Ep. 028: Stepping Into the Role of CEO with Madelaine Gordon
If you're feeling too much like an overworked and underpaid employee in your business then you need to listen to this episode. Join me as I talk with Super Sidekick Madelaine Gordon as we get very real about what it takes, and why it's necessary, to step into your role as CEO.
A little bit about Madelaine:
“After experiencing 2 evictions in 2 years and on the cusp of a 3rd, I started my business Super Sidekick Services in the Fall of 2017. I grew my business very quickly...going from fully booked, to overbooked, to hiring a team within months.
In addition to helping my 1 on 1 clients gain the visibility they desire, I also teach working moms how to start a profitable virtual assistant business while keeping their day jobs.
I currently reside in St. Louis MO. with my 3 children ages 8, 18, and 20. When I'm not in Sidekick mode, I'm a total unapologetic NERD. You can find me in silence reading the Outlander books or watching Star Trek, Star Wars, Lord of The Rings, Harry Potter, or The Walking Dead. I watch Christmas movies all year long and I love old school musicals like Singin' In The Rain, Seven Brides For Seven Brothers, and the King and I.”
Learn more about Madelaine’s business Super Sidekick Services HERE. She also runs a VA academy training program and you can find her on IG & FB @supersidekickservices
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Erika Tebbens: Hey everyone and welcome back to the salad sister podcast. I'm here today with my online friend, Madelaine Gordon of Super Sidekicks Services, and she is going to be teaching us all about how to step into the CEO role in your business to streamline and systematize and do all that good stuff to really help you optimize your business and not feel so frazzled. So thank you for being here, Madelaine.
Madelaine Gordon: Thank you for having me really like nerd entrepreneur sisters.
Erika Tebbens: Yeah, I know. And I was trying to think how we even met online and I don't, I don't even remember.
Um, but yeah, but we are both super nerdy and we love like JRR token and Star Wars and Stranger Things and all that good stuff. I love it. I love it so much. Uh, so yeah, so I'm really excited to talk about this because I know that as people, are selling and they're growing and all of that good stuff. It can feel really hard to not get super stressed out and overwhelmed and have way, way, way too much on our plate.
And actually the client call I was on just before this, that was one of the things that she and I were talking about was creating good systems and strategies so that she can really enjoy the other parts of her life, which I am a huge, huge believer in. So before we dive in, why don't you tell us a little bit more about what you do and about your business?
MadeLaine Gordon: Sure. Um, so like, Erika has said I have a business called Super Sidekick Services. Um, I started about a little over two years ago. It was basically a situation of desperation, it wasn't like I was, um, gunning to start a new business. It was a situation where, um, I'm a single mom of three and it was either do something or be homeless again for like the third time in five years.
So I was really forced into, um, taking action, which I feel like I see a lot of entrepreneurs like dragging their feet because they're not actually taking action on things, well, I didn't have a choice, um, which it wasn't the ideal situation, but I'm thankful because it, it caused me to be successful very, very quickly.
Um, I started off as like a typical VA; I didn't even really know what a VA was at the time, but kind of discovered, Oh, okay, this is a thing, all right, I can do this. And uh, I started with no website, no professional email, anything; I just listed what I knew how to do and then I started reaching out to people who bet had businesses and told them, this is what I know how to do and this is what you need and like that works in the beginning.
Um, and then of course, you know, it evolved and I was overbooked very, very quickly and, um, I got to work with a lot of different types of clients and a lot of different types of roles doing a lot of different types of things. So I was like in this super fast learning environment, very early on, which has positioned me to be like a person that knows a lot about a lot of different things and to be very valuable to clients when they approach me because you know, they might come to me for social media, but then I'm like, Hey, you got some issues and some other holes going on in your business. And then I'm able to help them in other areas of their business.
So now, um, it kind of morphed from VA to social media management to now the bulk of my business right now is actually, uh, creating these playbooks and strategies for people who need, who have like awesome products and services, but they're not able to get that visibility online. Um, and they're really struggling with getting the right eyes on their particular services or they're about to launch a course or something and they need help and so I create these playbooks and really help them with their launch strategies step by step, and really helping them to, um, leverage what all the tools that are available to them.
Um, I also focus a lot on messenger marketing, um, which is what the chatbox that's something that I really love because I just think it's cool and I'm just a nerd. So to me, that's just like, Ooh, so cool. Um, and then as of late, I'm also teaching, working moms how to start their own VA businesses.
Erika Tebbens: That is really, really awesome. That is so cool and I kind of, I love how you said that you didn't have the choice of really sitting around and overthink thinking you just got to work.
Madalaine Gordon: Exactly.
Erika Tebbens: And then you've kind of niched or adjusted or pivoted along the way as you've done the work, which is so great. And I think a lot of times we often, uh, I know, you know, I'm, I'm prone to it and I know so many women are prone to it, like thinking everything has to be perfect before they can start reaching out to get clients.
But that is just a hundred recent, not the case.
Madalaine Gordon: Yes, yes exactly.
Erika Tebbens: No, not at all. So what is something that you see as you've been working with people and in the idea of helping them with certain tools or strategies and things like that? Where is something that you see, a lot of entrepreneurs are making things way harder on themselves than they have to be?
Madalaine Gordon: This problem that I see. Um, like I said, I worked with a lot of different types of people in different niches and it all seems to be, um, soaking up a lot of information and like learning a lot of different things that really is outside of their zone of genius and wasting a lot of time and then still not taking action on it.
Um, so they always feel like they're busy or they feel like they know all of this, these things, but then they're overwhelmed and how to implement, or they're overwhelmed on the next steps, and they're trying to do too much, um, that is not really what they want to do, have time to do or even know how to do.
