Posts

surviving to thriving in 5 movies featuring bill gallagher founder and business coach and myoutdesk

Leadership Strategies for Crisis Management with Scaling Coach Bill Gallagher

/in , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , /by

Tune in as we discuss leadership strategies for – crisis management, executing flexibility, accessing pivots & improving your cash position. Schedule a free Thrive Strategy Call today.

 

This special webinar includes 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘 limited-time access to:

  • 1) Famous book “Scaling Up” + tools & worksheets
  • 2) #1 bestselling business book “Scaling Your Business”
  • 3) Business strategy consultants + thrive guides

 

Free Thrive Guide + Strategy Consultation

 

We’re joined by Bill Gallagher, CEO of Scaling Coach. Bill Gallagher is a business coach and master facilitator with over 30 years of entrepreneurial and executive experience. Bill has spent the last 15 years coaching and training others in leadership and performance and previously led 4 companies of his own and been a partner or executive in 2 others. Bill discovered the Rockefeller Habits and Scaling Up 20 years ago, has used them in his own companies. 

 

Today, Bill coaches leaders and teams across more than 25 cities in 11 countries and the host of the Scaling Up Business Podcast. He is a passionate and playful presenter, and his clients, at all stages, share a hunger to grow successfully with an openness to new approaches and thinking.

 

It costs tens of thousands of dollars to attend one of Bill’s Scaling Up Institutes, and today you can access his timely knowledge here for free! If you need help or want to explore some ideas, book a Schedule a free Thrive Strategy Call today.

 

Free Thrive Guide + Strategy Consultation

 

Bill shares his strategies to lead in today’s uncertain times.

  • Lead Without a Plan — Although this sounds like terrible leadership, IF you relay that you’re FIGHTING through any crisis and problem, and when you work collectively with your team, you can figure out and make astounding pivots with your leadership.
    • Continue to hold the vision and communicate
    • Fight like hell
    • Ask your people for help
  • Radical Requests — Get access to improving the situation. Instead of feeling confined, ask what you really need! Don’t wipe yourself out, BUT work with a solution — For example, with clients & prospects, you can ask, “What do you need? What can I do for you instead?” It can help you turn situations around and come out with success and growth!
  • Name That Feeling — it takes courage to show emotions, and courage needs strength, to be a whole human! Nobody’s great—there are moments that you are, and moments that you’re not. Emotions make you human. There is power and courage in being a leader. Being human as a leader gives your people a truth, that you’re not faking it to make it. Self-awareness & mindfulness. Calling it out as a practice of acceptance—it becomes a powerful thing. Call it out and go with it!
  • Execute Flexible — Working remotely to keep the business going. Technology can help you manage virtually. At the same time, don’t change or abandon your long-term vision and goals. Shift priorities, or even strategies! Metrics and dashboards? It might be missing since you moved virtually. Some tools and apps can help you out and keep it up. This helps people know if we’re collectively hitting metrics and KPIs. Keep the progress visibility out there!
  • Let People Get Off the Bus — People who continually resist might not be a good fit in your environment. There might be a better place for them to win. How do you get people in this space and get the right requests out there? By leading up in the front and leading by example. Work with your team, and ask them what they can do. Keep nudging them up. Make a list of radical requests and have them do one while you are encouraging and helping. Fully appreciate and acknowledge the radical request from both perspectives.
  • Be a Trend-Spotter — Acknowledge the weaknesses and strengths in the world and yourself right now. What do they need? What can you do better? Pivot your business around what people need, and you might see opportunities. This might be the same business to different people, or a different business for the same people. Look for trends far outside the norm, and look broadly across the world. Bill shares his SWT tool—strengths, weaknesses, and trends. Start using this tool for in your industry, then for your region, and afterward go even broader!

 

Free Thrive Guide + Strategy Consultation

a white paper with a hole ripped open showing a benjamin franklin bill looking through

COVID-19 Today: Banks Left to Guess on Credit Decisions

/in /by

Some observers are predicting that the pandemic could wipe out more global wealth than the Financial Crisis of 2008.

Did You Know? MyOutDesk’s origin story is set during the last global financial crisis of 2008.

Yes, that’s right — our business started during a recession to help businesses scale with virtual assistants during a recession! Our first client in 2008 went from five to seventeen VPs with a completely revamped organizational model in short order, and he told MyOutDesk, “Our virtual professionals have shaved $250,000 off our monthly overhead.” 

 

MyOutDesk can save you up to 70% on employment costs
Claim a free strategy consultation & downloads

 

Banks have pulled back sharply on lending to U.S. consumers during the COVID-19 coronavirus crisis. The main reason: They can no longer tell who exactly is creditworthy.

With today’s economy in shambles, experts are trying to figure out what is going to happen to all of the debt that Americans have racked up during better times.

 

“Banks don’t know who is going to pay and who isn’t. It’s like flying blind into a credit storm”

– Michael Abbott, head of banking for North American at Accenture PLC

 

One of the keys to thriving during a recession is to focus your time on finding out opportunities to thrive and survive during this uncertain time. Spend the next 90 days of quiet time for deeper planning and preparing.

The recession will eventually pass, and so when we come out of this thing, you will be the winner. Here’s a guide for thinking through all the things that you can do right now. Think through all the things missing or need updating in your business.

 

What are some of the biggest challenges you’re solving for business right now?
  • What will the next crisis look like? Do you have enough cash resources? Be in the position that you don’t have to take out money to survive if it happens again.
  • Beg to think, “What comes out of this? “How is business going to work after this?”
  • “How do we come back to work? What’s the new normal like?”

 

You can grow your team even while cutting costs.

Our career-oriented VAs are the most reliable professionals to advance your remote operations while saving you up to 70% on employment costs.  Get more efficient with your time + resources so that you can focus on the bigger picture  — closing more deals & outperforming the competition.

The math is simple with an enormous ROI. You will reduce overhead and leverage remote operations. These tremendous cost-savings allow you & your local team to focus on dollar-productive activities with fewer distractions.

What’s Included: No-sweat + thorough talent-matching process. FBI-grade background checks. Remote team productivity tracking software. Business strategy guides. Remote work action plans. Unparalleled customer service … and much more!

 

 

 

Growing Virtually with MORE Talent (all while cutting costs)

It’s no wonder CEOs & entrepreneurs trust us most — with 13 years of experience serving over 6,000 clients. Last year, we saved our clients $55 million as the highest-rated virtual assistant company with more than 500 verified 5-star business reviews.

In today’s market, every penny counts to maximize profits. Grow your virtual operations & scale business today!

To start the process of getting your own virtual assistant, click here to schedule a call now! 

 

 

Experience The Difference
MyOutDesk can save you up to 70% on employment costs
Claim a free business strategy consultation & ‘Grow Virtual’ Guide

 

See also:

 

It’s time to maximize your productivity:
Leverage virtual assistants!

myoutdesk logo with a checkmark

Guard Against The Chaos: How to create Bulletproof Systems & Processes for your business

/in , , , , , , , , , , , , , /by

Focus on positive outcomes and continually take the next action of the most important thing. At MyOutDesk, we stress to our clients to continuously improving their operations for continued, optimal results!

If you can’t make that shift, you’ll quit growing – and your business will spend all its energy simply trying to replace churn. As people seek to maintain their livelihoods, it’s up to you to help produce what is needed by the community. You get paid to add value to our customers, clients, vendors, and the people in our communities. 

Instilling effective change to keep your business thriving must be adopted at all levels. Here’s how.

