166. You Can't Grow If You Do It All: The Power of Virtual Specialists ft. Rico Donato

3 days ago

4 min read

As business owners, we're really good at convincing ourselves that we have to do everything. Answer the phones, respond to emails, manage the schedule, follow up with leads, put out fires ... and somehow still find time to actually GROW the business.

Sound familiar?

Here's the thing: You can't scale a business if you're the person holding every single piece of it together.

In this week's episode of the Hustled Up Podcast, we're joined by Rico Donato, who runs the 1LD (One Layer Deep) Virtual Specialist Program, to talk about how business owners can get out of the day-to-day chaos, delegate effectively, and start building a business that doesn't depend on them being available 24/7.

And trust us, this conversation hits close to home!

What Exactly Is a Virtual Specialist?

When you think about hiring someone to help run your business, you probably picture bringing another person into your physical office. But what if that person didn't actually need to be there?

A Virtual Specialist (VS) is a remote team member who can help handle many of the administrative, customer service, sales, and operational responsibilities that keep business owners tied to their desks.

Through the 1LD Virtual Specialist Program, business owners have an alternative to traditional in-office hiring that can make additional support more accessible and affordable. And no, we're not talking about magically outsourcing every responsibility you have. We're talking about finding the right person, defining their role, and giving them the tools to become a valuable part of your team.

How Do You Know When It's Time to Hire?

One of the biggest challenges entrepreneurs face is figuring out WHEN to bring on help.

Sometimes we convince ourselves that we can't afford another employee. Other times, we believe nobody could possibly do things the way we do them.

But here's a question worth asking: What's it costing your business to keep doing everything yourself?

When you're constantly buried in administrative tasks, you're taking time away from sales, leadership, strategy, and the activities that actually move your business forward.

In this episode, we explore why recognizing the need for support is such an important step in growing a business.

Hiring Someone Isn't Enough. You Have to Set Them Up for Success.

Bringing someone new onto your team is exciting, but it isn't as simple as handing them a laptop and hoping for the best.

Whether you're hiring someone locally or remotely, preparation matters. That means thinking through things like:

Defining the role: What exactly will this person be responsible for?
Documenting your processes: Are your systems written down, or does everything live inside your head?
Creating a training plan: How will you teach your new team member what they need to know?
Setting expectations: What does success look like in this position?
Learning to delegate: Are you actually prepared to let someone else take ownership?

Because even the most talented employee can't succeed without direction, communication, and support.

Our Experience With a Virtual Specialist

If you've been following along with our journey at Chores & More, you've probably heard us mention our newest team member, Trisha.

We brought Trisha onto our team through the 1LD Virtual Specialist Program, and to say she's been a game changer would be an understatement. She's become an incredible part of our operation, helping us manage responsibilities that previously demanded so much of our time and attention.

And here's the really wild part. We recently went away, leaving Trisha and our team member Ashley to help run the show. And guess what? We had our highest revenue week EVER. Without us there. Yep. Turns out WE might have been the bottlenecks all along. 😂

It's been such an eye-opening experience and a reminder that when you build the right team, your business can continue to thrive without you having your hands in absolutely everything.

The Real Goal: Building a Business That Can Grow Without You

Hiring isn't just about getting tasks off your plate. It's about creating the capacity to focus on the things that only YOU can do as the business owner. It's about giving your team opportunities to take ownership, strengthening your systems, and building something sustainable. And sometimes, the person who helps you make that happen isn't sitting in an office down the hallway. They might be working remotely from somewhere completely different.

The important thing is finding the right fit and being willing to give that person the tools, training, and trust they need to succeed.

Ready to Get Out of Your Own Way?

If you're overwhelmed by the day-to-day, struggling to keep up with your workload, or wondering how you'll ever find the time to grow your business, this episode is for you.

Our conversation with Rico is a great introduction to the possibilities of virtual staffing and a reminder that you don't have to do everything yourself to build a successful business. In fact, you probably shouldn't. 😅