Our video series re: the Top 10 Questions about how to find, hire and work with a virtual team is complete – missed any of the videos? Not a problem, you can check them out here. 

Just to recap we covered:

1. How do I know who I need to hire in the first place?
2. What attributes should I look for when hiring someone?
3. What do I delegate vs. keep to myself?
4. How to know if someone can actually do what they say?
5. Where is the best place to find the people I need?
6. How can I afford the help I need?
7. How to know when to fix something vs. fire the person?
8. How can I get great people to stay with me?
9. I think I’m a control freak, yipes! What to do?
10. How can I make sure I’m not settling?

As mentioned in the videos we are putting the final touches on the new THRIVE Hiring System – which is a complete step-by-step program to take you through the hiring process from start to finish (it will open up for registration next week.) 

If you would like to take this further and get this team thing figured out once and for all let me ask you… 

What would you like me to cover in this new program?

Just post your comment below or send me an email if you prefer. I want to make sure to include as much as possible for you to get the right team in place. 

Many thanks!

You know me – when something starts to annoy me I have to tackle it head on.  

And i’m hearing from many of you about your hiring woes and how you are struggling to find the right virtual team for you and your biz. I’ve been talking to business owners about this stuff for years now and it’s still a hot topic (and a headache for many of you!) 

I have some thoughts about what is going on here that i’ve crafted into a cool new report called: 

The Stop Settling Manifesto

Taking a stand on creating the best virtual support team for you and your business

Go ahead and grab your copy here:

Sign up now to receive this free PDF, along with our monthly newsletter First Name Primary Email We won’t share your info ever – my promise!

In this short (I promise!) report I cover a few key things that you need to know in order to create the best virtual support team for you and your business, including:

• the one thing that is hurting most business owners who are struggling with their team (and it’s not what you might think!)
• the hiring approach that I see many business owners doing (and which is almost guaranteed to fail)
• a formula for ensuring you create a successful team (just two simple things)
• how being an ostrich or a control freak can stiffle your team (and subsequently your business success!)
• the ONE question that you need to ask in order to know if you have the right team in place

Go ahead and grab your copy at the link above, and be sure to let me know what you think!

As per my rant of a few weeks back - you know i’m a huge fan of getting out and meeting people face to face. Not only is this an excellent way to find new clients (the best way in fact) it’s just plain fun. After being home with my girls for 4 years I just started “leaving the house” again last fall – attending a number of conferences as well as my mastermind sessions. And let me tell you, this alone has been the reason that my business has grown by leaps and bounds this year. I’ve been able to meet people i’ve already known for years online (and deepen the relationship) as well as meet new folks too – all of whom are my fellow entrepreneurs and *get* me and what i’m building (unlike my family who is still confused, LOL.)

My mentor David Neagle together with Suzanne Evans are hosting the More Life Tour* – an 8 city entrepreneurial extravaganza starting here in June. These are one-day jam packed events with a focus on creating abundance for yourself while making a difference in the world of those that you serve. Does it get any better than that? And i’ll be speaking at the Boulder, CO tour stop on July 31st – and would love love love to meet there!

>> Register for the More Life Tour here

This is for any business owner out there of course, but ESPECIALLY for you virtual support professionals – Online Business Managers, Virtual Assistants and such. I’m really want to encourage you to get your buns out to one or more of these events. I’ve said this many times and stand by my word – going to a live entrepreneurial event could fill your business in a day. There will be loads of people in the room who need your help and simply being there could open up many many new opportunities for you. Plus of course you will learn lots from the event itself to apply to your own business – a double whammy benefit.

People always ask me – where/how do I find new clients? Get out there folks, I mean it… meet people face to face. This is your answer and being only $57 for the day and with 8 cities to choose throughout the US & Canada there is simply no excuse. If I had done my hair today I would have recorded a video here of my shaking my finger at you… LOL!

*In the spirit of full disclosure this is an affiliate link which means I could earn a commission if you choose to attend (and I hope you will!)

Hot new book from Michael Port hitting the shelves today:

THE THINK BIG MANIFESTO:
Think You Can’t Change Your Life (and the World)?
Think Again.

Grab your copy here
And yes, there are some extra goodies for those who buy today.

Michael sent me an advance copy of the book and it is a gem of a read – short, sweet and VERY powerful stuff. It’s not your typical LOOOOOONG boring business book or overly rah-rah self help book – had enough of those to last a lifetime!

The Think Big Manifesto is about all of us coming together as a society… as individuals who want to create change. It’s about being involved in a movement… a revolution—- the Think Big Revolution.

We all want to do big things in the world. We all want to leave our mark.

Thinking big isn’t about accumulating possessions, gaining fame or influence. It is about building a life where we can do more together than we ever could alone.