And so then they, they just can't be excellent in what they really want to do because they're trying to do too many other things. Uh, and then they feel that burnout. Burnout is like, that happens really quickly if you're trying to do too much. And if it's not really what you want to do.
Erika Tebbens: Yeah. And do you think that happens a lot because people worry about the competition or they worry that they need to be, I don't know, doing more in order to bring in more revenue or where do you find that it seems like that drive is coming from to keep learning and expanding and everything rather than niching down?
Madalaine Gordon: I think it's a, it's a combination of different things, and it depends on the person's personality. Um, so you know, one of the main things that most of us do as entrepreneurs, we jump into Facebook groups, right?
Um, and now you have thousands of people with thousands of different ways of doing things thousand different personalities, thousands and different opinions, and you get lost in you go down a rabbit hole and so then it's just like, okay, well this person said I should be doing it this way, but this person said it to do it a different way.
And it's just like, with any there anyway, there's usually a lot of different ways to get to an end result. So I think people get distracted by all of the different methods. Um, I also think it is a lot of time. Um, people get stuck in like imposter syndrome. So they feel like the more that they know the better they're going to be able to deliver the better they're going to be able to show up or they're going to, they feel like they'll feel better about what they're actually trying to sale or whatever service they're trying to provide.
And so that, that trying to compete and trying to keep up with everybody else is really just stalling them out and not allowing them to be authentically who they are and to start serving the people who actually need them.
Erika Tebbens: Yeah. I, I really love that. And actually, the interview that, uh, that I did just before the one with you all about imposter syndrome. So I interviewed Becky Mellenkamp. We talked all about imposter syndrome. So if somebody is coming across this episode and listen to that one right after, because there's some really good stuff in there, but yeah, I agree. I think that a lot of times, especially for women. We feel like, well, I have to be the 100% expert morals.
People will find out I'm a fraud and there'll be mad that they invested in me and all of that stuff.
Madelaine Gordon: Yeah.
Erika Tebbens: Yeah.
Madelaine Gordon: Which is so not true, so not true. I mean, in the beginning, I was one, when I started as a VA, I was watching. Um, people who started along the same time that I was still struggling to get clients and, you know, people will be like, well, how are you getting all of these clients?
And I'm like, basically people aren't hiring me based on what I know. Like most of the time I do my discovery call and they're not even asking me for like, portfolios, they're not asking me to verify; I know what I know I have already because. I'm confident and I stand in my authentic self. They're hiring me to be attached and aligned with me.
And I think that's what people miss the boat on. You're trying to be like someone else and people just need you to be you. Um, and they will pay you to be you.
Erika Tebbens: Yeah. And I think that because you and I are both quirky and different and, uh, I think that a lot of times, and I, I know even for myself, I've thought like, Oh, what if people don't think I'm professional enough or anything like that.
But I really found it's the opposite. And I don't know if you get too, but it's like that because you are. Different and authentic and don't look like every other VA, like even in your headshots and your branding and everything. I imagine that you get a lot of people who might not want to, you know, wear purple eye shadow or anything like that, but they resonate with your, your like energy that you show.
Madelaine Gordon: Definitely. And I think people have a, um, a level of appreciation. They're like, okay, if this person is, is competent enough to show up as their authentic self, I they're going to take my, my baby, my, my work or whatever I'm giving them seriously, they're serious about what they're doing, because they're not trying to be like everybody else.
So I think, you know, that's where people miss the boat is that they're trying to like dole themselves down or be what they think they need to be when that's, that's not, that's just gonna make you compete with everybody else. Like no one can compete with me because no one is a super psychic, like, I don't care if you know more than me, like you, you still can't compete with me.
Erika Tebbens: I love that. Oh my gosh. I love that so much. Yeah. It's, it's really true. Like we all have our own special, our own special sauce and we go up and just need to really like step into that competence.
Madelaine Gordon: That is really true. Yeah.
Erika Tebbens: I love it. So now I know before we even get into like how people can prep in order to outsource or have better systems or anything like that.
Why don't you talk a little bit about, um, kind of like what, what people need to be thinking about first before they outsource and I know a lot of times, uh, what I hear is, you know, I don't, I'm not making enough to outsource or I don't know what to outsource or nobody can do it. Like I do it. So like, what is the pre-work that people need to do to set themselves up before they could hire somebody like you?
Madelaine Gordon: Great question. Because I promise you those are like the top excuses they're really just excuses, even if you don't even realize they're excuses. And so I'm going to take you through an exercise and basically this is reframework. This is reframing how you, um, you know, think of money, how you think of your time, how you think of, you know, outsourcing or organizing and getting systems, it all needs to be reframed.
So you realize that, wow, you do have the money, you do have the ability, and if you get stuff together, you do know what to outsource. So the first thing that I like to teach people is to reframe it, um, by knowing what their hourly worth is. Okay. And when I say that, I don't mean like how much you want to charge hourly because a lot of us don't.
Charge on an hourly scale, but to really understand what you think your time is worth. And so what I tell people is, okay, how much do you want to make in a year? Okay. So if you want to make what let's say, $250,000 in a year's time. All right, now let's do an exercise and do the math to figure out what you think your time is worth. Right?
So if you take $250,000 or whatever, your number is on what you want to make in a year, divide that by 12. Okay. So in this instance, let's do the 250,000. If we divide that, that comes out to being about 20, almost $21,000 in a months time. Okay. Then we're going to do it that old school, when you were working that nine to five, or if you still work in that nine to five, we're going to divide that into. Um, for those like two checks you would normally get, and then we're going to divide that again by 80.
Okay? So in the instance of the $250,000 that comes out to that person saying that they believe their time is worth $130 in that one. Okay? So now that you have that number, that's going to tell you a lot of different things.
