She's Got This: A Journey to Success

Shelby Joines
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This podcast will go over how to succeed as a small business in Alberta. Geared towards female business owners and entrepreneurs, we will be discussing tips and tricks for business, how Virtual Assistants can benefit your small business, and interviews with female business owners/entrepreneurs.

  1. 12/20/2023

    Reducing your Small Business Carbon Footprint

    In this episode, Shelby highlights the importance of adopting an environmentally friendly approach to day-to-day business operations. She shares insights on how businesses of all sizes can work more proactively and efficiently to reduce their carbon footprint. From reducing energy consumption in buildings and reducing carbon emissions through transportation, Shelby also discusses the benefit of working with suppliers who follow eco-friendly practices. She emphasizes the need to embrace a business culture that prioritizes green practices at its core and suggests ways that businesses can align with organizations that work to nurture and protect the environment. Shelby outlines the benefits of remote working for employees to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that are the result of their daily commute. As a virtual assistant providing support to businesses, she outlines how her business also operates with a low carbon footprint by working remotely and using digital tools such as online document management systems, online file sharing, email, and digital invoicing. She encourages businesses to transition from paper-based processes to fully digital solutions and offers virtual assistance support in these and many other areas. -- Contact Shelby Joines | Joines Administration:  Website: JoinesAdministration.caLinkedIn: Joines AdministrationInstagram: @JoinesAdministrationFacebook: @JoinesAdministration-- Transcript: Shelby 00:07 Welcome back, everybody, to another episode of She's Got This: A Journey to Success. Thank you so much for being here. As always, I am so grateful for all my followers and listeners. If you haven't already, subscribe to this podcast on any of your favourite channels such as Apple podcast, Google podcast, Amazon music, or Spotify— whatever tickles your fancy, it would be greatly appreciated. Now, today's episode is going to be something that is really important, especially in today's economy, and the way that the world is moving in regards to greenhouse gas emissions, and businesses and companies that are really stepping up to reduce their carbon footprint. So buckle up, we're gonna be talking about some exciting initiatives and exciting ways where you can decrease your carbon footprint in your business, no matter what industry you are in.  Shelby 01:07 When you think of greenhouse gas emissions and carbon footprint and being green and helping the environment, what usually comes to mind? Personally, big corporations, corporations that deal more so in industries that require deforestation or oil and gas, logging, transportation supply chain, things of that matter. A lot of us automatically go directly to those big corporations, the ones that you hear about in the news. Those are the heavy hitters, personally, for me anyways, when I think of greenhouse gas, carbon emissions, things along those lines, there are multiple other areas that could probably come to your mind too. But as a small business owner, are you thinking about your carbon footprint when it comes to your operations? Probably not. This is one of those things that we may not be thinking about on a regular basis. We think this is something that bigger businesses can do. What can the smaller, littler guy be doing to make a big impact on the environment and help reduce their businesses or their company's carbon footprint? Now, this is going to be an exciting episode, because this is a topic that I've really gotten super interested in in the last couple of months. This is something where I feel like my business Joines Administration is really going to take strides in the administrative world when it comes to supporting businesses in reducing their carbon footprint.  Shelby 02:46 So today, we're going to be talking about all things that relate to that and how an administrator that is virtual such as Joines Administration, can support your business when it comes to helping you reduce your carbon footprint. So, to start off, what is a carbon footprint? This is something and a word and a topic that gets thrown around so much, whether it's media, social media, the news, you name it, it is everywhere. But really, what is it?  Shelby 03:29 So, a carbon footprint is the measurement of the total amount of greenhouse gases emitted directly and indirectly by a person, organization, event or product. It is usually expressed in the equivalent tons of carbon dioxide or CO2. Now, a lot of people think that when it comes to carbon footprints or greenhouse gas emissions, or whatever the word that you may want to use means, they are very interchangeable. We think about businesses that have a product, sell a product, a physical product that needs to be created, designed, packaged, shipped, and whether that shipping is via rail, trucks, boats, air freight, emissions are being let out into our environment. But there are ways where you can help reduce that and make more conscious decisions on where your business is going and how you can help reduce that carbon footprint. So why does knowing and understanding your business's carbon footprint matter?  Shelby 04:39 For one, it can help you avoid regulatory penalties. Now, these penalties more so come into the bigger industries I mentioned before, such as oil and gas, logging, trucking, things like that. But by proactively adopting eco-friendly practices, businesses can avoid potential fines and penalties that are associated with current environmental regulations. Now, here in Canada, we have the carbon tax, there are ways that you can reduce that if you are in a more product-based business, or one of the bigger industries that will receive penalties from regulatory and environmental regulatory platforms if they are not reducing in a certain timeframe. But as a business, you can make the conscious decisions to really look into your supply chain management, who is the company that you are using to ship your products from? Are they personally taking any initiatives to really reduce their carbon footprint and reduce the emissions that their business is taking. Doing research like this and making tweaks to service providers or vendors that you were using based on these items can help you save in the long run and help you do a little bit to help our environment. Another reason why it matters is you want to experience the long-term financial resilience. Now this can apply to any business, whether you’re product-based, service-based, you name it, digital-based anything.  Shelby 06:19 But sustainable business practices can lead to greater long-term financial resiliency, by mitigating your risks associated with resource scarcity and climate change impacts. Now, when it comes to reducing your carbon footprint and becoming more eco-friendly as a business, it is not a race. It is definitely 100% a marathon, and this is something that you constantly have to be building on, evolving with, and helping to grow long term. But by taking these steps now early in your business, or just at any point in your business, just starting with it, you will, in turn, be able to see long-term financial gains from this in the long run by making tiny tweaks and adjustments to the way you operate now. So, what contributes to your carbon footprint? Other than the obvious things that you can, maybe be thinking of right now, I'm sure one or two are probably coming to mind. But from an administrative standpoint, what can contribute to your carbon footprint are things like commuting and business travel. So, frequent business travel, especially by air, can greatly increase a company's carbon footprint. You can consider having more Zoom meetings, digital meetings, things along those lines. Now, I'm not saying to completely stop meeting in person or anything like that, but being conscious and aware of how much you are actually travelling, what the distance you are travelling is, the method of transportation and taking those into effect and consideration, can really help lower your carbon footprint as a business owner. Shelby 08:06 Energy use in buildings and facilities— now this is another big one for people who are not so much on the virtual side but actually have real estate and office space where they go and are in-person, working all the time.  So offices, warehouses, and other business facilities consume a significant amount of energy for heating, cooling, lighting, and operation of equipment. Whether that is things that you plug in and you use on a daily basis, such as external hard drives, things like that, or if we're talking about more heavy operating equipment, such as compressors, or other tools that may run off of gasoline, diesel, whatever it may be, just being aware of how much you are using and consuming your energy in your buildings and your facilities can really make an impact. These can be tiny changes such as switching out your light bulbs to more energy efficient things, being aware of how many items you have plugged into outlets at any given time or power bars, making sure that any type of electronics that you may have, do have that energy efficient sticker on it. Little things like that, as well as the standard of making sure that you're doing your recycling and any kind of shared kitchens, doing your part on composting, things like that can really make a difference. And as I mentioned before, you also want to evaluate your supply chain operations.  Shelby 09:40 Now, the carbon footprint of a business is not limited to its direct operations but also includes the environmental impact of its supply chain. Now, as I mentioned before, this is how products or services or anything like that is shipped, whether that's again trains, air, truck transportation, boats, you name it, being able to evaluate who your supply chain operators are, and seeing what they are doing to offset their carbon footprint will in turn benefit your business's carbon footprint as well. Shelby 10:13 Business practices and culture— this is one of t

