of tasks or just a few. Virtual assistants can fit any budget, no matter how big or how small.
Competent and experienced: Virtual assistants are talented in a wide range of skills, offering specialized abilities for every area that needs attending.

Virtual assistants are self-driven and independent. They adapt to various work environments and continually learn updated skills by training to new platforms and software offerings. They are skilled time managers who are motivated to be super productive during the hours they are working for their clients.

WHAT ELSE CAN A VIRTUAL ASSISTANT DO FOR YOUR BUSINESS?

In addition to tasks and responsibilities, virtual assistants can benefit a business or entrepreneur in less tangible but equally valuable ways.

Virtual Assistants Solve Inefficiencies

Many small businesses take off before processes are in place or wind up outgrowing their initial processes, creating a chaotic and inefficient operational environment. A business owner who types responses to all email inquiries, posts daily on social media, or manually creates invoices is spending valuable time and energy on systems that could become automated. Inefficiencies can cost a business as much as 30 percent of its yearly revenue!

Freedom Makers has virtual assistants who create or manage and assist business owners with workflows and operations. Many are trained and experienced on platforms and like:

Google Suite
Asana, Process Street, Trello, Clio, Microsoft Planner, etc.
Zoho
MailChimp
Salesforce
Streak
Quickbooks

Virtual assistants can also work to organize and streamline a business’ existing files and systems.

Allowing a virtual assistant to use their experience to establish or streamline a small business’s operations can increase efficiency and benefit everyone involved - even when the virtual assistant isn’t “on the clock.”

Virtual Assistants Free Up Time and Reduce Stress

Perhaps the most valuable thing a virtual assistant can do for any business is to alleviate stress and give entrepreneurs the renewed energy and innovative spark that leads to success.

New companies are often born from talented, passionate individuals who have a wide variety of talents. When starting their new business, website designers, artists, solo law practitioners, and software developers must also become bookkeepers, customer relations managers, marketing mavericks, and blog writers. Handling the support tasks needed to run a business leaves entrepreneurs feeling overwhelmed. The mental exhaustion and stress of wearing multiple hats can lead to burnout. Gone is the energy required to design websites, create art, help clients or develop software.

Virtual assistants free up time by taking care of essential, recurring, and tedious tasks. They can vastly improve any small business owner’s productivity. The relief, lowered stress, and renewed energy managers feel knowing the daily to-do list is being handled professionally brings a significant benefit to any business.

IN CONCLUSION

Virtual assistants are rapidly becoming a small business life-saver because of what they can do for any sized business. Virtual assistants offer specialized skill-sets, flexibility, and an inexpensive, value-added option to get the job - any job - done.

What a virtual assistant can do for a business is not just physical, tactical to-do list tasks. The inherent value of a virtual assistant lies in the intangible benefits they provide. By delegating specific tasks to virtual assistants, business owners have more time and energy to focus on the core mission of their business. Freed from the stress and exhaustion of executing daily, tedious tasks, entrepreneurs have the space to innovate and grow their businesses. That is the true essence of what a virtual assistant can do for your business!

5 Reasons Hiring A Virtual Assistant Is More Cost Effective For Your Small Business

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 15:03:06 GMT

Remote technologies are changing the way business is done. New devices and software platforms have made remote work more practical and possible than ever before. Fast and stable internet connectivity, video conferencing and instant messaging tools, cloud storage, and file-sharing applications allow for high levels of collaboration between colleagues, regardless of location or proximity.

Today, hiring an employee is no longer necessary - or economical - to help make your business run smoothly.

Hiring a virtual assistant is definitively more cost-effective for small businesses. Here are five reasons why:

1. SAVE ON OVERHEAD AND NEW HIRE EXPENSES

Traditionally, an employee is a person hired as a permanent member of the staff. Employers determine the employee's working hours and salary and establish where the employee will physically work (typically, an office environment). The employer pays for and provides the workspace, office equipment, and access to whatever tools are necessary for the employee to complete their work. The employer will also pay for and provide training for their new employees to learn the business's workflow.

