The Secret Sauce of Outsourcing: Recent Episodes
John Jonas
Dedicated to making you better at outsourcing. Tips, tricks, advice, and stories on how to get work off your plate and be more efficient.
I do things differently. I don't hire "freelancers". I don't pay hourly.
Those are for the masses who are struggling to figure out how outsourcing works well.
Hundreds of thousands of employers have used what I do to find great outsourced workers and over 1.5 million Filipino resumes are in my database.
I have never hired a project manager. It's tough. It's not that you can't do it. It's just that if they don't trust you, it will be hard for them to take on this responsibility.
What I found works best is to hire from within. Take Joven. He started with me back in 2005. He knows the business better than anyone, which is why he's the one managing Onlinejobs.ph right now. He has the skills, experience, and respect of the team. He knows how to get things done.
What do you guys think? Let me know in the comments.
I like working. I like my business. I like solving problems. I like being creative with it. I like getting in touch with my team.
I like it so much that I want my business to last. I don't want to work myself to the ground, burn out, or get sick of it.
That's why I don't work that much. I delegate everything I can to my OFS team.
I only work when I have to and want to. That means working 17 hours a week. It's just enough time to finish everything, do focused work, and have time for what matters.
Want to avoid burning out and keep loving your business? Hire an OFS and get some help at Onlinejobs.ph.
I have a bunch of rockstar OFS in my team. But to be completely honest, most didn't start that way. When I hired them, many didn't look good on paper.
So, how did I turn the normal VAs in my team into rockstar OFS? Let's talk about that in this episode.
Want to know how you can find people who have the potential to be rockstar OFS? I'll show you my hiring steps at OneVAAway.com.
Do you know that Filipinos bring rice first to their new homes? That they scatter coins through every corner of their new homes for prosperity?
These are just some of the superstitious beliefs Filipinos have when moving. I'll share more in this episode.
Filipinos are known for their resilience, and rightfully so.
Typhoons and earthquakes are not the only ones Filipinos power through. In so many ways, they also fight to overcome poverty.
In this episode, I share John Paul’s incredible story and how he is not letting history repeat itself.
Find an OFS like John Paul at OnlineJobs.ph.
You can watch John Paul's video here: https://youtu.be/YDrY9pB8nuc
I’m asked repeatedly whether high-end talent can be found in the Philippines.
My answer: YES!
Let’s discuss how you can go about it on Onlinejobs.ph.
If you need more help, check out OneVAAway.com.
Is there such a thing as “the best OFS”?
No, there’s not.
OneVAAway.com is where I teach you how to find a great OFS for your business. You can start looking for that OFS at Onlinejobs.ph.
Let’s talk about what “the best OFS” really means.
People don’t quit jobs; they quit bosses.
So, what does it take to be a good boss in a virtual workplace? Not much, actually. Let’s discuss that in this episode.
Ready to jump in? Check out OFSGuide.com for answers to the 9 biggest insourcing questions.
Gifts are not my strong suit.
What I’m good at is giving time, and as far as I know, time is the most precious gift you can give.
Want to know how I can afford to give my time to people? Let’s talk.
Hire an OFS and get more time today: Onlinejobs.ph
Having an OFS is like having a second you.
Having an OFS means having someone to share the load with, someone who works hard so your dreams can come true. Having an OFS gave me more time with my family and my hobbies.
Let’s talk about how I learned that life is better with OFS.
Want to know how an OFS can change your business? Go to OFSGuide.com.
Want to find amazing OFS for your business? Go to Onlinejobs.ph.
Ready to hire but not sure how to go about it? I cover my hiring steps at OneVAAway.com.
Your OFS is not a robot.
Your OFS is human. They have a life outside of work and hobbies they enjoy. They do not work 24/7.
Let’s talk about what an OFS’s life outside of work looks like.
You can check out Aron's video, the OFS we have featured in this episode:
https://youtu.be/HQOpzeEqziU?si=CI2YFB1IrDLqlxMg
Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/onlinejobs.ph!
Episode 400. Wow, that’s a feat!
To commemorate how far we’ve come, I think it’s time we use the more appropriate word for what we’re doing — insourcing.
I’ll tell you all about it, let’s talk.
If you go to Onlinejobs.ph/holidays, you’ll find a calendar we maintain to keep track of the holidays in the Philippines. These holidays don’t affect you, but it's nice to be in the loop. Let’s talk about possible scenarios that could happen with your OFS.
You can also be updated with holidays in the Philippines when you follow our LinkedIn account: https://www.linkedin.com/company/onlinejobs-ph
I got duped. I hired someone who uses AI, and I don’t like AI.
Since then, I changed my hiring process to detect when applicants use AI.
In this episode, I'll share my steps to help you figure out if your applicants are using AI.
If you’re ready to hire but unsure how to proceed, I outline my process at OneVAAway.com.
Follow us at https://www.facebook.com/onlinejobs.ph and find out what other entrepreneurs are saying about us and what outsourcing does to Filipino VAs.
Can you move your OFS from Upwork to Onlinejobs.ph?
Yes, you can!
Can people from other countries join Onlinejobs.ph?
No. No, they can’t.
Let’s talk about Upwork vs Onlinejobs.ph and why we chose to connect the world to the Philippine workforce.
I received an email from Mike telling me that his OFS changed his life. Mike isn’t the only one.
Do you know what Mike and thousands of others have in common?
They are excited to work, knowing they have an OFS taking care of their business while they sleep.
If there’s still something holding you back, OFSGuide.com can put your worries to rest.
Ready to jump in but don’t know where or how to start? I’ll guide you at OneVAAway.com.
Ever heard of the 13th month? It's a big deal in the Philippines!
Not sure what it's all about? Don't worry—I've got you covered in this episode.
Got more questions? You can find answers at Onlinejobs.ph/13thMonth.
When people tell me why they’re not outsourcing yet, the reasons are all the same — they’re not sure.
Uncertainty is a waste of time. Don't hold back your business's growth because you're unsure. Outsourcing can change your business and your OFS life, too.
Not sure of what exactly? Whatever it is, I bet you'll find an answer at OFSGuide.com.
Sometimes, I see news about natural disasters in the Philippines and don't hear about it from my OFS team. They're so used to it that they've learned to prepare for it and bounce back as soon as possible.
So, I asked my team what makes them so resilient and prepared for typhoons, earthquakes, etc. I'll share their response with you in this episode.
One way to make a positive change in the world is to help people become self-sufficient and give them the means to provide for themselves and their families.
That's what happens when you hire an Online Filipino Specialist.
To give you an idea of how much of an impact you make when you hire an OFS, let's listen to Jehan's story.
Want to hire a writer like Jehan? You can hire writers and other OFS like her at Onlinejobs.ph.
What should you prepare before hiring an Online Filipino Specialist?
NOTHING!
I know this isn't what you want to hear, but there are many reasons why it'll be easier to hire an OFS first and do everything else later.
Let's talk about that.
Want to know how to find the best OFS for your business? Follow my hiring steps at OneVAAway.com.
My 2nd best advice in working with an Online Filipino Specialist is to start with one task.
It makes hiring, training, and managing an OFS easier.
I'll show you how to implement that in this episode.
Also, I'll show you how to make it easier to hire someone at OneVAAway.com.
Hershey comes from a small town in the Philippines. The interesting thing about their town is that it doesn't have banks. So her mom and their sari-sari store act like their community bank.
I'll let Hershey share her story in this episode.
Want to find Online Filipino Specialists like Hershey? Go to Onlinejobs.ph.
In this episode, I'll explain how we give raises to our OFS team.
It's not the only way to do it, and my way might not work for your business.
I'm sharing this so you'll have at least one idea if you've thought of giving your OFS a raise.
Want to know where we get our Online Filipino Specialists? We find them at Onlinejobs.ph.
I rarely get negative comments about hiring Online Filipino Specialists. But when I get them, I'm interested. I try to figure out what went wrong and what I often see is people making a bunch of hiring mistakes.
What mistakes do some people make when hiring an OFS? Let's talk about it.
Want to learn the right way to hire an OFS? Check out OneVAAway.com. Where do you find great OFS for your business? Go to Onlinejobs.ph.
Jay is an OFS.
Growing up, he didn’t have enough food to eat.
That’s not uncommon in the Philippines.
What’s uncommon is how he broke the cycle of poverty.
I was surprised to see that I'm not the only one with strong feelings about Upwork. I actually got this email from Luca about this. I will share his comments about my previous newsletter about Upwork in this episode.
We know that most New Year's resolutions don't work. There's nothing magical about January 1. Making a resolution doesn't change things, but doing something today does.
You can do something today to change your life and your business. Hire an OFS at Onlinejobs.ph.
When I built Onlinejobs.ph I knew it was something I wanted and other people wanted and it was making me money.
I never considered it would make a difference in my and your lives.
I got this message from Shiela, which reminded me that we don't need to be billionaires to make a difference in the world. I'll share her story with you today.
Some things you need to know when working with OFS.
- the 13th month
- the Philippines has a bunch of holidays (onlinejobs.ph/holidays)
- family trumps job
- December is not a great time to hire
I'll explain these points and share more in this episode.
Every year, I audit the tasks my OFS team is doing. I look at what's effective and what works. We get rid of the things that don't work.
Doing this audit isn't just about making my OFS more effective. Going through these things actually helps me also to evaluate the things that I do. Are there tasks that I should focus more of my time on? Are there things not worth my time that I can outsource to an OFS?
Let me talk you through my process in this episode.
If you want to know more about OFS and what they can do for your business, OFSGuide.com
Want to learn how to hire the best OFS for your business? OneVAAway.com
Are you ready to hire? Go to Onlinejobs.ph
The Philippines experiences a lot of natural disasters. Typhoons, volcanoes, and earthquakes happen to them every year.
But the great thing about Filipinos is that they recover quickly. They're so used to natural disasters they adapt and find ways. This is what makes them resourceful and reliable workers.
Let's talk about that in this episode.
I've noticed over the years that my OFS "don't like" going on vacations.
They do go on vacations. They have unlimited vacation time. But they rarely ask for it. They even work on days they should be on vacation.
I think the best way to explain this would be to tell Julia's story and how she spent her non-vacation in this episode.
Depending on when you hear this, this episode might be too late, too early, or just in time.
Regardless, the 13th month is a big deal in the Philippines. We don't have it here, so I understand why people have so many questions about it. Like when you should pay it, how much or should you even pay it?
I'll try to answer all of those questions in this episode.
I get a bunch of questions about giving raises, like:
- how much of a raise should you give?
- how often should you give?
- does it affect benefits?
I'll try to answer all of them and more in this episode.
I created Onlinejobs.ph to solve the problems I have encountered when hiring a VA from an agency. The difference is just astounding.
When you hire directly, you have access to more talent, you have more freedom, you save money and your Online Filipino Specialist makes more money.
There are a bunch more pros to hiring directly through Onlinejobs.ph. Let's talk about that in this episode.
If you need help hiring a great OFS, I can help you with that at OneVAAway.com
When I was starting out, I hired from a VA agency because I didn't know what to do. I didn't know there were other options.
I know I'm biased because I own Onlinejobs.ph but I've hired enough people from agencies before to know they're not always the best option. Let's talk about that in this episode.
There's no such thing as perfection. But if you have a good hiring process (like the one I teach at OneVAAway.com) and find a great Online Filipino Specialist, it can feel like you found the perfect person for your business.
In this episode, let's listen to Laurie about her experience hiring at OFS from Onlinejobs.ph and how it has transformed her business.
I'm gonna make some people uncomfortable here and will likely offend more with this episode.
Yes, UpWork is good, but I don't think it's good for business or the workers involved.
If it's great for workers and business, Onlinejobs.ph shouldn't exist.
Let's talk about it.
I remember being called "Sir" by my OFS for the first time. It was uncomfortable. But over the years, I have realized it's cultural. It's a sign of respect for them.
Now, some of my OFS team call me by my name, but most still call me "Sir."
Do you want to understand why Filipinos do it and what you should do about it? Let's talk about that in this episode.
Also, if you're looking to hire your Online Filipino Specialist, you can find them at Onlinejobs.ph.
When you hire an Online Filipino Specialist, you're changing their lives. You're giving them the opportunity to provide for their families without leaving the country.
When you hire an OFS, you're giving them hope for a better future.
If you have stories like the one Mark sent me, I'd love to hear them. Email me at john@onlinejobs.ph.
Ever wonder how an OFS can keep working even when they're on vacation?
Find out how OFS balances work and fun while making sure they get things done wherever they are.
Need someone who can help you with your business? Check out OnlineJobs.ph now.
Don't let holiday changes disrupt your workflow with your OFS. Check out the 2024 Philippine Holiday Calendar!
Awareness of Philippine holidays is really important when you have OFS working for you. To stay informed, check out our holiday calendar at onlinejobs.ph/holidays. We keep this current and updated, including sudden changes done by the Philippine government.
Meet Iryn, a Spanish-speaking OFS. Her story is like many others from the Philippines, but it's pretty amazing.
Irene stands out because she's all about doing the right thing, even when no one's watching. That's what makes OFS great!
So, if you're looking for a reliable Filipino worker like Irene, check out Onlinejobs.ph. There are plenty of great candidates waiting to help you succeed.
Letting go of an OFS. It's tough, but I'll give you simple advice.
First, tell them early, so they have time to find another job.
Second, if they did well, give them a positive review on OnlineJobs.ph.
Lastly, if possible, offer them some money when they leave.
It doesn't have to be hard. Just be honest and nice. By doing that, you're not just handling a situation; you're making things better.
You've heard me talk about the disappearing Filipino. But this time, let's talk about another thing that might disappear in the Philippines in the future: the jeepney.
It's a cultural icon, but it's inefficient, it's not safe, and it's kinda crazy. Let's talk about the jeepney in this episode.
Hiring an Online Filipino Specialist you can rely on is the first step to keeping yourself from being overwhelmed with work. Find someone you can trust and take a step back.
Stop doing everything yourself. Hire a great OFS from OnlineJobs.ph and make a change.
Need to give your OFS access to country-restricted sites? Want to make sure sensitive information that your OFS is working on stays secure?
I had my team do the research on this. I'll share what they found in this episode.
Ever feel like your team's not quite nailing it? Maybe, just maybe, it's the instructions.
Giving instructions is a significant part of hiring Online Filipino Specialists. When your instructions aren't clear or complete (even if you think they already are), that's when you don't get the results you expect.
Want to know how I give clear instructions that my OFS team can understand? Listen to this episode to find out!
The Philippines has many volcanoes. They have volcanic eruptions yearly, so Filipinos are used to them and find ways to work through them.
This has made them resilient in the face of natural disasters. Even our own Filipino team. They thrive amidst the challenges and just keep working.
Want to find workers as dedicated as our team? Visit OnlineJobs.ph and change lives today!
This is a late episode about the Philippine elections, but I wanted to talk about it because there's something new to it. Like, did you know that Filipino teenagers can register to vote and run for local positions?