 

 

Experience The Difference
MyOutDesk can save you up to 70% on employment costs
Claim a free business strategy consultation & ‘Grow Virtual’ Guide

 

Learn: Bulletproof Systems & Process (MOD Style)

  1. Document the process (Play-Pause-Do)
  2. Add it to a system (IT & project management)
  3. Create a training guide
  4. Create a presentation about the standard
  5. Creating change – Name it, Brand it, Wear it, Teach it, Institutionalize it, Reward it.  

 

In today’s global economy, many companies are leveraging talent between both physical and remote employees. To prepare — when your organization implements a new remote work culture or hires a MOD Virtual Professional, they will need to be onboarded and trained like any other employee. At the same time, the team will determine and adapt to best practices, technological tools, and procedures for training a strong blended team.

 

Document the process (Play-Pause-Do)

Try the Play, Pause, Do Method. This method requires that every standard operating procedure has a video attached alongside all written documentation. What is it exactly? It’s step-by-step, documentation that outlines each of your processes and what to do when things go awry.

This method is part of crafting your Virtual Playbook. You will be amazed at how efficiently you can bring all employees up to speed when you have a play-by-play, documented process.

Craft your own FREE Virtual Playbook, and schedule your ‘Grow Virtual’ Business Strategy Session now to learn more!

 

Add it to a system (IT & project management)

Use a task assignment & management platform.

There are many services to choose from to help organize tasks and projects. Choose from Slack, Microsoft Teams, Workplace from Facebook, Monday.com, Trello, Asana, and many more.

Here at MyOutDesk, the Monday.com platform has worked well to keep our team organized.

 

Create a training guide

A standard operating procedure (SOP) is a set of step-by-step instructions compiled by an organization to help workers carry out complex routine operations. SOPs aim to achieve efficiency, quality output, and uniformity of performance while reducing miscommunication and failure to comply with industry regulations.

With any new hire, it is important to have SOPs in place. SOPs ensure that tasks are completed in a uniform manner throughout the organization. Download MyOutDesk’s FREE SOP Guide & Sample here.

 

Create a presentation about the standard

Use visuals to articulate your messages. Videos and images can greatly improve communication among virtual teams. Visual learning is the most effective training tool. Invest your time right and create video documentation to get your employees up to speed in working uniformly!

Video conference calls are the new (virtual) conference rooms and allow team members to show body language, facial expressions, posture, and hand gestures—all important aspects of communication. A more in-person experience encourages all to have more open communication and build trust.

Best of all — all video meetings can be recorded & used in the future. (You can save your breath a bit. No need to keep repeating yourself!)

Creating Change

Name it, Brand it, Wear it, Teach it, Institutionalize it, Reward it.  

The Organizational Change Model is a great framework to bring change into effect and to breathe life into any idea, any concept, any organizational culture change, and procedural change.

Here is the framework we use at MyOutDesk.

Let’s turn your list of ideas into existence. Pass them through this Organizational Change Model framework:

  1. Name it
  2. Brand it
  3. Wear it
  4. Teach it
  5. Institutionalize it
  6. Reward/Recognize it

Understand and apply the framework: Read more.

 

Don’t do this alone, but with the MOD Family.

Free ‘Grow Virtual’ Guide + Strategy Consultation

 

 

Allow an adjustment period and repeat key messages regarding the change intentionally and consistently. By doing so, you will get everyone on the same page. Consistently train and repeat key messages, as well as regularly use effective frameworks like SOPs and Play-Pause-Do!

 

The Recession-Proof Business

 

Achieve low overhead & high profit for your business during a recession, it takes top & affordable talents from MyOutDesk Virtual Assistants.

MyOutDesk virtual assistant services provide you with the flexibility, scalability, and cost-savings to adapt quickly to today’s changing business & market conditions.

The recession will eventually pass, and so when we come out of this thing, you will be the winner. Here’s a guide for thinking through all the things that you can do right now. Think through all the things missing or needs updating in your business.

 

 

Envisioning of a New Reality for Your Business

Simply put, MyOutDesk equips entrepreneurs with tools, strategies, and virtual employees – and when combined, businesses have a competitive edge and find growth while efficient systems and processes are put in place.

MyOutDesk proudly provides additional free business growth guides, books, and strategy calls.

See what we are about, and schedule a free consultation with us. We’ll take the time to learn more about your business and offer solutions to foster top talent and lower operational costs for your company.

Grow Your Virtual Strategy Today!
Access more business guides & Schedule a free consultation

 

Did You Know?  MyOutDesk’s origin story is set during the last global financial crisis of 2008. Yes, that’s right — our business started by scaling businesses with virtual assistants during a recession! Our first client in 2008 went from five to seventeen VPs with a completely revamped organizational model in short order, and he told MyOutDesk, “Our virtual professionals have shaved $250,000 off our monthly overhead.” 

 

 

a set of falling dominues being stopped by myoutdesk virtual assistants

US Economic Recovery Tracker + Solutions for Your Business

/in , , , , , , , , , , , , /by

From our businesses to our homes & our groceries, Covid-19 has disrupted every aspect of our lives. While CNN Business is tracking America’s economic recovery, we examine the most important points.

 

It’s safe to say — your business will never be the same post-pandemic.

  • Office workers have shifted to working from home (See also: Remote Work Success)
  • Millions of other Americans have filed for unemployment  (See also: Labor Market Opportunities)
  • Essential workers in hospitals & grocery stores are hailed as everyday heroes

 

During the pandemic, Americans have tightened their spending and chosen to save more, as they grapple with a historically weak job market. (See also: Preparing for AFTER COVID-19)

 

It definitely got harder to sell your home during the pandemic. No open houses. Virtual closings. And many owners hesitated to put their homes on the market. (See also: Virtual Residential Real Estate Trends)

 

MyOutDesk can save you up to 70% on employment costs
Claim a free business strategy consultation & ‘Grow Virtual’ Guide

 

As of July 4th, the total hours worked in small businesses is down 52.61% since before the pandemic.

 

The unfamiliarity of what the future holds is the source of the roller-coaster of emotions. And, the best best way to ultimately overcome this recession is to ramp up on staying informed and mitigating risk.

One factor has remained the same — businesses and customers want speed & efficiency. And in today’s stay-at-home culture, experienced virtual assistants who are well-practiced in providing an effective remote operation are the key to business growth.

 

Solution: Why Virtual Assistants?

You are probably wondering, why hire a Virtual Assistant then? Why not just hire someone in-house? If cost was your immediate concern then a Virtual Assistant is exactly what you need. You save on office space, you don’t need to buy the equipment and if you work with a company like MyOutDesk, all HR concerns are handled for you. Beyond the monetary cost is lower, you will also have a larger pool of talent to choose from, thus guaranteeing that you find a perfect match for you and your business.

 

Dynamic business duo Olivia Cooley & Charles Pulliam share:

“Without virtual assistants (VAs), it limits us and we have more responsibilities in-house. A VA is significantly more affordable to the business pattern. We get more value for the price. This is essential and instrumental for our growth, not only now but long-term… 3 to 5 years out, we will continue to grow our number of VAs.”

 

Achieve more – the first step is getting the help you need to reach the next level in your business. Schedule your free ‘Grow Virtual’ Strategy Consultation’ to get started today!

 

It’s time to maximize your productivity:
Leverage virtual assistants!

‘Grow Virtual’ with MyOutDesk Today

Access more business guides & Schedule a free consultation today!

 

a candle bar chart showing a downward trend due to covid 19

It’s already July – Less foot traffic? Don’t Sacrifice Your Lead Flow

/in , , , , , , , , , , , /by

The virus scare still exists, and over half the year has passed. Just because foot traffic is still down, don’t sacrifice your lead flow. Virtual assistants are the missing gear. 

