If you are in the process of building a virtual team and are looking to improve the performance of your key team members I have a great tip for you today.

But first let me make sure one thing is clear – This strategy can take a great team member and make them even better but, it can-not fix poorly performing team members.

For poorly performing team members there is only one solution I have found – ending their contract (except in rare occasions when there is a valid reason).

If you are interested in more of my posts on building out my virtual team here are 2 key posts…

1. How to Hire a VA
2. How to Manage a VA

This post can be thought of as the next step… “how to improve the performance of your VA’s” (more…)

Outsourcing tasks to VA is one of the simplest jobs but often when not done well it can end in confusion, extra costs and the desired end result not being achieved.

This post is going to talk about the progression I have gone through assigning tasks to my VA and what I have learned along the way. (more…)

This is part 2 in my series on how I hire and manage my team of outsourced workers. Like I said in my first post (how to hire a VA) my ability to get a team of VA’s working for me is mission critical – my business fails if I can’t outsource.

The key to successfully working with a VA is the same as successfully managing people in the real world. It is very simple but not easily done well…

“Provide clear instructions on who is doing what by when”

Common quote I first heard from one of my favorite podcasts – Manager Tools

Disclaimer – I am not as good at this as this post looks. When I hear other people talking about how they systematize their business its all sunshine and roses and their systems all work perfectly. Let me be clear I have much of the system outlined below working well but there are A LOT of areas for me to still improve upon.

(more…)

Below is a detailed step by step guide on how to hire a virtual assistant using what I like to call my Blind Experiment Method. There is no interview, I hire 2, fire 1 and the whole process only takes about 15 minutes of my time to get a talented VA for $1/hr – see the video below for an over the shoulder look at me doing exactly that.

2016 UPDATE – Although this is the exact strategy I still use the expected amount you will be needing to pay is at least $3/hr and ODesk is now UpWork.

As I have mentioned on this site several times before my available time to work on my online business is limited! I have a demanding day job, a wonderful wife and very active little 7 month old I love to spend time with. So unlike a lot of other people who talk about outsourcing that are working online full time my ability to outsource is mission critical to any success I have online. (more…)