Letting Go: Delegating Work is a Must for Business Growth

As career coaches and resume writers, we often work in a solopreneurial capacity, which means business growth is often bottlenecked by one person: us. 

Our time is limited, and we have to balance a lot - from client meetings and deliverables to operational tasks, marketing, responding to LinkedIn messaging, the list goes on - and it can feel overwhelming. 

Whether you want to grow (or scale!) your business or just maintain the current level of activity while freeing up some of your time, there’s a truth we have to face. 

It’s time to delegate.

Entrepreneurs are terrible at offloading work. We hold on tight-fisted because doing everything ourselves has become a way of life, and we wear it as a badge of honor. Oh yeah, and there’s also that “no one else can do this as good as I can” thing. 

Doing everything is holding you back. 

In the early days, you have to suck it up and wear all the hats because money is tight, but there comes a point where keeping everything on your to-do list has diminishing returns on your time, so in our quest to scale - or even sustain, the concept of delegation becomes crucial. 

There are many ways to attack the “get help” goal, which has been a conversation I’ve had multiple times just this week - in Build Your Business, in a coaching community, and with two separate coach clients! Clearly, we need HELP! 

My recommendation: A Virtual Assistant (VA)

A VA offers a flexible, scalable solution to handling administrative tasks without the overhead of full-time employees. For entrepreneurs in the coaching industry, this means access to skilled help on an as-needed basis, which allows us to focus more on coaching and less on the minutiae.

The key to leveraging a VA, or any outsourced support for that matter, is determining where to get help and what will provide the best return on the investment. Everyone's needs are different, and it can take some iterating to determine where you feel the most benefit, but trust me, it’s worth it. 

Note - Training someone takes more time - at first - than it would if you did the task yourself, but in the long run, it will save you time. (Sounds like something we’d say to a micromanager struggling to lead a team, eh?)

Transitioning responsibilities to a VA has been transformative for me and Career Benders, and I thought it might be helpful to share some of the areas where I’ve delegated work to get your brain thinking about how a  VA can help streamline your operations:

• Bookkeeping: It is the first thing I recommend you offload! I have a VA who works specifically in finances, so this is the only task that person completes for me every month. (Oh yeah, you can have more than on VA!)

• Client Onboarding: Setting up agreements, sending out invoicing, and onboarding new clients onto our client management system is all done by someone who is not me! 

• Document Preparation: After the bookkeeper, the next thing I brought on was someone to format client deliverables for me, so all I have to do is sit down and write. Sure, this may take only 20 - 30 minutes, but the time adds up when I was in high-volume mode and writing 8 - 10 resumes a week! 

• Social Media Management: I love marketing (as most of you know), but content creation and social media management are so different from my core day-to-day activities that it requires a big lift to accomplish. I just won’t do it, so I brought someone in to tackle it for me. Other than LinkedIn, I am totally hands-off with social. Yay!

• Email and Communication: Many colleagues use VAs to manage scheduling, which can be a huge time-saver. I’ve still found it’s best to control my calendar, but my VA has completely taken over all of our email marketing. She has a hand in newsletters, the weekly Sunday Scaries, and our automated marketing. Sure, the content still comes from me, but again, I don’t have to spend time formatting - all I have to do is opine. It’s what I do best! 

• Other Stuff (and the list goes on): From the logistics of webinars and workshops to website updates, podcast appearances, content research, and lead routing, there are a ton of ways a VA can take 15 minutes here and 15 minutes there from your plate to yours, and over time, you will see it add up! 

The other thing I enjoy about having a VA—and the right VA—is that I’m not alone! I have someone to bounce ideas off and, more importantly, some help with accountability and reminders of everything I’m good at putting on my to-do list. 

Speaking of finding the right VA…

Finding great help isn’t easy, and it may take a few tries to match the right person with the proper skill set and needs. I tried various models, from direct hires to offshore assistants, but the best fit for me came from a U.S.-based women-owned business that hires professionals who require flexible working arrangements, such as moms returning to work, women navigating personal transitions, and teachers seeking new opportunities. 

This model has not only supported my business needs but also aligned with my values of providing meaningful employment opportunities. I have a kick-butt VA who wants to see me succeed. Talk about a win-win.

Your First Hire

If you’re considering a VA, start with tasks that have clear processes and require minimal oversight, like bookkeeping, and then add layers of complexity as you build your VA relationship. Set realistic goals and have level-headed expectations, and you’ll be toting the value of a VA before you know it! 

In Summary

Incorporating a VA into your business strategy isn’t just about freeing up time—it’s about investing in your business’s growth potential. With the right VA, you can create efficiency, enhance your service offering, and ensure that your quality of service remains as high as possible because you are focused on your clients. 

Remember, the goal of scaling your business is not merely to increase the number of clients or revenue but to enhance your ability to make a significant impact in the lives of those you coach. A VA can be a pivotal part of achieving that goal.

Food for thought!

Happy Business, 

Your Friend and Coach, 

Angie Callen, CERW, CPRW, CPCC