Are you a company of one or two people? Solopreneur sounds like a fulfilling term until you realize, you are doing it ALL yourself!
There are over 13,000 businesses in Chester County with 1-4 employees according to Reference USA.
That’s a lot of enthused entrepreneurs handling everything from product or service creation to marketing, distribution, accounting, IT, and administrative tasks.
Being your own boss and fulfilling a dream or passion are huge motivators to owning your own business. As your business grows, which, of course, is your goal, so does the list of responsibilities to keep things moving forward.
But being a solo entrepreneur doesn’t mean you have to do it alone. Nor does it mean you have to take on more stress by becoming an employer or manager of people.
Elaine Sellers, Virtual Assistant and Time Management Expert at Avenue Admin says, “It’s not about having time, but rather about using time to your best advantage. What a solopreneur needs most is solid administrative systems for their business to run smoothly. I help women solopreneurs organize and automate their admin systems so they can save time, grow their business, and focus on doing the work they love.”
“Many people tell me they are overwhelmed and don’t have enough time during the day. As a productivity coach, I ask them to think about how they are actually spending their time and what activities are producing real results in their business. Then they have a clear list of the tasks they should be spending their valuable time on. From there, I recommend that they delegate and outsource the rest. Using a Virtual Assistant is an ideal option for many small businesses. It’s worth the cost to get back the time to work on what matters most and ultimately grow your business,” said Sarah Ohanesian, Productivity Expert & Coach at SO Productive.
One easy and economical way to gain support for your business is through the use of Virtual Assistants (VA’s). A VA is an independent contractor who offers entrepreneurs:
- Flexibility: Pay only for the services you need – when you need them.
- Savings: Get help without the expense of hiring and training employees.
- Value: With expert administrative, marketing and social media assistance, you gain an edge over the competition.
Need help with your accounting or bookkeeping? Find a VA who specializes in QuickBooks or FreshBooks. Don’t have time to write web content or blog posts or to determine how/where/when to share on social media? A copywriter or content specialist like Diane M. Sweeney can save you hours of time. “Writing informative articles and engaging, persuasive web copy takes time. Soloprenuers find themselves putting this important task at the bottom of their list … and then never getting it done. Copywriters trained in SEO writing can help to engage an audience and grow their business.”
If you are frustrated in trying to set up your CRM (Customer Relationship Manager) system, there are VA’s out there who can do it for you and then show you how to use it. Overwhelmed with inbox overload? There is a VA who can organize your inbox and set up systems to make email reading and sorting a snap.
Virtual Assistants are experts in particular areas or generalists who can help you with just about any task. Contracting with the right VA can help you stay focused on growing your business and serving your clients. In other words, staying focused on YOUR area of expertise!
While you can easily find low-cost assistance from online sources like Fiverr and Upwork, many of those individuals work from other countries, creating time zone and language barriers.
LinkedIn lists over 6000 Virtual Assistants in the Greater Philadelphia Area. In this time of pandemic realignment, as we all try to grow and support one another, connecting with a local VA would benefit you both.
When you have solutions in place to organize and automate back-office work, your business can run smoothly and successfully. With a little help from a VA, you’ll get more done in less time and you’ll be able to be the kind of solopreneur you always dreamed you would be!
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