It’s already July, yet new reports share how the number of new Covid-19 cases continues rising at record levels.

Continue to Drive Revenue during COVID-19 

Businesses are experiencing personnel and capacity issues due to the COVID-19 coronavirus crisis. We get it.

 

Less foot traffic? Don’t Sacrifice Your Lead Flow

How to increase lead flow & online traffic with virtual assistants 

 

Awarded Top 1% US financial advisor Marvin Mitchell built an innovative inbound marketing MACHINE with a lead flow earning him over $3M in revenue last year alone. 

This is how — he hired 2 MyOutDesk Virtual Assistants to prospect, nurture leads, and set appointments for him and his team to close. 

“Because of one 15-minute appointment set by a MOD Virtual Professional…that one, landed client just paid for both virtual assistants for the rest of the year.”

MyOutDesk can save you up to 70% on employment costs with experienced, career virtual assistant professionals. To book an interview with those in our talent pool, click here. 

 

Free ‘Grow Virtual’  Guide + Strategy Consultation

 

From local mandates to international ones — we can’t predict when travel & tourism will rebound.  While Europe appears to be through the worst of it — at least for now — it’s interesting how the EU has a travel ban on the US.

 

Many US businesses are still affected by the pandemic — we’ve all noticed how decreased foot & vehicle traffic has created ghost towns among all US cities. Meanwhile, the EU has recommended that its member states can now allow entry to 15 countries (but not the US): Algeria, Australia, Canada, China, Georgia, Japan, Montenegro, Morocco, New Zealand, Rwanda, Serbia, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia, and Uruguay. (Source)

 

By picturing this global impact, it’s important to understand how to virtualize your the core of your business and lead a stable, pandemic-proof operation. You are one call away from saving time & closing more deals than you ever had.

 

Don’t do this alone, but with the MOD Family.

Free ‘Grow Virtual’ Guide + Strategy Consultation

 

 

goremote graphic covid 19 special episode diane helbig and daniel ramsey women's business talk radio network and myoutdesk

Accelerate Your Business Growth: COVID-19 Special Episode

/in , , , /by

Diane Helbig is an internationally recognized business and leadership development advisor, author, award-winning speaker, and workshop facilitator. As a certified, professional coach and president of Seize This Day, Diane helps businesses and organizations operate more constructively and profitably. She brings over 20 years of small business management and sales to her coaching.

Diane believes that each business professional is an individual. They bring their dreams, challenges, and beliefs with them to their role. This is why the strategies they create are specific to them. Business is business. And leadership is leadership. How each person approaches their growth is individual. No canned systems here! Diane’s work is uniquely developed for each client.

Accelerate Your Business Growth Podcast
COVID-19 Special Episode

 

 

 

MyOutDesk can save you up to 70% on employment costs
Claim a free business strategy consultation & Thrive Guide

 

Through her podcast, Accelerate Your Business Growth, Diane brings valuable, actionable information to her listeners. Her book, Expert Insights, includes details of ten of the most listened to episodes of this show.

Featured on Inc.com’s list of 100 Podcasts That Will Make You Smarter, Better, and Wiser, MSNBC’s Your Business, and on the Fit Small Business list of best small business podcasts, this podcast is designed to help small business owners, salespeople, and aspiring entrepreneurs with the various aspects of business success.

Mastering the work-from-home reality we are in can be challenging for folks used to go to an office.

There are things leaders can do to help their staff thrive in this new environment. Diane invites Daniel Ramsey, founder, and CEO of MyOutDesk, to share great insights around this.

She features that MyOutDesk as the highest-rated Virtual Assistant company in the marketplace with hundreds of 5-star reviews, and over 12 years of experience, serving more than 5,000 clients – including over half of the RealTrends™ Top 10 teams. Daniel just authored a new bestselling book, “Scaling Your Business with MOD Virtual Professionals”, with a mission to help small and medium-sized businesses scale and grow.

a person using a smarphone with a virtual lock above it salesforce logo

Securing Salesforce during Work From Home

/in , /by

Salesforce has a lot of built-in security measures that make working from home just as secure as being physically in an office. In the age of information, it’s important to keep data secure not only for your clients but also for your own peace of mind. In 2019 alone, over 1400 data breaches were discovered resulting in millions of dollars in fines. Data Breach Insurance is becoming increasingly popular as well. It’s our duty as businesses, operating with consumer data, to take every precaution to protect our client’s PII (personally identifiable information). Let’s go over some of the ways Salesforce empowers us to do just that.

 

2 Factor Authentication

One of the best defenses offered by Salesforce is 2 Factor Authentication (2FA). With 2FA, a user is required to have his or her device on hand in order to validate each and every login. If a user in your organization was to have their password stolen the malicious actor on the other end would not be able to get to any data without also having physical access to their smartphone. The idea around 2FA is to protect your account with both something you know and something you have.

 

Getting started with 2 Factor Authentication in Salesforce is easy. Just head to the 2FA Admin Rollout Guide provided by Salesforce to get started

 

The Salesforce Authenticator can also be found on the App Store and Google Play Store.

 

Login Hours

Another security feature that Salesforce has is login hours. For example, Andrew works 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday. We can configure a login window to only allow him to log in and log out from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm Monday through Friday. This acts as an additional layer of protection from potential abuse or data theft. 

 

Here is a quick guide from Salesforce on setting up login times for your users.

 

IP Whitelisting

In the work-from-home environment, it is sometimes important to ensure that users are logging into your Salesforce organization through a VPN or home address. One way Salesforce can enforce this is through IP address whitelisting. We consider this a more advanced feature. You can read more about setting it up here.

 

Disable Export Report

Disabling a user’s ability to export reports can help prevent protected information from being downloaded. Under General User Permissions you can uncheck “Export Reports” to remove this feature. While it does not stop them from printing and copy-pasting data it does prevent them from immediately having access to data in a well-formatted way. For additional security, you will want to consider Salesforce Shield.

 

Organization-Wide Password Policies

It is important to not only use secure passwords but rotate them often. A data breach involving a third-party site could end up affecting your organization if users have the same password. This is not uncommon, which is why many websites recommend using unique passwords for every website you are subscribed to. Expiring passwords organization-wide ensures that the likelihood of this occurring is very small.

 

Secure Password Generation & Sharing

Sometimes in an organization, we need to share logins with other individuals. DO NOT USE A SPREADSHEET FOR THIS! In smaller businesses, it’s tempting to simply have a text document or a spreadsheet to keep passwords on. This is insecure firstly because it’s not encrypted. Secondly, if you lose access to the machine, the passwords are all compromised. At MyOutDesk, we use 1Password to securely generate a random password and share any login information between devices or other users. Never share a Salesforce Login! We are listing this tip here since passwords are sometimes used in multiple places and it’s important to make sure Salesforce is not one of those.

 

Salesforce Shield

If the data inside your Salesforce instance is subject to strict compliance standards such as HIPAA then you will want to look into using Salesforce Shield. Salesforce Shield offers additional encryption features suitable for Financial services, healthcare, or businesses looking to protect certain IP or trade secrets. Shield also offers special Event Monitoring services which keep track of all data into and out of your system (reports, saved data, API access, etc). Additionally, this data is constantly monitored by Salesforce for unexpected behavior and unusual activity.

