The CEO’s Secret Weapon: How OBMs Unlock Business Growth

The CEO’s Secret Weapon: How OBMs Unlock Business Growth

Every entrepreneur dreams of building a thriving business that brings them freedom, financial success, and the ability to work on their own terms. But too often, the reality is far from that dream. Many CEOs and business owners find themselves overwhelmed, buried in daily operations, and struggling to scale beyond their current capacity. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone.

Enter the Online Business Manager (OBM)—the secret weapon that CEOs and founders are using to unlock massive growth, reclaim their time, and finally operate in their zone of genius.

The Overwhelmed CEO Dilemma

One of the biggest misconceptions in entrepreneurship is that you have to do it all yourself to succeed. Many business owners leave corporate jobs thinking they will have more flexibility, only to find themselves working longer hours and wearing more hats than ever before. Instead of focusing on high-value activities like strategic growth, client relationships, and revenue generation, they get stuck in a cycle of administrative tasks, operational bottlenecks, and decision fatigue.

This is where an OBM comes in. Unlike a Virtual Assistant (VA), who focuses on task execution, an OBM is a strategic partner who helps you manage and optimize your business operations. They act as a bridge between your vision and execution, ensuring that your business runs smoothly, efficiently, and with a focus on growth.

What Exactly Does an OBM Do?

An OBM is not just an assistant—they are an operations expert who brings structure, strategy, and systems to your business. Here’s what they can do for you:

1. Business Systems & Automation

If your business operations feel chaotic, an OBM can implement streamlined systems, workflows, and automation to improve efficiency. This means fewer fires to put out, less time spent on manual tasks, and more space for strategic planning.

2. Project & Team Management

An OBM takes on the role of coordinating your team, ensuring that projects stay on track, deadlines are met, and everyone knows their role. No more micromanaging or constantly checking in on progress—your OBM ensures everything is moving forward smoothly.

3. Revenue & Growth Strategy

One of the biggest reasons businesses plateau is that CEOs are too consumed with daily operations to focus on scaling and profitability. An OBM can help analyze key performance indicators (KPIs), optimize pricing structures, and develop growth strategies that move the needle in your business.

4. Client & Customer Experience

An OBM ensures that your customers and clients receive top-notch service by managing onboarding processes, communication workflows, and retention strategies. Happy clients lead to repeat business and referrals, which means increased revenue and stability.

5. Acting as a Thought Partner

Perhaps one of the most underrated benefits of an OBM is the ability to have a strategic partner to brainstorm, problem-solve, and execute your vision. Entrepreneurship can be lonely, and having someone to bounce ideas off of, provide insight, and help make critical decisions can be a game-changer.

The Difference Between an OBM and a VA

Many entrepreneurs assume they need a Virtual Assistant (VA) when, in reality, they need an OBM. While both roles are valuable, they serve different purposes:

• Virtual Assistant (VA): Handles administrative tasks, follows directions, and completes specific tasks assigned to them. They are great for execution but do not provide strategic insight.

• Online Business Manager (OBM): Takes a leadership role, oversees operations, manages teams, and implements growth strategies. They help create and manage systems that keep the business running smoothly.

If you find yourself constantly managing your VA instead of focusing on business growth, it might be time to upgrade to an OBM.

Why Hiring an OBM is a Smart Investment

Hiring an OBM may feel like a significant step, but it is an investment that pays off in multiple ways:

• Time Freedom: You get to focus on revenue-generating activities instead of getting bogged down in operations.

• Scalability: Your business becomes structured for growth, making it easier to scale without chaos.

• Increased Revenue: By focusing on strategy and efficiency, an OBM helps increase profitability.

• Less Stress: Knowing that your business is running smoothly allows you to enjoy your life and business more.

When is the Right Time to Hire an OBM?

If you relate to any of the following, it might be time to bring an OBM into your business: ✅ You feel overwhelmed by daily operations and tasks.
✅ You’re spending too much time managing people and projects.
✅ Your business growth has plateaued because you’re stretched too thin.
✅ You’re considering taking on a business partner but don’t want to give away equity.
✅ You want to work ON your business, not just IN it.

