Do you need better boundaries and more time in your life and business? That freedom comes with entrepreneurship if you take control of it. In today’s episode, Sarah Potts joins us to share how she sets boundaries and helps other businesses find more time through her VA company!
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts
Meet Sarah:
Growing Up with Travel
Favorite Childhood Memory
Learning How to Delegate, Communicate, and Listen
Shifting into our business mindsets, we’re all very busy. Whether it’s time to scale your business or you’re looking for support, a virtual assistant (VA) is a great starting point. When hiring a VA, there is a learning curve to getting to a space of effective communication and delegation.
As you’re building your team, you have to know your processes and what you want from a team member. That’s often the hardest part.
Where to Get Started
Setting Boundaries in Your Business
Determining Where You Need Support
#1 Tip for Delegating
Connect with Sarah:
Instagram: instagram.com/joyfullyorganizedVA
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sapotts
Beginner’s Guide to Delegating: joyfullyorganized.com/delegation
Review the Transcript:
Susan Crews
setting boundaries and freeing up time. Who doesn’t want that? And that’s one of the reasons we’re all entrepreneurs listen to Sarah Potts, and how she sets boundaries, and has created an amazing VA company that can help you do the same thing. Are you dreaming of having the time and energy to create a life you love? Is your calendar full of events? And you’re thinking, there’s no time for me?
Speaker 2
Do you look like you have it all together on the outside, but on the inside,
Susan Crews
you’re a hot mess. You’re frustrated and tired all the time. Suzy Cruz shines the light on successful women and a few men who have busted the exhaustion cycle by prioritizing herself, released any guilt and have found inner peace while creating a life they love filled with harmony. Join Susan’s candid conversations to learn how these successful women illuminated their inner life to create a radiant life. Welcome to the radiant soul sisters. We’re gonna have a lot of fun today on the radiant soul sisters podcast because I have one of my favorite people in the leader of my VA team, Sara Potts. Sara believes in power partnerships. And that is what she has created within her organization joyfully organized as well as the relationships that she and her team create with their clients. Sarah, I am so excited to have you here today.
Sarah Potts
I’m so thankful to be here. Thank you so much for having me on.
Susan Crews
You’re welcome. You know, sir, I was reading your your answers to some of my questions before the show. And one of the things that it got me really excited is your another one of my favorite female adventures. You love the water. And I think it’s really cool that you’re not really very old in the spectrum of life, or I. And you have already been to all of the continents, but one.
Sarah Potts
That is true. I adore traveling.
Susan Crews
So did you grow up traveling?
Sarah Potts
I did. So actually, we traveled around the United States with my family, but my dad as part of his job often traveled internationally. And so as a kid, he would take me with him on different trips. So that’s how I’ve done a lot of my different travels.
Susan Crews
That’s okay. Yeah, it really provides a different kind of education. It you know, my husband and I live in a rural area, as you know, and we have for grown adult children. And one of the things in raising children in a very small town or small community was it was very important to us, for our children to travel to understand that there was this great big world out there, right? Because it opens up so many doors when you when you do get to see different cultures, different people and how the world works, right.
Sarah Potts
Absolutely. And I mean, that’s even something that we’ve been reflecting on now that I have kids of like, we love travel, I think it just exposes you to so much. Yeah,
Susan Crews
exactly. So one of my mantras or one of the things that I like to say is people in places not things, people in places not things because that’s
Sarah Potts
so good.
Susan Crews
Yeah, well well I have a question talking about childhood and your childhood memory one of the things I love to learn and hear about are some of my guests favorite childhood memories, what would be one of yours?
Sarah Potts
Yeah, this is such a great question. I love to like kind of think back and connect to our childhood so I was thinking about this recently my so I have a four year old and she just recently learned to ride a bicycle like with the actual wheels pedaling and everything and it brought me back like I so I actually grew up in a very small town as well. And so I remember like from all summer long from like sun sunup to sundown, just like riding around our town with my friend on our bikes, like all the time just exploring and so much so like when at teaching her and letting her like letting her learn how to ride a bike just brought me back to my childhood, which is really fun.
