It Takes A Village To Build a Successful Business

It Takes A Villageto Build & Run A Business

Presented by Donna Caissie, the ExtraOrdinary VAA in Collaboration with Kathryn Watson and

Getting More Clients

The Dream

Be the boss

Do what-ever I want

Work with whoever I want

ExtraOrdinary Assistance http: www.extra-assist.com

Reality

Marketing

Client Work

Mailing

CollectionsSales

Purchasing

Shipping

Return Emails

Phone Calls

Meetings

Networking

Biz Develop.

Taxes

Legal

Book-keeping

WebPresence

Social Media

Billing


What’s a Solo Entrepreneur to Do?

• Work Harder

• Work Longer

• Do Only the Important Stuff

• Hire Employees

• Outsource/Offshore


Why Outsource/Offshore

• You can’t do it all yourself.

• Outsourcing saves you time.

• Outsourcing saves you money.

• Independent contractors don’t carry employee baggage.

• Outsourcing = Expertise.


Outsourcing vs. Offshoring

• Offshoring is cheap – dirt cheap.

• The quality of the work is reflected in the price.

• Offshore workers require a great deal of supervision.

• Offshore workers require a lot of do-overs.

• Offshoring is problematic because of language and cultural barriers.


Offshoring Example

• GMA asks 3 offshore firms to find a hotel room during a specific week, in a specific geographic location.

• None of the offshore firms asked for clarification.• One offshore firm gave GMA reporter a listing of

hotels in the specified area.• Offshore firm did not bother to check if any of the

hotels had rooms available during the specified week.


Outsourcing vs. Offshoring

• Outsourcing = Quality Work.

• Outsourcing within your own country means no language barriers, no cultural misunderstandings.

• Outsource workers need little supervision; they already know how to do the work.


What to Outsource

• Anything that isn’t business planning or development.

• Anything that doesn’t directly contribute income to your business.

• Anything that isn’t your core area of expertise.


Outsourcing Examples

• Bookkeeping/Accounting• Web Design & Maintenance• Marketing Implementation• Blog Design & Maintenance• Product Fulfillment• Billing/Invoicing & Collections• Legal• Tax Preparation• Administrative/Secretarial• Social Media Implementation


I Need 10 People??

• Many of the activities on the previous slide can be combined. Example:– Bookkeeping, Accounting &Taxes– Web & Blog Design and Maintenance– Billing, Invoicing & Collections– Marketing & Social Media Implementation


Power Outsource

• What would you do, if I told you that one person could handle 7 of the 10 activities previously mentioned?


A Virtual Assistant (VA) Can:

• Web & Blog Design and Maintenance• Marketing & Social Media Implementation• Product Fulfillment• Billing, Invoicing & Collections• Purchasing• Calendar/Schedule Management• Communications Management• Much More


Where to Find A VA

• VA Industry Web Sites

• Word of Mouth

• Classified Ads

• Referral of trusted associate or friend

• Freelance Websites


What to Know About VAs

• VAs are not employees; they’re business owners – just like you.

• VAs work in collaboration with you, not for you.

• A professional VA has many years of office, administrative and secretarial experience. Many also have technical experience.


Summary

• It takes the work of many to build and run a business.

• Outsourcing saves time, money and headaches.

• Outsourcing is the village you need to build and operate your business.


Bonus

• For a list of VA industry web sites, go to:http://extra-assist.com/find-va/

• For a FREE outsourcing needs analysis, go to: http://bit.ly/ezjzLo


http://extra-assist.com/find-va/

http://bit.ly/ezjzLo

Questions

• If you have a question about this presentation, VAs or ExtraOrdinary Assistance, feel free to contact me at [email protected].


mailto:[email protected]

Presenter Bio

• Donna Caissie is known as the ExtraOrdinary VAA.

• Donna has more than 25 years of administrative, secretarial and office management experience

• Contact Donna at [email protected].

• Follow the ExtraOrdinary VA on LinkedIn & Facebook.


mailto:[email protected]

http://www.linkedin/in/donnacaissie

http://www.facebook.com/pages/ExtraOrdinary-Assistance/166096690079836

It Takes A Village To Build a Successful Business

Business

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