Now in the 2020 tax-filing season, there is a flood of questions. To summarize this year’s tax season, the coronavirus pandemic affected some tax provisions. However, it did not affect tax rates and brackets.
Current Tax Brackets & Policy
Currently, individual tax codes have seven brackets for income taxes that range from 10% to 37%. This means that you pay 10% tax on the first dollar of taxable income, after applying your standard deduction.
The current tax rates and brackets were passed in December 2017, and they expire at the end of 2025. For 2026, the top rate is forecast to be 39.6%, though Congress have the ability to adjust rates even earlier.
The income brackets & levels are adjusted annually to account for inflation, although Congress switched to a less generous method in 2017 for calculating inflation adjustments on tax brackets and other key provisions. The Joint Committee on Taxation predicts that this will cost Americans $133.5 billion over the next 10 years.
While many thresholds in the tax code are adjusted for inflation, some important exceptions exist. Some benefits for homeowners, thresholds for taxes on Social Security benefits, and certain taxes on investment income will not be adjusted. Many Americans who are currently making under $38,700 a year are paying more taxes to the U.S. Government than they would if the limits were adjusted for inflation.
PRESIDENT BIDEN’S TAX AGENDA … AND WHAT IT MAY MEAN FOR YOU.
The 2021 income cap is $142,800, so there would be a gap in taxes between $400,000 and the amount exceeding that sum. The Social Security proposals that Biden is proposing have more procedural hurdles in Congress than other proposals.
LIMITING THE VALUE OF ITEMIZED DEDUCTIONS
Under the current income tax system, if you’re paying 37% in income taxes, then deductions save you 37 cents for every dollar. Under Biden’s proposal, a tax deduction saves a taxpayer with more than $400,000 no more than 28 cents on the dollar, even if that person’s top bracket is higher.
LIMITING THE 199A PASS-THROUGH DEDUCTION
The tax reform in 2017 gave businesses a 20% deduction for net income, including rental real estate. There is no formal proposal from the Biden campaign to end this tax break for business owners., but The Tax Policy Center’s analysis of the president’s proposal assumes that this change is consistent with his goal of rescinding 2017 tax breaks for high earners.
RAISING THE CORPORATE TAX RATE
For corporations, the tax rate would go up to 28% from 21%. There would also be a minimum tax on companies with lower effective rates and taxes on the U.S. company’s foreign earnings.
No matter what your business, virtual assistants can help you! It starts with building the right systems and processes to have all job roles stay more focused on their most dollar-productive work. When we start to use virtual assistants, knowledge doesn’t get lost. When an employee has been working for a long time, it’s easy for them to forget what they’re supposed to be doing. Or what they’re not supposed to be doing. But, the VA can always refer back to the process. Or, they can even the document what you have in place so that things are done properly and consistently.
Now is the time for us all to stop looking at hiring as a huge problem. It’s solvable. We just need to figure out a better way other than posting job listings over and over again on popular job boards and hoping that we’ll get lucky this time.
When you book a Double Your Business Strategy Consultation with MyOutDesk, you’ll sit down with a business consultant to form a strategy plan that’s specific to your business needs. My Forbes 500, Inc 5000, and ranked RealTrends clients have seen their continued success with this solution.
It’s time to get more efficient -AND- lower operational costs. Hire a virtual assistant to boost your admin, marketing, and project coordination job.
This way, your employees can dedicate themselves to the more important, dollar-productive jobs (a.k.a. making the sale!). Focus on the bigger picture — you can close more deals + get more organized + grow your business.
An experienced virtual assistant will support your operational needs (at up to 70% less than traditional employment costs). What’s more is virtual assistant talent can become a long-term asset and growth catalyst for your company.
Focus on your growth & scale your operations
ENVISIONING OF A NEW REALITY FOR YOUR BUSINESS
Simply put, MyOutDesk equips entrepreneurs & business owners 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.
Experience The Difference
MyOutDesk can save you up to 70% on employment cost
Claim a free Double Your Business strategy consultation & ‘Grow Virtual’ Guide
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 VAs with a completely revamped organizational model in short order, and he told MyOutDesk, “Our virtual professionals have shaved $250,000 off our monthly overhead.”
https://www.myoutdesk.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Tax-Guide-2021-1.jpg456972Jeremyhttps://www.myoutdesk.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/myoutdesk-logo-400w.pngJeremy2021-03-10 15:28:482021-03-15 14:17:07What CEOs need to know about this year's tax-filing season, economy & government
We all know that businesses are thriving online in today’s information age. So why aren’t businesses proportionally blending their physical and remote practices?
Working from home is actually more productive than working from the office. According to studies from Stanford, it turns out work-from-home employees work a true full-shift (or more) versus being late to the office or leaving early multiple times a week and found it less distracting and easier to concentrate at home.
The fact that the Internet and other modernizations have globalized our economy gives you a chance to scale your business faster and further than ever before, using a blended business model, as many big companies do.
What exactly is a Blended Business Model?