And really, what is more important than that?

Here’s that link again, be there or be square: www.ThinkBigManifesto.com

It’s official – the Online Business Manager Certification Program is starting next Tuesday at 9am pacific / noon eastern. In the history of the world as we know it online, I can’t help but wonder what we’ll say when we look back 5 years from now, and everyone has an OBM, and the people who embraced it early are seen as the frontrunners…

But back to certification, there are still a few spots left, and I know you may be wondering whether you’ll be sorry you didn’t join in, so in the spirit of minimizing regret…

If you are at all curious about this training I invite you to join me as I give you a step-by-step walk through of each of the 5 modulesin the certification program. The ‘What It Takes To Be A rackerjack OBM’ tour, as it were.

I aim to give you the walk-through quick and dirty, just like a top real estate agent would walk you through your dream home, LOL. And of course, answer any lingering questions you may have.

During this call I will go over the Five Ws of the training program, including:

• Who are the instructors and why should you care what the bleep they say?
• What exactly will you learn over the 16 weeks?
• Where will the training take place, especially in the very special field test taking place in the last week?
• When does it start, and how much time will it require of you?
• How will the training be delivered using what tools, and other support technology?

And of course, finally… What will the much-vaunted, and highly-anticipated certification process look like?

I kid you not, since launching the certification program I’ve continued to hear from business owners who would hire an OBM they felt they could trust, and do it in the flick of a mouse button! So I’m more excited than ever to see which graduates of this program will land the plum assignments the first.

That said, as a budding or active OBM, I know you take these decisions seriously, and well you should. I’d be remiss if I didn’t give you a chance to hear all the details fully and ask any questions. So let’s do it!

Join the tour this Thursday at 10am pacific / 1pm eastern.

Click here now to register – the bridgeline info will be sent to you right away:

Calling all online-based biz owners - this one is for you! Hosting an Open House Call on Wednesday April 1, 2009 with the always lovely and wickedly smart Andrea J. Lee.

Take just a moment and imagine…the corporate world without managers. Jokes aside for a sec, now ask…where are the equivalent managers in the online business world?

As online businesses grow, especially to the now-famous Quarter Million Dollar Speed Bump, it quickly becomes mission critical to get a certain kind of help. Not the administrative kind but the strategic kind. The Virtual Assistant on steroids (not literally, okay?) is what Andrea and I have dubbed the Online Business Manager, and the demand for OBMs is nothing short of extraordinary. When the right OBM joins a business, the results are too.

Join this call to learn the 5 key reasons you may benefit from having an OBM, how to know when you’re ready to hire and the things you can expect an OBM will do. Even if you’re not quite ready to hire, and you anticipate filling the role for yourself for now, join the call to get much more strategic about it.

Online Business Managers and aspiring OBMs are welcome to join too – there won’t be an OBM-related conversation that’s more client-centric than this. We’ll also give a brief intro to the Association of OBMs where clients and OBMs can meet, and the release of the world’s first OBM certification.

To listen to the recording from this live call just click the “Play” button below:

And, as mentioned on the call, here are some of the additional resources mentioned for your convenience:

• To browse a directory of OBM’s who are in various stages of certification, including highly experienced, to newbies, click here.
• To see the list of ‘What you can expect an OBM to be able to do’ go to the OBM certification page
• And last but not least, if you’re fairly new to this whole topic, you may be curious about the book I wrote on the subject, called Becoming and Online Business Manager.

There’s a LOT of buzz about this thing called an “Online Business Manager” lately, and no wonder! Ever since the best-selling book “The 4-Hour Work Week” by Timothy Ferriss, the best clients in the world are hot to hire virtual based support. Well, bring it on, I say. Who else in the online support business wants to work with higher-paying clients that are leaders in their markets? It’s one of the best ways
to recession-proof your business too.

In the spirit of meeting the demand head on, I’m offering an Open House Class to demystify the whole concept, and it’s f’ree of charge. If you’re at all curious – right now, because you’re chomping at the bit, ready TODAY to take the plunge – or – because you know pretty soon you may become a little bored or frustrated, and you’ll want to know what else is available to you – this is THE call for you this year.

“Everything You Wanted To Know About Becoming An Online Business Manager”

We’ll talk about how to know when you are ready. (Or if it’s a fit for you at all.) The first steps to working as an OBM. The importance of your credibility, so that you can earn fees not necessarily tied to your hours. And, answers to your questions about the upcoming Online Business Manager Certification & Training program (only 1514 seats left.)

Join me for an “anything goes” Q&A call this Wednesday, March 4th at 9am pacific / noon eastern.

