That "hire a VA from day one" advice nearly wrecked my launch

My buddy Marco kept telling me to get a virtual assistant before I even had 10 sales. I hired someone from Upwork for $8 an hour and spent 3 weeks fixing product descriptions they butchered. Lost a solid 40 hours of my own time redoing everything. Has anyone else had a VA disaster right out of the gate or was it just me picking the wrong person?

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lisa9763mo ago

The "$8 an hour" part is your problem right there. You get what you pay for with VAs (trust me on this). Cheap help often means someone who doesn't know your product or industry at all. Spending 40 hours fixing their mess sounds about right for bottom barrel rates. Maybe start with a real freelancer who knows your niche next time, even if it costs way more upfront.

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miller.avery3mo ago

But @lisa976, doesn't that kind of depend on where you're hiring from? I know a few people who pay around that rate for VAs in the Philippines and they get solid work from folks who actually learn fast and care about the job. I think the problem is more about checking their skills hard before you hire, not just the hourly rate.

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