The Secret Sauce of Outsourcing

“Just practice delegating” is not real advice. I know that sounds harsh, but it’s true. You can’t practice delegating unless you actually have someone to delegate to.  That’s why hiring comes first. You don’t get better at delegating by reading about it, thinking about it, or hoping someday you’ll be ready. You get better by hiring someone, giving them actual work, making corrections, and keeping...

I think the internet is making Filipino VA compliance sound way more complicated than it actually is. And the crazy part is, the bad information looks really good. It looks reliable. It looks authoritative. It sounds like the kind of thing a cautious business owner should listen to. I asked ChatGPT about it, started reading the sources, and for a second I thought, man, have I been wrong about this...

Most business owners asking about Filipino VA salaries are asking the wrong question. They’re asking, “What’s the cheapest I can get this for?” or “If I pay more, do I automatically get the best?” That’s not how this works. I’ve seen salaries as low as $100 a month and as high as $20,000 a month in the Philippines. Both are real. But neither one tells you what you actually need to know if you’re t...

My first VA started with me in February 2006… and he still works with me today. 20 years. And the crazy part is, when I hired him, he knew basically nothing. He wasn’t some polished “top 1%” rockstar with a perfect resume. He was young, hungry, willing to learn, and willing to try. I taught him what I knew. He kept showing up. And over time, he became one of the most valuable people in my business...

I’ve hired people in the Philippines for 20 years… and this week I learned something I honestly can’t believe I never considered. When you get “obviously poor” work back, your first assumption is usually:😒 They didn’t care.😒 They were lazy.😒 They rushed it. But what if the real problem is the exact opposite? What if they’re rushing because they’re trying to be good… and they’re operating with a...

I hate the term “virtual assistant.” Because it makes you think you’re hiring one type of person. And you’re not. This week alone I got emails that reminded me how wildly different the people are that you can hire in the Philippines. This episode is basically me showing you three real people I interacted with recently: 🎥 The “okay” video editor who turned into an A-player because he was coachable...

If you’re tempted to slap a time tracker on your VA because “something feels off,” let me save you a bunch of frustration. I’ve done that. Multiple times. Did it work? No. It didn’t work at all. It just made it worse, because time tracking turns the relationship into “you vs. me.” And Filipinos don’t work well like that. They work well on trust. Here’s what I’ve learned after 20 years of hiring in...

I’m going to say something that surprises people: I don’t usually hire the most qualified person. I hire the one who stands out. I’ve been hiring people in the Philippines since 2005. My very first hire is still with me today. That’s 20 years. And after two decades of reading applications, interviewing, and making both great and terrible hires, I’ve seen the same patterns over and over again. This...

I used to think outsourcing to the Philippines was about cost. Like, I’m just saving money. What I didn’t know was it was actually about freedom. And the weird part? I didn’t lose control. I got more. Back in 2005 I hired my first person in the Philippines. At first, I had to teach him everything. But after a few months it was almost like there were two of me, and it was one of the most liberating...

I’ve had a bunch of people ask me lately, “Is AI replacing virtual assistants?” And the simple answer is no — not even close. What we’re actually seeing is the biggest increase in demand for Filipino VAs we’ve ever seen. Month after month, employers keep hiring more. And the crazy part is… VAs are getting better at their jobs because of AI, not worse. My team in the Philippines uses AI every singl...

I can’t tell you how many people assume the Philippines has the same holidays we do.  Thanksgiving? Nope. New Year’s Eve? Yep, that’s a holiday for them. Meanwhile, we’re over here thinking the whole world shuts down on the 4th of July. It’s funny how we assume our culture is the default.  Once you realize their holiday calendar is completely different, a lot of things suddenly make sense—why your...

I see business owners make the same mistake over and over—they chase “cheap outsourcing” and end up paying way more than they should. 💸 Here’s the truth: outsourcing done right isn’t about cutting corners or hiring the cheapest option. It’s about building something sustainable—a team that actually helps your business grow instead of creating more problems to manage. When I first started outsourci...

Can a VA in the Philippines really build your funnel? Short answer: yes. Longer answer: absolutely. My Filipino team built three funnels for me from scratch—including one VA who had never touched funnels before. That’s the beauty of outsourcing. You don’t need some expensive “expert.” You just need someone loyal, smart, and willing to learn.  Here’s what I cover in this episode: 🛠 How a VA with no...