All right. So if you are a person who is spending a lot of time, um, doing things that is outside of your zone of genius, let's like, let's say you are taking the time to learn how to set up an email sequence in a new platform. You're basically saying that. For each hour, that was worth $130 of your time.
Well, that's a waste of your time when you could have paid somebody, you know, overseas $7 an hour. In America, what 15, if you get a new one, like $15 an hour, like I rather you pay somebody else to do something that is not in your zone of genius, then for you to sit up and waste and bleed out $130 an hour like it just mathematically your time is worth so much that it doesn't make sense for you to do it all.
And I think people don't realize how much their time is actually worth and where they're wasting a lot of time. So if you do the math, it kind of helps you to reframe how you view your time and money.
Erika Tebbens: Yeah, absolutely. And I know even for me, because I have a very part-time VA and I have have, and we'll have again, soon, somebody do Pinterest for me because I didn't want to learn another platform.
Madelaine Gordon: Yeah.
Erika Tebbens: I just didn't, I didn't care. It's not worth my time to learn it. And then to be good at it, to learn it enough to actually be good. And so I was like, you know what? I would rather just pay somebody else who is going to get me way better results than I could get myself...
Madelaine Gordon: Exactly...
Erika Tebbens: ...to do that for me. And even something like, um, so, for my VA, I am speaking at a conference in a few weeks. And I'm about to leave, tomorrow I leave for a week. We're going to Sweden. So I know that I need to get my slides to the conference presenters within a few days after we get back. So I'm going to be jet-lagged and all of that.
I didn't want to do that. I'm not going to be doing, you know, my best work of putting together slides when I'm tired and I'm getting caught up on other stuff in my...
Madelaine Gordon: exactly...
Erika Tebbens: So I was like, wait, why don't I just write the content of the slides and then send that document to her and she can make it look pretty?
Madelaine Gordon: Exactly.
Erika Tebbens: And She did. And it was great. And for the, you know, I'm paying her a little bit for that peace of mind that while I'm on vacation, it's going to get done. And when I get back, you know, I might need to review it, then a few tweaks might need to be made. But it's almost like I'm multiplied myself for a really small amount of money comparatively in the big picture.
Madelaine Gordon: Exactly. So if you really understand your worth, I think it's just mindset. Like, you know, if we're going to be in business, if we want to move, because basically a lot of times we started solopreneurs, right? We, we, which basically means you're self-employed okay. So that means you work for yourself, but essentially you've created a job.
All right, and after a while, just like, you didn't want to work a job for somebody else, you're not going to want to work a job for yourself and so you have to move into like a CEO type of mindset in a, in a, in a business model and trust and believe the CEOs are not doing the legwork. They're, they're the visionaries.
They are the people that are making the connections to make more money. And how can you make more money or make sure your mind is rested or that you're able to still enjoy your life while you're doing the little stuff that is not worth your hourly rate. Um, the other thing that I tell people is that once you know, your dollar amount of worth, um, you can't automate what you don't understand.
Uh, and so what I mean by that is if you do not have a clear direction of where your business is going, then you don't understand it to be able to automate it or have somebody help you. So that's what happens a lot of times when people are like, well, I don't know what to give, give away, or what would I, what would I delegate?
It's probably a lot of times because they don't have that foundation in their business where they have a marketing strategy in place for the next 90 days, or they have, um, things in place. Like if I asked you, you know, what's your monetary goal over the next month and the 90 days, you should be able to tell me.
And if you don't know, you're like, going on a trip with no map. Like you don't really have a roadmap to get you there the quickest way without, you know, you can avoid the accidents like you need to know what's going on. So if you have, um, the strategy in place for your business, which should be your role as the CEO or the owner, you should have that strategy in place.
Um, you can't give it away. You don't because you don't know yourself. You know, um, and you can't automate your business because, um, you have to be able to be in a situation where things are duplicatable, where you can always do the same thing over and over and over no matter who the client is, or no matter that the day of the week, it's always going to be the same.
And you can only do that if you have the strategy, then you can move to automation, then you can move to setting up systems, and then you can move to saying, okay, this is how my business is set up and this is what I do.
Erika Tebbens: Yeah. I really love that. And I think, uh, going back to the, trying to try everything all at once.
I am such a big believer in get used to one to two places to be visible first or strategies or whatever before you expand. Because it's when people are trying to be on every social media platform and they're trying to create a course and they're trying to do this, that, and the other that there's just no way, like no one person can split themselves like that.
And the only way that, you know, if you think about huge national brands that are everywhere, the only way they can be everywhere is because they have a full-time team.
Madelaine Gordon: Exactly.
Erika Tebbens: So you know, that's what, that's what they're doing. So I love that. So what are some ways where. So let's say somebody kind of figures out. They're like, okay, I'm going to, you know, I want to try to get two new clients a month, uh, depending on, you know, what they do maybe just like two to five new clients a month in the next quarter. So I'm going to do some, you know, visibility and stuff like that. What do you suggest next? Like what can they do?
How can they figure out what then they can either automate themselves with digital tools or hand off to somebody else?
Madelaine Gordon: So, first I would say, do you have standard standard operating procedures? So now2 just okay, you in your head have all the knowledge of how your business works. Is it laid out? Is it somewhere where you would be able to share that?
Um, and someone would know exactly how you. Once your business to run, like God forbid you get sick or you have to take care of someone. If you get sick or you can't work your business, does it fall apart? Okay. And it will fall apart, if you don't have a standard operating procedure, which means a way that someone can go step by, step in how you operate your business so that your clients don't suffer. Um, and so that your business doesn't suffer and so things that will continue to work smoothly.