 

You can read more about Salesforce Shield here

 

person working at a computer desk with 3 laptops virtually

When Developer Teams Go Remote

/in , , /by

From the beginning, MyOutDesk has been developing applications in remote environments with a team of developers from the US, Philippines, Pakistan, and India. Now more than ever it’s important to embrace smooth & modernized delivery pipelines to ensure the development and deployment of critical applications.

IT Virtual Assistants can help you build the applications you NEED and QUICKLY for your competitive company. MyOutDesk can save you up to 70% on employment costs with experienced, full-time virtual assistants. To book an interview with those in our talent pool, click here. 

Here’s how our remote team is keeping our development pipeline flowing.

Github 

Git is a Version Control System. Version control systems “are a category of software tools that help a software team manage changes to source code over time. Version control software keeps track of every modification to the code in a special kind of database. If a mistake is made, developers can turn back the clock and compare earlier versions of the code to help fix the mistake while minimizing disruption to all team members.” (source)

 

Github is a platform operated by Microsoft that allows developers to store their Git repositories and share them with the world as open-source projects or share it with other developers privately as a team.

 

With Github launching Github Teams for free there is no reason to put off adopting Github as your tool of choice for developer collaboration. It directly integrates with CircleCI, meaning that any commitment to any branch is automatically built and tested. This reduces regressions and ensures developers can focus and have peace of mind that their deployment won’t break a critical piece of your application.

 

Before any code is deployed we also create a pull request and ask for peer reviews. A pull request will bundle the changes and allow other developers to comment, mark specific lines that need to be adjusted, and discuss potential breaking changes. Once a pull request is accepted, a final pull request is built tagging the version before anything goes to production. 

 

Strategize, Make Money, Save Money, & Thrive Today

Access more business guides & Schedule a free strategy consultation today!

Continuous Integration

In the past, we leveraged Jenkins as our tool of choice for Continuous Integration. Jenkins is a great tool for any company needing complete control over the build process, testing, and even deployment of their software. Unfortunately, you’ll need to run it on your own infrastructure most of the time and maintain verbose and complicated build scripts depending on application complexity. In the past year, MyOutDesk has moved our build process over to CircleCI to allow us to focus on development and testing instead of building & deploying.

 

Circle CI

CircleCI is a continuous integration & delivery platform that automatically spins up custom or pre-built docker containers to build your application and run it’s tests. CircleCI also has Orbs which simplify the process of configuring your container. This abstraction makes it much easier to extend its functionality (versus writing your own docker scripts). 

 

For our build process, we need NodeJS in addition to AWS-CLI. It’s much easier for us to include the Orbs for Node & AWS-CLI in the build definition file (YAML) rather than write our own scripts to install it when the container launches or to build our own custom image. Additionally, we can be sure the testing environment is completely fresh every time tests are executed. CircleCI has its own certified orbs or you can build your own depending on the complexity of your application. Lastly, we pull down the AWS-CLI to allow us to ship artifacts to Elastic Beanstalk.

 

Top talent Virtual Assistants bring you a huge return on investment.
Claim a free business strategy consultation today!

Error Reporting & Monitoring

Every application MyOutDesk maintains ships with both Cloudwatch Log Monitoring and Sentry Error Reporting. This is an absolute must when working remotely with a team of developers. There is not a single exception or critical application failure that occurs in the production environments that we are not aware of before it is reported by our internal staff or end-users.

Your IT Business Strategy

Working 100% remotely with your development team presents a lot of challenges. However, with the right implementation of Github, CI\CD Services, effective review of pull requests, and proper monitoring working with a fully remote development team is a breeze.

IT Virtual Assistants can help you build the applications you NEED and QUICKLY for your competitive company. We’ll say it again, MyOutDesk can save you up to 70% on employment costs with experienced, full-time virtual assistants! To find the talent you need & to book an interview, click here. 

MyOutDesk can save you up to 70% on employment costs
Claim a free strategy consultation & Thrive Guide

business continuity plan disaster recovery myoutdesk

[Updated for 2021] Getting Past the Hurdle – with Business Continuity Planning

/in , , , , , , , , , , /by

Like most business owners, the past quarter went by as a complete crash course for many.
MyOutDesk is here to support your business as you go through this change in today’s market. We serve you by supplying valuable resources, helping you support your customers, and providing remote solutions that allow your business to thrive and survive!

You can get past the hurdle as we did & see profits again using our free & timely resources:

  • Business Continuity Plan – Disaster Recovery 
    • Internal document for disaster response
    • Crisis contingency planning
    • Management responsibilities
  • The Entrepreneur’s Thrive Guide in Today’s Changing Market
    • The CEO Mindset
    • How to access government CASH relief
    • Reinvent your value & REDUCE operating costs while staying effective
  • Go Remote Fast Guide
    • Stay productive & save your business
    • Effectively transition to a fully remote workplace
    • Quick start checklist: Setup & systems, productivity & organization, and culture

Access guides with free consultation here: 

 

You can access all three guides when scheduling a no-frills strategy consultation with us.

MyOutDesk started its business to scale with virtual assistants DURING the last recession, the global financial crisis of 2008. We are uniquely positioned to help you BEST respond to the current health crisis. That’s why we’re offering FREE strategy consultation calls & downloads.

During the call, we’ll walk you through step-by-step on how to use these guides & understand what your business needs to recover ASAP.

In 2018, only 5% of Americans worked remotely. Today, over 50% are attempting to do it, but are they doing it correctly?

Be prepared to shoot back up while understanding today’s market. Don’t wait around like many businesses, and stay ahead of the curve. Schedule a strategy consultation & access these 3 guides today! 

business continuity plan disaster recovery myoutdesk

Getting Past the Hurdle – with Business Continuity Planning

/in , , , , , , /by

Like most business owners, the past quarter went by as a complete crash course for many.
You can get past the hurdle as we did & see profits again using our free & timely resources.

Get them below:

  • Business Continuity Plan – Disaster Recovery 
    • Internal document for disaster response
    • Crisis contingency planning
    • Management responsibilities
  • The Entrepreneur’s Thrive Guide in Today’s Changing Market
    • The CEO Mindset
    • How to access government CASH relief
    • Reinvent your value & REDUCE operating costs while staying effective
  • Go Remote Fast Guide
    • Stay productive & save your business
    • Effectively transition to a fully remote workplace
    • Quick start checklist: Setup & systems, productivity & organization, and culture

Access guides with free consultation here: 

 

You can access all three guides when scheduling a no-frills strategy consultation with us.

MyOutDesk started its business to scale with virtual assistants DURING the last recession, the global financial crisis of 2008. We are uniquely positioned to help you BEST respond to the current health crisis. That’s why we’re offering FREE strategy consultation calls & downloads.

During the call, we’ll walk you through step-by-step how to use these guides & understand what your business needs to recover ASAP.

In 2018, only 5% of Americans worked remotely. Today, over 50% are attempting to do it, but are they doing it correctly?

Be prepared to shoot back up while understanding today’s market. Don’t wait around like many businesses, and stay ahead of the curve. Schedule a strategy consultation & access these 3 guides today! 

cares act free money loan forgiveness assistance

Stack Cash & Find Economic Relief: CARES Act Explained (LIVE Tax Implication webinar)

/in , /by

 

What you need to know now about the US CARES Act

Businesses, ACT FAST, and get your hands on this aid now.

THIS IS BIG. The federal government just passed the $2 trillion CARES Act providing emergency assistance to affected businesses during the COVID-19 outbreak. Here’s how to get your part of the $2.2 trillion as a business owner, as an entrepreneur, and as a leader.

Our CEO Daniel Ramsey said last week, it’s our civic duty to stay productive. We want you to have ALL of this information now to be prepared. If you might have missed the first webinar—no worries. We’ve bundled all the available resources for you, and also there will be another webinar!