Final Thoughts

An OBM is more than just support—they are the CEO’s secret weapon for unlocking business growth, efficiency, and success. If you’re tired of feeling stuck in the day-to-day grind and ready to scale your business, hiring an OBM might be the smartest move you make this year.

Are you ready to step into your zone of genius and let an OBM handle the rest? It’s time to scale smarter, not harder.

Chapter List:

00:00 Introduction to OBMs and Their Role

03:26 Understanding the Distinction: OBM vs. VA

06:09 The Value of Hiring an OBM

09:03 Responsibilities and Tasks of an OBM

11:41 The Importance of Business Continuity

14:19 Mental Health and the Entrepreneurial Journey

17:07 The Role of Relationships in Business

20:06 Finding the Right Fit: OBMs and CEOs

22:38 Conclusion and Resources

Full Transcript:

Ashley Connell (00:00)

the problem that the OBM is solving is taking that running of the business off your plate so you can drive more revenue. And quite frankly, stay in your zone of genius. Stay in the reason why you started this business in the first place.

Amanda Kaufman (00:34)

Well, hello and welcome back to the Amanda Kaufman show. And I'm so excited about our next guest. This is Ashley Connell, CEO and founder of the Prowess Project. She is a fearless entrepreneur and fearless women's advocate, landing her thought leadership pieces in Forbes, Austin Business Journal and at South by Southwest, right?

So look, Ashley and I met when we were at a networking event together and then somehow over tacos just got to talking about operations and process and I was like, oh my gosh, this lady is a genius. So right then and there I was like, we must podcast, we must. So ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Ashley Connell. Welcome to the show.

Ashley Connell (01:26)

I have been so excited about this, yes, since the tacos. And genius, not sure about that. I'm not sure I'm gonna own the genius, but.

Amanda Kaufman (01:36)

Oh, you must, you must. So good. So when

you first introduced to me what it is that you actually do, I actually had to ask you, because you said you place OBMs with founders. And I was like, what's that? So let's maybe just start there. What is an OBM? What does that stand for? And what do you really help people with?

Ashley Connell (01:51)

them.

Yeah, sure. So what an OBM is, is an online business manager. And the problem that they solve for CEOs, mainly coaches, consultants, agency owners, what I'd like to call micro businesses, is they're the operator. They're the person in there who is helping them with the running of the business strategy, but also will execute

on their recommendations. So really this cross between COO and virtual assistant.

Amanda Kaufman (02:29)

Mm-hmm.

Love it. And a COO is a chief operating officer if you're new in the entrepreneurship space. And I remember when I actually started as an entrepreneur, everybody pretty much said right off the cuff, go ahead and get yourself a virtual assistant. So I'm really curious, when somebody's making the decision to engage in OBM versus hiring a virtual assistant, what is the really key distinction there? What's the difference?

Ashley Connell (03:00)

So with a virtual assistant, first, we love virtual assistants, right? Like you want to knock some stuff out, boom, virtual assistant. The difference is, is where do you want to spend your time as the CEO? Do you want someone who's going to come in as a thought partner? Someone who has run businesses before someone who has seen all of the problems and knows how to fix them?

so that you can just delegate that problem to them versus delegating the entire project and step by step of exactly what you need that person to get done. If you want that more hands on the ladder, that's a VA and you're going to be very hands on with that. If you want someone again, who has the expertise, the thought leadership and is almost like a pseudo business partner, that's your OBM.

Amanda Kaufman (03:54)

Mm hmm. Mm hmm. You know, I was in a networking conversation just this week and somebody was saying that they, know, their their next level they believed was in getting a partner. And when I when I was reminded immediately of a conversation you and I had had and I was like, so why? You know, like what is what's the main driver behind wanting to have a partner? And the.

