3 Examples for How Apparatus Quo works with Virtual Assistants to Streamline Operations

VA Recruitment and first steps

I was initially hesitant to work with a virtual EA, but through talking with others who had done so sucessfully in the past, and had freed up their time for higher value activities, I was willing to give it a shot.    When working with an offshore agency, they first interviewed me, we jointly identified the needs I was looking for in the role, and the type of personality and skillset that might fit the bill.    After being presented with a few candidates, we held a few virtual 'meet & greets' (essentially an initial interview), which helped me better understand who I might be working with.   For an EA, I was looking for someone who I could speak to easily (perhaps on the road or in between meetings) as well as someone who had experience working in a similar role before.  I was lucky enough to be introduced to Rein, and that started us on our path! 

1. Setting Up for working with a virtual EA (Executive Assistant)

Managing executive tasks can often become overwhelming, especially with multiple priorities competing for attention. That’s where our VAs step in, providing essential support by structuring and managing our workflows. By reducing context switching—an idea I picked up from Justin Welsh’s work—we've created processes that minimise distractions and keep high-value tasks front and center.   

My number one goal for Rein initially was to 'save me time' as the number 1 general goal or intent.   We even had an end of week sign-off prompt in her time tracking system that prompted 'how many hours did you estimate you saved Josh this week?'.    The number wasn't as important as the intention behind it.   So we reviewed what areas that might entail from my side, and reviewed which of those overlapped with Rein's skillset to gradually take more and more off my plate.

Our setup process to work with a new EA begins with me:

• Identify Major Distractions and admin activities that can be delegated: We begin by identifying what interrupts focus the most. We established clear guidelines for which tasks demand immediate attention and which can be deferred, ensuring nothing slips through the cracks while preserving valuable time for higher-impact activities such as client meetings and sales calls.
  
  
• Emails and inbound queries: Using HubSpot, we initially connected my work email to the Hubspot inbox, and set up a pipeline to categorise incoming emails and support requests. Rein and I worked together to come up with a system which determines whether an email needs escalation, investigation, or can be archived or ignored. Rein handles ticketing and client inquiries through HubSpot, using pre-built templates, snippets and sequences to streamline communication.  Over time we've even automated certain elements to further expand on Rein's capacity to handle inbound queries and triage my email.
  
  
• Trigger-Based Task Management:  For other items, there may be a ceratin trigger that sets off a certain action.  For example, we use Asana to take meeting notes and actions live in client and sales calls, and Zoom and SharePoint to record and store client calls.   When a meeting is completed, I change the status of that task in Asana to 'Meeting completed - ready to send notes and recording', at which point Rein gets a notification, downloads the recording from Zoom and moves to the client SharePoint folder, creates a link to the recording for the attendees, copies the meeting notes from the Asana task, and sends an email to all attendees based on a Hubspot email template which sets a repeatable format for sharing meeting notes quickly after a meeting in a standard format.   This example alone saves me ~15 mins per meeting, and I frequently have 10+ meetings every week!
  
  
• Maximising AQ Conventions: Since VAs might not have all the background knowledge on every task, we’ve built an extensive AQ Conventions project in Asana. This resource library includes step-by-step guides and videos to ensure consistency and accuracy in task execution.  When there is a new item to add, I can record my screen, do the first one with Rein there, then she can transfer that to a repeatable process in our conventions project for next time.
  
  
• Calendar Optimisation: Effective calendar management is critical to balancing client work, strategy sessions, and personal focus time. Rein & I use a colour-coded systems and manage all scheduling through Calendly event types, ensuring seamless coordination and preventing scheduling conflicts.   Any conflicts or complexities that can't be handled via Calendly, Rein can jump in to support to ensure I'm getting the right balance of time-boxing in my calendar across team time and HR, client delivery, sales, finance, marketing and strategy time.
  
  
• Daily 1:1s and Weekly Rhythm: To keep things running smoothly, I meet daily with Rein for 15 mins to discuss her top 3 priority tasks for the day. We also hold weekly Level 10 meetings to address any challenges, discuss new developments, and reflect on the previous week’s progress.

2. Finance Administration

Another key role that VAs handle at AQ is finance administration. In this space we have Nix in our team to support.   Nix helps to ensure all financial operations are well-managed, which allows the leadership to concentrate on long-term growth strategies. From managing accounts payable (AP) and receivable (AR) through Xero to handling monthly financial closeouts, Nix plays a vital role in keeping the financial side of AQ running efficiently.

Key Finance Tasks Include:

• Xero AP/AR Management: Nix efficiently handles Accounts Payable by processing, coding, and tracking invoices to ensure timely payments. For Accounts Receivable, Nix generate invoices and follow up to ensure prompt collections.
• Bank Reconciliation: By regularly reconciling bank statements, Nix aligns our records with actual cash flow, catching discrepancies early and ensuring accurate financial data.
• Daily Revenue Reporting: Every day, Nix reports on our current month’s revenue targets versus actuals, helping us monitor performance against breakeven and stay agile in reaching our financial goals.
• Budget Variance Analysis: Nix helps analyse differences between our actual results and budgeted figures, identifying causes and refining our future budgets accordingly.
• Profit and Loss Reporting: Our P&L reports provide a clear view of profitability, categorising transactions to track financial trends and inform strategic decisions.
• WorkflowMax Job Setup and Custom Reports: We set up new jobs in WorkflowMax, detailing the scope, adding quotes, and issuing invoices for clear organisation and accurate billing.
• Supplier Tracker: We track billable hours and project time to ensure alignment with budgets, helping us stay within cost expectations of our suppliers.
• End-of-Month Closeout: At month’s end, we reconcile accounts, verify transactions, and prepare financial statements, ensuring everything is accurate and up to date.

3. Marketing Content Generation: Our Marketing Content Factory

One of the important areas where VAs contribute is in content generation for our marketing efforts. Our "Marketing Content Factory" is designed to ensure that no stage of content creation is missed—from ideation to final approval, our VAs help bring creative ideas to life.

The Marketing flow:

• Content Ideation: Our VAs collaborate with the entire AQ team to capture fresh ideas and gathering insights through an Asana form that is accessible to everyone. This ensures we maintain a steady pipeline of innovative content ideas.
• Drafting: VAs manage the drafting process for social posts, blog content, and other marketing materials. They track progress and revisions using Asana and PageProof, ensuring that every draft meets AQ’s brand standards before moving to final approval.
• Designing in Canva: Once the content is drafted, our VAs use Canva to create visually engaging graphics and materials. This gives every piece of content a professional and polished look, in line with our branding.
• Final Approval with PageProof: Submitting content drafts through PageProof for review, managing feedback, and making sure everything aligns with AQ’s branding and standards.

Conclusion

At AQ, virtual assistants are not just support staff—they are part of the team's success. Whether it’s managing executive tasks, overseeing financial administration, or powering the marketing factory, VAs help AQ operate efficiently and effectively. By leveraging their support, I’ve saved 2-3 hours a day, which I can now devote to driving growth and strategy at AQ.

✨📢This post is part 2 of our VA blog series. If you haven't seen part 1 yet, make sure to check our first blog titled "How Apparatus Quo, SUMO and Virtual Assistants work together seamlessly using Asana" to get more insights into how we work at Apparatus Quo.