Have you ever considered hiring a virtual team, virtual assistant or online manager to help with your New Year’s business goals? Traditionally, setting individual goals for the new year meant putting all the pressure to change or achieve on yourself. Like most of us, you probably had your share of disappointment after some of those goals fell by the wayside.

Perhaps if you’d had some people come alongside you to encourage you with those individual goals, you would’ve experienced greater success. The same could be said of your business goals for 2021. Sure, you’re an essential part of your company, but you can’t do it all alone.

In his “Entrepreneur” article entitled, 4 New Year’s Resolutions Your Business Should Make, Syed Balkhi shares the following:

“By making New Year’s resolutions for your business—and following through with them—your business can reach new heights this coming year.”

As the New Year approaches, here are some possible goals setting ideas to consider as you weigh the option of working with a virtual assistant company.

Re-Explore Your Long-Term Vision

Whew! If ever there was a years’ end to go back and look at your long-term strategy again, this was it. With all the pressing matters businesses had to juggle, it was easy to fall into survival mode and stay there.

For that reason, it’s crucial after a year like 202o to revisit what you’ve wanted to implement but struggled to accomplish. To do that, you’ll need time to think outside of the ‘hamster wheel schedule’ this year may have become for you.

Intentionally clearing your schedule will be a must. Otherwise, you’ll risk starting 2021 on the same track. That’s where hiring a virtual assistant company can help to quickly give you some much needed time to plan your next moves. Without time for strategizing, your business could miss out on some of the best 2021 has to offer.

Review Customer or Client Complaints

None of us like to think about disappointing our clients or customers. It’s a painful thought but happens at times despite our best efforts. When setting smart business goals, think about any reoccurring themes you found in your complaints.

Once you identify aspects of your business you can improve on in 2021, think about whether a VA team, VA or OBM could help. A virtual assistant team will likely be able to help you make your customers happier in 2021.

Envision a Post-Pandemic Approach

It may be difficult to imagine at the moment, but a 2021 vaccine could lead to a post-pandemic scenario which will likely require a different business approach than your current one.

How will you change your business strategy post-pandemic? Tentatively setting business goals for this transition will help you to prepare better for the road ahead. It will also help you to rapidly implement a strategy change when the moment arrives.

Perhaps you’ll want to ramp up your hiring process or will have some aspects of your business that need delegated immediately. This transition and beyond could be a great time to consider what a virtual assistant company can do for you after the pandemic calms down. As you plan, it wouldn’t hurt to speak with a VA company at least a few months before you expect demand for their services.

Virtual Team or Remote Assistant: Could 2021 Be the Year?

At Smart to Finish, we can help you achieve more in 2021 through delegation. You don’t have to let the new year slip by without accomplishing business goals that are important to you. Our team is ready to assist you.

Is it possible you’ll need a virtual assistant, remote team or online business manager during the upcoming year? If so, now is the perfect time to schedule a 30-minute free consultation with us.

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What’s the best virtual assistant company to help your business grow in 2021? As the new year approaches, you likely find yourself setting business goals to improve your approach. If so, one of the best ways to reach your goals is to delegate tasks through virtual assistant services.

As 2021 draws closer, this year looks to be the best one yet to find support from a remote assistant company. To say the least, 2020 was an unusual year for businesses because of the pandemic. The unexpected events led to a higher demand for VA services and that doesn’t look to change in 2021.

In his “Forbes” article entitled 5 Ways Your Business Can Benefit from a Virtual Office, Chris Porteous shares the following:

“Virtual offices have seen a massive rise in popularity. In these tough economic times, businesses have realized they need to reconsider their spending. If a business can eliminate 15% of its expenses, it has more leeway when it comes to turning a profit.”

Why will 2021 be the best year yet for VA services? Here are several reasons.

