Crush The Journey Podcast

Episode 028 - Reclaim Your Time With A Virtual Assistant with Laura Licursi

Guest Bio

 

Key Takeaways

• 1. What exactly is a VA?
     • A virtual assistant can do anything that an administrative assistant can do that does not require an immediate presence
     • A VA can act as a general administrative assistant or have one that can specialize in areas such as a social medial manager and website designer
     • VAs can be utilized as on-demand staffing
  2. Are there benefits from hiring a VA through an agency vs directly?
     • Agency - handles all the recruitment, hiring, placement process and can act as more of a relationship manager
     • Freelance - you are responsible for the recruiting, hiring and firing process
  3. How would someone know whether a VA is right move vs just hiring someone directly?
     • If they need someone they can contact multiple times a day to delegate tasks in real time then hiring someone directly and available onsite is probably more ideal
     • If they are willing to work with someone in order to delegate tasks/projects and is comfortable communicating a few times a week then a VA may be more ideal
  4. What does someone need to consider before hiring a VA?
     • Be willing to ease in slowly with smaller tasks
     • Be prepared that it will take 2-3 months until an ideal work flow is established
     • Thinking of a VA as part of your team
     • The more engaged you can be with your VA the better the relationship will be
  5. What are the essential consideration that someone should ask when hiring a VA?
     • Identify the top 5 areas that you need assistance (refer to Lisa’s interview about how to organize delegating tasks); What are your biggest time sucks?
     • The 3 main areas where a VA can be most beneficial:
       • Administrative - email clean up, calendar management, scheduling appointments, database management, follow up calls
       • Social Media - schedule posts, content creation
       • Digital Marketing - newsletter, blogs
     • If you are spending more time on tasks that are taking away from you making money, then you should consider bringing on help
     • The more systems you have in place the easier (and more cost effective) the on boarding but you do not need to have your systems in place and documented to bring on help
  6. What does the communication and workflow look like?
     • Shared filles such as Google Drive or Dropbox
     • Project management tools such as Trello or Asana
     • Minimize email communications
     • VA track their hours throughout and send a report on a weekly basis
     • Be willing to empower the VA to accomplish the tasks set forth rather than micromanage the workflow

Items mentioned in this episode:

• Contact Elite Virtual Assistants
• Social Media:

twitter.com/evassist
facebook.com/elitevirtualassist
linkedin.com/in/laura-licursi-6863a32a
instagram.com/elite_assist/
pinterest.com/evassist

 

This episode is sponsored by:

ErynMorgan.com/Evolution-Live

Episode 027 - Achieve More By Working Less with Lisa Crilley Mallis

Guest Bio

Lisa Crilley Mallis works with focused, successful business owners who are overcommitted and still want to achieve more without giving up their nights and weekends.  For over 15 years, Lisa has provided customized, practical solutions to everyday capacity building challenges, allowing her clients to accomplish more in less time, while still enjoying their lives.

She is the current National Association of Business Owners (NAWBO) Cleveland president and a member of the Red Key Network and International Coach Federation.  Lisa lives in Chagrin Falls, Ohio with her husband Lou and his dog, Neuton.  She loves chocolate, the beach, and country music.

Key Takeaways

• Identify your Zone Of Genius
  • What are you good at?
  • What do you have a passion for?
  • What comes easiest to you that you see others struggling with?
• Make the time to make the time
  • Identify your biological prime time - when is your energy the highest?
  • Match your tasks to the best times of day to fulfill those to completion
  • Schedule those tasks on your calendar during those ideal times
• Paint-by-numbers system to delegate effectively:
  • Who to delegate
    • make a resource list of people and services
  • What to delegate -
    • make a list of all your tasks that you do and wish you could do
    • circle the items that only you can do (Zone of Genius - most likely it is 25% of your list)
  • How to delegate
    • select 3 tasks that you can delegate (those items not circled)
    • commit to moving forward on 1 task
    • know what you want the end result to look like
    • have a system in place to track progress
• There are 6 levels of delegation
  • 1 - needing someone to report back upon completion of every task
  • 6 - empowering someone to make the decisions and create the systems
• Benefits of hiring a coach
  • Coaches can see what you can’t see
  • holds you accountable for the goals you say you are committed
  • helps you focus your attention to being productive rather than just being busy
  • income increases as a by product of being more efficient
  • identify if you are an external or internal motivator and leverage that behavior to get things done
• Lisa’s coaching philosophy - A.W.E
  • Awareness 
  • Work 
  • Evaluation