A blended business model is an engineered organizational chart where part of an organization works in-house and another part works virtually.
Symptoms when without a Blended Business Model:
Company revenue productivity is suffering because most of your time as the CEO is spent on on-revenue efforts.
Your growth curve is flat because you’re stuck with administrative work.
You know you need support but do not want to go through the tedious process of hiring, only to have your hires leave after a period of time, thus putting you in a vicious cycle.
Your workload is starting to get overwhelming and the quality of your life is suffering.
Hiring Virtual Assistants solve a lot of problems and actually bring many benefits. For example, a full-time Virtual Assistant will cost you 25%-30% the cost of an in-house employee. A Virtual Assistant will have their own equipment and software, and will not take up any precious office space, so overhead costs are cut-down as well. Organizations likeMyOutDesk cover HR concerns, benefits and even things like paid time off; while all you do is pay your monthly subscription.
Stanford Studies have shown that remote workers show increased productivity by 16%. Those who work from home seem to be more focused with fewer distractions. They also found that employees working in open offices took 62% more sick days than virtual employees.
Deloitte’s Millennial Survey 2017 found that remote work arrangements are “strongly linked to improved performance and employee retention.” Furthermore, 38% of respondents reported they were likely to leave their current employer within the next two years, with many citing work/life balance and flexibility as major contributing factors.
Large companies are benefitting from using a blended employment model. In fact, a new regulation stemming from the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act has given us a clearer picture of the extent to which some of the largest U.S. companies employ global talent.
You might be surprised at the high percentages of global talent that successful companies have reported so far:
Kellogg: 80%
General Electric: 66%
United Technologies: 68%
Whirlpool: 80%
Merck: 55%
Honeywell: 58%
Hanes: 80%
Mattel: 78%
Wal-Mart: 35%
If these major companies employ this strategy, there is no reason that you cannot for your own business as well.
MyOutDesk can save you up to 70% on employment cost Claim a free business strategy consultation & Go Remote Guide
Implications of Outsourcing: Virtual Assistants + Traditional Employees = Growth
Employing a Virtual Assistant means that the company is making an investment for the entire team and looking to achieve the next level of excellence and performance. A Virtual Assistant is a full-time addition to the organization, but they will work with you virtually. They can shoulder specific daily responsibilities, help maintain smooth operations, and allow the physical team more freedom to focus on their work.
Imagine not needing to take every distracting phone call anymore, until a relevant call is forwarded to you!
We’re helping to level the business playing field by helping small & medium-sized businesses offshore as the big companies have for years. It doesn’t mean that jobs are going away, but it does mean that more work is available and more income is generated because entrepreneurs finally have the affordable help they need to close more transactions & generate more commissions.
Don’t do this alone. Come out stronger with MyOutDesk.
Find the knowledge + positive support that you need NOW. Claim a free business strategy consultation & Go Remote Guide
Virtual Assistants & Blended Teams
When we founded MyOutDesk 13 years ago, we realized that a virtual assistant living in the Philippines could do all of the clerical work online that an assistant could here in the USA for a fraction of the cost, and when we started helping small businesses to hire them we realized that it was a win-win proposition for everyone.
Virtual assistants have all the qualifications (and often more) than local labor, but at 1/3 the cost — which means you can afford to hire better help for a lower price, and you can afford to employ MORE of that help to grow your business. They’re high-quality labor, with great education and an outstanding work ethic, and available for wages that similarly qualified Americans typically won’t work for.
Blended teams are exciting because it finally means that entrepreneurs can employ a competitive advantage in their business formerly reserved only for top-tier manufacturing companies — like the folks who made your iPhone. Just like them, you’re able to delegate repetitive, non-dollar productive tasks to a virtual assistant, which in turn helps you focus your time & energy on what actually makes you money.
The fact that the Internet and other modernizations have globalized our economy gives you a chance to scale your business faster and further than ever before, using Virtual Assistant services. Demand for virtual talent is increasing because it works for most business owners. Simply put: it is good for business.
To learn more comprehensively about the blended business model (as well as other awesome strategy guides) schedule your Go Remote Business Strategy Session today and find our how a MyOutDesk Virtual Assistant can support you to boost your business.
Claim a free business strategy consultation & Go Remote Guide
https://www.myoutdesk.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Blended-Business-Model.jpg456972Jeremyhttps://www.myoutdesk.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/myoutdesk-logo-400w.pngJeremy2021-02-22 10:40:352021-02-26 15:56:08Blended Business Model: Remote Work with Traditional Employees & Virtual Assistants
Marvin is a top-ranked, nationally recognized financial advisor with a focus on helping people invest & save more wisely for their golden years. As the founder of Compass Retirement Solutions, his team leverages MyOutDesk virtual assistants for both administrative & inside sales roles, and on average, they’re making him over a 20x ROI – and sometimes even more.