Hiring a VA Company Will Come More Naturally for Businesses in 2021

Although not true for all businesses, many transitioned to virtual staff arrangements on a large scale. What does that mean going into 2021? Although it was an undeniably ‘bumpy ride’ in the short term, plenty of businesses became more comfortable with the idea of virtual staffing out of necessity.

This coming year will be an easier transition into virtual assistant services. Businesses understand the benefits of virtual employees in a way that is light years ahead of where they were less than a year ago.

So, going into 2021, hiring a virtual assistant, virtual team or online business manager from a VA company will make more sense. Right from the start, you’ll already understand how these services can help your business, have greater experience working with virtual staff and feel a higher comfort level with going this route.

The Pandemic’s End Won’t Stop the Interest in Virtual Work

This year was incredibly stressful for many businesses. Besides the potential for significant loss of revenue, unprecedented disruptions drastically changed how work was done. In many cases, these interruptions were made more challenging as in-person workplaces were abandoned for at-home and virtual ones.

So, the big question is, “How will work be different after the pandemic becomes controlled through a vaccine?” While there are various opinions out there, most agree that the workplace will never be the same.

We quickly realized we neglected to operate at our full technological potential. Because we didn’t gradually make changes over the past decade, immediately doing so during a pandemic emergency was incredibly difficult and, in some cases, impossible.

Businesses fought hard to change to a virtual workplace this year. They won’t want to lose all the ground they gained once 2021 rolls around. For that reason, even after life returns to ‘normal,’ virtual assistant services will remain in high demand. The way we do work has fundamentally changed and there’s no going back.

As more businesses learn how to effectively operate remotely in 2021 and beyond, look for them to use VA services more frequently. The days of viewing delegation to a VA company as ‘futuristic’ or ‘ahead of its time’ are officially over. The dawn of virtual work has arrived en masse, and it’s here to stay for businesses able to pull it off logistically.

Companies Will Want to “Future Proof” their Businesses

“What else could disrupt my company in the future?” Countless businesses are asking this exact question. Although no one knows the answer for sure, plenty of companies want to update their approach before the unforeseen strikes again.

Even after the pandemic concludes (hopefully sometime in 2021), look for businesses and employees to desire and encourage remote work as a form of ‘future-proofing.’ No one in our lifetime will forget what happened in 202o, and no one wants to be caught in a situation where they’re unable to rapidly function remotely.

Having help from a virtual assistant company in 2021 will uniquely position businesses to prepare for any obstacles that come their way in the future. That could include national security threats, natural disasters or another health emergency, for example.

We learned the hard way this year that the time to prepare for the unexpected as a business isn’t once something happens. If there are ways to prepare beforehand, that makes the most sense.

Finding the Best Virtual Assistant Company for Your Business

Would you like to learn more about our VA services? If so, please reach out to us. Smart to Finish has helped many businesses navigate the pandemic more effectively. We also look forward to assisting businesses once COVID is more under control. Whether you need a remote team, online manager or virtual assistant, we can offer the support you need.

Scheduling a free 30-minute consultation with us only takes a moment but could be a significant turning point in your business. We look forward to chatting with you soon!

A virtual team may be just what your successful company needs to recover from a historic recession brought on by the pandemic. The reality is that most successful businesses (although not all) have struggled this year.

And for some, it feels like you’re just trying to pick up all the pieces. Now, it may be time to regroup and rebuild. Feelings of hope and doubt may visit you in turns over whether you can satisfyingly do that.

If that’s where you find yourself, you aren’t alone and you have options when growing a business after a recession (and during it). The same entrepreneurial and risk-taking spirit that got you this far is still there. So, you look at the challenges, even if they seem daunting, and courageously find solutions. That’s just who you are.

As you figure out how to grow your business in light of the pandemic, we can help. We’ve been able to support successful businesses in adjusting to this year’s volatile market conditions.

In her “Forbes” article entitled How to Reinvent Your Business to Survive a Recession, Michelle Clarke shares the following: “With some preparation and foresight, companies with executable business continuity plans in place are usually better positioned to dedicate the resources required to quickly implement a strategic response to a disruption by pivoting or reinventing their business model.”