So first I would say, do have standard operating procedures, and that would be from how you, um, take a lead through the journey of becoming a client. How do you do your onboarding, all that type of things should be in a document or some kind of platform. Um, so I would say start by taking your major, um, steps in your business, things that you always do over and over and put them in some type of document. I like to use Trello because I'm a very creative visual person and that's like Pinterest had a baby with base camp or something.
Um, so for me, that works. Now I also like processed streets and that's P-O no, if I could spell P-R-O-S-O, P-R-O-C-E-S-S dot S-T. Uhh lord! Got it. Um, and then that's another way. And you know, you can upload videos, you can upload like, okay. So, you know, once I have a lead, then we send them this email through dub side, or like, it should all be outline. Okay?
So once you have all those steps, then you, as the business owner will visually be able to see, Oh crap. There are a lot of things that I do cause I think we take for granted, um, the amount of work and the amount of steps to do and to pull off, we actually pull off every day. Um, so it's just like with anything, once you can visually see it, it makes it a lot easier to really appreciate what you're doing and what's going in and out of your business.
So once you write those standard operating procedures in some type of platform, then you can look at it and say, oh, Why am I writing? Why am I, um, scheduling these emails? Or why am I sending these forms when this person signs up? When I can use something like Zapier, like you can look at all of these processes in your business and you can figure out where you can streamline them by using other, um, things like Zapier, which lets systems that don't normally talk to each other, begin to talk to each other, to automate things.
Um, you can use like all kinds of things, but you don't know until, you know. Right? Um, and then you can also look at like, okay, I'm not going to spend any more time doing this in the business because that's not really worth my time. Um, and I can get someone else to step into it and delegate it. And then that way it really makes it easier for whoever you bring on, because one of the biggest complaints that, um, cause I would get a lot of clients from people who were, um, not satisfied with the people that had, they had brought him on.
And so they were very frustrated. And so they were looking for me to be able to be the answer that sounds so cocky, but yeah. Um, and their biggest complaint was. And it really wasn't the fault of their VA or their support staff, it really was the fault of the owner. Um, you know, they were keeping their people at a standard or wanting them to do things that weren't laid out that weren't spelled out for them.
And so then, you know, the owners frustrated because they're having to come and do a lot of explaining on how to do stuff in handholding. Um, and then the VA or what have your, what have you, as frustrated, cause they don't know what to do and it's kind of, then you have a situation where, you know, you're in a relationship with somebody and you both hate each other, but nobody wants to be the bad guy and break up, but it really needs to be broken up because the communication is bad.
Um, and so it just makes that level of accountability for both you and your support staff. If everything is laid out.
Erika Tebbens: Absolutely. And I think that there are, yeah, communication is so key. I, uh, realized going back to those slides. So when my VA sent them to me, I realized, cause I just did a rebrand and my fonts hadn't updated in my font book on my computer.
So she sent me back, uh, her like her version of the slides. And I was like, this is so weird, everything's in like Helvetica or whatever.
Madelaine Gordon: Yeah.
Erika Tebbens: Like that doesn't seem right, that doesn't seem like something that she would do. So, uh, I did a loom video back to beat with just some edits and I was like, Oh, and Hey, like my, my thoughts aren't in here.
And she was like, that's so weird. I, I did it on my end and everything. And then, which made me realize, like I needed to go through. I re-installed, I rebooted my computer and when I reopened the presentation, I was like, Oh, there they are, but if we have the communication, uh, it, I would have just assumed like, Oh my gosh, does she not know what she's doing?
Madelaine Gordon: But everything's all right.
Erika Tebbens: She rushed it or whatever. But I was like, no, this can't, you know, something must be amiss here. Cause that doesn't seem like her at all. Um, but yeah, so I definitely think like communication is so, so, so key on both ends. What are some of the ways so like, yeah, obviously a lot of stuff can, like, I love the idea of really mapping out every single little thing that we're doing and seeing, um, I know now too, I, I'm a big fan of Trello for the same reason.
And so, I have checklists in there for onboarding my people as well. So for instance, like when people join my Success Squad Group Program, I just have a Trello checklist for myself, that's like, here are all the things in the intro email that you need to do.
So it's like I have to, you know, give them access to my courses. I have no, I have to send them log in for our member hub. Like just all of those things, which right now it's, it's a pretty quick thing. It's pretty easy for me to do it, especially since I like cap my enrollment in that group, but it is because I have it in there.
It is totally something I could hand over to a VA and just say, here are all the components and I have this new client this is their contact info, please do all of this for them.
Madelaine Gordon: Yeah, yeah. And it's just like with anything, it's going to be annoying and it's going to be time-consuming to do it the first time. But once you have everything set up, it's done. So just think about, okay, if you get somebody in it doesn't work out. You just spend all that time trying to get one person to understand your vision, to understand your processes, and then it didn't work out. Cause it doesn't always work out and then you have to get someone else and go through the same process.
Again, like that's another waste of your time, but let's think about if you would have taken that time to do it once, put it all and map it out, and put it somewhere that you can just share it. Um, and then if things need to be updated, you can just easily update it. That's going to save you a lot more time and frustration than having to reexplain and retrain each and every time.
So once it's done, it's done. So if you can just get over the, you know, the time-consuming part the first time, then it's just like easy breezy. You know?
Erika Tebbens: Yeah, absolutely. I kind of think of it like, cause I've also been, uh, a manager of people when I've worked, when I've run other companies and. Uh, I kind of view it as like when you're a parent and you teach your kids how to do stuff around the house. Like it's not pretty, the first one.
Madelaine Gordon: You almost want, like, I'll just do it myself
Erika Tebbens: Right and it'll just be easier. But now like, cause I know, your kids are a bit older and my son's 14. Now I just delegate so much to him and I know that he will do it and it's, my life is a trillion times easier because I put in that time to teach him how to do these things.
So rather than me trying to have to do everything around the house all the time, I can say, Hey, I need you to do this. I need you to do this and it will just get done.
