“What is an online business manager? If you’ve started your outsourcing journey (hooray!), chances are you’ve come across the term OBM, or online business manager – and it might have left you scratching your head.
Don’t worry, you’re not alone! That’s why I thought I would explain the difference between an online business manager and a virtual assistant, and how an OBM might support your business.
First, a note on terminology.
So, what’s the difference between an OBM and a VA? Trick question! A virtual assistant is someone who can provide services remotely. That’s it. It describes the industry, not the role.
What people often think a VA is – someone who can pick up a range of tasks in your business, from customer service to inbox management or marketing support – describes a generalist VA or a virtual PA/EA. Once you start digging around, though, you’ll discover that you can find VAs who specialise in just about everything: graphic design VA, copywriting VA, marketing VA, event VA… you get the idea!
what is an online business manager?
An online business manager is a type of virtual assistant, and they’ll often be a bit more senior in your business. They can help you strategise and plan, manage the pieces and people needed to implement the plan, project manage a launch, set up systems and processes that streamline your operations, and so on.
In a recent conversation with her own OBM, Kate Toon summed it up perfectly:
“A VA does what you tell them to do, while an OBM tells you what to do.”
So while a VA is typically task-oriented, an OBM has an eye on the bigger picture of your business, vision, and goals. Or, put another way, there’s a clue in the role titles: a VA provides assistance, while an OBM is involved in managing (people, processes, projects, and so on).
do you need a VA or an OBM?
If you find yourself spending time on tasks that follow a clear process (and/or are repetitive), engage a virtual assistant and teach them to do these tasks instead. And while an all-rounder can be a great asset, especially as you’re starting to outsource, don’t be afraid to hire several contractors with their own buckets of responsibility.
Keep in mind this will leave a lot of the thinking, planning and managing on your hands, particularly during the early phase when you’re training your new contractors.
You know it’s time to hire an online business manager when you’re ready to really lean into being the CEO and visionary of your business and know you need a 2IC that can help you grow and move projects forward.
As OBMs we love to dive deep into understanding your business, to share the thinking with you, and finding ways to implement your vision. If you find yourself a bit stuck, either due to capacity constraints or you’re not sure where to go next, it might be time to consider bringing an OBM into your business.
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