Author: Connor Gillivan

Hey, thanks for tuning in to another Partner Spotlight interview at OutsourceSchool.

My name is Connor Gillivan. I’m the CMO and an Owner of Outsource School.

We’re on a mission to help 10,000+ business owners master hiring virtual assistants and freelancers, and industry partnerships is a big way that we’re able to make it happen.

We’re all about creating win-win partnerships where we are able to grow with other companies in the eCommerce, agency, SAAS, and online space.

In this exclusive interview, we interview Gilad Freimann from VAA Philippines.

Gilad Freimann is the founder of VAA Philippines, established on 2017. They recruit virtual assistants from the Philippines, and train them to work with e-commerce sellers (Mainly Amazon Sellers).
Their community has over 400 virtual assistants working with us.
Before founding VAA, he was an Amazon seller myself, building outdoor brands and hired VA’s for my own stores.

He works alongside his wife, Hila who manages a staff of over 40 employees, all based in the Philippines.

Connor: Hey Gilad, thanks for taking the time to chat with us here. We love getting to know our partners better so that our community can benefit from what our partners are offering and doing in the industry. To get started, can you give us a high-level overview of VAA Philippines and how it got started? 

Gilad: Hey there! Thanks for having me. VAA Philippines? In a nutshell, we’re all about connecting e-commerce businesses, especially those on Amazon and Walmart, with top-notch virtual assistants from the Philippines. The idea sparked when we saw these businesses juggling so much and thought, “Hey, we’ve got a talented pool of professionals here who can help!” So, we started training them specifically for e-commerce tasks. Fast forward to today, and we’re not just offering services; we’re partnering with businesses, helping them grow and thrive. It’s been quite a journey, and we’re excited about where it’s headed!

Connor: Love that! Can you dive a bit more into the VA expertise that you offer for amazon businesses? I’m sure our audience would love to know exactly what problems you could solve for them. 

Gilad: Absolutely! First and foremost, our Amazon VAs are at the heart of our services, adeptly managing the intricacies of the Amazon platform, from product listing optimization to customer inquiries. Complementing them, our PPC VAs specialize in crafting and managing pay-per-click campaigns, ensuring that every advertising dollar is effectively utilized for maximum ROI.

For businesses venturing into wholesale and arbitrage, our VAs excel in sourcing products, negotiating with suppliers, and pinpointing profitable resale opportunities, ensuring you get the best deals and maximize returns.

When it comes to social media, our VAs go beyond just basic postings. They craft engaging content, schedule posts, manage influencers, and analyze engagement metrics across platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, ensuring your brand stays ahead of the curve.

For the business leaders, our executive assistants are indispensable. They manage calendars, handle emails, set up meetings, and even assist with travel or event planning, acting as the reliable right hand to busy executives.

While Amazon is a major focus, we also offer specialized Walmart VA services, catering to the unique demands of the Walmart Seller Center and its clientele.

Lastly, our talented graphic designers are here to elevate your brand’s visuals, be it for product listings, social media, or promotional materials. Their designs are not only aesthetically pleasing but also conversion-driven.

In essence, from Amazon and PPC management to wholesale, arbitrage, social media, executive assistance, Walmart services, and graphic design, our VAs offer comprehensive support, catering to a diverse array of business needs.

Connor: Jumping off of that… if there was one problem you’d say that VAA Philippines solves best for your clients, what would it be? Why? 

Gilad: If I were to pinpoint one problem that VAA Philippines solves best for our clients, it would be overwhelm. Many e-commerce businesses, especially those on platforms like Amazon and Walmart, find themselves swamped with a myriad of tasks. From managing product listings, handling customer inquiries, and optimizing PPC campaigns to navigating the complexities of wholesale and arbitrage, the list is endless.

VAA Philippines steps in to alleviate this overwhelm by providing specialized VAs who are trained to handle these specific tasks efficiently. Our VAs act as an extension of the client’s team, allowing business owners to delegate time-consuming tasks and focus on strategic growth and decision-making.

Why are we so effective at this? It’s our rigorous training programs and deep understanding of the e-commerce landscape. We ensure that our VAs are not just skilled, but also updated with the latest trends and best practices in the industry. This ensures that our clients receive top-notch support, tailored to their unique business needs, ultimately leading to increased productivity and business growth.

Connor: As the company continues to grow over the next year, what are your plans for expansion? Any new products or offerings or enhancements to your current services? 

Gilad: As we continue to evolve with the e-commerce landscape, our focus now is on expanding into the Walmart arena. Just as we’ve meticulously trained our VAs to master Amazon operations, we’re now channeling that expertise to develop top-tier Walmart-specialized VAs. Recognizing Walmart’s significant investments in its e-commerce sector, we’ve observed a growing trend of Amazon sellers either transitioning to Walmart or adding it as an additional sales platform. Our mission remains clear: to be right there alongside these sellers, offering them the support they need to flourish on both platforms.

Connor: And how specifically would you say that VAA Philippines and your team is different from other similar businesses in the industry?

Gilad: Great question! What sets VAA Philippines apart from others in the industry is not just our commitment to our clients, but also to our VAs, fostering a sense of community and growth. Here’s a breakdown:

1. E-commerce Specialization: While many VA services offer general administrative support, VAA Philippines is laser-focused on e-commerce. Our VAs are trained specifically for Amazon and now for Walmart, ensuring they bring platform-specific expertise to the table.

2. Rigorous Training & Continuous Support: Our training programs are comprehensive and continuously updated. Beyond initial training, we provide ongoing support to our VAs, ensuring they’re equipped to handle evolving challenges and stay updated with industry trends.

3. Building a VA Community: At VAA Philippines, we believe in fostering a sense of community among our VAs. Regular online meetings and updates, training sessions, and feedback forums are organized, ensuring our VAs feel connected, valued, and heard.

4. Client-Centric Approach: We prioritize understanding each client’s unique business model and needs. This allows us to match them with a VA who’s not just skilled, but also aligns with their business ethos and goals.

5. Flexibility & Scalability: As e-commerce businesses scale, their needs change. We offer flexible packages and services that can be tailored and scaled according to the evolving needs of our clients.

6. Cultural Fit: Being based in the Philippines, our VAs bring a blend of professionalism, warmth, and a strong work ethic. The cultural emphasis on respect, diligence, and loyalty translates into a dedicated and reliable VA for our clients.

7. Holistic Support: Beyond just task execution, we provide strategic insights and recommendations. Whether it’s about optimizing a PPC campaign or suggesting improvements in a product listing, our VAs often go the extra mile.

8. Affordability without Compromise: While our services are competitively priced, we never compromise on quality. We believe in offering premium support without the premium price tag.

 In essence, VAA Philippines stands out by offering a blend of specialized expertise, dedication, and a genuine commitment to both our clients and our VAs, ensuring a thriving ecosystem where everyone grows together.

Connor: What’s your outsourcing story? We find that everyone has a different experience when outsourcing and hiring online. What is your first memory that comes to mind?

Gilad: Ah, our outsourcing story is quite personal and close to my heart. It all began when my wife, Hila, and I were scaling our private label business on Amazon. As the operations grew, we found ourselves swamped with tasks and realized we needed an extra pair of hands to manage our daily Amazon operations. We turned to the Philippines, known for its skilled workforce, to find a VA. But the journey wasn’t smooth. After a series of trials and errors, we were left thinking, “Surely, there’s a better way for Amazon sellers like us to find reliable VAs.”

That’s when the idea of Virtual Assistant Academy (VAA) Philippines took root. Founded in 2017, our vision wasn’t just to create another agency but to build a community. We wanted to offer employment to skilled VAs in the Philippines and ensure they’re well-equipped to support Amazon sellers globally. Today, VAA isn’t just a service; it’s a thriving community where VAs continuously learn, grow, and excel in the Amazon ecosystem.

The first memory that comes to mind? It’s the day we decided to turn our outsourcing challenges into an opportunity to make a difference. And as we continue this journey, I invite everyone to join us, help build this community, and collectively grow in this ever-evolving industry.

Connor: Love it! Talking more about outsourcing, what advice would you give to yourself if you were just about to start outsourcing and hiring online? 

Gilad: If I could go back and give advice to my younger self just about to embark on the outsourcing journey, it would be:

1. Start with Clear Expectations: Before diving in, have a clear understanding of what tasks you want to outsource and what outcomes you expect. This clarity will make the hiring process smoother and ensure you find the right fit.

2. Prioritize Communication: Effective communication is the backbone of successful outsourcing. Invest time in regular check-ins, provide feedback, and ensure your VA feels connected and valued.

3. Patience Is Key: Remember, there’s a learning curve for both you and your VA. Be patient, provide training when needed, and understand that perfection right out of the gate is rare.

4. Cultural Sensitivity: Understand and respect cultural differences. This not only fosters a positive working relationship but also brings diverse perspectives to your business.