Employers are responsible for withholding and paying the employee's taxes and offering benefits and insurance. The government requires employers to provide Social Security, Medicare, federal and state unemployment insurance, and workers' compensation. Additionally, most employers pay sick, vacation, and overtime pay. To compete with similar companies vying for employees, some employers will offer additional "fringe" benefits like free lunches and gym memberships to attract and retain employees.

All these costs add up.

In contrast, virtual assistants are independent, self-employed contractors who file 1099 taxes and provide their own medical insurance. They work remotely, often from their own home, and are accountable for all expenses they incur. This typically includes their computer equipment and internet service, software subscriptions, and other workplace items.

Additionally, virtual assistants have already acquired the skills and training needed to execute their tasks before taking on a client. They train on platforms on their own time. A small business can choose what virtual assistant best fits their needs and only contract with someone who already has experience on the platforms used. Many virtual assistants will offer to train on specific technical platforms prior to beginning work with a new organization.

2. ONLY PAY FOR HOURS WORKED

Although the pay rate for a skilled virtual assistant may seem high at first glance, the costs of taxes, benefits, office equipment, and vacation and sick time add to the cost of hiring an employee.

This graphic illustrates the unseen costs added to the base pay of a traditional employee:

At first glance, a lower hourly rate of $20.00 an hour appears to be a good value… but that doesn't factor in the additional nearly $26.00 a business has to that employee in the way of benefits. According to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), benefit costs add approximately 29% to an employee's total compensation.

The equivalent cost to a small business using the services of a virtual assistant is zero.

Therefore, if a virtual assistant charges $42.00 for their hour of work for your small business, that is the total sum owed for each hour they work.

A part-time employee - even one working for less money per hour - will cost an employer more than a virtual assistant.

Additionally, a traditional employee gets paid their agreed-upon salary regardless of the changing circumstances small businesses face. That means an employee receives the same amount irrespective of slow times when cash is low, and the need for their contribution is minimal.

When you hire a virtual assistant, you are only responsible for paying for the actual hours worked or the agreed-upon project rate.

Virtual assistants understand that small businesses are fluid environments with fluctuating cash flows. The budget to afford outsourcing tasks is often unstable. When money is tight, or there is a downturn in the amount of work needed, virtual assistants understand this means a decrease in the number of hours they will work - and this is okay! Virtual assistants understand the landscape in which they operate and can nimbly adjust to the changing needs of their clients.

3. FLEXIBILITY EQUATES TO COST SAVINGS

Many working in the field have chosen to become virtual assistants because of the flexibility the work allows them. Many prefer working outside the traditional 9-5 workday. This is cost-effective for small business owners. They can designate what hours work needs to be completed and find a virtual assistant to fill that time slot. Ecommerce or businesses with a need for 24-hour customer service benefit tremendously from having a virtual assistant working nighttime or off-hours.

Fluid hours of work could make the difference in a small business reaching the next level of success.

Companies like Freedom Makers have military spouse virtual assistants working across multiple time zones - even worldwide - as most are living near the military installation where their spouse is stationed. Having work completed while you sleep or before you begin your workday can be a considerable cost benefit to a small business owner.

Additionally, the flexibility inherent in virtual assistant work also means that last-minute requests, unforeseen circumstances, or special projects are more easily accomplished. Most virtual assistants are highly skilled in multiple areas due to years of varied professional experience. They are self-directed in their learning and training to accommodate different clients.

On the other hand, a traditional employee might not feel comfortable completing tasks outside their established schedule or responsibilities without additional training.

This is where the flexibility of a virtual assistant becomes cost-effective.

When running a small business, you might need help with tasks like content writing, invoicing, technical support, or social media marketing . Instead of spending time and money training an employee to do new skills, business owners have the flexibility to hire a multi-skilled virtual assistant who can do all the things needed or multiple virtual assistants to have each task accomplished quickly and professionally.