It's not something we have here in the US, but it's really interesting and gives you more insight into the culture of your OFS.
I'm sharing with you one of my OFS' workspace—expect cracks, surprises, and a lot of inspiration.
Be inspired, and ask your team for their workspace pics. Let's transform the way we work together!
Visit OnlineJobs.ph to find your perfect match.
How do I go out of town and not tell anyone? While I'm away, my OFS team keeps my business running smoothly.
It took many years to get to this point. I started with outsourcing one task. Now, practically everything in my business is outsourced.
Want the same freedom? Hire an Online Filipino Specialist from Onlinejobs.ph.
One thing that makes my day is when I get emails or texts from my OFS team telling me about their day. From birthdays to business wins, your OFS is more than just a helper—they're a key part of your success story.
Let me guide you through my hiring steps at OneVAAway.com to find your OFS for your business at OnlineJobs.ph.
Ever wondered why an OFS might hide their pregnancy? Louise shares a surprising story, and Julia breaks down cultural insights.
Find your perfect OFS at OnlineJobs.ph . If you need help with hiring, I can walk you through my hiring steps at OneVAAway.com.
"How much does it cost to hire from OnlineJobs.ph?"
It's just a one-time $69 for access to a dedicated talent pool. No hidden costs, no markups.
Whether you're looking for a newbie or an experienced worker, we got you covered. Visit OnlineJobs.ph for the best person for your business.
Need help hiring? I'll guide you through my hiring steps at OneVAAway.com.
When do you help your Online Filipino Specialist (OFS) financially?
It depends. Let me tell you what I use to judge when and if you should help.
Ready to find the best OFS for your business? Head to OnlineJobs.ph.
Want to learn how to find and hire the best OFS for you? I give you the system I used hiring my 35 OFS at OneVAAway.com.
I'm sharing this inspiring story about Elaine. She is an OFS dealing with diabetes, yet thriving in the online world. Her resilience and success resonate with many of us.
Curious about finding your own rockstar team member? Head to Onlinejobs.ph and let my hiring steps at OneVAAway.com guide you.
Company culture isn't just about ping pong tables or free lunches. It's about values and how your team is treated. Treat them right, and they'll treat your clients right.
Discover the power of hiring the right fit for your team through OnlineJobs.ph. For insights on finding the perfect match, check out OneVAAway.com. Because, let's face it, a great company culture starts with the right people.
You can watch Atiba's video about company culture here: https://johnjonas.com/creating-company-culture-with-the-right-people/
Hiring the top 1% – it's not as difficult or expensive as you might think. If you're serious about hiring the best, check out OnlineJobs.ph. I've been doing it for years.
Don't just take my word for it. Atiba shares how he found the top 1% talent for his business here: https://johnjonas.com/can-you-find-the-top-1-of-workers/
Subscribe for more tips, and when you're ready to level up your team, head to OnlineJobs.ph.
Do you want your business to make a difference? Make a meaningful impact?
Hiring an OFS is not just about getting tasks off your plate. It's about creating opportunities for incredible individuals in the Philippines.
We see this all over the place. One great example is Atiba and his team. He helped give his employees a better life: https://johnjonas.com/when-your-business-makes-a-difference/
Ready to make a change? Check out OnlineJobs.ph, hire the best, and change their lives today!
Ever heard of "Hospital Watchers" in the Philippines? It's a unique practice where family members, often your OFS, stay with patients in the hospital. They're not required, but it's a cultural thing.
It's fascinating how this cultural difference impacts healthcare. And if you're ready to level up your team, find your perfect Filipino worker on OnlineJobs.ph. Let's make it happen!
If you'd like to see hospital watchers and read what I've talked about in this episode: https://johnjonas.com/hospital-watchers-are-a-thing-in-the-philippines/
Are you paying your OFS enough or too much?
Let's explore the fine line between fair pay and getting the most out of something. Remember, when you hire an OFS, it's not just about tasks; it's about changing lives.
Want to find an amazing Online Filipino Specialist for your business? Go to OnlineJobs.ph !
Typhoons in the Philippines. It happens all year round.
Here are insights on how these storms impact our Filipino team members and what it means to you as an employer.
Ready to find the best Online Filipino Specialist for your business? Head to OnlineJobs.ph. Want to learn how to hire so you can get it right on the first try? Check out OneVAAway.com. Let's make your business thrive together!
At Onlinejobs.ph, we offer unlimited PTO. No tracking and no stress.
So how can we afford to do it that way? How do we maximize productivity with a flexible schedule? While it may not fit every type of business, let me tell you how we do it.
What's your PTO strategy? Let me know at John@OnlineJobs.ph.
Kiel, a member of my rockstar team, faced a family emergency. When that happens, showing compassion and understanding is the best thing to do because life happens!
If you need a reminder of Karen's story: https://johnjonas.com/i-left-my-career-to-care-for-my-sister/
If you need help recruiting an OFS, visit our recruiting page (which Kiel handles): https://www.onlinejobs.ph/recruiting
Ever wondered how hiring a remote team can transform your business?
EJ created a fun work environment with his Filipino team. They had spontaneous karaoke sessions, which later became a weekly tradition.
It's not just about business; it's about building a fantastic team and having a blast along the way.
You can build an awesome time like EJ and hundreds of thousands of other business owners like him. Just go to Onlinejobs.ph and sign up for an employer account today!
I got a bunch of questions from Daniel about holidays and benefits. I will answer his questions in this episode, but if you want to learn more about holidays and benefits, just go to https://onlinejobs.ph/holidayshttps://onlinejobs.ph/holidaysand onlinejobs.ph/benefits.
Since we also get asked about taxes a lot, go to OnlineJobs.ph/taxes to find out how we deal with taxes with our OFS team.
My amazing OFS team finally got a chance to meet face-to-face and let me tell you, it was pure gold. The team gathered for dinners and drinks, laughing and even doing some work.
Join me as I share their story and explain why meeting your team in person is just as awesome as it sounds.
Want to hire rockstars like the people from my team? You can find them at Onlinejobs.ph
My programmer, Vince, shares a heartwarming vacation story. But it's more than that. It's about cherishing moments and how blessed they feel because they work online.
When you hire an OFS, you're not just growing your business; you're changing lives. Let's make it happen! You can find a programmer like Vince at Onlinejobs.ph
In case you want to see Vince's vacation photos: https://johnjonas.com/blessed-to-be-working-from-home/
Are you still on the fence about hiring an Online Filipino Specialist? Listen to Di's success story and find out how taking a risk changed her business and her life.
Ready to make the move? Check out OneVAAway.com – your ticket to finding the best OFS for your team. Get off the fence and start the change your business needs today!
Did you get too many applications for your job post at Onlinejobs.ph?
In this episode, I share what I do when I get too many applicants and how to screen them easily.
If you want to be guided through my hiring steps, visit OneVAAway.com.
In my experience, Filipinos aren't that good at project management. But with time and clear expectations, Filipinos can achieve great results in project management.
Understanding their culture can be challenging, but it helps reach your goals. Let's talk about that in this episode.
The secret ingredient behind successful employers working with Online Filipino Specialists is empathy.
Employers like Elishama's. He leads a great OFS team and genuinely cares for and supports them. Why? Because kindness works like magic in business.
Ready for some inspiration? Let's dive in!
We love sharing real stories from the Philippines because they're fascinating. Take Karen, for example. Like many Filipinos, she came from a small town and moved to a big city to work. But now she works from home to care for her sister. You'll see photos of them here: https://johnjonas.com/i-left-my-career-to-care-for-my-sister/
We'll share more stories like this in the coming months, so stay tuned!
What happens when your OFS runs out of things to do? I got a surprising message that showed how important it is to pay a salary, even without work. It's a win-win that goes beyond just business.
Join me as we explore why paying a salary can be a game-changer for both you and your Filipino team members.
I share a heartfelt story about Ben. He is a valued member of my social media team. His wife is an OFW, and she makes sacrifices for their family. It's a reminder that every hire isn't just a job; it's a life-changing opportunity.
Tune in for the real talk, the tears, and the impact of making a difference in someone's life through online work. Let's dive in and explore the power of hiring with purpose. This is more than just outsourcing; it's about changing lives, one job at a time.
You can see a picture of Ben and his wife here: https://johnjonas.com/i-want-my-wife-back-with-us/
Ever wondered why strict schedules don't always apply? Come with me as I tell you about my son's mission on a small island.
Learn how knowing the Filipino view of time can impact your outsourcing journey. Knowing the cultural differences and how to work with them makes outsourcing successful.
I share a cool story about my team member's getaway to La Union. From Luna pebbles to unexpected rock adventures, we dive into the charm of this sleepy town. Plus, a quick tip on encouraging your team to take those well-deserved breaks. Join me for a dose of outsourcing wisdom and a touch of wanderlust. Let's get into it!
You can find her vacation photos here: https://johnjonas.com/my-ofs-went-on-vacation-in-luna-la-union/
Communication is critical, especially when your team is rocking the work-from-home vibe. Trust me, I've been there. Not only does it keep things running smoothly, but it's a game-changer for building trust.
I help people succeed by sending video feedback and tracking their progress regularly. We don't have fancy phone calls. We have good vibes, meaningful communication, and a sprinkle of Filipino magic.
Whether you're experienced or new, this episode has the secret to success for your OFS team. Let's dive in!
Want to give your OFS training? Go to VAsMadeEasy.com
From nurses to caregivers, Filipinos excel at it, and it goes beyond the workplace. We'll hear a personal story from one of my amazing team members, Jam, who effortlessly balances work and caring for his parents.
Join us for a glimpse into the heart of Filipino culture and discover how it adds that extra flavor to our outsourcing journey. Tune in for a blend of insights, real-life stories, and practical tips. Because, hey, life and work are just better when we understand the 'why' behind it all.
How much should you boost your OFS's paycheck? Tune in for some real talk on raises, performance vibes, and why inflation might make this year a bit special. Get ready for the lowdown on being generous without breaking the bank. Let's make those raises count!
Spencer's story is a testament to taking imperfect action and making it work.
If you're hesitating to hire, this one's for you! Tune in, take notes, and let's make your journey with OFS a game-changer.
Want to learn how you can hire an OFS today? Go to OneVAAway.com.
Want to know where Spencer found his workers? Go to Onlinejobs.ph
Discover how hiring through Onlinejobs.ph can be a game-changer, not just for your business but for changing lives in the Philippines. Let's get into the heartwarming story of Mariah, showing how your decision to hire can make a real impact.
Tune in for the full episode because at Onlinejobs.ph, we're not just about outsourcing – we're about changing lives.
You can watch Mariah's story on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/gn6FAMCO0jo
An OFS working from the hospital is pretty common. When there's a medical emergency, the whole family is involved. So, your OFS often has to balance family emergencies with professional commitments.
Want to know how we deal with this? I'll share in this episode.
Forget "hire slow and fire fast" – it's time to rethink your outsourcing strategy.
Discover how hiring quickly and nurturing trust can lead to rock-star workers in the Philippines.
Learn the key to successful outsourcing at OneVAAway.com.
Being too busy isn't something to be proud of.
Learn why prioritizing your time and outsourcing tasks can lead to a true work-life balance.
Visit Onlinejobs.ph and make a positive change today.
Ever thought about hiring an OFS bookkeeper? Rhonda's experience reveals the immense value they bring to your business without compromising data security. Discover the untapped potential of working with OFS at Onlinejobs.ph. Tune in and transform your team!
Want to know where Rhonda hired her amazing OFS? https://www.onlinejobs.ph
Once you've hired your OFS, it is easy to pay them with https://www.onlinejobs.ph/easypay
Filipinos have really strong family ties. Grandparents and parents care for their kids; when they are all grown up, they're expected to care for their parents and grandparents.
So when they have to choose between caring for their parents or grandparents and their jobs, it's a really big dilemma for them. Some might even quit their jobs when faced with that decision.
Want to know why it happens and how you can avoid it with your OFS? Let's talk about it in this episode.
Kathleen is one of hundreds of thousands whose lives and businesses have been transformed by Online Filipino Specialists.
In this episode, I want to read to you her email about her OFS team.
Now that you know her story, let me know what's holding you back from hiring. Email me at john@onlinejobs.ph
One of the most fulfilling things about hiring an Online Filipino Specialist is how it changes generations of lives. When you hire a great OFS, you're helping families and communities.
Want to know where to find a great OFS? You can find them at Onlinejobs.ph.
Do you feel like you're not ready to hire an OFS (Online Filipino Specialist) because you can't give them enough work?
Or you want to hire an OFS, but you have so many things you want to outsource, and you don't know where to start?
One way to help you get started is to think about hiring an OFS to do part of a task. Something simple. Something you want to get off your plate ASAP.
Let's talk about it in this episode.
Want to know what tasks you can give to your OFS? Check out OFSTasks.com
I built my business where other people do the work.
I've always wanted to be a business owner but didn't want to work 16-hour work days. I knew that meant hiring people to do the work.
Want to know how to get started on this process? Let's talk about it in this episode.
Want to know where I found the best people to work for my business? Go to OnlineJobs.ph.
Need some help in taking that leap? Go to OneVAAway.com
As business owners, we need to know what's happening in our business.
We need to understand our business and know what's going on, but we don't necessarily need to know the all technical details.
Why? Because it's impossible to know every single detail.
So, how do you hire someone for a job that you don't know how to do? What if it's a task you don't know how to train your OFS for?
Let's talk about it in this episode.
Want to give your OFS training that they can use for your business? Go to VAsMadeEasy.com
Can you find really skilled, technical talent in the Philippines? Yes!
Steve has been doing it for years. He hires engineers to do complicated financial analyses for banks and businesses. Not only does he know how to find them, his OFS team has been with him for years!
Wanna know how he did it? Let's talk about that in this episode.
Want to know where Steve found his people? He found them at Onlinejobs.ph
Most people who listen to my podcast, read my newsletter, and customers of Onlinejobs.ph are experienced business owners.
Around 5% are inexperienced. And some think that they can have an Online Filipino Specialist build their business for them.
That doesn't work. It just doesn't work that way. Let's talk about it.
This podcast is in response to Cathy's questions in this episode: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/sF11fs9KMCb
Wyn gave more great answers to her questions and I wanted to share them with you today.
One reason I often get from people when I ask them why they haven't hired an Online Filipino Specialist (OFS) yet is that they're too busy to hire someone.
That doesn't make sense. How are you too busy to do something that will make you less busy?
Let's talk about that right now.
Want to learn how to hire an OFS in under 2 hours? Go to OneVAAway.com.
I could make more money if I modeled Onlinejobs.ph to be more like Upwork and Fiverr. But I chose not to for a number of reasons.
Want to know what those reasons are? Listen to this episode to find out.
I say NO to a lot of things.
I do it because I value my time. I do it because I only have so much mental bandwidth, and I want to save it for the most important things.
That's how I live the 17-hour work week.
