What if the thing slowing down your business growth isn’t your workload, but the lack of systems behind it?
There’s a point in almost every business where things finally start clicking. Clients are coming in consistently, inquiries are piling up, and money is being made. On paper, it looks like success, yet behind the scenes you’re overwhelmed, exhausted, and drowning in admin work. That’s usually when the thought creeps in: “I need to hire a virtual assistant.”
After working both as a virtual assistant and now as a systems specialist, I’ve seen one major problem happen over and over again: business owners hire help before their systems are ready to support that help.
This leads to more confusion, more frustration, more money spent, and very little actual relief. Before you rush into hiring a VA, let’s talk about what really needs to happen first.
Review the Transcript
It’s time to pull up a seat at the Kitchen Island headquarters, where the laptops are open and real life is happening all around you. We are having conversations about balancing client work, laundry, and everything else in between, all while handing out snacks. We are talking about what it takes to build a successful business from home while your little ones are watching.
I’m your host, Kelly McCracken. Let’s get into today’s episode. Hello, and welcome back to the Kitchen Island. Today, I want you to pull up a seat because we are talking about hiring a virtual assistant or setting up your systems first. This is a topic I see talked about online all the time. It is… Actually, it’s really exciting.
It is such an exciting point in your business where you get to the point where you’re like, “Oh, my gosh. Okay, money is coming in. I have the clients. People trust me. I’m making money, and now I am drowning in work, and I can’t keep up.” Because especially as moms, there’s only so many hours in the day, right?
It is so exciting, and then you’re like, “Okay, great. I’m gonna hire someone and to come into my business.” But a big mistake that I see people make is they’re hiring prematurely, and let me sort of talk you through what happens when we do that. I was a virtual assistant first before I became a Dubsado specialist.
I was a teacher, and then I got started virtual assisting when I left during COVID, and I genuinely was, like, learning on the go. I didn’t know anything really about building a business, but I, of course, had skills from being a teacher and all of the tech that was going on, um, during COVID. I was learning a lot from that.
So I just kind of jumped in and got started, and I was thrilled. I was over the moon when I got my first virtual assistant client, and she was paying me $900 a month for helping her, and it was a lot of hours. I wanna say it was, like, 40 hours a month. It was pretty significant, and I was like, “Oh, my gosh.
This is amazing.” Like, I don’t have to go to the class every day. Like, the hours seem, like, pretty limited compared to working, you know, 40 to 50, plus sometimes 60 hours a week, right? This seems awesome. So I’m starting to get started, and I’m, I’m in the back end of her business. And she has some tools in place, which is great, but I always was kind of feeling like I’m thinking a lot about her business.
I feel like I’m trying to do everything that I can, but I feel like I’m not getting anything done. Like, I’m not being productive. So it was really frustrating because then I felt like I had to always ask questions or reach out, and then I think she’s then feeling frustrated as to like, “Why is my virtual assistant not getting anything done?”
And I realized there’s this big misconception out there. What is a virtual assistant actually supposed to do? And a virtual assistant is really meant to come in and take direction from you, not the other way around. It really is something that people think their virtual assistant is gonna come in, they’re gonna save the day, and they’re gonna say, “Oh, well, I see that you need to do X, Y, and Z.”
But that is not a virtual assistant. That is actually an OBM, is an online business manager. They are the people that come in really when you’re more established, like maybe you have a team and you have lots of systems in place now, and they come in and they actually help you run the show. But a virtual assistant’s job is literally to do the admin work, to help you with things that you need to get done.
So that’s, again, great. I love virtual assistants. I have a virtual assistant. I love her dearly. I would not be able to function, and I’ve had multiple virtual assistants now f- over the course of, like, a year or so. And I am like, “Oh my gosh, the time that it saves me is amazing.” But I needed to have my systems in place first.
There was no way that I could hire someone without having those systems set up. So let’s… Let me take a step back, and let’s paint a picture here for a second So you get to the point where you are ready to hire, which is amazing. Then you say, “Okay, great. I’m gonna go hire a virtual assistant,” and they range anywhere from, let’s say, $25 an hour to 55, if not more, per hour, depending on their experience and their time that they’re gonna offer you or their package.