    20 min

  2. 12/06/2023

    Virtual Assistants and Momentrepreneurs wtih Brittany Ashley

    It’s hard work being a momentrepreneur, and in this episode, Shelby welcomes entrepreneur and strategic business coach Brittney Ashley to the studio. Brittney discusses how she helps clients deal with the all too familiar imposter syndrome that many women suffer from as they begin their journey into entrepreneurship. They also discuss the reasons they started their businesses and the challenges they faced working at a 9 to 5 job while raising a family.  Brittney suggests that companies offer flexible working options, including hybrid or work-from-home models, to allow employees to balance work with family commitments. In her own business, she provides work-at-home opportunities for Canadian women, employing a team that works from coast to coast.  As the owner of Creative Dynamics Virtual Services, Brittney understands the need for entrepreneurs to outsource tasks so they can focus on growing their businesses and also benefit from a better work-life balance. She assigns her clients an online business manager whose skills are matched to their specific needs. To save time and streamline processes, Brittney is also a proponent of automating tasks wherever possible through CRM tools such as Dubsado or Moxie, which are invaluable for her business.  About Brittney Ashley Brittney Ashley is the founder of Creative Dynamics Virtual Services, a virtual service agency offering specialized services to business owners. Her team consists of virtual assistants, online business managers, CRM specialists, marketing experts, and graphic designers who support business owners in taking their businesses to the next level and improving their lives.  Her journey to become an entrepreneur was sparked by the challenges of raising her children while managing a full-time career. Becoming an entrepreneur allowed her to manage both her career and home life successfully, and so she set up her company to empower fellow moms to work from home. Today, Brittney manages a highly-skilled,  all-woman team that provides exceptional service to their clients. Brittney is also certified as a Business Coach (ACC Accredited) and an Imposter Syndrome coach and works across various industries, including tech. ​ Resources discussed in this episode: DubsadoMoxie-- Contact Shelby Joines | Joines Administration:  Website: JoinesAdministration.caLinkedIn: Joines AdministrationInstagram: @JoinesAdministrationFacebook: @JoinesAdministrationContact Brittney Ashley | Creative Dynamics Virtual Services:  Website: https://www.creativedynamicsva.comLinkedIn: Creative Dynamics Virtual ServicesInstagram: @CreativeDynamicVirtual servicesFacebook: @CreativeDynamicVirtualServices-- Transcript:  Shelby 00:46 All right, and I am so excited for today. I have the wonderful, Brittney Ashley, of Creative Dynamics VA, or is it virtual assistants… sometimes you don't know if people actually just use the abbreviation or the full one.   Brittney  01:07 I know, Creative Dynamics for short, but it's a mouthful— Creative Dynamics Virtual Services.  Shelby 01:16 Awesome. Oh, love it. And she's here to talk about all things VA industry and the struggles that we go through with impostor syndrome on a daily basis, being entrepreneurs, mamapreneurs, female entrepreneurs, whatever you want to call us. But welcome, Brittany, thank you again. I've said this before we started recording so many times, I am so appreciative of you being here today and being our guest and talking on these super important topics with us. I am really looking forward to where this is going to go. It's always such a pleasure to be able to talk to other virtual and administrative personnel and staff, and workers. So, I am truly blessed to have you here. Thanks. Tell me a little bit about yourself and kind of what got you started on this career journey, where you've been, and all that good, fun story things.  Brittney 02:16 Yeah, well, Creative Dynamics started with the notion of helping mums work from home, and then it's just kind of built from that. But prior, I always joke that I was a hippie, because I couldn't figure out what I wanted to do in life. I came from like the tech, corporate world, it was just very toxic, not really understanding... like, I just felt like I never fit in. Even when I worked in a nine-to-five job, I just never understood why because I did all the things and some. And so, long story short, realized I was never meant to be a nine to five, because I work at 100,000 miles a minute and then get bored really fast. I have self-diagnosed with ADHD, and I do have dyslexia. So my neuro-diverse brain just can't, like, sustain… I'm not allowed to fit in a box, nor should anyone. So that's kind of how I started after my… I went on maternity leave with my daughter. And I realized that I was not happy. I tried to like break myself back into the norm because we're brought up to be told, like go to university, go work nine to five, and all was great. So I was following the trend of what we're supposed to do. And when I was after maternity leave, I just my part of my one brain would be like— you need to go work nine to five. And another side of me was like, I absolutely do not like it. So why am I keep on constantly putting this VA business that I kind of started on the side hustle… why do I keep pushing it off, keep pushing it off. And what actually kind of really pushed me more forward than anything was my stepdad passed. And I was like, You know what, life is too short. Let's just like jump in both feet, like right before COVID. Let's just jump in both feet and see what happens… two months after then COVID hit and I was like, well, I guess it's kind of good that I'm not in the… because I was in the I switched over the tech industry and started working more in the event industry and that went sideways. So yeah, I just felt like everything happened for a reason of my long journey to get me to how I built Crave Dynamics, but I wouldn't change it for the world because I feel that every lesson, like it helped me grow as a person and it's made me kind of who I am today. I'm also a certified business coach, imposter syndrome coach, and along my journey of building Creative Dynamics, like I mentioned that I hired mums to work from home. A lot of the mums that were coming to work with me were coming from a nine to five and struggling with that, that switch and feeling like they weren't good enough to work with clients even though they worked with big corporations and/or in the tech industry. So I ended up realizing I had to be more of a coach/mentor with them, and even work on impostor syndrome, as well, to kind of get some of them to where they are today, and not taking all the credit, because they're the ones who put themselves out there to… assist if they need it.   Shelby 05:17 Ah, and that's so beautiful. And I really feel like the virtual world is such an amazing place, especially for moms that are looking to make that switch. I know, it's, personally, I'm a single mom, for the most part. So I can totally relate to that fear of taking those skills from your nine-to-five corporate kind of service position, and actually, switching gears into being your own boss going out on your own, taking the skills and things you've learned and applying them for yourself is scary, especially because there goes your security financially as well, you don't have that either monthly salary or bi-weekly paycheck constantly coming in, then you're really having to hustle and open up all these other windows and doors to kind of lead you down these paths to success, but no, that is such a great thing to hear that you're in that space to be able to mentor and kind of coach other women through that little phase of— this is something I really want to do, but I'm scared to take that first step into actually doing something for me that will then benefit my family, my household, whatever it may be. But what got you into that kind of coaching? Do you do kind of have some background education that you went and took with that as well? Or…  Brittney 06:49 Yeah, so I went through a certified coaching program, which made you a certified business coach. And so it was a very intensive program. And then I'm also went through the ICF, as well. So I'm like international, federally, whichever they would like, a lot of people don't really know a lot of… my journey, I really pushed very hard, I'm the kind of person that goes big or go home kind of mentality. And then I actually wrote my paper, my final paper on like kind of what I was building and kind of the symptoms of imposter syndrome and all that, and so I end up doing a lot of research, and I stumbled upon Dr. Valerie Young, who I took my imposter syndrome course seeing with and if you research her, she's just really cool in like digging in deep on impostor syndrome and building the way to help us coaches to work with those who have imposter syndrome.  Shelby 07:50 Oh, that is so beautiful. Brittney 07:51 I just find like… impostor syndrome right now, I feel like more and more people are talking about it. And that's what I love. Because the biggest thing to get rid of impostor syndrome is to normalize it and talk more about it. And so I am so excited to kind of jump more into this role as a coach, impostor syndrome coach, to just be more open about it because the more open we are about it, the more I think we're going to start shifting our mindset that we don't have to be perfect all the time.   Shelby 08:20 Exactly. And I feel like that is so key, and having you kind of evolved from where you were, and you started kind of in the tech industry, with your nine to five to where you are now is just such a beautiful, transformational journey, which is just super exciting. I feel like everybody who is in business or is an entrepreneur has dealt with impostor syndrome at some point, whether that's chronic, or it's kind of one of those pops up every on

