The Support Spectrum
What on earth is the difference between a virtual assistant, executive assistant and a business manager?
You're not alone in this confusion and seeing blurry lines.
(Even an offshore vs local Virtual assistant is completely different! and to make it even more confusing many local VA's also call themselves OBM - online business managers adding even more complexity and frustration)
The shorthand:
VA = Virtual assistant
EA = Executive Assistant
BM = Business Manager
In a recent Catalyst program session, we stepped through the distinctions between these three roles. Even the Business Managers with 5+ years of experience had lightbulb moments. "I FINALLY get this role," one said. Another mentioned how the dreaded question of "What do you do?" at social gatherings sends her into an existential spiral every time.
This confusion isn't just on the support side – I've watched so many thought leaders cycle through multiple hires, gradually losing trust in the idea that the right support is even possible. The frustration builds as expectations clash with reality, and another potentially great partnership dissolves.
If you've ever felt this pain, I thought of you today.
In the world of thought leadership, having the right support can make the difference between struggling to keep up and having a thriving, scalable practice. But here's what I've noticed working with hundreds of thought leaders: there's massive confusion about what these roles actually do. And confusion leads to frustration, energy drain, and a loss of trust.
When I show my clients this Venn model of how these roles intersect, you can practically hear the collective "aha" in the room:
You'll see the key relationships and functions are:
Business Owner: Focuses on strategy and vision
Business Manager: Bridges strategy and implementation, owns processes
Virtual Assistant: Executes processes within the business
The magic happens in the overlap – where communication flows, where projects get done, where strategy meets process. But without clarity on who owns what, tension builds fast.
WHY IT MATTERS
Think about your business like a home renovation project. A clear understanding of who does what prevents the chaos of everyone stepping on each other's toes:
Virtual Assistant: The skilled tradesperson who executes specific tasks perfectly when given clear instructions.
Executive Assistant: The interior designer who manages your household flow and workspace, anticipating your needs and creating spaces (systems) that work for you.
Business Manager: The project manager who owns the entire renovation process – hiring contractors, managing budgets, making decisions aligned with your vision while you're free to focus on what you truly love.
When roles blur, frustration builds. I've seen thought leaders hire a VA but expect Business Manager-level proactivity. I've watched Business Managers get pulled into task-execution mode instead of being empowered to lead. And the disappointment cycle continues.
CHOOSE YOUR CAPACITY
Look at your calendar for the past two weeks and highlight activities that drained your energy but didn't require your unique expertise. These are your first delegation candidates.
Create a simple decision tree for tasks in your business: "Must be me" vs. "Could be someone else." Start tracking which tasks fall into each category and notice patterns.
Assess where you are on the evolution of support based on this snapshot:
*It's important to note: This is specific to a thought leadership/ soloprenuer business - this would look different in a corporate environment.
WHEN TO TRANSITION
Virtual Assistants are ideal when you're just starting to delegate and need specific tasks handled efficiently, or when it's time for your Business Manager to have support with tasks, freeing them to maintain proactivity and creating energetic freedom.
Executive Assistants become essential when your calendar becomes overwhelming, client interactions increase, and you need someone to truly manage your work life
Business Managers become necessary when you're ready to scale, need strategic support, and want someone who can drive growth while you focus on delivery and thought leadership.
MAKING THE RIGHT MATCH
Theory is helpful – but what does this look like in practice? I'd like to introduce you to three exceptional professionals who each represent a different point on the support spectrum. If you've been considering bringing on support (or upgrading your current support), one of these talented individuals might be exactly what you need:
For thought leaders ready for a deeply experienced strategic partnership go here.
For growing businesses ready for a BM marketing focus, go here.
For those needing experienced EA support go here.
If you'd like to chat about any of these options in your business, hit reply or book a call here.
Here's to creating more space for your genius work,
Katee
PS. I've built a guide to bringing on support - you can download that here.
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