Here are some reasons to consider a virtual team as you decide on business growth strategies during the recession.

Prompt Results When You Need Them Most

Perhaps you had to let some of your employees go, and now you need to scale your business quickly again. The only trouble is that you feel stuck because hiring takes loads of effort, time and training. How will you ever promptly deliver the results your customers or clients demand?

Hiring a virtual team can help you to scale or rescale your business rapidly. That means less stress over having the help you need. It also means you can set aside the worry over having the expertise you’ll need. Right from the start, you’ll have a highly skilled team ready to make great things happen at your company.

A Team Outside of Your Company’s Challenges

When your business goes through challenging times, all of your team members feel that stress from the top to bottom. And just when you need innovation the most, all that stress can translate into a drop in energy, creativity and purpose.

How do you bail yourself out of such a scenario? While the best plan will require a multi-pronged approach, one answer for some businesses is to hire a virtual team outside of the company to assist with navigating these challenging times.

Instead of just hiring one virtual assistant, you’ll get a virtual assistant team. Bringing on a virtual team outside of your home-grown one has its advantages during tough times. Your remote team will be able to better emotionally separate themselves from the stress you feel in your business (while still being passionately involved in building your dreams).

What does that mean for you and your company? Help for your most pressing challenges from an energetic and creative team. You’ll get optimal results even when anxiety levels may be high in your business. You might also benefit from an outside perspective which will allow you to break free from operating in survival mode or feeling paralyzed.

White Label Services When You Need Them Most

White label virtual assistant services can also be a vital part of your comeback strategy. As you recover from the recession, now may be the opportune time to add new services or reintroduce previously existing services you had to cut back on for a while.

But what do you do if you’re not yet ready to hire someone as a full-time employee? One possibility is hiring a skilled part of our team to be part of the face of your team. You can present individuals from Smart to Finish as your own employees with our white label services during tough times, impressing your prospective clients or customers in the process.

Not only do you look more established by doing this, but you’ll automatically bring on an expert. That type of customer confidence can allow you to grow (or regrow) your business with fewer frustrating moments and unknowns. You just may find that bringing on a team of white label professionals is the ‘secret sauce’ for how to grow your company during challenging times.

Could a Virtual Team Be Part of the Solution to Your Pandemic Challenges?

Have you hit six figures or seven figures in your business, but things have been unusually tough this year? At Smart to Finish, we understand the many obstacles facing a six -figure business and larger along the path to success. We also realize that what matters most is that you can improve the lives of people around you who need your product or services while meeting your revenue goals.

If you’d like to learn more about how we can assist your business during the pandemic and the future, feel free to get in touch for a free 30-minute consultation. Whether you need an online business manager, virtual assistant or remote team, we’re here to make sure you grow your business regardless of the challenges.

Learning the power of delegation can take months and years to achieve. So, why go through with the sometimes-painful process of learning the art of delegation as an entrepreneur?

The increased opportunity to grow your business and revenue as an entrepreneur should be enough to take it seriously. But have you considered the personal growth benefits associated with delegating? Although the fiscal pressures you face can sometimes be immense, the people skills you gain can be even more valuable over time.

Although budgetary needs are critical and can feel all-consuming, it’s possible to meet them and still not succeed on a deeper level. Because, ultimately, the point of the entrepreneurial journey is to improve the lives of people. That means your customers, clients, staff and yourself. Money aside, if that goal isn’t met, then what’s the point?

Your most valuable business connection is the people meaningfully involved with your dream. As you learn how to improve delegation, you’ll notice that your people skills grow too. And it could be argued that no greater ability exists than being able to meaningfully and authentically connect with others. Here are some people-skill benefits you can expect as you learn to excel at delegating tasks.

Delegating Helps You Listen to Your Intuition Better

When you first became an entrepreneur, you may have ignored your ‘gut feelings’ or intuition when making business decisions (and gotten burned as a result). But, after a while, you probably regretted not listening better.