    51 min

  3. 11/22/2023

    Mental Health advocacy in Entrepreneurship with Jenn Betts

    In this episode, Shelby addresses the issue of mental health for entrepreneurs. Shelby is joined by Jenn Betts, Registered Psychologist, Founder, and CEO of the Calgary Institute of Counselling. Shelby and Jenn discuss the importance of addressing mental health in both our personal and professional lives; Jenn promotes the idea that we are not on this journey alone and that we thrive when we have the right team to support us on both a personal and professional level.  Jenn discusses her profession as a psychologist and the belief that to serve their clients properly, psychologists need to find support and counselling to deal with their own mental health. She also discusses the difficulty female entrepreneurs experience, wearing multiple hats as mothers, wives, and business people. Through her own journey of entrepreneurship, which she started just before the pandemic, she learned that business owners need the support of a team to help them on their journey. While a business coach can help with professional growth, nurturing and caring for your own physical and mental health is key to success.  Shelby and Jenn discuss mental health in the workplace and helpful steps to support employees at work. Betts suggests that while we are now openly talking about mental health, we are still a long way from implementing proper measures to promote it. She recommends providing employees with access to psychological support and offering long-term help when needed. Team-building exercises, company events, and even small gestures to acknowledge and show appreciation for employees can improve their mental health and boost morale, allowing them to live happier, more fulfilled lives. About Jenn Betts  Jenn Betts is the Founder and CEO of the Calgary Institute of Counselling. With over a decade of experience in counselling, she leads a team of psychologists who strive to bring impactful change to the lives of their clients.  Jenn takes an empathetic and collaborative approach in her practice and creates a place of emotional safety for her clients. Her training includes Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Emotion Focused Therapy, and Gottman Couples Counselling and she provides therapy for individuals as well as couples. Jenn is passionate about moving mental health from simply a conversation to more concrete action to generate significant change in the wider community. She advocates for more mental support for society as a whole and consults with businesses, educational establishments, and faith organizations to incorporate mental health into their culture.  -- Contact Shelby Joines | Joines Administration:  Website: JoinesAdministration.caLinkedIn: Joines AdministrationInstagram: @JoinesAdministrationFacebook: @JoinesAdministrationContact Jenn Betts | Calgary Institute of Counselling:  Website: counsellinginstitute.caInstagram: @counsellinginstituteFacebook: @counsellinginstituteLinkedIn: Calgary Institute of Counselling-- Transcript Shelby 00:07 Hello, and welcome back everybody to another amazing episode on she's got this a journey to success. Now this is a great and exciting episode today because we have a guest joining us. Jenn Betts with the Calgary Institute of Counseling will be coming on with us and sharing a whole bunch of insight about how having a solid support team behind you as an entrepreneur is crucial to keeping your mental health wellness in check. So don't go anywhere. We're going to start diving into all of this right now. Shelby 00:46 Okay, we have our special guest Jenn Betts here today, I am so thrilled to have you as a guest on my podcast, “She's Got This: A Journey to Success” today. I have been a huge follower of you on Instagram and with the beauty of social media, we were able to connect and get an amazing episode together for our listeners and share some insanely beautiful and important knowledge when it comes to mental health and all things seeking that little bit of extra support outside of your business and bringing that in. So Jen, what can you tell me about yourself? Let's do a little bit of an introduction… how you started getting into this sphere of work… who you are, all the goodies.  Jenn 01:38 Oh, thanks so much for having me, Shelby, I'm really happy to be here. I'm so happy to be talking about mental health today. My journey as a psychologist started many, many years ago. I took a BA in psychology and then was working with some clients and they were facing unplanned pregnancies. And I can clearly remember the moment when all of a sudden I felt stuck with these teenage girls that were getting pregnant, didn't know what to do, and I was like, giving them clothing, giving them food bank hampers… that is not going to help them in the long run. We need to figure out where all this is coming from, why are they getting pregnant at 13? What is happening here? And so then I realized I needed to go back and get my master's. So I went back, got my master's, then registered as a psychologist, worked at an agency as a contractor for six or seven years. Then I realized something in the mental health world needed to change. I myself have seen a lot of terrible psychologists out there. There's a problem in every field, right? Like there's… in hairdressing, as a lawyer, whatever it is, right? There's always those bad apples. And so I realized I needed to start an agency. I needed to train up strong and ethical psychologists. I was tired of hearing my clients saying I went to so and so psychologists, and they actually really hurt me. I was tired of psychologists saying to me, I don't know how to help you. Some other really frightening things that were said to me, and so I started up an agency. At our agency, we ensure training for all psychologists, we have team meetings, we have supervision for all because people need to follow their ethics, people need to be strong and competent in what they're doing, so we have a really high standard at our agency. And thankfully, everyone is up to that challenge of the high standard because there are things that need to change in this world when it comes to counseling. And I'm going to be that catalyst for change.  Shelby 03:42 And that's so important. And I think that people also don't realize that, you know, sometimes the therapists, the psychologists, whatever kind of profession in that field, it may be, they also need to support in order to be the best that they can for their clients as well. I can only imagine, and kind of as you briefly mentioned before, the stories that they have to hear from their clients, the traumas that they help them kind of rebuild, and how that has a personal effect on them as well. And just even from my personal experience, having or finding that support in either a psychologist or a counselor or whatever it may be, can be one of the most difficult things that a person can do because, you know, depending on what you're needing that support with and then help with, it may be several sessions just to scrape the surface of why you're there, just to find out that they're not the right fit, and you have to go back to the drawing board, and kind of you're constantly reliving and just scraping that scab of traumas and things that are going on in your life and never really getting it fully healed and just letting it fester while you do your big journey but… Jenn 05:02  Exactly. Well, you're exactly right. At our agency, and most agencies, they do have 20-minute consults. But in those 20-minute consults, it's important to ask lots of questions, to ask what their training is, to ask what their background is, what their specialties are. I think it's also important to ask, because, like you were saying, ask a psychologist what they do for their mental health. My clinical director, Michelle, at the agency, she is big on teaching everyone that you, as a psychologist, you are the tool, like when you go to a hairdresser, the tool is the scissors, right? Yeah, but we are the tool. And we have our own traumas, we get into this because we are rescuers by nature, we want to help. But that hurt for a lot of psychologists. And so I strongly recommend, and I think most of my psychologists attend therapy themselves. We call it countertransference. And so we get triggered in session, if you're talking about your mom or your dad, I have stuff with my mom and dad, and then maybe I get triggered, right? And then I can't do as good of a job. So it's incredibly important that psychologists themselves go to a psychologist as well, because we can't solve our problems ourselves. I remember clients have laughed at me and said, why, it's like, you can't solve your problems yourself. No, I absolutely can't. No one can. And so I regularly see a psychologist, I have counselors here that also regularly see a psychologist. Because, yes, the load is very heavy. As you get more experienced in the field, you do learn to leave it all behind. It gets easier as time goes on. And I've gotten to that point that I can absolutely leave everything behind. But in the beginning, that's tough. But you also have to work on your own stuff. If what I say to my psychologists is, if you can't see it in yourself, your unhealthy coping mechanisms, or whatever it may be, you are never going to see that in a client, and you'll never be able to fix that in a client, if you can't see it in yourself. So I believe that all psychologists need to go to therapy, unfortunately, all don't. And to me, that seems a little hypocritical. But I believe it's incredibly important for people to take care of their own health, if they're working with the health of other people as well.  Shelby 07:16 Absolutely, it's so important and like, kind of coming around full circle being in the profession, in general, your kind of calling in life is that support role you want to be there. So I am sure that there are a lot of psychologists and counselors and others in that field that are very empathetic by n

