by Jo | Jan 21, 2022 | Automation, BLOG, Business Tools, Productivity |
When running a business, there’s always a lot of organising to do. You are likely to be familiar with the good old spreadsheet, something that is standard when it comes to managing the many tasks, processes and projects that you do every day. Similarly, you may use database software to collect information, create files, records and reports. But what if there was an easier way to handle this information? Let’s meet Airtable!
What is Airtable?
Airtable is an online spreadsheet tool and database all rolled into one, allowing information to integrate between the two, as well as being shared from other apps, and makes it easy to store structured data. Its flexibility makes it ideal for many types of project and information collation, both in a business sense and for personal use. Here are some of the top features:
Flexible Views
Unlike Excel or Google Sheets, Airtable can display information in many ways. For example, you can use tables, columns, or even photos to display items in a way that suits your working style. Within the Airtable workspace area, you can access a calendar view, gallery view, and a Kanban view, where information is shown as cards in a stack that can be dragged and dropped to where you need them. Organising and storing information using Airtable’s colourful interface makes boring spreadsheets and databases a thing of the past!
Database Building
Most businesses use databases, for example, a contact list of suppliers, a customer database, or staff records. Airtable has all the features you need to create any kind of database, such as single bases, tables, input fields, records and different ways of viewing information. The information added to each base can be relational, making it easy to create, add to or bring up records at the touch of a button. There are also over 200 templates that you can customise if you prefer not to start from scratch. With Airtable, finding a specific piece of information is quick and efficient, as is accessing a ‘bird’s eye view’ over your databases.
Connection to other Apps
Airtable can seamlessly integrate with other apps and software such as Google Sheets, Zapier, Slack, Google Calendar, and Dropbox. This makes it easy to share information to and from Airtable, and collate it in a single place.
Automation
This is a key feature that helps you streamline your processes and save time. Using Airtable means you can set up triggers that create an action to be performed. Triggers could include the new addition of information to an area of your database, such as a new record or an amendment to an existing one. This reduces the time spent on those repetitive tasks and makes you, or your team, more productive.
Collaboration
Airtable has many collaboration features that enhance communication between team members. Different permissions can be set for people, such as editor, creator and commentor, and you can notify someone in a comment using the @ symbol with their name. This fast communication allows teamwork to move faster, as everyone has access to the same information.
Using Airtable has the advantage of saving time and increasing productivity for you and your team. Rather than installing technically complex database software and tweaking it for your business, which can often require coding skills, Airtable has simplicity, yet also the power and features you need.
If you think Airtable would be a good fit for your business, why not get in touch for a quick chat? I can help you see the benefits it would have for your specific business, and how it could make a difference. Feel free to schedule a call or send me an email!
by Jo | Oct 21, 2021 | BLOG, Online Business Manager, Outsourcing, Productivity |
An online business manager (OBM) is there to provide support to people who need expert skills to help run their business. Unlike a virtual assistant, an OBM has a leadership and managerial role to fulfil, such as handling teams and complex projects. They also have freedom to make decisions that impact the business. A good OBM will use their skills to increase revenue and profits, drive growth, as well as taking some of the weight off the business owner. So, let’s take a closer look at some of the tasks an OBM might do:
Project management
An OBM leads projects and uses their initiative to ensure goals are met within planned timelines. After discussing priorities and outcomes with a business owner, an OBM develops strategies, plans and processes for their team to follow to achieve those desired goals. In this role, an OBM will be liaising with their team as well as outside sources such as contractors, organisations, and individuals that are involved in the project.
Team management
Organising a successful team includes hiring, firing and working with people to get the best from them. An OBM needs to have excellent communication skills, not just to be able to tell team members what to do, but also to listen and have empathy with them. This allows an OBM to solve team problems quickly and fairly. The success of a project relies upon a cohesive team that works well together and, when team members feel valued, they do a good job.
Marketing
This is an example of a business area that can be delegated to an OBM to run. An OBM may coordinate the activities of copywriters, social media managers, and SEO experts. They are also able to study the measurable data, such as website analytics and social engagement, in order to see what works well and how to improve. Not all clients will require every aspect of an OBM’s skill set, but being able to hand over a whole operation such as marketing allows business owners to use their time on other things.
Operations management
Being tech savvy and experienced in a number of processes means that an OBM is in the best position to suggest helpful changes that make operations run more smoothly. This could include improving bottlenecks, automating processes and devising and implementing new strategies and workflow systems that get things done more efficiently.