This ‘sixth sense’ is so essential to business growth. It allows you to be guarded or less so even when all the facts aren’t in. It helps you decide to go with the ‘less impressive’ job candidate because there’s something about them you can’t fully explain that’s different.

As you delegate work, you continually improve your intuition skills. Fostering this skill allows you to read between the lines, pick up on non-verbal cues and make the best decision. No course or book can give you the answers on whether to outsource a particular task to ‘John’ or ‘Andrea,’ for instance.

You listen to your intuition, fully understanding life is nuanced and people are far more complex than we often admit. Being sensitive to what’s best for you, your staff and your customers through following your intuition can make them feel cared about and valued. People will always appreciate authenticity like that.

It separates you from entrepreneurs who bowl over others because they feel they have to ‘win’ at all costs. And it can help you achieve your higher purpose while in business and leave a lasting legacy worth following.

Delegating Teaches You How to “Let Go” for Better Results

As an entrepreneur, you can control how hard you work, but you can’t perfectly guarantee your results. You have to learn to control what you can and let go of what you can’t.

But what can and should you control when it comes to people? You really can only control yourself. You naturally hate being micromanaged as an entrepreneur, and so does your staff. Attempting to gain more control than necessary on projects and oversight leaves you emotionally and physically spent.

Micromanagement also leaves your staff feeling frazzled, untrusted and less productive than they could’ve been. Learning effective delegation teaches you the invaluable people skill of letting go. Because the surest way to lose your people is to ‘smother’ them in an attempt to bend them to your will.

In his “Entrepreneur” article entitled How to Delegate Better and Become a Great Leader, John Boitnott shares the following advice:

“Empower your workers to feel like they’re making valuable contributions and are trusted to handle new responsibilities. Part of that empowerment means giving your workers access to the people, equipment, information and materials they’ll need to do a good job. As a result, they’ll gain more self-confidence and will achieve more.”

Guide your staff only as much as necessary. After that, as hard as it initially can be as an entrepreneur, let go and let your team do their best work. After all, the feeling of being in control of others is just an illusion. A vital part of growth personally and professionally involves getting out of the way so everyone can give their best effort towards collective success.

Delegating Improves More than Just Your Work Relationships

Developing effective delegation skills means learning to get things done with the help of others. It means learning to ‘play’ as a team, work hard, foster mutual respect and accomplish your goals while remaining sensitive to others’ goals and dreams.

Delegating done well can improve your work relationships as an entrepreneur. If carried out correctly, your workers will feel valued that you entrusted them with so much responsibility. They’ll appreciate your healthy balance of proper guidance and autonomy.

The valuable people skills gained from the delegation of responsibility will also give you the tools needed to nurture your most vital relationships. That may involve how you interact with your extended family, close friends, children and significant other or spouse.

With solid people skills in place you’ve learned from delegating, you’ll have the unique ability to nurture your most vital relationships. And in doing so, you’ll have a healthy support system in place to make a positive difference in the lives of your clients, customers, staff and personal life.

Want to Discover the Power of Delegation on a Deeper Level?

As you grow in your delegation skills, you’ll find a variety of available strategies to meet your company’s needs. One powerful possibility is hiring a virtual assistant company to assist you with tasks.

Smart to Finish can help you with delegation whether you need an online business manager, virtual team or virtual assistant. We offer on-demand solutions to your staffing needs, so you don’t have to wait months and years to grow as a business.

If you’d like to learn more about how we can grow your business, feel free to reach out to us. Scheduling a 30-minute free consultation only takes a minute but could be one of the biggest steps you take towards scaling your business.

Why is delegating tasks necessary to your growth as an entrepreneur? Because learning how to delegate is far more than something you do. Most importantly, the delegation of responsibility done well shapes who you become.

