Confessions of a CEO

Welcome to the age of AI. There’s a lot of talk about whether AI will make Virtual Assistants obsolete, but here's the truth: AI isn’t taking over VA jobs; it’s making them even more effective.In this episode, we dive into how my team of VAs are embracing AI and automation tools to up their productivity and provide the kind of service for their clients that knocks their socks off.I’ll share five of my favourite AI and automation tools that we use in our VA agency, showing you how they streamline tasks and free up time for clients and make our clients also look damn good in the process.I’ll be chatting about 5 brilliant AI and automation tools we use and how we use em.From ManyChat's chatbot automations to Zapier's task management magic, AI tools like ChatGPT, Calendly, Motion, and Fathom have been transforming the way our VAs work and our clients LOVE it.But don’t be mistaken – the human touch is still key.These tools serve to super power a VAs productivity, but I’m sharing why they won’t replace them.Sometimes you can’t beat a thoughtful VA, a sprinkle of common sense and some human sense checking, but AI really shaves off hours on repetitive tasks.Tune in to find out how!Resources Mentioned:Download our VA Lifestyle & Business Services GuideBook a free Discovery Call to discuss how a VA can effortlessly transform your business or your life admin (with or without AI).Join the Delegate Like a CEO Weekly Email Series

Brace yourselves – we’re diving into the C-word today… no, not that one – I’m talking about CHRISTMAS!Whether you’re eye-rolling or already in festive mode, it’s time to get serious about planning. And yes, it may only be September, but if you want to swap holiday stress for mulled wine bliss, the time to act is NOW.In this episode, we’re giving you the ultimate guide to prepping for the festive season with the help of a Virtual Assistant.From booking parties to organising gifts, I’ll be sharing how my team of brilliant Virtual Assistants are already helping our clients to thrive, not just survive, this festive season.Here’s what we’ll cover:🎉 Work Christmas Parties - from planning to the final details🥂 VIP Dinners: Got important clients or team members to impress?🎁 Personal Holiday Planning: Date nights, family gatherings, and Christmas travel🎄 Gift Shopping: No more last-minute dashes for gifts!🚞 Holiday Travel: From Lapland to skiing getaways...Ready to take the chaos out of Christmas?Let us help you turn the holiday season into a breeze.My team of expert VAs is accepting new clients this month, so be sure to check out the links below to book a call or download our service guide.Let’s make this Christmas your best (and most organised) one yet! 🎅🎁📌 Click here to download our Lifestyle & Business VA Services Guide📌 If you'd like to jump on a 20 minute discovery call and find out more in person, click here to book a call📌 Join my weekly email series Delegate Like a CEO, by clicking hereTHE weekly email series for folks looking to understand how Virtual Assistant, Lifestyle Assistants and Business Assistants can fit into their business and life and make them more productive, happy and organised.

🎧 In today’s episode, we’re talking with our client Carie Barkhuizen, Founder of Seymour PR, about her transformational journey into the world of outsourcing to her new Lifestyle Virtual Assistant.Spoiler alert: it’s been life-changing for her and her family! 🌟After five years of trying to do it all in business and with both her and her husband feeling exhausted managing a home and family too, Carie realised something crucial: you don’t have to be good at everything. She opens up about the struggle of Mum guilt, learning to let go and hire experts, first at work, and then in her home life.🏡 The big shift? Carie started working with us and we matched her with her lifestyle VA and it’s been a total game-changer. At first, she felt a little crazy for needing help with everyday things like groceries and school emails, but soon discovered that freeing up her time wasn’t just practical—it was essential.✨ What we cover in this episode:Carie’s journey from feeling overwhelmed to embracing the support of a lifestyle Virtual AssistantHow outsourcing small tasks has given Carie more time and energy for what truly mattersThe massive relief of letting go of the mental load, especially with the demands of running a business and familyWhy Carie’s husband is now her VA’s biggest fan (hello, life-changing brain space!)Carie’s 40th birthday trip and how her VA made it all happen—stress-free!Whether you’re feeling like you’re drowning in daily to-dos or just curious about what outsourcing can do for you, Carie’s story will inspire you to rethink how you manage your time and maybe even take that leap toward a more balanced life with one of our Lifestyle VAs.🎙️ Tune in and discover how outsourcing your home life can be your secret weapon to living smarter, not harder!Get in touch with CarieIf you’re in communications or wanting to get some comms strategy for your business and you’d like to get in touch with Carie and take up her on her free mentoring offer, simply check out her business below and drop her an email today:Seymour PR: https://www.seymourpr.co.uk/Carie: Carie@seymourpr.co.ukCurious and want to find out how a Lifestyle (or business) VA can help you in your life, home and family? Let’s jump on a 20 minute discovery call chat, click here to answer a couple of short questions and book a call.Click here to download our Lifestyle & Business VA Services GuideJoin my weekly email series Delegate Like a CEO, by clicking hereTHE weekly email series for folks looking to understand how Virtual Assistant, Lifestyle Assistants and Business Assistants can fit into their business and life and make them more productive, happy and organised.