  • Navigating the CARES Act
  • Upcoming Live Webinar, Part 2
  • Links to Resources
  • Strategize, Thrive, & Survive

 

What the US CARES Act can do for your business

Navigating the CARES Act & Getting started. If you need:

  • Capital to cover the cost of retaining employees, then the Paycheck Protection Program might be right for you.
  • A quick infusion of a smaller amount of cash to cover you right now, you might want to look into an Emergency Economic Injury Grant.
  • Relief for keeping up with payments on your current or potential SBA loan, the Small Business Debt Relief Program could help.

What’s the catch? NONE. This is 100% forgiveness for 2 months of eligible expenses. FREE MONEY.

How to Apply for Aid:  You can apply at any bank offering loans under 7(a) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636(a)).

 

Upcoming Webinar – Part 2 – TODAY!

Live TAX IMPLICATION Webinar (Pt. 2) for Entrepreneurs: Due to popular demand, MyOutDesk will host another live webinar TODAY to help you understand the implications of the CARES Act and how you can take advantage of it.

Part 2 with Tim Mahoney, CliftonLarsonAllen LLP
TODAY, Tuesday, March 31, 2020
3:00 PM, Pacific Time

Register Now

Spots are limited, register today!

 

(PASSED) Part 1 with Jack Randall, CEO & Founder of Taxbot
Saturday, March 28, 2020
12:00 PM, Pacific Time

[DOWNLOAD Notes: Webinar Pt. 1]

Jake Randall is CEO of Taxbot and the host of “The Profit Junkie.” Taxbot helps self-employed people keep more of their hard-earned money by helping them keep more of it out of the IRS’ greedy hands.

Links to Resources

 

Strategize, Thrive, & Survive

Organize a Restructure into Remote Work for Your Business Today!

MyOutDesk can support your business as you go through this change in today’s market. We serve you by providing valuable business resources, helping you support your customers, and providing remote solutions that allow your business to thrive and survive!

For business owners who want to make the switch to remote work the right way and stay productive, our FREE Go Remote Quick Guide includes three easy steps to get started.

 

Go Remote Today

Access more business guides & Schedule a free consultation today!

We at MyOutDesk pray that your team, families, and communities remain safe and healthy during this time of heightened concern.

 

Note that we at MyOutDesk are not providing tax, legal, or financial advice. We strive to support the success of all SMBs and want to pass along useful and practical information that can help your business draw out effective solutions. Please consult a qualified tax advisor, attorney, and investment professional for guidance.

 

survive in these uncertain times bob corcoran and associates with myoutdesk

IMPORTANT! Bob Corcoran: Survive In These Uncertain Times

/in , , /by

TAKE ACTION NOW. Watch this webinar with coach Bob Corcoran & learn how to survive the crisis! Don’t be chicken little. Don’t bury your head in the sand. This very moment is a make-or-break time for your business, and in this webinar, you’ll learn the exact steps to survive in these uncertain times.

With nearly 250,000 COVID-19 cases worldwide, combined with school & business closures across the country, The Coronavirus is going to hit the US economy harder than the 2008 financial crisis, and if you don’t have an action plan in place, there’s a very real risk that you’ll go out of business. Get the knowledge, support & staffing you need to go fully remote: schedule your Free Personal Consultation now!

Our special guest Bob Corcoran will be joining us to give you an exact, step-by-step plan for action to help your business survive in these uncertain times. By implementing the strategies we’ll show you on the call, you’ll stay ahead of your competition and actually gain market share. Yes! You can come out ahead in this crisis.

Our guest, Bob Corcoran, has worked with hundreds of top agents worldwide in developing and implementing customized, money-saving business systems. Corcoran’s implementation has empowered agents to run efficient offices while harnessing the latest technology to increase their business.

Corcoran is a nationally recognized speaker on such topics as “Taking Your Business to the Next Level,” “Teaching the Real Estate Broker the Art of Coaching,” “Managing & Converting Your Leads,” “Keeping an Eye on Your Bottom Line” and “Building and Running a Real Estate Team.” Get the knowledge, support & staffing you need to go fully remote: schedule your Free Personal Consultation now!

Mike Krein Webinar Blog

Michael Krein: Recession & Real Estate – Stay Alive In Today’s Market!

/in , /by

Michael Krein, president of the National REO Brokers Association, joins us to offer timely advice on the COVID-19 crisis, along with valuable tips on how you can take action to save your real estate business & grab market share in your local market area.

“This crisis will pass,” Krein says, “but we’re going into a recession and the market will be down for a while, so agents need to focus on thinking about where their future deals will come from,” along with building the relationships & lead-generation channels to make them happen.  Agents also need to learn how to effectively go remote in their businesses. To get personal, 1-on-1 support & training on how to take your business remote & leverage the power of virtual assistant services, schedule your Thrive with MyOutDesk Strategy Session now!

 

In addition to being NRBA president, Michael Krein is currently the CEO of RIO Software Solutions, the parent company and provider of the RIO Genesis software platform. It was Dr.Krein’s, 27 years of experience in the real estate and default servicing industry that led to the creation of the RIO Genesis system, whereby his ideas and management systems were incorporated and designed into a user-friendly software system for both general and default real estate companies and their affiliate partners.

Michael Krein is formerly the Owner of Sellstate NRES a/k/a Nevada Real Estate Services.  Over the past twenty-five years, he has personally listed and/or sold over 25,000 single-family homes — many of which were properties owned by various financial institutions from around the country. Michael is married with seven children and makes his home in Henderson, Nevada.

The NRBA is a multifaceted national organization comprised of a cohesive group of experienced, connected brokers, appraisers, and attorneys who specialize in all phases of default management and servicing of distressed real estate. Are you ready to go remote? Let MyOutDesk help you create a fully remote business strategy for success, and learn how virtual assistants can play a helping you survive the crisis and grow your business in 2020! Schedule your Thrive Strategy Session now!

irs logo

Relief for Taxpayers: 90 Day Extension!

/in /by

We at MyOutDesk strive to support the success of all SMBs and want to pass along useful and practical resources that can help your business draw out effective solutions.

On Wednesday, March 18, 2020, the IRS released Notice 2020-17, issuing a 90-day extension for tax payments.

Tax Payment Relief

The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service are providing special payment relief to individuals and businesses in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

For individuals, except C Corporations: Income tax payment deadlines for individual returns, with a due date of April 15, 2020, are being automatically extended until July 15, 2020, for up to $1 million of their 2019 tax due. This payment relief applies to all individual returns, including self-employed individuals, and all entities other than C-Corporations, such as trusts or estates. IRS will automatically provide this relief to taxpayers. Taxpayers do not need to file any additional forms or call the IRS to qualify for this relief.

For C Corporations: income tax payment deadlines are being automatically extended until July 15, 2020, for up to $10 million of their 2019 tax due.

Penalties and interest will begin to accrue on any remaining unpaid balances as of July 16, 2020. If you file your tax return or request an extension of time to file by April 15, 2020, you will automatically avoid interest and penalties on the taxes paid by July 15.

Learn more & find any updates regarding state tax filing here.

Organize a Restructure into Remote Work for Your Business Today!

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website recommends businesses actively encourage employees to stay home and/or to practice good hand hygiene and coughing/sneezing etiquette in the workplace.
MyOutDesk has thousands of clients & virtual assistants across the world working in a virtual environment, giving us 13 years of experience in virtual & remote workplace environments – and we’re offering to walk you through EXACTLY how to take your business remote during the COVID-19 crisis.

