Ugh. I had to fire my first VA today. In retrospect, I tolerated too many red flags all along the way and could have saved myself the pain by nipping it in the bud weeks ago. No we are in a virtual arguement over what I should pay for what services - even deliverables that are completely unusable. Yuck.
This is why I don't like being a grown-up or a boss. Can't someone else do this hard stuff while I do all the fun stuff?
No takers?
Oh, okay. I'll do it and grumble all the way:)
Reality is Negotiable.
Sarah
Monday, July 9, 2007
Thursday, June 28, 2007
No, I'm Not Out of Things to Outsource
In a flurry of creativity created by a call with Stephanie Hartman (www.stephaniehartman.com) I now have Adeel doing keyword research for Profit Purpose and Beyond. Then he will meta-tag my site and I will experiment with possible Google adwords. I think I will also ask Adeel to be my Vendor Manager for the Profit Purpose and Beyond Expo.
I feel much better now.
Reality Is Negotiable.
Sarah
I feel much better now.
Reality Is Negotiable.
Sarah
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Out of things to outsource
I am running out of things to give to my very capable assistants. The things that eat up my time right now (cleaning house, laundry, driving my son to swim lessons) they can't do. The things I am working on for Profit Purpose and Beyond are things that only I can do because I've never done it before.
Well, wonderful Gabrielle is designing some new site pages for me, so that is a help. Somehow I've got to teach them how to use Send Out Cards - my fabulous new resource for sending real cards in real envelopes with a real stamp in my handwriting with the click of a mouse.
As a matter of fact, that should be a fabulous resource for The New Rich! Take a peek here: Send Out Cards.
Hmmm.....how to teach Adeel how to work it.......
Reality is negotiable!
Sarah
Well, wonderful Gabrielle is designing some new site pages for me, so that is a help. Somehow I've got to teach them how to use Send Out Cards - my fabulous new resource for sending real cards in real envelopes with a real stamp in my handwriting with the click of a mouse.
As a matter of fact, that should be a fabulous resource for The New Rich! Take a peek here: Send Out Cards.
Hmmm.....how to teach Adeel how to work it.......
Reality is negotiable!
Sarah
Friday, June 22, 2007
It's Harder Than I Thought
Well, now I am trying to get a product launch up and going (you can see it here: www.profitpurposeandbeyond.com) so that it can create some passive income and it is just not going smoothly!!!! Even with my new outsourcing staff, things are taking way way longer than I want them to. Sometimes I feel like it is just easier to do it myself than have to explain what I want, wait for a reply, re-clarify what I want, and then wait for it to happen. So frustrating.
I think I'll take a break a do something that isn't frustrating....like taking my son to the swimming pool.
Reality is negotiable.
Sarah
I think I'll take a break a do something that isn't frustrating....like taking my son to the swimming pool.
Reality is negotiable.
Sarah
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
What I Need To Get Rid Of
This is an overwhelming topic for me. I seem to be loaded down on all sides. Being the child of a child of the depression, getting rid of anything is a challenge. Add to that that 2 years ago I cleaned out my father's house, which was full of junk and some really cool stuff - like carousel horses he made and my mom painted for a Christmas float, plus my husband's mad collection of found objects he can't live without (3 - count them - 3 antique bathtubs sitting in storage) and now, my grandmother's house. Oh and did I mention I am trying to sell 4 quarter horses?! Yikes!
Well, I spent this past weekend at my grandmother's house. You can see my earlier post about how it got in the shape it is in. We are finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. If it can be salvaged in any way, I am moving it to our storage building. It will either be a useful something in my life - like a huge wardrobe I am having refinished, or it will go to my friend Harriet who just opened an antique store. And I've gotten very objective and unsentimental about what is going where. Except......
the heirlooms category - that is the tricky one. But honestly, what am I to do with the Rising Sun silk flag my father brought home from WWII or the Haviland Gold Band China or the 8 piece place setting of sterling silver that has never been used? I found that treasure in an old wooden trunk under layers of fabric and sheets. These are the things that trip me up.
In two weeks a Pod is showing up in our driveway in Evergreen (did I mention that I have two house in two different towns?) and we will begin dividing up what will go where and what we are getting rid off. I'll keep you posted on how that works out.
Reality Is Negotiable.
Sarah
Well, I spent this past weekend at my grandmother's house. You can see my earlier post about how it got in the shape it is in. We are finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. If it can be salvaged in any way, I am moving it to our storage building. It will either be a useful something in my life - like a huge wardrobe I am having refinished, or it will go to my friend Harriet who just opened an antique store. And I've gotten very objective and unsentimental about what is going where. Except......
the heirlooms category - that is the tricky one. But honestly, what am I to do with the Rising Sun silk flag my father brought home from WWII or the Haviland Gold Band China or the 8 piece place setting of sterling silver that has never been used? I found that treasure in an old wooden trunk under layers of fabric and sheets. These are the things that trip me up.
In two weeks a Pod is showing up in our driveway in Evergreen (did I mention that I have two house in two different towns?) and we will begin dividing up what will go where and what we are getting rid off. I'll keep you posted on how that works out.
