It’s all About the Fit

1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:10,640
Hi, welcome to the podcast that explores virtual assistants, lump business owners to know,

2
00:00:10,640 --> 00:00:17,040
when they start asking themselves the question, hey, do I meet a VA? I'm Rachel Davila, and after

3
00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:23,040
18 years as a virtual assistant going at a loan, I experienced the steep learning curve from the

4
00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:29,840
other side of the VA client relationship when I hired my own assistants. Joining me on this podcast

5
00:00:29,840 --> 00:00:35,360
is a group of friends and colleagues who all have their own take on what busy entrepreneurs need

6
00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:41,920
to know to find, hire, and work with a virtual assistant and mindfully answer the question,

7
00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:50,400
hey, do I meet a VA? Let's get this episode started. Hi everyone, welcome to hey, do I meet a VA?

8
00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:59,040
The podcast, episode number eight, joining me or Sydney Hubbard, RABV, and Leanne Remy,

9
00:00:59,040 --> 00:01:06,800
and we're going to talk the things to know beyond your task list today, because

10
00:01:07,760 --> 00:01:15,680
finding a VA is kind of like dating. You wouldn't go, you wouldn't marry somebody just because

11
00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:22,800
you liked their online dating profile. You'd want to go out to dinner and have conversations with them

12
00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:30,160
and get to know the person beyond the profile before you said I do. The same is true with finding

13
00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:39,040
hiring and working with a VA. So what qualities are you looking for in your VA? You have your

14
00:01:39,040 --> 00:01:46,160
hand-off list, you know your budget, you probably know what kind of VA you're looking for, but

15
00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:54,960
what do you need in the person not just the title? So that's what we're going to talk about today.

16
00:01:56,640 --> 00:02:04,640
So I always like to say it's about the fit. So we've talked about what kind of VA you're looking for.

17
00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:11,360
If you know that you need a collaborator versus a doer, that's important to know.

18
00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:21,360
What are some topics that you feel are important things to bring up in a conversation?

19
00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:28,480
Or what do you look for when you kind of have that initial conversation with a potential client?

20
00:02:29,760 --> 00:02:36,560
Sydney? I think for me one of the most important things would be communication style.

21
00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:45,360
And I think that goes beyond like do you like to email? Do you like to text? Do you like to call?

22
00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:49,440
And all of those things are very important. I think that's definitely a part of communication.

23
00:02:50,000 --> 00:03:01,040
But I think going beyond that, I think communication style can mean more of what types of things

24
00:03:01,040 --> 00:03:08,000
do you need to talk about surrounding your business? And also, do you communicate in a way that is

25
00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:15,440
clear for me the VA to understand? Because I might understand something one way and you might

26
00:03:15,440 --> 00:03:25,360
understand another way. And I think that's the whole point of collaboration and communication.

27
00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:33,920
But I think if the client wants something extremely specific, but our communication styles don't match.

28
00:03:33,920 --> 00:03:39,920
So I'm not understanding the specificity of what they want. I think that the like Rachel said,

29
00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:43,760
like it's a fitting and like that wouldn't necessarily fit.

30
00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:51,680
Yeah. I actually think there's a lot that goes into communication styles because

31
00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:59,040
you know, you say are you better by phone email? I had a client who put everything she needed

32
00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:05,840
all caps in the subject line of an email. Oh, that did not fit with me at all. I was like,

33
00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:11,440
thank you, but we are not the right fit because it felt like she was yelling at me every time she sent

34
00:04:11,440 --> 00:04:20,880
me an email. I didn't know that that was a thing for me until I was faced with it. I think also,

35
00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:29,280
when we talk about communication styles, do you think in email or do you need to talk about it?

36
00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:36,400
I had one client, he did a lot of driving and I would say, hey, yeah, just send me an email

37
00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:44,000
of what you need me to work on and he never did. But if I called him up on a Friday,

38
00:04:45,040 --> 00:04:53,440
oh, the test list I had for the following week, filled up all the time we had. So I think

39
00:04:54,320 --> 00:05:01,440
from a client perspective, knowing that what's come up for you, Bray, in terms of communication

40
00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:07,120
styles. Yeah, so we, with the clients that like to talk things out and stuff to and I feel like to

41
00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:12,240
sometimes things, you can text it and exact same words, but if you stay it either tone or something,

42
00:05:12,240 --> 00:05:16,560
it can just register differently too. So we also usually try to have a way where people do voice

43
00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:20,960
memos. So then if it's not something, you know, like they're thinking about it late at night,

44
00:05:20,960 --> 00:05:25,440
maybe don't want to lose the thought or whatever they can still send it to us through a voice

45
00:05:25,440 --> 00:05:30,560
memo or a different channel that way. So we like to have that as well. And one of the other

46
00:05:30,560 --> 00:05:36,640
things I like to consider with communication is, you know, like how how do they want to receive

47
00:05:36,640 --> 00:05:40,720
information? Like, is relationship building really important to them? Do they want to have

48
00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:44,880
as part of our agenda for our meeting that we spend the first five minutes checking in with each other?