I do say YES to some things. Want to know what they are? That's what I'll be talking about in this episode.
Sometimes, I can be a bad retail customer. I buy and return a bunch of stuff.
Because of that, I've seen these companies' different types of customer service. The really good ones really clicked with me. It inspired me and gave me ideas on improving our customer service at Onlinejobs.ph.
Almost everybody I know who hired an Online Filipino Specialist (OFS) wishes they had done it sooner.
If they had hired sooner, they could have grown their business faster. They would have saved more time instead of wasting it on low-value tasks.
If you're still on the fence about hiring an OFS, read my book, The Outsourcing Lever. It explains how having an OFS can change your life. You can get it for free at OutsourcingLever.com.
I don't do phone or Zoom calls when hiring an OFS.
Don't do it. It's the wrong approach when doing this. It's a big waste of time.
Want to know why? I'll explain in this episode.
If you want to avoid other hiring mistakes like this one, got to OneVAAway.com.
Not knowing if you can keep your Online Filipino Specialist (OFS) busy is a vision problem, not a delegation problem.
Once you see what your OFS can do, their skills, and their initiative to do more, giving them enough work to keep them busy gets easier.
Let's talk about it in this episode.
Still have questions about what an OFS can do? Check out OFSGuide.com
Is AI good or bad for your Online Filipino Specialist?
AI can be an amazing tool if you already have a great OFS. It can make them work better and be more efficient.
It can't make a bad worker better.
I'll explain in this episode.
Cathy sent me an email a while back asking how she can hire an OFS for her brick-and-mortar accounting firm. She sent me a bunch of questions.
My OFS answered them for me, and they're really good. So I'm going to share those answers in this episode.
Evaluating business opportunities is one of the foundations of living the 4-hour work week. That's how I've been able to maintain my 17-hour work week lifestyle.
I never sell time for money. If I have to do most of the work and I can't delegate it to someone else, I often say no.
Want to know how it works? That's what I'll be explaining in this episode.
In this episode, I want to talk about Marcjem. He's one of the people my son has befriended on his mission in Marinduque. He's a college-educated, experienced graphic designer, and he's unemployed.
Doesn't make sense, right? But this is a common occurrence in the Philippines. Want to know why? Let's talk about it in this episode.
I have a video for Aaron Hall. He's an attorney and talks through what it's like to hire and work with an OFS team.
This is a big deal because we know how important it is for an attorney to have a team that has attention to detail and diligence because mistakes can cost them a lot.
It's a long video, so I'm going to link it here if you want to watch the whole thing yourself: https://youtu.be/DlQppmjHV2U
Would you like to make a video like this and share what working with an OFS is like? Please email me at john@onlinejobs.ph
I get many messages from people who failed at hiring an OFS.
It could be people who
- didn't find enough applicants or
- can't find the right person or
- hired someone, but it didn't work out.
Not finding the right person the first time happens. But you're not learning from your mistakes if you only tried it once and didn't try again.
Let's talk about that in this episode.
Do you have a similar story to share? Email me at john@onlinejobs.ph.
Want to learn my hiring steps despite my failures? Go to OneVAAway.com
This is my favorite episode by far.
I have mentioned that my son is on a mission in the Philippines. He's on this island called Marinduque and seeing firsthand what it's like to live there. He's seen why it's hard to find full-time work and why they must leave their homes to find jobs.
So I'm going to let my son explain why this is happening in Marinduque and what we're doing at Onlinejobs.ph to help them.
I know training is hard. I know you're too busy and just want to hire someone great.
But you still need to train your OFS because it solves a lot of problems early. Let's talk about that in this episode.
Want an easy way to train your OFS? Go to VAsMadeEasy.com
We all want our workers to show accountability. That's why we have time trackers and productivity managers. But if you want your OFS to stay loyal and only work for you, you also have to balance that with a bit of flexibility.
I'll share with you how we do it at Onlinejobs.ph in this episode.
What about you? How do you balance accountability and flexibility with your OFS team? Email me at john@onlinejobs.ph.
The first person I hired back in 2005 still works for me today.
Over the years, I've had numerous experiences where my OFS showed amazing loyalty.
Filipinos are loyal, given that you treat them well. This makes a huge difference in any business.
Hire an OFS today: Onlinejobs.ph
Want my help in hiring an OFS? Go to https://www.onevaaway.com/challenge.
How do you give your Online Filipino Specialist more tasks?
One of the ways I've been able to outsource so many things to my OFS team is I look at processes. You train and delegate related tasks to your OFS. You plan it out so that, eventually, you get the entire process, not just tasks, off your plate.
I'll share with you how I do it in this episode.
The short answer is yes.
I have hired a lot of talented people over the years doing so many things in my business. I also know so many business owners who tell me about the amazing workers they found in the Philippines.
Want to know how to find these people for your business? Let's talk about that in this episode.
Want to find people you can trust? I cover that at OneVAAway.com
I have five kids, so I do a lot of teaching. But teaching an Online Filipino Specialist is so much easier.
Want to know how I train my OFS? Want to know how to implement it in your business? That's what we'll be talking about in this episode.
If you want to learn how I make my training videos: http://www.quickvideolearning.com/daily/2021-02-11_10-48-53.mp4
To get access to the resources I use for training, check out VAsMadeEasy.com.
Today, I want to talk about the two biggest mistakes people make in their business.
The first mistake is not really understanding how your business works. If you don't know how your business works, then you won't know what you can and can't outsource to an OFS.
The second mistake is not knowing how to sell your product or service.
How damaging are these mistakes to your business? Let's talk about that.
A DISC Assessment is a tool that helps people assess their strengths and weaknesses in a workplace setting.
My friend, Russell Brunson, requires anybody who wants to work for him to take this test because it's a really good indicator of whether or not the person is a good fit for the job or for your company.
How can you use DISC for hiring an OFS? Let's talk about that in this episode.
If you want to see my interview with Mandy: https://youtu.be/v4kFsQrJszo
Recently I talked about how I handle things when my OFS get sick: https://johnjonas.com/how-do-you-handle-when-an-ofs-gets-sick/
I got a lot of amazing messages from other business owners telling me how they handle things when their OFS gets sick. I'm going to share some of those messages with you today.
The term VA (virtual assistant) has bugged me for a long time. The term assistant implies that when you hire a VA, you're hiring someone unskilled. That they can only do data entry and other menial tasks.
That's not who you want to hire. That's not who you're getting when you hire from the Philippines. When you hire someone from Onlinejobs.ph, you're hiring an OFS, an online Filipino specialist.
Let's talk about that.
It's been a while since anyone from my OFS team asked for maternity or paternity leave. So for most of this episode, I'll read what Julia wrote about it because she knows this topic really well. I will interject every once in a while to give you my thoughts, share my experience with it, and explain why you don't have to worry about maternity and paternity leave.
I receive around 40 daily reports from my OFS team every day. I can't respond to all of them, but I read them all.
The habit of sending a daily report is really important because:
- It lets me know if they're working and progressing.
- It gives them a chance to ask me questions.
- It's proof of their accountability.
Let's talk about that.
Trust is the number one question I get asked. How do I find someone I can trust?
It's understandable not to trust something unfamiliar. But Filipino workers, over the years, have proven to be very trustworthy.
A lot of that has to do with the culture there. They want you to trust them, and they want to do great work because they want to keep working. They want to keep a job that pays well to continue providing for their families.
Let's talk about that in this episode.
Want to know how you can find trustworthy OFS for your business? Learn my hiring process at OneVAAway.com.
Paying people is the easiest part of hiring an Online Filipino Specialist.
There are so many options now, and most of these options are compatible with the financial services your OFS has access to.
Let's talk about that (and more) in this episode.
When you have an OFS (Online Filipino Specialist) resign early, it can be super frustrating. You put in all this time and effort to hire someone. You think you found a great worker, and you're looking forward to working with them. Then all of a sudden, they disappear!
Why does this happen? And what can you do to stop this from happening? Let's talk about that.
By the way, this hasn't happened to me since I tweaked my hiring steps over 10 years ago. Want to know how I did it? Check out my process at OneVAAway.com
If you've already hired an OFS, you can skip this episode.
If you've been listening to my podcast for a while and still haven't hired an OFS, I want to know why. What's stopping you? What are your questions?
I answer a bunch of those questions on OFSGuide.com. I answered the most frequently asked questions there.
But if you have questions that I wasn't able to answer there, let me know! Send me an email at john@onlinejobs.ph
Never pre-pay for work, especially with a new OFS.
Don't pay for their internet or laptop or medical expenses.
An OFS asking you to prepay for work is a big red flag.
However, there is an exception to this rule. I'll tell you what it is in this episode.
If you want to learn how I hire people who don't ask to be prepaid for work, go to https://www.onevaaway.com/
Saving face is a defense mechanism that some OFS use when they make mistakes. It's a cultural thing that can cause them to work mindlessly, and I've encountered this for years with my own team.
But in the past couple of years, I've been making changes to how I manage my team, which has helped counter that. That's what I'll be talking about in this episode.
You can also read the rest of my mindless work series: https://johnjonas.com/why-your-ofs-sometimes-work-mindlessly-and-how-to-change-it-2/
There's a stigma attached to mental health issues and asking for mental health support in the Philippines. It's better now because Philhealth has some support for it, but it's still not enough.
In this episode, I'm going to share a story one of my subscribers sent me about the mental health struggles of their OFS and why their workers reacted that way.
Another major point that was raised in this story is about saving face. It's something that also affected the work of their OFS. You can read about that and the entire OFS series here: https://johnjonas.com/why-your-ofs-sometimes-work-mindlessly-and-how-to-change-it-2/
When you hire your 2nd Online Filipino Specialist, the process gets easier.
You'll know exactly what kind of person to hire. You'll know how to fix any problems you encounter with hiring.
That's the reason why people who successfully hire their 1st OFS eventually hire more. It gets better, faster and easier. Let's talk about it in this episode.
If you want to know what an OFS is and what they can do for your business, go to OFSGuide.com.
If you need help hiring an OFS, I can show you my hiring steps at OneVAAway.com.
Online Filipino Specialists are independent contractors; I want to make that very clear.
You don't need to give your OFS benefits when you hire them.
The "benefits" we give them are not legally required. They're just incentives for my team.
Let's talk about that in this episode.
Sometimes hiring the best person isn't really in the cards.
Sometimes finding the best person is difficult. Sometimes the best person isn't the best fit for your business.
So sometimes, your 2nd or 3rd choice might be your best choice.
Want to know why? Let's talk about it in this episode.
Holy Week was weeks ago, but I want to talk about it because it is a big deal in the Philippines, and many traditions surround it. My son is in the Philippines, and he's experiencing these traditions firsthand. I'll share with you some of these traditions and the pretty extreme tradition my son witnessed in this episode.
Writing a good job post usually takes me a couple of minutes. It's not that hard. Anybody can do it. It doesn't have to be long and specific. All that job post needs to do is attract as many qualified applicants as possible.
How do I do it? I'll walk you through my process in this episode. And if you want templates you can use for your job post, go to https://www.vajobposttemplates.com/
When I give my online Filipino workers instructions, I want to ensure that we understand things completely. So instead of just giving them the task and assuming that they understood the instructions, I also asked them for their thoughts. I also ask if there's a way to improve the process.
Why do I do this and how can you apply the same technique with your OFS? Let's talk about that in this episode.
I get a lot of messages from business owners complaining that their OFS resign early. I understand; it's frustrating. You put in all that effort looking for the right worker, and they quit after a few weeks? Why does this keep happening to some people? How do you prevent this from happening? Let's talk about it.
When my OFS, Twinkle, got sick, our first thought was that we hoped she would get better.
Twinkle's first thought was that she might lose her job.
We don't have much time-sensitive work, so even when our OFS gets sick, it doesn't affect our operations.
What about you guys? How do you handle things when your OFS gets sick, and you have time-sensitive projects? Email me at John@OnlineJobs.ph.
Everybody wants to hire someone amazing on the first try, and it's completely possible.
But sometimes, you will make mistakes, and that's fine. That's how you learn and do better. It's still worth it.
It's when you do nothing; that's the worst you can do.
Let's talk about that in this episode.
If you want to learn how to find a great Online Filipino Specialist on your first time, I'll teach you my hiring steps at OneVAAway.com
Email used to suck for me because I would get thousands of emails almost every day.
So years ago, I decided to have my OFS screen my emails.
Now I have a super manageable inbox!
You can have your OFS do this for your email too! Want to know how? Let's talk about it in this episode.
We're going to do something different today.
I'm going to share with you a case study we did with Bibi Raven from BibiBuzz. If you want some ideas for how to unify your virtual team and inspire them to grow professionally, you got to listen to this interview.
Yes, some online Filipino workers have multiple jobs. In fact, I caught one of my OFS working for another business.
Want to know how I caught that person and what I did after I found out? That's what we'll be talking about in this episode.
I don't recommend setting up shop in the Philippines because it's super complicated.
If you only want to set up shop in the Philippines so your OFS can have an office to work in, a co-working space might be a legitimate option for you. Let's talk about that in this episode.
I know some of you still work 40 hours a week, even with an OFS.
I haven't done a 40-hour workweek in years. The concept is overrated because a huge chunk of that time is spent on busy work. You don't need to work 40 hours a week to be super productive.
Want to know how you can be productive by working less? Let's talk about that in this episode.
I'm aware that there are poor-quality applicants at Onlinejobs.ph. That's why we introduced a new feature on the site, Apply Points, designed to help you weed out poor applicants so you can focus on those serious about applying for your job.
I'm going to explain Apply Points works in this episode. But it's been up for a while now, and I'd like to know what you guys think about it. Has it been helpful in your hiring process? Let me know! Email me at john@onlinejobs.ph
Job titles aren't important to me, but they're a big deal in the Philippines.
It's a source of pride for them because it advertises how good they are at their job and how much they make.
Using the right job title in your job post can also help you find better applicants. Want to know how? Let's talk about that in this episode.
Want to learn more about the other hiring steps I mentioned in this episode? Go to OneVAAway.com
I know some of you are hiring Online Filipino Specialists for phone support. I have an OFS who used to train call center agents, and he gave me suggestions on what to ask when you're interviewing someone for that position.
Do you want to know how I interview my OFS to find the best fit for my business? Check my hiring steps at OneVAAway.com
Hiring an OFS is like learning to ride a bike. Once you learn how to do it, you'll never forget how to do it.
And like riding a bike, having an OFS can give your life a lot of freedom.
Let's talk about that in this episode.
Want to learn how to hire an OFS so you can start hiring right away? Check out my hiring steps at OneVAAway.com
When you outsource a task you don't know how to do, managing the process is the struggle. If you don't understand the process, how can you manage the people doing the work?
Let's talk about that in this episode.
There are things that only you can do for your business. But there's also so many things that your Online Filipino Specialist can do to help save you time and make your business better.
