Investing in an Online Business Manager: Everything You Need to Know

PC: Brooke Cagle via Unsplash

I might be a little bit biased, but you should probably hire an Online Business Manager (OBM) to help organize your business. You're probably thinking, “Of course you’re saying that, that’s what you do for a living!” But there are so many more reasons why I want you to hire an OBM. For starters, your business is your baby, and not only that, it might be time for your business to grow—and that can be really hard to do by yourself without any background support. You are, after all, just one person and there are only so many hours in the day. Furthermore, hiring an OBM is not just adding another employee to your roster, it’s bringing on a partner to help with your laundry-list of tasks, it’s consulting with someone who knows the intricacies of strategic growth and scaling a business, and it’s investing in a service that will make your life so much easier. 

The primary purpose behind what an OBM does is to take things off your plate, provide valuable business advice, work with you to establish a growth strategy, and help implement processes that streamline every aspect of your business so your clients see professionalism and you can sleep easy at night. 

What Does an OBM Actually Do?

An OBM can offer a huge variety of services depending on their previous experience and niche. Their packages will often include a little bit of everything, with a few primary focuses. Typically, OBMs are project managers, business operations managers, metric trackers, team point-persons, strategic thinkers, and client relations specialists. Those are the basics. Within each of these areas, they can take charge of any number of tasks, including:

• Hiring/HR

• Contracts & Agreements

• SOP Implementation

• Process Mapping

• Automation Setup

• Invoicing

• Lead Generation & Client Experience Coordination

• Marketing

• Calendar & Meeting Management

• Data Entry

• File and Account Organization and Management

• Online Systems Management (DesignFiles, Asana, Indema, HoneyBook, etc.)

A typical meeting with an OBM will involve a strategy session to refine systems, determine goals, and set a plan to execute within a realistic timeline. OBMs are the team member that keep you organized, track various aspects of both projects and overall business needs, and become your right-hand man as you continue to grow.

PC: Rodeo Project Management Software via Unsplash

The Investment

We use the word investment on purpose. Hiring an OBM is a serious part of your business; it’s not typically a once-and-done interaction. An OBM is usually on board for the long haul to guide you through growth and help with long-term management activities. And like I said earlier, you are bringing on a partner with very specific expertise—you’re going to want to invest in the person you click with and who can get you where you want to go. 

So let’s get real with the numbers. The average OBM charges anywhere between $50/hour to $100/hour. That may go higher for OBMs who specialize in a specific industry, like an interior design OBM. Some things you can do to prepare yourself for hiring an OBM:

• Shop around. Different OBMs offer different services and package options. No one OBM is like another. Plus, depending on what you need the most help with, you may be able to bring on a general OBM instead of one niched into the interior design industry.

• Take advantage of free consultations and discovery calls. Discovery calls are a great way to get an idea of whether or not you and the OBM are a good fit, if they offer the services you need, and if they’re familiar with the softwares and other programs you use. But be very honest about your intentions. Don’t lead anyone on, and be transparent about how serious you are about bringing on an OBM, your timeline for doing so, and your budget. 

• Start with a la carte services. If you want to test out the OBM relationship and experience, you may be able to start off with some of the a la carte services offered. Not all OBMs offer a la carte options, usually they have set packages, but if they do, or if they’re willing to help with just one aspect of your business at a time, that might be a good place to start before you invest more money. 

• Take the leap! The reality of the situation is that you’re probably leaving money on the table by not scaling your business. The core of an investment is a return on that investment, so taking the leap is totally worth it. 

Investing in your business and hiring an OBM, or any help, in any capacity can be intimidating, but with a little bit of research, your investment can be well-made and become one of the best decisions you’ve made since deciding to start your business in the first place. Also keep in mind that, as a creative, your left-right brain balance is just as essential to the success of your company as your work-life balance. By hiring an OBM you can achieve both: have someone take on the business/non-creative aspects of your company who also takes things off your plate so you can enjoy a little less work and a little more play! 

If you want more tips on how to be a visionary leader with a CEO at your side, take a listen to the Wingnut Social podcast episode that goes into more detail!

Are you ready to hire an OBM? It might just be time to take the leap and invest in yourself, your people, and the business you’ve built.