Online Business Manager vs Virtual Assistant: What is the Difference?

It’s a super common misconception in the online space that Online Business Managers (OBMs) are just glorified Virtual Assistants (VAs), but I’m here to break down why that is absolutely not the case! 

As someone who has been working in the online business world since 2019, I can confidently say that hiring an OBM vs VA comes down to the specific needs of your business.

In fact, it’s fairly common for business owners to hire both an OBM and a VA onto their team, because each role has its own unique responsibilities in supporting the operations of the business.

But before we dive into which role is right for you, let’s break down the key differences between an OBM and a VA.

What Is an Online Business Manager?

An OBM, or Online Business Manager, is essentially a manager for your business. OBMs take on the responsibility of managing and overseeing various different aspects of your business, including day-to-day operations, team management, systems operations, and more! 

An Online Business Manager is essentially the right-hand person for the CEO, helping them to streamline their business operations and drive growth toward long-term goals.

What is a Virtual Assistant?

A VA, or Virtual Assistant, is someone who helps you complete tasks on a daily basis. Whether those tasks are more creative or more administrative depends on your needs and the person that you hire. 

Some typical tasks that a Virtual Assistant might handle include;

• inbox management
• scheduling content (e.g. social posts and newsletters) 
• responding to customer enquiries.
• chasing invoices
• research tasks
• calendar management

However, with a Virtual Assistant, it is essential that you already know exactly what you need help with so that you’re able to delegate those tasks to your VA on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. VAs need direction. 

Not only does a Virtual Assistant need clear direction on their work, but it’s also imperative to have an environment (systems and operations for your VA to work within) and SOPs (standard operating procedures – basically a step-by-step process that is written or in video format) in place that your VA can refer to as an instruction manual for how to complete each task. Additionally, you’ll need to ensure that your Virtual Assistant has an open line of communication with you during work hours if they have questions or need additional direction.

OBM vs VA: What REALLY Makes Them Different?

While some people may mistakenly think that an OBM is just a virtual assistant, that belief couldn’t be further from the truth. Virtual assistants help with day-to-day tasks, but an OBM goes faaaarrr beyond that. 

Strategic Thinking

An OBM is a strategic thinker–someone who can see the big picture and help you map out what steps need to be taken in order to get there. They help you identify and solve problems before they become too big and can help you make informed decisions that will drive your business forward.

Let’s view these roles through a corporate lens: the Online Business Manager role would be closely parallel to an Operations Manager or Project Manager, who would typically have an entire team working under their direct supervision. Much like an Operations Manager or Project Manager, an OBM oversees the different departments within a business to ensure that operations run smoothly and efficiently throughout.

Experience

Another key difference between an Online Business Manager and a Virtual Assistant is their experience level! 

An OBM typically gains some years of experience working in the corporate world before pivoting to the online space to work in an online business management and consulting capacity. Online Business Managers have a deep understanding of what it takes to run a successful online business and are fully ready to support you in getting there. OBMs have a wealth of knowledge and expertise to bring to the table, which, along with their typical prior experience in the corporate space, can prove to be highly valuable in helping you make strategic decisions that will drive your business forward.

Management

In addition to their experience, an Online Business Manager is highly skilled at managing teams–unlike Virtual Assistants! In fact, they can help you build and manage a team of VAs, contractors, or other professionals, ensuring that everyone is working together effectively and efficiently so that tasks are completed in the right way at the right time. 

Hiring a team is a super important necessity when running an online business. Having an OBM on your side can really help you get that team started, which will help tremendously in scaling your business!

Accountability

Finally, an Online Business Manager is someone who can help hold you accountable and keep you, and the team focused on the business’s goals, vision and mission. They can also help you make sure that the goals you’re setting are realistic, along with helping you create a strategic plan of action to achieve those goals. Not to mention, if Plan A doesn’t end up working out, they can assist you in designing a strategy with a new and better Plan B. The level of accountability and focus that OBMs have is unparalleled and is essential for any business owner who wants to grow and scale consistently. 

OBM vs VA: Key Differecnes

Responsibility	Online Business Manager (OBM)	Virtual Assistant (VA)
Role focus	Strategic operations, team management, systems, and overall business growth.	Task-based support for daily administrative, creative, or routine work.
Strategic Planning	✅ OBMs help map out long-term business goals and implement strategies.	❌ VAs focus on executing specific tasks assigned by the business owner.
Team Management	✅ OBMs can hire, manage, and oversee teams (including VAs).	❌ VAs do not typically manage other team members.
Decision-Making Support	✅ OBMs assist with high-level decision-making, offering strategic insights.	❌ VAs are given tasks but don’t contribute to strategic decisions.
Systems Implementation	✅ OBMs implement and optimise business systems (e.g., project management tools).	❌ VAs work within systems already in place but don’t implement them.
Daily Task Execution	❌ OBMs oversee tasks but don’t usually handle day-to-day, routine admin work.	✅ VAs handle daily administrative tasks like scheduling, email management, etc.
Project Management	✅ OBMs manage projects, timelines, and ensure tasks are executed efficiently.	❌ VAs follow instructions but do not manage larger projects or teams
Creative Input	✅ Sometimes – OBMs can offer feedback and improvements to processes but mainly focus on operations.	✅ VAs can assist with creative tasks such as social media posts, content creation, etc.
Experience Level	High – level OBMs typically come with extensive experience in operations, management, and strategic roles.	Varies – VAs may have different skill levels based on the tasks required, but often have less strategic experience.

As you can see, there are many different facets that separate Online Business Managers from Virtual Assistants. Both the OBM role and the VA role hold a valuable place within the operations of an online business; however, it’s essential to understand that each has their own unique expertise to contribute. After all, you wouldn’t hire an electrician to install your water pipes or a plumber to install an electrical outlet–right? The same goes for Online Business Managers and Virtual Assistants. Allow each of these roles to lean fully into their own proficiencies, and see how much your business will flourish as a result!

Curious about the transformative role of an Online Business Manager?

Dive deep into the various ways an Online Business Manager can impact your business with our detailed guide.

Convinced it’s time to hire an OBM for your online business? Ready to scale your brain-child to the moon? Then be sure to check out our Online Business Management services.

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