Why Entrepreneurs Need A Virtual Assistant

I meet overworked, overwhelmed entrepreneurs regularly and am amazed by how far down their priority list falls the need for an assistant. A great deal of thought has been given to surrounding themselves with dynamic and talented people who could help with their business endeavours, yet the position of assistant is so often overlooked. To be clear I am not talking about someone who is simply going to open the mail and answer the phone, I am referring to an individual who if well-placed, will enhance their productivity, complement their weaknesses, establish process and efficiency and from first hand experience keep their sanity in check!

For a lot of entrepreneurs the idea of employing a full time member of staff to provide this support is either cost prohibitive or more help than is actually required. This is where a virtual assistant provides a sensible solution. You only pay for the time your assistant is actually working, whether this is 3 hours or 30 hours a week. All costly overheads associated with employing a member of staff are avoided as are the responsibilities. Bottom line, a virtual assistant can be an affordable investment, an asset that comes with a long list of benefits. Here are a few to consider:

1. Flexibility – available to work outside of normal office hours, remote working means you don’t have to organise workspace (or equipment).
2. Vested interest – the success of a virtual assistant’s business is based on yours, it is their livelihood and relies on client referrals. This translates to superior service.
3. Focus on core activities – by outsourcing a variety of tasks and those that don’t play to your strengths more valuable time is available for decision-making and revenue generating work.
4. Time off – holidays, time with family and friends, even just exercising is essential. Entrepreneurs, because of their commitment and dedication to success, often struggle with the idea of stepping away from their business for any period of time. A virtual assistant can provide the security of mind to do this.
5. No HR responsibilities – tax, national insurance, employee benefits do not have to be paid or considered.
6. Value for money – you only pay for the work done (employees would be paid by you for lunch breaks, toilet visits and time taken for personal calls and issues).
7. Quality of work – a virtual assistant is rarely just your average ‘assistant’. A business owner in their own right the best virtual assistant will be an expert relationship manager, deft communicator and possess exceptional organisational skills.
8. Manage stress levels – often entrepreneurs become overwhelmed trying to keep on top of everything. As much as entrepreneurs want to soldier on and get more work done, the mind and body and even the spirit needs time to recharge. Sharing the workload and business responsibilities with an assistant can free up this valuable time.

If you think you might benefit from the support of a virtual assistant please contact me at sarah@sapphire-tree.com for more information about how I can help you and your business be as organized, efficient and as successful as possible.