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I will never forget the day I uttered the three words that changed my life… “I need help.”
I had been doing it ALL for years, wearing all the hats and covering all the roles that a booming business required, but then life knocked me on my knees and I realized that I had built a business that only worked when I worked. Getting help and hiring my first virtual assistant changed … EVERYTHING.
Let me tell you, friend: if you’re struggling to accomplish everything in your business yourself, learning how to ask for help will change your life. And today, my guest Stacy Tuschl is here to help you do just that!
Delegating is a skill set, and the good news is that it can be learned – let Stacy be your guide. In our conversation, we discuss why it’s important to delegate in your business, what types of tasks you should and should NOT be focusing on, the limiting beliefs you may be experiencing when it comes to hiring your first assistant … and more.
I know you’re going to LOVE this episode, so let’s dive in.
The Power of Delegation
One of the key lessons that Stacy learned early on in her entrepreneurial journey was the importance of delegation. You’ll have to click play to hear the whole story for yourself, but she realized a few years into owning her dance studio business that in order for her business to stay fun and for her to have a balanced life, she needed to hire people who enjoyed the tasks that she didn’t necessarily enjoy or have time for.
This meant hiring people who, for example, liked answering phones and loved cleaning. By delegating these tasks to others, she was able to focus on the aspects of the business that she was passionate about and that would help drive growth.
Stacy also recognized the need to set up her business in a way that would allow her to be a mom in the future. She knew that the business required her to work nights and weekends, which would not be sustainable once she became a mother. So, she started to think about how she could structure the business to accommodate her future role as a mom.
This led her to become a “delegation machine,” finding ways to delegate tasks and responsibilities to others so that she could have the flexibility and freedom to be a mom while still running a successful business. Now, she hasn’t even stepped foot in her dance studios, though she still owns and profits from them!
How to Make Your First Hire
When it comes to hiring for the first time, Stacy cautions against solely focusing on hiring those who directly make the company money. While salespeople and marketers play a crucial role in generating revenue, Stacy highlights the value of hiring individuals who indirectly contribute to the company’s success.
Assistants or team members who handle administrative tasks or support business owners in their day-to-day operations indirectly free up the business owner’s time, allowing them to focus on revenue-generating activities.
I was mind blown when Stacy advised us to consider both direct and indirect contributors when making hiring decisions. This is seriously a game changing way to think about hiring!
Document Processes for Easier Training
Have you ever thought, “I’d love to hire someone, but I don’t have time to train them”? Something Stacy is super passionate about (and I am trying to get better at!) is documenting processes before you’ve started the hiring process so it’s easier to train a VA later on.
Stacy suggests using tools like Loom or Zoom to record screen videos and explain step-by-step processes for anything you’re doing in your business that doesn’t require YOU to do it. For example, you could create a video on how to format a blog post, optimize it for SEO, and add images.
By documenting these processes, the business owner can create a resource library that can be accessed by future employees whenever they have questions or need guidance.
So even if you’re not hiring yet, start documenting NOW… it will make your life so much easier later!
Ready to Hire Your A-Player Assistant?
Stacy and I are both familiar with the fear of making the wrong decision and the hesitations you may have to pass important responsibilities to someone else. But she encourages us to approach hiring as a learning process, similar to dating.
Just as we learn from past relationships and refine our preferences, the same can be applied to hiring. Each hire is an opportunity to learn and grow, so start small and take it one step at a time.
If you’re ready to hire your first (or next) VA in the next 14 days, Stacy has an AMAZING mini-course on exactly how to do that.
From creating the best job description that attracts the right people and efficiently weeding out unqualified candidates, all the way through crafting an offer letter that sets you and your star assistant up for success, you’ll be telling all of your business besties about this system!
The Hire Your A-Player Assistant in 14 Days system walks you through the exact steps you need to get clear on your specific needs, find highly-qualified applicants, create a seamless hiring process, and onboard your star EA as quickly and easily as possible.
Check out the course right HERE!