49
00:05:44,880 --> 00:05:48,560
How's life? Because there's important information that comes from that too. Oh my goodness,

50
00:05:48,560 --> 00:05:52,720
you know, like there's a family emergency or you're not been feeling well, well, that makes sense

51
00:05:52,720 --> 00:05:57,040
why I didn't get this information. It kind of brings a little bit more human into it as well.

52
00:05:57,040 --> 00:06:01,440
And but some people that they're like, I don't have time for that. That's not part of how they're made.

53
00:06:01,440 --> 00:06:04,880
They want to have more of an action-based, like, okay, let's go through the agenda.

54
00:06:04,880 --> 00:06:09,360
Here's what we need to talk about. Here's our next steps. Thank you very much, A&X week.

55
00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:13,840
Whatever that is. And some people don't need a weekly meeting. Some people want it every two

56
00:06:13,840 --> 00:06:19,520
weeks or once a month, so knowing how much that means to look for you and that it can be adjusted.

57
00:06:19,520 --> 00:06:24,960
I find in the beginning we need more regular meetings to kind of get into that workflow, to get that

58
00:06:24,960 --> 00:06:29,280
no light contrast thing going on. And to find out those tasks and those things that come up in

59
00:06:29,280 --> 00:06:34,160
conversations that you may not have thought about. And kind of once you get that flow, maybe it is

60
00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:38,480
only every two weeks or once a month where we can be like, okay, let's do a roundup. This is what's

61
00:06:38,480 --> 00:06:43,200
coming up. But then again, that's like in a what, a evolution thing and kind of just checking in

62
00:06:43,200 --> 00:06:48,480
with each other to see where everybody's at and what expectations are around how you want to

63
00:06:48,480 --> 00:06:56,720
receive information. Yeah. I think it's important to note like you said evolution, but I also

64
00:06:56,720 --> 00:07:03,760
feel like it's important to know where you are starting from when you're having that initial call,

65
00:07:03,760 --> 00:07:09,840
because working with the VA, working with a client, you learn those things as you go.

66
00:07:09,840 --> 00:07:17,600
But in the beginning, you might feel like, oh, if I ask for a weekly meeting, it's too much,

67
00:07:18,400 --> 00:07:25,760
or my budget doesn't allow it because I only have five hours and if we meet every week,

68
00:07:25,760 --> 00:07:33,200
that's four of the five hours. But if it's important to establish that you need that

69
00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:38,320
needed. And there are valuable things that come out of those conversations, right? Like,

70
00:07:38,320 --> 00:07:42,480
do you want to review process? What are your time or turnaround expectations? Like, those things

71
00:07:42,480 --> 00:07:47,680
all matter to or making sure you don't feel in some people don't want to know that part either.

72
00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:52,000
And that's okay too. So understanding those pieces and the communication. Yeah.

73
00:07:52,640 --> 00:07:56,960
For communication, most of most of the time I let the client decide how they're going to communicate

74
00:07:56,960 --> 00:08:04,240
with me. So I kind of morph into what they're looking for. Here, comment about all caps and the subject

75
00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:11,840
line. I had a client to ended every sentence with two explanation points. The entire email

76
00:08:11,840 --> 00:08:17,360
to us every time. I'm like, what the heck? As you try to make a point? Is it, you know, as you're like,

77
00:08:17,360 --> 00:08:21,680
this is a, it was just how he wrote. And it was one of the things that what's I learned that's how

78
00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:26,960
he wrote is like, okay, whatever. I'm fine. But at the beginning, why are there so many of these

79
00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:34,560
estimation points? I barely started working with the person. So learning that part of things, especially

80
00:08:34,560 --> 00:08:40,720
in writing the way people write. Some people like to use really high-end words to explain something

81
00:08:40,720 --> 00:08:46,960
that's real, until they basically can be used in much shorter words. Once you figure that out,

82
00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:51,840
if you don't have the vocabulary, they do, you got a problem. You know, it's like, okay, you know,

83
00:08:51,840 --> 00:08:59,440
you need to bring your speech down to my level or I need to walk around the source or dictionary.

84
00:08:59,440 --> 00:09:05,920
So, you copy the paragraph and you put it in chat, GPT. Exactly. You need to run with that.

85
00:09:05,920 --> 00:09:12,720
I have helped a lot with that kind of stuff. But knowing where your client is, if they are an academic

86
00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:17,840
type person, if they're a PhD and this is the level they speak at, that you have a hard time understanding

87
00:09:17,840 --> 00:09:25,200
that, that may not be a good match for you. So, it goes the other way too. If you are a younger

88
00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:32,560
VA and you are talking to an older client, that speech pattern is different too. So you have to make

89
00:09:32,560 --> 00:09:39,440
sure you understand what they're saying, which I think Sydney was trying to get to was, you got

90
00:09:39,440 --> 00:09:43,520
to talk the same language. And if you don't talk the same language, you may not be a good fit.

