Optimize, Automate and Outsource (OAO)

I have recently begun listened to some great books on Audible.  I love books on Productivity, and authors Ari Meisel and Nick Sonnenberg, who penned Idea to Execution,  wrote such a humble and informative recount of their first year in business, as they created Less Doing, a virtual assistant service success story.   They discuss what tactics worked and those that did not.  They were quick to assess, pivot and reboot.   They used serious metrics and analyzed all aspects of their business continuously.  
 

Both Nick (a finance and tech wizard) and Ari (a productivity expert and coach) were great friends who started a business from scratch on a shoestring budget, with no investment.   They knew that businesses thrive when the owners and their employees work in their Unique Genius Zone and hand off to others, tasks and workflow that are not in this zone.  They gave their clients a way to optimize and automate tasks and outsource those that do not require the team member’s unique genius.  When one is free to concentrate on what they love and do best, the outcome is magnificent.  
 

I wanted to focus today on the benefits that entrepreneurs are seeing when they apply the “OAO” tactic to their business model.  Optimization is the improvement of current processes and the search for the most efficient manner of execution. Automating tasks can cut down on time spent onboarding clients, employees and can streamline productivity.  You must be able to give up control and realize that not everything in your business needs you. There are others that would simply thrive doing the tasks you may have mastered and are good at, but do not serve the greater goals of your business.  Some automation solutions can be expensive, but others are offered for free and can be tailored to your needs.  When I wrote my book, The Interior Design Productivity Toolbox, I did so because I wanted to share with the design/build community, my “Ops Manual” of checklists for every aspect of my business at that time.   
 

I have been a fan of productivity tools since I started my business.   I was one of the first designers to use Design Manager when they launched.  I love trying new tech tools with my team and analyzing their strengths and positive attributes. In the book, Nick and Ari leverage free tech tools such as Toggl, Trello, Slack and Chargify, to automate processes and streamline workflow for their clients.   
 

Finally, there is outsourcing. The virtual assistants offered at the authors' company meet this need. They are hired by people who understand how valuable their time is and who want to focus on their core activities.  The authors cite several examples of activities that their clients wanted to outsource. Tasks range from marketing planning to solve the problem of a broken baby monitor.
 

Virtual assistants and experts can fill the gaps in your company structure.  They are effective in both small and large organizations.  In fact, my mentor and her partner run a multiple seven figure company and they hire only fractional virtual employees who work in their unique brilliance.  They have created a company culture where everyone loves what they do and are rewarded for working in their genius zone.  

I too have run my company for years with both fractional and virtual employees and it works incredibly well.  I challenge you to dip your toes and test the waters.   
 

If you are intrigued, read or listen to Idea to Execution or one of Ari Meisel’s other books, Less Doing More Living, to learn more about the art of outsourcing and getting your life back!