“My virtual assistant made me $43,000 in commissions less than half an hour ago, so if you’re still on the fence about hiring one, my advice is: just do it. The ROI on our virtual assistants is amazing – it’s definitely going to finish the year over 20x…”
Marvin isn’t just leveraging his ISAs for prospecting: he’s also using them to prequalify prospects, which saves his team of advisors countless hours – and lets them focus on advising only qualified prospects who are ready to take advantage of his expertise. This is only one of the many strategies Marvin has used to grow his business into the #3 financial advising firm in the United States. Take Marvin’s advice: just do it! Schedule your Double My Business Strategy Session now!
Marvin grew up in a working-class family in St. Louis, with little money. The first in his family to earn a college degree, Marvin put his law school education on hold to help care for his grandmother after she was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer. Marvin soon discovered that, although his grandmother had worked her whole life, she was still susceptible to financial turmoil as a result of poor financial advice and a stock market crash. Inspired to help other, hardworking retirees, Marvin became a broker for a large financial institution in 2005 before founding Compass Retirement Solutions.
“Once we get that lead, that’s where my MyOutDesk virtual assistants come in – they’re following up on those leads, getting them on our calendar and making our time more efficient. It saves us literally hundreds hours of time because we don’t have to skim through all of those individuals to find the most qualified people – and it’s changed our average case size from $325,000 to over $850,000!”
In 2016, he received the Salute to Business Excellence Award as voted by the St. Louis American Newspaper, and also that year, he was an honored recipient of the St. Louis County NAACP Distinguished Legacy Award. Schedule your Double My Business Strategy Session now, and drill down on doing your one thing to the absolute best of your abilities.
https://www.myoutdesk.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/marvin-972x456-1.jpg455972Jeremyhttps://www.myoutdesk.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/myoutdesk-logo-400w.pngJeremy2020-12-23 14:32:272021-01-05 14:09:10Marvin Mitchell: Making a 20x ROI with Virtual Assistants!
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 aSchedule 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 Flexibly — 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 request 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
https://www.myoutdesk.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Bill-Gallagher-BLOG_NL_BANNER.jpg456972Jeremyhttps://www.myoutdesk.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/myoutdesk-logo-400w.pngJeremy2020-12-22 15:45:082020-12-23 15:35:45Leadership Strategies for Crisis Management with Scaling Coach Bill Gallagher
In this special webinar we share an effective & proven recruitment model that is entirely process-driven, where you can find predictable results in bringing high-caliber talent into your team.
What you’ll learn in this webinar:
The biggest mistakes that businesses make with talent acquisition
Bulletproof Process on Ad Placements
How to take advantage of short term opportunities in our labor market
MyOutDesk can save you up to 70% on employment cost
Claim a free business strategy consultation & ‘Grow Virtual’ Guide
In today’s unprecedented time, there is a real opportunity to grow your business.
BIG NUMBERS: 50k people per day are applying for unemployment. This is a time to take advantage of the short-term trend. Talent has never been more available and affordable.
Normally, there is a huge gap between the number available workers and the number of available jobs. Usually, there are more available jobs than qualified, quality workers.
When COVID-19 hit, this caused lots of layoffs
Today during the pandemic, the trend has changed, and there are more quality workers who are ready for hire. This massive shift in the market will eventually go back to normal.
If you have the foresight, start talking to candidates now and have the opportunity to get better people who were laid off by older, destabilized companies.
The labor opportunity window is open right now.
TALENTED LABOR WITHOUT DISTANCE LIMITATIONS
For almost any function that can be done remotely and doesn’t require physical space, virtual assistants for recruitment, marketing, & administrative jobs are cost-effective and allow us the adequate focus & time for our functions.
MyOutDesk Virtual assistants are known to exceed expectations in providing excellent customer service and seamless administrative operations.
We will save you up to 70% on employment costs with experienced virtual assistants, precisely matched for your strategic needs. To book an interview with those in our talent pool,click here.
MyOutDesk can save you up to 70% on employment cost
Claim a free business strategy consultation & ‘Grow Virtual’ Guide
Patrick Johnson, CEO of Talentuition (a MyOutDesk client) provides Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) services to Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs). They focus on “process outsourcing” more so than traditional headhunting or recruiting.
Recruitment Fundamentals
The mistake in prioritizing skills & experience over culture fit & talent.
Recruitment should follow this order: Culture fit, talent, skills and experience
There are two things you can’t teach people: culture fit & talent. So skills and experience can follow.
What is culture fit when hiring?
The right candidate who matches your culture is the one you’ve considered once before, (think this mentality) : “We’re not ready to hire yet, but as soon as we do we want you.”
When hiring, culture fit usually gets bumped down when skill sets & experience get prioritized over. Again, remember to prioritize in this order: culture fit, talent, skills, experience. This webinar goes into detail on the technicalities of posting your jobs while attracting the right culture fit.
How to know if it’s talent or not
In basketball drafts, Player A has played ball 10 years and they know how to do everything (he has the skills & experience). Player B is someone who can do the shots, the dunks and the plays — he has the talent! With the both of them together, the culture is the team.