You’ve taken the leap—hired your Virtual Assistant (VA), signed the contract, and made your first payment. But now you’re wondering: what happens next?As the owner of Virtual Assistant agency owner with over 6 years of experience, I’ve seen firsthand how the first month can set the tone for success or failure between a client and their VA.So today, I’m sharing what to expect and how to succeed with your Virtual Assistant in those important first four weeks of working with a VA.From setting up systems to communicating expectations, I’ll walk you through exactly how to ensure this new and eventually close knit partnership delivers results.We’ll cover:Why the first week is all about setting your Virtual Assistant up for successHow to streamline the onboarding process and avoid common client/ VA mistakesThe importance of communication and feedback during the early stagesHow to delegate efficiently from day one without overwhelming yourself or your VAStrategies to avoid the "I’ll just do it myself" trapIf you’re ready to build a strong, lasting partnership with your VA and truly lighten your day to day workload, this episode is just what you need to hear today.Key Takeaways:Week 1: How to kickstart your VA relationship with a detailed onboarding call and essential access setups.Week 2: Why communication and clear task delegation are vital as your VA begins handling your workload.Weeks 3 & 4: Building a rhythm of feedback, task refinement, and autonomy to set your VA (and yourself) up for long-term success.Resources Mentioned:Download our VA Lifestyle & Business Services GuideBook a 20-Minute Discovery Call to discuss how a VA can transform your business (or your life).Join the Delegate Like a CEO Weekly Email Series

Ever hired a Virtual Assistant, only to find the experience more stressful than helpful? You’re not alone.Maybe your last attempt left you burned, with more work on your plate and a lingering frustration that the whole process was just too painful.But here’s the good news — I’m going to help you get it right this time in this episode. I’m sharing my tried-and-true methods to ensure that your next VA hire is the one that sticks. If you’re dreading the process of hiring a VA again, this episode is for you. My practical advice will not only guide you through the process but also give you the confidence to make a decision that will truly support your business.We’re chatting through this good stuff in the episode;Why Past Virtual Assistant Relationships Fail: Find out what the common hiring missteps are that maybe caused your past VA hires to go south and how to avoid them this time around.The 3 Key Steps to Success:Interview Smart: How to set up your VA interviews close together for easier, more effective comparisons.The Verbal Test: Why you should always include a problem-solving scenario in your interviews—and how to do it right.Get Specific: The importance of asking detailed questions about systems, experience, and working styles to ensure the best fit.Links Mentioned:Episode 51: Find out what kind of VA you need before you start your search. I break down the different types of VAs—from creative to tech, lifestyle, and business—so you can determine exactly what kind of support you need.Connect with Mel: Website | Instagram | LinkedInSubscribe & Review: If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes. And if you found it helpful, leave us a review—it helps others find the show!How to Work with usReady to find your perfect VA match? Let’s dive in!Click here to download our Lifestyle & Business VA Services GuideIf you'd like to jump on a 20 minute discovery call and find out more in person, click here to answer a couple of short questions and book a callJoin my weekly email series Delegate Like a CEO, by clicking hereTHE weekly email series for folks looking to understand how Virtual Assistant, Lifestyle Assistants and Business Assistants can fit into their business and life and make them more productive, happy and organised.