Do you really have to train a VA? I used to think if I just hired someone “already experienced,” I wouldn’t have to.  Turns out that’s not true—you always have to do some training. Even a senior programmer still needs to learn my processes, tools, and expectations. What I’ve learned is this: training isn’t just about skills—it’s about trust. And when your VA trusts you, they’ll stick around, work...

I built an eight-figure business working 15 hours a week—and the reason is simple: Filipino Virtual Assistants. Most business owners think hiring a VA is risky, complicated, or only good for small tasks.  But here’s the truth: a VA can do almost anything you can do on a computer or phone—admin, customer support, bookkeeping, marketing, design, coding, even running six-figure ad campaigns.  In this...

People always ask me: “John, is outsourcing good or bad?” And my answer is—it’s neither.  Outsourcing isn’t black and white. It’s not inherently good, and it’s not inherently bad. It all depends on how you approach it and how you treat the people you bring into your business. Most business owners only see the stereotypes: lost control, jobs shipped overseas, cultural headaches. But that’s not the...

I’ve heard it for years: “Isn’t outsourcing just taking advantage of people?”  If your goal is to squeeze the lowest rate out of someone, yeah—maybe that’s questionable.  But if you care about the people you hire, outsourcing to the Philippines can be one of the most ethical, life-changing decisions you ever make—for them and for you. When I first started hiring full-time Filipino VAs back in 2005...

Marketing doesn’t have to be hard—it just has to get done.  And the fastest way I’ve found to actually make it happen? Stop doing it all yourself. Most business owners fail at marketing because they never find the right person to do the work. They’re stuck creating posts, writing content, running ads—and wondering why nothing scales.  The truth is, you can outsource your marketing (yes, even the p...

Ever wonder why so many business owners hire in the Philippines—even when they’ve never been there? 🤔 Most people think “third world country” and picture instability, low skills, and chaos. But that’s not what I’ve seen over the last 18+ years of working with Filipinos. The truth is, the Philippines is nothing like what most outsiders assume. It’s an emerging economy with millions of educated, ta...

VAs in the Philippines love tools. And there are tons of tools out there—but which ones actually work? I’ve been working with Filipino VAs for almost 20 years. Over that time, I’ve tested just about every tool available—some stuck, most didn’t. The ones that stuck? They’ve made my VAs way more productive and made my life easier. And today, I’m breaking down exactly what we use—and why. If you’re w...

You can Google “why hire from the Philippines” and get a bunch of random opinions. That’s not what this is. I’ve been outsourcing since 2005—back when there was nothing out there about outsourcing. No guides, no YouTube experts, no frameworks. Just trial and error. I’ve hired from India, Indonesia, Brazil, Mexico… you name it. And it’s not about cheap. It’s about what actually works—better than an...

Hiring my first VA from the Philippines didn’t just help my business—it changed my life. I hired my first Filipino VA back in 2005. Suddenly, it felt like there were two of me in my business. That guy still works for me today—just like the ones I hired in 2007, 2009, and 2011. He now runs and manages my 8-figure-a-year business. At this point, I’ve got almost 50 full-time Filipino VAs. You could f...

Ever wonder why the whole world’s outsourcing to the Philippines now? There’s a reason. Actually... there are seven solid reasons—and one more that might matter a lot more than you think. Outsourcing used to mean India. Not anymore. In 2010, everything changed—and the Philippines quietly became the global leader in business process outsourcing. I’ve hired over 50 full-time Filipino workers. I’ve s...

You think living the 4-hour work week is just a dream? I used to think that too—until life forced me to figure it out fast. Back in 2007, my wife got a life-threatening diagnosis late in her pregnancy. I had two toddlers, a growing business, and zero margin for error. I couldn’t work. At all. And yet… the business kept going. Actually, it grew. That was the moment everything changed. I didn’t just...

If you’re still stuck thinking “India = outsourcing,” you’re living in 2005. The world’s moved on—and there’s a reason. You ever call support, get someone you just can’t understand, hang up, and call back hoping for a miracle? Yeah—I did that once. 📞 First call: India. Couldn’t understand him, he couldn’t understand me. Hung up. 📞 Second call: the Philippines. Clear English. Super helpful. Solve...