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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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!