5. Invest in Building a Relationship: Beyond just tasks, get to know your VA as a person. Building a strong rapport leads to increased loyalty, understanding, and productivity.

6. Security First: When sharing sensitive business information, ensure you have security protocols in place. Trust is essential, but safeguarding your business should always be a priority.

7. Continuous Growth: Encourage and provide opportunities for your VA to upskill. A VA who grows in their role can offer even more value to your business over time. 

In hindsight, outsourcing has been a game-changer for our business. But like any journey, it’s filled with learning experiences. Embrace them, learn from them, and remember that a successful outsourcing relationship is built on trust, communication, and mutual growth.

Connor: How about this one… how do you communicate with the people you hire online? What’s your best practices there and how has it changed over time?  

Gilad: Communication has always been the linchpin of our successful relationships with our online hires. Over time, our methods and best practices have evolved, but the core principles remain the same. Here’s a glimpse into our approach: 

1. Regular Check-ins: We’ve always believed in the power of regular check-ins. Whether it’s daily, weekly, or bi-weekly, these touchpoints ensure everyone’s on the same page and provide an opportunity to address any concerns promptly. 

2. Use of Collaboration Tools: Initially, we relied heavily on emails and Whatsapp messages. But as we grew, we transitioned to tools like Slack for real-time communication and Trello or Asana and Hubspot for task management. These platforms offer transparency, streamline workflows, and ensure everyone is aligned. 

3. Clear Documentation: Over time, we realized the importance of having clear SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures). This not only helps in onboarding but also serves as a reference point, minimizing errors and misunderstandings. 

4. Feedback Loops: Constructive feedback is crucial. We’ve institutionalized regular feedback sessions, ensuring our VAs understand what they’re doing well and where there’s room for improvement. 

5. Open Door Policy: We’ve always encouraged an open communication culture. Our VAs know they can reach out with concerns, suggestions, or even personal challenges. This has fostered trust and loyalty. 

6. Training & Upskilling: Communication isn’t just about tasks. We regularly discuss career growth, training needs, and upskilling opportunities with our VAs. This not only benefits them but also ensures we have a team that’s always at the forefront of industry trends. 

Over the years, while the tools and platforms have changed, our commitment to clear, transparent, and empathetic communication has remained unwavering. It’s the bedrock of our successful partnerships with our online hires.

Connor: Finally, this is one that I think our community will love, who’s been your best online hire? What do they do for you? Why are they your best hire? Tell us all about them and that story!

Gilad: In response to the intriguing question of our “best hire,” I’d say it’s not about a single individual but rather the collective strength of our team. We firmly believe that the true potential of a hire is unlocked through comprehensive training, a supportive community, and dedicated mentorship. While each individual brings their unique strengths, our approach is to meticulously filter our applicants, selecting only the top 1% of the talent pool. From there, we tailor our training and task allocation based on the individual’s character and strengths. So, while it’s tempting to spotlight one standout hire, our philosophy is that excellence is a collective endeavor, nurtured by the right environment and opportunities.

Connor: As we close this out, I just have one more question. Where is the best place to find and follow you and the company online? Also, if you have one, is there any special offer that you’ll be offering to the community today? 

Gilad: Of course! For anyone looking to connect with us or learn more about VAA Philippines, the best place would be our official website at vaaphilippines.com. It provides a comprehensive overview of our services, testimonials, and more. You can also reach us at service@vaaphilippines.com

Or you can book a call with us to know more about our services using this link. 

Additionally, we’re active on social media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Just search for @vaaphilippines and you’ll find us!

As for special offers, we’re thrilled to extend an exclusive promotion to the community today. For any new clients who come onboard through this interview, we’re offering 20% OFF one-time fee + 10 hours FREE on the first VA. It’s our way of saying thank you and ensuring businesses get a taste of the quality and dedication our VAs bring to the table.

Thank you for this wonderful opportunity to share our story and offerings. We’re always here to support and look forward to connecting with more members of the community!

 

Hey, thanks for tuning in to another Partner Spotlight interview at OutsourceSchool.

My name is Connor Gillivan. I’m the CMO and an Owner of Outsource School.

We’re on a mission to help 10,000+ business owners master hiring virtual assistants and freelancers, and industry partnerships is a big way that we’re able to make it happen.

We’re all about creating win-win partnerships where we are able to grow with other companies in the eCommerce, agency, SAAS, and online space.

In this exclusive interview, we interview Jamie Jay from Bottleneck Distant Assistants.

Jaime Jay is the Founder and CEO of Bottleneck Distant Assistants. He is known as the ‘CEO Freedom Fighter’. The #1 barrier to scaling business is leverage. One of his dreams is to support small business so they can ‘Play Big’ by transforming business leaders into CEO’s.

The first step is hiring a dedicated distant assistant. His provocative Point of View, “POV”, is for business leaders to stop doing the wrong things so they can focus on their best work.

Connor: Hey Jaime, thanks for taking the time to chat with us here. We love getting to know our partners better so that our community can benefit from what our partners are offering and doing in the industry. To get started, can you give us a high-level overview of Bottleneck Online and how it got started?

 

Jaime: Bottleneck.online is a remote-based virtual assistant staffing platform that offers specialized virtual assistants, known as distant assistants, to support businesses grow and achieve success. The platform leverages intimate-based relationships that are specially trained in workflow and delegation management best practices that results in lower turnover and longer placements, unlike traditional virtual assistants.

 

The idea behind Bottleneck.online was born out of the need to help businesses overcome the challenges associated with growth and scalability. As the founder of the platform, I recognized that many businesses often struggle to expand their operations due to inefficiencies and bottlenecks within their processes.

They also saw that many businesses lack the resources and expertise needed to effectively analyze and interpret the data needed to drive growth because they were being pulled in so many different directions all at once.

 

Bottleneck was designed to address these challenges by offering businesses a powerful distant assistant that guides them to identify and overcome inefficiencies and bottlenecks within their operations through administrative, project management, sales support and bookkeeping support.

 

Since its launch, Bottleneck has helped countless businesses grow and achieve success by providing them with trusted remote-based team members that align with their core values that awards our clients with the confidence to focus on what matters most to them and what gives them the most energy.

Bottleneck has become a trusted partner for small businesses, from startups to growing agencies, who are looking for a competitive edge in a crowded marketplace.

 

Connor: Love that! Can you dive a bit more into the products and services that you offer for business owners looking to grow their businesses and still live their best lives? I’m sure our audience would love to know exactly what problems you could solve for them.

 

Jaime: Absolutely! At Bottleneck Distant Assistants, we offer a range of services that are designed to help business owners like you grow your business and achieve success while still living your best life.

Our full and part-time remote-based distant assistants are primarily from the Philippines, and they’re trained in workflow management, enabling them to take on any task you delegate to them seamlessly.

 

One of the core problems we solve for business owners is time management. We understand that as a business owner, your time is limited, and you need to use it effectively.

This is where our distant assistants come in – we can take on the day-to-day tasks that eat up your time, giving you the freedom to focus on the bigger picture and driving your business forward.

 

We offer a wide range of services, including administrative tasks, project management, sales support, customer support, bookkeeping, graphic design, web development, and more.

Our professionally designed workflow manuals, which include a table of contents and step-by-step workflows for each task delegated, using your brand guidelines, ensures seamless integration with your existing operations.

 

Moreover, our distant assistants can help you streamline your business processes, reduce inefficiencies and costs and improve your overall bottom line.

In short, we provide you with a flexible, scalable solution to help you grow your business while freeing up your time to do the things that matter most to you.

 

Whether you’re a small business owner or an entrepreneur, Bottleneck Distant Assistants can help you achieve your goals by providing you with the support you need to run your business efficiently and effectively.

 

Connor: Jumping off of that…if there was one problem you’d say that Bottleneck Distant Assistants solves best for your clients, what would it be? Why?

 

Jaime: If there was one problem that Bottleneck solves best for our clients, it would be the issue of overwhelm. We understand that as a business owner, it can be challenging to handle every aspect of your business efficiently while still maintaining a life balance.

 

This is where Bottleneck Distant Assistants comes in – we offer a range of services to help you delegate tasks that don’t give you energy, enabling you to focus on the critical aspects of your business that align with your strengths. By taking care of the day-to-day administrative tasks, social media management, email management, and customer support, our assistants find more time for you, allowing you to prioritize the high-impact tasks that drive business growth.

 

Delegating tasks to our team of experts not only prevents overwhelm, but also gives you peace of mind knowing that your business tasks are in capable hands. Our trained distant assistants bring a wealth of experience and expertise to handle tasks across various domains effectively.

 

Additionally, by delegating non-core tasks to Bottleneck, you can improve your life balance, reduce stress, and avoid burnout, ultimately enabling you to lead a more fulfilling personal and professional life.

 

The major problem we solve for our clients is providing an effective delegation program that minimizes overwhelm and achieves a balanced life by allowing them to delegate non-core tasks, so they can focus on more critical aspects of their business and personal life.