Simple answer was capacity, just not being able to hire or excuse me, not being able to sell more because they were getting tapped out on capacity. And I immediately thought, OBM, right? You need a business manager. Because the thing that people don't really, I think, properly appreciate about the possibility of bringing a partner in is that's like a marriage, right?

Ashley Connell (04:42)

Yes,

yes. I was just about to say that. And what I have seen when people bring in partners is they don't date their business partner for very long. They bring them in and then give away a massive chunk of equity of their business. And then, dear, know, six months down the line, we have a problem. So why not instead hire someone fractionally who you know, has done this before, who has been vetted, who has been trained.

And yes, you're going to pay, but you're not going to give up any equity.

Amanda Kaufman (05:14)

And I think like that's something that a lot of like a lot of business owners don't totally understand. Like when you give up equity, what does that actually mean? Like I'll let you walk walk us through like what's the consequence of giving up equity, you know, to have somebody share in the profit or, know, because I think a lot of people, the reason they do that is they're actually not cash flowing the business very well.

Ashley Connell (05:36)

Yes. Yes.

Amanda Kaufman (05:37)

And so they

think I'm going to get free work out of somebody. I'll just promise on the future. And it's almost like it's almost like the same psychology of debt. You know, like I'll pay for it now and I'll get the money now and then I'll be able to pay it back later. I think it's kind of the same attitude a lot of people have when they bring on the partner. So so what's more typical, I guess, in terms of arrangement with an OBM? Like what what can people expect to

Maybe spend on it doesn't have to be a full time person like, you know, what what's what problem does this actually really solve?

Ashley Connell (06:09)

Well, let's take a step back here. Most CEOs, business owners who are in the, let's call it professional services space or again, coaching or have a skill, they're an artist and they probably came out of corporate and they're like, I don't want to deal, I want to work for myself and I'm a great marketer. So now I'm going to start a marketing consultancy and start a marketing agency.

Amanda Kaufman (06:23)

Mm-hmm.

Ashley Connell (06:35)

And that's all great. And they know marketing backwards and forwards. What they don't know is how to run a small business. And that may not be the most leveraged use of their time. And what I mean by that is learning how to run a small business and spending their time doing things that don't come super easily, that aren't revenue generating, that may not

get them to their goals. What will get them to their goals is that artistry, is that expertise, is the whole reason why people hire them in the first place. So the problem that the OBM is solving is taking that running of the business off your plate so you can drive more revenue. And quite frankly, stay in your zone of genius. Stay in the reason why you started this business in the first place.

Amanda Kaufman (07:28)

What are some of the responsibilities or projects or tasks that an OBM is like really suited for? Because I certainly heard the same thing, honestly, almost from day one as an entrepreneur. It's like, need to work on your business, not in your business. But like, what does that really mean in very plain Jane terms for, let's say it's a coach or it is a consultant of some kind? Like, what are some of the things that maybe perhaps people don't realize that

A, those activities are required to run a successful business, or B, they don't realize that they're not necessarily the best person to do that. Like, what are some good examples?

Ashley Connell (08:10)

Absolutely. So we have a full transformation process that our OBMs take these CEOs through. And what that looks like is first a deep dive audit. They need to understand that your business, what I want you to hear when I say audit is they are onboarding themselves. They are taking that time to understand your business and know what to look for. From there, they are doing a massive

Amanda Kaufman (08:18)

Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Ashley Connell (08:36)

data dump. They are understanding all of your current data and where you want to go, establishing those KPIs for you and building out a full communication process so that you can reach those goals. From there, they're looking at all of your operations, your systems and your technology and automating the heck out of it. How do we work smarter, not harder from there?

They are looking at the, what we call demand generation engine. So what is the alignment between your ideal customer or your ideal buyer, that message, the channel, the full on nurture experience, the offer, and then the client experience. What is that whole thing? How do we optimize it? How do we automate it? And how do we make it more aligned? So again,

the entire business is more efficient. And then it is growth and maintenance. It is looking at all of your data and ensuring that you're making wise decisions on if your goal is more profit, what resources should we be allocating where in order to reach that goal? If it is double down on revenue, again, how that looks different and forecasting that out. So those are some examples of

what an online business manager can do for a CEO.