4. TIME NOT WASTED = MONEY SAVED

Traditionally, employees are often less productive than virtual assistants. Office environments can create many distractions. Chatting with colleagues, extended lunch breaks, appointments during working hours, and office celebrations are all common workplace occurrences that slow productivity and can become barriers to efficiency.

By their nature, virtual assistants must be self-driven and independent. They are skilled time managers and know that dedicated, focused work earns their success and reputation. They are motivated, capable of being more productive, and do more in less time than traditional employees. Many virtual assistants create time blocks to ensure they are productive and work with time tracking tools that ensure diligence through transparency. And because they work from a remote location, they are inherently less distracted.

5. TURNOVER COSTS

If a salaried employee decides to quit, or the business owner wishes to sever the working relationship, it costs approximately 33% of that employee's salary to find a replacement. The time-intensive interview process, cost of reference checks, and zero productivity during turnover mean a significant monetary loss for a small business. Additionally, time and money will have to be invested in training the new hire to get up to speed where the old employee left off.

These costs do not exist with virtual assistants.

Virtual assistants are easy to replace if the relationship does not work out or if circumstances change. They simply stop working for you, and you stop paying them. There may be a slight gap during turnover, but bringing on a new skilled virtual assistant is a more manageable and much less expensive endeavor.

But of course, turnover is not desirable. To limit any loss of productivity, Freedom Makers provides Success Managers who nurture virtual assistant/client relationships to ensure they are a success. If a problem arises, Freedom Maker Success Managers work on behalf of the client and the virtual assistant to ease communications and find a resolution. This assistance can be an invaluable cost saving for a small business.

In Conclusion

Any small business owner or entrepreneur will tell you that the recipe to grow a business successfully includes several main ingredients. They are time, effort, and money. Today, more and more small business owners will tell you that a virtual assistant is an additional critical ingredient in the success equation.

The right virtual assistant can save a business owner time and money... allowing them to put more effort into the creative endeavors that lead to success.

What Are The Duties Of A Virtual Assistant?

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 19 Oct 2021 18:40:43 GMT

Freedom Makers is comprised of virtual assistants who are passionate and qualified military spouses, ready to take on any tasks our clients may have. Our vetted virtual assistants are skilled and reliable and carry out the tasks assigned to them by their clients as if it is their duty. And, like the military culture they are steeped in, they take their duties very seriously.

VIRTUAL ASSISTANT DUTIES

The duties of a virtual assistant are wide-ranging and extensively varied. Some of those duties can include:

Originating or responding to emails and phone calls from customers.
Organizing and consolidating calendars.
Making and confirming travel arrangements.
Scheduling meetings and appointments.
Organizing files and documents as a company grows and scales.
Making cold calls to generate leads.
Interacting with customers on the client’s behalf.
Conducting research to find contact details for potential clients and patrons.
Preparing presentations.
Managing contact lists and customer relationship databases.
Onboarding new clients and customers.
Preparing data and sales spreadsheets.
Assisting with legal research.
Tracking billing entries and helping with invoicing.
Performing market research and analysis.
Producing and managing podcasts.
Writing blog and website content.
Creating visual and graphic content.
Managing social media and outreach.
Building and maintaining partner relationships.

To deliver the highest value to their clients, virtual assistants must have specific skills, must be purposeful and conscientious when conducting their duties, and above all, must care about their work - and about their clients - to the highest possible degree of professionalism.

WHAT VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS MUST HAVE

In order to execute their duties, all virtual assistants must have a computer and a reliable, fast internet connection. They also must have a quiet, dedicated workspace and professional decorum.

All virtual assistants must have a high school diploma or GED. Most virtual assistants (including those at Freedom Makers) have associate’s or bachelor’s degrees and/or advanced certifications. Virtual assistants must have some relevant and relatable professional experience to the role they will serve in their client/virtual assistant relationship. Virtual assistants must also be familiar with current workplace technologies like online calendars, word processing and spreadsheet programs, and document sharing applications.

