An Online Business Manager is someone who manages all aspects of running a business from planning and strategising to daily operations and managing people, processes, projects and progress against KPIs - and they do it all virtually.  It’s basically management-level support for a business, so that the business owner can get on with more critical tasks that require their hands-on personal intervention and implementation.

A person can use the designation ‘certified OBM’ provided they have become certified through the International Association of Online Business Managers.   In Australia, you can qualify as an online business manager by completing courses through various institutions including Tafe, business colleges, Skills Australia Institute etc.

An OBM can take care of all your daily business activities including conducting management meetings, overseeing day-to-day operations, sales and marketing, client liaison, project management, human resources and documentation.  In other words, an OBM can run your business for you, freeing up your time and energy to focus on growing your business and your brand.

Generally, casual rates for an online business manager are around the $100 - $120 an hour mark, depending on their skillset and experience and on the type of services they will be providing. You can often customise an online business manager’s fees according to your needs - with longer contracts usually attracting reduced rates.  Some OBMs charge a monthly retainer which can be as little as $350 p/m with rates increasing as their services are scaled up.

A VA helps with specific jobs while an OBM provides management-level support and oversees all the moving parts of a business, including the strategic planning and project management.  OBMs are big-picture thinkers and are often referred to as ‘integrators’ while VAs are task-oriented and provide professional administrative and minor technical support. You can have both these online resources working in your business at the same time.

An OBM will free up your time so that you can focus on areas of your business that require your input - or focus on achieving a better work/life balance.  Typically, an OBM is the ‘overseer’ of a business, using their skills, experience and leadership to translate your vision into a workable strategy.  They execute the plan by managing other team members and delegating tasks.  They can also be hands-on if needed though.