    51 min

  4. 11/08/2023

    Unplugging for Success

    In this episode, Shelby discusses the importance of taking time away from your business to relax and recharge. Business owners tend to get so caught up in running and building their businesses that they tend to forget about scheduling time for themselves. Shelby offers practical tips for carving out some time for yourself, along with requirements on how to set up your business so it runs smoothly in your absence.  Taking time away can include scheduling four 15-minute breaks each work day or planning a short weekend getaway. In order to be comfortable taking a break, it’s essential to put a competent team in place, invest in training, and assign tasks and responsibilities, giving your team accountability for the work done. Communicate your absence clearly to your clients and your team, and outline your expectations on how things should be managed while you are away. This way, you can completely unplug, knowing your business is in safe hands.  Shelby recommends practicing mindfulness and self-care; the break should allow you to release work-related stress and set you up for long-term success.  -- Contact Shelby Joines | Joines Administration:  Website: JoinesAdministration.caLinkedIn: Joines AdministrationInstagram: @JoinesAdministrationFacebook: @JoinesAdministration-- Transcript: Shelby  00:07 Welcome back to another episode of She's Got This: A Journey to Success. I'm your host Shelby Joines and today we're diving into a topic that's often overlooked but crucial for every entrepreneur — taking time away from your business. We're going to explore the importance of unplugging how you can build a strong team to support in your absence, and share some valuable tips on managing your business while you're out of the office. So, let's get started. Shelby  00:36 In today's fast-paced business world, it is easy to get caught up in the constant hustle and forget the importance of stepping back. Taking time away from your business isn't just a luxury; it's a necessity for your mental health, creativity, and overall wellbeing. When you unplug you allow yourself to recharge, gain a fresh perspective, and prevent burnout. One way to prioritize unplugging is by scheduling regular breaks, whether it's a short weekend getaway or an extended vacation, or it's maybe taking four or five 15-minute breaks throughout your day, if it's a really… you can't get out of town. It’s crucial to take these times because it can help you return to your work with a renewed energy and focus. Now that we understand the importance of stepping away, let's talk about how to build a team that can manage your business in your absence.  Shelby  01:44 A well-structured team is key to ensuring that things run smoothly while you're taking this time off. Our second tip is making sure that you delegate responsibilities. Now, delegation is an art, and it is crucial for any business owner. Assign tasks and responsibilities to capable team members, empowering them to make decisions and take ownership. This not only eases your workload but also fosters a sense of accountability amongst your team. Our third tip is to invest in training. Now, to build a reliable team, you want to invest in training and development. Equip your team with the skills and the knowledge that they need to handle various situations and challenges. This ensures that your business can continue to run seamlessly, even when you're not around.  Shelby  02:38 Now you built a strong team, and now it's time to discuss strategies for managing your business effectively while you're out of the office. Communication and planning is crucial in this phase. Another tip that we offer is clear communication. Now, communicate your absence to your team, your clients, partners, any other members that are key to your business as a whole, well in advance. Set clear expectations on how things will be managed during your time away and provide a point of contact for emergency. Open lines of communication to prevent misunderstandings and ensure a smooth operation. Now, another tip is to utilize technology by leveraging technology to stay connected without being there tethered to your desk. Cloud-based project management tools, communication apps, and remote access to important documents can help keep you in the loop while giving you the freedom to enjoy your time off. Make the most out of your time away. Now that you've set the stage for a successful time away, let's talk about how to make the most of your break and return feeling recharged and ready to tackle new challenges rather than anxious and worrisome about tasks being completed.  Shelby  04:01 Embrace mindfulness. Use your time away to practice mindfulness and self-care. Engage in activities that bring you joy and help you to disconnect from work-related stress. Whether it's reading a book, going on a hike, or simply spending quality time with your loved ones or family, these moments contribute to your overall well-being. Another tip is to reflect and strategize. Take advantage of your break to reflect on your business goals and strategies. Use this time to brainstorm new ideas, set future objectives, and envision the growth of your business while you are in a serene, calming environment that brings you peace. Sometimes, stepping away can provide the clarity needed to help you see the bigger picture.   Shelby  05:01 And there you have it — unplugging for success. Now remember, taking time away from your business is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign of strength and strategic thinking. By building a capable team, communicating effectively, and embracing the benefit of disconnecting, you are setting yourself up for long-term success. Thank you for joining us today on this episode of She's Got This: A Journey to Success. If you found these tips valuable don't forget to subscribe and be sure to tune in next time for more business insights. Until then, take care and remember to unplug and recharge.

