The official definition of an Online Business Manager (OBM) is a virtually based support professional who manages online based businesses; including the day-to-day management of projects, operations, management of team members, metrics management, and development of multiple streams of income.

The role of the Online Business Manager is to play the bigger role in the overall management of the business.

Once the business owner has moved out of the start up phase of their online business into the growth and maturity phases and are enjoying the financial rewards of consistent revenue that is meeting their revenue targets, they find that they have also hit a wall in being able to grow their business to new levels alone – they need support.

Up to this point the business owner has probably hired Virtual Assistants and other online professionals to complete projects and tasks, but is now finding that recruiting, training and performance managing takes a great deal of time and energy. They are still working IN their business instead of ON it.

• OBM’s manage…Virtual Assistants execute
• VA’s are responsible for their individuals tasks… OBM’s are responsible for the smooth operation of the business
• OBM’s manage 2-3 clients at a time
  
• VA’s typically manage 5-10 clients at a time

Online Business Management is still new industry and is growing by leaps and bounds – Online Business Managers are in high demand!

Many decide to enter into the Online Business Manager profession due to their strong professional backgrounds in administrative, business management, project management, operations management and other business growth related professions.  Many Virtual Assistants have stepped into this role recently due to the tremendous growth that comes from supporting online business owners and realizing their own potentials.

Most OBM’s possess most or all of what is considered to be the 10 Critical Virtual Assistant hard skills in order to support the growth of an online business, which are:

1. The Marketing Mindset
2. Basic Website Maintenance/Design
3. Online Research
4. Ezine Development and Publication
   
5. Blogging Development and Maintenance
   
6. Written Products Skills
   
7. Audio/ Video Product Skills
8. E-Commerce–examples: 1Shopping Cart and Infusionsoft
   
9. Driving Traffic
   
10. Customer Service

In addition, Online Business Managers possess the soft skills such as leadership, organization, creativity, big picture thinking, process thinking, marketing mindset, etc.  which  is  critical in order to grow any business.  The high functioning OBM and creative thinking, focused entrepreneur can create an unstoppable team by leveraging each others strengths.

The Online Business Manager’s role in the client’s business is to MANAGE and NOT DO. 

In order for the OBM to be successful in their role they should not spend more than 10-15% of their time in any DOING activities.  Like anyone else on a collaborative team occasionally an OBM will jump in where needed to meet a deadline or work on a delivery issue.  

Examples would be:

• backing up support team when needed.  Maybe someone sick, on vacation, or recruiting or transitioning  to a new team member.
  
• An OBM may need to spend time around developing a specific idea for the business owner before it’s ready to be delegated out to the team.
  

Your OBM must stay focused on the BIG PICTURE for the ultimate growth of the business.  When your OBM is trying to perform the many tasks that should be delegated to other virtual professionals, things begin to fall through the cracks and the business suffers.  OBM’s are focused on the BOTTOM LINE!

Online Business Managers clear your plate of the day-to-day operations management of tasks and resources so that you can focus ONLY what you do best!

The reason is simple.  There must be a business to manage – the business owner needs to have an established and proven business model.  An OBM will be a game changer for your business in creating results, but needs to have a firm foundation to stand on.

No, the role of the Online Business Manager in your business is to get things done so that you can focus ONLY on what you can and should be doing in your business – everything else gets delegated to the Online Business Manager. This way you can work ON your business, instead of IN it.

If you are not already working with a Business Coach, Consultant or Strategist, your Online Business Manager can  recommend someone if needed.  There must be a business for an OBM to manage!  The work of the Business Owner and Coach is to determine the WHAT and your OBM will work out the HOW!

Online Business Managers are experienced and skilled in the online business models, strategies and tactics it takes to grow a business online, but specialize in the implementation and managing of a business.

Online Business Managers work with you to plan and implement what you have decided you want to achieve in your business.  Due to the expertise of the OBM and other professionals you are surrounded by, these experts will help to drive your business where you want it to go in the fastest way possible.

You will be working with a complete professional who has a passion for supporting online business owners to achieve their goals for success in their business.   I have over 30 years of high level administrative and business management skills and experience.  I spent many of those years in the traditional brick and mortar small to medium sized companies, then the last 10 of those years in corporate.  In February 2008, I transferred those business skills to the virtual space when I created VBS Virtual Assist, LLC.  I enhanced those skills to fit into my new online and entrepreneurial career by completing The Fast Trac Entrepreneur Program, VA Internet Marketing Program, 1ShoppingCart Master Strategist Certification and the most significant training, Online Business Management Certification Program with Tina Forsyth and Andrea Lea.

The benefits to you are:

• You are working with someone who cares about your success and will treat your business just like my own.  When you succeed, I succeed!
• I am a business owner just like you and understand the business owner perspective.  I understand the pain and the solutions of my target market.
  
