You’ve heard business owners talk about hiring an Online Business Manager (OBM) or a Virtual assistant (VA) and wondered, “Well, how do you tell the difference?”
Good question.
Although similar in nature, there are some key differences between an Online Business Manager (OBM) and a Virtual Assistant (VA).
In this post, I’m explaining the specialities of the two roles and when it is time to level up and bring on an OBM.
What is A Virtual Assistant?
A Virtual Assistant takes on an important support role in the business and is comparable to a traditional administrative assistant. Virtual Assistants are implementers and focus on the ‘doing’.
They are hired to carry out very specific tasks with detailed instructions and get things done without being responsible for workflows and the bigger picture.
Typically, Virtual Assistants work on an hourly basis and perform tasks such as customer service, social media scheduling, copywriting or graphic design.
VA’s are usually responsible to you as a business owner or an OBM.
What is An Online Business Manager?
Simply said an OBM “manages online based businesses”. It’s the strategist in your business, your right hand woman/man, also referred to as the “Integrator” as they hold the people, processes, systems, and strategy of your business together.
An Online Business Manager is a professional who frees up your time by managing the day-to-day operations, so you can fully step into your CEO shoes, focus on strategic growth and serve your clients.
They are hired to strategize, optimize & systemize every single part of your business. By keeping an eye on the bigger vision, they will:
- Implement systems to increase efficiency & save money in your business
- Evaluate the tech in your business, create automated workflows and make sure your business runs like a well-oiled machine
- Track metrics so you know what’s working in your business and what isn’t
- Evaluate your current path to money
- Manage your team and monitor day-to-day task completion
Your Online Business Manager is not a task ticker or “yes” sayer, but will challenge the status-quo.
Whereas a Virtual Assistant is hired to complete their own tasks, an Online Business Manager is responsible for the completion of everyone’s tasks in the business and ensures all systems & processes in the business are running smoothly.
When to hire an Online Business Manager?
Feeling stuck, overwhelmed or frustrated in your business?
You’ve started your own business to have more freedom and flexibility in your life but you’re working harder and longer hours than in your 9-5.
You have a team but all decisions are run through you. You’re the bottleneck of the business.
You put time and effort into creating beautiful opt-ins but your leads are not converting.
You’re jumping from creating content to planning your next launch, to emailing your list and managing your team.
You’re spending more time IN your business than ON your business.
If this sounds familiar, it’s time to bring on an Online Business Manager who will take things off your plate so you can go back to the big picture goals you first created for your business. Because your time should be focused on leading the business, spreading your message, building your brand & serving your clients (aka all the things you’re passionate about), not micro-managing day-to-day operations. Hiring an OBM allows you to do just that.
Are you ready to transform your business?
If you think you deserve a better business, click here to find out what Her Secret Weapon is all about and how we help our clients step into their CEO shoes.
You started your business to build an empire and not because you wanted to get bogged down in the day-to-day, right?