91
00:09:43,520 --> 00:09:50,880
Somebody's going to have to adjust or they have to find somebody else. So, as far as communication

92
00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:55,680
modes, I just go to whatever they want to work with. They want to go to Slack or, you know,

93
00:09:55,680 --> 00:10:00,880
Discord or please not Discord. But if you want to search or any of those other methods,

94
00:10:00,880 --> 00:10:06,880
you know, I have one that sends everything through messenger on Facebook. I'm like really,

95
00:10:06,880 --> 00:10:13,360
okay fine, you know, as long as I can figure out what they want, I can work with that,

96
00:10:14,480 --> 00:10:20,800
but not everybody can do that. Not every VA works that way. And then the biggest one is language,

97
00:10:20,800 --> 00:10:27,200
because I'm sorry if I have to plug a dictionary to figure out your sentences, we're not a good match.

98
00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:41,440
I'm like, I'm just imagining you, especially AI, just going out of time to look this up. I'm just going to

99
00:10:42,480 --> 00:10:47,760
summarize. Oh, language for a second grader, please.

100
00:10:47,760 --> 00:10:57,520
Some other things to think about in communication. It's not just that every day, communication,

101
00:10:58,240 --> 00:11:04,080
but how do you communicate anger or disappointment, like when mistakes happen?

102
00:11:05,200 --> 00:11:10,960
And how do you work through those? Are you open to having the conversation and giving a benefit of

103
00:11:10,960 --> 00:11:17,600
the doubt or are you a one and done? It's over. Having worked through some of those things will help

104
00:11:17,600 --> 00:11:27,520
you in terms of asking the questions or hearing the answers, one of the kind of talks with you.

105
00:11:27,520 --> 00:11:36,320
So, communication styles, knowing yours, and being able to communicate it during the getting to

106
00:11:36,320 --> 00:11:47,120
know your process. Personality styles, I have a 30-minute discovery call because I think it's important

107
00:11:47,120 --> 00:11:57,040
to know, do we like each other? Can I listen to you, speak? Do we get along? I'm very relational.

108
00:11:57,040 --> 00:12:03,600
I like to be friendly with my clients. I want to know about their life because, like you said,

109
00:12:03,600 --> 00:12:09,200
brain, like, they can impact the working relationship. If there's always family emergencies,

110
00:12:10,080 --> 00:12:21,280
be nice to know that. But I think knowing do you want somebody who's fun? Someone who's serious.

111
00:12:21,280 --> 00:12:30,160
I'm kind of extroverted on the phone and on Zoom, but I realize like shy people intimidate me

112
00:12:30,160 --> 00:12:37,120
because until it gets to know them, right? Because you don't know, are you angry? Are you happy?

113
00:12:38,800 --> 00:12:44,400
If they have the check-inaurus, like all their expressions are the same,

114
00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:52,240
I can't. I can't. I need to know. But somebody might look at me and be like,

115
00:12:52,240 --> 00:13:00,960
you are too boisterous. This is not going to work, right? Kind of thing. And then like, I think

116
00:13:00,960 --> 00:13:07,200
knowing like, if you want to become friends or if you're just co-workers, are you the get-rich

117
00:13:07,200 --> 00:13:13,680
quick-type or do you kind of go with the flow? And you want to grow your business organically? Do

118
00:13:13,680 --> 00:13:21,440
you micromanage? Are you micro-int, like, do you need to have a drain on everything? Because these kinds of

119
00:13:21,440 --> 00:13:29,120
things, if you know them upfront, then you can find somebody who fits that. What do you guys look for

120
00:13:29,120 --> 00:13:35,200
or think about in terms of personality styles? I think one of the things I look for is someone who

121
00:13:35,600 --> 00:13:41,440
is more relaxed in their style of speaking and you know, they understand there's a bit of

122
00:13:41,440 --> 00:13:48,000
the interest in this is a world outside their business. And so I've had the clients that are

123
00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:51,840
everything's, everybody's looking at business. So I have to do this right now. I know my goodness

124
00:13:51,840 --> 00:13:57,840
I'm like, wow, okay, not everybody's looking at your business every second of the day. And let's

125
00:13:57,840 --> 00:14:03,600
you know, bring it down to notch. I know the person who's that type, I can't work with. I just,

126
00:14:03,600 --> 00:14:09,520
I can't. It's too much for me. I like to think I can work with a bunch of different types of people,

127
00:14:10,240 --> 00:14:15,840
but I've learned over the years that that type A really go-go-go-go-go-go-go-go-go, micro-manage,

128
00:14:15,840 --> 00:14:22,560
or not my kind of thing. And I think I'm more like you, Rachel, I was like, I want kind of

129
00:14:22,560 --> 00:14:27,280
relationship. I kind of want to know what's going on. Are they married? Do they have kids? Is there

130
00:14:28,240 --> 00:14:35,200
something else besides how their business is doing? Because every human, you don't want just

131
00:14:35,200 --> 00:14:41,920
the business face because that's too easy to just shut off. And I don't, I want to care about my clients.