Usually, VAs are charging hourly, and then they have a monthly retainer that they’re required to… that you’re required to meet the minimum hours. But not always. Every, every virtual assistant works a little bit differently. But let’s say on the low end that you’re hiring them for $25 an hour. You have them for 10 hours a week, and that’s $1,000 a month.
Okay, great. So you’re gonna spend that $1,000 a month to take a lot of work and time off of your plate. So you start doing that, and you start getting frustrated with the virtual assistant. You’re like, “Why do they have so many questions? Why isn’t this getting done? Why am I feeling like I’m not getting new leads or my clients aren’t getting taken care of?”
And it is a common and valid concern, but what we don’t realize as the business owner is that that is our job to delegate to them properly. And I do not believe that we should have a virtual assistant sending payment reminders, sending contracts. For some businesses, yes, of course, that can be part of it.
Um, but for the majority of entrepreneurs, service-based businesses, those are things that should be automated 100%. There is no reason that you should be having a virtual assistant chase down a client for payment. That is, A, a waste of time for your virtual assistant and a waste of money for you. There’s just no reason to do that.
So if your back-end systems are a huge hot mess, we gotta talk because it… There is no way that you can hire and scale your business if you don’t have your systems in place. So I feel like even five years ago when I got started, creating SOPs was very difficult. Like, I had to have this, like, whole extra software to, like, actually get it set up, and then it, like, would sorta work but not really work, and I would never remember to do it.
But when you are at the point where you’re like, “Okay, I’m drowning,” I would recommend being like, “Okay, let’s take a pause. What is working? What do I have set up? What am I missing here? What i- what would help me actually move the needle?” And a lot of times, it’s your workflows. So when you take that pause, I would start creating SOPs, and SOPs are system operating procedures, so that now you can replicate what you are doing and share it with the virtual assistant.
So things like how you take an inquiry, how you onboard a client, how you send a proposal, how you send their contract and invoice. Anything like that, we could start to create a process for So when you get to that point where you are drowning in your business and there’s too much going on, we haven’t been able to catch up, and you’re like, “I need to hire help,” I want you to take a pause, and I want you to take inventory of what is really happening in the back end of your business.
Because if you do not have any workflows set up, then we need to first set up your workflows. We need to be managing inquiries where it takes you minutes to personalize a response to your clients that’s… or an automated response, gets them on the call, gets them reminders going out. They get a unique link every time they book with you.
It takes me maybe five minutes to send a proposal, a contract, and an invoice to a client because my systems are all set up. I onboard a client, they get a custom, um, like Google Drive folder for them. Again, this takes me minutes to do because I have all of this pre-set up. My virtual assistant is now not spending time going through and s- doing all of this stuff, sending reminders to my clients, sending Google Drive links or whatever.
Like, no, this is all done seamlessly. So I am spending now less than the hourly rate because it takes less time to do all of my client work like that. They are now spending time on moving the needle. My social media. They know how to set up my newsletter. They know how to work with my clients. They know how to do things on the back end that don’t require me and my time anymore, and my time is then freed up to spend time with my clients, to set up their workflows, testing their workflows, go on a podcast, go to a networking event.
Anything else that’s going to help move the needle forward is what I’m spending my time on. So to come back to this, your virtual assistant needs to have clear SOPs in place, and if we don’t have the structure, then there’s no way that they can do what they need to do. There’s… It’s just not possible. As much as we want to believe that they can, and maybe you find this amazing unicorn of a virtual assistant client, I know they are out there, but really, your job as the business owner is to be handling that and taking care of that, not the other way around.
So I do not want to see you s- wasting time, wasting money. I don’t wanna see three months go by where you spent $2,000 a month on your virtual assistant and then feeling like you’re disappointed and you got nothing out of it. We need to switch it. I have really spent a lot of time educating virtual assistants on this.