Susan Crews
I love that. And there’s something amazing about growing up in a small town because there’s lots of things that even this day in time children in small towns get to do, that you don’t get to do when you live in a city because I was born in city raised I had to learn about small town life and country living after I got married So that’s really cool. Well, I know you had a lot of fun times pedaling around during the summer vacation. I did. And it’ll, it’ll be fun watching your daughter as she grows up. Yeah. Well, as I mention, Sarah, I am one of your team’s clients. And it has definitely been a learning curve for me in learning how to a delegate, B, communicate, and c to really listen to both sides of the story, because I think the communication and those things are so important to work in with a VA. Talk to me about delegating, and all the things that it takes to create a great relationship with a VA.
Sarah Potts
Yeah, I mean, that’s a great question. And I think like you’ve hit it spot on, it does take, especially if you haven’t been doing it before, in business, it does take like practice getting to that spot of like, really effective delegation and communication. Because oftentimes, like we’ve started our own businesses, they’re often what we call our like, babies, we have like, the ways we’ve been doing things. And we haven’t necessarily always brought in someone else to kind of help us with those different procedures or processes. And so one, if we haven’t done it before, we may not even know all the steps we’re doing, or it might be all in our head. And so then we need to figure out and I’ve had to do this even building my own business with a team of like, okay, let me write it down. What are we actually doing? How do I want it to look, things of that nature?
Susan Crews
You know, that that was a lesson for me, I think, in figuring out how to actually create a systems, right, yeah, I had the systems in my head. And then I didn’t necessarily know how to clearly articulate the expectation or what I was looking for. And there have been times when, you know, causes struggle on both sides of the coin, because the VA doesn’t know exactly what I’m looking for. But yet, I haven’t communicated exactly what I’m looking for, you know, in so what, what, I know what we’ve done, and in truly, it’s been lots of communication and lots of dialogue, mostly via our messaging platform. But I think you No, it’s been really clear. And if someone is looking to build that relationship, or looking for that VA, what would you tell them,
Sarah Potts
I have a couple of points that I would like mention. So the first thing is, and I understand that this isn’t always possible. But the first thing is, if you are in a place where you feel like you can hire but you’re not too in the weeds, yet, you’re not too overwhelmed. I feel like that’s always the great like the best place to start one because you’re not so overwhelmed that you’re really stressed, you don’t like have time or the space to think about it. And then you have like more availability capacity in your calendar to really like start that relationship figure things out. Again, that’s not always possible. The second thing I like to mention is sometimes we’re so overwhelmed in our business or don’t even know where to start. And then we get kind of frustrated, like, I just need help, I don’t know what to do, is to really think about one project or one thing in your business that is, like bothering you the most. So maybe it’s the thing, you wake up in the morning, you’re like, I just wish I could get this checked off, maybe I don’t have the time to do it. I don’t know how to do it. But it’s just like one thing that kind of is nagging at you and your business. Let’s start there. Let’s start with that one thing. And let’s get that one thing off your plate, whether it’s just a part of the thing or the entire project. And then once we get that momentum going, we can kind of move on to the second thing because I feel you feel like once you kind of start with the first one or two projects, you work through communication styles, you work through the process of delegating, then the wheels kind of start turning and moving moving more smoothly.
