Pilot 1: Hired 5 People I can Immediately Push Work To Without Training

Thanks to everyone who sent in applications or referred someone for the role (vacancy) I put up a week ago. I got over 20 applications and and already reviewing them to see who to pick.

However, business has been more stressful and I can't wait till I have hired an onsite technical assistant and trained him. I barely sleep these days and still the workload isn't reducing. So as a way of fixing the current situation and stop delaying client jobs, I have hired 5 professionals as virtual staff. They already have the skills required and agreed to a per hour payment for each job project.

image: itpro.co.uk

The roles they are filling are:

• VBA Experts (hired three for this role, one is charging $22.50/hr and the other two are charging $10/hr)
• Financial Research Analyst (I think I won a jackpot with this, the lady I hired is charging $3.33/hr and has all the skills I need. I plan to increase her payment after she completes the current trial job I gave.)
• Blogger (someone to come up with 5 great articles for my company blog per month. The guy I am in discussion with is charging $10/hr, I am proposing $7/hr. I hope he accepts because I have decided to hire him even if he sticks to the $10/hr. He is extremely good.)

I have already started pushing projects to them. So now I will be more relieved and can rest a little without the terrible feeling of disappointing a client.

I am hoping the whole arrangement works out fine and that our income can cover their payment. I will now have to improve my billing and payment collection as I now need to pay more people. 

I am also thinking of how to put my Ikeja office to better use. I keep paying on a quarterly basis as its a serviced office but I seldom use it. Once I am done reviewing the applications for the technical assistant position and found a right pick, both of us we work from the office. It is a very comfortable, roomy and air-conditioned office. There's also a training room and reception. I was lucky to get the office on a very good terms from a close friend. He handles the yearly payment for the entire floor and offices on it: the rent, receptionist, power, generator, cleaning and other servicing. He was extremely kind with the fees I pay him.

Till now, the entire team has been working remotely. So I end up doing client meetings and a few training there. But once I get the technical assistant, both of us will daily resume there.

I am happy I am finally making progress in turning this whole business into one that will be less dependent on me. Hopefully, someday I will be able to take a one month vacation and not feel like I am shutting down the company for one month.