Feeling overwhelmed by a never-ending list of tasks? It's probably time to consider hiring a VA before burnout sets in.But how can you make sure you're ready to hand things over smoothly? What do you need to think about so interviewing and finding a good match is easier?In this episode, I’ll dive into three simple steps you can take to prepare your business and make it a smooth transition into working with your VA.If you get these in place now, hiring your first or next VA will be a breeze.Tune in to discover how to get started today and avoid the pitfalls of hiring in a rush.Click here to download our Lifestyle & Business VA Services GuideIf you'd like to jump on a 20 minute discovery call and find out more in person, click here to answer a couple of short questions and book a callJoin my weekly email series Delegate Like a CEO, by clicking hereTHE weekly email series for folks looking to understand how Virtual Assistant, Lifestyle Assistants and Business Assistants can fit into their business and life and make them more productive, happy and organised.

Divorce is one of life's biggest upheavals, and transitioning into a new family dynamic can be daunting. Balancing your own needs with those of your children can feel like juggling more balls than ever before.Seeking support from a Lifestyle VA doesn't make you a lesser parent; it makes you someone who wants to be present for your kids and thrive in your new life.If you’re feeling overwhelmed post-divorce and unsure where to turn for support, this episode is for you.We'll explore how hiring a Lifestyle Virtual Assistant (VA) can be a game-changer in managing your new normal from chatting through;How one of our VA helped a client to plan and protect quality family timeAnother VA helped a client organise and plan dates as he dipped his toe back in the dating pond!And how we’ve made life admin so easy to manage for our clientsOur Lifestyle VAs can support you in these and many other ways, making your life easier and more enjoyable.Interested in experiencing these benefits?We offer dedicated Lifestyle VAs on a monthly retainer or a Lifestyle on Demand service, where you can purchase a bank of 10 hours to use over 8 weeks. Perfect for those "as and when" tasks, with top-up options available.If you’d like any of these things implemented in your life then let’s explore what one of our wonderful Lifestyle VAs can do for you, let’s jump on a call to discuss.Click below to download our services guide:https://melthebizcoach.myflodesk.com/va-serviceguideIf you'd like to jump on a 20 minute discovery call and find out more in person, click below to answer a couple of short questions and book a call:https://form.fillout.com/t/p73b3nWotrusJoin my weekly email series Delegate Like a CEO, by clicking here:THE weekly email series for folks looking to understand how Virtual Assistant, Lifestyle Assistants and Business Assistants can fit into their business and life and make them more productive, happy and organised.

If you’ve ever gone through the full on process of buying a property or moving house, you know it’s hectic and can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be with the right support in place.I’m sharing how one of our lifestyle virtual assistants has helped our client with the process of buying and moving into a new house, and how having the invaluable support from their VA made it so much smoother and less stressful.I’m diving into their experience of having a lifestyle VA handle all the admin tasks involved in finding a suitable property, scheduling viewings, and managing paperwork.Including exactly which tasks our VA was able to take off the client’s plate.It’s why our Lifestyle VAs are worth their weight in gold, sometimes it’s the thousand tiny things it takes to sell, move or a buy a house that you just don’t have the time or headspace for, so imagine instead you’ve got a brilliant organisational mind who can’t wait to take it off your plate?If you’d like any of these things implemented in your life then let’s explore what one of our wonderful Lifestyle VAs can do for you, let’s jump on a call to discuss.Click here to download our Lifestyle & Business VA Services GuideIf you'd like to jump on a 20 minute discovery call and find out more in person, click here to answer a couple of short questions and book a callJoin my weekly email series Delegate Like a CEO, by clicking hereTHE weekly email series for folks looking to understand how Virtual Assistant, Lifestyle Assistants and Business Assistants can fit into their business and life and make them more productive, happy and organised.