There's an OFS in every industry so there's no reason why you can't hire one. If you want to know what tasks an OFS can do in your industry, check out OFSTasks.com
Something amazing happens when you treat your OFS (Online Filipino Specialist) well. Like when you give them training, it improves their work situation and lives.
Want to know what happens?
Let's talk about it in this episode.
If you want to give your OFS good training, check out VAsMadeEasy.com. If you want to find an amazing OFS, check out OneVAAway.com
Every week I talk to my son on the phone. He's on a mission for the Church of Latter-Day Saints on an island in the Philippines. What's interesting in our recent calls is that he's starting to see firsthand how hiring just one Online Filipino Specialist can help an entire community. I'll share that conversation with you in this episode.
Sometimes I hear about crazy, creative things that Online Filipino Specialists do for different businesses. Like recently, I found out from a group that some people hire Filipino personal trainers.
It's just amazing because it really opens up a lot of possibilities. Let's talk about that.
There's a quote from Walt Disney that says, "You can dream, create, design and build the most wonderful place in the world…but it requires people to make the dream a reality. "
That's it. That's what today's episode is about. Let's talk about that.
Digital theft rarely happens in the Philippines. But people still ask about it because they want to know why that's the case and what you can do if this happens to you with an OFS. So let's talk about digital theft in this episode.
One of the best things about having an Online Filipino Specialist is that I can give them small tasks. Tasks that frustrate me. Tasks that I really don't have the time and patience for. And getting it done is practically free.
How does it work? That's what I'll be talking about in this episode.
One of the answers I often get when I ask people why they haven't hired someone is because they can't afford it yet.
But when you always look at the things you can't do, you're already limiting yourself.
When you make a slight shift and look at how you can afford to hire someone to help you, your brain starts to look for opportunities.
Let's talk about that in this episode.
I have taken many videos for training and feedback for my OFS team over the years. I still have all of them and we still us most of what I made.
Want to know how I organize them? Keep track of everything? Find them when I need it again? Let's talk about that in this episode.
Here's the snagit video I was talking about: http://www.quickvideolearning.com/daily/2023-01-26_14-09-38.mp4
Around this time, it can get really hot in the Philippines. It's the kind of heat that can make you dizzy if you're not used to it. It's so hot that some employers even get their OFS fans or air conditioners to help them out.
But Filipinos adapt, and they find ways to make it work. Let's talk about that.
You know what's the hardest part about hiring an OFS? Writing and uploading a job post. But once you do it, it starts the ball rolling and the rest of the process gets easier. Let's talk about that.
If you need some guidance when it comes to writing a job post, go to www.vajobposttemplates.com. If you want me to help you through the entire hiring process, go to OneVAAWay.com.
When I talked about Mark, the Filipino worker that my son vetted a few weeks ago, I got a lot of emails. A lot of people wanted to hire him, not because he was skilled but because we knew he was trustworthy.
We do have a vetted worker program at Onlinejobs.ph. I don't normally talk about it because it's not how I want to run my business. But since many of you asked for it, let's talk about it today.
By the way, we have a promo for our vetted worker program right now. You can check it out here: https://www.onlinejobs.ph/vetted-workers
A few weeks ago I did a podcast about phone services: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/G1848ykNCwb
I got a lot of responses on that from other business owners sharing the phone services that they know. I'll share their answers with you on this episode.
You can read the newsletters I mentioned in this podcast here:
- https://johnjonas.com/phone-services-you-can-use-with-your-ofs/
- https://johnjonas.com/update-to-phone-services-you-can-use-with-your-of/
I often get asked how you can trust an OFS to work for you or are Filipino workers trustworthy. But do you know that your OFS is just as worried about trusting you as you are of them? Want to know why? Let's talk about that in this episode.
If you want my help in finding someone trustworthy, I can help you with that through OneVAAway.com.
This episode is longer than normal because I want to tell you a story about the only time I vetted a worker who's available for hire.
I featured him on my newsletter a few weeks ago. I want to update you on what happened because it's a great story, it has a happy ending and I think you're going to love it.
If you want to hire a great worker for yourself and you don't know where to start, go to OneVAAway.com.
ChatGPT is everywhere. Because of that, I'm often asked, can AI replace a virtual assistant? Well, it depends. Let's talk about that.
In 2023, you can expect around 9 long weekends. If this is going to affect you and your business, talk to your OFS and listen to this episode to find out what they are.
You can subscribe to our Philippine holiday calendar .
I got this email from Sara. She shared how she was drowning in life and in her business and how having an online Filipino specialist helped her tremendously. If you're like Sara and you feel like you're drowning because of all the work that's on your plate, listen to this episode.
Want to know what internet service providers your online Filipino workers have? Are they fast enough? Are they reliable? Let's talk about that.
If you want to see the price lists I mentioned in this episode, check out my blog post: https://johnjonas.com/what-internet-options-exist-in-the-philippines/
If you're super busy, finding the time to hire someone is really hard. But taking the time to write a job description and post it or go through applicants' emails is worth it. Done right, it'll only take you minutes, not hours, of your workday. And once you find the right person, you'll get thousands of hours back.
If you want to learn more about how to hire an O.F.S. in just minutes per day, go to OneVAAway.com.
Ever tried hiring before and it didn't work out? I understand. I've hired a bunch of times and failed. I hired locally. I hired in India. Even some of my hires at OnlineJobs.ph have failed. But the only way to drive and take control of your business is to get over your fear of hiring someone. Let's talk about it.
If you want to see Julia in her new car, here's a photo: https://johnjonas.com/facing-your-fear-of-hiring-an-ofs/
I've been asked many times to replicate OnlineJobs.ph in other countries, and I always say NO.
Sure, I could make more money if I had something like Onlinejobs.ph for different countries, but I don't do it.
Want to know why I say no? I'll explain in this episode.
I interviewed around 60 business owners to learn what their online Filipino specialists do for them and their answers shocked me. I wrote it all in a book that you can get at OFSTasks.com.
Why is it so hard for most of us to keep our New Year's resolution? How do we make sure the changes we want to make in our lives stick and make them sustainable? That's what I'll be talking about in this episode.
I was interviewed by Starter Story recently and I realized that a lot of people don't know how Onlinejobs.ph really started. I want to share that story with you today hoping it will inspire you to hire an OFS (Online Filipino Specialist) to grow your business. We really wouldn't have gotten to this point without my team in the Philippines.
You can see the interview here: https://www.starterstory.com/stories/onlinejobs
When I have some downtime, I find that it's the best time to write a job post and post it at Onlinejobs.ph. It helps get something out of the way and doesn't take time away from my work schedule. It's easy to do even when you're not super structured or organized. Let's talk about that in this episode.
If you're listening to this podcast as soon as it's published, now is the best time to hire someone. We usually see a spike in workers from January to February so if you're considering hiring someone, do it now!
How to take advantage of this new crop of workers in the Onlinejobs.ph database? Let's talk about that in this episode.
If you still have questions about hiring an online Filipino worker, check out OFSGuide.com. It answers most people's questions about hiring someone, and you should definitely read it before taking a leap.
It's easy to grow your business when you hire good people. Hundreds of thousands of businesses worldwide are continuing to grow because they hired good people who live in the Philippines. With Onlinejobs.ph, finding good people is just easier. Let's talk about that.
Amazon is available in the Philippines, but sending stuff there used to be really expensive. But Amazon now offers free shipping to the Philippines, so it's going to be cheaper if you want to send your OFS something. Want to know more? Let's talk about that in this episode.
We all know that working the night shift can cause problems for people who aren't used to it. But some of us need our online Filipino specialists to work nights.
In this episode, let's talk about how you can help your OFS stay healthy when working the night shift.
We don't use phone services because my partner and I don't like answering phone calls. But we get asked all the time what phone services their Online Filipino Specialist can use to make calls or use for customer support. Here are some options we know of and what other business owners use.
- RingCentral – https://www.ringcentral.com/office/plansandpricing.html#office
- Vonage – https://www.vonage.com.ph/unified-communications/
- OpenPhone – https://www.openphone.com/product/calling
- GoTo – https://www.goto.com/pricing/connect
- Linkedphone – https://linkedphone.com/pricing/
- Zoom Phone – https://explore.zoom.us/en/products/zoom-phone/
- Cloud Talk – https://www.cloudtalk.io/call-center-software
- Google Voice – voice.google.com
- Grasshopper – https://signup.grasshopper.com/plans
I know this podcast is really late but still relevant and something you can prepare for starting this year. Ideally, you should give the 13th month early in December. It's not a Christmas bonus and it's not required, but it's something I strongly recommend that you offer your Filipino workers if you can afford it. Let's talk about that in this episode.
We just updated our computer buying guide for your Online Filipino Specialist. Even though this episode if a little late but if your OFS is thinking of getting a new computer for themselves, send them this guide. It's really good. https://blog.onlinejobs.ph/pc-buying-guide-for-virtual-assistants
In this episode, I will talk about the Filipino tradition of gift-giving: Monito-Monita.
Since we're talking about gifts, listen until the end to find out what gift I have for you guys for this holiday season!
Paying an hourly rate is easier. Paying a monthly salary is actually kind of scary because that means you have to commit to making sure your OFS has something to do, and you can afford to pay them month after month.
Which one is better for you and your business? Let's talk about that.
The change in your business happens when you hire someone. Once you hire someone, you can always improve the hiring process you've learned at OneVAAway.com to suit your business better. Let's talk about that.
You can read about how Ziv modified his hiring process here: https://dailycookie.co/get-faster-results-for-your-business-with-an-ofs/
When you're transitioning your Online Filipino Specialist from hourly to monthly, what do you need to know? What's going to change? How can you prepare for it?
I'll answer all those questions and more in this episode.
If you look at everything I've written and all the podcast episodes I've recorded, hiring an Online Filipino Specialist seems like a complicated process. Like, there's so much you need to know before hiring an OFS.
Hiring an OFS is actually pretty easy. Just to let you know, all you need to do to get started is post a job at Onlinejobs.ph. Let's talk about that in this episode.
I can make things even easier for you and walk you through my hiring process with OneVAAway.com.
I often get asked whether an NDA is enforceable with an OFS (Online Filipino Specialist).
The short answer is no. But this shouldn't stop you from hiring an OFS or having your OFS sign an NDA if needed.
Why? Let's talk about that in this episode.
If you want good quality templates for contracts like an NDA for your OFS, we provide them here: onlinejobs.ph/hiringdocs
I've realized over the years that a bit of flexibility with your OFS helps reduce turnover. This could be flexibility in terms of work hours or flexibility in allowing them to try new roles within my business.
Want to know how this works? I'll talk about that in this episode.
We know how a great Online Filipino Specialist (OFS) can change our business. For the Filipino worker, having a full-time job that pays well and offers benefits is life-changing for them and their families.
That's the story that EJ shared with me, and I got really emotional reading it. I want to share that story with you today.
You'll see the pictures I mentioned here: https://johnjonas.com/how-ej-is-changing-the-lives-of-his-ofs/.
In college, I was told that being a business owner meant working long hours, day in and day out.
This was true for me when I first started my business. Now, I'm a successful business owner, and I only work 17 hours a week. I focus on tasks that bring sales into my business and outsource the tedious processes to my OFS (Online Filipino Specialist) team. We automate the process to make it faster and more efficient.
Want your own OFS team to take over the tedious processes for you? Go to OneVAAway.com; I will walk you through the process of finding someone so that you can have more time.
Yes, the Philippines does have a lot of holidays. Surprisingly, all those holidays help their economy. Let's talk about that in this episode.
Read this to learn how we deal with holidays and paid time off: shorturl.at/ILNY8
Use this Google calendar to keep track of all the holidays in the Philippines: shorturl.at/cQU23
This happened to me before. I hired someone, and it started great. They were very productive, and a lot of work was getting done quickly. Then all of a sudden, the work began to slow down, and the quality declined.
Why does this sometimes happen to your OFS (Online Filipino Specialist), and what can you do to fix it? Let's talk about that in this episode.
I know a bunch of you are having issues with your Online Filipino Specialist's English skills. I had the same problem and tried a bunch of things to improve my team's English. In this episode, I will share what we've tried, what worked for us, and how you can implement some of these solutions for your OFS.
Handing off a process to an OFS isn't just about telling them what to do, especially if it's a complicated process. You need to be involved at the beginning to set things up before you can hand things off completely.
In this episode, I'll share how I handed a big project to one of my OFS.
Here at Onlinejobs.ph, we strongly encourage the Filipino workers on our site to only have one job. But I know that is not the case for a lot of them. I wouldn't say I like that this is what's happening, but I also understand why this is happening. Let's talk about that today.
I know this will be controversial, but I believe turnover is mainly a management issue. Most people don't like hearing this, but there's a reason. Let's talk about that in this episode.
One way you can build trust and reduce turnover is to give your Online Filipino Specialist good training. You can provide your OFS with excellent training materials using VAsMadeEasy.com.
When people help each other, it strengthens their bond. I think it's great when employers and their Filipino teams work together to help those in need.
How does it work? Let's talk about that in this episode.
I recently got an email from Debbie asking how I do pay raises. What's a reasonable rate? How often should you give raises?
The short answer is that it depends. There's no straight answer to this because it depends on a lot of factors. Let's talk about that.
I also talk about Filipino work culture, which can help you a lot when hiring an Online Filipino Specialist. You can get that book at OutsourcingLever.com
When are you ready to hire an OFS (Online Filipino Specialist)?
There's usually a really good indicator for this. If you have a task that you know how to do that's repeatable and it's something that you can teach someone else to do, you're ready to hire an OFS.
Why? Let's talk about that in this episode.
At Onlinejobs.ph, we give our people paid holidays off. We don't have urgent stuff over the holidays, so we can afford to do this. But I know many of you NEED your Filipino workers over the holidays, especially if it's your busiest season.
So what can you do to ensure your business is covered over the holidays? Let's talk about that in this episode.
I'd also love to hear how you deal with this with your team. Send me an email at john@onlinejobs.ph
All Saint and All Soul's Days are big holidays in the Philippines. This year it was a really big deal because travel restrictions have been lifted. Today, we'll talk about what you can expect from your Filipino team when these holidays come around.
When most people think of convenience stores, they think of gas stations or places like 7-11. In the Philippines, the convenience store is the sari-sari store. You can find these stores all over the country, and they play a big role in the local economy. Let's talk about that in this episode.
I got an email from Jackie asking for help. Her OFS (Lia) is pregnant, and she wants to know how she can help. So I sent this question to my OFS (Julia), and she gave me a very detailed answer. I'll share with you her answer in this episode.
I mentioned health insurance in this episode. You can find them here: https://www.mariahealth.ph/
In this episode, I want to talk about how not to crash and burn with the Online Filipino Specialist you just hired. One of the biggest things you need to know is that fear is a big factor in this. When you understand how fear works in this situation and how to confront it, you'll be able to avoid this.