Actively seeks new opportunities for the business
An OBM can take a proactive approach in driving the overall success of a business by finding new opportunities. This could be new ways to generate revenue, expanding customer reach, improving brand image and engaging with potential clients or customers. This might also include networking to identify new partnership options and other opportunities that could be of benefit.
Hiring an OBM
For business owners, hiring an OBM can be the step that takes their business to the next level. It allows you to free up time if you are feeling overwhelmed with tasks, to explore new ventures, or perhaps you need a fresh set of eyes to help your business grow more quickly. Whatever the reason, an OBM is an asset that many business owners can’t do without!
One of the joys about being an OBM is that every client is different. That means no two OBM roles are the same. It keeps things fresh, interesting and with a large scope to grow and develop professionally.
As an OBM, I really enjoy getting to know business owners, helping to solve their problems and improve the way their businesses run. If you would like to have a chat about whether an OBM is right for you, or about what you could delegate, please get in touch!
by Jo | Sep 21, 2021 | BLOG, Online Business Manager, Productivity, VA |
An Online Business Manager (OBM) must have a varied skill base to be good at what they do. Team management is an essential skill to get right to ensure goals are achieved in a positive manner.
Managing a team successfully is much more than being able to coordinate everyone’s activities and deadlines. It is an array of interpersonal skills, as well as organisational skills, that enable an OBM to get the most from their team members and decide on the success of a project.
Here are some essential skills every OBM needs for an effective and happy team. Some of these skills overlap, showing how each often relies upon another – just like a team itself!
Understand your team as individuals
An OBM may be managing people who specialise in different skill sets, as well as being from different walks of life. Examples include virtual assistants, copywriters, social media managers, web developers and more. An OBM manages people who are task driven and need accountability to meet deadlines.
On top of that, it is important to remember that these people are individuals. That means they all have strengths and weaknesses. Getting to know your team is essential in order to get the best from them, and for them to be happy and productive members.
Communication Skills
Giving instruction, delegating, understanding problems and finding solutions all rely on effective communication. Finding the best ways to collaborate allows good communication between the OBM and their team, but also between team members themselves. There are a variety of platforms that make communication easier, such as Asana, ClickUp and Trello.
Effective communication is about clearly explaining roles and what is expected of people, but it also includes listening. This leads to emotional awareness, which is another key skill for any team leader.
Emotional Awareness
Emotional awareness is a skill that helps you understand your individual team members and communicate with them. When you can put yourself in another person’s shoes, you are able to motivate and encourage your team, as well as understanding what may be holding them back from achieving their potential.
Having emotional awareness helps you smooth the way ahead for your team members, offer constructive criticism and advice to help tackle obstacles and get results.
Decision-making
So, you have a great team, and everyone is keen to bring their ideas to the table. That’s great! But an effective team leader needs to have the experience and confidence to make decisions to take projects forward.
Some decisions you make may be popular, others may not. Being able to communicate logically and using emotional awareness will ensure that no one is offended if their ideas are not used. Giving your team feedback and constructive criticism will help them understand why you make such decisions and emphasise the importance of achieving a goal rather than decisions being taken personally.
Putting it all together…
Your team are the people around you who perform the necessary tasks to achieve a goal or take a project forward. In that way, an OBM should also view the client as a team member and use their skills to fully understand their needs and communicate methods and progress often. Having these team management skills in the armoury is what helps someone to become an effective OBM.
As an OBM, I understand that people skills are a big part of being an effective leader and can determine the accomplishment of a project. When you have a good team behind you, your business is set for success!
If you would like to work with me, find out more about OBM services by getting in touch.
by Jo | Jul 21, 2021 | BLOG, Business Tools, Online Business Manager, Productivity, Resource Review |
Do you use a project management system? If not, why? A good system can make a big difference in how you plan and organise your time, not to mention your stress levels!
Sometimes it can be daunting to begin with a new app or software, especially if you don’t understand the features, or maybe you don’t have time to sit and learn about it. But that’s where this guide comes in! Here’s everything you need to know about ClickUp, a project management system that can help you grow your business and manage your time more effectively.
What is ClickUp?