    6 min

  5. 10/25/2023

    Benefits of a Virtual Assistant

    In this episode, Shelby discusses the importance of having a strong virtual assistant (VA). Not only can working with a strong VA help support the growth of your business, but a well-trained, competent VA can also ensure your business continues to run smoothly while you’re on vacation. The key to reducing stress and preventing disruptions to your operations requires finding the right virtual assistant with complementary skills to your needs. Shelby shares her top tips for successfully onboarding a strong VA to make your life easier.  Finding the right VA is step one to making your business operate smoothly. The next step is to onboard successfully and delegate effectively. Setting clear task instructions and expectations, scheduling regular check-ins, and using streamlined communication tools make working as a VA easier. If you’ve been dreaming of taking a vacation and not worrying about your business, this short and sweet episode is a must-listen for you! Resources discussed in this episode: NotionClickUpSlackWhatsApp-- Contact Shelby Joines | Joines Administration:  Website: JoinesAdministration.caLinkedIn: Joines AdministrationInstagram: @JoinesAdministrationFacebook: @JoinesAdministration-- Transcript: Shelby  00:07 Welcome back to another episode on She’s Got This: A Journey to Success. My name is Shelby Joines and I am your host as always, it is so great to have you here. Now, at the time of recording this episode, we are currently on a little bit of a vacation ourselves out in beautiful British Columbia, Canada, doing some camping. So there is a little bit of potential for you to hear some bird noises, some chipmunks, possibly a little bit of road traffic. But bear with me because this is all going to tie into today's episode. So stay tuned because this is going to be a good one.  Shelby  00:54 Welcome back to she's got this a journey to success, where we dive deep into strategies that will help you along and succeed in your business and entrepreneurial journey. I'm your host Shelby Joines, and today we are going to be discussing a topic that is crucial for every entrepreneur. And that is the importance of having a strong virtual assistant or online business manager so that your business can continue to thrive even while you're taking that well-deserved vacation. To kick things off, let's talk about the role of a virtual assistant. A virtual assistant is like an extension of your team. They handle tasks that range from administrative work and customer support to social media management and project coordination. This, in turn, allows you as the business owner to focus on those more high-priority tasks and strategic planning. delegating tasks to a virtual assistant or an online business manager offers numerous benefits. Firstly, it frees up your time so that you can focus on growing your business rather than being bogged down by those day-to-day operations. And secondly, it enhances your efficiency and productivity as you're able to work on tasks that align more so with your strength.  Shelby  02:15 Now let's address the heart of today's topic. How having a strong virtual assistant or an online business manager ensures that your business can continue to thrive even when you're on vacation. With a competent VA, you can confidently step away from your business, knowing that someone who is capable of the tasks and the work is overseeing your operations. This not only reduces stress but also prevents disruptions to your business's momentum. Now, finding the right virtual assistant is key. You want to look for somebody with a skill set that complements your business needs. Clear communication, trust, and a shared vision are essential for a successful working relationship. It is important to onboard them effectively and provide all necessary information and resources that you have to help them succeed in their role. Let's discuss some tips for effective delegation. Start by creating clear and detailed task instructions. Regular check-ins, whether bi-weekly, weekly, or monthly, and feedback sessions are crucial to maintaining a smooth workflow. Additionally, the use of project management tools to streamline communication and task-tracking. This will be a huge benefit to you whether these tools are things such as Notion or Clickup, or communication tools such as Slack, and WhatsApp. There are countless apps out there. Making sure that you have that streamlined communication and task-tracking programs together is a major point in keeping the workflow going.  Shelby  04:10 Now as we wrap up today's episode, remember that having a strong virtual assistant or an online business manager isn't just about taking vacations. It's about creating a sustainable business model that can flourish even when you're not present. So start exploring your options. Delegate wisely and watch your business reach new heights   Shelby  04:39 Thank you so much for joining us on She's Got This: A Journey to Success. If you found today's episode valuable, be sure to subscribe and leave an amazing review. We'll be back again soon with some more insights to help you succeed in the world of business. Until then, take care and keep thriving.