 

Connor: As the company continues to grow over the next year, what are your plans for expansion? Any new products or offerings or enhancements to your current products?

 

Jaime: As Bottleneck Distant Assistants continues to grow over the next year, we have several exciting plans for expansion. Firstly, we’ll be expanding our range of services to provide even more value to our clients. For example, we’ll be offering new virtual assistance packages that address the evolving needs of today’s businesses.

 

One of these services is the Bottleneck Online Security Service (B.O.S.S.) program that takes security to another level. It involves an extra layer of protection provided by our team of security experts to ensure your business is protected from online threats and cyberattacks. This service will give our clients the peace of mind that their sensitive data is secure at all times.

 

Secondly, we’re going to introduce our Integrated Services Program (ISP), which includes support for assistants with specialty skill sets such as graphic design, web development, and audio/video editing. This program will be included in a single subscription plan that provides our clients with more comprehensive assistance.

This program will increase the confidence of our clients because even though our distant assistant cannot do everything, our clients will have access to the resources of our internal experts who are specially trained to protect the integrity of our clients brand.

 

We’re also planning to expand our team of highly skilled assistants to better serve our growing client base and continue to provide excellent service to our clients. Bottleneck Distant Assistants is proud of our ability to recruit, train, and maintain quality remote-distant assistants from the Philippines.

 

Bottleneck’s expansion plans involve introducing new services and enhancing our existing services to provide more comprehensive solutions to our clients. With our upcoming services such as the Bottleneck Online Security Service (B.O.S.S.) program, and the Integrated Services Program, our clients will have more opportunities to strengthen their businesses in multiple ways.

 

Connor: And how specifically would you say that Bottleneck Distant Assistants and your team are different from other similar businesses in the industry?

 

Jaime: At Bottleneck Distant Assistants, we are proud to be the world’s first dedicated distant assistant company, providing our clients with highly skilled remote based distant assistants, who complete a unique six-week recruitment, job task training, and precision processing test to ensure that they are proficient in both delegation and workflow management, among other critical skills.

 

This training process is what sets us apart in the industry and has been a major factor behind our continued success. As a result, our clients can expect to work with highly skilled, knowledgeable, and experienced virtual assistants who are capable of handling any task that is delegated to them efficiently.

 

Moreover, our Integrated Services Program (ISP), which gives clients access to support for business critical tasks, such as graphic design, web development, and audio/video editing, without charging additional fees, is a unique and valuable offering. Our clients can count on our assistants to tackle complex tasks that require specialized skills, removing the burden of having to hire additional employees.

 

In addition, our Bottleneck Online Security Service (B.O.S.S.) program, which offers an extra layer of protection against online threats and cyberattacks, further sets us apart in the industry.

This program is unrivaled in the industry, making us the best choice for clients who prioritize the security of their sensitive data and information.

 

In summary, our dedication to providing only the best-trained virtual assistants, exceptional customer support, and our unique value proposition, coupled with our signature ISP and B.O.S.S. programs, sets Bottleneck Online apart from other companies in the industry. Our clients can expect unparalleled support, top-quality service delivery, and a suite of services designed to help them achieve their goals and achieve success.

 

Connor: What’s your outsourcing story? We find that everyone has a different experience when outsourcing and hiring online. What is the first memory that comes to mind?

 

Jaime: My first experience with outsourcing was pretty wild now that I reflect on the early days. It was back in 2006 when I was running a small startup ad agency, and we needed to outsource some of our business operations to improve efficiency and reduce costs.

 

At the time, outsourcing was still a relatively new concept, and there were not many options available. We had to rely on traditional communication methods like email, phone, and fax, (i.e., 9600 Baud rate that we received proofs for our designs) to communicate with our remote team, which made collaboration and communication quite challenging.

 

However, as the industry grew and technology advanced, outsourcing became more accessible, and we were able to leverage new tools and communication methods to improve our outsourcing experience.

 

Nowadays, with fast internet speeds and advanced collaboration tools like Zoom, Slack, and Go High Level, outsourcing has become much easier and more efficient. It’s amazing to see how the industry has evolved and how remote working has become a viable option for businesses of all sizes.

 

At Bottleneck, our goal is to take outsourcing to the next level by providing businesses with high-quality and efficient remote-based distant assistant services, which can help businesses improve efficiency, reduce costs, and achieve their growth objectives, all while enjoying the benefits of having a more balanced life.

 

Connor: Love it! Talking more about outsourcing, what advice would you give to yourself if you were just about to start outsourcing and hiring online?

 

Jaime: Outsourcing can be a great way to grow your business while taking advantage of the cost efficiencies that come with remote work, but there are definitely some things I wish I knew before I started outsourcing. Some advice I would give my past self includes:

 

1. Take the time to find the right outsourcing partner: It is important to take the time to properly research and vet potential outsourcing partners before making a decision. Consider the company’s track record, the skills and qualifications of their talents, pricing, and communication channels. See if they offer a trial period to test them out before committing to a full-time arrangement.

 

2. Establish clear communication protocols: Communication is critical when it comes to outsourcing and remote work. Establish clear communication protocols and make sure that your outsourcing partner has access to all the tools and resources they need to communicate effectively with you and your team.

 

3. Focus on building relationships: One of the keys to outsourcing success is building a strong relationship with your remote team. Take the time to get to know your team members, understand their strengths, and find ways to motivate them and keep them engaged.

 

4. Get organized: Make sure that you have clear processes and workflows in place to ensure that tasks are being completed accurately and on time. Use tools like Asana or Trello to help streamline communication, track progress, and manage projects.

 

5. Set your expectations: Understand that you already know about your company. Bringing a new person/team into the fold can be challenging to say the least. Give them time to learn about who YOU are, what you believe in and what your core values are. This is important to make sure your team members align with your vision and mission.

 

In summary, outsourcing and remote working can provide many benefits, but it’s important to find the right partner, establish clear communication protocols, focus on building relationships, and get organized to ensure success. With these tips in mind, businesses can leverage outsourcing to drive their growth and achieve success.

 

Connor: How about this one…how do you communicate with the people you hire online? What are your best practices there and how has it changed over time?

 

Jaime: At Bottleneck, we believe that communication is key to successful outsourcing and remote work. We have a range of best practices that we use to ensure that communication is open, effective, and consistent.

 

One of our best practices is to use multiple channels of communication to stay in touch with our remote teams, including email, instant messaging (such as Slack), video conferencing (such as Zoom), and project management software (such as Clickup).

 

To ensure that our communication channels are effective, we always establish clear protocols and guidelines for communication time zones and availability, response times, and escalation protocols to handle urgent requests.

 

We also conduct regular check-ins with our remote teams, which allows us to stay up-to-date with their progress and address any issues that arise promptly. This approach creates a culture of transparency, open communication, and collaboration between our teams and our clients.

 

However, as the industry has evolved, we have seen a shift towards video conferencing as one of the primary means of communication and collaboration. This is especially true in the post-pandemic era, where remote work has become more prevalent than ever.

 

As a result, we have adapted by increasing the use of video conferencing tools, such as Zoom, to improve collaboration and build stronger relationships with our remote teams. Video conferencing has enabled us to have more meaningful conversations with our teams, explore creative problem-solving and share ideas to come up with solutions faster and more effectively.

 

Clear communication is the backbone of our outsourcing and remote work success, and we use multiple channels of communication to stay in touch with our remote teams, establish clear communication protocols and guidelines, conduct regular check-ins, and leverage video conferencing tools to improve collaboration and productivity.

 

Connor: Finally, this is one that I think our community will love, who’s been your best online hire? What do they do for you? Why are they your best hire? Tell us all about them and that story!

 

Jaime: Do you remember the last time you had a team member that went above and beyond the call of duty? The one who makes you laugh, relieves your stress, and has your back through thick and thin? Well, let me tell you about mine. Actually, it’s not just one, but my entire internal team at Bottleneck.

 

It’s rare to find a group of people so committed to the success of a business that they’ll put their own personal comforts aside to ensure the ship stays afloat. But that’s exactly what I have in my team. It’s not just about the money – it’s the ultimate display of care and teamwork that really sets them apart.

 

I truly believe that the success of any business depends on the people inside it, and I can’t think of a better example of that than Bottleneck. I’m forever grateful for their unwavering support, their ability to keep things light, and their all-around awesomeness.

 

So, who’s your star team member? What makes them shine? Don’t forget to celebrate them, because they’re the ones that make all the difference.

 

Connor: As we close this out, I just have one more question. Where is the best place to find and follow you and the company online? Also, if you have one, is there any special offer that you’ll be offering to the community today?

 

Jaime: Thanks for asking! We’re always available online to connect and engage with our amazing community. You’ll find us online at https://bottleneck.online, where we offer a wealth of information and resources about our virtual assistant services.

 

To stay up to date on everything happening at Bottleneck, we recommend signing up for our Bottleneck Buzz newsletter. This newsletter consistently offers news and updates on the latest and greatest ways to scale your business, hiring best practices, and so much more.