132
00:14:41,920 --> 00:14:47,600
If it's just a business, I don't necessarily care about it because it's a business. It's not a

133
00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:54,000
person with a business. If that makes sense. Yeah. I find I'm similar. Like I

134
00:14:54,720 --> 00:14:58,080
permeate, I like to really connect with the people. Like I feel like I emotionally invest in our

135
00:14:58,080 --> 00:15:02,800
work as well. Like I love that relationship. I love getting to, in fact, I am currently working

136
00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:07,440
from a client house as I'm here visiting with them. Like even though there's a lot of my clients,

137
00:15:07,440 --> 00:15:11,840
don't live in my hometown. I like to try and connect with them in person if I'm able to as well.

138
00:15:12,640 --> 00:15:17,360
So those kind of relationship things are important to me and feeling their passion. Like,

139
00:15:17,360 --> 00:15:20,480
like, Leon was saying, like, are they passionate about what they do? Are they passionate about

140
00:15:20,480 --> 00:15:25,280
what they, you know, what do we have similar interests and things outside of what we're doing

141
00:15:25,280 --> 00:15:29,040
in here that also helps us relate and understand each other on a different level.

142
00:15:30,560 --> 00:15:36,240
Those kinds of things are important to me. And also, so what you were saying, Rachel, like, are they

143
00:15:36,240 --> 00:15:41,040
and, and Leon, like, are they looking for, like, quick turnaround times and everything's urgent?

144
00:15:41,040 --> 00:15:45,680
And everything's like, okay, so I just realized this needs to come up tomorrow. I mean, those things happen.

145
00:15:45,680 --> 00:15:50,720
And, you know, here and there that happens, it's cool, it's help you out. But if it's consistently,

146
00:15:50,720 --> 00:15:54,720
like, hey, we said three weeks ago, we were going to do a newsletter. I still don't have the

147
00:15:54,720 --> 00:15:59,760
things from you. It's due in two days and it's supposed to go out. Like, I can't deal with

148
00:15:59,760 --> 00:16:04,320
that. I like to have buffer. I like to like, how can we plan ahead? How can we have everything

149
00:16:04,320 --> 00:16:07,920
at least a week ahead? So there's time for that review process. Make sure everything set up.

150
00:16:07,920 --> 00:16:12,400
Tech, test out the tech, that kind of thing. I don't like living in that last minute and

151
00:16:12,400 --> 00:16:17,760
anxiety so that's something for me as well that I have discovered. So knowing that, you know,

152
00:16:17,760 --> 00:16:22,800
if clients are leaving things to last minute to that out, that doesn't work for me. But there are

153
00:16:22,800 --> 00:16:27,120
there are times, there are things that come up that that's, it's if it's not a consistent thing,

154
00:16:27,120 --> 00:16:30,800
then that's something we can work around. And I do try to be flexible in a lot of the ways

155
00:16:30,800 --> 00:16:35,040
that we do work. Like, we use a few different platforms and stuff. And if it's like this platform

156
00:16:35,040 --> 00:16:38,800
doesn't work for you, how can we adjust so we can still have communication, have a news that

157
00:16:38,800 --> 00:16:43,600
everybody can work in. We try to limit it so it's not too broad. So it's like out of these three

158
00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:49,120
which can we pick? But we do try to make it feel like there's a lot of flexibility in that as well

159
00:16:49,120 --> 00:16:52,960
for how do you need to receive information, how do you need to receive or project their

160
00:16:52,960 --> 00:17:00,880
acting like that? I will say around that if a client, if you as a client are

161
00:17:02,320 --> 00:17:11,600
currently operating at that last minute, kind of energy frequency, what it's something you're wanting

162
00:17:11,600 --> 00:17:17,280
to change, that's not what we're talking about. We're talking about the people who thrive in that

163
00:17:17,280 --> 00:17:24,320
last minute space and don't want to change. Just so be clear because a lot of my clients come to

164
00:17:24,320 --> 00:17:28,800
me because they're constantly in that last minute because they don't have systems and things in

165
00:17:28,800 --> 00:17:34,320
place. And that's what we do. We help you set that up. But if you're not wanting to set that up,

166
00:17:34,320 --> 00:17:41,360
that's a different place to be. And there are people that would work with that. There are, yeah,

167
00:17:41,360 --> 00:17:49,760
not me. We're not a back and call girl, but yeah, Sydney. Yeah, I think the

168
00:17:51,120 --> 00:17:58,240
personality is, are you extroverted or you introverted? But I think it's, it also ties into a lot

169
00:17:58,240 --> 00:18:04,960
about how you run your business, right? And is the way that you run your business? Is that

170
00:18:04,960 --> 00:18:11,520
compatible with the way that a VA is running their business? Right? I think that personality really

171
00:18:11,520 --> 00:18:17,280
determines if those puzzle pieces are going to fit because I think that how your personality

172
00:18:17,280 --> 00:18:24,320
also determines your communication style and your personality determines what tasks you're going

173
00:18:24,320 --> 00:18:30,240
to find most important, how you're going to react when something doesn't go the way you expected to.

