Kevin Ashcroft, an entrepreneur who started his journey at 19 and sold his IT business in 2011, shares his insights on leveraging global talent for business growth. He emphasizes the strategic advantages of hiring remote teams, detailing how to navigate platforms like Upwork and Fiverr. Kevin discusses the importance of virtual assistants, cost efficiency, and enhancing customer service across time zones. He advocates for structured hiring processes that focus on cultural fit and removing biases, making a compelling case for a modern approach to talent acquisition.
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Kevin's Global Talent Story
Kevin Ashcroft started his global talent journey with a virtual assistant that helped with his business tasks.
He expanded that into a team specializing in WordPress, outsourcing design, development, writing, bookkeeping, and legal tasks.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Create Clear Job Descriptions
Write detailed job posts outlining roles, expectations, and culture to attract quality talent.
Use initial posts as templates for future roles to save time and maintain consistency.
insights INSIGHT
Talent Is Not Location Bound
Talent should not be limited by geography; excellent candidates exist globally and often move internationally.
Limiting searches by location causes you to miss out on talented individuals, including digital nomads and relocated professionals.
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In 2014, after selling my NYC agency, I decided that from then on, I would rely on a fully remote team for my business efforts. For me, hiring global workers isn't just about cutting costs—it’s a strategic move to tap into diverse talents and create more flexibility. And you won’t believe what amazing people you can find out there! I’m not the only one who thinks so. Recently, I talked to my lifelong friend and outstanding entrepreneur, Kevin Ashcroft, about leveraging global talent for business efficiency. He built his whole team at WP Support Specialists using this model and made it his priority to help other digital business owners scale their companies with global talent.
About Kevin Ashcroft
Kevin Ashcroft began his entrepreneurial journey at 19. After selling his IT business in 2011, Kevin started Blinkered Media, focusing on marketing strategy and WP Support Specialists, which offers a wide range of WordPress services. Now living in Spain, Kevin keeps busy with his location-independent ventures and supports other entrepreneurs in optimizing their operations and scaling globally. He also wrote a book, *"Outsourcing For Success," which offers practical advice on growing your business with global workers. You can check out our previous interview with Kevin here.
Key Insights:
Start small. Outsource small, non-core tasks that do not require full-time attention but are essential, such as graphic design or copywriting, so you can get comfortable managing a remote team and perfect your leadership style.
Focus on value, not just cost. While hiring global workers can be cost-effective, the primary focus should be on the value they add. If you go for the cheaper option, you might spend even more when the work is not up to your standards.
Build a remote team culture. Support your remote workers by emphasizing communication, trust, and performance regardless of geographic location. Just because people are not in the same office, it doesn’t mean they can’t connect on a deeper level.
Implement a strong onboarding process. Properly onboard and train remote employees to ensure they understand company processes, tools, and expectations, which can significantly improve their effectiveness and integration into the team and save you time.
Perform performance reviews, monitor the results, and make necessary tweaks. This may mean renegotiating terms, choosing new providers, or shifting tasks to in-house teams.
Kevin’s best advice for entrepreneurs:
“There's literally almost anything that you can dream of or think of that can be done remotely, that can be outsourced.”
*Affiliate Disclaimer: Some links in this episode are affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Rest assured, we only promote products/services we believe will benefit your entrepreneurial journey.
Beyond 8 Figures