One of the benefits I give to my OFS (Online Filipino Specialists) team is the Pag-IBIG fund. It's an affordable benefit you can offer to your OFS. This benefit is optional. But if you want to offer them a benefit that can help them build up their savings, this is a good one to give.
I got this really interesting email from Jared after I sent out the disaster-proofing email, and he sent me a bunch of questions about it. Questions about the emergency fund, ISP back-ups, and what you do when your Filipino worker disappears. I try to answer all those questions and more in this episode.
Speaking of disappearing Filipino workers, I mentioned a blog post:
I know this podcast is really late. I was out when the Karding and Ian happened, so I only found out about it when I got home. It seems bleak, but this is one of these moments where the best of humanity shines; when we come together to help each other out
I know some of you might be overwhelmed with all the payment systems out there. Which one should you use to ensure your OFS (Online Filipino Specialist) gets their salary? Which system is the best? Let's talk about that in this episode.
Never tell your friends the name of your OFS (Online Filipino Specialist).
Why?
Because people are lazy. If they know you have an amazing OFS already working for you, it's easier for them to try to hire that person from you than recruit someone for themselves.
What can you tell your friends about your OFS? Let's talk about that in this episode.
I want to know, what's preventing you from hiring an Online Filipino Specialist? What can I say or do to encourage you to hire an OFS today? What are you struggling with when it comes to hiring?
I would love to know and answer those questions. You can email me at john@onlinejobs.ph.
I've talked about SSS quite a few times already, and people are really curious about it. It's a good benefit for your Online Filipino Specialists, and people want to know more about it. So today, I'll be talking about what your OFS can get when they sign up and regularly contribute to SSS.
It's that time of the year when I get a lot of questions about the 13th month. When do I pay it? How much does it cost? Is it required?
I'll answer all those questions and more in this episode.
I get asked this question a lot on whether or not an Online Filipino Specialist is an employee or an independent contractor. They're independent contractors. I'll explain why it is in this episode. I also cover this at onlinejobs.ph/taxes
The SSS benefit is optional, but it's a good benefit to give because it can have a big effect on your OFS (Online Filipino Specialist) life. I'll explain what your OFS can get from it and how we deal with SSS with our team in this episode.
I want to start this episode with a disclaimer. I am not an accountant or a lawyer. You shouldn't listen to me. Always consult your accountant or attorney. I just want to share how I deal with taxes concerning my OFS team. We've been dealing with taxes on our Filipino team for years.
It's not that complicated. You're hiring an independent contractor. There's no tax liability on your side. Once you find a great Filipino worker to get things off your plate, it will change your life.
If you're interested in what tasks other people give to their OFS, check out https://www.ofstasks.com/
When I first started outsourcing in the Philippines, their internet was not good. For years, the Philippines had a bad reputation for having the slowest internet in South East Asia.
But in recent years, their internet speed has gotten better. Some of my OFS even use mobile data regularly for work. Let's talk about that in this episode.
Once you hire the right Online Filipino Specialist (OFS), it can change your life. That's why hiring a worker there is still worth it despite all the natural disasters in the Philippines.
There are ways to mitigate the impact of disasters on your OFS. In this episode, I'll show you the four ways you can "disaster-proof" your OFS.
If you know a Filipino or you're tried hiring an Online Filipino Specialist, chances are you have encountered someone who lives or has lived in Manila. It gives you the impression that Manila is a massive place covering most of the Philippines.
In reality, Manila isn't that big. There's also a good reason why so many people work and live in Metro Manila. Let's talk about that.
If you wanna see how big manila really is, check out the map I have here: https://johnjonas.com/why-do-so-many-filipinos-live-in-manila/
It's back-to-school season in the Philippines. After 2 years of online classes, they're back in the classroom, and back-to-school shopping is now more of a challenge. Let's talk about that in this episode.
The Philippine government just released the list of 2023 holidays. We're going to talk about that in this episode.
To integrate that list into your calendar, click on the link below.
https://calendar.google.com/calendar/ical/lcvk4qcjgj299mlqs7b02b7pmk%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics
You should also check out how we deal with paid time off and holiday pay here: onlinejobs.ph/holidays
One thing you'll find in a lot of Filipino homes is the banig. It's a colorful woven mat that's traditionally used for sitting and sleeping. Now they use it for a lot of other things too. Let's talk about it.
If you want to see what a banig looks like, check out my blog post: https://johnjonas.com/the-charming-filipino-banig/
Hiring an Online Filipino Worker that already has another job is not ideal but sometimes it's your only option. But if this person is a good fit for you and your business, there are ways to make it work. Let's talk about it.
When I hired my first Filipino worker, I was scared. I didn't know if I had enough work to keep them busy. I didn't know if I'd be able to afford to pay them.
Years later, I realized that hiring my first worker and having those first changed how I thought about things. That's what made me a better business owner and boss. It's that change in mindset that allowed me to enjoy the lifestyle that I have today.
Let's talk about that in this episode.
Want to know what tasks you can delegate to your OFS? I asked hundreds of employers about the jobs they have their OFS do. You can get this list at OFSTasks.com
Let's talk about the disappearing Filipino. This is what happens when your Filipino worker just ghosts you or disappears. Stops responding to messages completely.
It usually happens in specific situations, and there are ways you can avoid this. I'll explain in detail in this episode.
Knowing the basics of Philippine geography can help you when you're outsourcing. You'll know if your OFS is affected by a natural disaster. It makes it easier for you to relate to them because you can find where they live on a map. Let's talk about that in this episode.
To learn more about Philippine work culture, check out my book at OutsourcingLever.com.
Every once in a while, I monitor the USD/PHP exchange rate. Major fluctuations in the exchange rate can affect how much your OFS receives. If the US dollar is strong, they get a lot more. If the dollar's weak, they could lose a significant portion of their income. Let's talk about that.
One of the things I consistently outsource is writing. It's not that I can't do it; I just hate doing it. It wears me out mentally and physically. It was a relief when I finally got to outsource writing, but I knew it could be better. I'll share my process with you in this episode.
If you're interested in learning how I hire writers, check out my course at https://www.onevaaway.com/.
I started using Basecamp in 2005 to organize my work. This was before I even started outsourcing. When I hired my first Filipino worker, I taught him how to use Basecamp for work. Now, my team uses it for everything.
Today, I will talk about how we use Basecamp and how you can use any project management system with your Online Filipino Specialist.
I'm not a big movie guy, but I know a lot of people are really into superhero movies. I know a lot of Filipinos are into it. It's a big part of their culture, and it's really interesting. let's talk about that in this episode.
I know this episode is late, but it's an integral part of Philippine history and culture, so we're talking about it in this episode.
If you want to be up to date on Philippine holidays, you can subscribe to our Google calendar. We just updated it to include the 2023 holidays! https://calendar.google.com/calendar/embed?src=lcvk4qcjgj299mlqs7b02b7pmk%40group.calendar.google.com&ctz=Asia%2FManila
This news is a little outdated, but I want to take this opportunity to talk about typhoons in the Philippines and how they can affect your OFS. Do typhoons affect the entire country? How bad can it be? Let's talk about that.
I don't like Facebook. I don't log into Facebook. But I do a lot of Facebook ads. My OFS team does most of the work for me.
Want to know how we do it? I'll talk about our process in this episode.
I get a lot of questions about benefits and how much I pay for them per year. I'm going to answer that question in this episode. But it would be good if you also check out how I did the math in my blog post: https://johnjonas.com/whats-the-ballpark-cost-for-ofs-benefits/.
We have another blog post that talks about these benefits in greater detail. https://blog.onlinejobs.ph/how-to-compute-for-filipino-va-benefits
I'll publish a more extensive, updated guide to these posts soon.
You've outsourced tasks you know how to do and it's off your plate. Now, you want to outsource something you don't know how to do. Want to know how to do it? Let's talk about that in this episode.
Jonathan emailed me an interesting question that I think is relevant to everyone hiring OFS. I'm going to answer that question in this episode because I think it'll provide us with some good insight into what banking is like in the Philippines.
Most houses in the Philippines nowadays are cookie cutter. They live in townhouses and condos. But back then, houses had character and were built to work with the climate. Want to know more about it? That's what we'll be talking about in this episode.
Are you having a hard time hiring an Online Filipino Specialist? You may be making these six mistakes. Know what these are and how you can avoid them in this episode.
Want to be better at hiring an OFS? Find out how you can make hiring easier with OneVAAway.com
Every culture has its superstitions. When I lived in Brazil for two years as a missionary, they used to put a 2-liter bottle full of water on top of their home's power meter to lower their electricity bill. The Philippines have superstitions, and it's interesting to hear about them. Let's talk about that in this episode.
Can your OFS recruit for you? I get this question a lot. I have asked this question myself over the years. I realized that it's a good idea for the most part, but there are caveats you need to know. Let's talk about that in this episode.
Want to know how I hire VAs? Go to OneVAAway.com.
I give my workers additional pay for their benefits. This is completely optional. You don't have to do this. But if giving benefits is something you want to do, then you got to listen to this episode.
It's always hot in the Philippines; no wonder they have a lot of cold, sweet treats to cool them down. Let's talk about some of the most popular ones in this episode.
Sometimes hiring inexperienced workers or "newbies" can work out better than hiring an experienced worker. Why is it sometimes better to hire a newbie over an experienced worker? Let's talk about that in this episode.
If you're worried that you don't have the resources if you're hiring a newbie worker, check out our training library at VAsMadeEasy.com
Data security is a common concern when outsourcing to an Online Filipino Specialist. How secure are their devices? How secure is their internet?
Filipino workers have the same level of technology security as we do here in the US. The real risk actually comes from people, from you and your OFS.
How do we fix it? That's what we'll be talking about in this episode.
Vacation is supposed to be happy and relaxing. Sometimes, this isn't the case in the Philippines. Sometimes your Online Filipino Specialist would hesitate to take a vacation. Want to know why? Let's talk about it in this episode.
I noticed that a lot of businesses, even those that aren't necessarily considered online businesses, would have a Filipino worker doing lead generation for them. How we do lead generation in our business is different from how most businesses do it, but it might give you some ideas on how a Filipino lead generation specialist can help you. Let's talk about that.
Do you want your Filipino worker to learn how to do some of our lead generation work? We have training resources at VAsMadeEasy.com
This news is really late but I think it's important that we still talk about it because it was a really strong earthquake and it caused a lot of destruction in the Philippines. Might still be worth talking about with your team in the Philippines.
Making mistakes is always frustrating, but even more so when others make mistakes on your time and your dime. You can't eliminate mistakes completely but you can minimize them when working with your online Filipino specialist. That's what we'll be talking about in this episode.
One way to minimize mistakes with your OFS is to give them training. You can give them a lot of training with our library at VAsMadeEasy.com
I always found foreign currencies interesting. I would keep some as souvenirs and use them as bookmarks.
It turns out the Philippines is making a big change with their currency. They're shifting from paper to polymers, like in Mexico and Australia. It's not going to affect the way you outsource, but it's interesting how the Philippines is changing culturally. Let's talk about that.
Even though the Philippines has managed the spread of the pandemic, it continues to affect Filipinos in their day-to-day lives. The situation there is a little better, but it's still hard. Let's talk about that in this episode.
Many of you asked why and how I provide health insurance to my OFS team. Below are the links I mentioned in this episode that can give you more information.
https://johnjonas.com/philhealth-vs-health-insurance-whats-the-difference/
https://johnjonas.com/how-we-provide-health-insurance-to-our-ofs/
https://johnjonas.com/health-insurance-for-your-online-filipino-specialists/
When I started outsourcing, there was no manual. I had to figure things out on my own. Over the years, I discovered that hiring an Online Filipino Specialist doesn't have to be complicated; people tend to overcomplicate things because they want to ensure they're doing something right. That's what we'll be talking about in this episode.
The way people pick their names in the Philippines differs from here in the US, and it's actually a cool part of their culture. Let's talk about that.
Many people have been asking how we deal with holidays and paid time off here at Onlinejobs.ph. They want to know if they can use it for their business. I know the way we do things may not work for everyone, but I'm going to share it in this episode in case it works for you.
A few weeks ago, I did an episode about traditional Filipino breakfast and got a lot responses about it. I didn't expect people to have strong opinions about breakfast, and they're pretty fascinating. So I'm going to share with you some of those responses and more Filipino breakfast trivia in this episode.
Cleaning your house is a universal experience. In the Philippines, they also have brooms and other cleaning materials, that are modified to better fit their climate and homes. Let's talk about it.
We have an amazing team of developers here at Onlinejobs.ph. In this episode, I will introduce you to one of them and share how I hired him.
If you want to hire your own developer and you're struggling with what to put in the job post, we're giving away templates here: https://www.vajobposttemplates.com/
I get asked by many people to do the recruiting for them, and I always say "No." Do you want to know why that is? I'll answer that question in this episode.
You know what's even better than asking me to recruit for you? Doing the recruiting yourself so you can find the best person for your business. I'll teach you how to do it at OneVAAway.com.
The impact of inflation is happening all over the place. We saw it while we were in Europe. It's also affecting your OFS. Want to know how it's affecting them? Let's talk about it in this episode.
Training an OFS sucks. It’s not fun. It takes time. It requires you to think.
But it’s 1000% effective and will return on your time investment over and over again.
To make things easier, I'm giving away social media training you can give your OFS for free! https://media.onlinejobs.ph/SOP_training/3StepstoQuickandEasySocMedContentCreation/SOP-The3StepstoQuickandEasySocialMediaContentCreation.pdf
We're constantly improving Onlinejobs.ph to make the experience better for you. Let's talk about some of the improvements we made in this episode.
I went to Europe for a month. I went cycling with my family for a month. We started in Paris and went around Germany and Austria. I didn't bring a laptop, but my business just kept going.
How did I make it work? Let's talk about that in this episode.
Nursing and retirement homes exist in the Philippines, but it's rare. It's too expensive for a lot Filipinos. Also, culturally this isn't something they usually do. Want to know why? Let's talk about it in this episode.
Want to make your OFS more productive? Give them training! It's available at VAsMadeEasy.com
This is a follow-up to the question on should you have regular meetings with an OFS. Brent sent me an email talking about how he does meetings and why they work. Let's talk about that in this episode.
By the time this episode is published, Ferdinand (Bongbong) Marcos Jr would officially be the next Philippine president. We don't expect the way we outsource to change with him taking over, but his presidency is stirring up a lot of emotions. Let's talk about that.
Ever wonder where your Online Filipino Specialists work while they're at home? What's their home set-up like? Do they have home offices or do they work for the kitchen table? Let's talk about that.
In this episode, we'll discuss the Philippines' minimum wage. We'll answer questions like, "Is the minimum wage in the Philippines enough?" and "What are the expenses of a typical Filpino family?" You can see the tables we used to answer those questions here: https://johnjonas.com/minimum-wage-in-the-philippines/
I also invited Julia, one of my OFS, to try hosting the podcast. Let me know what you guys think!
