How Can You Be A Problem Solver If You Have None?

In the last few weeks, I’ve been collecting feedback by any means necessary. Surveys, emails, phone calls, texts, and video calls. I made it a point to collect and devour all I could. The work didn’t stop there. I shared all the findings with my consultant to help further dissect and understand the findings.

The very first question I asked my followers was, “What problem do I solve for you? Or what problem do you wish I could solve?” To the amazement of both me and my consultant not a single person identified as having any problems. Not one.

As we continued to go through questions and responses I was able to uncover what problems my followers were actually facing. However, not in the form of “problems”. No one wanted to admit there was a problem. Why is it okay to be a problem solver but not to have any of your own? Furthermore, how can you flex your problem-solving muscles for others if you never do it for yourself? Since when did having a problem become a bad thing?

I believe the reason people don’t want to identify with having problems is the idea that if you have problems then you must also be negative. Problems and negativity do not go hand in hand. Problems and ingenuity do. You know what you don’t get if you don’t have problems? Solutions.

As a virtual assistant, you might identify as being a problem solver. However, you are much more valuable as a problem finder of yourself. How many assistants before the one who created Liquid Paper were frustrated with mistakes while typing? Probably countless. How many tried to do something about it? I can’t be sure, but I know the name of the one who did, Bette Nesmith Graham.

There isn’t a single invention that didn’t come from someone seeing the lack of it as a problem. Objects as simple as the paperclip, Liquid Paper, and Post-it Notes, which were all in my desktop organizer, when I was coming up through the ranks as an executive assistant were created to solve someone’s problem. Where do we even start in the technology era? A problem of not being able to share photos, videos, thoughts, money, you name it. Someone saw the problem and in many cases became the problem solver.

Finding other people’s problems is easy. Finding your own is much more difficult. First, we can’t see the forest for the trees. Your brain has to work much harder instead of working on autopilot. Second, it’s far too easy to get comfortable and think the way things are, are simply the way they need to be. It’s not so. Third, not all the problems we face are so big that they set off the alarms.

The biggest leaps in my business have come because I found a problem. In December I’ll celebrate my four year business anniversary. Each year has come with its own set of challenges but there was one main problem I had or saw coming. It was I who had to admit it and figure out how to solve it. Now, I’m not saying I had to go at it alone. In fact, I’ll be the first to tell you I haven’t done anything on my own. (That’s an entirely different article). What I am saying is that the first step was admitting there was a problem. No matter how scary, embarrassed, or even costly I needed to find my problem and solve it before it was too late.

Year 1 Problem — I knew had to do my work as a virtual assistant. I didn’t know how to run a company.

• Solution — Even though it cost thousands of dollars I hired a business coach. The very next contract I signed was the largest I ever had and covered the costs of my coach. The next contract after that was even larger and four times the amount of my business coach. I would have never signed such large contracts without her. Problem solved. I had gained the much-needed knowledge of how to create a good foundation in business.

Year 2 Problem — I needed to make a name for myself but felt intimidated by others who had designations after their names.

• Solution — Get over the intimidation and fear and write my own book to build a larger platform. There needed to be some proof of what I knew. I needed to share my expertise. Writing a book was definitely ambitious but it certainly solved the problem. In the process, I subconsciously created my own designation and became known as The PVA. Problem solved. Whenever you do something ambitious you get far more than you bargained for. In the process, I wasn’t only able to reach the audience of clients looking to hire the right virtual assistant. Virtual assistants and those aspiring to be virtual assistants reached out to me. A new audience to serve was created.

Year 3 Problem — I had three big goals on the year. Host a virtual summit, teach my first online class, and write my second book. I knew how much work it was going to take and the problem of being at home, in the country, all alone with my doubts and fears would take its toll on me. This is a perfect example of what someone might call a first world problem. Nonetheless, it was a problem.

• Solution — Travel the world with a group of 30 others while running my business. It was the best decision I could have made. I still experienced fear and doubt. I can’t imagine how much worse it could have been had I stayed home and been isolated. Problem solved. Not only did I have the best year in business but I had the time of my life while making great friends! Again, it was ambitious and yet another audience to serve was created. I began remote work consulting.

Year 4 Problem — My business is not scalable due to the high personal touch I provide. Not a single process is done without me at some point. This was a problem others told me I had. I never saw it as a problem until I worked at a startup and learned how I could not run my business and perform my duties as Director of Support. Furthermore, I saw the devastation it caused me physically and emotionally to keep up with demand. How could I scale and keep it personal so I never have to put myself in that position again?

• The solution in progress — From all the feedback I know my followers want me to educate them. Educate them on virtual assistants, market value, types of VAs, costs, what they can expect, how to do a search, conduct background checks, and create a 12-week onboarding plan. Virtual assistants want me to answer the questions of where do I find my clients? What services should I be offering? How should I price my services? How can I start a business before I quit my job? On-demand courses are being created.

When people ask how I can have done so much in four years I often talk about the way I set goals. I mention how I use virtual assistants because my time is also limited. I’ve shared my calendar so others can see how to set a remote work schedule. What I didn’t realize until recently is that admitting, finding, and seeking out my own problems was a major factor.

Now, these were not the only problems I’ve had in business. Nor does it include personal setbacks and frustrations. My problems aren’t going anywhere either. I will always have new problems which mean there will always be a new problem to solve. I’m up for the challenge because I’m not just a problem solver. I’m a problem finder.

Melissa is the bestselling author of Hire the Right Virtual Assistant and Become A Successful Virtual Assistant. To learn more about hiring a VA or be matched with a VA you can contact Melissa here.

She has gained international recognition and has been featured in CareerBuilder, The Muse, Spark Hire, Thinkific & Woman’s World.