View our free webinar and downloadable guide on implementing effective remote work during a ‘shelter in place order.

We encourage your business to take advantage of and utilize the telework tools and systems that are in place with MyOutDesk Virtual Professionals should you need to expand remote work for your employees while ensuring low overhead costs. Schedule your Go Remote with MyOutDesk Strategy Session now and learn more!

Read more:
Building a Remote Culture
SOP Framework

us small business administration sign

$50 Billion in Allocated Funds Available for Economic Relief

/in /by

We at MyOutDesk strive to support the success of all SMBs and want to pass along useful and practical resources that can help your business draw out effective solutions.

Over recent days, the US Small Business Administration announced a $50 billion allocation for Economic Injury Disaster Loans to businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Find Economic Relief

The SBA’s disaster loan assistance is provided to businesses who have suffered economic injury regardless of physical damage. The loans can be used to help meet financial obligations and operating expenses that could have been met had the disaster not occurred.

Check if your region or business qualifies for a loan on the SBA Disaster Declarations page, click here.

  • There four types of disaster loan assistance offered by the SBA:
  • Home and Personal Property Loan
  • Business Physical Disaster Loan
  • Economic Injury Disaster Loan
  • Military Reservists Economic Injury Loan

Find more information & apply for a disaster loan here.

Organize a Restructure into Remote Work for Your Business Today!

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website recommends businesses actively encourage employees to stay home and/or to practice good hand hygiene and coughing/sneezing etiquette in the workplace.
MyOutDesk has thousands of clients & virtual assistants across the world working in a virtual environment, giving us 13 years of experience in virtual & remote workplace environments – and we’re offering to walk you through EXACTLY how to take your business remote during the COVID-19 crisis.

View our free webinar and get our downloadable guide to implementing effective remote work during a ‘shelter in place order.

We encourage your business to take advantage of and utilize the telework tools and systems that are in place with MyOutDesk Virtual Professionals should you need to expand remote work for your employees while ensuring low overhead costs. MyOutDesk is your partner in building a remote workplace: Schedule your Go Remote with MyOutDesk Strategy Session now and learn how!

Read more:
Building a Remote Culture
SOP Framework

businessman tight rope walking

The Market Is Shifting – Cut The Fat, Not The Muscle!

/in , , , , /by

The Coronavirus health epidemic has already cost the stock market billions, and it’s now impacting governments, retailers, and other businesses that are shutting down to help prevent the contagion. While some of these closures are mandatory, others are due to cost-concerns in a rapidly contracting economy – and driven in many cases by a quick-fix approach to cost-cutting. While this may seem like a logical decision, can you really shrink your way to growth?

General Motors is an example of what happens when you try this: in the early 20th century, GM sold 50% of all vehicles owned in America, but by 1988 that number had fallen to only 15%. What happened to them? The short answer is cost-cutting – and it’s not good. Engage a virtual assistant and get the leverage you to stay afloat by scheduling your Double My Business Strategy Session now!

In 1974, GM’s new CEO, Thomas Murphy questioned the company’s strategy in selling cars with different features and suggested that they sell basically the same kind of vehicle with different external accessories. He did this to reduce costs. Consumers didn’t like this, and GM’s market share began to slide – and it’s been falling ever since.

In a recent conversation we had with Mike Michalowicz, author of Profit First, he said: “Cut the fat and not the muscle.” In the case of General Motors, cost-cutting cut too much muscle,  and in the end, it cost them a lot of business affecting thousands of people and their livelihoods.

The Fat In Your Business

Businesses generally have two types of costs that can be categorized as muscle and fat. The fat is where you find costs that do not produce any revenue for your business. They are costs you incur in your business that have no quantifiable benefits. The muscle, on the other hand, would be those costs that have a tangible benefit to your business. How do you know if a specific cost has a quantifiable benefit and is not fat, but actually muscle? It can be tricky because you can make excuses and justify the cost or the expense for something. For example, if you decide to rent extravagantly expensive and beautiful office space. You can justify in your head that you need this because when potential clients come into your office, they will see how awesome it is, and will, in turn, want to do business with you, when in fact it is simply a way to relieve and serve your ego since potential clients rarely come to your office anyway.

The Muscle In Your Business

Muscle is something that drives benefit to your business. So for example, if you have a staff of 15 people, and you are thinking, “I need to cut down my workforce because they are costing my business too much money.” Assess your workforce and think again. “Person A” takes care of all your Transaction Coordination so if you cut them, what would happen to that area of the business? “Person B” does all your prospecting, what would happen to your leads without them? Your team members are an example of the muscle in your business. These are the costs that provide support or take action on tasks that drive revenue for your business. When you cut a cost that compromises your ability to serve your clientele and bring you business, then you are cutting the muscle.

Survival Requires Both Cutting Fat & Building Muscle!

Survival in today’s shifting market is about more than simply cutting costs: you need to retain your competitive advantage & hold steady and carefully your business assess costs and expected benefits. During an economic contraction, hiring a Virtual Assistant is a highly valuable way to keep your labor supply intact, while ensuring you have the freedom & flexibility to focus your own efforts on the on revenue productive aspects of your business. In other words, cutting the fat goes beyond simply financial savings: it also means cutting the waste from your schedule and leveraging your skillset on the highest dollar-productive activities you’re able to.

A shifting market can mean the end of a business if you stick to the old traditional ways of thinking. Shift your perspective and the way you think as well. By doing this, you set yourself up not just to survive but to thrive amidst the shift and everything it may bring.

Let MyOutDesk bring you more muscle! Leverage a MyOutDesk Virtual assistant, schedule a Double My Business Strategy Session today, and having a discussion about how to make your business stronger in the midst of this market shift.

myoutdesk real estate virtual assistants

Grow Your Business With Remote Real Estate Sales & Closings!

/in , , , /by

With the coronavirus now a full-blown pandemic, many businesses and even major companies have turned to remote work in order to keep everyone safe and healthy. While the nature of their business might allow this to be a viable option, how about those whose businesses do not? One, in particular, is Real Estate. While much of the transaction coordination and other tasks can be done virtually, there are key steps in the process that may prove difficult not to do in person such as showings, open houses, etc. The good news is that there are ways to get this done remotely and doing so is not so completely foreign.

Selling and closing remotely is not a newfangled idea by any means. Many home sellers and buyers have successfully finished transactions remotely for many reasons. Closing could be from your home in another state, a hotel lobby if you’re traveling, a coffee shop, really anywhere…

Handle everything in your business remotely and seamlessly with a MyOutDesk Virtual Assistant. Schedule your GoRemote with MyOutDesk Virtual Assistants Strategy Session today to find out how!

In guidelines issued by the National Association of Realtors, agents have been encouraged to propose alternative marketing opportunities for their sellers’ consideration such as video tours and other methods to virtual tour a property. This isn’t really new is it? All your properties for sale are already online anyway, so now all you have to do is find a way to make your marketing and advertising more interesting and most importantly, more detailed.

There are many new methods, programs, and other tools that have come into the market recently and now might be the perfect time to test them out. Instead of your traditional virtual tour or photo gallery, you might consider looking into 3D walkthroughs or even hosting live video streams instead of an open house where you go through a home for sale, sending invitations out online before you do it. You can have your virtual assistant or someone on your team moderate the live video where you can address specific questions and accommodate requests to see specific areas or features of the home. The best part is that you can have the video up for people to watch later and you can continue to engage with any additional questions or comments that come in even after the live stream.