Susan Crews
And, you know, I think that’s where I found myself. Number one, I was already into some overwhelm, that I wasn’t able to handle what I needed the handling. And I wanted to get all the things done. And that’s oftentimes how my mind works, right? I’m triggering over here and over here and over there. And when you’re a solo person, you can follow those triggers, right. However, I have learned through years of experience, and I still get triggered, as you know. But if you can focus on one thing, which is what what you said in your first comment, you know if you can focus on one thing, get that one thing down and going well, then you can move over into some other areas and what for me what happened was I was trying tend to focus in several different areas. And then we pulled it back. And we started focusing on the podcast, right. And we made great progress there. And then we started adding in some other things. And we’ve been able to kind of come back to the pot podcast, adding on now that we have that system worked out running smoothly, right? Yeah. Yeah. And so, you know, listeners, I just said it. I have been a learning curve for Sarah and team, as well as me being alert, learning from them having to delegate but she mentioned finding that one thing and it I don’t think it matters, whether you’re working with a VA or you’re trying to build your business, if you find one thing, focus on it, get it done, get it down, right, then we can move forward.
Sarah Potts
Yes. And I mean, I, I know as like a business owner, it’s really hard. Like we’re trying to wear all these hats. And there’s so many different things going on. And I’ve had to realize this for myself, but like, I need to sit down and focus on one thing, because if I spread myself too thin like it, some things may get done, but they are not done, like how I want them to be done. So let’s focus on setting up one system at a time having it go well, and then we can move on to the next one. Right.
Susan Crews
So Sarah, this leads me to the next question, you know, I think about working with a VA and take it takes things off of my plate that I either I don’t like to do, or it’s not my strength, or it’s freeing up time for me to have more life and joy, right? For example, I had to email my project manager Beth, and I’m like, Hey, I’ve been hacked and disabled, from Facebook, it happened at Intel are all this happened a week ago. And I’ve spent all this time trying to get back on I finally said, forget it. We’re moving forward, right? And so I’m like, Hey, can you get me some post ready that now I’ve got to put in my new place. And so that was able to take the pressure off of me, right? So I could still focus on what I needed to do this week to keep moving my business forward. So really, the point I’m getting at is the VA helps to lighten the load, and give back time to the business owner, the entrepreneur, the person who needs the support, as the owner of a VA firm, a wonderful one at that, I’ll say, how do you manage running your own business, being a wife being a mom, being a friend, and doing all the adventuring and having fun, too, because you’ve got some pretty good boundaries? Let’s talk about that.
Sarah Potts
Yeah, so first of all, it’s taken a lot of trial and error. So like I am roughly nine years in business. So I don’t want to say like this has just come to me naturally, I’ve had to figure out a lot of things. But I So one thing is I’ve worked with a couple of business coaches throughout my life as an entrepreneur. And one thing that keeps sticking with me, is a business coach told me I and all of us need to focus on sitting ourselves in what she calls like the CEO seat. So what do I need to be doing as a CEO to be moving my business forward? So what are those like tasks, those projects, things like that, so that I can keep my business running smoothly. If that if there’s a project in my business that doesn’t necessarily align with something a typical CEO would do, that’s when I can look to like delegate something. So whether that might be something like bookkeeping, or accounting that, you know, are not going to fall in my wheelhouse, or someone to help with marketing or some of those different things. And it’s like an almost like an hour by hour sometimes have like, okay, am I spending my time the best way that I can be spending it to move the business word, because that’s benefiting everyone, then not only is it going to be benefiting myself, but it’s going to be benefiting my clients? Because then I’m serving them better. It’s also benefiting my family, because then I’m really strategically thinking about, Okay, where am I spending my time? Is this the best place that I can be spending it. And then also, I can bring in other team members who helps I can help support them, I can help grow their skill set, they can help support clients, so it kind of it’s again, it’s an hour by hour thing of like constant really reminding myself of that. But that’s kind of where I’ve been focusing.
Susan Crews
Well, you do that, and you do that. Wow. And then you also yes, you also set boundaries between work and home life. I do. Yeah. In the beginning, did you have those boundaries?
