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IBM 38 | What You Need to Know to Start Outsourcing Your Business (and Your Personal Life) with Virtual Assistants

Sterling (Jeremy Frandsen) 19 Comments

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iStock_000004817156XSmallYou asked for it and you got it, we are asked about virtual assistants all the time SO In this episode of Internet Business Mastery we talk about What You Need to Know to Start Outsourcing Your Business (and Your Personal Life) with Virtual Assistants and in the quick tip we’ll tell you about some great resources we found for learning even more about outsourcing and using VA’s.

Items mentioned in this episode:

How has having a VA (or not having a VA) changed your life?

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This post is in: Automating, Streamlining and Outsourcing, Podcast

19 Comments Leave a Comment


Guys,

I would love to see your thoughts (or hear via the podcast) a top ten of things learned from when you first started out. That is, looking back, how would have you done things differently to make more $$, save more time, quit your job earlier, get more freedom etc etc?

Next – from what i can tell (at least the challenges i have) is that the idea/niche choosing selection is probably the 1 key. Everything after that IMHO can be systemized and probably outsourced. I have floated outsourcing niche generation and testing on a forum here and there and i think either the perception is it can’t be done – or else, why would you since you’d be giving someone else (even if a VA in India) your secrets…Thoughts?

thanks,
Brett
Brett

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@ Brett Brett,

I just added your show idea to our content list, great idea.

I don’t outsource several things:

Niche Generation
Business Strategy
Access to banking
Marketing Plans

That is all that comes to mind on the fly. Understanding how to pick a niche is one of two of the most important keys to starting, the other mindset related.

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Guys — I just did this for the first time this week, based on your recommendations in previous podcasts.

Check this out. I saw TheBigWordProject script for sale for 10 bucks. This is like the million pixel project from a couple of years ago. These guys sell dictionary words for one dollar per letter. Once you buy a word, you can link it to any web page you want. A viral dictionary. Cool idea.

Then, I had my own idea — why not sell the WORLD! So, I hired a VA to import a database of all the cities in the world and modify the php script to do cities instead of dictionary words. I launched TheBigWorldProject last night – one day after having the idea. Small investment — super high risk idea. It took the guy a few hours. I could have done it, but it would have taken me days.

The cool thing is that the guy did it while I was at my day job. Talk about leverage.

Anyway, thanks for the tips. Keep them coming!

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Hey S&J,

Great show. You really addressed all my questions about VA’s. – especially the idea of “I can’t afford it.” Nicely done.

Jay – I love that you’re in BA and it’s business as usual. That’s so awesome and inspiring.

I’d love to hear a future show devoted to…gosh…I don’t even know! I think you’ve done it all!

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[...] to.  That being said, this week’s podcast is on a topic very near and dear to my heart – Outsourcing and using Virtual Assistants.  I contacted Sterling and Jay a while ago and gave them a copy of my Ebook to review, and they [...]



kevin

Hey, what every happen to the first two IBM shows 1 throu 4?

Would love to listen to them.

thanks,
Kevin

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Kent

Hi S&J:

You mentioned an org. chart resource that you use to help you with workflow, etc. in the VA podcast. Can you tell me where that resource is located within your site?

Regards,
Kent

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Hi guys,

I just recently discovered your site and am quickly becoming a big fan. I thoroughly enjoy your podcasts, but do need some help with them.

I am wanting to download them into iTunes and when I click add podcast to iTunes it will only download IBM38, but not any of the others. I have tried clicking on each individual podcast and then clicking add to podcast, but with the same results.

Any links to instructions or help would be greatly appreciated.

Keep up the good work,

Grant Burhans
http://www.mountainconnections.com

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David

Love the show, can i ask two questions. 1. What is the WordPress theme you use for this site? What are your say top 3 themes. 2. What do you use in your internet businesses to carry out any transfer of money, do you use any particular service?

Thanks again love the show

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Still my favourite podcast, chasps.
When I heard about Jay’s move to Argentina, it sparked my imagination to do something similar.
Have you addressed the issue of taxation for entrepreneurs working in cyberspace, and not in their country of citizenship?

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@kevin,

Many have asked us about the early podcasts. They get removed. We are in the process of changing things around with the site and the past show archives. Right now, we don’t have a way for you to get those first episodes. However, stay tuned. We will have a “best of” package soon that will allow you to get them. We do need to do a better job about explaining our plans there.

@Kent,

You can get the org chart here:

http://www.internetbusinessmastery.com/organizationchart

@Grant,

Give a look at this iTunes podcast tutorial and see if it helps:

http://www.apple.com/itunes/tutorials/#podcasts

@David,

I believe the theme used at the time of this post is based on a theme called Ocadia.

I’m not sure what you mean about with your money transfer question.

@rossum,

I’m having to figure that out pretty fast now that I’m living abroad.

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What I can say about this show is…

‘ GREAT ‘

r

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Thank you Jay.

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Hi, S&J. I listen to your podcasts and receive your newsletters and am learning a lot from you. Thanks for all you do.

The VA podcast really hit the mark for me. I’m already inquiring to the firms in the Philippines. One question though: do you have any firms to recommend in India? I’d like to check out my options. Thanks! Darren

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I am a digital artist for over 13 years and I am from The Philippines. I do design on web and print. I am trying to learn more about internet business by listening to S&J. These guys are doing really great, I listen to them again and again, over and over. I made up my mind to resign recently because of them (no blaming on you hahaha). Although I have no idea what they teach exactly on their courses, I am getting a little bit of clues so now I am working my *** out here at home executing as many ideas i can think of on making money on the web. Hey, you may be have something for me to do as VA? Just check my website to contact me. Thanks to all and to both of you S&J!

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[...] Internet Business Mastery – What You Need to Know to Start Outsourcing [...]


Hi Stirling and Jay,
I’ve had good success in working with the VA’s I’ve chosen. I would say the keys to having a successful experience is:

1. Be very clear about exactly what you want. Write down specifically what you want in your project description.

2. Use the existing feedback as a guideline, but supplement your evaluation with a request to see a sample of their work. I make it a policy that if I can’t see a sample of their work I don’t use them. Feedback can sometimes be misleading – either the people they were working with had different needs or different standards or something else which would make them not suitable for your job.

3. Maintain good communications with them throughout the course of the job. Often it will take a little tweaking on the first job until they understand exactly what you want and you are both on the same page. Expect that first job will take a little bit more of your own time fine tuning but once your are running on the same page its usually smooth sailing on subsequent jobs.

4. Expect it to be a filtering process. Some VA’s will be great, some will be good, and some just won’t be suitable.

5. Once you have found a few good VA’s treat them well and hold on to them. You spent the time finding, qualifying, filtering so capitalize on your efforts.

All the best,
Ted Sudol
http://www.thedomainhunter.com

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Brooke Morris

There is a rapid growth of Outsorcing these days as manufactures try to cut cost and maximize profit.”"~

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Jesus Ross

outsourcing is really necessary specially if you want to cut the cost of production.—

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