Tip: People apply to several companies at the same time — so the response you make puts you out there in front of other companies for the candidate. Never be that employer who doesn’t reply to any questions.
2 Reasons to Recruit Now
#1 Lots of people got laid off with the pandemic, even those who had 10+ years & are highly sought after — you can get them now!
#2 Now is also the perfect time to make time investments to your business, use thedowntime so you can push your curve steep when you bounce back.
Contact:
You can contact Patrick Johnson at Patrick@talentuition.com, visit their website:talentuition.com, or email info@talentuition.com.
You can connect with Daniel & MyOutDesk to leverage virtual assistants. We have a vested interest in your success! Every MyOutDesk client wants to maximize the ROI on their investment in virtual assistants. Our CEO Daniel Ramsey hosts a live mastermind discussion with MyOutDesk clients and discusses tactical, practical & utterly invaluable strategies to best utilize a virtual assistant while you scale your business!
It’s time to gain market share new by leveraging virtual assistants!
‘Grow Virtual’ with MyOutDesk Today
Access more business guides & Schedule a free consultation today!
https://www.myoutdesk.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Patrick-Johnson-BLOG_NL_BANNER.jpg456972Jeremyhttps://www.myoutdesk.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/myoutdesk-logo-400w.pngJeremy2020-12-22 08:42:032020-12-23 15:35:25Quality Talent Acquisition: The Process & Systems for Predictable Results!
Marketing agencies need bandwidth in order to create impactful reach for their clients and to continue to scale their business.
To scale an integrated enterprise of marketing professionals, it can get very expensive, and without strong capacity meets less marginal profits. (FYI: You can save over $90k per year.)
With any growing marketing agency, more clients means balancing more nuanced tasks and roles. When marketers take on too many assignments, their creativity can take a dip. Often, marketing agencies opt to use freelancers to complete minuscule tasks on the agency’s behalf on an ad-hoc basis.
Matt Buchanan is the founder of Pioneers of Marketing. His marketing agency helps well-known clients each earn over 1.5M on social media through direct messaging — and that’s only one revenue stream!
Matt has 4 MyOutDesk Virtual Assistants working for his marketing agency! “They are very professional & very timely. I’m grateful for them and for all the wisdom shared by MyOutDesk. The people you bring to us are top notch people. In all seriousness, I have to say that!”
Monetizing Social Media: Direct Messaging to Drive Revenue
In this interview, we’re truly diving deep on tried & true methods to scale through direct messaging marketing. Social media is all about principles, guaranteed 100% to work every single time.
Matt shares the idea of having the right mentality about the marketing principles:
Be open minded
Be patient
Execute what you set
If you follow these proven principles of social media, they’ll 100% drive results.
The video elaborates on the 2-step process for social media success:
BRANDING
ADVERTISING
Don’t do this alone, but with the MOD Family.
Free Grow Virtual Guide + Strategy Consultation
THREE PILLARS OF CREDIBILITY and BRANDING for FB, IG and LI
(The main social media networks you focus on)
1 – Audience
You need an audience and followers, having the audience gives you the altitude and credibility — we live in a world of perception, remember that!
How to build an audience: Go to an online event or an in-person event. Make it your intention to connect on socials. Have the goal to make viewers follow you on socials, like “follow me on XX, YY, ZZ for more updates, for a replay, for a special offer, to connect, etc.”
Your goal is to take offline relationships online and vice-versa. You may also collaborate with people who already have an audience or have a good reach.
2 – Content Through Facebook and Instagram Stories
Post IG stories, at least 6x a day from your personal account
What should you be posting? Cycle between these 3 types: personal, professional and lifestyle
Professional — brings value for your audience
Personal — connect as a person instead of just a logo—remember people want to do business with a person, not a logo
Lifestyle — documenting the life you live (your “human interest aspect”)
3 – Content Through Wall Posts
Stories vs. Wall Posts: Wall posts are highlight reels. they stay forever unless you delete it! Stories drive traffic and are more intimate since it’s available for just 24 hours. Stories shouldn’t be edited too much or not edited at all!
All the while, wall posts are permanent — it’s the face of your brand and company. They will never go away. So, only post what you want to last, but use the three content types mentioned. Throw in a lot of content, especially when you’re starting out. But, keep it to 3-4x a week if you’ve built an audience already. All of your promotions and posts should also go to your personal account.
Are you afraid of DMs? What do you say when you start a convo?
Understanding it in simple basic form — all social media is just a networking event
When you meet somebody in person — think about how you do it in real life: Introduce yourself!
“Hey how’s it going, saw your page/profile here, and want to get connected”
“Nice connecting with you, I have a great idea. I’d love to share it with you, what’s your cell? Can we chat about it?”
If they reply, send a text from your phone.
Ask: “When’s the best time to talk with you”
Depending on how credible you are, that’s how many people will reply to you. A response rate of 5-6 people out of 25 is a good start.