They do not have the same knowledge to come in and set up your CRM as a specialist does, whether that’s with HoneyBook, whether that’s with Dubsado, it doesn’t matter. You’re gonna spend time and money in having them learn and learn and learn how to set it up, spending hours watching videos trying to do it, and then actually learning how to implement it, and then it’s still not done correctly.
The… it’s just, it doesn’t work. I… even if they know Dubsado, I’m telling you, it will not be the same as when you hire someone to fully build out your system. Because I know how to do it faster. I’m not spending my time learning it. I already know how to do it. Really, the missing piece there is when you say to your virtual assistant, you’re like, “Go set up my systems.
Like, can you set up an inquiry workflow?” And they’re like, “Yeah, sure.” But then they didn’t know how you wanted to take calls, when you wanted to take calls, when the reminders are gonna be. What is your scheduler availability? There is way more questions than are actually answers at that point. Now, there’s a lot of back and forth trying to figure this out, and I’m hoping you’re, like, kind of chuckling on the other side of the screen, because I feel like this happens all the time, and you might have done that exact same mistake.
So I say all of this to help you save money. I don’t want you to be wasting money on a virtual assistant trying to set up your systems. There are specialists for a reason, and we have learned along the way what works and what doesn’t work. The biggest thing is that plan. We have to have the plan, and we have to talk about and know exactly what you want to happen when.
That eliminates a lot of the guesswork, and now I can skip the learning of, how am I gonna set that up? I just get it set up for you. So when I work with my clients, that is the most important piece of how we work together, and it’s a reason why I can’t do your s- account partially. There’s just no such thing as a partial setup.
I have to build it with you fully. Once your systems are fully set up now, now they can come in and they can help with maintenance. They can help tweak emails as they’re already set up. They can help you add emails in that maybe you wanna add to enhance the client experience. But they are not spending hours and hours and weeks and days and time trying to figure out how on earth this system even works.
They already know. They’re coming in and they can learn how your workflows are set up, and they’re just helping you maintain things, keeping an eye on things, making sure things are getting done at the correct time, and they’re helping you with the onboarding and the manual pieces that are still needed.
But they’re not wasting time doing stuff that your system is already doing. I do not wanna see you waste money, waste time, waste energy on things that we don’t need to. So I hope this perspective is helpful. If you are at the point in your business where you are thinking of hiring A, congratulations.
That’s incredible. Think back to the first, like, days, weeks, even a year that you started your business and what a dream that would have been to have someone to bring into your business to help. That is just… It’s incredible. It’s an incredible milestone. But really thoughtfully think through, what are the things that I need them to do that are getting the- me my ROI?
That is most important to me when hiring my team. I need them to be on top of it. I need them to be better than I am at things so that we are saving time and actually continuing to take care of our clients and to actually grow my business. I would not be able to do it without them. This is no hate on virtual assistants whatsoever.
They are incredibly important, but you have to be in the driver’s seat as the business owner and take control of how you want your business to run, and we can’t do that without clear systems and clear processes in place. So I hope this episode was helpful. Thank you so much for listening. If you haven’t already, be sure to leave a review on Apple Podcasts or leave a comment in Spotify.
I want to hear what you think of these episodes, and I hope that they are helpful to help you continue to grow a sustainable business and grow your team. Thanks so much for hanging around the kitchen island. If you enjoyed today’s episode, be sure to subscribe and share it with your business besties or your mom friends.
You can find all the show notes from today’s episode at kellymccracken.co. I’ll see you next time.
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Why Hiring a Virtual Assistant Feels Like the Next Logical Step
When your business starts growing, your capacity gets stretched quickly. Especially as moms and service providers, there are only so many hours in a day. Eventually, you hit a wall where you physically cannot keep up with the workload anymore.
At that point, hiring feels exciting and validating. It becomes proof that your business is finally becoming “real.”
While it is, many entrepreneurs assume a virtual assistant is going to come into their business, immediately understand everything, streamline the chaos, and magically fix operations behind the scenes. That expectation is where things start falling apart.
Because that’s not actually what a virtual assistant is hired to do.
What Are Virtual Assistants Actually Responsible For?
