Vixen Creative Agency

Staffing & Operational Scaling Project

Project Background
In Q4 of 2020, I was contracted by Vixen Creative Agency, a social media and brand management company, to help the owner scale her operations and transition from a sole proprietorship to a fully staffed agency. The owner was struggling to manage day-to-day client work, administrative tasks, and business development on her own, limiting her ability to onboard new clients and grow the business.

The goal of the project was to recruit, onboard, and train a team of virtual assistants (VAs) and a business administrator to handle client work and internal operations. This allowed the owner to focus on strategic growth and business development, ultimately enabling her to quit her full-time job and dedicate herself fully to the agency.

Project Overview

Features
  • Multi-stage Staffing Project
  • Multiple Role Types
  • Culture Fit and Development
  • Skill Assessment
  • New Business
  • Business Consulting
  • Business Development
Project Life Cycle

At VALINK, I was contracted by Vixen Creative Agency to help the business owner scale her operations and transition from a sole proprietorship to a fully staffed agency. The owner was struggling to manage day-to-day client work, administrative tasks, and business development on her own, limiting her ability to onboard new clients and grow the business.

My directive was to spearhead all phases of the project, including recruitment, onboarding, and training, to build a team that could handle client work and internal operations. This allowed the owner to focus on strategic growth and business development.

As the Directly Responsible Individual (DRI), I oversaw all phases of the project: initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and controlling, and closure. I also managed the recruitment team, coordinated client interviews, and ensured a smooth handover of the new team to the owner.

  • Business Case:

    • Vixen Creative Agency, a social media and brand management company, was struggling to scale due to the owner’s limited bandwidth as a sole proprietor. The owner was handling all aspects of client work, administrative tasks, and business development, leaving no capacity to onboard new clients or focus on strategic growth.

    • The owner needed to build a creative team and hire a business administrator to delegate day-to-day operations, allowing her to focus on scaling the business and acquiring new clients.

  • Project Goals:

    • Recruit and onboard a team of virtual assistants (VAs) to handle client work, including content creation, ad campaign management, and administrative tasks.

    • Hire a business administrator to manage internal operations and support business development efforts.

    • Establish workflows and systems to ensure seamless collaboration between the owner and her new team.

  • Benefits:

    • Reduced the owner’s workload by 43%, enabling her to quit her full-time job and focus on sales and networking.

    • Increased productivity by 88%, allowing the agency to onboard new clients and expand its portfolio.

    • Created a scalable operational structure, positioning the agency for long-term growth and success.

    • Scope Definition:

      • Conducted a discovery consultation with the business owner to identify pain points, goals, and operational needs.

      • Developed role outlines for virtual assistants (VAs) and a business administrator, including scope of work, KPIs, qualifications, and alignment with the company’s mission, vision, and values.

      • Defined day-to-day responsibilities, tools, training requirements, and existing SOPs for each role.

    • Timeline:

      • Set a project timeline to ensure the team was fully staffed and operational within 2 months.

      • Initiated the project in October 2020, with the goal of completing recruitment, onboarding, and training by December 2020.

    • Resource Allocation:

      • Drafted a scope of work, proposal, and agreement for the staffing project.

      • Assigned the project to the recruiting team, using ClickUp as an ATS and Testlify for candidate assessments.

      • Directed the team in preparing interview questions aligned with role-specific acceptance criteria.

    • Tech Stack Integration:

      • Planned the use of tools like ClickUp for project management and Testlify for candidate screening.

      • Established workflows for multi-stage recruitment, including screening, interviewing, and client presentations.

  • Recruitment Process:

    • Directed the recruiting team to screen and assess candidates using ClickUp as an ATS and Testlify for skill evaluations.

    • Oversaw the preparation of interview questions aligned with role-specific acceptance criteria.

    • Coordinated multi-stage interviews, including initial screenings and final client interviews.

  • Candidate Selection:

    • Assisted in selecting finalists by reviewing assessment scores and interview feedback.

    • Presented top candidates to the client with detailed briefs outlining their qualifications and fit for the role.

    • Facilitated client interviews to ensure the final selection aligned with the company’s needs and culture.

  • Onboarding & Training:

    • Managed the onboarding process for selected candidates, ensuring a smooth transition into their roles.

    • Coordinated training sessions to familiarize new team members with tools, workflows, and SOPs.

    • Established communication channels and workflows to support collaboration between the owner and the new team.

  • Tool Implementation:

    • Integrated tools like ClickUp for task management and Testlify for ongoing performance assessments.

    • Set up systems for tracking KPIs and ensuring accountability within the new team.

  • Performance Tracking:

    • Monitored the recruitment process using ClickUp and Testlify to track candidate quality, turnaround times, and alignment with acceptance criteria.

    • Developed a weighted scoring metric to evaluate candidates and ensure they met the established KPIs.

    • Tracked the “bounce rate” (client rejections of finalist candidates) to refine the selection process and improve outcomes.

  • Feedback Loop:

    • Conducted sprint planning, retrospectives, and daily standup meetings with the recruiting team to maintain oversight and address challenges in real-time.

    • Established a feedback loop with the client during the onboarding phase to ensure satisfaction with the new team members.

    • Facilitated regular check-ins between the client, candidates, and the personnel management team to gather insights and ensure smooth integration.

  • Adjustments:

    • Made real-time adjustments to the recruitment process based on performance metrics and client feedback.

    • Refined onboarding and training workflows to address any gaps identified during the 30-day transition period.

    • Ensured continuous improvement by leveraging feedback from both the client and candidates to optimize team performance and satisfaction.

  • Post-Project Review:

    • Conducted follow-ups at 30, 60, and 90 days to evaluate client and candidate satisfaction.

    • Identified opportunities for additional support, such as business consulting and development services, to help the client further refine systems and processes.

    • Determined that the client would benefit from more hands-on assistance in documenting and delegating tasks to her new team.

  • Lessons Learned:

    • Recognized the importance of reviewing training materials and developing SOPs in advance of staffing projects to ensure smoother onboarding and delegation.

    • Documented best practices for future projects, including the need for early collaboration on process documentation and training.

  • Handover:

    • Developed a comprehensive personnel handbook to support the client and her new admin in managing the team effectively.

    • Provided training and support to ensure the client and her team were equipped to handle personnel management responsibilities.

    • Maintained ongoing communication with the client, resulting in a long-term relationship and the retention of the core team for over 5 years.

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