The higher your credibility, the more responses and messages you’ll get.
If they don’t respond, move on to the next.
Get used to rejection, don’t take NO personally—it’s going to happen.
Focus on the few that respond.
Don’t do this alone, but with the MOD Family.
Free Grow Virtual Guide + Strategy Consultation
https://www.myoutdesk.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Matt-Buchanan-BLOG_NL_BANNER.jpg456972Jeremyhttps://www.myoutdesk.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/myoutdesk-logo-400w.pngJeremy2020-12-22 01:19:292020-12-28 10:20:04Growing Your Digital Marketing Agency & Drive Revenue | With Matt Buchanan
A franchise is a term of art in business. It refers to the most common legal form of doing business, a “business format” or operating system. In particular, it means that one company sells its products under another company’s name and trademark (usually) but independently from that other company.
This format is particularly effective and useful in the several industries & markets, where a franchise name may have great brand recognition while still being able to sell at an affordable price. A single company can open multiple locations and gain market share rapidly, without having to invest heavily in each location.
Covid-Proofing Franchises in 2021
Franchising is a more advanced business model than small, independent stores or the sole proprietorship. A franchisee does not have to invest heavily in equipment and can borrow money to open a store without being creditworthy on their own.
Franchising is also an effective way to gain a market share without having to invest as heavily in the initial store. Franchises can be opened more quickly and cheaply than independent stores, allowing for faster expansion.
What franchisees already know:
Even when buying into the brand, the marketing done by the franchisor alone may not drive traffic into your business.
Franchisees don’t typically market directly or call their customers to generate new business. They usually purchase a territory and expect the franchisor to do the marketing with some semblance of demand.
Brian Beers, owner of 12 Midas businesses, took matters into his own hands to covid-proof his business and keep the customers coming in. Here’s how…
Ramping up operations to drive in more traffic
Brian Beers instituted a virtual assistant into his operation of 12 franchises so that the assistant can take over some of the business process, leaving more space for managers to focus on the sales process.
Putting local marketing, prospecting and outreach into his operations made Brian remain as the top-producing business in his state. His virtual assistant help with:
effective marketing, prospecting, business administration
coordinating and organizing workflow for boots-on-the-ground employees
sending customers emails, cold calling, and shooting them text messages.
Most franchise owners aren’t used to marketing for themselves. The marketing franchise fees is all they see. The secret is to handle your own effective marketing to keep your business revenues up.
To grow a business, brain power is key. New software and tools are never the only answer. In today’s market, it takes a combination of both.
How? Hire educated professionals for your sales development + prospecting —
— with proven track records in virtual operations — at up to 70% lessthan the cost of a traditional employee!
Spend time closing more deals while your full-time sales development and prospecting virtual assistant handles the lead flow & nurturing process.Your local team can focus on the dollar-productive activitiesfor your business to outperform the competition!
The formula: ↑ Digital tools + ↑ Brain power = ↑ Scaled business operations & GROWTH
Our client Marvin’s virtual assistant (Sales Development/Prospecting Rep) helped him earn $43,000 in one transaction. He shares, “If you’re still on the fence about hiring one, my advice is: just do it. The ROI on our virtual assistant is amazing – I’m going to finish the year with over 20x ROI.
Simply put, MyOutDesk equips entrepreneurs & business owners 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.
Experience The Difference
MyOutDesk can save you up to 70% on employment cost
Claim a free business strategy consultation & ‘Grow Virtual’ Guide
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! Pioneers of virtual assistant services, our first client in 2008 went from five to seventeen VAs with a completely revamped organizational model in short order, and he told MyOutDesk, “Our virtual professionals have shaved $250,000 off our monthly overhead.”
https://www.myoutdesk.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/e-commerce-blog.jpg456972Jeremyhttps://www.myoutdesk.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/myoutdesk-logo-400w.pngJeremy2020-12-21 10:06:562021-01-19 13:26:33Baby Boomers + Pandemic: Big online retailers are making a huge pivot (Nike, Walmart, more)
Cannabis Business (or Canna-Bus, get it?). If you’re in the cannabis industry, or interested, the stats are in your favor. Inspired by new research that marijuana was used in a temple dating back to 2,700 years … Today, virtual assistants help lead cannabusiness to success and outperform competitors.
Since the shelter-in-place orders, cannabis & CBD products sales have only INCREASED. If you need help, or want to explore some ideas, schedule a free Business Strategy Call today.
Worshippers at a Jewish temple dating back more than 2,700 years got high on cannabis, according to new research. The researchers wrote, “It seems feasible to suggest that the use of cannabis on the Arad altar had a deliberate psychoactive role.”
2,737 BCE First recorded use of cannabis as medicine by Emperor Shen Neng of China.
23-79 AD Pliny the Elder’s The Natural History mentions hemp rope and marijuana’s analgesic effects.
HOW VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS ARE HELPING CANNABIS BUSINESSES GAIN MARKET SHARE
Virtual Assistants offer INDISPENSABLE help that allows your business to make quicker + more informed decisions.