One of the biggest misconceptions online is the role of a virtual assistant. A VA is not typically a strategist, systems architect, or operations manager. Their role is to execute tasks and support the workflows you already have in place.
These tasks could include supporting your inbox, assisting with social media, helping with onboarding tasks, maintaining systems, and completing delegated tasks. The thing with these tasks is that your virtual assistant will still need direction.
A VA should not have to create your entire operational structure from scratch while simultaneously trying to support your business. That role is much closer to an OBM (Online Business Manager), who typically steps into a more strategic leadership position.
The problem is that many business owners hire a VA expecting OBM-level problem solving without providing the systems, SOPs, or infrastructure needed for success.
My Experience Working as a Virtual Assistant
Before I became a systems specialist, I worked as a virtual assistant after leaving teaching during COVID. I was thrilled when I landed my first client, because felt life-changing. I was making a consistent income, working from home, and building something entirely new for myself.
But once I got inside the backend of that business, I constantly felt stuck. I was asking questions all the time and trying to understand processes that didn’t exist, which meant I was spending mental energy figuring out how things should work instead of actually completing tasks efficiently.
And honestly? I think both of us felt frustrated. I felt like I wasn’t productive enough.My client felt like things weren’t getting done.
Looking back now, the issue wasn’t effort. The issue was the lack of systems. Without workflows, SOPs, automations, and clear processes, delegation becomes incredibly difficult.
Why You Need to Set Up Your Systems Before You Hire
Imagine you hire a VA for $25 an hour for 10 hours a week. That’s roughly $1,000 a month. You’re investing that money because you want time back, you want support, and you want room to breathe in your business.
But if your business doesn’t have systems in place, your VA ends up spending hours:
- Asking clarifying questions
- Searching for information
- Following up manually
- Trying to understand your client journey
- Recreating repetitive tasks
- Waiting for your direction
At that point, you’re not really saving time, instead you’re just transferring chaos onto another person. And worse, you’re paying for inefficiency.
Automating Your Systems to Increase Efficiency for Your VA
While there are so many opportunities to automate tasks in your business, one of the biggest examples I see is client management. There is absolutely no reason a virtual assistant should spend hours manually sending payment reminders or contracts, following up on invoices, and delivering onboarding links.
Those tasks should already be automated through your CRM and workflows.
Your systems should handle:
- Inquiry responses
- Scheduling
- Proposal delivery
- Contracts
- Invoices
- Reminder emails
- Client onboarding
- Folder creation
- Follow-up communication
When those systems are already working properly, your VA can spend their time doing higher-value tasks that actually move your business forward.
If you haven’t already set up your CRM, I highly recommend Dubsado!
Creating SOPs for Your Business
SOPs, or Standard Operating Procedures, are the bridge between your systems and your team. They allow you to document repeatable processes so your business can operate consistently without everything depending on you.
Think about every recurring task in your business: inquiries, onboarding, sending proposals, marketing tasks, etc.
Without SOPs, every task requires your brainpower.
With SOPs, someone else can follow a documented process and execute it confidently.
That’s the difference between constantly micromanaging and actually leading a business.
The Hidden Cost of Poor Systems
Many business owners think they’re saving money by having a VA “figure it out,” but in reality, poor systems end up costing far more in wasted hours, miscommunication, delayed client experiences, team frustration, lost leads, burnout, inconsistent onboarding, and revenue leaks.
Instead of creating efficiency, the lack of structure often forces VAs to learn systems implementation on the job, which creates even more confusion and inefficiency.
Learning how to fully optimize a platform like Dubsado takes time and experience. A systems specialist understands strategy, automation logic, workflows, client journeys, and implementation best practices.
That expertise matters.
What Happens When Your Systems Are Finally Working
Once your workflows and automations are fully built, everything changes.
Instead of spending hours manually onboarding clients, your processes happen in minutes. Instead of chasing paperwork, contracts, or invoices, your systems handle those tasks automatically behind the scenes.
And instead of your virtual assistant getting buried in repetitive admin work, they’re finally able to focus on the areas that actually help grow your business—supporting your social media, managing client communication, coordinating newsletters, helping with content, organizing your team, and contributing to bigger growth-focused projects.