 

Of course, we’re also available on our social media channels! You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn under the handle @bottleneckdistantassistants. There, you’ll get access to exclusive content, company updates, and plenty more.

 

And as a special thank-you to our community, we’re excited to offer a 5% discount on your monthly subscription! Simply enter the code ‘Outsource School’ at checkout, and you’ll receive this exclusive offer. This discount applies to all subscription levels, so you can benefit, no matter which package you select.

 

We’re passionate about helping businesses grow and thrive, and we can’t wait to help you get the most out of your virtual assistant services. Thank you for your support, and we look forward to connecting with you through the Bottleneck Buzz newsletter and our social media channels!

Hey, thanks for tuning in to another Partner Spotlight interview at OutsourceSchool.

My name is Connor Gillivan. I’m the CMO and an Owner of Outsource School.

We’re on a mission to help 10,000+ business owners master hiring virtual assistants and freelancers, and industry partnerships is a big way that we’re able to make it happen.

We’re all about creating win-win partnerships where we are able to grow with other companies in the eCommerce, agency, SAAS, and online space.

In this exclusive interview, we interview Amy Schamberg from Amy Schamberg Wellness.

Amy is a mental health professional, educator, and board certified health coach with over 13 years of experience, she has seen the same themes on repeat: Ambitious, high-achieving professional women stuck in a vicious cycle of people pleasing, overworking, and burning out.

She’s had the honor of helping hundreds of women learn to transform stress into solutions for work/life integration, set boundaries with others and themselves, release the mental weight, let go of anxiety, and trust their intuition – so they can come back from burnout feeling empowered and resilient.

We hope that you enjoy the interview and that it brings value to you as an agency business owner. 

 

Connor: Hey Amy, thanks for taking the time to chat with us here. We love getting to know our partners better so that our community can benefit from what our partners are offering and doing in the industry. To get started, can you give us a high-level overview of Amy Schamberg Wellness and how it got started? 

 

Amy: I have always been fascinated by human development, health, psychology, and behavior, and in 2011, I earned my graduate degree in School Psychology through the University of Colorado.  Around that same time I also became interested in the field of functional medicine, which is a scientifically sound, research-based approach that looks for the underlying root cause of disease or distress. There are so many pieces of the puzzle when it comes to wellness- everything from diet and nutrition, to sleep, exercise, stress management, social connections, meaning and purpose. The principles of functional medicine teach us how to view a person holistically and support each of these puzzle pieces to achieve optimal wellbeing, and after completing my functional medicine coaching certification in 2021 I decided to create my wellness business so that I could inspire and empower others to apply this simple formula to achieve balance and joy in their lives.

 

 

Connor: Love that! Can you dive a bit more into the products and services you provide toward wellness for women? I’m sure our audience would love to know exactly what problems you could solve for them. 

 

Amy: Of course! After 13 years of working in the public education and mental health fields, I’ve seen the same themes on repeat: Ambitious, driven, high-achieving women struggling with people-pleasing, overthinking, and burning out. I provide virtual one-on-one and group coaching services that teach clients how to let go of people-pleasing and self-care guilt, release the mental weight of doing it all, and get time back for themselves- so they have the energy to get through the day and stick to the healthy habits that will help them feel their best.

 

 

Connor: Jumping off of that…if there was one problem you’d say that Amy Schamberg Wellness solves best for your clients, what would it be? Why? 

 

Amy: The number one problem my wellness business solves is burnout. After experiencing and recovering from multiple burnout episodes myself, and working with hundreds of clients on the edge of burnout, I have developed a proven methodology that integrates the principles of functional medicine, cognitive behavioral theory, and positive psychology to help women learn the skills necessary to both overcome and prevent burnout. We get to the root-causes of their burnout and address those issues while also layering in simplified and supportive self-care.

 

 

Connor: As the company continues to grow over the next year, what are your plans for expansion? Any new products, offerings, or enhancements to your current services? 

 

Amy: Over the next year I will be focusing on reaching a wider audience by providing more in-person and virtual workshops on burnout prevention and simplified self-care. I also plan to offer several self-paced courses that teach specific strategies to build resilience and enhance mental health.

 

 

Connor: And how specifically would you say that Amy Schamberg Wellness and your team is different from other similar coaching enterprises?

 

Amy: Coming from the helping professions, I know what it’s like to experience the chronic stress of caring for others, putting yourself last, and feeling like work-life balance is impossible. My unique background in school psychology, functional medicine and coaching allows me to bring a new perspective and diverse range of expertise to help my clients identify and overcome the myriad factors that have contributed to their burnout story. Amy Schamberg Wellness is a company that values integrity, compassion, diversity and data. We take a whole-person, holistic approach to put together all the pieces of your puzzle so you can beat burnout, simplify self-care, and get time back for yourself- without the guilt.

 

 

Connor: What’s your outsourcing story? We find that everyone has a different experience when outsourcing and hiring online. What is your first memory that comes to mind?

 

Amy: My first experience with outsourcing was about two years ago when I hired a company to help me with all the tech involved with creating an online coaching program. I provided the content and they created the course, the landing pages, the email funnels and all the necessary integrations. Tech is not my area of expertise and it was so relieving to know that a team of professionals were taking care of this for me! Since then, I’ve hired copy writers, a web designer, and a social media manager.

 

 

Connor: Love it! Talking more about outsourcing, what advice would you give to yourself if you were just about to start outsourcing and hiring online? 

 

Amy: Think about all the tasks that you need to complete- which do you enjoy the least or know the least about? Chances are if you hate the task, you’re going to put it off and that is going to cause stress and anxiety. Similarly, if you don’t know how to do something, that can also be stressful, and if the time it takes to learn those skills could be better spent doing something else then you’re probably going to feel anxious about the time. Stress and anxiety don’t translate into a healthy business so I would recommend outsourcing any projects or tasks that you enjoy the least or know the least about!

 

Connor: How about this one…how do you communicate with the people you hire online? What’s your best practices there and how has it changed over time? 

 

Amy: Weekly emails and monthly zoom meetings seem to work well for me and my social media manager. Over time I have learned to be explicit in my communication and not assume that someone can read my mind! I’ve also learned the hard way that it is imperative to address concerns as they arise- no matter how small they may seem. Because if you just let something go, that gives the message that there are no concerns, and this will only perpetuate the concerns and lead to bigger problems that are more challenging to deal with.

 

 

Connor: Finally, this is one that I think our community will love, who’s been your best online hire? What do they do for you? Why are they your best hire? Tell us all about them and that story!

 

Amy: Luciana Diehl! I hired her to develop my website. Luciana is a brilliant web designer who really understood my vision and showed so much kindness and patience as we worked together. She was thorough in her explanations, sent me Loom videos teaching me about the backend tech so that I was empowered to make my own changes in the future, and always maintained a high level of professionalism. She went above and beyond, over delivered and is hands down the best online hire I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with! You can find her here- https://www.lucianadiehl.com/ 

 

Connor: As we close this out, I just have one more question. Where is the best place to find and follow you and the company online? Also, if you have one, is there any special offer that you’ll be offering to the community today? 

 

Amy: Yes! You can find out more about me and my services on my website and on LinkedIn. https://www.amyschamberg.com/  www.linkedin.com/in/amyschamberg

I’d love to offer a free, 30-minute Holistic Health Strategy Session to anyone in the Outsource School community! Anyone can book a call HERE.

Hey, thanks for tuning in to another Partner Spotlight interview at OutsourceSchool.

My name is Connor Gillivan. I’m the CMO and an Owner of Outsource School.

We’re on a mission to help 10,000+ business owners master hiring virtual assistants and freelancers, and industry partnerships is a big way that we’re able to make it happen.

We’re all about creating win-win partnerships where we are able to grow with other companies in the eCommerce, agency, SAAS, and online space.

In this exclusive interview, we interview Liam Martin from Time Doctor.

Liam Martin is the co-founder and CMO of Time Doctor and Staff.com — one of the most popular time tracking and productivity software platforms in use by top brands today. He is also a co-organizer of the Running Remote Conference.

We hope that you enjoy the interview and that it brings value to you as an agency business owner. 

 

Connor: Hey Liam, thanks for taking the time to chat with us here. We love getting to know our partners better so that our community can benefit from what our partners are offering and doing in the industry. To get started, can you give us a high level overview of Time Doctor and how it got started? 

 

Liam: Hi, it’s a pleasure to be here. At its core, Time Doctor is all about fostering productivity and efficiency in the remote work landscape. It’s a platform that allows companies and individuals to monitor and manage their time, creating a more focused, effective, and balanced work-from-home environment.

 

The genesis of Time Doctor was from personal experience. My co-founder and I were managing remote teams and encountered the challenges that came with it, such as tracking productivity and maintaining work-life balance. We realized that there were gaps in the market for effective tools that addressed these issues. So, we set out to build a solution that would not only help us but also assist countless other businesses navigating the remote work terrain.

