which tools are worth paying for in an online business?
A couple of weeks ago someone posted in a Facebook group seeking recommendations for a calendar booking tool. She needed it to have certain features and she wanted it to be free. I made my recommendation – but it wasn't free. Chances are, what she was looking for...
when “pushing through” stops working
My body has an annoying little habit of tapping me on the shoulder when I have been doing too much. Late last year, on a Sunday, my back went out. Not in a ‘get me to the hospital now’ way, but everything was tight (in weird directions), it hurt to move, and there was...
create standard operating procedures fast with zoom + fathom + chatgpt
You know getting SOPs out of your head is an essential part of setting up your systems – both for your own brain space, and to make it easy to bring in support when you need it. But if you’re anything like me, you’re probably really good at putting it off, too. Maybe...
how to make your course stand out in the age of ai
There are now approximately 6,472 ways to use AI tools to save you time and brainspace in your business (and life, too). It’s powerful stuff – and if you’re an online course creator (or an aspiring one), you’ve probably noticed the ripple effects. The market is...
the tough calls that build a values-led business
Ever found yourself at a crossroads in business, knowing deep down what the “right” move is – but hesitating because it’s uncomfortable, unpopular, or just kinda scary? Me too. Running a values-led business sounds beautiful on paper – but it can be really bloody hard...
how i decide what to invest in for my business
We service-based business owners often run a pretty lean ship, especially in the earlier years of our business. Which means we want to be sure that where we invest is going to pay off. When I first started my business I had a redundacy payout sitting in my bank...
what we’re getting wrong about productivity
As a solo, service-based business owner, I am very familiar with productivity. The usual starting point for selling services is time = money, so virtual assistants aim to get very good at maximising the value we can squeeze into every hour. The topic has also...
9 lessons from 9 years as a solo business owner
Earlier this year I celebrated 9 years of running my business (whaaaat?!). It’s kind of weird, because I never officially set out to “start a business” - I needed an income, I didn’t like any of the jobs on Seek, so I thought well maybe I can help people and they’ll...
3 key questions to support your planning
Whether you’re a deep-and-detailed planner or you tend to be more loosely guided by a vision and some juicy ideas, every business owner will spend some time planning what the next month, 6 months, or year will look like for them. There’s a bunch of resources available...
how I prepared my business for a holiday
How often are you taking time off from your virtual assistant or OBM business? As in fully stepping away, off the tools, head out of the game? Chances are, if you're a solo service-based business owner, this isn't happening nearly as often as it should! As I write...