Your systems create the foundation that keeps the business running smoothly, while your team supports the growth and momentum on top of it. That order matters.
How to Know When It Is Time to Hire
Hiring support becomes incredibly powerful when your business already has:
- Clear workflows
- Automated processes
- SOPs
- Defined client journeys
- Consistent systems
- Repeatable tasks
These pieces create the structure your team needs to actually succeed. Without them, every task turns into constant back-and-forth communication, clarification, and problem-solving. But when your systems are already established, bringing someone into your business creates momentum instead of confusion.
Your team member will understand:
- What needs to happen
- When it happens
- How it happens
- Where to find information
- What success looks like
That clarity is so important. Instead of spending hours answering questions or fixing mistakes, you’re able to confidently delegate knowing tasks will be completed consistently and correctly. Your team can step into their role faster, your clients receive a smoother experience, and your business starts operating with far less stress and far more efficiency.
When your backend is organized, hiring no longer feels like adding another person to manage. It feels like true support. Your team becomes an extension of your business instead of another responsibility sitting on your plate, and that’s when you finally start creating the space to grow sustainably.
The Goal Isn’t Just Delegation: It’s Building A Sustainable Business
The real goal of hiring isn’t simply getting tasks off your plate. It’s building a business that can continue to grow and operate smoothly without depending on your constant attention every second of the day.
When your systems are strong, everything in your business starts functioning more efficiently. Your clients experience smoother communication, onboarding becomes faster and more professional, and your team has the clarity they need to do their jobs well. Instead of constantly putting out fires or scrambling to keep up, your business begins operating from a place of consistency and stability.
Strong systems create:
- Better client experiences
- Faster onboarding
- More professionalism
- Better communication
- Less burnout
- More scalability
- Greater profitability
And perhaps most importantly, they give you your time back.
Instead of getting stuck in repetitive admin work, you’re able to focus on the areas of your business that actually require your expertise and leadership. That might look like serving your clients at a higher level, networking with other business owners, creating content, marketing your services, speaking on podcasts, building partnerships, or increasing your visibility online.
Those are the activities that truly move the needle in your business. Your systems and team should support those goals—not pull you away from them.
Build the System Before the Team
If you’re at the stage where you’re thinking about hiring help, first of all—congratulations. That’s a huge milestone. As a reminder, before you bring someone into your business, take a step back and evaluate your systems honestly.
Ask yourself:
- Are my workflows documented?
- Are repetitive tasks automated?
- Do I have SOPs in place?
- Would someone else know how to operate this business without me explaining everything daily?
If the answer is no, your next investment may not be a VA yet. It may be your systems. When your backend is organized, streamlined, and automated, hiring support becomes exponentially more effective.
Your team stops wasting time. Your clients get a better experience. And your business finally has room to scale sustainably.
Ready to Stop Running Your Business Manually?
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, buried in admin work, or constantly wondering why your business still feels chaotic even after hiring support, your systems are likely the missing piece. The good news is that you don’t have to figure it out alone.
I help service providers build streamlined workflows and automated systems that save time, improve the client experience, and create a business that actually feels sustainable. Whether you need a full CRM setup, better workflows, or systems that finally support your growth, we’ll build a backend that works for you—not against you.
If you’re ready to stop duct-taping your processes together and start building a business that can truly scale, let’s connect about your systems setup.
Let’s Connect:
Website: kellymccracken.co
Work with Me: kellymccracken.co/services
Instagram: instagram.com/kellymccracken.co
Podcast Show Notes: kellymccracken.co/podcast
We should team up!
And if you still have questions about how to set up Dubsado…
Your expertise belongs in your craft more than your CRM. Bringing in a pro to do the strategic thinking and heavy lifting means that you’re never stuck Googling, experimenting, or muddling through something that only kind of works.
When you book a Dubsado setup for your business, we get to skip right over any implementation growing pains or learning just for learning’s sake. As a Certified Dubsado Specialist, I build exactly what you need, and then show you exactly what you need to do to keep the system running smoothly.