• I am trained and experienced in all the disciplines needed to manage your online business.
• I am connected to a huge network of resources to complete your projects.
• Two years ago I formed a small advisory group of OBMs.  When it’s brain storming time, you have the benefit of 3 brains, instead of one for the generation of ideas and feedback.
• My Rolodex is open to my clients.  When I see a potential partner or critical connection for you I will make that introduction.
• I have amazing testimonials from satisfied business owners, offline and online!

My certification training and mentorship was through Tina Forsyth and Andrea Lee.  Early in my business I read Tina Forsyth’s still popular book, “Becoming An Online Business Manager, Playing A Bigger Game With Your Clients”.   I knew immediately that becoming an Online Business Manager (OBM) was the path for me.  

Providing online business management services to my clients is in alignment with my many years of business training, experience, skills and most important, passion.  I immediately signed up for Tina’s Online Business Manager (OBM) Certification program which consisted of 40 hours and 5 months of time directly invested into the certification process.  Certification week was grueling and I consider it as one of my major accomplishments in my business career.   I was Tina Forsyth and Andrea Lee’s first student in the first ever OBM certification program and one of the first ever certified Online Business Managers!

The training that I received addressed the whole online business organized under the following modules:

• Module 1: Online Business Models and Strategy
• Module 2: Your Business Management Tool-belt – Sharpening your skills
• Module 3: Online Revenue Streams – Maps & Processes
• Module 4: Building your OBM Muscle
• And after the training you will be offered the opportunity to complete the final step:
• Module 5: Certification Week

You may learn more by clicking on http://www.certifiedobm.com

Most OBMs including myself, do not charge an hourly rate.  My clients are paying for results and I don’t care to spend my time counting minutes and hours when my focus should be on creating results for your business. 

I do understand that the marketplace does need to have some idea of the cost of online business manager services. The range you can expect to pay will be based on several factors including the  level of experience of the OBM – just like in an offline business role.  The current typical rate range for an Online Business Manager is $50.00/hour to $125.00/hour as a base monthly payment.

The base + incentive compensation model is becoming quite appealing as it gives the business owner an opportunity to be able to afford an an Online Business Manager by getting a reduced monthly base and make up the difference in incentive payments.

Incentive pay can be distributed in the form of a bonus for reaching certain targets, based on sales for specific products or overall revenue that was a direct result of the work of the Online Business Manager.

My expectations and business model are built on a long term relationship with my clients.  I partner with fewer clients in order to offer a higher level of  attention, support and focus on results.

I have one single focus and that is providing the best possible business management solutions to my clients.  I offer two solutions “The Entrepreneurial Freedom Solution” and the “Done For Me” Project Management Solution”

The reason that I only partner with a small number of select clients is that it allows me the time and space to plug into your  business and provide a more focused service.  This alone is an invaluable service to my clients.

As I become more fused with your business the more value I add to your bottom line!

You will find me to be a warm and friendly person, but also very focused and professional when working with my clients.  Your success is my success!

I am definitely a results oriented manager.  My power and marketing creativity works best for my clients when momentum is high and focused.

My ideal clients are high achieving business Speaker, Coach and/or Author  entrepreneurs who have a unstoppable passion to build a legacy business that they can be proud of, making an impact on the world, and of course generating amazing revenue.

My client’s business model is consistently generating six- figures and above revenues and has reached the point where they are ready to turn loose the reins so that we can grow the business to new and exciting levels.  My clients are serious about their business and want it to not only fulfill the entrepreneurial dream but also to continue the vision

My clients are business savvy and know that they cannot do it all alone.  They are ready to hire an Online Business Manager and a “dream team” so that we can create amazing results together. 

We will communicate about your business by maintaining weekly status/planning meetings, which will last anywhere from 30 min – 1 hour.   An agenda will guide our time together.  These meetings will be conducted via webinar, Skype or telephone.

In addition, we will communicate via email and phone for in-between times as needed for shorter periods of time.

If you send me an email or voice mail it will be returned that day unless it is outside my normal business hours or I have notified you via email or voice mail that I will be out of the office.

My office hours are Monday through Thursday, 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and Friday’s (closed) are my own business development days.  But I may not always be available during that time.  Since I work with other clients, I may need to be focused on their projects for a while, just as I need to be focused on yours. 

I do not offer instant turn around on projects – it’s not fair to me or the team.  If we have something coming up that we know will be on a tight time frame, we will make sure that we discuss it at our weekly meetings so that we have the plan and the time in place. An example would be a product launch.  One of the great benefits of having an Online Business Manager is that you and your business are not operating in reactive mode any longer.  Planning and systems replace chaos in the business.

The next step would be to click on the following link and complete a quick form, Are You Ready.  I will review your answers and respond with next steps within a couple of days.