How to Work with (or Hire) Someone Remotely

Written By Rhea Mhae Villena

Online businesses run lean. Which is great — until everything depends on you.

That’s usually when creators start thinking:
“I wish I had help with this.”
That’s where remote work — and specifically Virtual Assistants (VAs) — come in.

Wait, What’s a VA?

A VA is short for Virtual Assistant. It’s someone who helps you with tasks online — from anywhere in the world.

Think of them like a part-time team member you don’t need an office for.

VAs can help with:

  • Admin tasks (scheduling, inbox sorting, calendar management)

  • Content repurposing

  • Social media posting

  • Customer support

  • Updating your website

  • Simple design work

  • Research or list-building

  • And honestly — a lot more, depending on their skills

You can hire VAs for a few hours a week, or for full projects. They’re flexible, often freelance, and usually work with multiple clients.

Now, whether you're hiring a VA or just collaborating with another remote person (like a copywriter, designer, or coach), the same principles apply.

Let’s get into how to do it well — especially if you’ve never managed someone online before.

1. Get Clear Before You Get Help

Before you hire or delegate anything, take a minute to get specific about what you actually need.

Ask yourself:

  • What tasks are you spending too much time on?

  • Which parts of your business feel repetitive, stressful, or time-consuming?

  • What would free you up to focus on the work only you can do?

Write that stuff down.

Clarity now saves frustration later — for both of you.

2. Pick Tools That Keep Everyone on the Same Page

Remote work doesn’t require fancy tech — just tools you’ll actually use.

Recommended basics:

  • Google Drive → share docs, content, folders

  • Canva → collaborate on visual content

  • Trello / Notion / ClickUp → organize tasks, due dates, feedback

  • Slack / Voxer / Telegram → for check-ins that don’t clog email

  • Loom → record a quick screen video instead of explaining everything in writing

Bonus: You don’t need to “train” a VA to use these — most are already fluent.

3. Communicate Like You’re Not in the Same Room (Because You’re Not)

The #1 reason remote work breaks down? Unspoken expectations.

So say the things that feel “obvious” — clearly.

For example:

  • When do you expect tasks to be done?

  • What’s your preferred way to give and receive feedback?

  • How often should you check in?

Write it down. Don’t assume they’ll “figure it out.”

Overcommunication is polite, not annoying.

4. Start Small and Build From There

You don’t need to hand over your whole business.

Instead:

  • Start with one weekly task (e.g. repurpose 1 blog post into Instagram content)

  • Give feedback fast, kindly, and directly

  • See how it goes, then expand as trust builds

Hiring remote help is like building a new rhythm. It takes a little time to click — but once it does, you’ll wonder why you waited.

Hiring doesn’t have to be heavy. It can be light, small, and intentional.

5. Pay Clearly, Fairly, and on Time

Use tools like PayPal, Wise, Stripe, or Payoneer to send payments.

Set clear expectations:

  • When will invoices go out?

  • What happens if a task takes longer than expected?

  • How will you track hours (if hourly)?

Treat your help like a partner, not a robot. You’ll get better work — and better relationships.

Final Thought

Working remotely doesn’t mean working harder.
It means building systems that work when you’re not in the room.

If you’ve been feeling buried, stretched, or just tired of doing everything yourself — hiring even a few hours of help can change everything.

Start small. Communicate clearly. Work in the open.
That’s how remote help becomes real support — not another thing to manage.

Rhea Mhae Villena