Madelaine Gordon: Great example is exactly like that.
Erika Tebbens: Yeah. And, uh, yeah, and I love that and I, I know too, like what are some of the things, um, some things I think of, at least for me that are pretty easy to outsource right off the bat would be things like, because I have all my branding, like graphics, creations for social media or, uh, yeah, like getting, um, I had, uh, an OBM once, which Freddie, right anyone who doesn't know it's online business manager.
Um, she got some stuff set up in my email back end for me because she knew the tech side of it. So I'm really comfortable with the writing of emails and everything, but she knew how to get some of the automations set and everything for me and that was amazing because once she did it once and showed me what she did, I could duplicate it in the future.
So those are things where I'm like, Oh, that's just been invaluable. So what are some things that you find are good, easy ways that people can start to dip their toes in the water of like leveraging their time and outsourcing?
Madelaine Gordon: I think the biggest thing that you just said was the tech stuff. Um, a lot of times, I mean, a lot of my clients are coaches they're, um, psychic mediums.
They're. Subscription box owners, like their jam, is not tech. Um, and so then what happens is then you have people trying to learn tech and not being a do it well and spending that time and then getting frustrated and then jumping from one system to another system. Huh? No, like give that away. Um, and then a lot of tech, you know, you can really get someone that can do it, do it quickly, um, and get it done.
Um, I'd say another thing would be easy to do is as far as social media, like, I wouldn't necessarily always have somebody do my captions because social media, really, these days favors, um, like long-form captions. So unless you have a lot of content to repurpose, I definitely would recommend that you probably write your own captions, but you can have someone do the graphics and upload them and scheduler and have all of that scheduled where you can just, you know, take a weekend and jump in based on what they uploaded and add your own caption.
Um, if you're a person that wants to do emails to your list cause I know a lot of people building lists, but they're not sending stuff to the people. Um, so setting up that like welcome sequence, you know, maybe you can do the bullet points. Um, so that it still sounds authentically like your voice. And then that person can kind of feel, do filler information and then make it all pretty and schedule it out and do the tags and the, all the stuff in the back end.
Then it's going to make your life easier on the front end. Um, Also maybe having people, um, that can do your admin stuff like yours. If you've got a ticketing system to manage that, uh, all the things that is going to just really remove you from that non-money-earning activities. Um, and so there's tons of ways.
I think just tech is the first way because a lot of times tech is not our jam or not, not people's jam.
Erika Tebbens: Yeah, I agree. I think that, that, um, I know even for me, tech is such a huge, huge frustration point, and I know I'm a client of mine cause she does social media management and one thing that we just mapped out for her is having clients where she just helps them with content once a month, she's going to start doing that.
So planning their next 30 days, I think that would be a great thing. Like if you have a social media manager that does something like that, that helps you plan your content, you could literally take that content plan, then go to your VA and say, this is my plan.
Let's get some graphics for this and another thing I outsource to like, a lot of the time, um, are photos of me rather than just always like having stock photos cause I know that now it's also favoring going back to the original of like real photos and not stock photos is about every six weeks, six to eight weeks.
I have a friend of mine, like, I'll do my hair, my makeup I'll have some cute outfits and we just go out and about, and she takes a bunch of pictures of me all at one time and so that's a way we're like, yes, it's physically taking my time, but she's doing it, she sends me those files. I can send them to my VA and I'm like, go through, pick your favorites, crop 'em do any edits.
And then again, yeah, that way then with like plan only, you just get everything set up and you can match two weeks at a time. And then you could just hop on once a day and interact with people or do stories, but you wouldn't have to worry about executing your content plan all by yourself.
Madelaine Gordon: Exactly. And then I know this is kind of a little bit off-topic with, since we're talking social media and I'm also passionate about social media and people who hire social media managers, I almost say that, um, social media managers are a waste of your time and money. If you're not producing your own content. Yes. I said it.
Erika Tebbens: No, I liked 'em. Glad you said it.
Madelaine Gordon: Because I know a lot of people who were like, I need a social media manager and they put all of this responsibility on this, the social media manager to create magic from nothing. Um, and so what they probably need is maybe a VA that is just going to, um, post your strategy. So like whatever your strategy is, but if you're not a person that has content where a person can really a manager can come in, look at your content, repurpose the content, you know, and do things make magic out of what you've already produced and put it out into the world in different formats by repurposing.
Then you really are left with quotes, which who cares about inspiration, everything you post to be inspiration or they're left with things that really are not going to drive people to, to buy from you or become clients of yours. Um, so if you want to just be visible and you need somebody to just, you know, post for use that you can stay in the I, fine, that's fine, but if you really want a great relationship and for the social media management to really be worth your time and money, you have to still be creating your own content, be a vault blog, um, the, uh, a podcast or you're doing lives or something that that person can take and cut up and do all these magical things with, to represent you and to really bring your voice out and to get you some sales.
Erika Tebbens: Yeah. And I think it's one of those things too, where, um, it's, I kind of view it as like, uh, putting the cart before the horse scenario. I think that a lot of times, um, and, and part of the work that I like to do with more emerging entrepreneurs is really helping them figure out what is going to be the best thing for them right now, as they're, as they're growing, right?
Like as they're just getting things kind of underway, because I think that we think I need to invest in, I need like a graphic designer, I need a web designer, I need a social media manager, I need this, I need that. And it's, you know like you're a perfect example. You don't, you don't actually need all of that.
And I think that it's the kind of thing where especially when you're getting started less is more. And you, you know, until you really like, for instance, I just, like I had mentioned, I just did a full rebrand. So when I started and you and I started our businesses around the same time, my brother's a graphic designer.