Your Cannabis Business Virtual Assistant can take on:
As the go-to administrative support assistant
As the default note-taker for all business meetings
Compiling all reports (KPIs, sales, customer demographics, employee performance)
Helping + organizing all managers
All digital marketing, flyers, templates, website maintenance, blogs, & ads
8 MARIJUANA VIRTUAL ASSISTANT CANDIDATES, NO SWEAT
“We went through at least 8 candidates & interviews”
Tony Trinh’s delivery & consulting business SAVED valuable time by allowing MyOutDesk to help recruit and organize 20-30 minute interviews, recruitment ads, phone screening, interviews, background checks, personality profile, and final interviews.
Here are the trends: The legal cannabis industry is reported at 78% growth, year-by-year.
Marijuana retail is an “essential service” in many states (great for prolonged shelter-in-place orders)
Medical & recreational marijuana has inelastic demand (the business is recession-proof)
Weed delivery & CBD retail are in high demand, seeing a 65% percent spike in March 2020 alone.
NOT ONLY CAN A VIRTUAL ASSISTANT CAN HELP YOU, BUT THE ENTIRE CANNABIS BUSINESS TEAM.
“Why didn’t we do this two years earlier?” shares Tony when asked about how much he’s appreciated his MyOutDesk Virtual Assistant. “If you’re thinking about it, just go for it. We paid off in a month.” If you need help, or want to explore some ideas, book a Schedule a free Business Strategy Call today.
Focus on your growth & scale your operations
ENVISIONING OF A NEW REALITY FOR YOUR Legal Marijuana / CBD / Cannabis BUSINESS
Simply put, MyOutDesk equips entrepreneurs & business owners 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 legal marijuana, CBD, or cannabis business and offer solutions to foster top talent and lower operational costs for your company.
Experience The Difference
MyOutDesk can save you up to 70% on employment cost
Claim a free business strategy consultation & ‘Grow Virtual’ Guide
https://www.myoutdesk.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Cannabis-Been-doing-it-for-2700-years.jpg456972Jeremyhttps://www.myoutdesk.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/myoutdesk-logo-400w.pngJeremy2020-12-08 07:35:522020-12-09 10:05:24Cannabis Business: How long has marijuana been used by humans?
Since COVID, Jennifer’s business operations are now more efficient than ever — even with a downsized team. How? With Tello and a virtual assistant.
We grab a cup of virtual coffee with Jennifer Geddes as she talks about how she utilizes Trello and her MyOutDesk Virtual Assistant to gain leverage in her business. We ask Jennifer how she does it, and she takes us through her systems and processes she built with Trello to help create a system and process for her production and training.
Now, she has these systems in place, and she is ready to scale her business!
How a Virtual Assistant Manages My Trello
Combined with a virtual assistant, I use the free version of Trello, so it doesn’t even cost us anything!
We have a couple of boards. Having a free system is awesome because I feel like I had so many different systems, and they’re all thirty dollars. well, it all adds up with Trello, just jump in!
I have one virtual assistant from MyOutDesk, as well as a marketing person. Wanda, who is my virtual assistant, is doing all the administrative tasks. She does the transaction coordination.
Upgrading the operational system
I had a team a year ago, a team of six agents. A year and a half ago, I had eight agents. Now I have one, so I’m really just trying to trim the fat and focus on the revenue and generating streams. And the highest and best use.
What I found with the agents on the team was that they were not the best use, and it also led me to hire my virtual assistant and really just finding someone who was going to be more productive, efficient, and effective to increase the bottom line.
This year has given me a chance to step back and really focus on what we’re doing in improved systems and processes.
What’s the system and process to cross that million-dollar threshold?
What you’ve learned as you implemented this system and process for your business. Why did you decide on Trello? At what point did you decide you needed a system and a process to run the team?
So, Trello was recommended through real estate b-school, which is the company that I use for coaching.
I spoke with quite a few individuals there who were using it, and it seemed like it made the most sense, so I tried it out myself and, through kind of playing around with it, I decided that it was going to achieve the things that we wanted to.
I had actually started out using Wunderlist, which is just an elementary kind of to-do list, and had built out some of these kinds of checklists there, which was like my step one of kind of like first grade then I graduated to middle school and so forth. I then integrated Trello definitely takes time to set up, and it’s an ever-evolving process because to me, what’s significant is to have every single step in here so that somebody can pick this up brand new.
A Transaction coordination virtual assistant can pick this up, and they can run with it! I have every step, but we also have how-to sheets and videos linked in a separate google drive.
So, as they’re going through each task, the individual could say, “okay, it says do x y z I don’t know how to do x y z, but they can go back and reference the video or the how-to sheet on how to actually do that step.”
It’s about creating the process and then creating the training that goes along with it that doesn’t involve me doing that and explaining.
Because it’s so time-consuming to have to explain those things over and over again. So, I’m big on recording videos, sharing my screen, talking through it while I’m doing it one time, then I don’t want to do it again.