In her “Entrepreneur” article entitled 7 Rules for Entrepreneurs to Delegate Effectively, Anna Johansson says, “You need to think about delegating some of your work. Delegation is a key factor in entrepreneurial success, on both a personal and professional level.”

At first glance, delegating may seem like nothing more than a mundane task entrepreneurs check off their lengthy to-do lists. But the end result is a destiny and not just a duty.

As an entrepreneur, you’re continually growing. You may not always think of it that way because of your ever-growing responsibilities, but that’s the undeniable reality whether your company is struggling or thriving.

Not all entrepreneurs experience the same growth trajectory though. Some look more like a stunted, water-deprived garden plant. Others experience lush growth like a plant regularly given plenty of water. What makes the difference between the two?

While the answer to such a question is nuanced, learning the art of delegation as an entrepreneur is an integral aspect of your growth process. Here’s why you should regularly delegate work if you want to grow as an entrepreneur.

Someone Out There Can Do Those Tasks Better

Yes, that’s initially a tough one for one’s ego as an entrepreneur but so true. Among all the jobs you have to get done, some are a constant struggle because they aren’t where your passions and strength lie.

That doesn’t make you weak or inept. It’s just the reality every entrepreneur out there faces. To grow, you have to learn to play to your strengths. But you can’t stop there. You also need to gather individuals around you who are strong in areas you aren’t.

The more this happens, the more your business will thrive. You won’t always feel like you’re doing some tasks well but failing at others. You’ll have more time to grow in the skills that interest you most and become even better at them because of your delegation skills.

Less Frustration Means More Passion

You need to maintain your passion as an entrepreneur to stay motivated and continually grow. But somewhere along the way, all the things you have to do can sap the joy out of you. And you can start to feel regularly frustrated.

Every entrepreneur goes through seasons of aimlessness, complacency and a loss of vision. And not all entrepreneurs survive this stage. For some, that’s a good thing because they’re ready for a different entrepreneurial challenge. But others simply need a bit more perseverance to break through the listlessness.

Although seasons of frustration can help you grow, no one receives a trophy for staying there longer than you have to! Less frustration through effective delegation gives you more time and inner calm to make the best choices for your business and those who’re helping your mission to become successful. You also have more time and energy to focus on personal growth as an entrepreneur.

The Power of Delegation Ensures Even More Growth Will Happen

What do you experience as an entrepreneur when you aren’t delegating appropriately? An incredible amount of physical, emotional and spiritual stress. You’re always busy—like someone lost at sea in a rowboat who’s unsure of where to locate the closest shore.

There’s an enormous effort with little progress. It’s hard to figure out a plan to grow as an entrepreneur (let alone figure out how to implement that strategy). You’re always just trying to ‘keep your head above water.’

Something drastically shifts when you begin delegating, though. You become more intentional about your business strategy, and you’re able to focus much more on self-improvement. You finally have time to get out of the way of your business and just concentrate on leading it.

And it’s not long before you find ways to improve. One major perk of noticing opportunities to grow as a business owner is that encouraging your team to grow personally becomes a higher priority. Your goal isn’t about ‘squeezing every last dollar out of them.’

It becomes about genuinely wanting your staff to achieve their highest potential because you’re interested in them as people. And when your staff feels valued, you’ll be amply rewarded.

Could You Use Some Help with Delegating Tasks?

Once you go all-in on delegation, finding virtual help can significantly improve your personal and business growth. You can quickly enhance your delegation of duties through a virtual assistant company instead of going through the long, arduous and unpredictable process of hiring in-person staff.

Instead, you’ll have an on-demand solution to all those nagging tasks that need to be done. Those tasks may be completed best by a virtual team, virtual assistant or online business manager. Smart to Finish can help you develop a customized delegation strategy so you and your business continue growing.

Would you like to find out more about how we can assist you? If so, feel free to reach out to us for a free 30-minute consultation. We look forward to working with you!

