A virtual assistant does the tasks you hand out. An online business manager decides what needs doing and makes sure it gets done.
The short answer
| Virtual assistant (VA) | Online business manager (OBM) | |
|---|---|---|
| Main job | Complete assigned tasks | Run operations |
| Who decides the work | You | The OBM, against goals you agree |
| Typical work | Inbox, calendar, data entry, CRM updates, scheduling | Projects, team coordination, launches, SOPs, reporting |
| Manages people | No | Yes, often including the VA |
| You need one when | You know what to do but have no time | You have no time to work out what to do |
Signs you need a VA
- You spend hours a week on inbox, scheduling and admin
- You know exactly what you would hand off
- You are happy to manage the person yourself
Signs you need an OBM
- You have a team, but everyone still waits on you
- Projects start and then stall
- Launches feel chaotic every time
- You would hire a VA, but do not have time to train or manage one
Many businesses need both
The usual setup in a growing coaching business is an OBM who runs operations and one or more VAs who do the tasks. The OBM writes the SOPs and the VA follows them. That is how we work too: we build the systems, and assistants from our sister company Ask LUUK run them.
What about a fractional COO?
A fractional COO sits above an OBM. They own strategy, the numbers and the leadership team. See OBM vs integrator vs fractional COO.
Not sure which you need?
Tell us what is on your plate and we will tell you honestly whether you need a VA, an OBM or neither yet.
Or write to hello@askluuk.com. We reply within one business day.