I love your mindset. Show us one of those examples? Can you share with us one of those examples in Trello? A task where you click on it, and then you pull up a video? How long is that video? What kind of detail did you share in that video?
We have our Trello how-to sheet. This is showing someone how to process a termination and then document names so for us. On Trello, we basically have every step on here like pre-offer, offer prep, under contract, after settlement. So now, if we go back to my Trello boards, and this is where I keep my template.
Under our templates, I have a pre-offer section, offer prep, under contract, and after settlement. So, the same as here, you could follow along and say, “okay. offer prep… where are the how-to sheets on offer prep?” If we go to the top here to ‘offer prep’ and ‘create a Trello card ‘… in KW Command, create a contact command through DocuSign. How to do that it’s through your CRM.
I’m just clarifying that those who aren’t KW people command are just a CRM like Salesforce or HubSpot or any other CRM.
You have to create what’s called “an opportunity” through KW Command so that KW knows what business we’re doing right now. These are pretty simple steps here. Most of them are self-explanatory. Command, save, mortgage pre-approval, CPE, ad, client, once buyer broker assigned CTE is what we use for financial and gold tracking. So once we have a buyer broker signed, we’re going to add that into CTE. If we go back here, I’ve got a “How to add to CTE,” so if the person doesn’t know how to do that, they open it up.
It’s simple. Follow the steps. You can figure out more complicated things. We have videos on these. this, the pre-offer, is really just setting the stage. Then you get to offer prep a little bit more complicated. Creating the documents, and setting them up in DocuSign, so that they’re ready for me to then review before we send them to the client. Once we go under contract, we broke things up into Day One, which needs to be done right away. And then we get down to Day Two, and then we’ve reached Day 10, Day 16. So there’s a timeline.
Oh my gosh, there are 500 tasks, but as you can see, I’m scrolling through. There are many things here, but it’s all simple tasks that the person can complete in KW Command.
KW wants to see stuff, so we have to submit these documents to them. Once we go under contract right check off above is meant for these labels that we use here. So when you see the labels on my big screen, you can see as we go through a transaction, you get less and less of the labels, so that’s really a way for us to track how many tasks are left. We have a KW command submission. Once that’s complete, that would be checked off here. So we check that off, and now that’s gone. So that’s what that’s talking about completing it up above. But it’s really again just every step that we go through in Trello, and add the due dates above.
We’ve got an area where all of our critical due dates, execution date, first deposit, reply to inspection, second deposit, title order, and mortgage settlement. So I don’t want my VA wasting time searching for this. It’s all right here. She sets it up one time, and she sets it up when she’s sending out the initial email to the seller’s side that’s telling them about the due dates.
Once tasks get input into the system, it gets set as reminders on her calendar and finished. We do a lot with email templates, so all email templates are sent out that the VA knows what to fill in. We’re also scheduling a lot of our templates now. So before it was okay, you need to go back into the file like every day. We’re scheduling out this buyer with five pending emails sent out three to four days before the deposit.
Essentially almost all of our emails are going out on day one, or at least they’re being set to be scheduled to go out day one.
How does the CRM, your email calendar, CTE commit to excellence? How do they all play with Trello in your world?
Wanda has this template saved in her Gmail. she pulls it up and schedules it to send when it’s due on the 10th. It takes about five minutes to input these into the calendar, and again it’s done on day one. The seller side knows the dates as well as when the mortgage commitment is due. This gets emailed to the lender a day before it’s due.
Now it’s on Wanda’s calendar the day it’s due, and then we actually have a reminder. So she’ll put the calendar reminder that the mortgage commitment is due on the 10th. there will be an email that gets sent to her on the 9th and an email that gets sent to her on the 7th, so all of our due dates, we have a one-day email reminder and a three-day email reminder; what I found is having a calendar alert those get missed you’re in the middle of a Zoom, and you click off of it, or whatever it is so I have the reminders in our google calendar set as actual email reminders, so that goes into her email box she doesn’t miss it she can see that it’s due and it stays there until it’s addressed.
I love it! How do you manage what’s done versus what’s not done? How do you manage multiple people with deadlines?
In Trello, there’s this chat feature here at the bottom. So we actually have a different template that is it’s on another board. It’ll take me too long to get over to it, but when another agent is involved, we have a pre-offer dash admin pre-offer dash agent, so it’s very clear who is responsible for what task so Wanda could see.
I found that when I had agents who weren’t following my pretty good process, not perfect, those were not the right people.
So I think that’s my simple answer, although it sounds pretty elementary. If you have a process that makes the agent’s lives easier and they’re not doing it, maybe we need to look at something else.
Another thing I did was if you, the agent, follow the process and do all the steps and don’t miss any of your due dates, and the virtual assistant will do more of the deal and do more tasks for you.
It’s like the more you follow your process, the more they do so. If you do x on time, the assistant will do y and z, you miss x, now you have to do y and z., so it was a favorable combination of positive-negative reinforcement to try to get the agents to do things.