 

From those early days, Time Doctor has grown into a comprehensive platform, committed to facilitating successful remote work experiences for teams around the world. Our primary goal is to keep enhancing the way people and organizations operate remotely, providing the tools for businesses to thrive in this new world of work.

 

Connor: Love that! Can you dive a bit more into the employee-friendly time tracking products and services that you provide? I’m sure our audience would love to know exactly what problems you could solve for them. 

 

Liam: Surely! Time Doctor is designed with a respect for employee autonomy and privacy in mind. Our time-tracking platform allows employees control over when they’re tracked, and they can view their own data, which can help improve productivity patterns and work-life balance.

 

We offer features like website and application tracking, optional screenshots, and detailed reporting. This helps in identifying productivity bottlenecks, streamlining workflows, and ensuring team alignment.

 

Not only do we help improve productivity and accountability, but we also integrate with various project management tools for a more unified experience. Our main goal is to provide an employee-friendly platform that aids effective communication and productivity in remote work settings.

 

Connor: Jumping off of that…if there was one problem you’d say that Time Doctor solves best for your clients, what would it be? Why? 

 

Liam: I’d say the most critical problem Time Doctor solves is enhancing productivity in remote work settings. Remote work offers many benefits, but it also brings challenges such as distractions, inefficiencies, and lack of visibility.

 

Time Doctor addresses this by providing comprehensive insights into how work hours are spent, allowing both managers and employees to identify bottlenecks and areas for improvement. It encourages transparency and accountability, promoting a more efficient and focused workflow.

 

Moreover, it helps create a balance between ensuring productivity and maintaining employee autonomy, which is key to a healthy and successful remote work environment. In essence, Time Doctor facilitates a harmonious and productive remote work ecosystem, which is especially crucial in today’s digital age.

 

Connor: As the company continues to grow over the next year, what are your plans for expansion? Any new products or offerings or enhancements to your current products? 

 

Liam: Long term we see time as the least important part of Time Doctor ironically. 

 

Connor: And how specifically would you say that Time Doctor and your team is different from other similar businesses in the industry?

 

Liam: We’re constantly focused on evolving with the needs of the remote work landscape, and our roadmap for the next year reflects this commitment.

 

One key area of focus is developing deeper integrations with widely-used productivity and project management tools. Our aim is to create an even more seamless experience for our users, where they can track time, manage tasks, and analyze productivity all within their favorite tools.

 

Furthermore, we’re looking into enhancements in our reporting and analytics. We’re working on incorporating more advanced data analysis, to offer our clients a greater degree of insight into their work patterns and productivity trends. This will enable more informed decision-making and proactive adjustments to enhance team efficiency.

 

We’re also excited to be developing features that focus on employee well-being, recognizing that a healthy work-life balance is crucial to long-term productivity. The idea is to provide employees with tools to better manage their workload, mitigate burnout, and maintain a healthy balance while working remotely.

 

Overall, our growth plan hinges on continually refining and expanding our offerings to meet the evolving needs of the remote work world, helping companies and their employees thrive in this environment.

 

Connor: What’s your outsourcing story? We find that everyone has a different experience when outsourcing and hiring online. What is your first memory that comes to mind?

 

Liam: My first significant experience with outsourcing was when my co-founder and I were building our previous company. We had a small team and a lot of tasks that needed doing. To grow efficiently, we decided to outsource some of our work to talent across the globe.

 

The first memory that comes to mind was hiring a developer from the Philippines. We were impressed by the abundance of talent available and the potential for cost savings. However, as time passed, we noticed some tasks were taking longer than anticipated. There were issues of productivity and communication that we hadn’t considered thoroughly at the outset.

 

We realized that managing a remote team came with its unique set of challenges – you can’t walk over to someone’s desk to check in, and it’s harder to gauge how work is progressing. That’s when we recognized the need for a tool that could help manage and monitor remote work effectively, which eventually led us to create Time Doctor.

 

This journey was a learning curve for us. We made mistakes, we learned, and we used those lessons to build something that could solve the very problems we experienced. Our own challenges with outsourcing became the catalyst for a solution that now helps many other companies manage their remote teams efficiently.

 

Connor: Love it! Talking more about outsourcing, what advice would you give to yourself if you were just about to start outsourcing and hiring online? 

 

Liam: If I could go back and give myself advice at the start of our outsourcing journey, I would focus on these key points:

 

Clear Communication: Ensure you have clear and concise communication systems in place. Misunderstandings can lead to lost time and resources, so make sure your instructions are easy to understand and leave little room for interpretation.

 

Define Expectations: Clearly outline your expectations for each task or project. This includes deadlines, quality of work, and the communication you expect throughout the process.

 

Cultural Sensitivity: Be aware of cultural differences and time zones. It’s important to show respect for your team’s holidays, work hours, and cultural nuances.

 

Use the Right Tools: Invest in effective project management and time tracking tools. These will help you stay organized, keep track of progress, and ensure productivity.

 

Build Relationships: Treat your outsourced team members with the same respect and consideration as you would in-house employees. Build strong relationships based on mutual trust and respect.

 

Lastly: Check out www.runningremote.com and our book ‘Running Remote’ which goes over all these tips and more!

 

Outsourcing can be a powerful tool for business growth, but it requires a thoughtful approach and careful management to be truly effective.

 

Connor: How about this one…how do you communicate with the people you hire online? What’s your best practices there and how has it changed over time? 

 

Liam: Communication with remote teams requires deliberate effort and strategy. Over time, we’ve developed a few best practices:

 

Regular Check-ins: We hold weekly check-ins to discuss tasks, progress, and any issues that may have arisen. This creates a consistent forum for open dialogue and ensures everyone is aligned and informed.

 

Asynchronous Communication: We appreciate that we’re working across different time zones, so we encourage asynchronous communication. This respects individual work rhythms and allows for thoughtful responses.

 

Effective Tools: We leverage tools like Slack for instant communication, email for non-urgent updates, and video conferencing tools for face-to-face interaction. Time Doctor comes in handy for managing work hours and productivity.

 

Clear Expectations: We aim to be clear about what, when, and how we communicate. Whether it’s which platform to use for what kind of updates or turnaround times for responses, setting these expectations helps streamline communication.

 

Building Relationships: We also focus on non-work interactions, hosting virtual team-building activities to build rapport and maintain a strong team culture.

 

Over time, we’ve learned that effective communication with remote teams isn’t just about staying updated on tasks—it’s about building relationships, fostering a shared culture, and maintaining the human element even when we’re working apart.

 

Connor: Finally, this is one that I think our community will love, who’s been your best online hire? What do they do for you? Why are they your best hire? Tell us all about them and that story!

 

Liam: Honestly, anybody who is a ‘self guided missile’ which is a core company value inside of our companies. Somebody who tells us what they did rather than asking us what to do is critical for success in our companies and the larger space of remote work in general. 

 

Connor: As we close this out, I just have one more question. Where is the best place to find and follow you and the company online? Also, if you have one, is there any special offer that you’ll be offering to the community today? 

Liam: For anything Time Doctor related go to www.timedoctor.com. You can pick up a free trial there.  For anything Running Remote related, go to www.runningremote.com  I’m @liamremote on all forms of social media. Go to www.youtube.com/runningremote where all of our talks are up there for free if you’d like to check that out as well.

Hey, thanks for tuning in to another Partner Spotlight interview at OutsourceSchool.

My name is Connor Gillivan. I’m the CMO and an Owner of Outsource School.

We’re on a mission to help 10,000+ business owners master hiring virtual assistants and freelancers, and industry partnerships is a big way that we’re able to make it happen.

We’re all about creating win-win partnerships where we are able to grow with other companies in the eCommerce, agency, SAAS, and online space.

In this exclusive interview, we interview Brady Morgan of  SINQ (former VA Staffing Agency – VASA).

Brady Morgan is the founder of SINQ which provides access to the best global talent in emerging markets and helps enterprise companies cost-efficiently scale back-office tasks.

Brady has a background in finance having worked in both investment banking and healthcare. His hobbies include reading, working out, playing golf, and spending time with his wife and two sons.

We hope that you enjoy the interview and that it brings value to you as an agency business owner. 

 

Connor: Hey Brady, thanks for taking the time to chat with us here. We love getting to know our partners better so that our community can benefit from what our partners are offering and doing in the industry. To get started, can you give us a high level overview of SINQ and how it got started? 

 

Brady: Sure, I’d be delighted to. SINQ is a dedicated virtual assistant staffing service, focusing on providing high-quality remote staff to businesses worldwide. The agency was born out of the realization that a large number of businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, were struggling with time and task management. By providing reliable, trained, and professional virtual assistants, SINQ aims to fill this gap, improving operational efficiency and enabling businesses to focus on strategic goals. This service has been a game-changer for numerous companies by simplifying their staffing needs and promoting growth.