Sarah Potts
I did not. So this is something I’ve had to learn and I will say frankly, like I have realized, or probably set better boundaries since having kids and I know that’s not the case for everyone but for my son Oh, it’s just like, part of it comes around with when I have childcare, things of that nature. But in the beginning of my business, I would answer like responses from clients all the way, like through the night or I would have like, Oh, you want to hop on a meeting, and it’s 9pm? Sure, I’ll do that. And ever since then I’m also realizing my goal as a, you know, a virtual assistant and a VA agency owner is to help my clients not feel as much overwhelm in their business. And so one of the things I’ve realized is by setting better boundaries for myself, I help my clients set better, better boundaries for themselves. So like, one of the things I do is I take off every Friday in my business, and so I don’t work, that’s a time that I can like my kids normally go to daycare in the morning. So like in the morning, that’s the time that I’m refreshing my own self, I am not like that way, I’m not leading to burnout. And then I’ve helped clients model that, like, how can we get you to a place where you’re taking off, whether that’s a Friday, or it’s a Monday, or it’s, you know, one day a month, or something of that nature?
Susan Crews
I absolutely love that sick, Sara. And I think it’s so important. You know, I work with successful women entrepreneurs, who look like they have it all together on the outside, right. But on the inside, they’re exhausted, and they’re tired all the time. And the way that we do that is by taking those calls at nine o’clock at night, right? Yeah. And I will tell you, I observe it in your business. And I could send kudos all the time. My daughters who are probably close to your age, both are fabulous at setting boundaries. And I thought, hmm, there are lessons that I could have learned because I wouldn’t have gotten to that exhaustion burnout stage that I did in my 40s. Right. Yeah. So what do I think that’s absolutely fabulous. And I love it. You know, Sarah, if someone is considering working with a VA, I know that with you, you do strategy calls, and you talk and sort of try to discern whether you’re a good fit or not. But if someone is looking for a VA, what might be a good question for them to ask the person they’re talking to?
Sarah Potts
Yeah, that’s a great question. So I think one of the things that’s really good to get clear on is what exact kind of support are you looking for in your business? Because one thing I’ve kind of realized, especially when I’ve gotten on calls with people is sometimes there’s two different kinds of things I’ve seen. One is they are so overwhelmed in their business, they’re ready kind of to delegate. They’re like, hey, I need help with my podcast, or I need help to scheduling out social media, I need help all of these different, I need help with my email inbox. It’s overwhelming things of that general nature. And that’s a great place to like, hey, let’s find some bas. Let’s talk to them. Let’s see who’s the best fit. The second thing is, I’ve realized a lot of, or maybe some entrepreneurs are just like, I’m overwhelmed in my business, but I don’t know what I need to be doing to get clear on those next steps. And so it’s really hard at that point to be like, I want to delegate because you’re not even 100% Sure, rightly, like what should I be doing in my business. And a lot of times, if that is the case, I would recommend like reaching out to someone who’s like a business coach, or some life coach or something like that, to help you really get clear on like, here are the next steps for your business to like, really move the needle forward. And kind of once we have that clear, then it’s way easier to delegate being like, here are the pillars in my business that I am focusing on podcasting, marketing, email support, things of that nature, it’s way easier to delegate that piece out of it, and your VA can help you with the delegation. But you’re really clear then on like, exactly what you want to do.
Susan Crews
I like that, I like that a lot. And I will say, you know, I know when we came together the first time I had a list of questions, and then after we talked about even came up with more questions, right? And I’m like, Oh, wait, I need to find out this, I need to need to learn this. And it has been a fun, sometimes hard or hard isn’t, is a tough word, I would say challenging, challenging time, you know, just learning how to fit together and work together. But it’s really been a very rewarding one. And for that, I thank you and your team. Well, thank
Sarah Potts
you so much. And I like just want to piggyback on that. I know, this is something I always kind of almost hate saying to people when they’re ready to delegate, but it does take time. It’s you’re bringing in another person or another business into your business. And so part of it is just the time it takes you have to figure out communication styles. You have to figure out work styles in order to get to that like kind of smooth working rhythms, but it does take time. So
Susan Crews
yes, and you had warned me of that. That was I was grateful. I was grateful for that. I really, really was here Yeah. So do you have anything special for our listeners that they might want to check out?