Items mentioned in this episode:

• How Productive Are You Really?  10 question quiz
• Schedule Your 30 Minute Complimentary Propel Your Productivity Breakthrough Call Session
• Learn more about NAWBO Cleveland

Contact Lisa Crilley Mallis

Email: [email protected]

www.Twitter.com/ImpactiveStrat
www.Facebook.com/ImpactiveStrategies
www.linkedin.com/in/lcrilleymallis/
www.google.com/+LisaMallis

This episode is sponsored by:

ErynMorgan.com/Evolution-Live

 

Episode 026 - Profit First Success Story with Dr. Belen Amat

Guest Bio

Dr. Belen Amat was born and raised in Mexico City, where she studied medicine at the Universidad Panamericana and graduated with honors. She decided to pursue a dual specialty in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at GRMEP in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where she found wonderful people and a great city for her family.

Ever since she was a child, she wanted to be a doctor and help people, especially when they were sick and needed help the most. She put her life-long love of science to work figuring out complex medical issues and preventing illnesses.

After several years of working in large clinics and hospital networks, she decided to start her own practice with the idea of reviving the personalized attention she believes is the basis of a quality medical service. Her research into the Direct Primary Care model showed high rates of patient satisfaction and improved medical and wellness outcomes through increased patient access and communication, so she decided to adopt this preventative model of care.

“I believe in patient care that is based on a personal relationship between a doctor and a patient, a relationship based in trust and communication. This is one of the reasons why I believe in spending more time with each person and listen to their needs,” Dr. Amat said.

“I enjoy helping my patients prevent diseases and helping children to develop and grow healthy.”

Dr. Amat volunteers for medical mission trips to Honduras and offers service in Spanish for the Spanish-speaking community.

 

Key Takeaways

1. Having health insurance does not necessarily mean you will have access to care
2. Direct Primary Care is a membership based model of practicing medicine that takes the insurance middleman out of the equation and unites the doctor and patient in a 1:1 relationship
3. Many entrepreneurs, especially physicians, fall into the trap of feeling entitled to a certain lifestyle without considering whether your business can sustain it
4. Profit First organizes the cashflow of your business your business in such a way that is practical and intuitive
5. Implementing the Profit First Method into her medical practice has resulted in having the funds available when taxes are due, reducing impulse buys by planning ahead for investment purchases, sets the Profit distribution funds aside as the reward for owning your business
6. Profit First has allowed Dr. Amat to create a solid for organizing her cashflow, that it has allowed her to look ahead to growing her practice responsibly, sustainable and profitable.

Items mentioned in this episode:

Direct Primary Care of Western Michigan

Find a Direct Primary Care Provider in your area

Profit First Professionals

This episode is sponsored by:

ErynMorgan.com/Evolution-Live

 

Episode 025 - Design Your Business To Run Like Clockwork with Mike Michalowicz

Guest Bio

Mike Michalowicz is the entrepreneur behind three multi-million dollar companies and is the author of Profit First,The Pumpkin Plan, Surge and what BusinessWeek deemed the entrepreneur’s cult classic, The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur.

Key Takeaways

1. Understanding your 4D mix - Doing, Deciding, Delegating and Designing
2. The Queen Bee Role (QBR) is the single action that your business' success depends
3. QBR is not a single person but rather a single role/function/task
4. Once your QBR is identified, all other tasks need to be designed to Serve and Protect the QBR
5. Clockwork suggests that rather than create the old standard operating procedures (SOP) manual, you simply capture your existing systems using his AC/DC method - Attract, Convert, Deliver, and Collect

Items mentioned in this episode:

Get your copy of Clockwork today

Get your FREE Virtual Clockwork Kit

Profit First Professionals

This episode is sponsored by:

ErynMorgan.com/Evolution-Live

Episode 024 - Intentional Networking with Maria Jeancola

Guest Bio

An entrepreneur at heart, Maria Jeancola loves helping people thrive and succeed. She has found that being part of an amazing company like Aligned Health Center, and spreading the word of Chiropractic BioPhysics, as an unbelievably rewarding experience.

