
Dogs see only in black and white.
Popping your knuckles causes arthritis.
Lightning never strikes the same place twice.
Most myths are harmless.
Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for most OBM myths. At best, they’re slightly misleading. And at worst, they lead you to reconsider becoming one or making you waste precious time and energy worrying about all the things you’re doing “wrong.”
So let’s bust a few common OBM myths once and for all.
OBM Myth #1: Only Coaches Need OBMs
In the online space, it is easy to see coaches as the reigning position. There are so many of them, and their business model does line up really well to what an OBM can do for a business (launches, multiple offers, client management, etc.).
But did you know that the origin of the Online Business Manager was actually in response to more businesses turning to remote work in the early 2000’s? These businesses were not business coaches, but tech companies, e-businesses, and other organizations that found success in the early internet days.
In those businesses, OBMs acted as online COOs, DOOs, and business managers, handling the management of those companies virtually.
As the online space grew, and the coaching industry exploded, OBMs gravitated more towards coaches since they had the business for OBMs, but there are many other industries that benefit from having an OBM as well.
Just in my own business in the past 4 ½ years, in addition to coaches, I have been an OBM to a therapist, a lawyer, a website designer, a school, and a publicist.
There are plenty of fish out there that benefit from having an OBM, and finding your niche can be extremely profitable.
OBM Myth #2: You can’t charge hourly as an OBM
I have been a part of many programs that have tried to make me believe that by charging hourly to my clients I am limiting my potential earning.
And while yes, sometimes it is easier to charge more when you are doing a package retainer, I have never once regretted my decision to do hourly.
First, let’s get into the reasons that people say you should do project package:
- You’re not punished for working faster. Just because you are good and expedient at something shouldn’t mean that you get paid less.
- It’s easier to outsource to other project package service providers, like copywriters or graphic designers, because they don’t track their hours.
- Clients don’t micromanage everything you do because you’re not having to prove your time.
And while I agree with and have experienced those to an extent, I still don’t think that it outweighs the benefits of doing an hourly retainer:
- I know each month how much time I will be working, and if I go over that time, that is my decision. As a mom of littles, this helps me plan my time better and makes it so that I am not overwhelmed when it comes to how much time I am devoting to my business.
- If I do decide to go over on those hours, I get paid more.
- I know where my time is going for each project and each client, which helps me plan better.
Now, if you look at my benefits of hourly and think it’s not enough to convince you to switch, that’s okay! That’s the beauty of having your own business. But if you have thought about starting your own OBM business and the idea of packages and what to include and what to not include and how to stick to it and everything is holding you back, know that you can do hourly, and it’s okay.
OBM Myth #3: OBMs don’t do admin work
One of the most persistent myths about being an OBM is the idea that OBMs don’t do admin work at all.
So not true! OBMs do all different kinds of work, including admin! Just not always the way you might think.
A lot of the time when someone is describing OBM work, it is described that OBMs handle the high level strategy, management, and delegation of tasks - but never the actual implementation of it.
And while the majority of the work that you do will be the high level strategy, management, and delegation of tasks, here’s the thing about being an OBM: you make sure the work gets done, and sometimes that means you have to do it yourself. Whether the team is busy with something else, or maybe you just like doing it, there are plenty of times that as an OBM you will step in to do admin work.
So if you’re wanting to become an Online Business Manager, but worry you won’t be able to do some of your favorite tasks just because they’re more admin related, go ahead and list admin management on your services!
OBM Myth #4: You have to be a Virtual Assistant before you become an Online Business Manager
The truth? Being a VA first is helpful in gaining knowledge before becoming an OBM, but you 100% do not have to be one first. And in fact, you’re going to be gaining that knowledge anyway!
There are going to be people who enter the online space and feel more comfortable getting their feet wet by starting out as a virtual assistant. It’s a way that you can learn about the industry, learn platforms and systems, and gain confidence in your work.
But there are also going to be people who are coming from management positions or have other transferable skills that really don’t need to start out as a VA just because they were told they should.
If you have management experience, whether in project management, team management, or admin management, you probably have the know-how and skills that are needed as an OBM. And in the same way you would have had to research about being a virtual assistant anyway, you can instead take that time and just learn about being an OBM and jump right into that.
Starting a business is hard work, but the beauty is that there aren’t prerequisites. We should all strive to be honest about our skills and where we’re at in our knowledge, but don’t feel that you have to go down a step from where you were previously because you’re coming into a new industry.
Wrapping it Up
There you have it: 4 OBM myths.
As you saw, the position of OBM is evolving and you should, too. Today, it’s more about finding what works for you, not trying to fit yourself in a tiny box.
I hope this post has helped you steer clear of misleading information so you can start your OBM business confidently.
Now, over to you. Which of these myths did you find most surprising?