They must have stellar time management skills, along with excellent organizational and multitasking abilities. Virtual assistants must have the ability to work with limited or minimal supervision and still deliver their work on time and error-free.

HOW VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS MUST BE

There are several things a person must be in order to be a successful virtual assistant who can grow and stretch as their duties expand. Specifically, a virtual assistant must be enthusiastic about independent learning. Each client will expect their virtual assistant to adapt to their work environment and learn their company’s specific platforms and ways of operating . A virtual assistant must be willing and eager to train to new skills - or update outdated ones. Doing so will help them stay relevant and competitive.

Virtual assistants must be flexible. Changing deadlines, fluctuating cash flows, increases or decreases in sales volume - these are the challenges many small businesses face as they gain a foothold in their marketplace. Being adaptable and resilient are vital components to building a successful virtual assistant career.

Time is money! Virtual assistants must be transparent and track their progress for their clients. Keeping a log and providing a report will allow both the virtual assistant and the client to know where and how the virtual assistant’s time is being spent. The goal of a virtual assistant is to add value. Successful virtual assistants do this by focusing solely on the tasks at hand when they “clock in” and work without distractions.

VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS MUST CARE

Perhaps the most crucial thing a virtual assistant needs in order to carry out their duties successfully is they must care. They must care about their client’s needs, and they should desire to contribute to the success of the company or entrepreneur.

A virtual assistant can prove to be a vital contributor to any environment - even from a remote location. Completing the smallest of tasks with a keen eye for detail can be just as critical to a small company’s success as landing the next big client would be. Being accountable for the quantity and quality of the work produced for the client is an essential part of being a successful virtual assistant.

It is this type of care - this type of execution of duty - that we look for when we onboard military spouses as Freedom Makers. Our military spouse virtual assistants possess the passion, determination, and perseverance to work within dynamic and fluid circumstances. They show resolve and resourcefulness when executing their virtual assistant duties - handling problems for clients and working to discover solutions and workarounds to help build their clients’ business.

IN CONCLUSION

The duties assigned to a virtual assistant vary extensively depending on the needs of the client or entrepreneur. But to be a truly successful virtual assistant, one must do more than simply complete a list of compiled tasks.

At Freedom Makers, our virtual assistants execute strong decision-making skills and are agile communicators. They can adapt to various work environments and continually level their skills by training to new platforms and software offerings. Freedom Makers add value and contribute to their clients’ successes because they feel a sense of responsibility and resolve to do the best they can at their assigned tasks. Because our mission is strongly aligned with the active-duty military and veteran communities, our virtual assistants always carry our core values into their work… not unlike the way uniformed servicemen and women uphold the standards of excellence expected of them.

Hiring Our Heroes Launches Remote Military Spouse Remote Economic Empowerment Zone

Jenny@freedom-makers.com (Jenny Boyles) — Tue, 12 Oct 2021 14:45:02 GMT

Hiring Our Heroes created Military Spouse Economic Empowerment Zones (MSEEZ) to connect military spouses with companies committed to hiring. They are collaborative efforts among businesses, civi and miltary communities that establish work opportunities in municipalties around the country. For the first time ever, the MSEEZ initiative has launched a Remote MSEEZ to serve those military spouses who wish to work virtually or remotely and employers who offer this type of work.

Like the other MSEEZ groups, this group will work to address military spouse unemployment and underemployemt. They will help to establish a range of remote employment-related tools and resources to help tackle military spouse employment issues. The members of the MSEEZ represent govenment, industry, or non profit organizations.

ThisMSEEZ will help connect military spouses with remote/portable employment opportunities through the Hire, Train, and Advocate pillars.

Chair - Amy Uthe , Freedom Learning Group
Hire Chair - Briana Pruitt, MBA, SHRM-CP , Instant Teams
Train Chair - Jenny Boyles , Freedom Makers Virtual Assistant Services
Advocate Chair - Timothy Parlatore , Parlatore Law Group LLP

On September 14th, the Remote MSEEZ had its official Kick Off with First Lady of the United States, Jill Biden, as the keynote speaker. We invite you to watch the kick off so you can learn more about why this group is so needed and who makes up the group.