Closing remotely can be really easy if you plan ahead and make sure that you accommodate for the time it may take for any documents that need to be mailed over and the like and that all parties that need to be informed are aware that you are using this route.

Angie Spangler, a Realtor from Fort Collins CO, recommends the following steps:

-Find out from the title company if they have an office in proximity to the buyers/sellers. If they don’t, the closing paperwork must be taken to a notary to sign. The buyer/seller will want to review the closing paperwork prior to signing with a notary. It is a good idea to schedule a time to review the documents with the Realtor to answer any questions prior to signing.

– The buyer/seller needs to confirm with the title company how they will deliver the closing documents. Will they send them to the buyer’s home or office via FedEx? Email everything? Emailing the documents can be an easy and quick process, but this also takes a lot of printing. After the buyer has signed the documents they cannot be scanned and emailed back because the title company must have a “wet signature”, meaning the original signature with a pen rather than one that is copied or scanned.

– Make sure to clarify deadlines of when the title company needs the documents returned to them, what time the local FedEx overnight drop-off times are and if the buyer/seller is in a remote location (Alaska) accounts for possible delays in shipping.

– It’s a good rule of thumb to sign the closing documents and overnight them back to the title company 1 business day early to allow for any delays. For example, once the date of closing is confirmed with the title company and they need the documents by (Monday) May 23rd, notarize and overnight the documents back on the (Thursday) May 19th so they arrive at the title company on (Friday) May 20th.

– In the process of coordinating the mail out, the wire transfer to the title company must also be scheduled! Each title company is different and they will provide instructions on how to wire funds. Following these instructions is very important to ensure a safe and successful transfer.

Requirements are different state by state. Always confirm with the title company or attorney in regards to specific requirements when closing remotely. Some states allow closings via facsimiles while others do not. To avoid confusion, mistakes, and any problems the buyer/seller must do their research; know what it is expected of them and all parties involved from the very beginning.

If you MUST physically show a home or take a buyer to visit a property NAR reminds you to be mindful of the following precautions set by the CDC:

The CDC urges individuals to take these measures to protect themselves and others:

  • Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water aren’t available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Practice social distancing by staying out of crowded places, avoiding group gatherings, and maintaining distance (approximately 6 feet) from others when possible.
  • Avoid close contact with anyone who is sick.
  • Stay home if you have a fever, cough, shortness of breath, or any other cold or flu-like symptom.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, or cough or sneeze into your sleeve.

Additionally, to help prevent the continued spread of coronavirus, on March 15, 2020, the CDC recommended that for the next 8 weeks, all in-person events consisting of 50 or more people, such as conferences and assemblies, be canceled, postponed, or modified to virtual events On March 16, 2020, President Trump announced new guidelines, advising that individuals avoid groups of more than 10 people for the next 15 days. Avoiding these in-person gatherings is an effective measure that will reduce your risk of contracting or spreading coronavirus.

When an infectious disease, such as coronavirus, is associated with a specific population or nationality, fear and anxiety may lead to social stigma and potential discrimination. REALTORS® must be mindful of their obligations under the Fair Housing Act, and be sure not to discriminate against any particular segment of the population. While the coronavirus outbreak began in Wuhan, China, that does not provide a basis for treating Chinese persons or persons of Asian descent differently.

Lastly, suddenly taking all your responsibilities online can be a challenge. This may be the perfect time for you to hire a Virtual Assistant to help you manage all your responsibilities. The best part is, they already work remotely and can help ease you into the new norm we all have to adapt to. Make sure to book a GoRemote with MyOutDesk Virtual Assistants Strategy Session with us today. Stay safe and healthy!

a man handing you a headset

Remote Business Strategies To Thrive During The Coronavirus Crisis

/in /by

Lock-downs, social distancing, and community quarantines are in full force all over the world, and for those whose who are able to accommodate it, working from home is the new norm for many businesses as well. Switching from a normal office setup to a remote setting can be a huge adjustment and those of us who have been doing this for years would like to share some tips and insights on what you can do to ensure that you and your business continue to thrive despite this major shift. Make sure to read all the way to the end, we’ll be sharing some other articles we’ve posted in the past that might be helpful as well!

Navigate the ins and outs of running your team remotely with a MyOutDesk Virtual Assistant. Book a consultation with us today to find out how.

Your Home Office

Setting up a home office can be a great way to ensure that you continue to remain focused on your daily grind. If you don’t have one already, make sure you have enough space and all the materials and supplies you need. Anything from stacks of notepads and sticky notes, a corkboard, and even a snack drawer think of everything you usually need at your office desk and make sure you have them handy. You might need to invest in some hardware or technology that could be very helpful to you as well. Like a good pair of noise-canceling headphones or headset, a webcam, etc.

If space is an issue for you, putting up a divider of some sort can be a great option.  If you have children, roommates, or other people who are staying home just like you, have a conversation about what you need and perhaps agree on “quiet time” or “do not disturb” hours so you can all focus on what you need to get done.

The important thing is to focus on the positives of working from home, like your fully equipped kitchen and the fact that you can wear your PJ’s to work, oh and did we mention the short and hassle-free commute from your bed to your desk?

Your Team

Leading a remote team will have its unique challenges but if you are able to set it up well then you can expect smooth sailing. By setting specific parameters that you not have had to do in your office, you can all go on as you usually do. Assess the roles in your team and how working remotely might change the dynamics of that role and find solutions to how those differences can be addressed in your new setting. As time goes on, make sure you are all clarifying and re-clarifying goals and roles so that nothing slips through the cracks.

A disruptive event like coronavirus will generate new and competing tasks across the business. As a result, leaders need to continually clarify goals at the team and individual levels to stay focused on key priorities. A great way to keep track of this is by using a project management tool like Monday or Slack. Make sure all members of your team are\updating their boards consistently and in real-time so that nobody gets lost and everyone knows each other’s progress.

Keep your team’s unity strong by creating ways to interact online. Schedule regular meetings via applications like Zoom or GoToMeeting. Many programs offer free subscriptions and many are offering free services for companies and businesses in light of the coronavirus. Make sure you also set time to have interactions that are not work-related so that you and your team have a chance to check in on each other’s personal lives.

The Harvard Business Review suggests the following:

Take a virtual tour. At the start of a project, encourage each person to take a few minutes to show the team his or her home workspace and share some personal context. What are the possible distractions — like barking dogs, noisy passing trucks, or kids coming home from school? The aim is to help colleagues develop an understanding of each person’s work context so they can be more sensitive to each other’s constraints.

Acknowledge non-traditional workspaces. Michael, a millennial working in New York City, lives in an apartment with multiple roommates and doesn’t have private office space for working at home. If some of his roommates are also working remotely, he is likely to face the challenge of people walking or talking in the background during video calls. Let Michael know you appreciate his challenge and are open to discussing alternatives like flexing work hours so that calls happen when it’s quieter for him.

Keep your assumptions or stereotypes in check. Sarah, an executive participating in a conference call, received a text message from a colleague: “Mute yourself. We can hear your baby crying.” She replied: “My baby is napping. That’s Matthew’s son you heard.” The ambiguity inherent in having team members working from home can lead to biased assumptions about focus and commitment to work.

Here are some articles we’ve published that might further help you out as you lead your virtual team:

While the coronavirus and other such calamities might lead to disruption and cause you to have to change things quite drastically, we now have technology and means to be able to adjust with the right strategies.

