WTF is an OBM? And What An Online Business Manager Can Do For You.
That is the number one question I get when I tell someone what I do. Well, maybe not put like that exactly, but it is written on their face.
Note: before I get into the nitty gritty of it, each Online Business Manager (OBM) has a different manifesto and wheelhouse, so I am speaking for myself and what being an OBM means for me.
An OBM is someone who virtually manages the daily operations of your business. They're one part unlicensed therapist, one part coach, one part cheerleader, but mostly someone who can objectively look at your business and see both your vision and the itty-bitty details that can make that vision happen.
As entrepreneurs, we are constantly flooded with messages that more is better and that you constantly have to be creating content, posting on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and the like in order to be successful in your business. When I see so many quotes like this pop up on Instagram and Pinterest it makes me so sad (and mad):
"Some days I'm humble.
Some days I struggle.
But every day I HUSTLE."
You should be humble every damn day, but DEFINITELY not hustling every day. And if you are, you're doing it wrong.
Business does not need to be overly complicated. There are really just three things to always keep in mind:
What is your mission as a business? i.e. what services or products do you provide and WHY?
Who is your target audience? i.e. Who do you want to be receiving these services or products?
How are you going to connect with your audience? i.e. Your website, blog posts, door to door sales ringing your cowbell…
Hustling for the sake of hustling with no vision or reason is wasteful and just asking for a burn out.
And this is where having an OBM is a game changer. You have the visions and values for your business, but they can get lost in the daily grind. It is the OBM’s job to come in, help you get grounded and clear on these three things and then put the work in where it counts. NOT just hustlin’ for the sake of hustlin’. Now, don’t get me wrong, you will still be working hard, but you will be working on what you should be spending time on - the vision of your business, not the tasks that you get bogged down by that can easily be automated and taken care of for you.
So, in a nutshell this is what a good OBM does:
holds you and your team accountable and provides support through each task;
helps you get consistent results and the most value for your time, effort, and money;
clarifies where to put the focus and work in where it matters;
makes you feel excited and supported every day that you work together; and
creates the foundation of your business with systems so that you don’t have to worry about the 17894 details that happen in a day, so you can focus on the one that matters: what you want to serve and share.
An OBM should be your business BFF. Your BBFF. Someone who you work closely with who you can delegate tasks to and not wonder if they'll get done, who can deal with the daily management of your business, and who will tell it like it is. And that last point is key. You need to work with someone who is able to give you their honest opinion. That doesn't mean that you always have to listen to it, but it is important not to have someone who will blindly say 'yes' to every task and idea. That is when waste, inefficiency, and the daily over hustle comes in and makes everyone cranky.
Starting your business was really exciting and it should still be that way. If you're feeling stuck and burnt out now, it's because you're dealing with too much of the daily ins and outs of your business and need that objective eye and help to take some tasks off your list. You’re the big picture thinker. You do not need to be thinking about steps 1, 2, or 3, that is my job.