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Leadership (61 articles)

How Women-Led Teams Thrive Through Collective Strength

As someone who has worked in and with many organizations and has been led by men and women alike, I have noticed that there are significant differences in...

Love the Change: Why Virtual Assistants and Clients Should Embrace Growth & Open Conversations

As professionals, we all know that change is inevitable in regards to business whether your company is restructuring or trying out new tools or strategies....

Reimagine Your Workflows: How Small Adjustments Lead to Big Improvements

Workflows are the backbone of your business, influencing how tasks are executed and impacting every area of your operations. While their importance is widely...

Your Year of Mindful Self-Care: How to Flourish in 2025 and Beyond

We're already halfway through the first month of 2025, and I hope you've taken a moment to plan your self-care strategy for the year! As the calendar resets,...

Elevate Your New Year: How a Great Routine Fuels Lasting Productivity

Jump-starting your day can be tough for many people, and 2024 brought its fair share of challenges for professionals—myself included. Yet routine is the one...

How to Delegate Your Way to Success and Growth in 2025

At Trusty Oak, our values-driven model is focused on the benefits that arise from transparent communication, a shared interest in growth, and a spirit of...

Unhurried Leadership: How to Lead with Clarity and Purpose

Last month, we explored the idea that slowing down isn't a barrier to success—it's a catalyst. By stepping away from the grind of hustle culture and embracing...

The Gratitude Factor: Transform Client-VA Relationships

As a seasoned Virtual Assistant VA, I have worked with a decent number of clients from many different industries. Despite coming from various backgrounds and...

How Slowing Down Boosts Productivity

In today's fast-paced world, many entrepreneurs believe working harder and faster is the only way to succeed. But what if slowing down could actually boost...

Maintaining Trust and Communication During Your Busiest Season

In the final stretch of 2024, business owners are planning out tasks and goals for Q4 and gearing up for the holiday season. While crossing things off the...

Effective Leadership: Delegating to a #2 to stay #1

During a recent conversation with Bex Howell our Business Development Specialist, a client shared a profound insight:...

Business Operating Systems + VAs: A Winning Combo

From my personal journey of scaling my solo virtual assistant business to seven-figure revenues, I've experienced firsthand the transformative power of working...

How Feedback Creates a Culture of Trust and Communication

As a lifelong writer, I have come to understand how important feedback can be to the development of a piece of writing. My experience as a Virtual Assistant at...

From Stress to Success: Practice Meditation to Build Resilience for Business Founders

As founders and business owners, resilience and a growth mindset are skills and qualities we must possess and protect to succeed. We don't need anyone else to...

7 Ways Quitting Booze Makes Me a Better Leader

It has been 365 days since I quit drinking alcohol, and I'm noticing some incredible benefits that have helped me at work. I quit because I signed up for a...

Asking for Feedback from Your Virtual Assistant

When you're in a partnership with a virtual assistant, there will be moments when you need clarity. You might be working on a project together, and you might...

How to Get More Done: Stop Letting These Two Excuses Hold You Back

Why is delegation one of the most challenging skills for leaders to master? There are two critical components of effective delegation: a competent delegatee...

Your Mindset is Everything for Business Success

It's never easy starting anything. A new job, relocating, or even getting married, can all be mind-boggling and nerve-wracking. Then there' s starting a new...

Quiet Quitting: A Problem or a Reminder?

If you get on any sort of Social Media site or watch or listen to news regularly, you've likely heard or seen the term 'Quiet Quitting' being thrown around...

Operational Processes Set Small Business Free

Beyond the Chaos helps small professional services businesses owners up to 25 employees simplify their operations and manage...

Roadblocks That Keep Us From Achieving Our Goals

Kristin Burke's mission is to help others maximize their potential and achieve their definitions of success. As a goal achievement...

3 Tips for Managing the Unexpected | JOYFully BadAss Business Academy™

'Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.'

Personal Tasks to Delegate to Your VA

Many of our clients at Trusty Oak delegate /blog/virtual-assistants-for-non-profitsprofessional and business-related tasks to their virtual assistants - from...

How Smart Leaders Onboard (and Retain) Virtual Assistants

If you're looking to onboard with a new virtual assistant/blog/why-hire-a-virtual-assistant, you're likely also looking for ways to make sure you do it right...

Women-Led Companies Transforming Remote Work

When I started my virtual assistant business/blog/diy-must-have-tools-for-founders-how-to-launch-your-business-to-success-on-2244-or-less in 2015, the...

This Coaching Software Helps Us Work Better Remotely

When I started working remotely as a virtual assistant, I'll admit I wasn't an instant success.

Entrepreneurs: Why You Should Jump on the Podcast Trend

Podcasting has become one of the most popular ways to create and build brand awareness for a business. Whether you launch a show of your own, are invited to be...

5 Tips for Building Your Author Brand

There's just something about earning the title of 'author' that is extraordinarily satisfying. Writing a book is undoubtedly a huge accomplishment that takes a...

Personality Tests: Are They Really Useful?

There are many different personality tests out there and you may have even taken some but...how useful are they really?

