We rely on devices, but they distract us, too.  

That’s why I plan on paper. I’ll tape flip chart-sized Post-it notes on the walls and talk strategy and tasks with my husband, who is also my business partner.  

It’s a visual process that suits us well. Of course, much of that planning is transferred to our devices, schedules, emails — the vast network of our digital lives.  

But before the digital work happens, we sit together and talk it out. We make each other mad, and we make each other laugh. We treat our ideas with all the skepticism we can muster and test them against each other. It’s honestly fun. All of our brainstorming sessions are collections of bullet points on paper, and then we organize those thoughts. We arrive at a big plan and then funnel all action into service of the goal. This company was born of our back and forth. And we sharpen it with regular planning sessions at the table. It’s a primary joy in our lives. Our banter is genuinely the key to our success, both in business and our marriage.  

I’m thinking of that process now and how this moment on the calendar calls for big-picture discussions, right? School is starting for the kids. The Christmas rush is not here, but it’s not far away. It’s an excellent time to sit with your fellow strategist and hash it out. What’s our goal for the rest of 2023? What’s working? What do we need to do differently? Are we getting an adequate return on what we invested into this year’s budget?  

If you don’t have a strategist and want one, I’m interested in being that with you. Of course, we’re running a business. But it’s not just about that for me. I love talking shop and strategizing with fellow business owners about what needs to happen for them to be happier and more fulfilled in their work life. What can be added or shed? What can be automated, and what can’t?   

Most of the time, it’s the little things that stress us, isn’t it? How do I get some of the daily work burden off my back? Well, HireSmart is a sturdy mechanism for owners and managers to leverage the time of qualified and well-vetted employees to improve workflow and efficiency. We are the best in the business at setting up businesses with virtual employees who deliver productivity, stress reduction, and cost savings.  

I oversee the vetting process, and I’m not going to allow one of our virtual employees to work for you unless I would hire them for our company. If I had low standards that way, that would only result in more stress for you and me. We put an extreme amount of work on the front end, finding qualified virtual employees in the Philippines who can do a wide range of office tasks. We want success for you, our employees, and ourselves.  

Those employees are billed at $9.00/hr. This offers them a competitive salary in the Philippines, and we also provide our employees with health and dental benefits as part of that bill rate. Our clients save an average of $27,000 a year per employee.  

As part of our process, we also provide 40 hours of live and pre-recorded sessions to teach industry-specific skills and certify every employee our client selects. We’ve done this for over eight years for hundreds of businesses and have a high success rate. Of course, if you’re in that small percentage that it doesn’t work out, we will replace the worker under the guarantee and work with you to get it right. We’re committed to you and ensuring your best experience.  

As the summer winds down and businesses heat up, maybe you want to put that device down, sit with your fellow strategist, and brainstorm your next moves.  

And if you want to pick up that device and schedule a consultation with me, then I would love to chat about how we can work with you to make your days less stressful and your evenings your own again, free of work worries. Go to www.MeetWithAnne.com to schedule your Discovery Call.