174
00:18:30,240 --> 00:18:36,240
Because I mean, that's going to happen. Like, it's a business. And I think knowing that doing that

175
00:18:36,240 --> 00:18:45,360
introspection to look at like, okay, in my business, I tend to do this, this and this. And I think

176
00:18:45,360 --> 00:18:49,920
it's, and I know that Rachel has talked about this before. It's knowing those patterns, knowing those

177
00:18:49,920 --> 00:18:58,080
systems. I think we'll make it a lot smoother to hand off things. And also to just have a working

178
00:18:58,080 --> 00:19:07,040
relationship with a VA. I also think under personality is leadership styles are because it kind of

179
00:19:07,040 --> 00:19:13,680
is that my commandant or go with the flow, but I also feel like this has come up with a couple of

180
00:19:13,680 --> 00:19:21,280
clients. They have an expectation that a VA is just going to know what to do and they don't have

181
00:19:21,280 --> 00:19:31,840
to lead in any way, but it depends on how much you know your business and can verbalize and communicate

182
00:19:31,840 --> 00:19:39,520
the things I think leadership has an element in there as well. All right, time availability.

183
00:19:40,400 --> 00:19:47,920
So the joint of being a VA, that's a flexible job. And most of us have created the business

184
00:19:47,920 --> 00:19:58,400
to have the flexibility for our own lives, family, business. So since a VA is not an employee,

185
00:19:59,280 --> 00:20:05,760
they're available work hours may differ from yours. And is it important to you

186
00:20:06,720 --> 00:20:12,080
that they're available during your work hours? Or are you okay with them working on your stuff?

187
00:20:12,080 --> 00:20:18,400
Whenever they get to it, that's a question to have. Do you work two emergencies?

188
00:20:19,440 --> 00:20:24,480
And do you need some one ready at any time because as we discussed, we're not that.

189
00:20:25,120 --> 00:20:29,440
But there are people who are. So if you know that that is your tendency,

190
00:20:30,080 --> 00:20:35,840
then that's what you want to look for. And since VA is can work anywhere, we talked about domestic

191
00:20:35,840 --> 00:20:41,600
and overseas and however you're listening, that could be either side of the pond.

192
00:20:42,880 --> 00:20:49,040
Is it important that you're VA is in your time zone or that they have work hours that match

193
00:20:49,840 --> 00:20:56,320
your time zone? And can you work within their time zone or their working times?

194
00:20:57,680 --> 00:21:04,000
What other things do you consider for time availability? I think that for me,

195
00:21:04,000 --> 00:21:12,160
time availability is huge because I'm a college student. And so any client that I'm going to work with

196
00:21:12,640 --> 00:21:19,040
could know, like first and foremost, like I am a college student. And I think that also goes

197
00:21:19,920 --> 00:21:26,240
for like how many times do you want to meet per week? And how far ahead are you going to give

198
00:21:26,240 --> 00:21:32,080
me what I need different as a project? Because if I don't get what I need in time,

199
00:21:32,080 --> 00:21:38,800
there's a higher likelihood that I just can't get to clean it all because I have assignments

200
00:21:38,800 --> 00:21:48,480
and classes and everything like that in my day-to-day life. I think also for me, I work weekends.

201
00:21:48,480 --> 00:21:57,360
Like weekends are when I do the things that I do for my business. And if a client would want me to work

202
00:21:57,360 --> 00:22:04,800
weekdays, I think that would definitely be a challenge. And that would definitely be something that

203
00:22:04,800 --> 00:22:10,640
we would have to figure out. For different people depending on what they have going on outside of their

204
00:22:10,640 --> 00:22:19,600
life, for some VA's, their business is the thing that they do. Right? For other VA's, their business

205
00:22:19,600 --> 00:22:26,960
is only one of the many things that they do. And so knowing that can be important when

206
00:22:26,960 --> 00:22:31,600
you're looking for a VA, I think too that's where the time available ability goes along with

207
00:22:31,600 --> 00:22:37,120
that turnaround time expectation. Right? So like if you're looking for things that are going to be

208
00:22:37,120 --> 00:22:42,000
done in the next day, is that person working hours going to be, and is that an arrangement that

209
00:22:42,000 --> 00:22:46,560
you've made that it's like if I give it to you by the morning, then you have it to me by the next day

210
00:22:46,960 --> 00:22:52,400
morning or whatever that expectation is. Right? And then I find that the time zones is a really

211
00:22:52,400 --> 00:22:57,600
big thing for me and my clients and stuff too, like making sure like if the earliest I want to do

