Ep 063 – Selena Thiele, Office Mercenary – Delegate to Win

Featuring: Selena Thiele, Office Mercenary In this episode I have a great conversation with Selena Thiele, the founder of Office Mercenary, about why the key to winning is delegation. She discusses the concept of virtual assistants and the benefits they bring to businesses. She shares her own experience of feeling overwhelmed as a small business owner and how she started Office Mercenary to provide specialized support to entrepreneurs. Selena emphasizes the importance of finding the right virtual assistant and building long-term client relationships. She also highlights the challenges of delegating tasks and setting boundaries. Selena provides insights into the types of tasks Office Mercenary handles and the role of standard operating procedures (SOPs) in effective delegation. She concludes with valuable business advice, including the importance of letting go of perfectionism and striving for good enough. Key Takeaways • Virtual assistants can provide specialized support to overwhelmed small business owners. • Building long-term client relationships is beneficial for both the client and the virtual assistant. • Delegating tasks and setting boundaries are essential for effective collaboration with a virtual assistant. • Standard operating procedures (SOPs) can streamline delegation and ensure consistent quality. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Background 01:02 The Concept of Office Mercenaries 02:23 The Impact of the Pandemic on the Virtual Assistant Industry 03:08 The Importance of Finding the Right Virtual Assistant 04:06 The Benefits of Long-Term Client Relationships 04:49 The Transformation After Delegating Tasks 06:16 The Types of Tasks Office Mercenary Handles 08:42 The Challenges of Delegating and Setting Boundaries 11:05 The Importance of Letting Go and Accepting 85% Quality 13:03 Low-Hanging Fruit for Delegation 15:44 The Definition of a Good Virtual Assistant 17:54 The Role of SOPs and Systems in Delegation 19:59 Misconceptions About Virtual Assistants 22:57 Rapid Fire Questions 25:35 Invaluable Business Advice Selena Thiele, with her business partner Alyssa, combined their almost 30 years of experience in office administration to found Office Mercenary in 2019. She is an expert in virtual assistance, bookkeeping, business services, and helping business owners get out of their own way. She and the Office Mercenary team provide various services to businesses that help them conquer their day-to-day struggles and focus on the most important goals. Online Business Management services are also provided for those ready to take the next step in growth, organization, and kicking butt. Selena enjoys her pets, travel, video games, reading, and gardening in her spare time. Contact Selena on her website, Instagram, Facebook, personal LinkedIn, company LinkedIn, or TikTok.