Posts Tagged ‘Online Business Management’

No doubt if you have been following me you will notice a few changes in my business.

First, you may have noticed that I moved to a new domain last month.  My website VBS Virtual Assist.com has transitioned over to VBS Online Business Management.com.  VBS Virtual Assist will continue to stay online for another month while I make all updates to all profiles, etc.  and then it will be redirected.

My Story:

My professional administrative and business experience expands nearly 30 years, including 2.7 years ago after leaving corporate and building my own company, VBS Virtual Assist, LLC, which was a Virtual Assistant Practice.

Within a year of creating VBS Virtual Assist and successfully performing as a Virtual Assistant, I was searching for new opportunities to play a bigger role with my clients and helping them to grow their businesses.  It was then that I read Tina Forsyth’s still popular book, “Becoming An Online Business Manager, Playing A Bigger Game With Your Clients”   I knew immediately that becoming an Online Business Manager (OBM) was the path for me.   Providing online business management services to my clients was more in align with my many years of business training, experience, skills and most important, passion.  I immediately signed up for Tina’s Online Business Manager (OBM) Certification program which consisted of 40 hours and 5 months of time directly invested into the certification process.  Certification week was grueling and I consider being one of my major accomplishments in my business career.   I was Tina Forsyth and Andrea Lee’s first student in the first ever OBM certification program and one of the first ever certified Online Business Managers!   I just celebrated my first year anniversary as a certified OBM on October 6^th.  I was able to roll all of my online business training and virtual assistant training up to that point into the management piece.

My target market is established Coaches, Speakers and Authors wanting to take their online business to new levels of manageability and profitability.  I love this market – they have such a heart for people and wanting to help them create successful personal and business lives.  This year I will be adding Christian Speakers, Coaches, Authors and others in the Public Eye to my marketing energies.

Many business owners know that becoming a solid entrepreneur means finding your way – developing a business that reflects your most authentic self.  That space gives you the most power to grow as a business owner in order to build independent wealth and freedom while giving back to the world in powerful ways that only you can – your unique self.

The unique me that I bring to the world is that I very clear on my center and to whom I belong.  I love and serve God, my husband and family, friends, and I serve the world by helping people to grow in big and small ways – giving back what was given to me by God.

What Is An Online Business Manager?

Not sure what the difference is between a Virtual Assistant and an Online Business Manager?   I invite to you spend some time on my website VBSOnlineBusinessManagement.com, download my eBook, “Growing Your Online Business to New Heights with An Online Business Manager”, and/or even contact me to learn more.

In a nutshell:

• An OBM is someone who you hire to step into your business when you simply can’t do it alone anymore. OBM’s manage the tasks.  Virtual Assistants and other online professional perform the tasks.
• You have achieved success in your business which is great, but with growth comes increased responsibilities that you do not have time for.

• You are currently hiring people to help you do certain tasks in your business, but you are tired and stressed by having to recruit and manage them.
• You would love to take advantage of new opportunities, such as what seems to be that perfect Joint Venture, but simply do not have time to close the deal
• You have lost track of revenue, what you need to shore up or turn loose of in your products and services
• You would like an experienced and knowledgeable person on your team who will be your champion – someone you could bounce ideas.  There are so many bright and shiny objects out there which make it difficult to decide what are the best strategies for your business.
• There are projects that you would like to implement in order to grow your business– but guess what, no time or energy
• You would love to develop some products that would generate residual income so that you have more time and financial security, but which ones and how?
• You would love to have someone that you can trust in relationship, as well as, take the managing of the business off your plate so that you can focus on what you do best in your business such as visioning, speaking, coaching, and training
• The value that an OBM’s brings to your business is centered on the management of your business rather than performing tasks.

Thanks for reading my blog post today.  I look forward to hearing from you.

It is with the greatest pleasure that I share with you how working with Kathy Brandon, R4H Group has made such a difference in my business, as well as how I look at my business – with new and fresh eyes!  My experience of working with Kathy has been life altering.  I feel such freedom and peace in my spirit by getting totally clear on what I want to offer my clients, how to get there and how to connect to the right target market and partners.

