Just a few days ago I completed the first draft of my new book for Online Business Managers (coming out this fall.)
I had set myself a deadline of getting the draft done by the end of June, and was typing my final chapter up to 10:30pm the night of June 30th. Nothing like waiting til the final moment, hehe. But considering a busy life with two wee kids and commitments to my awesome clients… I was quite thrilled that I met my deadline!
There is still work to be done on the book – July is ‘polish and perfect’ month before I get the book off to my editor. But even though i’m not officially finished yet, i’ve found a very special gift in the process so far.
For the first time, i’ve truly defined what it is that an Online Business Manager does.
This may sound funny, given that i’ve worked as an OBM since 2003. Shouldn’t I know what the heck i’m doing?! 😉
Let’s just say it’s been a situation of can’t see the forest for the trees. I’ve always been a ‘natural’ OBM (for lack of a better term)… I’ve just always done this level of work for clients without really realizing what it was. Andrea and I coined the phrase Online Business Manager a few years back just to give it a name… so when people asked what I do for a living I could say OBM.
But if they asked ‘what does an OBM do?’ I would be a bit tongue tied… I didn’t really know how to describe what I actually do for clients. So I would generally say some kind of platitude about helping build online based businesses or internet marketing… which is true, but doesn’t really answer the question.
In writing this book I had to really step back, take a look at what clients need, what we do for our clients and – for the first time ever – put it to words. And oh what a journey that is… my poor brain was twisting in the wind at some points, wondering if I really do anything at all? Then it clicked for me, a moment of clarity where the pieces fit together. An A-ha moment as Oprah would say.
And in defining the role of an OBM, i’m finding that I have some work to do myself! It’s actually been somewhat humbling and challenging at the same time… even though i’ve been an OBM for 5+ years now, there is still stuff that I need to step-up to in this role. (Constant growth – which is part of the beauty of this role really.)
Take a taste of my own medicine, LOL! Such is the journey of writing a book… so far so good, i’ll keep you posted.