Amanda Kaufman (10:03)

Mm hmm. You know, often when I'm thinking about business, I think about client acquisition fulfillment. I think about the compliance rate piece of things. So, you know, your finances and taxes and like all of that kind of stuff. What do you see people doing in their businesses that causes them to stay kind of at a ceiling where if an OBM came in, it would it would be like that quantum leap?

Ashley Connell (10:28)

Quite a few things. three things that I see though. Nothing is repeatable. So there is no systems. There is no SOPs, no leverage, nothing that can be done without the CEO. That's the number one thing. Second, data.

Amanda Kaufman (10:43)

Ooh, that's

really, really huge. Like, I think we should come back to that, but keep going.

Ashley Connell (10:47)

Second is data is understanding what data they have and then taking that and the OBM will provide insights on what to go do next. And then the big problem that I see after they can kind of handle all of that is understanding and going through with the CEO. What problem are you really solving for whom and getting really clear on that. Oftentimes the OBMs need to take

Amanda Kaufman (10:56)

Mm-hmm.

Ashley Connell (11:14)

the CEOs through a niching strategy. So really getting very finite on exactly who it is, what the spire looks like and what that offer is and why that CEO. So those are the three things. Again, it's repeat.

Amanda Kaufman (11:30)

You know what's coming up for

me? And because you mentioned like especially the first thing several years ago, I was. Do you ever get those intrusive thoughts like you're just in the kitchen and you get like a dark thought or like a weird thought and you're just like, what the hell is wrong with you? So, yeah, that one thousand percent happened, but there was actually utility in it. So I still remember I was standing in my bedroom and I was just knackered.

Ashley Connell (11:41)

But yeah.

All the time. Yeah.

Amanda Kaufman (11:57)

I was so tired and I had this intrusive thought of just like, so what happens if you get hit by a bus? And then I was like, my God, what actually does happen if I get hit by a bus? And so like the first place that I kind of went with that, because it went from being an intrusive thought to an obsessive one.

Ashley Connell (11:58)

Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

Amanda Kaufman (12:15)

was like, do I have my estate in order? Do I have life insurance and things like that kind of in place just sort of from a estate planning kind of and business continuity? But then it became a really curious question, which was like, yeah, but like, what if I got hit by a bus? Like, how do I? You didn't think we were gonna go this direction, but here we are.

Ashley Connell (12:19)

Yeah.

Back me up.

No, I didn't,

but I'm diggin' it. I'm diggin' it.

Amanda Kaufman (12:41)

But seriously, it changed my entire business because I realized I was like, everything up to that point, like I was the sun at the center of the system. And if I went out, it's just like, okay, life on earth as we know it ceases, right? And I was just like, that cannot stand. I got like, that's why I have the brand, The Coach's Plaza, not just like coaching by Amanda Kaufman because...

I wanted to have the capacity and I have expanded that capacity to have like other coaches work inside the brand, right? For example, so what really came up for me as you were talking about this is of course the memory of that intrusive then obsessive thought about like, how do you take yourself out of the business? And I wanna ask you this question because I'm eager to hear your perspective on it.

Why is it so important for a founder and CEO to prioritize as soon as possible their removal from the day-to-day business activities? Why is that so important?

Ashley Connell (13:42)

It's so important for your own mental happiness. Like honestly, that's what I keep hearing over and over again. Sure, it's important for the business and sure like you want to work on your business, not in your business. But what I'm hearing more than anything is a relief factor from all of these CEOs who don't have the

Amanda Kaufman (14:05)

Mm-hmm.

Ashley Connell (14:08)

pressure of, my gosh, what if I get hit by a bus or my gosh, I'm missing another T ball game or my gosh, I haven't read a book in 18 years and I love reading a book.