212
00:22:57,600 --> 00:23:02,800
a meeting is at nine o'clock, a mountain time. And I have Eastern clients, but 11 am, it was the

213
00:23:02,800 --> 00:23:07,040
earliest that they could have a meeting, isn't going to align with their working, then that might

214
00:23:07,040 --> 00:23:11,840
become a problem as well. Right? So knowing what your hours are, what their other persons' hours

215
00:23:11,840 --> 00:23:18,960
are, and if it's something that can work with the turnaround expectation as well as those connection

216
00:23:18,960 --> 00:23:25,280
points and also for communication, right? Like if I'm still working at three o'clock in the afternoon

217
00:23:25,280 --> 00:23:29,600
and I'm sending you a voice memo, is there a way where you don't have to hear it till the next day

218
00:23:29,600 --> 00:23:33,840
because you're now trying to turn off? That's also important too, right? For as business owners,

219
00:23:33,840 --> 00:23:38,160
sometimes we forget that's like having that turn off time is important so that's where we like to

220
00:23:38,160 --> 00:23:43,360
try and lose something like slacker or an app like that where you can set the hours where it doesn't

221
00:23:43,360 --> 00:23:48,560
notify you and we'll just know that we're putting it here for when you do have your work hours,

222
00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:53,760
but it's not a lost spot. So are there ways to work around that too so that it's not when they're

223
00:23:53,760 --> 00:23:59,840
on their off hours and we're still working that there's feeling like you can't turn off? Yeah,

224
00:24:00,320 --> 00:24:06,000
and it can work the other way too because like when I had clients on like I almost all my clients

225
00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:12,960
are East Coast clients and I'm Pacific, so you know they've been up for three hours before I

226
00:24:12,960 --> 00:24:20,240
even get into the office and so it's great because I can work and I can work until five o'clock

227
00:24:20,240 --> 00:24:27,280
my time and I don't expect responses from them but the responses are usually there in the morning

228
00:24:27,280 --> 00:24:34,400
when I come back to start so yeah it can work both ways like it can be good or bad depending on

229
00:24:34,400 --> 00:24:40,400
yeah there's definitely benefits to it. I think it goes with communication to is being upfront about it all.

230
00:24:40,400 --> 00:24:46,640
Yeah in our contract we actually have that communications will be over like responded to within

231
00:24:46,640 --> 00:24:52,160
24 to 48 hours. Generally we get to the same day or whatever but there is that buffer should

232
00:24:52,160 --> 00:24:56,400
somebody be sick or whatever else like just to know and so that's something that we stipulated

233
00:24:56,400 --> 00:25:00,400
communicating to with our clients but some people might not be okay with that kind of thing as well too.

234
00:25:00,400 --> 00:25:07,360
Yeah, I think you mentioned contracts when we were brainstorming desk and we're going to get to that

235
00:25:07,360 --> 00:25:16,640
as a broader topic but I think having that the time expectation and availability in your

236
00:25:16,640 --> 00:25:22,320
contract that you can kind of go back to like you know I'm generally in the office from this time

237
00:25:22,320 --> 00:25:30,640
to this time and anything that happens all-four's is a benefit not a norm right kind of thing

238
00:25:30,640 --> 00:25:38,560
but it is that setting the expectations and I think contracts are usually worth that is and in the

239
00:25:38,560 --> 00:25:45,440
conversation. Leanne you got in. I think you guys covered almost everything I think the biggest

240
00:25:45,440 --> 00:25:51,280
part is as long as you communicate what you expect and they communicate what they expect.

241
00:25:52,000 --> 00:25:55,760
There should be a pretty good you know you should be able to make sure you have a good fit.

242
00:25:55,760 --> 00:26:02,160
Time zones always a there was looked at as a negative but it's a great point out it could be a benefit

243
00:26:02,160 --> 00:26:07,040
you know she or East Coast clients just extended their workday by three hours and they're not actually

244
00:26:07,040 --> 00:26:14,080
doing the work. So you know those kinds of things work well. One of the things I've noticed especially

245
00:26:14,080 --> 00:26:19,920
when Sydney was talking about the she's college kid she's got classes and things like that

246
00:26:19,920 --> 00:26:27,120
some VA's and I know when my kids were much little or I had like the middle part of my day was

247
00:26:27,120 --> 00:26:32,400
not an option because I was making up children and dropping them off at things and all that kind

248
00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:37,280
of stuff so I worked in the morning and then I had a big gap and then work at night and as long

249
00:26:37,280 --> 00:26:42,480
as my clients knew that they were okay it was the ones that either weren't listening or I told them

250
00:26:42,480 --> 00:26:48,320
or weren't okay with it where we started to have the problems. So it definitely it's a communication

251
00:26:48,320 --> 00:26:55,120
thing but VA's we set up our business based on what we need so my kids are now adults I

252
00:26:55,120 --> 00:27:01,040
don't have the gap in the middle of the day that has to come out but it has moved as they've gotten

253
00:27:01,040 --> 00:27:04,800
you know they were very young I started it was I used to work around nap times.

