Episode 167 / Is it time to hire an author assistant? Jenna Lee answers our questions about outsourcing, work/life balance, NDAs, and so much more. 

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Highlights:

• 
  Jenna’s background as an author and how it helps her as an author assistant
• How to know when to outsource
• How to decide what tasks to outsource
• How to interview of an assistant
• Tips for giving feedback to a team member
• Dealing with fear of handing off tasks to someone else
• Tips for an author to build a team to support them
• Key things to look out for when outsourcing
• Commonalities in writers who have been successful over the long haul
  
  

Timestamps:

[00:10:25] Jenna Lee is an author and owner of The Daring Press. She started off as an author and had success with their first book, a reverse harem paranormal romance.

[00:16:51] To get support for your author business, make a list of tasks and identify what you love and dislike doing. Outsource tasks you dislike, and create a job application for the person you need, considering their personality and strengths. Conduct a video interview to ensure they are the right fit.

[00:20:55] Set up processes and systems before bringing in a new team member to ensure a smooth start; trial period of the first month involves establishing communication, apps, and tasks; regularly check in to ensure the person is doing a satisfactory job.

[00:23:57] Focus on one thing at a time for success rather than overwhelming yourself with multiple “shoulds.”

[00:28:53] Managing workload to avoid burnout and mistakes when hiring help for your author business. 

[00:35:49] Meeting on Zoom is important to assess fit and skills. Ask thought-provoking questions and consider sample tasks.

[00:41:10] Setting work hours and communication boundaries with clients and team members to manage expectations and avoid emergencies in non-life-saving industries.

Links:

Daring Press: www.thedaringpress.com

Jenna Lee’s books https://jennalee.biz/product-category/books/

Morgana Best’s class on Building a Shopify Store:

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