 

Connor: Love that! Can you dive a bit more into the staffing services you provide? I’m sure our audience would love to know exactly what problems you could solve for them. 

 

Brady: Absolutely! SINQ offers a wide range of services, addressing various business needs. This includes general administrative tasks like email management, scheduling, and customer service. Additionally, we provide specialized services such as social media management, content creation, SEO, and digital marketing strategy. For businesses requiring industry-specific support, we have virtual assistants with backgrounds in fields like real estate, legal services, and accounting. Our aim is to help companies offload routine tasks, free up valuable time, and let them focus on their core competencies, strategic planning, and growth.

 

Connor: Jumping off of that…if there was one problem you’d say that SINQ solves best for your clients, what would it be? Why? 

 

Brady: SINQ excels at solving the challenge of time management for its clients. Regardless of the industry or size of the business, one common problem they face is the inability to focus on strategic initiatives due to time-consuming routine tasks. Our virtual assistants take over these tasks, freeing up valuable time for business owners and managers. This allows them to focus more on revenue-generating activities, strategic planning, and overall business growth. By acting as an extended part of the team, we help businesses optimize their operations, reduce overhead costs, and ultimately become more efficient and profitable.

 

Connor: As the company continues to grow over the next year, what are your plans for expansion? Any new products or offerings or enhancements to your current services? 

 

Brady: In the coming year, SINQ plans to broaden its services by integrating more specialized roles into its offering. This means not only providing general virtual assistant services but also diversifying into areas like data analysis, project management, and advanced digital marketing. Additionally, we’re exploring the development of a proprietary platform to streamline the process of matching businesses with the right virtual assistants, aiming to make it more efficient and personalized. Our focus remains on continuous learning and training for our VAs, ensuring they stay updated with the latest industry trends and technologies, thereby providing the best possible service to our clients.

 

Connor: And how specifically would you say that SINQ and your team is different from other similar businesses in the industry?

 

Brady: What sets SINQ apart from others in the industry is our personalized approach and commitment to quality. We understand that each business has unique needs, and we take the time to match clients with virtual assistants who not only have the right skill sets, but also align with their company culture and business ethos. Furthermore, our rigorous recruitment process ensures we select only top-tier talent. We invest heavily in the continuous training and development of our virtual assistants, ensuring they stay abreast of the latest tools and industry trends. This focus on quality and personalization helps us deliver superior service and build long-term relationships with our clients.

 

Connor: What’s your outsourcing story? We find that everyone has a different experience when outsourcing and hiring online. What is your first memory that comes to mind?

 

Brady: In the early stages of my entrepreneurial career, I found myself overwhelmed with managing all aspects of the operations. The decision to outsource was borne out of necessity, driven by the need to reclaim time and refocus on the core tasks that would grow my business. My first experience with outsourcing was a revelation – it was incredible to see how tasks could be executed efficiently by a dedicated remote team. This shift in operations led to a significant increase in productivity and ultimately, business growth. In retrospect, I often find myself wishing I had started outsourcing sooner.

 

Connor: Love it! Talking more about outsourcing, what advice would you give to yourself if you were just about to start outsourcing and hiring online? 

 

Brady: If I were to give advice to someone just starting with outsourcing, I would suggest the following:

 

Define clear expectations: Before you start, have a clear understanding of the tasks you want to outsource, the level of expertise required, and your expectations regarding outcomes.

 

Choose the right partner: Whether it’s a freelance platform or a staffing agency like SINQ, make sure they have a solid reputation and positive reviews. The quality of your outsourced team can make or break your experience.

 

Communication is key: Set up regular check-ins and provide clear, concise instructions. Good communication can significantly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of your outsourced team.

 

Be patient: It might take a bit of time for your new team member to get up to speed. Provide them with the resources and support they need to succeed, and you’ll reap the benefits in the long run.

 

Review and reassess regularly: Regularly review the performance of your outsourced team. If something isn’t working, don’t be afraid to make changes.

 

Outsourcing can be a transformative step for your business, freeing up your time to focus on strategic initiatives and growth.

 

Connor: How about this one…how do you communicate with the people you hire online? What’s your best practices there and how has it changed over time? 

 

Brady: In terms of communication with remote teams or individuals hired online, it’s crucial to establish clear, consistent, and open lines of communication. Here are some best practices:

 

Use the Right Tools: Depending on the needs, you might use email, instant messaging platforms like Slack, or project management tools like Asana or Trello. Video conferencing tools like Zoom can also be effective for more personal interaction.

 

Regular Check-Ins: Schedule regular check-ins to discuss progress, address any issues, and provide feedback. This could be daily, weekly, or bi-weekly depending on the nature of the work.

 

Clear Expectations: Clearly define tasks, deadlines, and expectations. The more specific you can be, the better.

 

Open Dialogue: Encourage open dialogue. Make it clear that they can ask questions or raise concerns at any time.

 

Positive Feedback: Don’t forget to acknowledge good work. Positive feedback can be a great motivator and helps to build a strong working relationship.

 

Over time, as remote work has become more common, these practices have become increasingly important. The use of digital tools has grown, and there’s been a shift towards more frequent, informal communication to help build rapport and maintain a sense of team cohesion in a remote work environment.

 

Connor: Finally, this is one that I think our community will love, who’s been your best online hire? What do they do for you? Why are they your best hire? Tell us all about them and that story!

 

Brady: The best online hire would be a virtual assistant named “Jane.” Initially hired to help with basic administrative tasks such as managing emails and scheduling, Jane quickly proved to be an invaluable asset. With her excellent communication skills and proactive attitude, she was able to identify potential issues before they became problems and suggest solutions, thereby saving time and resources.

 

Jane also had a knack for social media management and content creation. She helped improve the company’s online presence, leading to increased brand recognition and customer engagement. Jane’s initiative, combined with her broad skill set, had a positive impact on the business, far beyond her initial role.

 

This story highlights that the best hires are often those who not only excel in their given tasks but also demonstrate initiative, adaptability, and a keen desire to learn and grow. It also emphasizes the potential value and versatility of virtual assistants and online hires.

 

Connor: As we close this out, I just have one more question. Where is the best place to find and follow you and the company online? Also, if you have one, is there any special offer that you’ll be offering to the community today? 

 

Brady: Absolutely! You can find us online at our website, www.sinq.co, where you can learn more about our services, read client testimonials, and keep up-to-date with our latest news. We’re also active on various social media platforms, so feel free to connect with us there for regular updates and insights.

 

As for our special offer, we’re excited to extend a discount on our management fee exclusively for the Outsource School community. When reaching out to us, just mention that you’re coming from Outsource School to avail of this special offer. We’re looking forward to partnering with you and supporting your business growth!

Hey, thanks for tuning in to another Partner Spotlight interview at OutsourceSchool.

My name is Connor Gillivan. I’m the CMO and an Owner of Outsource School.

We’re on a mission to help 10,000+ business owners master hiring virtual assistants and freelancers, and industry partnerships is a big way that we’re able to make it happen.

We’re all about creating win-win partnerships where we are able to grow with other companies in the eCommerce, agency, SAAS, and online space.

 

In this exclusive interview, we interview Mary Zargarian from Zargarian Consulting.

 

 

Connor: Hey Mary, thanks for taking the time to chat with us here. We love getting to know our partners better so that our community can benefit from what our partners are offering and doing in the industry. To get started, can you give us a high level overview of Zargarian Consulting and how it got started? 

 

Mary: Zargarian Consulting helps organizations be more effective towards their big goals by transforming with innovative technology, scalable business processes and high-performing teams. My background is in corporate human resources, focusing on helping leaders and organizations do this very thing. Now, we take the same methodologies and approach to SMBs and Non-profit organizations who may or may not have had the access to resources and support to do these things in-house.

 

Connor: Love that! Can you dive a bit more into how you help transform organizations with innovative technology, scalable business processes and high-performing teams? I’m sure our audience would love to know exactly what problems you could solve for them. 

 

Mary: Absolutely! We begin by gaining a crystal-clear understanding of a client’s organizational objectives. Are they seeking to enhance innovation without expanding their workforce? Perhaps they’re entering a growth phase and need to ensure seamless scalability. Or maybe they’re aiming to resolve existing issues that are hindering progress. These are just a few examples of what we can explore together. We then delve into various aspects of their business, including organizational structure, business processes, system utilization, and the culture they foster for their teams to flourish. If there is any misalignment between their goals and current status, that’s when we roll up our sleeves and collaborate with our clients to drive change.

 

Connor: Jumping off of that…if there was one problem you’d say that Zargarian Consulting solves best for your clients, what would it be? Why? 

 

Mary: I believe it’s about maximizing the investments a business has already made to achieve their intended goals. Frequently, clients have the necessary tools and personnel in place to accomplish significant feats, but they fail to fully utilize these resources. Consequently, they end up with underutilized tools, redundant efforts, and confusion regarding roles within the organization. This creates a vicious cycle of unproductive meetings, busy work, and a sense that additional personnel and systems are required to resolve issues.

