Business Owners Letting Go

The first step in hiring a Virtual Assistant is making the call. Sounds simple enough. But I can't tell you how many times I've heard, "I've been wanting to call for so long, but I don't know how this works." Strange thing to say, or a very real concern?

This is a very real concern. But what's the underlying issue? Why are business owners and entrepreneurs so reluctant to call a Virtual Assistant?

Here's an example to help illustrate what I believe is the main reason they have such a hard time making the initial call.

Imagine you and your spouse talked about having a baby for a year. Finally, the time comes. You find out you are pregnant. The initial excitement is an excitement you have never felt before. You spend the next 9 months anticipating and planning. You set up the nursery. Buy all the bottles, onsies, strollers, carseats and little clothes. You find a pediatrician. You talk about a birth plan and visit the hospital. You have a baby shower. So much excitement and preparing for nine months. Finally, the day arrives. Your bundle of joy joins you in this world. You can't stop staring at him. You check on him multiple times during the night. You make sure your baby is fed, bathed and happy. He consumes all your thoughts and time. You never thought it would be this amazing and this difficult. But you put in all the time and effort and the reward is unmatched by anything you have ever experienced.

The time comes for you to pass the baby to a caretaker. Whether you are going back to work or your baby is starting nursery, the thought of handing over this person that consumed your life is an unbearable thought. Who will be taking care of him? Will this person share my values? Will he be taken care of with the same care I gave him? Will he be their priority or will this person have a million other things going on and neglect my child? So many concerns about giving up control and letting go...

Can you see where I'm going with this???

To a business owner or an entrepreneur their business is their baby. They have planned this business years before it was implemented. They have worked on it for months or years to build it into something of substance and success. They have had sleepless nights and it consumed their thoughts and actions. To them, this is one of the most important things in their life. How can they pass it along to allow someone else to care for it? How do they know that they will care for it the same way they did and make it a priority? Scary.

How does a parent find the right nursery for their child? First they talk to other parents to see which nursey's have a good reputation. Then they will call the nursery with their list of questions and have a conversation to see if their values match and that their child will be safe and well cared for. They may call references from other parents to see if they have had good experiences. They are also likely to go to the nursery to check it out for themself.

Due diligence is important. Especially when finding a Virtual Assistant. Who has a good reputation? Those are the ones to start with. Check out social media and look for references and content. Does it allign with yours? Do they have the same ethics and work value you are looking for? Then have a conversation. Does this person seem to have it together? Do they know what they are talking about? Call their references. How long have they worked with these references? What is being said about them by previous or current clients? Once the due diligence is done business owners should feel comfortable with their final decision. Now comes the hard part...

Letting go...

You've found the person you will entrust with your business. The person who will know your passwords, read your emails, access your bank accounts and call on your behalf. There needs to be a lot of trust. Once this is established, you need to have faith that all your efforts in due diligence has paid off and you are entrusting your 'baby' to the person who will have your best interests in mind and help you take your business to heights you never imagined...