254
00:27:05,520 --> 00:27:12,960
Yeah it's like I only worked at nap times but you know as they got bigger and I have bigger gaps

255
00:27:13,520 --> 00:27:18,240
and as long as a client stands up for what support for them the VA stands up for what support

256
00:27:18,240 --> 00:27:27,120
for them themselves it'll work but only if you communicate so yeah and if you're honest with yourself

257
00:27:27,120 --> 00:27:34,320
exactly because I think a lot of times you can go and like yeah sure no problem it'll work

258
00:27:34,320 --> 00:27:42,640
out just fine and then you realize oh I didn't know I had that as a need yep yeah and maybe

259
00:27:42,640 --> 00:27:46,960
having a like a game plan should there be things to come up how do we want to discuss it like if

260
00:27:46,960 --> 00:27:51,040
you have that game plan where there's issues beforehand on how you want to communicate around it

261
00:27:51,040 --> 00:27:55,280
it kind of takes away that how do I bring it up or I just don't bring it up and then we just don't

262
00:27:55,280 --> 00:27:58,960
work together anymore where it could have just been a simple conversation but I think having that in

263
00:27:58,960 --> 00:28:03,360
place as well like you know let's try this out and you know let's check in in a month and see if

264
00:28:03,360 --> 00:28:06,800
there's any problems or if there's something that comes up beforehand please let me know be back

265
00:28:06,800 --> 00:28:11,680
so we learn that kind of conversation helps with those kind of moments too yeah and that's come that's

266
00:28:11,680 --> 00:28:22,960
communication it's like a relationship you guys the VA client relationship is like a relationship right

267
00:28:22,960 --> 00:28:30,240
if you don't communicate things start to fall apart so remember that part all right we're going to

268
00:28:30,240 --> 00:28:38,880
shift into security needs and then we'll wrap up um security needs many times a VA is

269
00:28:38,880 --> 00:28:48,640
privy to important and sensitive or confidential information so if that is part of your business then

270
00:28:48,640 --> 00:28:57,280
you need to think about your specific needs around security do you need a non-disclosure agreement

271
00:28:57,280 --> 00:29:06,240
as part of your contract through the VA to work on your projects you know some VA's work off

272
00:29:06,240 --> 00:29:13,600
their dining room table or used to um with their computers and full of you of family and kids

273
00:29:13,600 --> 00:29:20,080
is that going to cause issues if a family member is walking by and sees them working on your stuff

274
00:29:20,080 --> 00:29:29,760
you know up until up until September I shared my office with family all different family so I

275
00:29:29,760 --> 00:29:37,840
didn't have the luxury of locking the door and having things where people couldn't get to it now

276
00:29:37,840 --> 00:29:45,200
I have a shop at my own door yeah with a lock sorry get very excited about that piece um but is that

277
00:29:45,840 --> 00:29:51,440
like my clients I was very afirm with them my kid you know because I started when my kids were

278
00:29:51,440 --> 00:29:56,640
young so they were always around so I couldn't I couldn't work with clients who needed

279
00:29:56,640 --> 00:30:05,120
security type of things now that I've put systems in place and and their their adults now too

280
00:30:05,120 --> 00:30:12,480
they've out you know they've outgrown the what's my working on stage um you know but I still

281
00:30:13,120 --> 00:30:18,640
for my comfort level I don't work with clients that have really strict security needs

282
00:30:18,640 --> 00:30:25,760
probably because for so long it wasn't an option what do you talk about when it comes to security

283
00:30:25,760 --> 00:30:31,600
I think for the most part because I've always had an office I haven't thought about you know what

284
00:30:32,000 --> 00:30:39,200
what people can see so much um my for security I always try to make sure that we're

285
00:30:40,080 --> 00:30:46,960
doing things as security spots will move through the internet so things like hey yes you need to

286
00:30:46,960 --> 00:30:52,400
give me a password how about don't put the username password and website on an email as you send it to me

287
00:30:52,400 --> 00:31:03,440
um yeah so you know those kinds of security things I lead the client more than let the client lead me

288
00:31:04,240 --> 00:31:08,960
only because that's how my brain works although I have had clients say you know this is highly

289
00:31:08,960 --> 00:31:14,400
confidential and I'm gonna give you you know a 20 step system you need to get through to get to whatever

290
00:31:14,400 --> 00:31:22,240
account it is I'm fine with that but I know some people aren't so it kind of depends on what

291
00:31:22,240 --> 00:31:28,560
everybody is comfortable with for me security one way the other is fine because I have my

292
00:31:28,560 --> 00:31:36,240
office I have for 20 something years that's fine but it's always say hey you know I don't want

293
00:31:36,240 --> 00:31:42,880
to be hearing our phone calls okay now I've got a problem nothing's some proof and it is still a home