And so I was just like, Hey, can you, um, just do like a little bit of logo, you know, get me some fonts and some colors and. I'll make it work, it was not a full branding package. He did not build my website, it was just like the essentials. Um, and that was fine, that's that's served me just fine for a year and a half.
And now I, a few months ago, I was at a place where I felt much more clear on my brand and the path I wanted to move forward and what I wanted, all of that to look like and who I was speaking to. So then I hired somebody and she did the full rebrand and she helped me with my website and I love it, but I would have been such money wasted. Had I done it when I was first getting started, because I wouldn't have even been able to answer some of the questions, kind of like you were saying with the social media manager like I would've had nothing to give her essentially.
So, um, I think that it's, you know, it's definitely one of those things where. It's better to just kind of hit that ground running and start working with people and seeing and figuring out, and then work either figure out your own strategy or work with somebody like me or somebody else who does something similar to figure out what that strategy is going to be, and you can plan out that or how you're going to grow.
Madelaine Gordon: Yeah. Now I am a big believer in spending money. I think some, some entrepreneurs, they don't want to spend money and I hate to use that term spend money to make money cause I think that that's, that's too much weight in that particular saying because you don't necessarily have to spend money to make money.
Um, but you do have to spend money to elevate. Um, and there are things that you don't know that you're only gonna know by spending a little money and getting some help. Um, so I believe that, yeah, you don't have to have a social media manager right off the bat if you're not producing a lot of content, but maybe you do need a coach.
Or you need somebody that will create a strategy for you. So then you can start producing the content that needs to be there, or you will have your business outline and have that strategy in place. So you know what you can give away or you know, where you can make money the quickest way to start generating income.
So there is a need to spend some money, but then there's a need to not waste money because you heard this person in this group say that you need this when you don't necessarily need it. I like, I built my whole business word of mouth and oops. And, um, all the free tools that I could use. And, and going to the University of YouTube and the College of Google, but then at a certain point, it was like, okay, I've done all that I can do on my own.
I need another layer that is going to elevate my business and really see my business from the outside. Um, because sometimes we get so emotionally attached to what we were doing that we can't see. Um, and we need somebody on the outside, somebody said a great quote about you can't see the label inside the jar.
Um, and so you need somebody on the outside to be like, look. Let's, this is not less rain than sand, or this is, this is not working or, you know, to help you where you wouldn't see it normally just you being the only person.
Erika Tebbens: Yeah. I, I know that actually today, um, as we're recording this, my newest episode came out and it's all about business investments. And I definitely, I talk about that because I think that it really is, it is so, so, so important. Um, and I, I love that saying, um, can't read the label they will from inside the jar. And I definitely used it with my clients and potential clients because I know it's the same with me in my own business, I'm super close to my own business.
Like even, you know, coaches need coaches.
Madelaine Gordon: And they don't run.
Erika Tebbens: Yeah. And I think it's, it's really, um, it's really true that there is a level of, like, I just always think of it and I have like this funny saying that I, that I love, I did not invent this. Um, I don't know who did, but uh, carry yourself with the confidence of a mediocre white man.
Madelaine Gordon: What?!
Erika Tebbens: So I think I saw it on like a t-shirt somewhere and I love it and I got stickers made of it, but I, you know, I, you think about like, you know, an average dude, starting a brick and mortar store, they're confidently, like they're going to the bank, they're getting that loan, they're hiring staff. They're, you know, doing this, that and the other.
And not to say that they might not be hustling or working long hours, but there's that level of like, no, I need help. I'm worthy of help, I want us to be successful in all of that, and I think that especially women, especially when they're starting out, we have a really hard time even going back to the hourly rate, like thinking of ourselves as worthy or worth while.
And, um, it's that kind of thing where I hear a lot of people saying like, I need help, but I don't have the money I'm like, and I am the first to say like, I have invested in getting the help that I knew I needed when I didn't have the money, because I wanted the shortcut to get to the money.
Madelaine Gordon: Oh, me too. Like I have, I have invested in, in courses, with like the last money in my account and like, Oh God, what have I done? But then with the knowledge and the information and the help, like it was, it was a no-brainer. It was like, Oh, okay. I was worried about nothing. And I think like you said, women were so used to being like caretakers and providers and wanting to serve which that term sometimes it's, its the detriment of us because we don't value our time. We don't value our money and we feel kind of guilty, um, and sleazy putting a dollar amount on our worth, which, you know, nobody really value something that they give for free, right?
And all, like I've taken and signed up for free things and it's still sitting somewhere in my email, but when you charge people, when, when they have to invest in themselves, um, they take action a lot higher, you know, some people just.
Erika Tebbens: Right, right. Yeah. And it's true. We like, we energetically usually show up differently when we invest in something. And, and I think it's the thing too. Like there is, you know, especially cause women who start businesses are very smart, they're very savvy, they can get a lot done in a day. But there's no shame in getting help, whatever, help that look.
It doesn't mean you're weak. It doesn't mean you're stupid. It doesn't mean anything negative. It means you are leveraging somebody else's time and talent so that you can get closer to where you want to be faster. That is really how I look at it. And there's no weakness in saying like, I want to use the help of another person and I want to pay them to do these things for me so I can serve more people or I can serve them better or so that I have time to do the other things I love. So I don't feel burnt out and resentful.
Madelaine Gordon: Exactly, exactly.
Erika Tebbens: I love it. So last. Uh, so when people finally, you know, when they recognize their worth, when they've made their list, when they've got their strategy in place and all of that, what should they do when they want to reach out, they're ready to hire. What are, what do they need to do now?
Madelaine Gordon: So I'm all about, and this is just my personality. So when I started hiring people, I'm a big believer in, um, making sure. I align myself with people who match my personality or people that I actually like and want to work with versus somebody that necessarily knows the most.
