What Comes First: Building Systems or Hiring a VA?

Hiring a virtual assistant (or VA) is a big, exciting step in your business! It usually means you’re growing, your plate is full, and you’re finally ready to get some help behind the scenes.

But... here’s something not enough entrepreneurs talk about:

You should NOT be hiring a Virtual Assistant if you do not have workflows + automations.

It’s not that they aren’t capable. It’s that you’re wasting money on a virtual assistant to do admin tasks that a system can do. Your virtual assistant can be use for SO much more.

When should you hire a VA?

I’ve seen it time and time again: a business owner hires a VA with high hopes, only to end up frustrated when things don’t click.

They expect the VA to:

• Read their mind

• Clean up their mess

• Figure out processes that don’t exist yet

• Or spend hours and hours sending invoices, contracts, and follow ups to clients

…all without clear workflows, documentation, or systems to guide them.

The result? Confusion. Miscommunication. Time wasted. And often, a really great VA walks away feeling like they failed, when in reality, they were set up to fail.

How much does it cost to hire a VA?

If your VA is spending hours each week sending contracts, following up with leads, or manually onboarding clients, you’re burning budget on tasks that could (and should) be automated.

Let’s break it down:

Paying a VA $25/hour (on the low end) to handle admin work for just 1 hour a business day = $500/month. Over 6 months? That’s $3,000 spent on tasks Dubsado could be handling seamlessly.

Imagine what your VA could do instead if the foundational pieces were already in place:

• Creating content

• Managing your inbox

• Supporting your clients

• Generating more income

• Helping you scale

  
  

That’s what support is supposed to look like.

Prep Before You Delegate

Your VA shouldn’t have to guess your process. They should walk into your business with clarity and direction. That means it’s your job to:

• Map your client journey

• Document your SOPs (standard operating procedures)

• Set up a CRM like Dubsado to handle the day-to-day admin

  
  

Then? You’re ready to hand things off.

This is the difference between just hiring help and building a team.

A VA Isn’t an OBM - And That’s Okay

A virtual assistant is there to execute, not to build your backend from scratch. If what you really need is someone to strategize and set up systems, what you’re looking for is an OBM (Online Business Manager) or a systems expert (hey there 👋🏼).

But if your systems are already running smoothly? That’s when a VA can really shine.

TL;DR: Don’t Hire a VA to Fix a Broken System

Before you bring on support, get your backend working for you, not against you.

When your workflows are buttoned-up and your automations are running smoothly, your VA can focus on what they do best: helping you grow and generate more income.

And if you’re not there yet? I can help.

Ready to streamline your systems and stop wasting money on manual labor that could be automated? Let's chat!