In this very special episode of the Make Space for More podcast, Melissa Swink interviews Jamie G. Smith, a renowned business & lifestyle elevation strategist, speaker, and content creator! The pair discuss strategies for overcoming burnout and achieving authentic business growth. Tune in to learn about the importance of energy management, the impact of past experiences on present success, and the necessity of letting go of control to rise higher.

Tune into this week’s episode of the Make Space for More podcast as Melissa Swink discusses the essential factors influencing the cost of hiring virtual assistants (VAs). Learn how to frame your new hire as an investment in the long-term growth of your business rather than just an expense.

In this episode, Melissa Swink discusses how a virtual assistant (VA) can help manage your inbox. She shares strategies for setting up access to your email, segmenting messages, unsubscribing from newsletters, filing non-response emails, creating templated responses, and having your VA respond on your behalf. She also provides tips for quality checks, such as daily summaries and documented procedures. Delegating inbox management can save time and allow you to focus on more important tasks in your business.

Melissa interviews Kristie about the steps business owners should take when hiring employees. They discussed the importance of job descriptions, screening candidates, and the onboarding process. Kristie emphasizes the need for transparency in the hiring process and recommends involving trusted colleagues during interviews. She also highlights the importance of having standard operating procedures, plus her recommendations around performance reviews, and much MUCH more. 

In today’s podcast episode, Melissa Swink discusses whether or not to outsource social media. She explores the different opinions on this topic and provides insights for business owners considering this big step. Melissa underscores the importance of authenticity and the need for a collaborative relationship with your chosen service provider. She also discusses setting realistic goals and expectations for outsourcing social media, such as what you can expect for ROI. Tune in to hear both sides of this discussion!

In this episode, Melissa Swink discusses the concept of “inbox zero” and how her perspective has evolved over the years. She shares tactics for achieving “inbox zero” on a daily basis, while cautioning that this might not be the best goal for every business owner. Tune in for a nuanced perspective on inbox management, as well as some tips for having an assistant help manage your emails.  

What happens when your clients love one of your services… but you no longer do? 

In today’s podcast episode, Melissa Swink discusses what to do when you fall out of love with your business, or perhaps just one of your products/services. She explores the topic of burnout and identifies several areas of your business that could be dragging you down and preventing you from loving your work. This could include clientele, partnerships and collaborations, products and services, roles and responsibilities, and team members or vendors. Listen to learn what steps you can take to cut out what’s not working, with the ultimate goal of realigning your business to work for you and bring you joy and fulfillment!

On today’s special episode of Make Space for More, Melissa chats with Alex Brzozowski, founder of Be Organizing. Alex shares her journey of building a digital organizing business, how she provides her services remotely, and how she scaled her services by building a team. Alex also provides insight into how she developed internal systems and processes, including a central hub for information and a sales process script, to streamline operations and maintain consistency. Stay to the end to learn about a free offer from Be Organizing, to help you better organize your business!

In today’s podcast episode, you’re going to get a breakdown of expenses! Melissa Swink shares how much it costs to run her virtual assistant services company, Melissa Swink & Co. She discusses the labor costs, merchant fees, and various software expenses, plus client and team gifts, bonuses, and business insurance. Gain insights into the investments required to scale a business and apply what you learn to your own operations!

In this episode of the podcast, Melissa Swink discusses team communications and how to cut back on the time spent in meetings. She provides communication tools to improve efficiency, tips on reevaluating the necessity of meetings, and how to use tools like Voxer and Loom to reduce the need for real-time meetings. She also shares strategies for making meetings more efficient. Listen now!

Tune in to hear Melissa Swink chat with Leslie Capps of Wild Woman Marketing about the fundamentals of storytelling in marketing. They discussed the importance of having a solid and effective marketing strategy, the power of storytelling in connecting with clients, and the role of emotion and values in storytelling. They also explore effective calls to action and common marketing mistakes to avoid. Stay to the end to hear ideas for alternative marketing channels such as books, journals, events, and even wine clubs!

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have a remote executive assistant for your business? Today’s episode peels back the curtain and shows you exactly how Melissa Swink is filling this role for Melissa Swink & Co.!

When you’re ready to make the leap from solopreneurship to hiring your first team members, it’s crucial to have solid systems in place. Organization and communication are absolutely essential for remote effective team management. Tune in to hear Melissa Swink’s top three must-have team management tools!

If you’ve ever had a bad experience with a business coach or if you’re considering hiring one for your business - this episode is for you! Tune in as Melissa Swink discusses the importance of hiring a business coach. A great coach will help you gain a fresh perspective, identify blind spots, learn with accountability, navigate new challenges, and fast-track your success. The right coach is a valuable investment that can provide a measurable ROI! In this episode, Melissa provides three practical tips to help you choose the best business coaching program for you.

In this podcast episode, Melissa Swink discusses the six hidden time-wasting activities that can dilute your results and keep you from reaching your goals. After defining each of the six time-waters, Melissa talks about the importance of spending time on impactful work that creates results. Tune in to learn how you can save time and increase your productivity!

In today’s podcast, Melissa Swink discusses the “feast or famine” cycle, its impact on sales and growth, and six strategies to combat it with the help of a virtual team. She shares personal experiences and examples of how to leverage help from a virtual team to maintain consistency and increase sales. Virtual assistants can smooth out your sales cycle and help you experience steady, consistent growth through tracking leads, list building, outreach campaigns, new product launches, creating marketing content, and email funnels and campaigns. Don’t miss this week’s tactical tips! 

In this episode, Melissa Swink shares a quick guide to leveraging time blocking to increase your productivity as a CEO. She discusses three easy-to-implement strategies for time-blocking your weekly calendar, including scheduling email checks, consolidating availability for meetings, and reserving time for needle movers. She also shares how she shifted her own schedule to massively increase efficiency. Tune in to learn the importance of structuring your day to achieve the results you want, while maintaining balance and focus!

While many entrepreneurs can accept the idea of needing team members in order to grow and scale their businesses, most are leery about the onboarding process. In this episode of “Make Space for More,” Melissa Swink dives deep into how to onboard and cross-train team members effectively.

Are you ready to hire team members to grow and scale your business, but don’t know where to start? Today’s episode of “Make Space for More” provides your blueprint!

How are you going to grow your business to its first $100,000 or $1,000,00? The answer is by building a team. In this episode, Melissa Swink breaks the news that a one-person operation is not scalable and limits your ability to make more money.