Reality Is Negotiable.
Sarah
Friday, June 15, 2007
Timothy Ferriss Interview Recording
One of my uber-mentors, Suzanne Falter-Barnes (www.getknownnow.com) has given me permission to post a link to the interview she had with Tim Ferriss. Here it is:
http://tinyurl.com/2z2w39
Good stuff, so give it a listen!
Oh - here is a little more info on Suzanne. I highly highly recommend you visit her!
Learn how to get known so you can not only find your biggest audience … but you can attract calls from major media and publishers. Check out Suzanne’s freebie, The Platform Jump Starter, at www.getknownnowblog.com
Reality Is Negotiable.
Sarah
http://tinyurl.com/2z2w39
Good stuff, so give it a listen!
Oh - here is a little more info on Suzanne. I highly highly recommend you visit her!
Learn how to get known so you can not only find your biggest audience … but you can attract calls from major media and publishers. Check out Suzanne’s freebie, The Platform Jump Starter, at www.getknownnowblog.com
Reality Is Negotiable.
Sarah
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Outsourcing My Life
Last week I started the quest to outsource my life. I decided that waiting 20 days for Get Friday was longer than I wanted to wait so I turned to Elance. Here is the job description I posted:
I received 12 bids from the US, Canada, India and Pakistan. The price ranged from $2 per hour (that is not a typo)to $20 per hour. I agree with the editor of Esquire, US service providers are in deep deep trouble. If I didn't already have a Fabulous US-based VA (your remember Amber of Smart To Finish, right?) I would absolutely go with the US or Canada option. However, with such an expert already in place to provide guidance, I started looking at the India and Pakistan options.
That put me in the $2/hour to $5/hour range. A very strange thing happened at this point. I actually started debating the merits of spending an extra $3 per hour - $3 measly dollars!!!! Anyway, not all providers are created equal as I quickly found out.
At the top of the price range came two very different bids. One in excellent smooth English with a reassuring voice and presentation of remarkable credentials. The other was, well, not that at all. Lots of Sirs, and typos and sentences I had to read several times to understand. Next.
In the $2 price range came two bids - one from a very experienced Elance provider with excellent reviews (it pays to read these) and an incredible skill set. The other from a newer provider who had the web design skills plus administrative skills that made me drop my teeth. Both were presented in excellent English.
What is an Outsourcer to do?
Well, I narrowed it down to three and gave them a short test project to complete - I got their agreement to this ahead of time.
$5/hour Smooth English returned it in record time though not in exactly the format I'd asked for. $2/hour Newer Provider returned it next with an exact accounting of how long it took and in the exact format I'd asked for. Provider #3 has yet to respond so they are out of the running.
After much gnashing of teeth I finally decided.....to hire both. I mean honestly for an average of $3.50 an hour I have two assistants with very different skill sets. How can I possibly beat that?!
Today we are working out the Terms and Conditions and I am using Elance's sample work contract to make sure everyone is on the same page.
I am on my way!
Reality is negotiable.
Sarah
I am looking for very basic personal and professional virtual assistance. Excellent English required. Projects and tasks include document creation, web research, text updates to website, light blog maintenance, database management and updates. Customer service experience a plus. This position will start at 10 hours per month and can quickly grow for the right person.
I received 12 bids from the US, Canada, India and Pakistan. The price ranged from $2 per hour (that is not a typo)to $20 per hour. I agree with the editor of Esquire, US service providers are in deep deep trouble. If I didn't already have a Fabulous US-based VA (your remember Amber of Smart To Finish, right?) I would absolutely go with the US or Canada option. However, with such an expert already in place to provide guidance, I started looking at the India and Pakistan options.
That put me in the $2/hour to $5/hour range. A very strange thing happened at this point. I actually started debating the merits of spending an extra $3 per hour - $3 measly dollars!!!! Anyway, not all providers are created equal as I quickly found out.
At the top of the price range came two very different bids. One in excellent smooth English with a reassuring voice and presentation of remarkable credentials. The other was, well, not that at all. Lots of Sirs, and typos and sentences I had to read several times to understand. Next.
In the $2 price range came two bids - one from a very experienced Elance provider with excellent reviews (it pays to read these) and an incredible skill set. The other from a newer provider who had the web design skills plus administrative skills that made me drop my teeth. Both were presented in excellent English.
What is an Outsourcer to do?
Well, I narrowed it down to three and gave them a short test project to complete - I got their agreement to this ahead of time.
$5/hour Smooth English returned it in record time though not in exactly the format I'd asked for. $2/hour Newer Provider returned it next with an exact accounting of how long it took and in the exact format I'd asked for. Provider #3 has yet to respond so they are out of the running.
After much gnashing of teeth I finally decided.....to hire both. I mean honestly for an average of $3.50 an hour I have two assistants with very different skill sets. How can I possibly beat that?!
Today we are working out the Terms and Conditions and I am using Elance's sample work contract to make sure everyone is on the same page.
I am on my way!
Reality is negotiable.
Sarah
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