If you would like to find out more about MyOutDesk Virtual Assistants and how they can become key players in your team during this time, please schedule your consultation so we can help you out.

verne scaling up your business with myoutdesk

The 5 (Practical) Cs for Leading in a Crisis/Downturn

/in , , , /by

True leadership is invaluable in a time of crisis – but being a leader doesn’t automatically mean you know always what to do. To help, we wanted to share with you some valuable words of wisdom from Verne Harnish – and as you read through these, keep in mind that the first point is the most important. Do the rest in whatever order makes sense.

Communicate Daily

Send out a DAILY communication – email, 2-minute video, voice message – to all of your employees. You must over-communicate during a time like this. And it can be brief – a few sentences or 90-seconds is all that’s needed. If you think you need to communicate more than this, you won’t do it, and that’s worse than doing nothing at all.

Your team wants to know that you’re at the helm of the ship (or flying the plane – pick your favorite analogy) – and that you’re working and acting. The key is to stick to the facts – no time for rants, theories, or using phrases like “I bet you’re feeling…” – this isn’t a time for guessing. Present what is happening, don’t sugarcoat, but balance one negative with several positives over the next several days and weeks.

And if you have a negative to share, mention it first in the communication – then note what is being done to address it. Doing this, according to Robert Cialdini, the godfather of influence, makes you more believable and trustworthy.

Communicate something NOW and send it out – don’t give it too much angst – just do it! Your team will be thankful.

Customer/Community Support

There is a tendency to turn inward when something like this happens – but consider “how might we support our customers and community.” Gather teams of employees to brainstorm, then act. The key is giving, giving, giving with no expectation of return. Your customers will remember this when all of this clears up – and it will clear up!

Research shows that one way to combat depression, sadness, etc. is to help someone else.

Clean Up and Catch Up

Organizations have been running hard for years during this decade+ of unprecedented global expansion. Use this slowdown to clean up and catch up. Download Paul Akers’ book Banish Sloppiness – https://paulakers.net/books/banish-sloppiness (it’s free), and then focus on the handful of processes that drive the customer and employee experience and improve them.

It’s time for spring cleaning all aspects of the business. A key focus is on how to make things easier – for customers and employees. When Gene Browne did this at his trash hauling business, The City Bin Co., with a theme of “Bin It,” he was able to strip out about 25% of needless activities and costs, making everyone’s jobs easier and saving money.

Cash, Cash, Cash

Related to “clean up” is a specific focus on the cash side of the business. Review all monthly recurring expenses (I found we were paying for two CRMs!) and eliminate redundancies. And involve your entire employee base in finding ways to save money. Again, when Gene Browne focused on cash for

one quarter, his team of 60 found €40,000/month savings, which netted the firm almost a half-million for the year.

In the US, pursue an SBA Loan. There is a simplified program where you can get a $350,000 10-year loan within four weeks and with the Feds dropping the rate to zero, these loans should be sub 6% with no pre-payment penalties. I’m pursuing one for Scaling Up as a precaution.

Calm and Considerate

At Tony Robbins’ “Date with Destiny” experience, I adopted a new mantra – to approach everything in a “Peaceful, Playful, Passionate” way. It’s been helpful, especially during this crisis. You set the tone for the entire organization.

To help stay calm, breathe! I remember my son Cameron (12 at the time) getting stuck inside the magician’s box while performing the famous Metamorphosis illusion. He told me later, having escaped in time, that he started to panic and then remembered to take a couple of deep breaths and a solution came to him. Years later, when he was quarterbacking his Catalan team to a city and then country championship, his team was down 28 – 7 at halftime. I remember watching him during the second half take several deep breaths as he was readying the team to execute a play.

Right now take a few deep breaths – and give thanks for being able to take those breaths. Namaste and good luck.

how to assess your business risks with nora o'brien myoutdesk

Nora O’Brien: You Need A Risk Management Plan NOW!

/in , /by

What’s your contingency plan for the coronavirus? If you have to close locations, have staff out sick, or you’re otherwise impacted by this, do you have a plan in place to deal with it & recover? The market will likely get worse before it gets better, so if you aren’t ready yet, now is the time to get prepared!

In this webinar with Nora O’Brien, the CEO of Connect Consulting Services, you’ll learn about how her organization takes a holistic approach to emergency management, business continuity, and disaster recovery. Watch this webinar now, and make MyOutDesk virtual assistants a key part of your strategy – schedule your Double My Business Strategy Session now!

As a preparedness & disaster recovery coach, Nora’s team supports their clients to prepare for, learn the skills to respond to, and recover from disaster through customized and effective emergency preparedness planning, training, and exercise services.

Creating a plan and having one in place is crucial to ensuring that you survive the challenging & turbulent market ahead. Be ready for unexpected challenges coming from unknown quarters as we deal with retail panics, stock market dips, staff illness, and other concerns.

Connect Consulting Services prepares organizations throughout the United States to be disaster resilient as they prepare, respond, and recover from an emergency. They are specialists in guiding our clients through an interactive planning process as they build EP program infrastructure, produce customized emergency operations and business continuity plans, and tailored training and exercise programs.

Schedule your Double My Business Strategy Session now, and drill down on doing your one thing to the absolute best of your abilities.

covid 19 coronavirus disease 2019

TIME SENSITIVE: Your Coronavirus Preparedness Guides

/in /by

As the number of coronaviruses (COVID-19) cases continues to climb worldwide, MyOutDesk would like to express our concern for the health and safety of our MOD Family – including our valued clients, our virtual assistants, and their families. We want you to know that we’re here to support you & offer our assistance during this emerging health crisis, and to that effect, we’re providing some useful resources below:

Templates for Communicating COVID-19 to Your Employees

For our clients & other business owners, we’d like to encourage your active preparedness, and so to make things easier, we want to give some guidance templates for your business to distribute to employees.

MyOutDesk is actively distributing guidance documents for our employees, which we’ve turned into templates for our clients & business owners to prepare for your organizations.

Download the two email templates (.doc format)

Economic Impact Predictions & Estimates

We were honored to attend a Goldman-Sachs executive presentation this AM on the potential business & economic impacts posed by the COVID-19, which we have recorded for you in this MP3 file below:

Download the Goldman-Sachs MP3 recording

Johns Hopkins COVID-19 Tracking Portal

The CSSE portal at Johns Hopkins University has been tracking cases of the COVID-19 outbreak and displaying the information rapidly, typically as fast as it is reported by various regional health authorities.

Visit the COVID-19 Global Cases Portal by Johns Hopkins CSSE

McKinsey COVID-19 Fact & Insight Overview

Finally, we have received a copy of a new fact sheet on COVID-19 published this week by McKinsey & Company, which provides an executive summary of the COVID-19 virus impact, as well as detailed statistics and information on the spread of this virus.

View the McKinsey COVID-19 Study (PDF)

Staying Safe While Keeping Business Afloat

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website recommends businesses actively encourage employees to stay home and/or to practice good hand hygiene and coughing/sneezing etiquette in the workplace.

Luckily, our Virtual Professionals are most optimally positioned to work remotely from their homes. We encourage your business to take advantage of and utilize the telework tools and systems that are in place with your Virtual Professional(s) should you need to expand remote work for your employees.

We pray that your team, families, and communities remain safe and healthy during this time of heightened concern.  If you want to learn more about remote & virtual solutions, schedule a Free Consultation Now.

Products

Real Estate Virtual Assistants

Mortgage Virtual Assistants

IT Outsourcing

HR Outsourcing

Healthcare Outsourcing

Resources

Scaling With Virtual Professionals

Scale The Podcast

Refer A Friend

Hiring Guides

Legal

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

Cookie Policy

Google Rating
5.0
Based on 357 reviews
js_loader

Copyright © 2021 MyOutDesk, LLC