294
00:31:42,880 --> 00:31:46,960
office so you know those kinds of things obviously I would have say okay I'm not the right person

295
00:31:46,960 --> 00:31:52,240
for you for that but you Brie I'm sure you you're pretty careful on your security stuff

296
00:31:53,200 --> 00:31:57,760
yeah we have password bolts and things and sometimes either we'll find ways to get the

297
00:31:57,760 --> 00:32:03,440
passwords from clients in a secure way and put them in ourselves or help set up a client so they have

298
00:32:03,440 --> 00:32:07,280
their own password bolt and can share it through us that way especially to something like I don't

299
00:32:07,280 --> 00:32:11,680
really want you to know the password but I want you to have access then we accommodate that as well

300
00:32:11,680 --> 00:32:18,560
we do have an on-disclosure in our contract I have worked with people who wanted in the

301
00:32:18,560 --> 00:32:25,440
additional one on top of that that we gladly will sign and make sure we adhere to and just

302
00:32:25,440 --> 00:32:30,320
as a general rule like we don't be like so so and so doing this or whatever if there's some

303
00:32:30,320 --> 00:32:34,320
ideas that we want to share it'll be more of like generalizations of things that we've learned

304
00:32:34,320 --> 00:32:41,120
that we've been testing and sharing information that way but never specific or things like that

305
00:32:41,120 --> 00:32:46,160
on other clients and that's kind of how we go about it I haven't really had other things come up

306
00:32:46,160 --> 00:32:51,280
like we have everything backed up on cloud they stuff and things like that so that everybody has

307
00:32:51,280 --> 00:32:58,000
access and her copies on some computers and things like that but other than that we haven't had any

308
00:32:58,000 --> 00:33:05,600
other needs that have come up on our world yet. Did anything come up for you? I think you guys covered

309
00:33:05,600 --> 00:33:13,040
it all I think for me it's the main security things is just like yeah like I'm getting user

310
00:33:13,040 --> 00:33:20,240
name and password so protecting that and making sure like okay like I'm on my personal account now

311
00:33:20,240 --> 00:33:26,160
I'm not on like a business someone else's business account you know using that all of that

312
00:33:26,160 --> 00:33:32,880
responsibly and again like I'm I'm a college student I bring like computer places because I'm

313
00:33:32,880 --> 00:33:41,600
going to class and stuff and so I think understanding that as like a lifestyle type piece and like

314
00:33:41,600 --> 00:33:48,720
who you're looking for is a virtual assistant it's good to keep in mind. Thank you I know we're going

315
00:33:48,720 --> 00:33:56,640
to talk about contracts but I kind of feel like that's its own episode so stay tuned and he last

316
00:33:56,640 --> 00:34:05,840
bit before we wrap up. I think the last piece that I had was knowing if it was important

317
00:34:06,640 --> 00:34:15,200
to you to have a VA that's very passionate about your business and maybe has like like a hobby

318
00:34:15,200 --> 00:34:21,280
that's like in line with your business and it's like like very like understanding and the no

319
00:34:21,280 --> 00:34:27,200
like if that's important to you or if it's not important to you I think that all virtual

320
00:34:27,200 --> 00:34:35,600
assistants will respect the businesses that they work with as professionalism but if you want like

321
00:34:35,600 --> 00:34:41,760
an extra layer of like that like this virtual assistant as like interest outside of their business

322
00:34:41,760 --> 00:34:46,560
and your business happens to align with that like if that's important to you or if it's just kind

323
00:34:46,560 --> 00:34:52,320
of a cherry on top I think that would also be something to think about. And I think I think these

324
00:34:52,320 --> 00:35:02,240
can tend to niche into areas that they are equally passionate about so you know finding if

325
00:35:03,680 --> 00:35:11,040
if the VA is passionate about the business that you're doing I think that's a plus that is our

326
00:35:11,040 --> 00:35:18,480
episode for things to consider beyond your task list. If you have any questions you can email us at

327
00:35:18,480 --> 00:35:28,880
hey VA podcast at gmail.com or use the link tree to connect with any one of us individually and we

328
00:35:28,880 --> 00:35:37,760
will see you at the next episode. So thank you so much for joining us for this episode. We are wrapping

329
00:35:37,760 --> 00:35:46,800
up for our summer vacation but please subscribe on your favorite podcast channel or on YouTube to be

330
00:35:46,800 --> 00:35:54,000
reminded of when we come back and we will see you soon. Thank you for joining us on this episode of

331
00:35:54,000 --> 00:36:01,040
hey do I need a VA the podcast. If you found this episode helpful please leave a like, comment or review

332
00:36:01,040 --> 00:36:07,040
and feel free to join our Facebook group find higher and work with a VA for more tips and tools.

333
00:36:07,040 --> 00:36:14,080
If you have any questions please email them to hey VA podcast at gmail.com. We'll see you next time.