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Small Business Success: Virtual Teams
| Guest post by: Charly Leetham |
Article Overview: Working with virtual teams for small business has both advantages and drawbacks. There's no question that the virtual world of workers has grown tremendously. As it grows, it opens up numerous opportunities for entrepreneurs to find uniquely qualified talent anywhere in the world. For the solopreneur or micro-business, having a virtual team can be most rewarding. You only have so many hours in the day and when your business grows, you need to have the ability to expand quickly to meet that demand and keep your clients happy. A virtual team can alleviate a lot of stress and actually help grow your business when it's put together and executed mindfully.
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Small Business Success: Virtual Teams
Working with virtual teams for small business has both advantages and drawbacks. There's no question that the virtual world of workers has grown tremendously. As it grows, it opens up numerous opportunities for entrepreneurs to find uniquely qualified talent anywhere in the world.
In addition, working with a virtual team lowers the overhead costs to small business, when compared to having an office proper, carrying insurance for your staff, and even with tax withholding processes if you're hiring on a Freelance or subcontractor basis. (Please note that I highly recommend you consult with your Accountant to determine your legal employment requirements).
For the solopreneur or micro-business, having a virtual team can be most rewarding. You only have so many hours in the day and when your business grows, you need to have the ability to expand quickly to meet that demand and keep your clients happy. A virtual team can alleviate a lot of stress and actually help grow your business when it's put together and executed mindfully.
In particular working with virtual teams for small business requires:
- Excellent communication: No one on your team should ever have to wonder what they should be doing or where things stand. Set up a strict schedule for team communications and stick to it like glue. Determine the best means of communication for your team be it email, google talk or other communication medium.
- The ability to prioritize: This is especially important in deadline-driven work. If projects have a deadline, your team needs that information. Whether you use a spreadsheet or whiteboard to keep track of things, make notes about who is doing what and when their work should be completed. Ensure you follow through with your team members before the due by date to avoid any unpleasant surprises.
- Flexibility: Build "bumper room" into your projects. Life happens. Team members can get sick or have last minute problems come up. When this occurs, if you have no "bumper room", rely on "excellent communication" and tell your client that there's a brief delay (perhaps offer them a small bonus for the inconvenience).
- Clarity of Expectations: If there are specific expectations that you or a client has about a project, your virtual team needs that information in a clear, concise and consistent format. Never assume, always be explicit!
- Sound, suitable contracts / paperwork for all staff. If you need confidentiality waivers, get them. In fact, I recommend all small business owners have confidentialty agreements in place with their virtual team members. If you need a Freelance contract - get it signed complete with the remuneration and other terms clearly detailed.
Finally, watch your pacing. Whether you are offering services directly to your clients or require a team for your overall business succes, if you grow too quickly it's easy to become overwhelmed. Many online teams use a FIFO system, letting clients know when they're full for a specific assignment period to make sure everything gets done. Even when you're working with virtual teams for small business growth and success - work smarter, not harder!
Five Ingredients For Virtual Success
No Trust, No Team: Building Trust in a Virtual Setting
Virtual Collaboration is Not For Everyone: The Characteristics of Top Performing Virtual Leaders and Team Members
4 Keys to Achieve Success With Your Virtual Teams
How to Stay Connected in a Virtual Team
Article Tags: microbusiness, small business, virtual team, virtual teams
Referred by: http://www.outrageouslyhealthy.com
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About the Author: Charly Leetham RSS for Charly's articles - Visit Charly's website Charly's expertise has been developed throughout her career that exceeds 24 years. Initially as a hands on 'tech' in the Electronics and Communications Industry (before the IT Industry even existed) and later as a Sales Person, Client Relationship Manager and Contract Manager managing business for employers. In 2004, Charly left her steady, 6 figure a year job to follow her dream of becoming a small business entrepreneur. Her journey has taken her from Retail Store Franchisee, through financial turbulence to a steady and comfortable Home Based Business. Charly shares the experience, the challenges, the realisations and the lessons that she has learnt during her journey to Home Business Entrepreneur. In addition, Charly is Wishlist Member Certified and is one of a few online business professionals who are recommended by the creators of the Wordpress Wishlist Membership Plugin to consult, install and configure Wordpress based Membership and Community Sites.Click here to visit Charly's website   Shopping Cart Independant Affiliate Programs Can You Create A Business With Children Under Foot The Power Is In The Follow Up Small Business 2 HOT Tips For Blogging On A Free Blog For Great Traffice Building teams for Small Businesses and Solopreneurs |
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This is John Hoover from Little Man Consulting. Our company has been floating along as a after thought for a few years. This year we decided to make a go of it. So far we are doing great.
We are Virtual Administrators, Web Developers, Database Designers, and Software instructors. Basically, if you have someone in your office to do it, we can do it virtually. Our company was created to "Provide Big Business Resources to the Small Business".
Wish me luck, I plan on revolutionizing the small business world with this!
My entry
- 1. The Best Business Books Ever: The 100 Most Influential Business Books You'll Never Have Time to Read
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These maybe the coldest franchises out there:
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Exclusive: Interview with Results
- Hi Forum Members,
I'm helping start up a Business Coaching and Consulting company here in Toronto, Ontario, Canada (a Subsidiary of RSC Business in Los Angeles).
As a Research and Development Intern I am required to practice my listening and interview skills by surveying Small and Medium Businesses on thier Business.
This Survey is designed by RSC Business to also assist the Business being interviewed more insight into their own business.
I am looking to interview about 30 businesses across North America over the span of 3 months.
At the end of these interviews I will be publishing a report of the results and they will be made available for free to the Interviewees. The Report data will include responses from a minimum of 100 interviews.
I would like to extend this opportunity to members of the Forum.
If you would like to have this short 20-30 minute interview conducted on your Business and you reside in North America please send me an email or PM.
Please contact me at andy[at]jvprosperity[dot]com to arrange our interview and to get free access to the results when they are published.
Re: Biz Plan Competition
- i just wanted to say that posting Small Business Events on CanadaOne is a great resource. Thanks Julie!
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