Solo professionals often bite off just more than they can chew. They do this because they want to succeed. I think that if they take on a little bit more, they will do more and, therefore, succeed more. Stop spreading yourself too thin and get the help you need.
They often forget that they can’t do everything. Everyone is an expert at something, but no-one is an expert at everything. Solo professional doesn’t need to mean “lone wolf”. If you are not good at something, get someone else to do it. Your clients will appreciate that the work is done well and not just completed.
Solo professionals tend to focus on too many things at once. The old phrase, “do one thing, and do it well” comes to mind. If need be, get a virtual assistant to help you mange your greatest resource – your time. A good VA can weed out those time wasting emails and voicemails. They can help you prioritize your schedule and help give you the time to spend on your area of expertise.
Solo professionals can have a habit of mixing business with pleasure. Sometimes it is difficult to keep a handle on your own finances and keep your personal money separate from your business money. Hire a virtual assistant who specializes in bookkeeping and get them to help you budget and plan how and where you spend your money. They can also handle the “divorce” of your personal and business finances.
Solo professionals are great at what they do and they get paid accordingly. They can also have more expenses than a professional that is in a partnership or firm. Hiring a virtual assistant is more cost effective for the solo professional than hiring in-house administrative assistance. Since the VA is private contractor with their own office, you don’t have to put out money for more space, equipment, health benefits, and other employee related costs. Also, since a virtual assistant is only paid for the time that they work for you, there is no money lost to long lunch breaks, personal calls, or even sick days.
If you are a solo professional, and if you need some help, consider hiring a virtual assistant to partner with you for your success. You will be glad you did.
To find out more about virtual assistants and how they can help you as a solo professional take a look at [http://www.righthandmanva.com] or http://right-hand-man.blogspot.com
Darrell A. Williams is the owner of Right-Hand-Man Virtual Assistant Services – a Multi-VA team practice. Darrell has over 7 years experience in the administrative support field. He has worked for non-profit organizations in Canada, the US and the UK. He has also worked as an event planner and personal assistant. Darrell has not only been self-employed, but has also held management positions in several companies and has worked in private sales contracting. Through our commitment of constant educ