Are you an entrepreneur who’s wondering how to work from home with kids? If so,
you’re already well aware of the many stressors that can occur when mixing kids and a
home-based business. Add to that the year of the Pandemic with disrupted school
schedules, and few other questions become as relevant as this one.

Although there are many benefits of working from home, the lifestyle has plenty of
challenges too. And until you try working from home with kids as an entrepreneur, it’s
hard to imagine how significant this adjustment can be.

In her “Small Business Trends” article entitled 10 Tips for Working from Home with
Kids, Annie Pilon sums up the struggle well:

“Parents see an advantage to spending more time at home. But they also find
it challenging to stay focused on their tasks. It leads to chaos during dedicated
working hours. And it can also be tough for some to “turn off” the office mindset when
it’s time to hang out with family.”

Can you relate to this tug-of-war obstacle? If your answer is ‘yes,’ here are some working
from home tips with children in the house to consider.

Avoid Doing Parenting and Remote Work at the Same Time

Why is this a bad idea? Because at least one of the two is bound to suffer. Either it’ll be
the health of your child or your business at stake. Since these two interests are
interdependent, and both need to thrive, you need a better option.

In reality, it’s impossible to regularly engage with work and family simultaneously. This
is especially true if you’re trying to figure out how to work from home with a baby. When
working from home with a newborn or young child, you’ll have to either do one or the
other.

Working and parenting at the same time only leads to perpetual discouragement and
frustration. And as pressing as your business demands may seem, your kids need you
even more than your business does.

Instead, you’ll do better by staying up later than your child or rising earlier. Your child’s
naptime can also be a good opportunity to sneak in a little work. Finding someone to
occasionally watch your children can be quite helpful too.

How to Work from Home with Kids: Set Up an Office

Setting up a home office will help you make the line between work and family more
distinct. Having your own space for work will allow you to focus on your daily tasks
better too. Then, when you step away from your work area, you won’t feel so much
pressure to put on your entrepreneur hat when it’s time to parent.

This also helps your child to understand the work boundaries you need to be successful.
It’s natural that your kids will want to talk with you, ask for a snack or settle sibling
disputes. Having a home office helps everyone in the family better understand the
delicate balance of work and home life.

Get Out of the House with Your Family

You already know it can be challenging to turn off work mode when it should be family
time. There will always be more work, after all.

But what’s sometimes hard to see is you only have so many child-rearing years. You
want to make those years happy and healthy for you and your child while there’s still
time.

One way to focus more on your child is to intentionally get out of the house for a while.
Maybe you go for a hike or swim together. Or perhaps you go for a drive and get ice
cream. It’s most important to be intentional about getting out when your stress levels
are unusually high as an entrepreneur.

Regardless of what you do outside the home, just getting away for a few hours is a great
way to put work aside for a while. It makes working from home with children more fun
and manageable too.

Choose to Delegate for a Better Work-Family Balance

You can’t do it all. And if you try, you, your family and business will all lose. You only
have so much energy and time each day to give to work and your family.

If you’ve been consistently working hard but can’t seem to make nearly the progress you
need, it’s likely been time to start delegating tasks for a while now.

The importance of delegation is crucial since it can give you more time to take care of
your family and your health. It can also increase the value you bring to clients and
customers while growing your profits.

How to Delegate Effectively: Could You Use Some Help?

Effective delegation is a skill you can continually improve at regardless of how long
you’ve been an entrepreneur. And the more your business develops, the more useful
delegation in business becomes.

If you’d like to discover the benefits of delegation on a deeper level, feel free to get in
touch with Smart to Finish. Perhaps you’re just learning to delegate, or you’ve been at it
for a while now but need to learn how to delegate tasks better. Either way, we can assist
you.

By scheduling a 30-minute free consultation with us, we can develop a customized plan
for your business. Your journey of how to delegate better may involve hiring an online
business manager, virtual assistant or virtual team. Best of all, you’ll grow your business
stronger and faster while maintaining a healthy work-family balance.