About Co.Lab Space
Jenny Dinh is the Founder of Co.Lab Space, a Social Media Agency specialising in product photography, social media content creation and social media management.
She contacted us because she was handling everything herself and had no time or resources to take on more clients. She had hit the ceiling of what she could earn and wanted a virtual assistant to assist with admin and social media.
However, since Jenny has been running her business on her own and has never hired a virtual assistant before, this presented more urgent challenges.
The Challenge
No structured systems or processes
Jenny often found herself following new (or re-creating) processes with different clients when she was on-the-go.
Manual client onboarding & reporting
Everything from setting up payments, invoicing & reports required manually checking & sending.
Keeping tabs of everything in her head
All client info, projects and intricacies of her business was stored in her head instead of being transferable.
No time to train a virtual assistant
She needed a virtual assistant but didn’t have the time to train a VA or set-up a content management system.
These were business challenges Jenny always knew were important and urgent, but never had the time to address because she was caught up in the busyness of business. But it was clear that she wasn’t able to bring in another person and that they’d get it.
She needed to have the structures in place for them to succeed. That’s when she stumbled across the Systemise & Scale Up Program (S&S), a process that allowed our team of Systemisation Experts to set up Co.Lab Space with the right systems, processes, automations and training before hiring a virtual assistant.
I wish I had the time to do that [create systems and processes]. I probably could, but it would take me maybe a year… whereas you guys had it done in a matter of weeks!
Our Approach
Standardised client onboarding workflow
So every client would have the same amazing experience from the get-go
Automated payment collection
So she could spend less time checking and more time making moolah!
Templated agreements & proposals
So she didn’t have to start from scratch for each client!
Set-up a social media content production line
And trained her VA so she didn’t have to rush around like a madwoman!
If Jenny was to hire a new employee or virtual assistant without fixing these problems first, they would ultimately be left to their own whims to figure things out…. leading to ultimate failure!
Strategy & Execution
Systemise & Scale Up Program (S&S)
The first step of our S&S Program required our team to take time to understand all of Co.Lab Space’s services, departments and the intricacies of how they function together. It was important to us to understand what parts she loved and hated that we could take off her plate.
After a deep dive session, we created a map of Jenny’s business and highlighted areas that majorly held back her business growth and created stress for her mentality.
These are the targeted processes that required immediate attention: Yellow
These are the targeted processes that required immediate attention: Yellow
Marketing
Workshop/Events
Social Media Content
Email Marketing
Referral
Sales
Strategy Calls
Proposals
Follow-up Sequence
Delivery
Client On-boarding
Photoshoots
Social Media Packages
Coaching Program
Admin Support
Customer Support Emails
Reporting
Finance
Payment Collection
Once Jenny agreed that she would like to systemise these areas, our Systemise & Scale Up Team was off to work! Here’s what we achieved for Co.Lab space within 4 weeks of our S&S Program:
Before
No clear follow-up & onboarding processes
After
Client onboarding workflow
Before
Untemplated text proposals
After
Client proposal template
Before
Information collected manually via text and email
After
Standardised workflows and questionnaires
Before
Files unaccessible remotely
After
Cloud file storage & organisation
Before
Work arrangements via WhatsApp, text or verbal
After
Contracts and legal documents
Before
Manual collection of client payments
After
Automated client payment processes
Before
Manual client reports
After
Auto-generated client reports
Before
Ad hoc social media content process
After
Social Media Content Production
Before
Jenny managed all client work
After
Project management platforms & company chat
Before
No clear follow-up & onboarding processes
After
Client onboarding workflow
Before
Untemplated text proposals
After
Client proposal template
Before
Information collected manually via text and email
After
Standardised workflows and questionnaires
Before
Files unaccessible remotely
After
Cloud file storage & organisation
Before
Work arrangements via WhatsApp, text or verbal
After
Contracts and legal documents
Before
Manual collection of client payments
After
Automated client payment processes
Before
Manual client reports
After
Auto-generated client reports
Before
Ad hoc social media content process
After
Social Media Content Production
Before
Jenny managed all client work
After
Project management platforms & company chat
While our Systemise & Scale Up Team worked with Jenny to implement these changes, our Recruitment Team began shortlisting virtual assistant candidates that met all of Jenny’s criteria.
We systemised Co.Lab Space with:
Hiring a Virtual Assistant
Once our Systemise & Scale Up Team completed the final assessment overview of Co.Lab Space’s new systems, processes, tools and documents, they were now fully equipped to begin outsourcing a virtual assistant!
Jenny interviewed the shortlisted virtual assistants before deciding on our Social Media Virtual Assistant Maria Donna.
Qualifications
Work Experience
Work Samples
Virtual Assistant On-boarding
Since Jenny went through our Systemise & Scale Up Program, it was up to our team to train Virtual Assistant Maria on the new tools, systems and processes. This is how we on-boarded Maria:
Virtual Assistant Training Videos
Our Systemise & Scale Up Team created training videos for VA on the client’s updated systems, processes and expectations.
Logins and access
We set-up the VA with all their accounts, logins and access levels using LastPass.
Pre-onboarding
Our team met with the VA to check they understand all the requirements and provide updates on any changes.
Assigned VOM
Every client is assigned a Virtual Office Manager who is responsible for overseeing the VA’s work and communication so that things run smoothly.
Ready to work!
We set up the daily huddles, end-of-day routines and more so that your VA is ready to work! You won’t need to figure out anything on your own.
It felt like [my virtual assistant] had already been with me for 2 or 3 weeks when she started on the first day because she had already been given all the background info on what I did, how I did, what they had changed, implemented. She was already well versed when she came to me
Outsourcing tasks to Virtual Assistant
Virtual Assistant Maria now looks after the following for Jenny:
2 months after the completion of Systemise & Scale Up our team checked in with Jenny and Maria to make any additional tweaks personalised to the way they like to work together.
The Result
Now that Jenny has the right systems, processes and virtual assistant (her Angel 😇) in place – she’s now able to take a step back from all the manual and repetitive work to focus on strategic marketing plans for her clients. As well as focus on lead generation to grow her business even further.
While her Virtual Assistant Maria keeps her business running, Jenny can finally take time off to recharge and spend more time with her family without worrying about the business.
- Jenny Dinh
Founder, Co.Lab Space Sydney
Sydney, Australia
We could try to do it all, but our time is much better spent on income-producing activities which is how a virtual assistant can help us.
I just came back from a 2 week holiday and [on social media] it looked like I was working, but I wasn’t!
Because I was able to duplicate myself.
Have you hit the ceiling of what your business can earn?
If you know you can’t grow your business anymore and need to scale in order to be able to service more clients and get some balance back in your life. Take the first step with us today. We’ve got an S&S Team ready to help!