I am an Online Business Manager and always telling business owners “you can not go it alone”.  If you want to be successful in achieving your goals for your life and business you need to have the guidance and support of those who KNOW how to get you there.  Kathy KNOWS how to get you there.  Kathy’s many years of experience and countless success with clients is the proof in the pudding.

Also, Kathy is not called the @happinesschick for nothing.  Not only will you move forward in your business – you will have a great time doing it.

As you already know from my earlier post this month, I was so fortunate to participate in the R4H Boot camp, held in Dallas, Texas in September – when it rolls around again, DON’T MISS IT!

My name is Brenda Violette and I approve this message.  Have a great day!

Welcome back to “What Can An Online Business Manager Do For Me?”   Last week I shared with you how an Online Business Manager (OBM) shows up for you in your online business by managing your metrics.

This week:

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Manage your Revenue Streams

• Manage the production and completion of revenue streams including:

o   Books & workbooks

o   Multimedia products

o   Membership programs

o   Virtual Events

o   Live Events

o   Coaching Programs

• Manage the setup of any applicable tools or software for different revenue streams (i.e.: setting up a membership site using WordPress & WishList Member)
• Manage the deliverability of revenue streams (i.e.: setting up a download page for an ebook)
• Ensure customer service is in place to support each revenue stream
• Ensure that systems are in place so that new clients get immediate access to their purchases
• Setup of fulfillment for any tangible/shippable items
• Manage the ongoing maintenance of revenue streams
• Review revenue streams on a regular basis to look for outdated information or opportunities to refresh/relaunch

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If you have any questions about working with an online business manager, please feel free to schedule a free 30 minute consult to answer any questions you may have.

Brenda Violette
Online Business Manager
VBS Online Business Management

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Copyright 2010 | International Association of Online Business Managers
Used with Permissions

Welcome back to “What Can An Online Business Manager Do For Me?”   Last week I shared with you how an Online Business Manager (OBM) shows up for you in your online business my managing your operations.

This week:

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Tracking Metrics

• Keeping track of key statistics for the business on a weekly & monthly basis
• Setting up a reporting system that includes what to track
• Analyzing metrics and discussing trends/patterns with business owner

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If you have any questions about working with an online business manager, please feel free to schedule a free 30 minute consult to answer any questions you may have.

Brenda Violette

Online Business Manager

VBS Online Business Management

aka: VBS Virtual Assist, LLC

VBSOnlineBusinessManagement.com

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Copyright 2010 | International Association of Online Business Managers
Used with Permissions

Say what? Sounds like a crazy thing to say, me being a proponent of “hiring your virtual team” and such… isn’t delegation a part of that?

I actually have a bit of a different perspective on this and it is based on my belief that:

Your virtual team should be taking stuff OFF your plate, not adding work to your plate.

Delegation is actually a lot of work when you think about it. In order to delegate effectively you need to be able to decide – usually on a day to day basis – what needs to be done, who is best to do it, give specifics on how it needs to be done, set deadlines, answer any of their questions, follow up to make sure it is done, etc. Phew!

I’m actually a fan of coming at this from a slightly different but hugely significant angle – releasing instead of delegating.

I recorded a video a few weeks back that talks about the two different mindsets of virtual support professionals – the business mindset vs. the employee mindset.

In a nutshell, someone with a business mindset really gets that they are the expert, they are the specialist and are providing a valuable service to you. When you talk to someone with a business mindset they are going to say something like “here’s how I can help you” – they will TELL you what they can do for you.

Someone with an employee mindset usually has the best intention at heart and really wants to help – but they don’t yet have the understanding, experience or knowledge to approach you as an expert in their field. Instead they approach you from the perspective of “how can I help you?” – they ASK you how they can help.

If you consider this for a moment you can actually feel the difference here… if someone TELLS you how they can help that actually takes work off your plate. They are clear on what they are doing and what needs to be done – it’s like a sigh of relief!!