Partnerships and Why They Are Important To Us

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 05 Oct 2021 13:52:18 GMT

Freedom Makers’ mission is, and will always be, to help military families and small business owners. Freedom Makers has found that they have been able to grow due to the many partnerships they have formed since their beginning days. Partnerships have become critical buttresses to Freedom Makers’ continued scaling and growth.

Partnerships allow a company to expand its reach, increase revenue, and increase visibility. They amplify a shared interest and serve both companies or entities by building brand awareness and sharing resources.

Partnerships can help a company expand its marketing capabilities, gain clientele, and provide greater credibility throughout the business space. They are also excellent sources for referrals and shared offerings. Partnerships take on different shapes and offer various benefits, but the outcome of a productive partnership is the synergy that leads to a combined effect greater than the outcome of a solo endeavor.

In a meaningful partnership, both entities “win.”

In our case, Freedom Makers has specifically sought partnerships with companies who share our mission and values - which is why they are so important to us!

PARTNERSHIPS SHARE MISSION AND PURPOSE

For example, our strong partnership with Re4ormed is valuable to both of us, and to those we serve. Re4ormed is a service-disabled veteran-owned business that provides affordable administrative, financial, legal, and development tools to the entire ecosystem of veteran-owned and military-spouse-owned businesses. Re4ormed has actively promoted Freedom Makers to their network and channel partners, which has increased our client roster and provided more work opportunities for our virtual assistants .

In return, Freedom Makers also promotes Re4ormed’s awesome networking events on our website and through our social media channels. Our partnership has been impactful and has furthered the cause of veterans helping veterans and military spouses helping military spouses.

Another example of shared purpose is our partnership with SytBiz, a website design firm owned and operated by two sisters, one of whom was a military spouse. They know firsthand the challenges of building and maintaining a career through frequent PCS moves, and the uncertainty military life brings. They made it the mission of SytBiz to help military spouses gain financial freedom and flexibility by building web-based businesses.

Enter Freedom Makers! Many of our virtual assistants (military spouses themselves) have the skills necessary to help these spouses run their businesses. Freedom Makers are talented in social media management , administrative tasks, blog writing, and customer management. Both SytBiz and Freedom Makers promote the other on their respective web pages and through direct communication in client newsletters. Each recommends the others’ services and offerings wherever appropriate and connects military spouses for mutual benefit.

PARTNERSHIPS SHARE RESOURCES AND EXPERTISE

Partnerships also allow businesses to share resources and expertise. We love our partnership with AMSE, the Association of Military Spouse Entrepreneurs . AMSE is a global network helping military spouse entrepreneurs find connections, tools, and the resources they need to build their businesses. Because we are both aware of the critical issues that impact military families, the aims and intentions of Freedom Makers and AMSE align beautifully: we both seek to serve the military spouse community.

We each promote the other through social media channels and other venues and share and exchange resources for those we serve. For instance, in June 2021, members of the Freedom Makers core team appeared in a webinar for AMSE’s community members. Jenny Boyles, Erin Close, and Eleanor Lynch hosted a masterclass on becoming a virtual assistant . Our team was able to share their expertise and help guide interested AMSE military spouses as they begin their virtual assistant career journey. In this way, we are both able to make a positive impact on the military community.

PARTNERSHIPS SHARE VALUES

Freedom Makers has found success by insisting that several values are upheld by each virtual assistant that is part of our company. Those values are reliability, accuracy, availability, decision making, and strong communication. We seek partnerships with like-minded companies, determined to deliver the highest product to their clients.

San Francisco-based Enlightworks is one of those excellence-driven businesses. Enlightworks builds strategic and modern websites, and they take great pride in the work they do.

