You know what I say:

Work smarter, not harder

Like most of my life lessons, I learned how to build a remote team the hard way (is there another way to learn, because if there is, please share with me asap).

When I first started my virtual assistant business, I wore all the hats. Blogger, graphic designer, copywriter, project manager–you name it, I did it. It was fun and completely unsustainable. I was burning out before my fire was even lit and this is not how my business was going to go down.

I needed help and I needed help bad. I knew I had to hire someone, but I was hesitant. Naturally, I had all of the concerns:

Would they do a good job?
Will it take a long time to train them or am I better off just saving that time and doing it myself?
How do I know I can trust them?
How much of a burden will it be to bring someone on?
Will they be reliable?

But if I wanted to make the impact I committed to make, I had to hire, delegate and manage. So I did, and the complete opposite happened.

You’re telling me I don’t have to do every little thing? You’re telling me I can onboard experts in certain areas and have them do the work they actually love? You’re telling me I can manage and delegate and deliver exceptional service? You’re telling me I don’t have to do all of this alone?

As I transitioned into an Online Business Manager role, my team grew, our systems perfected and the efficiency flowed.

As an OBM, I now routinely hire and onboard team members for my clients. It’s one of my favorite things to do and I’ve nailed a hiring system that makes onboarding smooth, effortless and fun. Yes, work can be fun when you have the right systems in place.

How To Build A Remote Team In 6 Easy Steps:

1) Who Do You Need On Your Team

Figure out who you need on your team (aka: get crystal clear)
Make two lists: one of what you love doing and one of what you want to hand-off.
Separate the “hand-off” tasks into categories to determine the role(s) you need to hire for. Don’t hire a “unicorn” who can do everything. No one can do everything.
Write a clear job description using the “hand-off” role(s) and tasks.
Determine the approximate number of hours you need them for (if applicable) and your budget (contractors will tell you their rates).

2) Start Your Search

Now with newfound clarity, you can start your search
Create a google form or something similar for them to complete
On the form ask about experience, skills, where they see their business going in the future, what tech they are familiar with, why they want to work with you specifically, their rate, links to their Linkedin, website, and social media profiles.
DON’T ask for a resume; do ask for a portfolio (if applicable)
Where to find your next high-vibe team member
- Facebook Groups: I wrote an entire blog post on this because Facebook Groups are absolute gems for finding clients and contractors.
- Upwork is a great resource–but remember, you get what you pay for.
- Reach out to your network and ask for referrals.

3) Review the Applicants

1st pass: Disregard anyone who doesn’t write in complete sentences or who’s vibe feels off. Trust your intuition.
2nd pass: They lack experience and passion. Website and social media profiles are not vibing with you.
3rd pass: Narrow it down to 3-4 people to interview.

4) Schedule a Discovery Call

Hiring is like dating. It has to be a good fit on both ends. It’s not a one way street – these are business owners too.
You want to work with someone you click with and want to have lunch with (like I said, it’s like dating).
You can always train on skill (depending on what the job is), but you can’t train on passion or vibes.

5) Make a Decision

Once you’ve made a decision, make sure the contractor sends you a contract.
ALWAYS have a contract in place and review that contract with a fine tooth comb.

6) Onboard Your New Team Member!

Set up your preferred PM tool.
Put SOPs in place for their tasks (even if it’s a video walk through). “What are SOPs?”, you ask.
Figure out the best form of communication. Do you want to have weekly meetings? Or bi-weekly meetings? How will you communicate? (I recommend slack for efficient communication)
Remember that this person is not your employee, so respect their boundaries in regards to giving ample time to turn a project around, respecting that they have other clients. Don’t message them during the weekend and expect a reply if they don’t specifically state they work on the weekends. Like I mentioned above, review their contract with a fine tooth comb.

Hi, I’m Andrea, and my zone of genius is team building. Yes, there is someone out there that can help you hire your perfect team, train them, delegate tasks, and manage projects. I would love to be the person that brings your high-vibe team to life, so that you can thrive in your zone of genius and let your business scream “WE LOVE WHAT WE DO!”

In fact, I created a mini-course specifically for entrepreneurs who want to build a high-vibe team to give you everything you need to set your team up for success (even if your “team” is you and a VA ;-)), so check it out to start building your own high-vibe virtual team!

If your hiring needs are more urgent, I invite you to my exclusive Team Building VIP Day where you will leave SUPER clear on:

Your business goals and priorities: What are 3 things you want to accomplish?
Current team structure: Who is on the team and what do they do?
Activity inventory: your workload is broken down into what you love, like, and really want to get off of your plate.
Exactly who your next team member hire will be (accompanied by a detailed job description for them AND you).
Hiring/interview process: Logistics of creating an application and where to post job opportunities along with resources of what to ask and what to look for in your next hire.

Plus follow-up calls to support you through the hiring process and specific resources (for instance, where to post your job opportunity, interview questions, etc) and deliverables (like a team organizational chart and role descriptions) delivered the next day.

Building a remote team is an investment and a process, one that takes time.

Do you want someone to take hiring off of your plate? I’d love to help.

If you want more of these business tips, let’s be internet friends!

Whether you’re a wellness virtual assistant starting out and wanting a roadmap to build your business, a soulpreneur wondering what an online business manager can do for you, or you want a discount on my favorite business tools, check them out here!

How To Build a Remote Team In 6 Easy Steps