Online business managers and virtual assistants are wonderful assets to any growing online business. Both positions ensure that daily tasks and projects run smoothly, and both free business owners up to pursue growth, but there are some differences in the workloads of OBMs and VAs.

An online business manager is a virtually-based support professional who manages online-based businesses, including the day-to-day management of projects, operations, team members, and metrics. OBMs are leaders. They excel at planning and can see projects as a whole while strategizing the steps to complete them. OBMs know how to manage a team and delegate tasks while also keeping everyone motivated and on-schedule. Online business managers facilitate communication with clients and take on the responsibility of ensuring that projects are completed consistently and efficiently.

OBMs must have excellent organizational and planning skills, and generally have experience with online marketing systems and software. Since an online business manager’s job is so involved, they usually only work with a select few clients at a time, but the support they provide to a growing business is invaluable!

Virtual assistants work with business owners and OBMs to complete tasks and assist with projects. VAs are generally self-employed and provide professional administrative, technical, or creative assistance to clients remotely from a home office. Virtual assistants are team members that are more task-focused than online business managers. Since they complete the tasks delegated by the OBM or business owner, rather than overseeing the entire project, VAs don’t face quite as much pressure as an OBM. That also means that a VA doesn’t have a lot of control over work-flow or which tasks take priority, since that is set by the online business manager or business owner.

Virtual Assistants require great communication skills, and organizational skills are a must as well! VAs must be able to multitask and stay focused in a home environment. Since VAs are more task-focused than OBMs, they’re able to take on several clients at once, so they can have a variety of projects going at any time!

Would your business benefit from an OBM, a VA, or both? Book a call now to discover how a virtually-based professional can help your business grow!