ClickUp is a project management solution that enables you to easily manage your business, team, and all your tasks in one place. Designed for individuals as well as teams, there are plenty of ways that ClickUp makes life easier. Here are a few of the reasons why I love using this project management system:
- Communication – collaboration between team members has never been easier than with ClickUp. Get instant messages and notifications to do with tasks, much like a chat thread. You can see who’s online, invite people to projects, and each team member can see who else is watching or involved in the project or task. This means questions or problems can be sorted out quickly, and everyone knows what each other is working on.
- Tasks and Subtasks – each larger task can be divided into a number of smaller subtasks, helping to break projects down into chunks. You can assign responsibility for any task or subtask to different team members. This step-by-step overview allows each person to see clearly what is expected at each point of the journey. When everyone knows what they are doing, it saves so much time!
- Task Status and Dependencies – another useful feature of ClickUp is that you can add dependencies to tasks, so that it shows what needs to be done, in order, before the task is complete. You can also customise the task status, such as marking it for review, open, in progress, issues found or done. Colour coding means you can see how your projects are progressing, all at a glance.
- Automation and Integration – there are lots of useful automation tools to use in ClickUp, where you can trigger an action once a condition is met. Inside a task, there’s an option to track time. You can also sync to calendar, integrate your email accounts, proof and edit PDFs and much more. New apps, or ClickApps are often developed, so there are always plenty of new ideas to try. If you feel overwhelmed by features, you can toggle off the ones you don’t need.
- Free Forever Plan – what makes ClickUp stand out even more is that it is free to use. You have the option to add unlimited tasks and unlimited members for free, unlike other project management tools that want you to subscribe for a fee each year. With the free version of ClickUp, there are more than enough features for most businesses. But, if you did want some advanced features, such as unlimited storage and integrations, you can even make a deal to set your own price!
If you are still on the fence about using a project management system like ClickUp, I recommend checking out the ClickUp and AskYvi YouTube channels, as these show some really helpful tips on making the most of this tool. They can also help you get started more quickly, especially if you don’t have time to read through the learning guides shown on ClickUp.
A good project management system can be a game changer for your business, not to mention the benefits it brings to your own time management. For more advice on using ClickUp, or for any other questions about online business management, feel free to get in touch!
by Jo | Oct 16, 2020 | BLOG, Online Business Manager |
An Online Business Manager (OBM) provides professional, managerial level support for businesses. While there are similarities between an OBM and a Virtual Assistant (VA), there is a marked difference. A VA provides general office support, whereas an OBM oversees and manages a wide range of operational processes, freeing up your time so you can use your expertise where it is needed most.
Here are the top 5 reasons how hiring an online business manager benefits your business:
1. Handles Daily Tasks
Those daily tasks that seem to get in the way, yet are an essential part of keeping your business running smoothly, can all be handled by an online business manager. Project management, administration, communicating with staff and customers, organising documents and data… an OBM can create efficient workflows and improve time management.
2. Increase Growth
When you are not bogged down in the nitty gritty of core operations, it allows you to focus your time on developing your business further. You will have more time and resources to scale up and expand your customer base, and be able to act on new opportunities that come up.
Not only that, an OBM is likely to have the experience and skills to help you create new business strategies, and a wide business network where you can make new connections.
3. Fresh Set of Eyes
Sometimes, we are so close to our business that we ‘can’t see the wood for the trees’. When you first began your business, you may have had ways of doing things that worked well at the time. However, as your business grows or changes, those processes become less efficient. It can be hard to make changes when you’ve always done things a certain way, or don’t have time to implement a new way of working. An OBM is a fresh set of eyes on your business, and may be able to suggest new ways of streamlining processes that you never thought of before.
4. Improve Work/Life Balance
Running a business is often challenging, especially for entrepreneurs who have to manage many aspects. When you spread yourself too thinly, both your business and your personal life begin to show the strain. There may also be times when you need to take a day or two off, such as through illness or commitments. It’s impossible to be in two or three places at once and still expect to be working effectively, so hiring an OBM can help provide that much needed manpower to make sure all areas of your business are running smoothly.
5. Freedom to be Creative
As a business owner, founder, or CEO, you are the visionary that steers the ship. When the day-to-day pressure is lessened, you can use your creativity to think of new ways to develop your business, how to best serve your customers or clients, and create future plans that fully align with your business values.
Ready to find out more?
Whatever the size of your business, if you are finding that time spent on core processes is slowing down growth, then hiring an OBM could be the answer you’re looking for. Feel free to get in touch to see how we could work together to support the growth of your business.