Stay tuned tomorrow for another catch-up episode.
We all know that Filipinos love boxing because of Manny Pacquiao. But did you know that Filipinos actually love basketball more? I didn't. I was surprised by how deeply embedded basketball is in the Philippines. Let's talk about that.
If you want to see pictures of the things I mentioned in this episode, click here: https://johnjonas.com/basketball-is-bigger-than-boxing-in-the-philippines/
Stay tuned tomorrow for a catch-up episode.
Understanding Filipino culture helps you work with your Online Filipino Specialist. One thing about their culture we're seeing a resurgence of is the Baybayin or ancient Philippine script. We'll talk about that in this episode but if you also want to see what it looks like, check my blog post about it: https://johnjonas.com/baybayin-the-philippine-script/
I got an interesting email from Kym about her OFS who couldn't take criticism or praise. I've never encountered this before so I couldn't give a straight answer. I do have a few ideas about why this is happening. That's what we'll be talking about in this episode.
Biking across Europe, we had to pack light. The good thing about it is we know exactly what to wear daily. But it also meant doing laundry every 2-3 days. If you want to see how we managed to do it, you can see the pictures here: https://johnjonas.com/the-interesting-history-of-the-barong/
If you work in the Philippines, they have a shirt they wear to work that really unique to them. It existed even before Spain colonized them and is still in use today. Let's talk about that.
Stay tuned tomorrow for a catch-up episode.
One of the things I tell people when they hire their first Filipino worker is to always pay weekly, at least in the beginning. It helps build trust. It protects you and your Filipino worker. I'll share why and how this system works in this episode.
Got other questions about hiring an online Filipino worker? Go to OFSGuide.com
While I was on vacation in Europe, I got a eat a lot of things I hadn't had in a long time. I had bread and grains for every meal, stuff I usually wouldn't eat at home.
Julia shared with me what they usually like to eat for breakfast in the Philippines. Let's talk about that in this episode.
If you want to see the breakfasts I had in Europe and the food Julia wrote about, you can see them here: https://johnjonas.com/the-typical-filipino-breakfast/
I never had a receptionist or a secretary. So it was really interesting to find out that Filipino virtual receptionists exist. Just goes to show that with the right training (VAsMAdeEasy.com) you can have Filipino workers talking to clients and your clients can be very happy about it.
Stay tuned tomorrow for another catch-up episode.
I admit I'm a little behind. I was in Europe for a whole month. But I think it's important that we still talk about June 12, the Philippine Independence Day. It's a regular holiday in the Philippines. Let's talk about it.
For more information on Philippine holidays and subscribe to our holiday calendar: https://blog.onlinejobs.ph/holidays-and-pto
Stay tuned tomorrow for a catch-up episode.
This is a little bit outdated, but I still wanted to talk about it because it's a big deal. Mt. Bulusan in the Philippines just erupted, and it affected many people. Let's talk about it.
Should you have regular meetings with an OFS? It depends. If you need it and your business needs it, it works. If it doesn't then you don't need to do it.
Let's talk about that in this episode.
Do you have questions about hiring an OFS? Get answers from OFSGuide.com
I believe that when you show trust, kindness, and consideration, it always comes back to you. When you do this with your OFS, it brings amazing results. Let's talk about that today.
If you want to see that message and the castle I talked about in this episode: https://johnjonas.com/trust-consideration-and-kindness/
Want to show that you trust your OFS? Give them training! VAsMadeEasy.com
Stay tuned tomorrow for a catch-up episode.
One of the benefits some employers give to the OFS is PhilHealth or Philippines socialized medicine. Recently, they announced a rate hike in the required contributions.
If you're paying Philhealth for your employees, you need to know this. Let's talk about it.
My team and I work on many projects. We're constantly creating or improving on what we have. All those projects go into our Basecamp.
Even though we all work on Basecamp, we don't all use it the same way. Want to know how we get things done? That's what I'll be talking about in this episode.
For the last month, I was on a mini-retirement in Europe. It was amazing.
I've had mini-retirements over the years because I knew my Filipino team can keep things running while I'm away.
I'm going to share with you how they keep things going in this episode.
Need training resources to help your OFS? Go to VAsMadeEasy.com.
I don't really like doing video interviews. I don't do video interviews when I recruit people. But I understand why people like them and continue to do them. Let's talk about that today.
If you want to see the medieval castle I was talking about, you can see it here: https://johnjonas.com/pros-and-cons-of-video-interviews/
My family and I caught a lot of attention when we went on vacation in Europe. It's not every day you see an entire family biking wearing bright colors.
You can see the kit we wore here: https://johnjonas.com/philippine-election-results-update/
The recent Philippine elections caught a lot of attention as well. Let's talk about that in this episode.
Want your OFS to manage your email but don't want them to give them your username and password? Use Gmail delegation! Let's talk about that in this episode.
You’ve thought about hiring an OFS but you have questions.
Here are the answers. ===> https://www.ofsguide.com/
One way you can protect your data and have some degree of security is by controlling access to files and information. You can do this with Google Drive and OneDrive. Let's talk about it in this episode.
You’ve thought about hiring an OFS but you have questions.
Here are the answers. ===> https://www.ofsguide.com
One of the things many employers worry about is that their Filipino worker will steal their data. But in my experience, Filipinos don't want to steal your data. There's no need or incentive for it.
Let's talk about that in this episode.
You’ve thought about hiring an OFS but you have questions.
Here are the answers. ===> https://www.ofsguide.com/
I didn't know that last mile carriers used virtual assistants until we've seen an uptick in their job posts at Onlinejobs.ph.
Last-mile carriers are the trucks that bring products from ships and trains to stores and retailers. It's an old and very niche industry that uses Filipino workers to help them out.
In this episode, let's talk about this and other niche industries that use OFS.
You’ve thought about hiring an OFS but you have questions.
Here are the answers. ===> https://www.ofsguide.com/
The Philippines just concluded its elections. It made the news worldwide because of how controversial it is. Let's talk about it.
If you want to read about Ferdinand Marcos Sr. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_Marcos) and how his son is involved in this election (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_Philippine_presidential_election)
You guys asked for it. We finished creating individualized training courses at VAsMadeEasy.com and they're now available for sale! Let's talk about this and more in this episode.
Occasionally, the Philippines celebrates Muslim holidays like Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. Why would a predominantly Christian country celebrate Muslim holidays? Turns out, the Philippines has a strong Muslim population. Let's talk about that in this episode.
You’ve thought about hiring an OFS but you have questions.
Here are the answers. ===> https://www.ofsguide.com/
I talked about balikbayan boxes a while back. If you missed that episode, you can read about it or listen to it here:
- https://johnjonas.com/shipping-to-the-philippines-through-balikbayan-boxes/
- https://anchor.fm/secretsauceofoutsourcing/episodes/Ep--107-Shipping-To-the-Philippines-Through-Balikbayan-Boxes-e1grlro
After I published them, I received an interesting response with more information about balikbayan boxes. So, let's talk about it.
I'm often asked how someone can empower their Online Filipino Specialists to work more or do better. I've talked about this a bunch of times, but Billy came up with a fantastic process that I think everyone should know. Let's talk about it in this episode.
You’ve thought about hiring an OFS but you have questions.
Here are the answers. ===> https://www.ofsguide.com/
Filipinos are generally trustworthy. You don't have to worry about them stealing your information. But if you're still worried about this, let's talk about what you can do to minimize your security risk when working with an Online Filipino Specialist.
You’ve thought about hiring an OFS but you have questions.
Here are the answers. ===> https://www.ofsguide.com/
How you train your Online Filipino Specialist matters. You want training that teaches them what to do and empowers them to do better.
How do you do it? That's what I'll be talking about in this episode.
Also, if you need resources to help train your OFS, check out VAsMadeEasy.com.
***This episode was recorded days before the event but as part of learning about the Philippines, we decided to still publish this.
On May 9, a big election is coming up in the Philippines. They'll be voting for a new president and other government officials. It's not normally a holiday but your OFS may ask for a day off because voting is really inefficient there.
That's what we'll be talking about in this episode.
You’ve thought about hiring an OFS but you have questions.
Here are the answers. ===> https://www.ofsguide.com/
One of the perks my team gets is we pay for private health insurance. We also pay for Philhealth. Most people think it's the same thing but they're actually different. I'll explain the difference in this episode.
If you got other questions about hiring an OFS, check out OFSGuide.com. I've answered the most common questions there.
I don't like daylight savings time. I don't think it makes sense. The Philippines doesn't do daylight savings time too. It can be a problem when your OFS (Online Filipino Specialist) doesn't know about it. Let's talk about that.
This isn't the only cultural thing you need to know when hiring an OFS. Get my book, The Outsourcing Lever, to learn more about Filipino culture and how it works with outsourcing.
Filipino workers respond well to good feedback. What does good feedback look like? That's what we'll be talking about in this episode.
To help you guys out, here are the links that I mentioned in the podcast:
- OutsourcingLever.com - To help you understand Philippine work culture better
- VAsMadeEasy.com - Training you can give to your online Filipino specialists
- https://johnjonas.com/how-to-easily-train-your-ofs/ - This is how I set up my SnagIt when I make feedback/training videos
Most people are familiar with buses, trains, and cars when they commute. In the Philippines, they also have that, but they also have jeepneys, tricycles, kalesas, and so much more! Let's talk about that.
If you want to see what these vehicles look like, check out my newsletter: https://johnjonas.com/what-its-like-to-commute-in-the-philippines/
You're not legally required to provide health insurance for your OFS, but it's a good thing, especially if you can afford it and really love your team. It inspires loyalty and gives them peace of mind.
Here's how we do it with our OFS team.
Don't forget to check out the links I mentioned in this episode:
- https://blog.onlinejobs.ph/benefits-give-ofs-online-filipino-specialist-practical-advice
- https://blog.onlinejobs.ph/how-to-compute-for-filipino-va-benefits
- https://www.mariahealth.ph/
Everybody knows about the 80/20 or the Pareto principle. In my business, I try to focus on the 20% that drives 80% of our sales, which is content creation. Everything else, I delegate.
It's the same for Steve Raiken of RaikenProfit.com. He focuses on his 20% and outsources everything else to his team in the Philippines. If you want to know how he does it, watch his video: https://youtu.be/j7_A2MIgYUA
What's the 20% that drives your business? Do you spend most of your time on it? Or do you spend most of your time avoiding it? Let's talk about that.
Want to train your VAs for your business but don't know where to start? We have training resources to get your VA trained right away! Just go to VAsMadeEasy.com
In 2012, the Philippine government made changes to improve their school system. One of these changes is the introduction of senior high school. It's two years of additional schooling to better prepare students for college and give them essential skills to start working right away if they want.
How would this affect you if you want to hire an online Filipino specialist? Let's talk about that in this episode.
A couple of typhoons entered the Philipines two weeks ago. It hit Visayas and Mindanao and brought more rain than expected. If you have Filipino workers in those places, you may want to check on them to see if they were affected.
I grew up in Southern California, so I wore flip-flops a lot. I'm used to it because it's super comfortable to use when you're on the beach.
In the Philippines, flip-flops are a cultural thing. They really love their flip-flops, aka 'tsinelas'. That's what we'll be talking about in this episode.
To learn more about Filipino work culture, check out my book, The Outsourcing Lever.
David Baker is a busy non-profit minister who needed a lot of help. Hiring a local employee was too expensive, so he turned to the Philippines. At first, David didn't know what he was doing. But with OneVAAway.com, he finally found the best OFS for his business, and now he's doing even better than ever.
Let's see how David did it in this episode. You can also check out the training library we just launched: VAsMadeEasy.
Electronics like laptops and smartphones are more expensive in the Philippines than here in the US. That's why it's sometimes tempting to ship items to them.
Want to know why computers and phones are more expensive there? That's what I'll be talking about in this episode.
You’ve thought about hiring an OFS but you have questions.
Here are the answers. ===> https://www.ofsguide.com/
Shipping to the Philippines can be costly. However, you can send gifts cheaper if you send them using a Balikbayan box.
What is a Balikbayan box? How do you use it? That's what we'll be talking about in this episode.
I often get a lot of good, insightful responses when I send out a newsletter. But when I talked about my daughter taking the ACT and how school doesn't prepare you for a real job, I got a nasty reply.
But it was still good because it gave me a better idea of what schools do for us. It also reminded me why we created VAsMadeEasy.com. We created this product to help your OFS improve and progress in life. And that's what we'll be talking about in this episode.
The Philippines has 4 holidays this April. Talking about it early so you guys know about it. It's likely they're going to ask for days off during these holidays so you're ready if it does come up.
Want to know more about Filipino work culture? Want to understand how to make it work for your business? Get my book, The Outsourcing Lever.
In my last podcast episode, I talked about why training is important for your OFS. But what if you don't have any training ready or you don't know where to start. Today, I'm going to talk about our done-for-you training library, VAsMadeEasy.com.
Training is an integral part of Filipino work culture. It's so important Filipinos have a name for this, OJT or on-the-job training. It's so prevalent that most Filipino companies provide this, and the Philippine government encourages this.
Why does OJT exist? Do you need to provide this when you hire an OFS? How do you provide on-the-job training?
For that last question, I have an answer for that. VAsMadeEasy.com. That's what I'll be talking about in this episode.
A month ago I made Joven the manager of Onlinejobs.ph. He's the first person I hired and he's amazing.
Was he always this capable of managing these things? No way! When I hired him he knew nothing about the job. But now he's super capable. Not only that, I have 10 other people in my team who are just as capable as Joven.
How did this happen? That's what I'll be talking about in this episode.
This question is pretty polarizing. I know some of you believe that Filipino VAs shouldn't meet with clients AT ALL. I also know some who are okay with it and have even integrated it into their processes.
Ruben Kanya actually lets his VAs meet with clients and he sent me a video talking about it.
Why does he do it? How did he make it work? Let's talk about it in this episode.
You’ve thought about hiring an OFS but you have questions.
Here are the answers. ===> https://www.ofsguide.com/
Most high schools and colleges here in the US and in the Philippines don't really prepare you for work. They teach you how to think and take tests, but they don't arm you with valuable skills that you can apply right away. That's why most of us prefer workers with experience and stay away from fresh graduates.
It's the same thing with most VA training programs out there. Just because a Filipino VA is a graduate of a VA training program doesn't mean they have the skills you need. Unless they have a portfolio, or their previous employer can confirm this, or you can train them yourself, you shouldn't assume that they can start working without any onboarding.
We're working on a solution for this. I'll tell you more about it in this episode.
Preparing to get a job in the Philippines takes so much work. Filipinos have to go through a lot of red tape, and it takes a lot of time to get everything done. No wonder a lot of them are looking for work online.
How much time and effort does it take to prepare yourself to look for work in the Philippines? That's what I'll be talking about in this episode.
This is the video Bob was stalking about: https://youtu.be/xSPRM7sFrz4
You've thought about hiring an OFS, but you have questions.
