STO32: Hiring Your First Virtual Assistant with Chris Ducker

By John Dennis on May 26, 2014 in Podcast | 0 comments

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I’ve read many blog posts and articles about the benefits of hiring virtual assistants to help grow a business. In fact, some of the most notable bloggers I know have written very supportive articles without even a sentence that speaks to the cons, or to the underlying fundamentals that must be in place before even beginning your search for a virtual assistant.

In this episode of the Smart Time Online podcast, I speak with Virtual Assistant expert, Chris Ducker, about those very things. We break down what you should have in place before you hire your first virtual assistant, the challenges you can expect to encounter, how to avoid them and even how to best delegate tasks to them.

An important distinction to make when hiring a virtual assistant is the reality that like a brick and mortar business, you are a real business owner – and you must hire, delegate and manage your staff in ways that both support their own personal growth and your businesses.

Click play and have a listen. Whether you’ve hired, have yet to hire or are even far off from hiring a virtual assistant – if it is just a remote possibility (most of us, I think), then you’ll want to pay attention to what Chris says with regards to hiring your first virtual assistant.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

The ONE habit Chris attributes most to his success, and how you can apply it to your business.
The mistakes Chris learned from hiring his first virtual assistant (and how you can avoid making the same mistakes).
What Chris has learned from the YEARS of hiring and managing virtual assistants from all over the world.
The ONE thing you MUST have in place before hiring your first virtual assistant.
The ONE question you should ask every virtual assistant you interview (this is so, so important).
Why Chris says to hire for a full-time position when hiring your first virtual assistant (I didn’t agree with this until I heard his reasoning).
Chris’s suggestion on the NEXT action you should take this week in your business to better leverage your time online.

ACTION STEPS:

Get clear on where you are in business. Take a step back and review how much you’ve worked lately, and consider the toll it has taken on your life (health, relationships, etc.).
Utilize Chris’s 3 Steps to Freedom exercise to help you figure out what tasks you should give up and delegate to your virtual assistant(s).
Consider this: if an investor took a look into how you were operating your business, how do you think you would you fare with their assessment? Always take a step forward.
Before taking the step forward with hiring your first virtual assistant, create systems to help ensure your success – like checklists, processes, standard operating procedures, on-boarding and training materials.
Make sure you interview people as you would in real-life. Ask the right questions – especially the one Chris suggests we all ask when interviewing someone.
Would you like some 1-on-1 help? Click here

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

ChrisDucker.com – Chris’s home base and where you can find most of what he’s up to.
VirtualStaffFinder.com – Chris’s professional VA staffing service.
3 Lists to Freedom – Chris’s awesome exercise on how to best figure out what tasks you should outsource.
Chris on Twitter – Say hi and personally thank him for his awesome contribution to your day!