When someone ASKS you how they can help that actually adds work to your plate. It now becomes up to you to tell that person what to do, how to do it, when to do it, follow up to make sure it gets done, etc… this is A LOT of work for many business owners (and quite frankly something that many of us do poorly as it’s not our strength).

Most of the business owners I talk to would love to have someone with a business mindset – we are hungry to get this stuff off our plates!

Now when you have someone in place who has a business mindset your “job” is no longer about delegation… it’s now about release. You don’t have to tell them what to do – instead they are telling you! Your job then is just to learn how to let go, how to release what needs to be done so someone else can take care of it for you.

This article was written by

Tina Forsyth is the author of Becoming an Online Business Manager: Playing a Bigger Game with Your Clients and Yourself. She writes and consults in advanced online marketing and business systems for business owners and their support teams. www.OnlineBusinessManager.com

Thank you advance and I look forward to comments to this post.   Post right  here on this blog.

In the partnership between online business owner and online business manager it is the business owner who determines where they want to go in their business and it’s the OBM’s role to make sure that the bus get’s there!

Online business owners are in a league of their own. It takes hard work and dedication, long hours and determination to be successful among the thousands of competing online businesses.  New products and services, email marketing, joint ventures, networking, teleclasses, and newsletters are just a handful of the various projects an online business owner must handle. Is it any wonder online business burnout is so common?

It’s not that these online business owners aren’t successful, quite the contrary.  Their hard work causes them to be very successful – but at what cost? If you are successful but unhappy then what is the point? Online business owners often take on all the tasks and projects involved in their business; administrative, marketing and technical to name just a few. This can leave little time for taking on new and exciting projects, growing the business and enjoying life outside of the business.

So how do online business owners create time for business growth and a personal life? They partner with another online business owner – more specifically – an Online Business Manager (OBM). Not to be mistaken with a Virtual Assistant, an OBM does not perform individual tasks but actually manages your business. This can be done in a variety of ways; for example, often an OBM will manage a team of online professionals who will complete the business tasks at hand.

Imagine having a team of virtual professionals dedicated to your business. Your OBM will manage and monitor all assigned projects and team members, ensuring that all tasks are being completed with excellence and on time so that your business continues to run smoothly. Imagine what you could do now with all that available time!

Partnering with an OBM is an absolute must for successful businesses that want to experience growth and whose owners want to avoid or eliminate business burnout. Some online business owners try outsourcing essential business tasks only to discover that it is even more time consuming to watch over the outsourced projects. To create the time needed for business growth and reduce burnout, there should be someone else in charge of project management – an Online Business Manager.

Online business owners who have successfully partnered with an OBM have more peace of mind and feel a better sense of control and accomplishment in their business.  For example, since your OBM has an active and comprehensive role, vacations can now be enjoyed rather than skipped or compromised by worry.  You can count on your OBM to provide continuous follow-up with their outsourced team, allowing you, the business owner to focus on creating new products or contacts which lead to increased revenue.

Therefore, it is important to choose the right OBM; someone you feel comfortable with and who you can trust. Your business is your baby, so choosing the right OBM may take some time. Be sure to have your business information, goals and needs organized along with specific interview questions. You may find that the first OBM you interview is “the one” or you may have to interview a few OBMs to get a good feel for what you’re really looking for.

Are you interested in finding out more about Online Business Managers? “Grow Your Online Business to New Heights with an Online Business Manager” is a free ebook that explains what an online business owner should know before hiring an OBM. It provides many resources such as interview questions and prep sheets to fully prepare the reader for the interviewing process.  Also, included is a 7-Day eCourse that walks you through critical questions to determine whether your business is ready for an OBM.  In summary, it is a fantastic resource for a successful business interested in growing bigger and better with the help of an OBM.

For more information please visit Brenda Violette, Your Online Business Manager at www.vbsvirtualassist.com

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Copyright © 2010 COPYRIGHT BRENDA VIOLETTE, VBS VIRTUAL ASSIST, LLC. All rights reserved.