Um, of course, you want to make sure you have somebody that has knowledge, but I feel like you can almost teach anybody anything, right? But you can't teach people how to be good people. You can't teach people how to, um, be excited about your brand because you also want people who are excited about. Like working with you and working and helping you towards your goals.
Um, you can't teach people that, so what I do is I look for people who I like, and I know that's probably counterintuitive, but for me, that has always worked out the best. Um, because like I said, you can always, if you got your standard operating procedures in place, they can learn anything. Um, and so I also think it's important of success, leaves clues, and I think working with people who are, um, actually building a business for themselves, um, is very important because you'll see a lot of people who come and go in the industry, the support industry.
So they might wake up one day and say, man, I need extra money, Christmas is coming and then they don't have a business two months later. Um, so look at the clues, looking at what people say about them, look how they show up for their business. Um, all of that, and then look at, you know, what do your peers, who do your peers recommend?
And then, you know, what's the vibe.? I know that seems silly, but what's the vibe you get from people like, do you want to have to meet with this person, you know, a couple of times a month, are they going to add to your life or suck from your life? Um, and so I just really think it's important like you didn't get in this business to hate the people that you work with.
Um, if that was the case, you go get a job. So I think really aligning yourself with people who, who add value to you and don't take from you is very important. I think giving people the opportunity to, um, surprise you, um, and not necessarily like, let me see your portfolio and let me this, this, that, and the other like that, that doesn't mean anything.
People can fake all that type of stuff anyway, but how do they make you feel? And, and how do they show up in their own business? I think is very important. And then just, um, really setting expectations. That's very important, um, setting expectations and so that, you know, they are accountable for those expectations and not you having them be accountable for things that they don't know.
Um, I know as business owners, like we understand what we want to get done. You know, it's like a mad scientist in our brains right now and we just assume other people should get it. You know, especially women, like you should understand was like, you should be on the same way and willing, but it's no, that's not fair to anyone. And that's going to be the detriment of anyone that you bring one to assist you.
Erika Tebbens: Yeah. And I know too, uh, I really like to also be open to feedback of how to do something better. So I know like my VA and I, we use, we have a Trello board and, uh, you know, she has this system using the labels in there with other clients.
And she was like, do you mind if we use that over here? And I was like, no, that's amazing because then I could see what was in process or there was a roadblock or she needed something from me or uh, whatever, it just, it made it so that I wouldn't have to keep reaching out on Voxer to be like, okay, we're, you know, where are you at? Where are you at?
Um, um, you know, on that project and so it made it easier for the both of us and it's not a system I would have come up with on my own.
Madelaine Gordon: Yeah.
Erika Tebbens: So I was really glad that she had that system and that she felt comfortable enough with me to say like, Hey, can, you know, do you think we can use this? Uh, because it's, it's just been, it's been amazing. It's been really, really awesome.
Madelaine Gordon: That's a that's a really big thing. Like I think one of the reasons why I've been too successful, especially with me, um, being the sidekick, like I really live by that, that philosophy like I'm going to be your, like your such straight-up sidekick.
I know how you operate, I know your weaknesses. I know your strengths, and like, I will save you if you're having a bad day like Batman needed Robin to save him a couple of times. Um, and so being open, like my clients are always so open to receive, you know what I might have to offer outside of what they actually might even be paying me for because they value.
I think it's important for you to work with people that you value. Um, so when they value me, they like, they welcome what other, they don't take it personally, they just like walk like, Oh, great. Ah, man. I didn't, I didn't think of that, that's awesome. Yeah, let's do it. Um, so having, having people that you value is really important.
Erika Tebbens: Yeah. Yeah, it absolutely is so much. And I know, so now you are doing, uh, an additional thing in your business, you mentioned earlier, but teaching other women how to start their own VA businesses, you know, from home or from wherever, like maybe as like a side hustle or, uh, if they're already stay at home moms or single moms or whatever.
So why don't you talk a little bit about that because I think that's really cool.
Madelaine Gordon: Yeah. So, um, I'm really excited about it. It's really been a passion, passion of mine. Um, I always, since I'm a single mom of three and has gone through bouts of homelessness and abandonment and hunger and all kinds of things across the board, just awful.
I feel like if I would've known, known then what I know now, it would've given me options to make better decisions. Um, it would have kept me out of unhealthy relationships. It would have kept me from instability with my kids. It would just would have been a total game-changer because even when I worked a full-time job, I still was struggling, you know, and there was always the, okay, I could go back to school, but Hey, I'm already paying student loans or it was a situation of, I could get a part-time job.
Ugh! They only want to pay me minimum wage and I have to be away from my kids even more like, it just didn't make sense. Um, and so it's always been a passion of mine to be able to like, teach people what I know because the online world is this massive, um, infinite place where you can make money but a lot of people don't know how to start.
They don't even understand that they already have their own gifts and talents that are marketable from day one. Um, they don't understand the technology, they don't even understand the online, online jargon that we use. Like they just need, um, someone who understands it to show them the entire world and show them how to operate it.
So I've designed this course to be able to walk, um, these, I wanted to at first say single moms, but I was getting a lot of feedback, like, Hey, that's not fair. Um, I'd love to work with you. So that's not there. Um, just to walk working women, um, through the process of, Hey, you don't have to leave your job, but if you could start, you know, like a side business to bring in some extra income to have that more financial stability or build that up so that you could eventually leave your job, or maybe if you had some extra money or a plan B, you would be more bold to maybe quit that job, to get a job that you like more than might pay less.
Like having options really is the key. Um, and so being able to teach people how to start a VA business and a da business can be so broad, it can be you, you're great at writing. So maybe you want to become a copywriter, well, you know, you could do that and maybe you're a person that's always dabbled in video or photography that can be started out as a VA business, you know?