Enlightworks uses several Freedom Makers and knows firsthand the value and professionalism our virtual assistants provide. Enlightworks recommends Freedom Makers to their clients who might need the help of a virtual assistant. And because we are familiar with the service and quality Enlightwork offers, we are happy to recommend Enlightworks to anyone who comes to Freedom Makers looking for website development or SEO support as they enhance their social media management.

PARTNERSHIPS SHARE THE BUSINESS SPACE FOR MUTUAL BENEFIT

At Freedom Makers, we believe in collaboration over competition. The best partnerships are those that help both parties reach their objectives and grow their brand. For instance, our newest partner, Skyline Business Solutions , supports businesses, entrepreneurs, and executives with operational details. Skyline Business Solutions shares Freedom Makers’ passion and commitment to the military and veteran communities. We have agreed to help facilitate introductions and build strategic relationships by promoting each other through social media platforms, communication with clients, and during in-person and virtual events.

Skyline Business Solutions offers specific expertise in some service areas that exceeds what our virtual assistant can offer. Our partnership allows us to best serve our clients by referring them to Skyline Business Solutions so that they can get all their needs met.

In Conclusion

Freedom Makers appreciates our partnerships! We nurture these valuable relationships through our social media channels, webinars, and quarterly newsletters. We are thrilled to celebrate our partners’ successes and growth and let our audiences know when good things are happening! Our partnerships grow and evolve as our individual organizations reach new levels. We keep building our connections and supporting one another so that we continue to best serve our clients and constituents.

We firmly believe - and are seeing firsthand - that strong partnerships can support business endeavors and help individual companies grow and succeed through combined effort. By partnering with entities that share Freedom Makers’ mission and core values, we are working together to best serve our military families and veterans in the business space. The impact made by our individual companies is significantly enhanced by the collective spirit each partnership offers.

What Industries Hire Virtual Assistants?

sarahc1063@gmail.com (Sarah Clarkson) — Tue, 28 Sep 2021 12:59:29 GMT

The market for virtual assistants is growing rapidly. Thanks to massive changes to traditionally-held ideas of what constitutes a workplace, and the technological advancements that make virtual work practically seamless, nearly every industry can utilize the skillsets virtual assistants offer.

WHY INDUSTRIES HIRE VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS

Virtual assistants help individuals, small and large companies, and entrepreneurs be more productive and grow their businesses by taking care of critical core tasks. Professionals have hired virtual assistants for decades to help with daily, office-functions. Virtual assistants take care of to-do list items like making/receiving phone calls, appointment scheduling, and calendar management, managing email accounts and social media engagements, bookkeeping, research, and customer relations management. Many industries have learned that virtual assistants are less expensive than hiring an employee. Virtual assistants have become a known value, as well as an indispensable asset.

Additionally, more and more individuals - across all industries and specialties - are now looking to become virtual assistants. Talented, educated, and experienced professionals are taking a step away from their traditional work environments, enticed by the flexibility and freedom working from home offers. The result? The range of skills available in the virtual assistant talent pool is deeper and wider than ever!

Some of the industries that have traditionally hired virtual assistants are:

Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs

Most solopreneurs and business owners wind up feeling overwhelmed by the number of daily tasks on their to-do list because they wear multiple hats taking care of all their business’s needs. Burnout due to prolonged stress and mental exhaustion can take over just as a new venture is taking off. Details and minutia zap entrepreneurs of their innovative energy. Enter the versatile virtual assistant. At just a fraction of the cost of a full-time employee or assistant, the hourly wage charged by a virtual assistant is much more manageable during the lean days of a start-up, when cash flows fluctuate.

Many entrepreneurs look for virtual assistants to help them with things like customer service, website updates, travel arrangements, email follow-up, calendar management , podcast maintenance, event planning, blog writing, and growing their social media presence through post creation. By outsourcing day-to-day administrative tasks, small business owners can concentrate on the dynamic elements that help propel a new business to success.

