Stop trading dollars for pennies — here’s the math that will change how you think about delegation 

Why hire a virtual assistant? Here’s the short answer: Because you’re losing thousands of dollars every week doing work that costs you $150/hour when you could delegate it for $15-20/hour. 

According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data from 2024, full-time workers average 8.1 hours per day on work tasks. For business owners, much of this time goes to administrative work, time that could be spent on revenue-generating activities. 

What’s Really Happening to Your Time? 

Let me show you what this looks like in real numbers. You’re spending 15 to 20 hours every week managing your calendar, responding to emails, entering data, and handling routine administrative tasks. If your billable rate is $150 per hour, that’s $2,250 to $3,000 in lost revenue each week. Every single week. 

The Federal Reserve noted in 2025 that small businesses account for almost half of all private sector employment. Yet many of these business owners find themselves buried in operational tasks instead of leading growth. Sound familiar? 

Here’s the truth most business owners miss: the “free” work you do yourself is actually the most expensive work in your business. While you’re managing invoices and scheduling meetings, your competitors are closing deals and developing strategy. Gallup’s 2025 research revealed that lost productivity costs the global economy $438 billion. Much of this stems from leaders doing work that doesn’t match their value. 

This is where remote workforce solutions become critical, not optional. When you’re trapped in the daily operational grind, you can’t build the business you envisioned. That’s precisely why hire a virtual assistant becomes not just a staffing decision, but a strategic growth decision. 

Why Hire a Virtual Assistant? Because You Can’t Afford Not To

Let’s flip the question. Instead of asking what hiring costs, ask what NOT hiring costs you. 

Every hour you spend on administrative tasks equals an hour you’re NOT spending on business development, strategy, or client relationships. The real ROI calculation isn’t just about the money you pay someone else. It includes lost revenue, missed opportunities, and strategic work that never happens. 

Dana, CEO of a Marketing Services Agency, understands this reality. “This year, Ella has successfully trained and onboarded our new employees. This has been invaluable, as it has freed up time for me to focus on sharing the vision with the employees rather than the tasks.” 

Smart business leaders recognize that professional staffing solutions transform operators into leaders. This represents a fundamental shift in how CEOs approach labor challenges. They understand why hire a virtual assistant: it’s a growth investment, not an expense. 

Yet many business owners resist. There’s an emotional barrier at play. The “I should do it all myself” mentality. The belief that no one can do it as well as you can. But here’s what that belief actually costs: your business stays small, you stay overwhelmed, and opportunities pass you by. 

Remote workforce solutions give you something invaluable: leverage. You multiply your effectiveness without multiplying your hours. When you delegate the $15-per-hour work, you free yourself for the $150-per-hour decisions that actually grow your business. 

The Math That Changes Everything 

Ready to see what your time is really costing you? Here’s your personal ROI calculator: 

Your ROI Calculator 

Step  Calculate your hourly value. Take your annual revenue goal and divide it by 2,000 work hours. If you want to generate $300,000 annually, your target time value is $150 per hour. 

Step 2: Track your admin hours. Be honest: how many hours per week do you spend on tasks someone else could handle? Scheduling, data entry, email management? Most business owners find it’s 10 to 20 hours weekly. 

Step 3: Multiply for opportunity cost. Your hourly value × admin hours = the potential value tied up in low-impact work. At $150/hour for 15 hours, that’s $2,250 weekly — or $117,000 annually — that could be redirected toward higher-value activities. 

Step 4: Compare with staffing costs. Professional staffing solutions typically run $15 to $30 per hour. Covering 15 hours weekly costs $450 to $900. The capacity unlocked? Roughly $100,000 annually to reapply where it matters most. 

Step 5: Reinvest your reclaimed capacity. The hours you free up aren’t just “saved” — they’re available for growth initiatives, strategic planning, and revenue-generating work you can’t get to now. That’s where the true ROI appears. 

When you ask yourself, “why hire a virtual assistant?,” you realize it’s about making money, not just delegating tasks. The true cost of HR staffing goes far beyond what you pay someone else. It’s what you lose by not paying someone else. 

Remote workforce solutions create multiplier effects across your entire operation. Your team sees a leader who’s present and strategic. Your clients receive the attention they deserve. Your business gains the momentum it needs. 

What the Numbers Don’t Show 

The ROI calculator tells part of the story. But it doesn’t capture everything. 

Consider the mental bandwidth you reclaim. When you’re not drowning in administrative details, your mind is free for creative thinking. For innovation. For solving the complex problems that actually require your expertise. 

Think about the opportunities you can finally say yes to. That speaking engagement. That potential partnership. That strategic initiative you’ve been postponing for months because you’re “too busy.” 

Professional staffing solutions don’t replace your existing team. They support them. When you remove bottlenecks and delegate appropriately, your entire team operates more effectively. Morale improves. Productivity increases. Retention strengthens. 

Remote workforce solutions deliver benefits that extend far beyond the balance sheet. Reduced stress means better decisions. Less burnout means sustained performance. More strategic focus means competitive advantage. 

This is why hire a virtual assistant answers the scalability question. You cannot personally handle every task as your business grows. But you can build systems and teams that multiply your impact. Maximizing your productive hours isn’t about working more hours. It’s about working the right hours on the right activities. 

Key Takeaways: Calculate Your VA ROI 

1. Calculate your hourly value: Annual revenue goal ÷ 2,000 hours 
2. Track admin hours: Most business owners spend 10-20 hours/week on delegable tasks 
3. Multiply: Your hourly value × admin hours = weekly opportunity cost 
4. Compare: Remote workforce solutions cost vs. opportunity cost = ROI 
5. Remember: Professional staffing solutions include mental bandwidth, strategic time, and growth capacity that compound over time 

The Choice Is Yours 

So let’s return to where we started. Can you afford to hire a virtual assistant? 

The better question: Can you afford NOT to? 

I challenge you to do your own math this week. Calculate exactly what your time costs. Track where those hours actually go. Be brutally honest about which tasks drain your energy and which ones generate value. 

When you truly understand why hire a virtual assistant, you realize it’s not about saving money. It’s about making money. About reclaiming time. About building the business you actually want instead of the one that holds you hostage. 

The most expensive employee in your business might be you, especially when you’re doing work someone else should handle. The smartest business owners leverage remote workforce solutions to multiply their impact. They use professional staffing solutions not as a cost center but as a profit center. 

The math doesn’t lie. Your time has value. Every hour you spend on administrative work represents an investment in staying small rather than growing big. That’s a choice. And now you know exactly what that choice costs. The question of why hire a virtual assistant comes down to this: Do you want to spend your time on work that costs $15/hour, or work that generates $150/hour? 

Click here to schedule a free consultation and discover how a virtual assistant can transform your ROI. 

About the Author 

Anne Lackey is the Co-Founder and CEO of HireSmart Virtual Employees, where she helps businesses scale with full-time, highly trained remote staff. With decades of experience in business operations and systems, Anne is a recognized expert in virtual staffing, process efficiency, and team building.