In addition to providing health care, She has built Network Fifty Two, a networking group that helps people connect and work together in a mutually beneficial way. She has been amazed at the success of this group from the very beginning and it proves that collaboration is a key ingredient in the pursuit of excellence.

To further expand her reach to help others both personally and professionally, she also runs a life and health insurance brokerage. This has allowed her to encompass her wide network of people, businesses, and services to provide a unique approach to help individuals and small businesses with the best possible solution when it comes to insurance, investments and benefits.

As a proud mother of three amazing children, she tries to lead by example, believing that a parent should not make their children their excuse, but their reason.

Key Takeaways

Definition of networking - cultivate productive business relationships

Givers attract takers

There are angel numbers - the number 52 means to selflessly give

Biggest misconception about networking is that there is no one who needs what you do

How to network at an event:

1. Set a goal
2. "Don't spray and pray" your business card; quantity isn't always better
3. Start the conversation by talking about the other person
4. Just ask for something
5. Carry a pen to jot down notes on a business card
6. Have a place to collect business cards and a place with your business cards
7. Follow up immediately - connect on LinkedIn with a message and call to action (schedule a coffee)

Items mentioned in this episode:

www.networkfiftytwo.com
www.facebook.com/networkfiftytwo
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariajeancola

Episode  023 - Objection Is Not Rejection: How to Overcome The 3 Most Common Sales Objections with Eryn Morgan Guest Bio Eryn Morgan is a success strategist who helps creative, multi-passionate, highly-skilled women transform into the leaders of their businesses (and lives). She functions as your coach, guru, and the business partner you’ve always wanted. She’s honed her skills in marketing, sales, mindset, operations, and motivating you to get stuff done, so you don’t have to be an expert in #allthethings. When she’s not obsessing over her clients and wearing her business coach hat, she’s fantasizing about being a private detective, drinking copious amounts of wine (while cooking!), being equally fascinated and terrified of birds, and watching her boyfriend play Madden on XBox and acting like it’s a “real game.” Key Takeaways The 3 Most Common Objections and How to reframe the question:

1. Money - "Where is your prospect willing to seek the funds to invest in their transformation?"
2. Time - this is more an opportunity cost objection; "What is the cost of not taking action now?"
3. Need to talk with someone else before proceeding - help your prospect on how to have that conversation by showing them what they will look like after their transformation and therefore their conversation needs to be more about seeking support rather than permission

Items mentioned in this episode: ErynMorgan.com Instagram: @erynemorgan ErynMorgan.com/Evolution-Live This episode is sponsored by: ErynMorgan.com/Evolution-Live  

Episode  022 - Entrepreneurial You with Dorie Clark Guest Bio Dorie Clark is the author of the new book Entrepreneurial You . Her past books include Reinventing You  and Stand Out , which was named the #1 Leadership Book of 2015 by Inc. magazine.  A former presidential campaign spokeswoman, she teaches at Duke University and writes frequently for the Harvard Business Review.  She is also a consultant and speaker for clients such as Google, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the World Bank.  And a fun fact about Dorie, is that she is the producer of multiple Grammy winning jazz album. Items mentioned in this episode: Dorie Clark's Website 88 Question Entrepreneurial You Self Assessment Get your copy of Entrepreneurial You today ( Full Disclosure I am an affiliate for this product so if you decide to purchase I may receive a commission) This episode is sponsored by: ErynMorgan.com/Evolution-Live  

Episode  021 - 5 Lessons I Learned On How To Prepare For The Unexpected with Jennifer Hottle

1. What are the non-negociable things happening in your life right now
   1. Work
   2. Family
   3. Self
2. Talk with your family/support system about how everyone is going to deal with the situation
   1. What is the action plan (ie treatment plan)
   2. Set up a schedule
   3. Let them know what times you need to devote to your clients/family
3. Inform your clients of what is happening in your life IF it will prevent you from delivering on your promise
4. Be sure to allow yourself time each day to decompress
   1. Long bath
   2. Reading
   3. Meditating
   4. Praying
5. Be prepared to work remotely

  This episode is sponsored by: ErynMorgan.com/Evolution-Live