Need an Assistant?

Virtual assistant services are on the rise. Here’s how to hand your tasks (and inbox!) over to a total stranger.

- By John Brandon

It was 6 a.m., and Ari Meisel was half awake at an airport gate, about to board a flight to Toronto. Then his virtual assistant sent him a message: “Flight canceled!” it said. “We rebooked you on a different one, so head over to gate G7.”

Meisel runs a business coaching service and productivity method called Less Doing, and this is exactly why he loves having a virtual assistant (or VA). Someone fixed his problem before he was even aware it. “I believe VAs should be utilized for personal tasks as much as business tasks because they both take weight off the entrepreneur’s mind,” he says. “I have four small children, and I’ve had VAs do all their school forms, health forms, insurance, camp registrations, etc., literally saving me hours and hours.”

Many people agree. When entrepreneurs need help with tasks but don’t have the cash to hire a full-time assistant, they’re frequently getting a VA—a remote worker to handle a wide range of tasks. They can be hired through freelancer platforms like Upwork or Fiverr, but an increasing number of startups are now offering a suite of VA services. All you have to do is sign up, and the platform provides assistants and manages workflow.