As a business owner, you may not be familiar with the difference between a VA and an OBM. It’s likely you already have a Virtual Assistant that’s an integral part of the day-to-day running of your business, but is it time to take things further and move towards having an Online Business Manager?

In this post, I’ll be sharing just what the difference between the two roles is, and how an OBM can have many positive benefits for your business. 

The difference between a VA and an OBM 

For me, an Online Business Manager is a next-level Virtual Assistant – imagine Iron Man to Tony Stark if you will. All the brains you’ve grown to love in a VA but with a few more nifty gadgets and ideas up their sleeves. 

Both a VA and an OBM have important roles in your business, but an OBM can swoop in with that strategic element you might have been missing.

Whereas a VA is mainly task-orientated, an Online Business Manager brings custom strategies, and project manages everything from start to finish. 

Imagine your business growth is a bit like a car journey. Before you set off, you want to be sure that a) you know where you’re going and b) your ‘car’ is up to the journey ahead. Your OBM takes on two significant roles here. One is the role of navigator – i.e. listening to your business goals and suggesting strategies and ‘routes’ to achieve them. They can help you look for any potential diversions too, so you’re not stuck in a jam on the business growth motorway due to roadworks.

But they also adopt the role of a mechanic, tinkering around under the bonnet to make sure everything is working as it should be, looking at the numbers and the processes you already have in place. Are these helping or hindering your business growth? Could you be doing anything differently that could yield better results? Here at Jennifer Cooper Timesaver, I look for ways to help you save time too. 

Once your OBM has supported you to identify the best journey ahead, they’ll create the task list needed to help you move forwards and grow.

Your VA will then complete those tasks under the OBM’s supervision, which means you can continue to focus on providing the best service or products for your customers.

What are the benefits of an OBM? 

So now you know the difference between a VA and an OBM, let’s look at the benefits of working with an OBM.

Running a business can feel frustrating, overwhelming, and brilliant all at the same time. Often, you know there are things you need to do, but there are so many other bits you feel you have to do first. It often feels chaotic and you might be at a point where you’re struggling to do it on your own. 

You need someone who knows exactly how it feels – someone who’s been where you are and understands how challenging and overwhelming things can be.

An Online Business Manager can be that person – supporting you to bring your vision to life and being an integral cog in the wheels of your business. They become an essential part of your big-picture thinking, offering a different perspective. They’re also directly involved in your business growth and can help you look for opportunities to scale in a way that feels right for you.

So if you’re at the stage where you feel you need this kind of support, why not get in touch and see how I can help you? You don’t have to feel overwhelmed anymore – we can work together to make your business just what you always hoped it would be. 

And maybe even a little bit more.