Thank you Joyce. Passion and serving our target are important but having the business set up properly is equally important in order to deliver the services for which we went into business in the first place.

I understand that glaze over experience, Roslyn. I felt the same way the first time I had to learn to do a backup of this website for a wordpress upgrade because the then web developer had already handed over controls to me and I was on my own. 🙂 Luckily the company that managed my Mom’s website was kind enough to run me through the process over the phone while I took copious notes starting right from how to do a backup to clicking the update button for WordPress. 🙂 It seems a distant memory now but I didn’t believe it was simple then. At least now, even when I outsource website management to my new web guy, I know how to check his work which helps complete updates and upgrades faster. I salute your webmaster for making sure that she runs you through the processes even if you don’t get it the first time round. She’s being responsible and professional.

It happens to all of us, Marquita! I was fortunate that when my website was being developed, the developer gave me my first set of processes for website maintenance and management so I had 1 business system and process documented. Then, when I started setting up opt-ins, I was forced to write down the steps because I’d keep forgetting the order. It is a good idea to have some documentation done before hiring the VA. You might even consider recording the processes on a recorder and then getting them transcribed to save time.

Thanks for the compliment and endorsement of my skill, Beverley. As a former auditor, we were required to audit the systems of all our clients even the small ones before we would start looking at their accounts. Quite often simply documenting the system and then creating a flow chart visual enabled us to add value to our clients and plug the holes that put the business in danger of non-compliance and even fraud.

I know you are a multi-talented lady, Beverley, and I’m not surprised that you already have a head start when it comes to understanding business processes and systems. It’s wise of you to outsource this work while you focus on your main talent – creative writing!

I’m so glad to read that you loved the flow charts, Natasha. During my corporate world days when we were implementing Sarbanne Oxley’s requirements, the flow charts helped us to explain to our clients where there were weaknesses in their internal control systems.

You are most welcome, Reba. Quite often people thinks that processes and systems are meant only for big businesses and not sole proprietors or those coaches, consultants and healers who are in fact the brand of the business. A simple start is to jot down how you do your processes in a notebook or Word document so you are ready when you need to outsource or check why a particular process isn’t working. Perhaps even improve it. 🙂

You are most welcome, Catherine. Hope you find the information and tips useful for your own business systems.