 

Connor: As the company continues to grow over the next year, what are your plans for expansion? Any new products or offerings or enhancements to your current products? 

 

Mary: It took us a little while to get to the point of clarity we are at with our market and our offers. Now, it’s a matter of building up brand awareness with who we are and what we do. 

 

We just launched a new (and dare we say free) online community for service professionals so we can all support each other through the work that we do. I’m a huge believer in enabling others to do amazing things and this is our way to encourage that type of communal support. Later this year our vision for the membership is to have a paid tier that allows access to trainings, templates, and other valuable resources.

 

We are also about to open up public workshops focused on leadership development and team effectiveness on topics like Personal Influence, Conflict Management, and Collaborative Connections to name a few. This is already something that we are working with clients on behind the scenes to offer to their teams. Now, we’ll be hosting these for the public to sign up for an upcoming session for their own professional development.

 

Connor: And how specifically would you say that Zargarian Consulting and your team is different from other similar businesses in the industry?

 

Mary: Often for the type of work that we do, corporations turn to the big McKinsey and Deloitte consulting firms. These organizations have large global teams that do heavy research and come with a hefty pricetag, making them inaccessible and disconnected from the SMB and non-profit markets we serve. Smaller organizations that offer what we do are often coaches who have done a lot of work around individual or small group leadership development, but don’t always have the business process, systems, and consultative approach that we do.

 

One of our strengths is that we can meet a business where they are at. We won’t throw out huge, crazy change recommendations for an organization that is burned out by change. We won’t recommend system migrations and alot of investment if they have tools today that can be optimized for their growing needs. This approach is what our clients say they love about us – and why many of them are coming back as repeat relationships!

 

Connor: What’s your outsourcing story? We find that everyone has a different experience when outsourcing and hiring online. What is your first memory that comes to mind?

 

Mary: At this point last year I was running my business as an operations agency and my whole team of 8 were all contractors. Each of them were running their own freelance businesses and serving other clients in addition to our work. Today, my team are still contractors and although I have condensed the team to meet our new priorities, I still believe in the power of intrapreneurship – having a team of entrepreneurs helping me co-create a business with that spirit.

 

With the way the world is changing and typical corporate roles are being let go left and right, I see this as a prime opportunity for our team to help organizations reevaluate their org design and adapt with the change.

 

Connor: Love it! Talking more about outsourcing, what advice would you give to yourself if you were just about to start outsourcing and hiring online? 

 

Mary: Do it! Look for that spirit and drive in someone just as much as the experience and skillset to do the work. That innate quality in someone to be curious, dig in and look for a different way to solve a problem is what will ultimately give you relief with the tasks you are looking to delegate. 

 

Connor: How about this one…how do you communicate with the people you hire online? What’s your best practices there and how has it changed over time? 

 

Mary: When I first started with my team, I wanted anything and everything to be in our project management tool. I fought the need for Slack for a while because I had so much negative baggage associated with it from my corporate days. One team member suggested we give it a go and I’m glad I listened. It’s given us a platform to get each other’s attention on work.

 

I have Zapier integrating Slack with our CRM and project management systems so they are all working together in one amazing ecosystem. Now when a new inquiry comes into the CRM, it’s announced on slack in our #new-leads channel. Then when a contract is signed a new channel specific to that client is automatically set up, as well as a client project folder and account management project in our ClickUp tool. It saves us so much time and we know exactly where to go to work together for each client.

 

Connor: Finally, this is one that I think our community will love, who’s been your best online hire? What do they do for you? Why are they your best hire? Tell us all about them and that story!

 

Mary: Oh wow, there have been a few of them but I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention my right-hand consultant that’s still with me, Maia. Maia reached out to me following a spotlight I received as an Online Business Manager to watch in 2022. We had a great conversation about what she does and how she could potentially be someone that I could have as a primary consultant for clients. 

 

The business has evolved over the past year, but she’s been right there with me through that evolution – providing me feedback along the way as well as asking for feedback. Her willingness to learn and adapt and talk through all ideas big and small with me has made us a great team.

 

Connor: As we close this out, I just have one more question. Where is the best place to find and follow you and the company online? Also, if you have one, is there any special offer that you’ll be offering to the community today? 

 

Mary: You can find us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/zargarian/ or at https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryzargarian. Our website is https://www.zargarian.org and where you can also find out more information about our new community and soon-to-be upcoming workshops. Looking for a more personal side of being a service provider? Then you’ll want to head on over to Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/coachmaryz. 

Join the email list and get early access and pricing to our new workshops. We’re so excited to be releasing them very soon! You can sign up over at https://www.zargarian.org/articles.

Hey, thanks for tuning in to another Partner Spotlight interview at OutsourceSchool.

My name is Connor Gillivan. I’m the CMO and an Owner of Outsource School.

We’re on a mission to help 10,000+ business owners master hiring virtual assistants and freelancers, and industry partnerships is a big way that we’re able to make it happen.

We’re all about creating win-win partnerships where we are able to grow with other companies in the eCommerce, agency, SAAS, and online space.

 

Connor: Hey Melanie, thanks for taking the time to chat with us here. We love getting to know our partners better so that our community can benefit from what our partners are offering and doing in the industry. To get started, can you give us a high-level overview of how you got started?

 

Melanie: Thanks for inviting me. In 2000, I left my corporate job at a Fortune 500 company to be a full time business coach but it definitely wasn’t an easy transition. Even though I was trained as a coach, I did not have a solid business growth strategy in place.

 

After many sleepless nights and a lot of stressful moments, my business got a lot more traction when I got on stages with a magnetic message. Back then I focused on helping entrepreneurs with how to stop feeling that paralyzing business growth overwhelm by building a lifestyle-first business.

 

Connor: Love that! Can you dive a bit more into the 7- Step Proven Framework to leverage other people’s audiences? I’m sure our audience would love to know exactly what problems you could solve for them.

 

Melanie: My 7 Step Framework emerged during those early years when I felt invisible to ideal clients. Once I got better at sharing “results” and stopped preaching the “coaching process” my business grew exponentially into the mid six figures rather quickly.

 

Three of the important factors in this framework are leveraging YOUR unique superpower, developing a magnetic message, then aligning with collaboration partners who open doors to new audiences. When all 7 factors are working together, it’s easier to build a profitable business.

 

Connor: Jumping off of that…if there was one problem you’d say that Melanie Benson solves best for your clients, what would it be? Why?

 

Melanie: I show experts who feel like a best-kept secret how to lean into their superpowers and transform it into their Unique Sales Advantage – and then IGNITE more impact, income and influence by being visible, consistently, where your best potential clients are searching for you.

 

I use proven growth strategies along with a variety of mindset tools and alignment techniques to help my clients attain a 3 – 5 times revenue increase in our first 6 months together.

Connor: As the company continues to grow over the next year, what are your plans for expansion? Any new products or offerings or enhancements to your current products?

 

Melanie: I’m in a simplify to multiply stage – my Guest Expert System and IGNITE Mastermind are powerful for the right expert-based entrepreneurs – and we are now focusing on growing Collaboration Currency to expand our reach.

 

One really amazing growth area is integrating even more unique tools like Human Design to help our clients uncover and amplify their unique message and offerings.

 

Connor: And how specifically would you say that you and your team is different from other similar coaches in the industry?

 

Melanie: One simple answer – I have a long, proven track record of helping my impact-driven and trailblazing clients shatter their perceived limits. From the internal recoding of limiting beliefs to elevating their business potential beyond what they believed they could achieve, my clients who do the work and implement get great results.

 

Connor: What’s your outsourcing story? We find that everyone has a different experience when outsourcing and hiring online. What is your first memory that comes to mind?

 

Melanie: In 2001, I got clear on my growth strategy, and also realized there was way more to do than I could ever accomplish on my own. One of my superpowers in my corporate days was inspiring other people to work together to accomplish crazy big goals in record time.

 

That was when I realized if I wanted to grow faster, I needed to outsource and delegate to virtual assistants and other experts so I could invest my time and talent in the tasks ONLY I could do. I did not know how to pay for this support at first, I just knew I “had” to get support if I wanted to grow.

 

Within 9 months of hiring my first virtual assistant, my revenue exploded into 6 figures and it just kept growing (and I kept hiring support) for several years in a row.

 

Connor: Love it! Talking more about outsourcing, what advice would you give to yourself if you were just about to start outsourcing and hiring online?

 

Melanie: First, outsource the activities that free you up to make more money. If you look at the ROI, you’ll quickly see that you can quickly double or even triple your investment in the right team.

 

Then, as you continue to grow your business, you may find yourself a bottleneck. Don’t be afraid to delegate ownership of a role and train your team to make decisions on your behalf.

 

Connor: How about this one…how do you communicate with the people you hire online? What’s your best practices there and how has it changed over time?

