Sometimes in business, it’s easy to identify that you need support, but it’s not so easy to know what kind of virtual support professional is right for the tasks you need. To be honest, there are so many specializations from Virtual Assistants, Executive Assistants, Project Managers, Social Media Managers, Launch Managers, and Online Business Managers. . . it can be overwhelming! So, how do you know when you are ready to hire an Online Business Manager (OBM) in your business? Some key things should be in place before hiring an OBM and bringing them onto your team. In this post, I’ll be sharing the five most important questions to ask yourself before you hire an Online Business Manager so you can ensure this is the right decision for you.
What is an Online Business Manager?
Let’s first cover what an Online Business Manager is, just in case this is a new term for you. An OBM helps with the day-to-day back end of your business. Depending on the business manager and their zone of genius, this could include a couple of extra roles and tasks. Such as system setup, project management, hiring, creating processes, and managing your team.
I review some of the key points about what an OBM does in my Ultimate Guide: Virtual Assistant vs Online Business Manager post here, but to highlight, an OBM is a strategic partner on your team who can systematize and manage multiple aspects of your business. If you are a visionary CEO that has a million ideas but needs help breaking down the actionable steps needed to actually bring them to life, then you probably need an OBM to help you put the timelines in place, figure out deadlines, and assign the team members needed, or, in some cases, hire the team members or contractors to execute those tasks.
Remember, an Online Business Manager doesn’t do the implementation itself; they are “big picture” people in your business.
How to Know You Are Ready to Hire an Online Business Manager?
If that’s sounding all too familiar and you’re thinking hiring an OBM might be just what you need in your business, here are some additional questions you can ask yourself before you hire an Online Business Manager.
1) Are you the bottleneck of your business and team?
If you already have a small team of contractors, you might start to find that you are the bottleneck holding them back from doing their job. Are you struggling to get your team members the information they need to complete their tasks for your business? That’s a key area where an OBM can step in and actually manage the team for you.
It can be tough to let go of the reins, and you will most likely struggle with this transition. However, Online Business Managers are trained specifically in how to manage your team members so that they stay engaged and deliver results for your online business.
2) Are your systems are a mess?
Your zone of genius might not be systems, and that’s okay! But, as you continue to grow and scale, implementing the right systems is vital for your business to continue to grow. Most Online Business Managers love systems and can make sure your business is running like a well-oiled machine.
In order for your OBM to help you track necessary KPI’s and analytics of your business so they can support you in making those CEO-level strategic decisions, you need efficient, and effective, systems in place. It’s possible as you were growing your business as a solopreneur, you were piecing together bits of this and that or not tracking things well. Your OBM will come in and help you create, plan, and track what’s needed.
3) Do you have SOPs or processes in place?
SOPs (standard operating procedures) are essential for all businesses, especially as you grow and your team expands. Making sure these key documents and processes are mapped out will be one of your OBM’s first steps to organizing your business and making things run better.
An OBM may even help you with hiring, onboarding, and training new team members with the SOPs and processes that have been created for your business.
4) Do you need an online babysitter of sorts to reel you in from running in all directions?
As a visionary, you may have too many ideas that you want to implement – an OBM can keep you focused on the tasks at hand to get done what you already planned.
More and more people are embracing their multipassionate nature and realizing there are so many ways they can have an impact in the world, or they are coming to understand that their brains just work a little differently and they don’t think in a linear fashion. Either way, it’s okay to ask for support to help define your priorities on what’s most important and the best way to get there! An OBM can help!
5) Are you ready to be open to a new perspective on running your business more efficiently so you can scale to greater revenue?
Remember an Online Business Manager is an investment. They are typically with your business a minimum of 20 or more hours per month, and they are highly skilled at providing organizing, planning, analyzing, and strategizing to help you achieve your goals. They are collaborative partners for you and want to come alongside you and help embrace your vision for your business and bring it to life.
The return on your investment with your Online Business Manager will be realized in your time, your energy, and your money. You’ll have more available to be the visionary CEO to imagine new ways to show up and serve your clients in the best way possible.
Are you ready to hire an Online Business Manager?
If this resonates and sounds like you, you likely need an OBM! Feeling unsure? Maybe you need a VA to get started, learn the difference between a VA and an OBM to help you decide.
You can visit my services page for more information on the types of services I include in my offerings and what you can expect from working together. You can also go ahead and book a free quick call so we can chat about your business needs.