Um, but you've got to know how to understand what your gifts are, how to find the people, how to set your business up, how to market yourself, how do you, um, take care of your clients so that they stay with you and recommend you?
And the word of mouth is like crazy. So that is what I'm working on. Um, doing that and then, of course, I've also got my, my core, uh, Super Sidekick business that I still do because that's where a lot of the money still comes in.
Erika Tebbens: Yeah. And I think that that is, it's so wonderful that you're doing that and so needed.
And I think that it offers up a great alternative for, uh, you know, people who maybe don't want to have a network marketing business don't want to be in sales. I mean, obviously, you have to sell yourself a bit as, you know, as a VA, but, you know, not have to worry about product, not have to worry about doing home parties or anything like that.
I think that, um, especially because of some of the tools, like you mentioned, it can be so much easier to be a VA now. And even if you're doing, you know, working on your lunch hour or for a couple of hours every day after the kids go to sleep, like, that can really be huge and can be a really big game-changer.
And I know, I mean, there's, um, there's a woman I know. She did some project work for me last year. She's up. She's really fabulous. And she has now since niched down to doing mostly podcasts, which is like a podcast to BA she's great. She was a nurse. She quit nursing. Uh, last I knew her rates were like $50 an hour.
I think. So, I mean, that's. She's making great money. She's doing well. She's home with her boys. She's happy. And that's huge. I feel like, like you said, people need choices, they need opportunities. And there's just so much. And I really think, I know it's so easy for people to say, you know, Oh, certain things are saturated and blah, blah, blah.
Madelaine Gordon: No, especially not the way that I'm going to teach it. It's like, you know, I think the plus of working with me is that I, I legit like. I don't have an email list. It was like two years and I don't have an email list. I don't have, um, opt-ins like, I know how to do them for clients, but I've built my own business based on visibility and authenticity.
And so that's what I want to teach people that, you know, it's only saturated if you are like everybody else. And so there's no, no competition when you are leaning on yourself instead of others.
Erika Tebbens: Yes. Yes. Uh, and I, I know too, even right now, like for part of, uh, the Pinterest manager that I was mentioning earlier, that we're going to get started later this fall a big part of it is growing my list, or, but even, I mean, as, as far as like online entrepreneurs go, my list is very small, very small, but I think it's, it really comes down to that thing of the authentic, the, um, being authentic, and then the creating those personal relationships. It's huge. It makes such a big, big, big difference.
And like, and I think about something I'm like, Oh, I have my, I do have my opt-in, but I forget to talk about it all the time. Like, you know, and everything because I like you don't need to rely on it quite as much, especially when you're starting from zero and you're just trying to get clients and money coming in.
You can cut to the chase so much faster with a relationship because then you don't need to rely on, Oh, is my website perfect? Is my brand branding perfect? Is you know, is my opt-in perfect? Like you don't need to because when you are, as you know like I'm preaching the choir when you're your real self and you're putting yourself out there and you're connecting authentically with people, it like takes you from point a to point. m, you know, you're skipping all those, those steps. So.
Madelaine Gordon: And it really puts you in a situation where you are, um, pulling people to work with you instead of pushing them to work with you. Um, you want people to seek you not the other way around, and if you really set your business up in the right way, you know, the majority of your businesses, people just want to align themselves with you.
And it's really not, um, a hard sale. It's just like, okay, I am who I say I am now you always have to deliver. That's important. Um, but just to like the beauty of just having people just want to, just to work with you, um, and because of relationships or how they've seen you, um, relate to other people is so important.
So even how you just are on your even personal Facebook page that even matters, um, because people are looking at all of that and, and you can really do a lot without a list.
Erika Tebbens: Yeah, I completely, completely agree. Um, well this is so awesome. I am so glad that I was able to get you on. I know you're super busy, you have tons of clients and a lot of things happening, but where can people find you to learn more or to connect with you to learn about either your work with them as a client or your new program?
Madelaine Gordon: Um, I'm a big believer. One of the things I do when I, I do my strategy playbooks with clients is I tell them to, um, your personal Facebook page really does not belong to you.
If you want to be in business, it really should be a reflection of who you are and you shouldn't like hide it. Um, so I like for people, even if I've never had a conversation with you friend request me like you can send me personally a friend request, that is where I build a lot of my relationships with people who become clients because they get to see just who I am.
Um, So you can friend request me. I'm Madelaine Gordon. I'm nothing special. I'm not incognito. It's just Madeline Gordon, you confirm request me. And then also, um, the business Super Sidekick Services is everywhere. Um, the same. So, uh, Instagram and Facebook, um, is Super Sidekick Services. I don't, I'm not consistent with my Facebook and Instagram because it's has not as of yet it's been necessary, but as I'm I do this new thing, it will, I have to list build. Um, but you can find me a Super Sidekick Services. And also that's my website, supersidekickservices.com.
Erika Tebbens: Awesome. Well, thank you again. I hope that everyone goes and checks you out because you're awesome. And I think even just as a, as a way to see. Uh, somebody who is authentic in their brand and how you very clearly stand out from the competition. I think you do a great job of modeling that and you're just, you're so great. So thank you for being here.
I'm sure people got a ton out of it and. Um, especially for people, you know, if there are people listening who maybe they are in a, you know, doing a business that they don't love, or maybe they want to add in a side hustle or something like that, I think they should definitely check out your program because you are excellent at what you do.
And I know anything they learned from you will be valued.
Madelaine Gordon: Oh, I have all the feels. Thank you
Erika Tebbens: You are so, so welcome. And, I yeah. Again, thank you, everybody, Go check Madelaine out at Super Sidekick Services and everywhere on social media. And thank you again, Madelaine.
Madelaine Gordon: Thank you. Bye.
