Client Case Study: Latasha Doyle, Owner of Uncanny Content

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to work with an online business manager? Really? 

You probably already know that hiring one can make your business run more smoothly, reduce task overwhelm, and support your team along the way. But what does that actually look like for you, the business owner?

I brought in Latasha Doyle, owner of Uncanny Content, to tell you everything you need to know!

You can read the summarized version in this post or watch the full video below. 

Meet Latasha Doyle, owner of Uncanny Content

I started working with Latasha in November 2022 to help refine the operations of Uncanny Content, and eventually Uncanny Unedited (their sister brand that offers book marketing for authors) too! Fun fact: Latasha also co-owns Rendezvous Creative, so it’s safe to say she’s a busy gal.

Don’t mistake busyness for a lack of quality, though. Uncanny Content prides itself on working hard to deliver content so on-brand…it’s uncanny *wink wink*.

But Latasha knew that in order to continue providing that quality, she needed help with the operational side of running an agency. 

Let’s dig into how it’s been working together — more specifically, what’s improved since 2022!

Operational challenges before working together

When I asked Latasha, “What operational challenges were you facing before working together? And how did that impact your business as a whole?” here’s how she responded:

“Before you, our operations at Uncanny Content were handled by me and one other person. I had limited capacity, and so did she, about 12-15 hours per week. Eventually, she needed to leave to support her family, and it became a great opportunity to turn her project manager role into something more operationally focused since we were at a time of growth. 

You came in during a time of transition for us though — we had several contractors who were becoming employees, so having to handle that on top of the day-to-day was tough. 

I wanted to work with someone who could uplevel what we already had. I just didn’t have the time to do it. Before, we just did things kind of ad hoc and were able to get by. But as we grew, it became harder to do it that way.”

Hesitations about working with an OBM

As far as hesitations go, Latasha was previously acquainted with OBMs because of the clients Uncanny Content works with. However, working with one in your own business is a totally different experience! 

So I asked if she had any hesitations before working together, and what helped alleviate that worry.

“I had previous experience working with our clients’ OBMs, who mostly worked with small business owners. But what we really needed at Uncanny Content was someone who understood how an agency works.

I didn’t want someone to come in and redo what we were doing, but rather build on what we had, and in a better way.

I also wanted someone who would be a cultural fit at Uncanny Content. I’m really proud of what I’ve built here, and I wanted to make sure my team also felt supported with someone new coming on.”

How the day-to-day has changed with operational support  

So what changed? What does the day-to-day look like now?

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my time as an online business manager, it’s that yes, things have to work, but they also have to feel good to last in the long run.

“Well, I only feel like burning my business down once a month now instead of once a day. So there’s that.

But really, working with you has been a night and day difference. I have a sense of relief that what I know needs to get done will get done. You see the gaps in our operations, but you also notice more opportunities for us to impress our clients and make things better for them, too. 

The parking lot of ideas is gone. I don’t have time to figure them out or implement them, but you help me do that! I’m not a roadblock anymore, so we’re able to actually implement what we want to implement.

And I think it’s worth mentioning that before working with you, I would work 40-50 hours a week. But now, it’s 10. And while that is partially based on some outside circumstances, it wouldn’t have been possible to function on these reduced hours without your help.”

How Uncanny Content’s team has benefited, too  

“I would also say that the team feels more supported. Before, we just kinda passed on the project details and left it up to them to work on. It was very much a ‘dump and run’ system.

But you’ve been able to create additional steps for our projects, and everyone ends up feeling more supported because our projects are more structured.

I also like that you’ve helped make it a space where our writers can ask questions or bring up their concerns. They feel like their suggestions for improvements are heard and reflected. And anytime something changes, you explain why, so they’re in the loop.

It’s a system that works very well for us!”

The long-term benefits of hiring an OBM

“There have been lots of backend improvements, but also improvements in our relationships with our clients.

Our briefing system is so much better, for example. I would have never had the time to create brief templates, Asana templates, or project templates — much less as robust and helpful as the ones you create.

It’s nice because I know that now, no steps are missing in our project management process. Our writers always have what they need.

You’ve also created more checkpoints for our clients. We do a lot of retainer work, and now they can see their hours a whole lot easier. Not to mention, emails aren’t getting missed anymore because they’re not all going to me.

Our clients are very impressed with it all!”

Latasha’s advice for fellow biz owners

Latasha and I not only talked about how things improved in her own business, but she also had some advice for her fellow business owners and CEOs:

“I know it can be hard to pass off the work. I’ve seen so many business owners so close to snapping that they want change NOW. They’re ready to hire someone ASAP and have everything fixed for them immediately.

But it takes time. This isn’t something that can improve overnight. While hiring you was SUCH a relief, there was still an onboarding phase. I liked how you did your research and combed through everything to see the gaps.

Improving your operations takes more than what we as creatives or business owners think it does. You did so much information gathering that greatly benefited us in the long run, but I had to be patient for you to find that. 

I thought what Uncanny Content needed was just additional VA or project management support, but as you worked, it became obvious that we needed more than just day-to-day support. We needed long-term solutions.

And that’s what we got. We would not be where we are today without you! You’ve made it so my team doesn’t have to rely on me to function, and that’s been HUGE!”

Does your business need an operational transformation, too? 

How does that type of support sound to you? If you read this and found yourself nodding along, it’s time for a change. There’s so much out there for your business, but you need to get your systems in check first.

Get in touch with me here to see how we can work together and make it happen!