 

Melanie: As technology has improved, we’ve evolved our internal systems and communication procedures. I’ve always hosted a weekly team meeting to go over priorities, talk through marketing campaigns and get updates from each team member on their deliverables. We now use a project management tool to keep track of campaigns and routine tasks – and Slack has become our new online communication tool.

 

Connor: Finally, this is one that I think our community will love, who’s been your best online hire? What do they do for you? Why are they your best hire? Tell us all about them and that story!

 

Melanie: The first OBM (Online Business Manager) that I ever hired was amazing. She handled things proactively and knew what to do before I did. She taught me how to delegate in a way that I was no longer a bottleneck – and set a gold standard for what it is like to hire someone who takes ownership of their role.

 

Connor: As we close this out, I just have one more question. Where is the best place to find and follow you and the company online? Also, if you have one, is there any special offer that you’ll be offering to the community today?

 

Melanie: You can find me on all of the social media platforms and my website is MelanieBenson.com where you can find my podcast, Amplify Your Success, my on-demand courses and coaching programs like Guest Expert System. Since you mentioned the 7 Step Framework before, you’ll find that framework as a free downloadable resource on the main page of my website.

 

Facebook: Facebook.com/CoachMelanieBenson

Instagram: Instagram.com/CoachMelanieBenson

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/success/

Twitter: Twitter.com/Melcoach

Hey, thanks for tuning in to another Partner Spotlight interview at OutsourceSchool.

My name is Connor Gillivan. I’m the CMO and an Owner of Outsource School.

We’re on a mission to help 10,000+ business owners master hiring virtual assistants and freelancers, and industry partnerships is a big way that we’re able to make it happen.

We’re all about creating win-win partnerships where we are able to grow with other companies in the eCommerce, agency, SAAS, and online space.

 

 

Connor: Hey Josh, thanks for taking the time to chat with us here. We love getting to know our partners better so that our community can benefit from what our partners are offering and doing in the industry. To get started, can you give us a high level overview of Photo Booth International and how it got started? 

 

Josh: My name is Josh Pather, I am founder and CEO of Photo Booth International. We manufacture photo booths and sell them to people who want to start a successful photo booth rental business. We started as a photo booth rental company back in December of 2012. During this time I worked at a call center during the week but I also used to DJ on the weekends. One day, a friend and I went to a wedding and saw a photo booth for the first time and thought it would be a great addition to my DJ services so we decided to make our own.

 

After some brief research, we drove to Home Depot and spent $300 on all the materials. We made our first photo booth out of wood, we made the cut outs to fit the monitor, sanded it down, painted it black and spray painted the words “Photo Booth” in white on the side of it. We didn’t have a lot of money to invest in professional high end electronics so we went to Walmart to get our printer, computer and monitor. That first photo booth wasn’t perfect by any means. It was slow to print, the software was difficult to use, and the monitor wasn’t even a touch screen but it made us our first ten thousand dollars. We knew we were onto something so we did even more research and optimized our photo booth with better equipment and a better outer shell. 

 

Fast forward one year later, our fleet of photo booths quickly grew to 15 booths and we were booked out every single weekend. At this point I had already left my 9-5 job and was 100% invested in my photo booth rental business. My wife Jazmine even left her job to help me because I couldn’t handle all the bookings myself. Within the first two years of business, Photo Booth Dallas made over $1million dollars. It was so awesome to see that this was a profitable and high demand business. Everytime we went out to work the events, people always asked us “how can I get started doing this? It looks like a lot of fun”. This is when I realized that there was a demand for turnkey photo booth packages and that’s how Photo Booth International was born.

 

I launched Photo Booth International in 2015 and since then, we have helped over 5,000 entrepreneurs and made over $18million in revenue. We were also named #63rd fastest growing company in Texas and #1239 fastest growing company in the country by INC 5000.

 

Connor: Love that! Can you dive a bit more into the photo booths and other services that you sell to entrepreneurs? I’m sure our audience would love to know exactly what problems you could solve for them.

 

Josh: We help people generate their own income and provide all the tools and resources they need to succeed, all in one place..

The majority of our customers are brand new to being entrepreneurs. Many of them are working a regular 9-5 during the week and want to make extra income doing something fun but that will be a great return on investment. We do also have customers that are already in the entertainment and wedding industry looking to add more services to generate even more revenue to their business.

 

We also offer a cutting edge online training platform, Photo Booth Sales University  where we teach business, finance, sales & marketing strategies so customers can grow their photo booth business & create generational wealth. 

 

Connor: Jumping off of that…if there was one problem you’d say that Photo Booth International solves best for your clients, what would it be? Why?

 

Josh: Many of our clients are looking to escape the rat race of their 9-5 job, seeking financial freedom. Starting a Photo Booth rental business gives them the opportunity to earn extra money while spending time with their family and loved ones. They can do this part-time or full-time. 

 

We do this by providing them a road map to a successful Photo Booth rental business. They get a PBI Global App, lifetime technical support, business resources and library, marketing photos and videos, sample contracts, event checklist, website templates, e-books, training videos and many more when they join Photo Booth International. These are the things I wish were available for me when I was starting in this industry that’s why I simplified this for our customers.

 

Connor: As the company continues to grow over the next year, what are your plans for expansion? Any new products or offerings or enhancements to your current products?

 

Josh: Yes, we are looking to expand and open a new office/showroom in Houston. We are also always designing new Photo Booths. One good thing about Photo Booth International is that we constantly look for a way to innovate and improve so you can expect that in the coming year. We also have Throne Chairs for sale that we just started selling. 

 

Connor: And how specifically would you say that Photo Booth International and your team is different from other similar businesses in the industry?

 

Josh: The main difference is that we really strive to provide all of the knowledge and resources that I didn’t have when I was running my own photo booth rental business. I learned a lot of things through trial and error and I want our customers to have a fast pass to success. This is why we provide a wide range of resources such as our PBI Global App where customers can find all the set-up videos, marketing content and business resources they need to get started. We also want to continue to support our customers as they begin to work events so we do a live monthly tech call where we answer their tech questions live. On top of all of that we also have guides on  How to Make their first $100K, we have tons of educational Youtube videos , we also have a healthy and helpful Facebook community. Aside from all of the resources we provide our customers, our team is 100% invested in helping make our customers dreams of being entrepreneurs come true. They go through training and Masterminds on a regular basis. Our team is extremely dedicated to seeing successful photo booth businesses take off. 

 

Connor: What’s your outsourcing story? We find that everyone has a different experience when outsourcing and hiring online. What is your first memory that comes to mind?

 

Josh: My first hire was a graphic artist that was just starting his VA career around 2015. He was inexpensive but we both didn’t really have any real knowledge of how we should really be optimizing our work together. I didn’t have any SOP’s in place nor did I qualify him enough beforehand to make sure he was the right fit for the job. Ultimately I let him go so it didn’t end up working in the long run but I sure did learn a lot about it. After that, I took what I learned and applied it to my next VA hire and the rest is history. Years later, Outsource School played a large role in helping me hire quality VA’s and I’m super grateful for it!

 

Connor: Love it! Talking more about outsourcing, what advice would you give to yourself if you were just about to start outsourcing and hiring online?

 

Josh: Take the time to write out SOP’s and follow a course like Outsource School that can help identify some of the things to keep in mind when outsourcing jobs. Don’t just hire anywhere. Find the right platform to outsource people. Look at freelancer’s profile reviews.

 

Connor: How about this one…how do you communicate with the people you hire online? What’s your best practices there and how has it changed over time?

 

Josh:  My biggest lesson has been to conduct a chat interview before a video interview. I wish I would have done my interviews this way when I first started hiring VA’s. If I like how fast they are composing their sentences and how good their grammar is I then pass them onto a video interview. I want to know if they are punctual and I want to see their personality as well. What I’ve learned overtime is that you should always ask them to perform a task that is in line with their job duties. If you are hiring a graphic designer for example, you want to give them a graphic task and see how fast they turn it in and check the quality of work. This has saved me from hiring the wrong people so many times.

 

Connor: Finally, this is one that I think our community will love, who’s been your best online hire? What do they do for you? Why are they your best hire? Tell us all about them and that story!

 

Josh: My best hire has definitely been my Team Lead, Maria. She started off as a social media VA but very quickly I realized she could take on much more. She showed exceptional skill, motivation and needed very little guidance when it came to a lot of projects I handed to her. For this reason, we promoted her to team lead after just 6 months of being with the company. This shows the importance of acknowledging one’s skill set and giving them the right role. 

 

Connor: As we close this out, I just have one more question. Where is the best place to find and follow you and the company online? Also, if you have one, is there any special offer that you’ll be offering to the community today?

Answer: Our website is photoboothint.com You can follow us at our Instagram account and Facebook page. Please like and subscribe to our Youtube Channel – And yes, for anyone who’d like to learn more about Photo Booth business or already on the business, we are offering $1 for 3 days access to our Photo Booth Sales University – click here to register