An OBM or Online Business Manager is a professional busienss owner who supports online businesses remotely or virtually by focusing on day-to-day management, ensuring that all tasks and deadlines are met efficiently. They work with more than one client and usually have a wide skill base and honed management, PM, and operational skills. They are the bridge between a business woner and their team with an overriding purpose to execute their vision.

OBMs are immensely helpful with managing daily business operations, bringing in tools to boost productivity, making work efforts more cohesive and pointing out where value could be added. Therefore, they allow you to prioritise what you channel your energy into.

An OBM ensures that the right things (planning) get done in the right way (systems), at the right time (project management), by the right people (team management), and on budget (finance). They take the pressure off the business owner, which releases (sometimes like a pressure valve) time and headspace for you to focus on leading (and not managing) your business into its growth phase faster and more effectively.

An OBM will first and foremost learn about your business model and structure and how you create turnover. They work beside you as a manager of systems, planning, time, people and operations. They are the buffer between you and the online fee-generating activities. Your own productivity (headspace) will improve so that you can spend more time on the fee-earning and growth aspects of your business. You will benefit from their expertise as well as create space for the ‘other’ things you enjoy doing.

If you can relate to any of the points below, you’re ready for an OBM:

• You find yourself feeling overwhelmed with the day-to-day needs of your business
• You don’t have enough time to focus on working towards your larger goals
• You lose track of time spending energy leading teams to ensure tasks are completed
• You are frustrated with how you are spending your time
• Your business is growing but you can’t keep up with managing everything
• You need better systems in place to track your progress but you don’t have the time or knowledge to implement them
• You don’t know what tools or platforms are available to make your business more in sync
• You are constantly having to check in with team members because you are unsure who is assigned which tasks and what deadlines are being met
• You need a partner you can discuss your ideas with, knowing they’ll be able to turn these ideas into an achievable reality.

OBMs can effectively step back and assess where more structure and tools are needed to add value. Their recommendations will be to improve your business. By streamlining smaller time-consuming tasks, it gives you as a business owner the opportunity to maximise your time and energy to achieve your long-term goals.

I give my contracts special attention to ensure fairness, integrity and protection. Your contract will include:

• Agreed Package and Services provided
• Terms of Service / Terms of Agreement
• Payment terms
• Confidentiality and data protection

 I will require certain details about you and your business to conduct business professionally and provide a valid contract. You will also need to share certain login information and passwords with your OBM. We use LastPass to share passwords virtually and securely. 

A Retainer is an agreed-upon monthly investment between you and Virtual Success. With Virtual Success, retainers are paid upfront to ensure my attention to your needs and mutual respect for the contract. Retainers provide security for you as the client and allow me to delegate my time and energy appropriately for each client.

Yes, of course. Your relationship with your OBM should be fluid. I value integrity and communication in my business. If a certain retainer is not working for your business, we can change at any time subject to contract (currently 30 days notice).

A VA is a universal term for someone who joins your team as an implementor, integrator, taskmaster, and helper. These are people you hire more for their hands-on than for their strategy. They work SOLEY off of direction from the CEO or designated manager.

An OBM collaborates with the CEO on direction and delegates, manages, systemizes, and optimizes the business. We deliver monthly reports, track data, and pivot at the CEO’s discretion. In this role, the CEO delivers the objectives, and the OBM manages all the elements to bring them to life.