The Definitive Guide to How an Online Business Manager Can Take Your Business to the Next Level

As your business grows, so do the demands on your time and energy. You find yourself juggling more tasks, managing a team, and trying to keep your vision on track — not to mention handling the daily operations.

At some point, you become tapped out. And you need help. It’s inevitable when you’re growing. 

But you don’t need just any help.

While a VA or a project manager can assist with daily tasks, unless you get the backend ironed out, you’re basically just treading water. What you really need is someone who can take the reins and manage your ops, so you can focus on what you do best: growing your business. 

That’s where an online business manager (OBM) comes in!

What’s an online business manager (OBM)?

An online business manager (OBM) manages your operations on a holistic level. Unlike a Virtual Assistant (VA) who primarily handles tasks, an OBM oversees projects, manages your team, and ensures everything is running smoothly.

While a VA handles specific tasks (like scheduling, customer service, or social media management), an OBM takes a higher-level approach. We’re responsible for overseeing the execution of those tasks and ensuring everything aligns with your business strategy.

How online business managers work with CEOs

So…what does an OBM do? Really?

You can think of us as the COO of your business. We’re here to support you, implement your ideas, help manage your team, and so much more. You could even say that OBMs are your right-hand (wo)man.

Operations management

Your online business manager is responsible for ensuring everything goes off without a hitch. Whether it’s your regularly scheduled projects, or a launch, we oversee your processes, workflows, and systems to ensure they’re functioning properly so you can do your best work.

We help keep everything on track, so you don’t have to worry about missed deadlines or project bottlenecks. And if something pops up along the way, we’re your go-to person for troubleshooting when issues arise.

Systems support

Want to improve the way you run your business? We can help with that too.

An OBM is there to help you optimize your CRMs, project management tools, communication platforms, and more. We’ll dig into what you have now, analyze how your team is using it, and help you identify the gaps.

Not only that, we’ll help you create a plan for moving forward.

We don’t just find problems that need fixing — we provide you with a system and solution to address them!

Team management

OBMs take the lead in managing your team, ensuring that everyone knows their roles, responsibilities, and deadlines. We handle the day-to-day interactions, keeping your team motivated and productive.

While our role isn’t necessarily about HR or recruiting, it can overlap with those areas, too. For example, with one client, I help oversee payroll software, track time off, manage benefits, and more for one of my clients.

I’ve also assisted in the hiring process before. As an OBM, we can help you manage everything from job postings and interviews to onboarding, so you can focus on business as usual while finding the right fit.

Financial analysis

While an OBM is by no means an accountant, we do develop a strong understanding of your business finances. We can provide insights into your budget, expenses, and profitability, helping you make the best decisions possible for you and your team.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve looked through client expense reporting and found lingering software subscriptions that were no longer being used. Similarly, I’ve found ways to decrease team costs or eliminate software fees that weren’t essential to our operations. 

These small changes can have a huge effect on your bottom line and allow you to invest in more important things. 

How that translates into day-to-day management

While an online business manager’s main role is to oversee operations on a bigger, longer-term scale, this undoubtedly feeds into the day-to-day as well. How this looks will vary based on your business, but here’s a general idea of what it could look like.

Making your vision a reality

You have a vision, and it’s an OBM’s job to integrate it. We work closely with you to understand your goals as if they were our own. 

Then, based on your team, your procedures, and everyone’s capacity, we break it down into actionable steps you can manage. That way, everyone knows what they’re supposed to be doing and when (think creating SOPs!)

Managing, not doing

One of the biggest misconceptions about OBMs is that we are doers. While an OBM may occasionally get involved in tasks, we mostly manage the people who do the work. This means you’ll likely need an existing team of three or more employees or contractors for an OBM to manage things effectively (or at least, be ready to hire them!).

Strategic recommendations

OBMs don’t just manage tasks — we also provide strategic recommendations. 

As we work together, we develop a deep understanding of your business and can offer insights that align with your long-term goals. Whether it’s refining your processes or suggesting new tools, an OBM helps optimize it all!

Surprising ways an online business manager can support you

An OBM’s role goes beyond just managing operations, though. Like I said, we’re your right hand, so there are tons of other things we can support you in. Like…

• We can be a sounding board for ideas and offer you a fresh perspective.
• We can provide you with CEO vent sessions (hey — running a business is hard!).
• We can help you stay focused on your long-term goals when shiny object syndrome threatens to get in the way.
• We can handle the not-so-fun things, like letting a contractor go or setting boundaries with clients.
• We’re here to tell you the truth when you need to hear it, even if it’s not what you want to hear. Speaking for myself, I won’t sugarcoat things. Instead, you’ll get the honest feedback you need (like “No. Launching next week is NOT a good idea no matter how much you want to do it!”).

How to know if you’re ready to hire an online business manager

“Wait! This sounds like exactly what I need. I think I’m ready to hire an online business manager!”

We love to hear it. But first, make sure you’ve checked off most, if not all, of these boxes. Just because you know you want something in your business doesn’t necessarily mean you’re ready for it.

• You’re ready to hand off the day-to-day management (without keeping a death grip on it).
• You’re spending more time trying to stay afloat than focusing on growing your business.
• You spend a lot of time managing your team and answering questions.
• You don’t have clearly defined processes (which can help mitigate the above).
• You’re constantly working from a place of reaction rather than preparation.

Sound like you? Great! You’re probably ready to hire an online business manager!

How to know if a (potential) OBM is right for you

How do you find this OBM? And how do you know they’re the right fit for your business?

For starters, you need to understand that it’s not just about credentials. Most of the “certifications” you see plastered on someone’s website don’t mean anything unless they have the skills and experience to back them up.

Personality and culture fit are JUST as important because you and your team will be working together daily. Don’t you want someone you enjoy working with (and that you can trust)?

That being said…you also have to make sure they actually ARE an OBM and have experience managing teams and launches. A lot of folks call themselves OBMs when they’re not. No shade, just the truth. 

You’re making an investment in your online business — don’t you want to get results for what you’ve paid good money for?

Let’s get started!

An online business manager is a valuable asset for any growing business and, dare I say, a borderline necessity. We help you manage your team, streamline operations, and keep your business on track toward achieving your long-term goals.

If you’re ready to let go of a little control and hire someone who can help you do all that, it might be time to bring an OBM on board. *cough cough, me, cough cough*

Learn more about how I can support you as your online business manager here!