Here are the answers. ===> https://www.ofsguide.com/
I recently had an episode about hiring Filipino workers that are students. I got an interesting response about this from Brett. Brett's OFS is a student, and he found a way to make things work. Want to know how he did it? That's what we'll talk about in this episode.
You've thought about hiring an OFS, but you have questions.
Here are the answers. ===> https://www.ofsguide.com/
In the last six episodes, I've talked about mindless work from your OFS:
- what's causing the problem and
- the solutions my OFS team proposed.
Today, I will talk about things I have done that improved the quality of work.
You've thought about hiring an OFS, but you have questions.
Here are the answers. ===> https://www.ofsguide.com/
In the past five episodes, I've been talking about why your OFS works mindlessly. Today, let's start talking about the solutions. Here are some of the solutions my OFS team has recommended. A lot of them have to do with decreasing the Power Distance Index.
You've thought about hiring an OFS, but you have questions.
Here are the answers. ===> https://www.ofsguide.com/
One of the answers that surprised me when I asked my OFS team why they sometimes work mindlessly is family culture. They care about the work when the company culture makes them feel cared for.
What does this mean, and what can you do to make your company culture a more caring environment? Let's talk about that in this episode.
This is the 4th episode in the series about why your OFS will sometimes work mindlessly.
Sometimes, it's just laziness. Maybe the work is too easy, which lends itself to laziness. Perhaps your OFS has become too comfortable with their tasks, and it is easier to check out mentally. Let's talk about it in this episode.
We're still talking about why your OFS sometimes works mindlessly. It's the 3rd in the series.
Today, we'll talk about why your worker will prioritize quantity over quality. It's something a lot of us may have encouraged in how we manage our OFS. Let's look into what we can do to fix that so our Filipino workers can prioritize quality work.
This is the 2nd episode in a series about why your OFS sometimes works mindlessly.
Today, I'm going to talk about the Power Distance Index. It's a measure of how much a culture respects authority. The Philippines is identified as one of those countries where the Power Distance Index is really high. In a way, this has contributed to your OFS doing mindless work.
I've talked about mindless work in the previous episode. This is the first in a series of what causes your OFS (online Filipino specialist) to work mindlessly. The number 1 cause is fear.
Fear has an interesting effect on Filipino workers. They react differently to it. How do they react? That's what we'll be talking about in this episode.
I've talked about when my OFS uploaded a bad video numerous times. I wanted to understand why this happened. Why do my OFS sometimes work mindlessly?
So I sent a newsletter about it, and I got a bunch of responses. It turns out I'm not the only one going through this. So let's talk about it.
You’ve thought about hiring an OFS but you have questions.
Here are the answers. ===> https://www.ofsguide.com/
I got an email from Brian asking how you can find online Filipino specialists with technical skills. This is a common question and finding these people isn't actually that hard.
Want to know how I find OFS with technical skills? I'll share in this episode.
You’ve thought about hiring an OFS but you have questions.
Here are the answers. ===> https://www.ofsguide.com/
Getting poor work from my team is one of the pitfalls of turning over everything to my OFS team. I wasn't sure how to fix this until I put a quality assurance person in place to go over everything before it gets to me.
That was over a month ago. Having a quality assurance process made things a lot better. How much better? That's what I'll be talking about in this episode.
You’ve thought about hiring an OFS but you have questions.
Here are the answers. ===> https://www.ofsguide.com/
Ruben isn't new to outsourcing. He's been hiring virtual assistants since 2014 but he still found a way to improve how he hires Filipino workers with OneVAAway.com.
How did the One VA Away challenge make it easier for him to find more OFS? That's what we'll be talking about in this video.
You’ve thought about hiring an OFS but you have questions.
Here are the answers. ===> https://www.ofsguide.com/
Do you want to see projects completed? Do you want your OFS's work to improve continuously? You need to set SMART expectations.
Yes, they're related to SMART goals. Want to know how they work together? I'll explain in this episode.
You’ve thought about hiring an OFS but you have questions.
Here are the answers. ===> https://www.ofsguide.com/
I have a lot of talented people in my life. I'm consistently surprised by the talent of the people around me. There's a lot of talent I see in other people that I don't possess.
I'm not alone in this. I get emails every day from people who are surprised to find a lot of talent in the Philippines. Let's talk about that.
Today, I found out that many Filipinos have more than one phone number. They do this to stay connected wherever they are. Also, for many OFS, it helps ensure that they're always online.
It's interesting how and why this came to be. That's what we'll be talking about in this episode.
Want to know the answers to the 9 biggest questions most people have about hiring an online Filpino specialist? Get the answers at OFSGuide.com. Then when you're ready to hire, go to OneVAAway.com and I'll walk you through the recruiting process.
The great thing about Filipinos is that they're incredibly loyal. Usually, if you hire an OFS, turnover is not an issue.
But what if your business is experiencing a high turnover with your OFS team? What's wrong? And what can you do to fix it?
Let's talk about that in this episode.
I'm often accused of being too nice to my OFS. Because of that, people ask me, what do you do to make sure they don't take advantage of you?
I'm reminded of this because I got this email from Desi. She's a really nice boss, but it seems like her Filipino worker is taking advantage of her, and she's asking me what she should do.
Let's talk about it in this episode.
It feels like there's a holiday every week in the Philippines. On February 25, there's the EDSA Revolution anniversary, which is a special non-working holiday. It commemorates the peaceful revolution that happened in the country in 1986.
Most of your OFS will likely work that day. But some might not be able to. Want to know why? I'll explain in this episode.
In the Philippines, there are two official languages: Filipino and English. But did you know that not all Filipinos are fluent in Filipino? You may find more Filipinos who speak and write in English than in Filipino.
Want to know why this is? Let's talk about it in this episode.
Want to know the answers to the 9 biggest questions most people have about hiring an online Filpino specialist? Get the answers at OFSGuide.com. Then when you're ready to hire, go to OneVAAway.com and I'll walk you through the recruiting process.
I've been running and managing Onlinejobs.ph for the longest time. It's been really good. But lately, I'm starting to see that I need help with this. I needed an operations manager.
So I gave the position to the first virtual assistant I hired, Joven.
Why did I give him the job? What makes him uniquely qualified to do this? Let me explain in this episode.
In the Philippines, a college education is vital. If you're going to school full-time, it's practically a full-time job.
At Onlinejobs.ph, we have people in our database who are still enrolled in college. A lot of them are really talented. But whether they can balance school and work is another thing.
So, should you hire a student? Let's talk about this right now.
You’ve thought about hiring an OFS but you have questions.
Here are the answers. ===> https://www.ofsguide.com/
I love getting tips from other employers.
I got this tip from Vin Carrano when he responded to my email about using LastPass. He uses virtual cards when making payments.
His OFS makes the payments so he can get that job off his plate. But using the virtual card gives him control over how much his OFS can spend and where they use the card. Isn't this a fantastic tip! Let's talk about it in this episode.
Did you know that the Philippines has two official languages: Filipino AND English.
English is so ingrained in their everyday life. Many street signs are in English. News, legal documents, government transactions, many are in English. They're so used to English that some Filipinos sometimes find it harder to speak Filipino.
Want to know why this is happening? Let's talk about it in this episode.
If you've already given up on your New Year's Resolution's don't be discouraged. You don't need to wait for some magic number to start making changes in your life and business.
You can start making those changes now. It's neither too late nor too early to do this.
We start by setting SMART goals. What are SMART goals? Let's talk about that in this episode.
I'm not a holiday guy or a celebration guy. However, this podcast isn't really about Valentine's Day. But I got this interesting email from my OFS about the love and courtship traditions in the Philippines. I want to share with you what she wrote in this episode.
Graphic design is one of those things that most businesses could use. Having a graphic designer really helps with marketing. It makes your product, packaging, and website look better. But a lot of people don't know how to hire a designer. There's more to it than looking at someone's portfolio.
What do you need to know when hiring a Filipino graphic designer? Let's talk about that in this episode.
You’ve thought about hiring an OFS but you have questions.
Here are the answers. ===> https://www.ofsguide.com/
Back in 2020, the eruption of Taal Volcano caused an ashfall that affected most of Metro Manila.
Recently, it's been active again, and people are anxious that it might cause the same damage two years ago.
Hopefully, that doesn't happen. I'm praying that the activity it's showing now is the worst of it. I am just doing this podcast to let you know what could happen.
Occasionally on Facebook, I get people complaining that they can't find talented workers in the Philippines.
Yet, at the same time, I also get emails and Facebook comments from people saying that they've found great Filipino workers for their business.
So which is it? Can you find great workers in the Philippines or not? Let's talk about that in this episode.
In the Philippines, there's this culture of helping called "Bayanihan." We see it regularly with our employees and other Filipino workers who go out of their way to help out when there's a disaster. People step in when they're needed.
Bayanihan, in a way, helped shape the Philippines into a great outsourcing location. Want to know how? Let's talk about it in this episode.
The Great Resignation is happening everywhere, including the Philippines. It's not good for businesses overall, but this created a silver lining for us.
Not only are we seeing more Filipinos sign up at Onlinejobs.ph, but we're also seeing more EXPERIENCED workers signing up. They're leaving their jobs because they want to work from home.
What does this mean for you and your business? Let's talk about it.
It seems like there's news about data breaches every week. It makes you worry, right? If big companies are vulnerable to a data breach, what can I do as a small business?
I used to worry about this with my OFS team. Could someone steal something? What are the consequences if I limit their access to data? I had to weigh these things.
Then I realized I was making less money worrying about things I had no control over. I also realized that there are a lot of common sense things I can do to protect my data. That's what we'll be talking about in this episode.
OFS stands for online Filipino specialist.
I've been using OFS for a couple of years now because I don't like using virtual assistants (VAs) anymore. I don't like it because most people associate VAs with admin or data entry work. The Filipino workers in our database at Onlinejobs.ph are more than VAs now. They're specialists. That's who you want to hire.
In this episode, I'll explain why it makes more sense to use the term OFS (and why you should hire an OFS, not just a VA).
We get this question a lot because we're so used to background checks here in the US. Everything from renting an apartment, buying a car, even volunteering requires a background check.
It's hard to do background checks in the Philippines because they don't have a system like ours where there are companies that collect your data through social security. But if you need a background check on your VA, I'll tell you a couple of ways you can do it in this episode.
When you're looking for a writer, the first and most important thing you need to look at is their English skills.
Don't settle for less. Find someone who fits the standards you want.
On top of that, I also have a list of questions I ask to make sure the writer I'm hiring is creative and is up to the job's demands. Want to know what those questions are? That's what we will be talking about in this episode.
I am not a big holiday guy. I know Chinese New Year is coming up because it's a special holiday in the Philippines. My team tells me it's the year of the Water-Tiger. If you follow Chinese horoscopes, they'd probably tell you whether or not it's a good year.
But I don't believe in that. I think every year can be a good year if you're making progress. You can make this a good year for yourself by making positive changes in your life.
What positive changes can you make today? I'll talk about that in this episode.
I understand that when people hire their first OFS, they want that person to work in their time zone. It makes things like meetings and training easier. I did the same thing when I started outsourcing.
But it just made things harder for my OFS. He wasn't used to working nights, so his health and productivity suffered. Eventually, we worked out a system that allowed both of us to be really productive despite not working simultaneously. How does it work? I'll show you how I do things in this episode.
I made this episode to show you that it's not all roses for me. Even now, I still have problems with outsourcing. My team still makes mistakes.
I'll tell you what happened in this episode and what solution we implemented to fix things.
When I started outsourcing, I didn't want to share my passwords with my team. I was worried about what might happen. Would they make a mistake and destroy something? Would they take advantage of me?
Then I realized that not giving them passwords was making my life harder. They can't work if they don't have access to the stuff they need. But I also need to make sure my stuff is secure.
How did I work around this problem? I'm going to talk about that in this episode.
Let's talk about Filipino culture and the barangay, their smallest government unit.
All Filipinos belong to a barangay. Knowing a bit about what happens there can give you an idea of what goes on in their neighborhoods. It's really fascinating, and I'll share what I learned about this piece of Philippine culture in this episode.
People sometimes stop themselves from doing the things they love or grab fantastic opportunities out of fear of making mistakes. I see this a lot in people who are hesitant in hiring online Filipino workers. Often, what they're afraid of is smaller than the benefits they can get when they outsource.
So how do you overcome this fear? I'll talk about it in this episode.
Want to know the answers to the 9 biggest questions most people have about hiring an online Filpino specialist? Get the answers at OFSGuide.com. Then when you're ready to hire, go to OneVAAway.com and I'll walk you through the recruiting process.
Things are getting back to normal despite Omicron. Hopefully, your business is recovering and growing. As you build your momentum, there’s going to be more work ahead.
Want to build your business differently? Listen to this episode to know how to start doing it.
You’ve thought about hiring an OFS but you have questions.
Here are the answers. ===> https://www.ofsguide.com/
Why do natural disasters happen regularly in the Philippines? It's because of their location. They're situated right in the middle of the Typhoon Belt and Pacific Ring of Fire. This makes them more susceptible AND more resilient because they're used to it.
I'll talk more about it in this episode.
New Year's resolutions fail because we have a lot of unrealistic expectations of ourselves. We expect way too much without putting in enough work. Or we get easily frustrated when we don't see a lot of change fast enough.
It's a lot like hiring an OFS. You got to be realistic about what you can do and what to expect. Let's talk more about it in this episode.
You’ve thought about hiring an OFS but you have questions.
Here are the answers. ===> https://www.ofsguide.com/
When I started my business back in 2004, I didn't have time to hire someone. I worked 50-60 hours a week on my business to keep it running. I also didn't know how to hire because there weren't a lot of resources back then.
But I knew I'd be stuck if I didn't hire someone. My business wouldn't grow, and I'll never have any time.
How did I get out of this situation? I'll share that story in this episode.
Before I hired someone, it was scary and a lot of work. I didn't know if they could get the job done. I didn't know if I could keep them busy full-time. I didn't know if I could afford it. The scariest part, for me, is that even if everything worked out, I knew it was going to take time to see some returns.
Eventually, I got over it. I did the work, and I'm now enjoying the returns. How did I do it? I'll share that in this episode.
No.
If you ask other business owners for recommendations, you're going to get the same answer.
Why?
Because if I'm going to take the time to recruit someone, I'm going to hire them myself.
What's better than asking for a recommendation? That's the question we're going to answer in this episode.
Yes, but not anymore. It used to happen a lot, but now it shouldn't affect how you hire. You can hire an OFS from anywhere in the Philippines. Brownouts are the least of your concerns.
However, suppose you want to understand why brownouts happen in the Philippines and how the situation has improved. In that case, I'll explain everything in this episode.
Like most people, I first tried outsourcing by hiring through an agency, thinking they know what they're doing. They're going to find the best person for me.
Big mistake.
It was a mistake because the hiring people didn't really care about me or my business. They hired those they thought were good enough, not the best people for my business. I'll tell you more about it in this episode.