I invite you to bring all of your questions to the call, everything from specific questions about something you’re working on with clients to thoughts or concerns about certification & training. I’ll be on the line for 60 minutes, ready and willing to answer any and all questions that you bring to the table. It’s the only place you’ll get focused attention on this topic, period. And the best opportunity for career growth that exists for any Virtual Assistant or online support professional. Is that worth an
hour of your time Tina?

Click here now to register – the bridgeline info will be sent to you right away:

Can’t make it? No worries, as always the call will be recorded and you can book time in to listen after your client day is done. Just remember there’s more to life than trading your hours for money – to improve your lifestyle you need to find a way to leverage, and Online Business Management is one definite way to get just that.

Go ahead and register and you will get a copy of the MP3 recording that same day.

See you on the line.

It’s official, the brand new Online Business Manager Certification and Training program is now officially open for application.

Since the launch of the book Becoming an Online Business Manager in fall 2008 I’ve literally received an onslaught of emails and (sometimes desperate) messages from business owners who want to hire an Online Business Manager. Had 3 more requests pop up in my inbox in the past 24 hours in fact…

The trouble is that there aren’t many Online Business Managers out there yet – the few that exist are already busy and don’t have room to take on new clients. So I don’t have anyone to refer these clients to, which is a shame!

Over the past few months I have also been hearing from a number of VAs and other online support professionals who have expressed a strong interest in becoming an Online Business Manager, but you feel that you don’t yet have the expertise to officially step into the role.

I’m sure you can see where i’m going here – it is pretty obvious that, with a bit of training and support, we can create a community of Online Business Managers who are confident and ready to work with these business owners that are so desperate to hire you.

Which is exactly why i’m quite thrilled to announce the first ever….

Online Business Manager Certification Program

A 16-week Intensive Training Program
for aspiring Online Business Managers

Most online business training programs are directed to the business owner (how to start and grow your own business), however this is truly the only training that is specifically and purposefully taught from the perspective of being the OBM for these business owners. So the content may be familiar, but the orientation, values and depth will be very different.

I’m especially excited about Module 3 – that alone will be worth the price of admission!

5 of the 20 spots are already spoken for, so be sure to grab one for yourself if this training speaks to you. Or feel free to pass this along to a member of your team or a colleague who may be ready to shift into this role.

>> Details at: www.CertifiedOBM.com

You *need* to grab a copy of Sheri McConnell’s Create your Group program.

Those who know me know that I very rarely recommend things for purchase… for the simple fact that i’m quite picky myself! (who me? picky? just ask my husband, haha). There are LOADS of programs, systems, products, classes and various other offerings out there for all sorts of things – many of which are more hype than value.

That being said, I will wholeheartedly recommend something when I know it is worth your money - and Sheri’s Create your Group program is just that.

Having helped create and support a number of membership and group based programs over the years, I know that there is a right way to do things and a ‘not so right’ way. What it boils down to is this – save yourself the headache of stumbling along and having to learn the hard way about setting up your group. Instead, follow Sheri’s step-by-step *proven* system which she shares in great detail through this program.

Why am I promoting this today? Sheri has less than 100 copies left and after those are gone this product will no longer be available. So hop to it!! Grab a copy today if you have any interest in starting your own group either now or in the near future.

And a sneak peek for you, to prove how much I value what Sheri has to offer. Her and I are partnering up on a brand new association to be launched soon – and she is one of the *very* few people I know that I would every consider partnering with. So I can say from personal experience that Sheri rocks, and i’m a huge fan (in case you couldn’t tell by now, hehe).

Again – less than 100 copies left, click here to check it out.

Come one come all! Last week kicked off a 2 week book tour for my new book Becoming a Online Business Manager: Playing a Bigger Game with your Clients (and Yourself).

Similar to an book tour in the ‘real world’ (haha), instead of stopping by your local bookstore for a chat/signing I am stopping by the following blogs each day for the next two weeks. Be sure to join me at each stop, for a series of interviews, Q&As and book reviews… and be sure to grab your copy of the book here.

Note: I will be updating the links to each blog on the day of the tour, so you can click through direct to the tour page.

• October 20th – Terri Zwierzynski at Solo E
• October 21st - Melody Campbell at The Small Business Guru
• October 22nd – Jennifer Smith at Eco-Office Gals and Carol Deckert of RUNLancaster
• October 23rd – Heidi Richards at WE Magazine for Women
• October 24th – Andrea Lee at Money and Meaning Blog
• October 27th – Donna Toothaker at 1st VA
• October 28th Wendy Piersall at Sparkplugging
• October 29th Tracy Lawton of Office Organization Success & Andy Wibbels of Andy Wibbels.com and author of Blog Wild
• October 30th Kathie Thomas at VA Directory
• October 31st Teresa Morrow at Key Business Partners
• November 2nd Craig Cannings of VA Classroom
• November 3rd Pam Slim at EscapefromCubicleNation