Oftentimes people get into business because they believe it's going to give them more flexibility. They believe that they are going to make more money. They believe that their time is going to be theirs. And then fast forward, they've been in it for four years and it's nothing like that because they're doing it all themselves. But what happens is they're doing it all themselves, but they don't have the skills or the desire to be doing those things.

Amanda Kaufman (14:25)

Ha ha ha!

Yeah.

Hmm.

Ashley Connell (14:45)

And therefore

it becomes half-assed, right? Like you just don't have the time. So why not have an expert in there doing it for you? So again, you can stay in your zone of genius and I don't know, do something crazy. Like go on a laptop free vacation for two weeks. Like, wouldn't that be amazing? Like sure. It's, it's the doomsday. It's a doomsday of getting hit by a bus, but it's also the, my gosh, I am going to go to Tuscany. One of our clients did this and she was like that.

Amanda Kaufman (15:02)

Yeah, it sounds incredible.

Ashley Connell (15:14)

right there was worth its weight in gold because I did a bucket list activity of going to Tuscany and I didn't look at my phone once because I had my OBM running the business.

Amanda Kaufman (15:16)

Mm-hmm.

That's so important. I had a coach of mine say years ago that business is relationships. And he had us lead through this thought exercise about, you've got relationships with your clients, you've got relationships with your suppliers, you've got relationships with, and what I've noticed is somebody who helps people launch businesses is very often, very often, there's some trauma around the...

toxic work environment, for example. I know that was certainly part of my story was like, I can't stand these bosses. I feel like I have no choice, da da da da da. And so entrepreneurship really feels like a very, a very viable solution when you're in that kind of a pain point. But, know, wherever you go, there you are. And the truth is that, yeah, you know, there are jerks, you know, there are people in the world that are, that are unkind.

Ashley Connell (16:12)

Yes.

Amanda Kaufman (16:20)

But the growth or the personal development of learning to interact and befriend lots of different personalities is, in my opinion, one of the biggest unlocks of entrepreneurial success. Because if you can be a friendly person who can build your own popularity by continuing to expand into different networks, et cetera, that's like... And I'm maybe making an assumption here, but...

One of the things that came up for me is I'm like, well, why would I hire somebody to work in like so many different critical aspects of my business? Why aren't they just running their own business? So, you know, why don't you help address that too? Right. It's like, why do you why would somebody want to come into my podunk little business? Right. It would be a thought I think a lot of people would have, you know, and if they're that good, why aren't they doing their own business? Right. So what do you say to that?

Ashley Connell (16:59)

free question.

So technically they are, they're an OBM who is running their own business as a business manager. And what they do not like oftentimes is exactly what you said gives a lot of success to business owners. And that's the relationship building. That's the selling that's like their personality is more of a, Hey, I'm going to.

Amanda Kaufman (17:37)

Mm-hmm.

Ashley Connell (17:43)

go into a room and crank on the computer, do a bunch of Excel spreadsheets and automations and make my client so proud. And I think that is their personality. And that's what we kept hearing. A lot of them are caregivers. A lot of them are people who want to please and not in an unhealthy way.

Amanda Kaufman (17:56)

That's it.

Mm-hmm.

Ashley Connell (18:13)

But again, because of that, it makes such a great compatible match with the CEO who is more the visionary, who is more of the ideas person, the relationship person, the artist. And it just works really, really well.

Amanda Kaufman (18:28)

I love that. I remember when I very first started getting into hiring, I was so scared of it because I knew that I, as an employee, I became unemployable, as the joke goes, among entrepreneurs. And so I made the erroneous assumption that everybody else thinks that way. And the truth is that if you're entrepreneurial, if you're authentically entrepreneurial, you're somebody who...

sees problems in the world that haven't been solved quite right yet. So you just take on all those problems, right? And the thing is, it's like, that's a really unique way to be in the world. And most people want a little more stability than that. And I think like the thing that I had to learn was, you know, my business's success and my business's growth meant that...