It's scary letting go of a difficult task. Sometimes things do go wrong. Projects don’t get done right. Work isn’t perfect and it gets published. But when you get it right with your new OFS, it’s like riding no handed. And the next time it’s easier. And easier.
Let's talk about that in this episode.
December 30th is a regular holiday celebrating the national hero of the Philippines, Jose Rizal. Because it's so close to the New Year, most people start celebrating this time. But there's more to Rizal than just the holiday. In this episode, I'll talk about interesting facts about Rizal and why Filipino love him.
You’ve thought about hiring an OFS but you have questions.
Here are the answers. ===> https://www.ofsguide.com/
If you trust your OFS, why not? It's their job to help you with your business. It's your job to provide stability and take on the risk as an entrepreneur.
I do understand why some people wouldn't be comfortable with this arrangement. I just got an email from a client explaining why they don't like the idea of their OFS handling billing. Want to know how we resolved this? Let's talk about it in this episode.
Here in Utah, we usually take things easy in the week between Christmas and New Year's Day. It's relaxed. Offices and business are closed, so we take this time to visit family and go skiing.
In the Philippines, it's a different story. It gets hectic, and everybody's out to visit family and run errands. I'll tell you more about what happens this week in this episode.
Today, your OFS (online Filipino specialist) isn't going to be working. But it would be a good day to send them an email saying, "Happy Holidays." In that email, you could also thank them for the excellent job they've done for the year and give them an overview of what they can expect for the future.
We just updated the holiday calendar that we maintain for the Philippines. You'll find it in the blog post link below. The calendar is a Google calendar that you can download and integrate on your own. In the blog post, we also talk about the different kinds of holidays in the Philippines, paid time off, and expectations.
For the 2022 calendar, we added designation, so you'll see right away if that holiday is a regular holiday or a special one. I'll explain how you can use it next year in this episode.
https://blog.onlinejobs.ph/holidays-and-pto
Christmas is it for me. It's the day that I looked forward to the most when I was a kid, even now with my own kids.
But in the Philippines, the party happens the day before. Christmas and New Year's Day is when they sleep in.
Want to know what happens in the Philippines during Christmas and New Year's Eve? That's what I'll be talking about in this episode.
I know I talk a bunch about the 13th month already. But I keep getting these questions, so I will give you more answers. I'm also going to read what Julia (my OFS) wrote about the 13th month. It will explain why it's such a big deal in the Philippines and why Filipinos expect it. That's all happening in this episode.
When does Christmas start? Like, in my family, we have this friendly debate on when to start playing Christmas music and putting up the decorations. Do you begin after Halloween? Thanksgiving? First day of December?
In the Philippines, Christmas starts in September. They have a lot of other Christmas traditions that I think you're to find interesting, and we're going to talk about them in this episode.
I get asked all the time how to give gifts to their OFS in the Philippines. Sending stuff to the Philippines is not simple because of shipping issues. But sending digital gifts like ebooks or games can be an option if you know what your OFS likes. Let's talk about it in this episode.
One of the things people look forward to during the holidays is the food. I don't have that relationship with food. But I understand why people would feel that way. According to my OFS Julia, most Filipinos have that relationship with food, especially during Christmas. I'll share with you what she told me about the food traditions in the Philippines.
It's not that Filipinos don't want to own businesses. The process of opening and closing a business is just so complicated. It's easier to stay employed.
Want to know how complicated? I'll talk about it in this episode.
Just last week, we had a major SEO crisis. We couldn't find Onlinejobs.ph on Google or DuckDuckGo. So I emailed my guys in the Philippines and within the day, they figured out the problem and fixed it.
There is more to the story, and I will tell you all about it in this episode.
When your OFS (online Filipino specialist) isn't working as much as they should or as well as you expect, it's easy to assume that they have another job. But before you accept that, there's one thing you should do first: Ask.
Why?
Because asking solves a lot of problems, and the answers may surprise you.
Just so you know, now's a good time to send the 13th month. Filipinos depend on it. They expect it. They worry when it's late. You'll want to send it early rather than later. I'll answer some of your questions about the 13th month in this episode, but check out the links below if you want more information.
https://blog.onlinejobs.ph/13th-month-pay-practical-advice
https://blog.onlinejobs.ph/what-is-the-13th-month-is-it-required
I mentioned in my last episode that Filipino funerals are complicated. Just how complex is it? I will tell what goes on at a Filipino funeral in this episode. Once you hear this, you'll start to understand why Filipinos ask for several days off to help out with the funeral.
"Please don't fire me!"
That was the email Dylan got from his OFS when she told him that she had a death in the family and needed to take some time off. Dylan had no intention of firing her. But his OFS almost expected that he would because Filipino funerals are so complicated.
Why is this a thing? I'll explain in this episode.
We did a great case study with John Abbas. He runs a podcast where his OFS manages it and helps him stay on track. They built the website for the podcast, do graphics, do SEO, manage the YouTube channel, etc. It's a really classic example of an OFS helping to grow a business.
I got this great question from Jared, asking what I do when I need to subscribe to services that my OFS uses for our business. Like, how do I pay for it? Do we have a corporate credit card?
The answer is, it depends. I'll explain my answer in this episode.
Thanksgiving and Bonifacio Day (a regular holiday in the Philippines) both happen in the last week of November. The thing I love about these holidays is they revolve around gratitude and love.
My OFS, Julia, gave me a lot of cool facts about Bonifacio Day. Keep listening if you want to hear more about it. You can also check out the link below to read the poem I talked about in this episode. https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/1792/love-of-country-a-poem-by-andres-bonifacio
I got an email from Giuseppe, who has this cool method of teaching his OFS to do something new. He has them follow a 1:2:4:8 pattern. Want to know what that's all about and how it can help your online worker? That's what we'll be talking about in this episode.
I'm thankful for a lot of things. A lot of what I have was made possible because of my OFS (online Filipino Specialists) and the work that they do. Are you thankful for your OFS? How do you show your gratitude to your workers? Let's talk about that.
I always try to help people and I try to help when I can. I know this is the culture we have at Onlinejobs.ph, we just don't talk about it too much. That's why I was featured when one of my OFS was featured on the local news for doing something pretty heroic. Want to know what he did? I'll tell you about it in this episode.
People are shocked that I can run an 8-figure business working 17 hours a week. This is something I've done since around 2008 or 2009. I'm able to do this is because my OFS (online Filipino specialist) team gets the small stuff off my plate. Things that just aren't worth my time, I give it to them and it makes me more productive.
Want to know how you can do this for your business? Let's talk about that in this episode.
Moazan sent me an email. His Filipino virtual assistant (VA) has been working for him for a year now. He's asking me what's expected when a VA achieves this milestone. Do you give them a bonus? A raise?
I'll share my perspective on this milestone in this episode.
Typically VPNs are marketed towards giving you more privacy. But it's not unusual for an OFS to get a VPN for work. How would they use a VPN for work? What options are available if you want to get your OFS a VPN? Let's talk about that in this episode.
I just got an email from Rosalie about holiday pay for her OFS (online Filipino specialist) who's working part-time. She's asking whether she should give holiday pay or not and if she has to pay holiday pay, how much. I'm going to answer her questions and plus more information about holiday pay in this episode.
I get a lot of questions about the 13th month, especially near the end of the year. I'm going to answer some of those questions in this episode. But if you want more information about the 13th month, you can check out the links below.
https://blog.onlinejobs.ph/13th-month-pay-practical-advice
https://blog.onlinejobs.ph/what-is-the-13th-month-is-it-required
We recently did an interview with Paul Staten, he runs the super successful SEO Werkz. Paul does a lot of specialized OFS (online Filipino specialist) hiring, training, and managing himself. He gets a lot of applicants every time he has a job post and he shares some really great advice on how to deal with that in this episode.
I've managed a lot of people over the years and I've learned that people need to feel good about themselves. You got to treat people well because if you don't, it's going to cause problems.
I had the opportunity to apply this lesson both at work and in my personal life recently. I'm going to tell you all about it in this episode.
My OFS did something wrong on a project. It's not that they did a bad job. I just saw that they didn't put much thought into one element of that project.
Then I realized that what they did seemed right from their perspective, not from my perspective. There are going to be times where they do their best and still make a mistake. You have to be there to correct that mistake. I'll share how we resolved it in this episode.
My daughter Baily placed 4th in the Utah Mountain Bike State Championships. She's so happy and I'm really proud of her. She overcame a lot of adversity to get to that point. Because of all that hard work, a lot of good came out of it. You can see the pictures I took that day here: https://johnjonas.com/pushing-through-adversity/
I feel like often with virtual assistants there can be some adversity. But if you push through it there’s a lot of good to be had on the other side.
Employee benefits encourage workers to stick around. It's the same with Filipino workers. You're not required to give your OFS these benefits (hence the quotation marks). But giving these benefits goes a long way in making sure you'll have a long-term relationship with them.
If there's one benefit I think you should give, it's the 13th month. I talk more about that here: https://blog.onlinejobs.ph/13th-month-pay-practical-advice
If you're feeling generous and want to offer more benefits to encourage more of your rockstar workers to stay, here's a blog post about that: https://blog.onlinejobs.ph/how-to-compute-for-filipino-va-benefit
How do I know if I can trust my new OFS? How much access should I give my OFS?
That's the problem I encountered when I hired my first OFS, 'Jake'. I didn't know if I could trust him. But not giving him access to my systems was getting in the way of him doing his job. So I gave him access to EVERYTHING.
Want to know what happened next? I'll tell you in this episode.
When I buy something here in the US, it's easy. It's easy to have it shipped. It's easy to check if I can get something cheaper elsewhere.
That's not the case when you buy stuff in the Philippines. Laptops and computers there are more expensive. That's why people are asking how we buy equipment for our team. I'll share with you how we do it in this episode.
I thought I gave my son good instructions when I asked him to put away the toilet paper. I was wrong. I should have explained it adequately and showed him how to do it.
It's the same with your Filipino virtual assistant. When something doesn't go right, ask yourself, "Did I give good instructions?" How would you know if your instructions were good or bad? Find out in this episode.
I'm not an attorney, so I cannot give you legal advice about writing contracts and enforcing them with your OFS. I'm not qualified to answer that question. All I can tell you is how we've done it with our Filipino team. That's what I'll be sharing in this episode.
The Philippines doesn't celebrate Halloween. Instead, they celebrate All Souls and All Saints Day, where they commemorate lost loved ones. They celebrate family.
We don't do that for Halloween. That's one of the reasons why I don't like it. I'll explain further why I don't like Halloween in this episode.
There's a guy on my mailing list who mainly hires the most expensive OFS. He does this because he believes that the most experienced, skilled OFS would ask for higher salaries.
I sent an email about it, asking you guys for feedback. What's you're hiring strategy when you hire an OFS? I got your answers here, and that's what we'll be talking about today.
Often, employers are scared to hire an online Filipino specialist because they're afraid of benefits. Like it's something expected (it's not).
As a foreign employer, it's difficult to pay for benefits unless you have an entity in the Philippines. If you want to offer benefits to your Filipino team, there's a way to do it. That's what I'll be sharing in this episode.
Setting up shop is super easy in the US. You can do it yourself or have a lawyer set up an LLC for you and you can have a business up and running in a week.
In the Philippines, it's not that easy.
We're going to talk about that in this episode.
One of the big issues people have with hiring a virtual assistant in the Philippines is nobody really wants someone that's unskilled.
That's why you don't hire a VA, you hire an Online Filipino Specialist (OFS).
What's the difference? How can I hire an OFS for my business? I'll answer those questions in this episode.
I am not an accountant or a lawyer. I am not qualified to give you any tax advice. Anything I am about to say, you should take with a huge grain of salt. Make sure you talk with a tax professional.
That being said, I have been outsourcing since 2005. I've worked with different accountants and they've all done the same thing. That's what we're going to talk about in this episode.
When I first hired someone through an agency, they asked me if I wanted my Filipino virtual assistant to work in my time zone.
I said, sure! It sounds like a sweet deal.
To work in my timezone, my virtual assistant had to work late at night until dawn because the Philippines is 12 hours ahead. After a couple of weeks of this, he came to me and asked if he could work the day shift.
I didn't realize how hard it was for him. He's wasn't getting enough sleep. He couldn't spend time with his family. He's not productive because he was tired all the time.
When he started working during the day, the difference was huge. He became more productive. Communication isn't an issue because there are hours where we overlap.
If there are jobs that need to be done in my time zone, I knew how to find workers better suited for that schedule.
You can make the timezone difference work for your business. I'll show you in this episode.
You’ve thought about hiring an OFS but you have questions.
Here are the answers. ===> https://www.ofsguide.com/
How can I trust an online Filipino worker? How do I know who I can trust?
These are tough questions to answer. When you first hire someone, you don't know if you can trust them.
The funny thing is that Filipino workers also have the same fear. They're just as worried about whether or not they can trust you!
So how do you get around this? How do you build trust on both sides? That's what I'll be talking about in this episode.
What kind of virtual assistants can I find in the Philippines? Can I actually find good, talented people there?
You can find just about any person you need for your business in the Philippines, and it's not that hard to do it.
I have a great team of customer support people. I also have writers, designers, programmers, project managers, etc. I've known people who've hired lawyers, software specialists, personal trainers through Onlinejobs.ph.
The list gets even longer, and I talk about that in this episode.
One of the big questions I always get asked is, "John, who's the first person I should hire?"
Most people would tell you to find somebody to do stuff you don't know how to do. My advice is contrary to that. My advice is to hire someone to do something you know how to do and outsource that task.
Want to know why? I'll be explaining my answer in this episode.
Everybody wants to know, how do you find someone good? Where do you find them?
The short answer: Onlinejobs.ph
Full disclosure, I own Onlinejobs.ph. You can take what I'm saying with a grain of salt. But...there's a reason why people talk about it and recommend it to their friends. There's a reason why Employers come back over and over again. It's a great place to find the best Filipino workers. I'll share how it all happened in this episode.
You’ve thought about hiring an OFS but you have questions.
Here are the answers. ===> https://www.ofsguide.com/
When I was told to outsource to the Philippines, I had no idea. I had no idea that going to a specific country would make all the difference. I had no idea wages would be so reasonable, the people would speak American English, and culturally they're honest, loyal, hard-working, and don't want to steal your business ideas. They understand American culture and slang and are super Westernized. These are just some of the things that make the Philippines THE PLACE to outsource.
You’ve thought about hiring an OFS but you have questions.
Here are the answers. ===> https://www.ofsguide.com/
Every episode of this podcast is going to contain something that's going to make you better at outsourcing. It's going to contain tips. It's going to contain new ways to find people. It's going to contain better ways to manage people. My goal with this is every episode, you'll come away with something you think you can do to improve what you're doing with outsourcing.
You’ve thought about hiring an OFS but you have questions.
Here are the answers. ===> https://www.ofsguide.com/