Recommended Reading List for Leaders and Entrepreneurs

Leadership development should be a continuous, ongoing process. As a leader, it is important to understand that you will always need to improve your...

Guest Author Dr. Lynn Chang: Do What You Love, Now is the Perfect Time!

Dr. Lynn Chang shares career guidance using Eastern philosophy and Western psychology. Learn to follow your heart, find career fulfillment, and land your dream job.

Guest Author Kelley Dwyer: How to Protect Your Business From Crisis Situations

Attorney Kelley Dwyer shares essential legal advice for entrepreneurs on business entities, LLCs vs DBAs, business insurance, and crisis protection strategies.

Be a Beekeeper: How Non-Profits Can Fundraise During Covid-19

Nonprofit fundraising strategies during crisis. Learn donor engagement tactics, virtual events, peer-to-peer campaigns, and emergency audit planning for nonprofits.

Use This Time to Focus on Your Business Growth Instead of Fear

Turn uncertainty into opportunity for business growth. Three strategies to use challenging times for planning, creativity, and building stronger relationships.

How to Recession-Proof Your Small Business

As we've all experienced recently, the economy can change overnight with global events and uncertainty. If you're a small business...

From the CEO's Desk: Add These Books to Your 2020 List

Discover 10 must-read business books for entrepreneurs covering subscription models, profitability, delegation, and leadership from authors like Mike Michalowicz.

How to Show Holiday Appreciation—Remotely

Creative ways to show appreciation for remote employees during the holidays. Ideas include virtual parties, Secret Santa games, and personalized company gifts.

Stop Trying to Be More Productive: 2 Ways to Optimize Your Business for Organizational Efficiency

Stop chasing productivity and focus on organizational efficiency instead. Learn to use CRM software and process documentation to scale your business through delegation.

Challenge and Change: 2 Takeaways from GLS 2019

Austin in August is hot, y'all. So why was it the best time to visit this year? Because it meant that part of our remote...

3 Lessons for Leaders of Remote Teams: It All Starts With Trust

Last month, I had the opportunity to spend a full month away from Trusty Oak's Austin, Texas-based headquarters, and wow, was it an adventure! Although part of...

Entrepreneurs Hate Asking for Help. Here's Why.

At Trusty Oak, we're all entrepreneurs: from our CEO and founder, Amber Gray, who created our company, to each and every virtual...

How to Build a Winning Remote Team Culture

Whether your team is remote or in a classic office, you can build a winning team culture. For a lot of employers and employees, a positive team culture seems...

How I'm Committing to My Remote Team's Growth in 2019

Insights on leading remote teams from Trusty Oak's CEO. Learn about unique challenges, building culture across time zones, and investing in team development.

Launch Your Business for Under $2,244: Essential Tools

As a founder who is passionate about every aspect of my company, I often catch myself talking a lot about my work when socializing.

Visiting Boise: Leadership Lessons From the Field

Last week, I had the opportunity to visit our five virtual assistants in Boise, Idaho and not only did I come home with a heart so full, I also took back with...

Entrepreneurs, Self Care, & Burnout

Working for yourself as a business owner, contractor, or freelancer means you set the rules; it's one of the many perks that draws ambitious people to this...

4 Important Ways Effective Leaders Communicate

Master leadership communication with four proven strategies. Learn to share your vision, listen actively, stay positive, and delegate effectively to your team.

Look Like a Fortune 500 Before You Are One

Build a professional brand presence on any budget. Tips on brand identity, website design, responsiveness, and the small details that make your business credible.

Want to Grow Your Business? You Should Read More

Successful CEOs read constantly. Discover practical tips to read more and seven recommended business books for entrepreneurs seeking inspiration and growth.

When Culture, Productivity, & Success Meet

I am just now getting out of my holiday funk. It seems that the time between Dec 22nd and Jan 2nd are a blur of celebrations, family gatherings, shopping, and...

A Gift Guide for the Entrepreneur in Your Life

Do you have a hard-working entrepreneur or business owner on your holiday gift list this year? What can you get for the guy or gal who really needs a vacation...

5 Habits of Highly Productive People

There's an outdated notion in business that just won't die. It's the idea that productivity means doing more things faster, marking off mile-long to-do lists,...

3 Questions to Ignite Business Growth

As we head swiftly into Q4 and our third year of business at Trusty Oak, I'm feeling a strong urgency to take a pause and evaluate some of our successes and...

How to be a More Effective Leader by Removing Yourself

Become a better leader by removing ego from your management style. Learn practical language shifts that empower teams and foster open communication.

This Leadership Skill Can Predict Success

Entrepreneurs and business owners are driven people who aren't scared to work hard, burn the midnight oil, and sacrifice to make their dreams a reality....

2 Key Tips to Improve Your Communication

In January I shared with you 'Three Ways to Build Rapport in Business Relationships.' You're thinking, 'Okay....'

Three Ways to Build Rapport in Business Relationships

As virtual assistants we know that building trusting relationships with clients is key to ensuring everyone's success. We strive to build trust through...

How & Why Entrepreneurs Should Take Vacations

Several months ago, I was invited to attend a friend's wedding in St. Lucia. I hesitated to book the trip because I already had another trip planned to NYC...