Freedom Maker’s task audit has helped many small business owners and entrepreneurs decide which tasks can and should be outsourced to a virtual assistant. Freedom Makers then helps match the business with a virtual assistant.

Attorneys and Law Practitioners

Many lawyers work long days and scramble through hectic schedules of client meetings, court appearances, deep legal records research, and all the paperwork that comes from handling deeds, contracts, wills, and appeals. If a lawyer runs a solo practice, he or she especially needs help! More and more lawyers are seeking the support of virtual assistants to lighten their load and take over time-consuming tasks like transcription and client communication .

Some lawyers that come to Freedom Makers for help are looking for virtual assistants to create content for their LinkedIn account, to help keep their website up to date, to edit billing entries, and to help with invoicing. Whether the virtual assistant is one with extensive prior legal training, is focused on research, or is an expert on calendar management, lawyers find that hiring a virtual assistant is more cost-effective than hiring an in-house employee. Virtual assistants make the hectic day-to-day life of a lawyer more manageable.

Real Estate Agents

The real estate world is a competitive one! Successful real estate agents and agencies have multiple property listings in different stages of lease or sale and need to optimize their time by generating new clients and sales. Because there is so much work that goes into buying and selling properties, virtual assistants can be the critical key to keeping a realtor organized and performing.

Real estate virtual assistants, or REVAs, can help with data entry, graphic design and social media, website updates, the creation of real estate packets for both buyers and sellers, mailings, and market analytics.

Accounting and Financial Firms

Accountants are responsible for managing and interpreting financial records for clients. Many accountants look for ways to save money for their clients and many have discovered that virtual assistants are a great way to save money themselves! By enlisting the services of a virtual assistant, accountants and financial managers reduce their workload and save themselves time. Most virtual assistants hired to help accountants will have some sort of background in the finance sector and are comfortable with data entry, handling accounts receivable, submitting payroll to 3rd party software, maintaining databases, and running reports. A virtual assistant working with an accountant also typically helps with general administrative tasks as well.

Business Coaches and Consultants

A business coach supports and motivates business owners and managers as they build their brand or grow their team. Both coaches and consultants are hired to provide insights to business leaders, help them streamline their processes, enhance their profitability, and implement their strategies. Because personal service is of the utmost importance in this industry, many coaches and consultants use virtual assistants so they can save their energy and focus solely on their clients.

In this industry, virtual assistants often schedule client meetings and follow-ups, manage marketing and social media , keep track of expenses, onboard new clients and write responses to inquiries. Some business coaches and consultants enlist the help of virtual assistants to write or manage blogs to promote their businesses or produce podcast content to grow their client base.

Veteran Owned Businesses

According to a U.S. Census Bureau’s 2019 report, there are over 2.5 million veteran-owned businesses in the United States - 99.9% of which are classified as small businesses. Veteran business owners have unparalleled leadership experience, a foundational understanding of teamwork, and are seeped in a culture of discipline and sacrifice. It is no surprise therefore that so many veteran-owned businesses are successful proprietorships with positive outcomes.

Veteran business owners intrinsically know how to delegate tasks to achieve goals. Additionally, they are often at ease with complex technologies thanks to their experience in the military. Their leadership aptitude and teamwork skills make them ideal clients for virtual assistants; outsourcing tasks becomes a seamless endeavor for them. Many veteran business owners come to Freedom Makers because they share the mission to support military families. Since Freedom Makers’ mission is to find flexible, meaningful work for military spouses around the globe, veteran business owners want to support and enhance that mission.

In Conclusion

Thanks to an uptick in professionals transitioning to the virtual assistant career field, there are new industries happily hiring virtual assistants. Tightly-budgeted charities and nonprofits, educators, writers, photographers, speakers, and authors - even entertainers and influencers are now outsourcing work to virtual assistants. In return for just a small investment in their business, professionals across all industries are reaping huge rewards. Today, virtual assistants are helping people in all industries be more productive, have more innovative energy, and regain their most valuable asset of all -- time!