Ashley Connell (19:09)

Mm-hmm.

Amanda Kaufman (19:17)

I had earned a leadership that allowed me to create the space for someone who, like you're describing, is looking for more job security. They're looking more for that thing to be a part of as opposed to having to be the sun at the center of that solar system kind of thing.

Ashley Connell (19:38)

Well, and that was another thing that we hear a lot from both CEOs and OBMs is the loneliness factor of entrepreneurship. Especially if you're coming from corporate, you typically have a team that you're constantly bouncing ideas off of, or you have a manager who is telling you right or wrong or ultimately making that decision. And that's why I specifically use the term thought partner when I'm describing the OBM, because they are coming

Amanda Kaufman (19:47)

Mmm.

Ashley Connell (20:06)

into conversations and planning and strategy, like strategy conversations with you, with the background of ops and operating a business and almost sparring with you to make the best decision on your business moving forward. And so you're just not lonely anymore. It's not, you again, it's the relief off your shoulders that you're not making all the decisions blindly and by yourself.

Amanda Kaufman (20:31)

Or even just like, you know, this is an awful little phrase, but I think it's pretty good. Decisions that are below your pay grade, right? Like if you can have somebody on your team who's able to make decisions and, you know, if you're wondering, dear listener, how do you do this? You set up a policy. You set up a policy of like, hey, decisions under this dollar amount, I don't even want to hear about it.

Ashley Connell (20:40)

Yeah.

Totally.

Amanda Kaufman (20:51)

Right. And you put controls in place. Right. Because whatever gets monitored is going to be adhered to for sure. Like I think like the one danger, the thing that I would I would encourage if you're listening and you're like, yay, I never have to learn technology. That's true. But and also you have a responsibility to create the revenue. It's still your business. You're owning the brand. Like you've got to actually really show up for this. But.

Ashley Connell (21:12)

Yes.

Amanda Kaufman (21:18)

The amount of time that it's gonna save you in the efficiency and effectiveness of what you do, it's cool strategy.

Ashley Connell (21:25)

Well, and just the satisfaction of what your day-to-day looks like. That has been one of the biggest eye-openers for a lot of our clients and prospects is we built out a day in the life simulator for CEOs. Like what would it be like to have an OBM? And it walks through what that could look like specifically for them. And it just paints the picture of, my gosh.

What if my dream life where all I'm doing is serving clients and creating relationships really did come true and it can and this is the solution to make it happen.

Amanda Kaufman (22:01)

That's so cool. So Ashley, what's the best way for people to follow you to find out more about the OBM life? Maybe they're thinking, I might be a perfect OBM, or maybe they're thinking, I might need to hire one. What's the best way to follow up with you?

Ashley Connell (22:16)

Absolutely. So we are at Prowess Project on all socials. I'm pretty active on LinkedIn. So that's Ashley Connell. And then also that day in the life simulator, like I was saying, that's free. takes two minutes. If you are a CEO who is interested in seeing like, hey, what could this look like for me? It is why hire an OBM.com.

Amanda Kaufman (22:38)

Nice, I like it. I like the short domain. And listener, we'll put those links into the show notes for your reference. And before you go, make sure you hit subscribe and you leave an honest five-star review. Like I know it was a five-star review, but just make sure it was an honest one. But seriously, those reviews do wonders for helping people to choose where they spend their time when they're out on their evening walk or wherever you happen to be listening to us. And don't forget to...

Follow up with the next goodness. Goodness. Don't forget to share this with three people. know, after meeting Ashley, she was joking with me. She's like, Amanda, you got to get on the payroll because I just kept meeting so many business owners. I'm like, maybe you should talk to Ashley. You know, if you you're in that place where it's like I need more than a VA, less than a partner, you might want to check this out. And yeah, actually, thanks so much for coming.

Ashley Connell (23:31)

The pleasure is all mine. I've been so looking forward to this.

Amanda Kaufman (23:35)

I love it. love it. was a blast. And listener, we'll see you on the next episode.