Still Thinking…. Contemplating….. Debating…. Justifying…..           getting help with your business? Read on and maybe this will help…… "If you're taking stock of your small business at year's end, perhaps the most important question you can ask is how you can make your company easier to run. For many business owners, the answer is probably to get some help. But actually getting that help can be hard. Just admitting they need help can be difficult for some entrepreneurs, particularly those who gave birth to their companies themselves and who are used to doing everything that needs to be done. Many of them often feel that by the time they explain how to do a task to a new employee, they could get it done themselves. And, they think, they can probably get it done better. If that sounds familiar, here's some advice: Bite the bullet. The time you spend doing nitty-gritty work that doesn't bring in revenue can mean lost opportunities and money down the drain. If you're keeping the books rather than meeting with new customers, does that make sense?….…..One of the blessings of delegating administrative chores is that often other people can do them better and faster……" "Get Some Help With Running a Business", Joyce M. Rosenberg, AP, Sacramento Bee, December 31, 2002. "OK, I'M SOLD!" you shout. "Now what?" Funny you should ask. Ever hear of a "Virtual Assistant"? The International Virtual Assistants Association defines a Virtual Assistant (VA) as "an independent entrepreneur providing administrative, creative and/or technical services. Utilizing advanced technological modes of communication and data delivery, a professional VA assists clients in his/her area of expertise from their own office on a contractual basis" "Unlike traditional services, Virtual Assistants work off-site and behind the scenes handling the myriads of tasks that you don't have the time to do." "Essentially, the internet and the communications revolution has abolished time and distance. Therefore any job that is not "shopfront" can be moved anywhere. There's no difference in sending information upstairs or a continent away." Oh, and by the way……. "Outsourcing, in general, can cost 50% less than hiring a full-time employee, according to Hackett Group, a Hudson (Ohio) consultancy." "Outsourcing is the only way to be competitive and stay on top of your business and remain profitable" Forbes, March 2004. Now you're ready for the Nuts & Bolts