    5 min

  6. 10/11/2023

    The Art of Delegation

    Are you afraid to delegate tasks in your business? If so, you're not alone! Yet, overcoming your resistance to delegating will save you both time and money, plus increase productivity in your company. In this episode, Shelby shares tips on how to overcome your resistance to delegation with a clear process and advice for changing your mindset. If you're at a place in your business where you're overloaded with tasks and know you could share the workload with others who have the skills, this episode is for you.  Delegation is fundamental for business growth because you just can't do it all. If the thought plagues you, "No one can do it like me." or you feel paralyzed by the fear of mistakes and failures, Shelby has strategies to help you release that resistance. She shares the importance of giving clear instructions, setting expectations, and implementing consistent communication to help ensure delegation is smooth. By the end of this episode, you'll feel an increased confidence in your delegation skills. From knowing what to delegate to whom and when you'll learn the strategies you need to be an effective delegator and leader in your business.  -- Contact Shelby Joines | Joines Administration:  Website: JoinesAdministration.caLinkedIn: Joines AdministrationInstagram: @JoinesAdministrationFacebook: @JoinesAdministration-- Transcript Shelby  00:07 Hello everyone, and welcome to another exciting episode on She's Got This: A Journey to Success. I'm your host Shelby Joines founder and CEO of Joines Administration and today we are going to dive into the art of delegation. This is an indispensable skill that CEOs and business owners like myself, looking to propel their companies to new heights. Effective delegation can be a game changer, which leads to increased productivity, effectiveness, and ultimately, more business growth. So stay tuned, we're gonna get into all the dirty nitty gritty details in this podcast episode today.   Shelby  00:51 Understanding delegation. To start this podcast, we're going to start with the understanding and what the meaning of delegation truly is. Now, delegation is the act of entrusting tasks and responsibilities to others while maintaining accountability for the outcome. Many leaders struggle with their delegation fearing that loss of control or the possibility of tasks not being completed to their standards. However, effective delegation can unlock the true potential of a business by leveraging the strengths of the team and promoting overall growth. This is such a big one. Huge. And being in the virtual world and doing freelance administration and running my own company. Delegation is one of those tasks that in the early stages of business, I was letting slide I was saying, nah, these tasks are things that I can absolutely do myself. I have an administrative background, I'm basically administering my own business. But you don't realize the amount of work that may get put into areas where your expertise may not lie. I had such an exciting time really diving into new areas of business and administration. That being such things as social media management and creating designs and updating websites, things that in the corporate world I was not always exposed to. When you're in the corporate world, it is Microsoft Office Suite, pretty standard, basic day to day things. While it's an entirely new universe of programs and applications that can be used in the virtual sphere. But recently, I came to the conclusion where I knew that in order for me to scale my business and to grow as an entrepreneur and business owner that I needed to find the right people to really pass off these mundane tasks or these things that I was struggling with completing in a reasonable amount of time, because I did not have the expertise. I was still learning along the way watching YouTube videos, things like that. But, delegating these tasks out, which I have done in the last several weeks, and I cannot recommend it to business owners and entrepreneurs enough, because it has been a complete game changer. I feel that as entrepreneurs and business owners, we get caught in the dilemma of balancing our own personal back-end work and handling and managing client work. One pays the bills and one just eats up your time. So being able to delegate those tasks where you may not have the expertise or the true knowledge to effectively and efficiently complete the tasks. Having that sent out to somebody who specializes in that will buy you back your time, which is another big factor in business nowadays, we all need the time. And outside of that, there are so many benefits to delegating those tasks. First, it frees up your lead.. your time, allowing you to focus on strategic decision-making at higher-level tasks. Secondly, it empowers employees or subcontractors or whoever your team may consist of, in fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility, which then increases job satisfaction and motivation. Furthermore, when your delegation is done correctly, it promotes skill development. As team members gain experience and expertise by taking on new challenges. Which has been amazing for me to watch. I have been fortunate enough to finally be in a place where I can start bringing subcontractors on to support me support my client work and it has been wonderfully, amazingly beautiful to watch them truly flourish in these areas that they have expertise in, and being able to allow them to take on new challenges on tasks that are not super important or urgent to be completed now in relation to my business work, watching them, take that on tackle it, do the research and really come up with an amazing final product has been amazing.   Shelby  05:36 Now overcoming delegation challenges is another thing that we're going to talk about. And although delegation offers significant advantages, it's not without its challenges, as with anything in life, as with anything that we go through as entrepreneurs and business owners in this grand journey. And I call it a journey because it never really ends, you may think that you get one thing squared away, and it's good to go and something else pops up. But one common hurdle is the fear of delegation leading to mistakes or failures. Now, I'm sure you have heard the phrase where the best way to do things is just do it myself, because nobody can do it like me. That's what they're expecting. And that is so far from the truth. That is a complete mindset. And that is a shift that you need to take and take it from that negative to that positive mistakes and failures shouldn't be seen as something that is detrimental to your business. Mistakes and failures are truly the moments in our journey that allow us to grow and develop and learn and avoid making those mistakes again in the future. So, to overcome this, it's essential to provide clear instructions and set expectations, ensuring that the person taking on this task understands their responsibilities to their fullest capacity. Now, with this, you obviously want to have some sort of layout. Now to or what—I guess I'll backtrack a bit there, you want to have this great layout, you want to have your expectations set, you want to have clear instructions. And you want to provide them in an effective way that works for your staff, or your employees or your subcontractors. It could be anybody. But having those clearly stated that anybody can pick it up, anybody could come in and see what the expectations are, these are your goals. This is what how you want to be done. But also have that room for flexibility if your assistant or somebody who is coming to help you out with these extra tasks. And delegations really knows the full picture of what you want laid out clearly, whether that is through lists, whether that is making step by step manual documents, or doing loom videos, where you're walking them through in a video aspect, there are so many different types of learners out there. And from what I have experienced, being able to address those different types of learners will not only give you a bigger net that you can catch with. But it also just shows that you care. Now, regular communication and support are also vital to address any concerns and provide guidance when needed. Obviously, I am not here saying just provide these clear instructions and these expectations and just let them go, no. What has been beneficial for me when delegating tasks out is that for the first one to three months of them working with me, it would be weekly updates. Now whether that would be on a Friday, to go over what has gone on the week before or on a Monday to discuss what was happening the previous week and then discussing a path forward on the following week, whatever it may be, but having those clear set times where you can actually communicate openly through either phone calls zoom or you actually set a messaging time aside where you're going back and forth with things. Whatever it is, you have to constantly be in communication. Now I'm not saying you have to keep up that schedule for the entirety of this task or this delegation process. You can obviously after those one to three months whatever fits for you decide to cut back a little bit. Maybe it ends up moving to bi-weekly meetings or monthly meetings or every second Friday. Whatever suits your business the best is definitely where you want to have that but really having that communication set in place so that they are, are the opportunities for either party to really go over any questions, any concerns, any things they may need clarification on.   Shelby  10:14 Another challenge is also identifying the right tasks to delegate. Now to do this, what I suggest is you take a moment or some time, put it in your calendar and really analyze your own strengths and weaknesses when it comes to your business. As well as those of your team members, if you have any currently working with you. Delegate the tasks that pl

