Not too long ago I shared the biggest mistake I made when starting my online businesses, but today I’m sharing the best thing I’ve done to grow my online business so far.

What was that thing?

It was hiring my first assistant.

In my case, this was a Pinterest VA (virtual assistant). Hiring help and outsourcing tasks can be a scary step when starting and growing a business. But it can also be the turning point from constantly feeling overwhelmed to being able to focus on income-producing activities.

First, why Pinterest?

I’d heard that Pinterest was a great way to drive traffic to my website, but I’d never really used Pinterest and didn’t know the ins and outs of it.

At first, I tried to figure out Pinterest myself. I’m big on DIY (and spending as little as possible), but I just could not make sense of it. I knew it was still a valuable tool and would increase my income in the long run, so I bit the bullet and finally hired a Pinterest VA.

She finished setting up my account (yep, I hadn’t even finished that part) and started to pin my posts on a regular basis.

Everyone always says that Pinterest is a long game and not to expect immediate results. We actually lucked out with the time of year (perfect for my niche) and my traffic picked up immediately.

Regardless of the speed of the process, Pinterest has been and still is a terrific tool to drive traffic to my site. I’m working on SEO (search engine optimization) and other traffic sources, but in the meantime, I’m getting consistent page views because of the pins from my site.

It’s been nearly two years since I hired my first Pinterest VA, and I’ve learned a lot in that time. I recently hired a second Pinterest VA after my first PVA decided to shut her doors and focus on other things. Her decision was totally understandable; I’ve pivoted on more than one occasion as well.

Working with a my Pinterest VAs has shown me that it’s a good decision to pay someone else to do something I’m not thrilled about. I am more than content to pay someone else to do my pinning and keep track of everything Pinterest-related. 🙂

Why I hired a Pinterest VA

1. I don’t have the time to do it myself

I’ve got a lot on my plate. I’ve got three kiddos, I homeschool our oldest two, I try to keep the house somewhat clean and the family fed, I volunteer at church and Scouts, I try to exercise on a semi-regular basis, I’m running two businesses…. There’s a lot of demands on my time. Outsourcing tasks is the smart thing to do.

2. I don’t have the mental bandwidth

Everything I do takes mental bandwidth, and there’s only so much to go around. Running multiple businesses while dealing with chronic illnesses takes a lot of energy, both physical and mental. I’ve learned to be intentional about what I take on and what I let pass by me. Hiring someone to help with tasks that I was letting pass by is the smart thing to do.

3. I don’t have the desire to do it all

Let’s be honest. No one likes every part of their business. There’s nothing wrong with hiring someone to help you with the tasks that you don’t enjoy so you have time to spend on more enjoyable (and hopefully more lucrative) tasks.

Big businesses hire multiple people, why shouldn’t small businesses? Trying to do it all usually ends up in tasks taking too long, not being done correctly, or early burnout. In the beginning, it was a tight fit financially, but the benefits outweigh the expense. I’m already looking forward to the time I can hire out my bookkeeping since that’s another task I’d rather avoid.

4. For the tangible benefits

My audience has expanded, my pageviews are up, and as a result, my ad income and affiliate income have increased. Because more people are visiting my site, I’m also getting more signups to my email list. This is a clear example of spending money to make money.

5. For assistance with analytics

I do check my Pinterest analytics about once a month, but my Pinterest VA keeps a closer eye on things and lets me know when I have an especially well-performing pin. This feedback is invaluable as it helps me know the topics to write more about.

Hiring my Pinterest VA has been a game-changer for my businesses. Have you hired an assistant to help you grow your business or side hustle?