Sarah Potts
Yeah. So if you are in a place in your business or somewhere that you feel like, hey, you know, it might be a place where I might want to start delegating, we have a like Beginner’s Guide to delegating on our website, joyfully organized.com, you’ll see it. And basically, it kind of just goes through different areas of your business like administration, marketing, support, webinars, tech things that and then in each of those sections, it kind of breaks down, hey, here are typical projects that we work with our clients on that you could likely be delegating out. And so for some of our clients, it’s just really given them a good idea of like, I didn’t even think about this, this is definitely something I could hand off. I don’t want to be doing this anymore. So it’s just kind of a good way to get started thinking about delegation.
Susan Crews
That sounds great. I know everyone will love getting that. And we will have it linked in our show notes. So they can find that. I’ve got one question left for you. But before I go there, I want to ask you something going back to the very beginning, you talk about or I read, that you’d love to adventure, i know you enjoy being out on the water, but what would be your favorite adventure?
Sarah Potts
Oh, that’s a hard question. So I, as I mentioned, so I love to travel, any kind of travel, I just love new experiences, things of that nature. And this might be not be my favorite one. But things I’m excited about. So this summer, I’m actually taking two international trips, which I’m very excited for. So one, I’m going to Bali with my mastermind group in business. And so it’s really going to be other female entrepreneurs, we’re going together, we’re going to learn like from each other in business and things like that, and also get to experience new culture. And then towards the end of the summer, I’m actually going with my family taking time away from the business to go to New Zealand, which I’ve also never been to, which is also across the world. So I’m very excited.
Susan Crews
Oh, yeah, I didn’t realize that your Bali trip was worth was worth a lesser aircards work trip. But that is a fabulous place to go for a mastermind talk about really being able to get away and to free up space and time and energy to let your mind get clear, you know, come back with some great clear goals and things like that. Yeah. And then New Zealand. Oh, that sounds beautiful, too. I can see the northern lights. You know,
Sarah Potts
I’m so excited.
Susan Crews
Yes, that will be an amazing trip. Well, as we wrap up today’s show, I want to ask you, Sarah, what would be the one big tip you would like to leave our listeners with? Whether that’s a personal trip or something about finding the A or getting started with a VA?
Sarah Potts
Yeah, great question. So my number one tip is always if you’re able to try to reach out to VA firms or a VA before you even think you might be ready, most VAs I know we do, we’ll go ahead and talk to you kind of be like, Hey, you might not be ready yet. But here’s some things to be thinking about. Here are some ways and you never know like, we might be able to be like, Hey, let’s start small and get some of these like small things rolling. So that way you’re not I don’t want any business owner to like, get to that point of like, Oh, I’m too deep in I’m over my head. I’m burnt out. I don’t know what to do at this point. Let’s like set you up for success at the beginning. So that you never have to get to that place of burnout overwhelm. Things are bad. Ah,
Susan Crews
perfect. I’ve loved that. Because sometimes we need something and we don’t even know we need it yet. Yes, exactly. Thank you, thank you so much for being here with us today and for sharing your stories about being a VA are about what VAs can do to help us as entrepreneurs to be able to move our life forward. And I think it’s really important because as female entrepreneurs, when we hire a VA, it does release some of your responsibilities so that you can have more time to have more success, joy, abundance and harmony in your life.
Sarah Potts
Yeah, absolutely. And that’s what I love to hear from my clients is that that is what they’re experiencing.
Susan Crews
Exactly. Exactly. I hope everyone has a fantastic day and thank you for joining us on the radiant soul sisters podcast. That was a fun episode of the radiant soul sisters. Thank you for choosing to tune in. Be sure to join me next week when I shine the light on another beautiful woman. Till then I’m Susan cruise, your host and be sure to check out my website at Susan cruise co.com where you will find all the podcast episodes and resources for our community.