    20 min

  7. 09/27/2023

    Hiring an Online Business Manager

    In this episode of "She's Got This: A Journey to Success," Shelby explores the significance of online business managers for small businesses and entrepreneurs. She outlines eight essential steps to successfully hire the right OBM, starting with understanding their role in managing various business aspects and allowing entrepreneurs to focus on growth.  Step by step, she covers clarifying business needs and goals, defining responsibilities, finding the right candidate, establishing effective communication, onboarding and training, nurturing a productive partnership, and evaluating the OBM's impact. Shelby highlights the benefits of hiring an OBM, including reduced workload, improved work-life balance, and enhanced business success. Following these steps can lead to fruitful collaboration, boosting overall business operations and achievements. Resources discussed in this episode: Notion: notion.soMonday: monday.comWhatsApp: whatsapp.comSlack: slack.comClickUp: clickup.comLoom: loom.com-- Contact Shelby Joines | Joines Administration:  Website: JoinesAdministration.caLinkedIn: Joines AdministrationInstagram: @JoinesAdministrationFacebook: @JoinesAdministration-- Transcript: Shelby  0:07   Hey everyone, welcome back to She's Got This: A Journey to Success. On the last episode, we talked about the importance of hiring a real estate-specific virtual assistant to help you with your outsourcing tasks needs, such as the back-end business that eats up the valuable time of real estate agents and agency owners. Now today, we're going to switch it into a little bit of a different gear and talk a little bit about online business managers and how you can use these eight simple steps when it comes to hiring one for your business. So, stay tuned, don't go anywhere. We're about to dive right into this topic. Shelby  0:55 Today, we're going to be discussing eight steps to successfully hiring an online business manager for your small business or your entrepreneurial journey. Now, an online business manager is a key person who can help support so many important aspects of your business, such as managing and tracking your projects, such as clients and their workloads. Taking care of your team, if you have multiple subcontractors or employees that work alongside you, making sure the communication is smooth, efficient, and everybody is on the right page. As well as helping you with strategies and goal setting, either for yourself personally to deal and work within your business or for your business. Or to help you strategize goals to reach x amount in revenue by the end of the year, specific quarter goals and strategies, ways to build your business and so much more. Truly, an online business manager is an invaluable asset for you to have on your business team. They are life-changing, they will help you in ways that you didn't even know you needed help in. So, we're gonna dive into our first step when it comes to hiring an online business manager. And that is understanding the role that they play within a business or a company or alongside an entrepreneur. So, an online business manager is basically in the corporate world, what you would see as a general business manager. They manage the day-to-day operations of the business, for making sure that either the finances are on track or the team is on track to complete their tasks relating to monthly, weekly, quarterly, yearly goals that you have, financially making sure invoices and things like that are being paid and taken care of. They will help strategize with you on how to get your business to that next level of whichever goal it may be, whether it's revenue, sales numbers, new clients, referrals, hiring, any little aspect that you can get analytics on, they can help you track, project and see where you're going and where you may need to make any sorts of tweaks within your business, to truly get the full value of what you are giving, whether that's a product or service and getting a great return on it. You want to make sure that your clients are happy. And another thing that an online business manager can help you with is tracking those clients, making sure that there are regular follow-ups, checking in with them to make sure that there is nothing outstanding, any revisions that may need to be made, additional tasks that may have popped up since the last meeting, things of that nature. Keeping your clientele happy, and comfortable and feeling like they truly matter to you and your business is insanely important. And an online business manager is able to support you with that. They can also help you with any types of apps or programs to help you stay more organized. So, you're not constantly working in Excel or Google Sheets, or having a hard time getting all of the information from up in your head and as an entrepreneur our heads are full of information, moving bits, they're constantly on the go. We do not stop thinking. But they're able to take that information from you and input it into an amazing customer relations management program. Now whether that is Notion or Monday.com, there are so many countless options that you can choose. And when hiring the right business manager, you can absolutely lean on their skills and expertise and suggestions that they may have because every industry and every business is unique and different. And that is, the best part about being an entrepreneur and a business owner, is no matter how many little shops there may be, that are similar, you are the only one of you. So, they're able to take that clientele, organize it for you, so you can easily track and automate any kind of tasks that may be repetitive, client work, and just overall give you that peace of mind that things are not slipping through the cracks. Now, the benefits of having an online business manager, as I've already discussed before, especially for female entrepreneurs and business owners, is that they are literally there for you to buy back your time. I discussed this in my last episode as well. Buying back your time is such a hot thing to be doing right now. And I am a firm believer in it, that if you are financially in a place where you can afford to start outsourcing tasks, 100% recommend it. You know, if you're a small business owner or entrepreneur, and you are just starting out and starting to build your credibility and your clientele, getting your name out there, getting some invoices paid. Just take these tips into consideration because there's a lot more that we're going to be discussing through this episode that you can take and apply yourself to do within your business in the meantime until you are financially at a point where you can comfortably outsource these tasks to somebody else. And the bonus of that also is, is once you've been working in these tasks for a while, you'll be able to know the step by steps, processes, everything that goes on with what you currently have. So, you'll have a great framework in place to pass that information off to an online business manager. And they can then take that and recreate and build you a better plan for moving forward. So, besides being able to buy back your time, this online business manager can take so many tasks off your plate that again, eat up your valuable time. And we all know that those little tasks and little things that may only take us 10-15 minutes, no big deal, a day, adds up into an hour or two a week, which is time that you could be better spending on building your business and working for your business instead of in your business. I'm sure you've heard that one before as well. So, they are just life-changing. And the benefits that you can get from hiring an online business manager are just countless. For one, you hire them as a subcontractor, thus, not needing any type of an office space, they have their own technology, their own equipment, they may have health benefits in place for themselves, all these little areas that you will be saving on as a business owner. Think of all the money that you may be currently paying for, say an employee you have with your business, the insurance, the benefits, any type of tax implications, all those little things add up. And they may be one-time annual fee, any type of access, you may need to give them as well, things like that. Think of the amount of money that you will be saving on that alone by outsourcing to somebody who specializes in managing and dealing with these tasks that you struggle with and find eat up a good chunk of your time during the week. Having the ability to delegate your tasks out to an online business manager such as managing your projects, and providing you with strategic support is worth its weight in gold, not only to your wallet and your financial situation, but also to your mental health and well-being. Sometimes we don't notice as entrepreneurs and business owners how much of a toll a task is taking on us until we're almost completely engulfed in that one thing. An example of this would be say you don't like dealing with finances or doing your bookkeeping and it has turned into one of those things that you absolutely dread doing. You have a knot in your stomach when you think about it. You just start to sweat, your heartbeats really fast and you just don't do it. You push it off and say you know what, I'm gonna be in a better place tomorrow, next week, the end of the month, and I will push through and just get it all done. Next thing you know, weeks, months have gone by and your books are completely out of sorts. They're out of date. You're having trouble tracking your current expenses that are coming, going out and any kind of revenue that's coming in, and things just aren't adding up. Shelby  10:00 Take a minute to take a deep breath, if that overwhelmed you with how quickly and anxiously I went through that, but an online business manager will be able to take that and completely erase it from your plate. I cannot stress enough how hea