I think it’s spending the time to do it the right way, and it’s having the right person too. So when Wanda started, we had probably 70 of it done. It would be, “okay, Wanda do these things all right? I’ll talk to you in two or three hours.” in two or three hours, we’d talk, and she’d say, “Jen, I don’t know how to do XYZ.”
“Did you look at the how-to sheet?”
“Yep, it’s blank.”
“Oh, okay, great, let’s walk through it together over zoom screen share.”
And she would create the manual, take notes on it, and then complete it. So I think now having it all complete, it would be seamless to bring someone else in.
People complain about the paperwork and transaction coordination. I mean, that is such a small portion of my business now, whereas, in the past, I’d say my admin spent probably 90% of the time on it.
Now with my virtual assistant, I’d say Wanda is spending 25% of her time on it in a perfect world with booming business. she’ll spend well under 50 percent of her time doing transaction coordination, which means I’ll run 25 million through the business with someone doing 15 hours a week of transaction coordination. Before, if I had someone spending 40 hours a week on this, and now they’re spending 15 hours a week. What can I have them do in that other time that’s 25 extra hours a week?
For me, I enjoy selling and growing and evolving; this is just kind of a side effect that needs to be done, and it needs to be done correctly, so I don’t want to spend time on it
I want it to be a system that just flows and is super easy to go through, making a lot of sense.
What’s it been like working with MyOutDesk?
MyOutDesk has been great. I have no complaints. Communication was excellent. I wanted to get started right away and was pretty demanding about that. And my request was met, which was great. I know you guys were in a significant backlog, but you could fit me in, which was really super important to me. I asked Wanda to find other resources within MyOutDesk periodically, and she does, but with her training and skillsets and all of that, I really have no complaints.
I have a client who just went under contract who complimented Wanda, “She’s been so great. How long has she worked with you?”
He’s been a long time client, and I ask for feedback.
“I’m so glad you found her. Is she in your office?” … and that’s what I was waiting for. I’m explain, “Our office is closed. She’s in the Philippines, actually.
“No kidding?”
So this is someone that’s been working with him. And he had no idea that she was in the Philippines, which to me is the goal.
My virtual assistant has been a lot more motivated and enthusiastic than anyone I’ve had in this role in a long time in person. She’s finding things to do when I get busy, and I’m not giving her something to do. I feel confident she’s working the whole time, which was not the case when someone was sitting in the office.
Growing Your Business With An Administrative Virtual Assistant
As a business person, you’re already familiar with what an administrative assistant can support do for you and why it’s crucial to your business. Staying on top of administrative functions is essential to your success.
You can be more effective if you’re not bogged down by paperwork, repetitive administrative tasks and troubleshooting bureaucratic red tape delays and issues. A administrative virtual assistant can take care of these tasks and ensure that sales paperwork and its administration run smoothly and your clients are receiving excellent customer support.
With a virtual coordinator, you can become more efficient & effective – while your coordinator handles all the repetitive tasks involved with your business – like gathering documents and signatures, calling clients, and stakeholders, completing paperwork, following up on contracts & requirements, and putting together a broker file for each completed transaction.
Having a virtual professional tackle operations and administrative outcomes for you can go far beyond what a traditional assistant does, like answering phones and keeping your calendar. There are many more ways a virtual professional can help you administratively. Here are some concrete examples of my favorite things administrative virtual professionals do for our clients.
Simply put, MyOutDesk equips entrepreneurs & business owners 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.
Experience The Difference
MyOutDesk can save you up to 70% on employment cost
Claim a free business strategy consultation & ‘Grow Virtual’ Guide
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! Pioneers of virtual assistant services, our first client in 2008 went from five to seventeen VAs with a completely revamped organizational model in short order, and he told MyOutDesk, “Our virtual professionals have shaved $250,000 off our monthly overhead.”
https://www.myoutdesk.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Trello-Thumb-v3.png321845Jeremyhttps://www.myoutdesk.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/myoutdesk-logo-400w.pngJeremy2020-11-17 14:49:402020-12-03 09:25:59Trello & Virtual Assistants: The Best System for Efficient Admin Work!
Real Estate Virtual Assistants » Grow your real estate business & generate massive revenue with a quality Real Estate Virtual Assistant from MyOutDesk.
Mortgage Virtual Assistants » Stay focused on building relationships & business – that’s why mortgage & loan officers trust our virtual assistants.
IT Outsourcing » Rapidly scale your technology business and improve your customer service, support & retention with IT outsourcing from MyOutDesk.
HR Outsourcing » Industry leading HR & PEO organizations trust MyOutDesk virtual assistant services for the highest quality HR outsourcing.
Healthcare Virtual Assistants » Rapidly scale your Healthcare Organization by recruiting top-quality staff with MyOutDesk virtual assistants!
MyOutDesk, LLC • 3001 E St. • Sacramento, CA 95816 • Phone: (800) 583-9950