    48 min

  8. 09/13/2023

    How to Best Leverage a Real Estate Virtual Assistant

    In this episode, Shelby Joines explores the concept of hiring a real estate virtual assistant and the advantages it offers to realtors. Shelby emphasizes that a real estate virtual assistant goes beyond general administrative support by having specialized knowledge and licensing in the real estate field. They can handle tasks such as contract management, scheduling, communication with clients, coordinating showings, and managing social media presence. If you’re in the real estate industry, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.  The episode highlights the importance of outsourcing these tasks to a virtual assistant, allowing realtors to focus on customer service and building relationships. Shelby also discusses the role of virtual assistants in maximizing marketing and lead generation efforts, particularly in utilizing social media platforms. The episode concludes with tips for hiring a real estate virtual assistant, including reflecting on business needs, asking creative interview questions, and being open to their suggestions. Resources discussed in this episode: Blog Post: Why Real Estate Virtual Assistants Are a Necessity for Smooth Operations-- Contact Shelby Joines | Joines Administration:  Website: JoinesAdministration.caLinkedIn: Joines AdministrationInstagram: @JoinesAdministrationFacebook: @JoinesAdministration-- Transcript: Shelby  0:08   Well, hello, everyone, and welcome back to another amazing episode of She's Got This: A Journey to Success. I'm Shelby Joines, and we are going to be talking about unleashing the power of a real estate virtual assistant. We're gonna go over a few of the important areas and what the concept of a real estate virtual assistant is, and the importance of having that additional support as a realtor to lighten your load and allow you to focus on the core, customer service, helping your clients out aspects of your business, rather than lead generation, the door knocking, the keeping up with social media, hopping on trends, making those reels, back in financing communication, you name it. Having a virtual assistant in the real estate field can help you scale your business, and today we're going to dive in and discuss this topic more. So, stay tuned and get ready.  Shelby  1:17 Understanding the role of a real estate virtual assistant is the most important starting point in this topic. Now, what is a real estate virtual assistant? This isn't just your everyday general virtual assistant that helps you out, although it is in a sense. But when it comes to virtual real estate assistants, most of them have credentials and licensing in relation to the real estate world. So, they are able to deal with more in-depth things to help a realtor out, such as contracts, doing sale closings, anything relating to the finance and contract and legalities, back End things. They would be able to fully support you on that front. Now, as I mentioned there briefly, some of the tasks that can be delegated to a real estate virtual assistant are things like managing the contracts, whether that is from a buyer or a seller, any type of scheduling of home inspections, communication with the client, whether that again, is a buyer or a seller, looping in meetings, scheduling showings, coordinating with sellers on when they will be available for showings. Honestly, the list goes on and on. They can also help with promotional items, such as any type of marketing, such as flyers, brochures, pamphlets, and signage in creating the graphics around that, getting it sent to a printer, and getting that shipped directly to you. Things like that, as well as managing your social media presence, such as any advertising that you do, any amazing photography or videography that a realtor could get done in regards to showing a home and advertising. And using social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube even is becoming a huge area where real estate is really taking over, not only just for advertising, new sales and new listings and facts about how the market is going in a given area of a country or continent or wherever your clients may be. But it also allows you to show yourself more in a personal way and just reach the overall wider audience at a very affordable and low cost to you. Because we all know, keeping up with expenses can be difficult. So, why not take advantage of outsourcing these tasks that may be eating up a good majority of your time that you may dread doing or you may not be doing as well as you could be? Your consistency is not on, all the things. Outsourcing to a virtual assistant who specializes in real estate can be a huge time saver and a money saver. The hot thing that people are talking about now is you need to buy back your time. You cannot put the sand back in the opposite end of the hourglass. Gravity just won't let you do it. So, having the ability to pay somebody who is experienced and maybe an expert in the field to help support you with this workload, will not only give you a solid peace of mind, and your overall mental health will thank future you. But you get just that, you buy back your time. So, you can focus more on the client relations, going out in networking and making sure that people are aware of your services, who your ideal clients are taking clients out and catching up and following up with past clients. Because just because a sale has been made, whether your client is buying a home, or they are selling their home and planning to move, having and keeping that relationship is a key factor in continuing to scale your business. Having those relationships are so important. And even if it's somebody who you helped six months ago, or six years ago, doing something to reach out to them and say, Hey, I'm thinking about you. How's your property, have you done anything really to be invested in their story? And I can promise you, you will have lifelong clients and referrals coming into you.  Shelby  6:19 So, the second part about the importance of the value that real estate virtual assistants can bring to you is that they are able to assist in leveraging your administrative tasks. So, it may be completely different from the contract side where there may be some licensing or rules and regulations involved and who can touch and see what. There are other tasks that realtors use and go through and have to deal with on a daily basis. That is completely separate from that. Like I mentioned before, social media, following up with leads, keeping a clean calendar, sending out meeting invites, just responding to general emails, whether that may be from a home inspector that is working with a client of yours on a new house that they're buying, or selling, or any type of cleaners that you may have scheduled to come in. Honestly, the list is endless. And I bet if I gave you at least 15 seconds right now, you could think of at least three tasks, as a realtor that you could outsource to a virtual assistant that don't require any type of licensing on the VA side. Now with having a specific virtual assistant who specializes and is niche down into real estate and helping realtors out, is that they are able to help you by maximizing your marketing and lead generations. Now, if you are a real estate agent that is listening to this podcast today, hey, but I'm sure that you can relate that generating new leads and keeping up with your marketing, whether that is print, it is online, it's electronic, whatever it may be, can be extremely time-consuming. And one of those things you may absolutely dread doing, period. Now lead generation has come a long ways in the whole history of real estate. We have gone from door knocking, which not knocking, pun intended, but many Realtors still use that and have great success with it today. But there has been a shift to more of online presence when it comes to marketing. Especially when it comes to reels, short clip videos, whether that is on Facebook or Instagram or any type of social media platform. YouTube even is getting really hyped up on short-form content. But having that ability to utilize these free platforms that we have available to us to showcase educational bits, testimonials from past and current clients or third-party vendors that you have used continually throughout your time as a realtor, showing your most recent listings, like the list goes on and we are in such an exciting time in the world of business and technology and the two blending together. That there are so many interesting ways you can utilize technology to help you with your marketing, maximize your lead generation and just really scale. And having the support of a specific virtual assistant can take all of the guesswork out of that. Have them take the reins and come up with the most amazing ideas and strategies for you to utilize to maybe scale in quarter, four, quarter 120 24, all of next year, like, truly, I cannot say enough. And maybe I'm biased as a virtual assistant, an online business manager myself. But the power of outsourcing these small tasks that you may not realize are little time periods here and there that you kind of pick away at. But if you were to add them all up in a week, how much time are you wasting kind of spinning your wheels and doing things that may not be as important or what you should be focusing on at the time?  Having a virtual assistant, maximizing your marketing and being able to take the reins on posting your content on your social media platforms, getting creative with real ideas on how you can showcase not only your brand and your business, but yourself personally too. Where again, in an age where people are not blindly purchasing and selecting services based on an ad in the paper. They want to know the person behind the brand, behind the business behind the company and really grasp onto that emotional connection. That can be easily and low cost to the point of free for you to do on social media. And having a v

    29 min
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This podcast will go over how to succeed as a small business in Alberta. Geared towards female business owners and entrepreneurs, we will be discussing tips and tricks for business, how Virtual Assistants can benefit your small business, and interviews with female business owners/entrepreneurs.

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