Episode breakdown
Barbara Turley from The Virtual Hub shares why she’s passionate about the remote work revolution, what she’ll be covering as an expert on the Remote Business Summit, and her courage story.
Barbara is an investor, entrepreneur and Founder & CEO of The Virtual Hub – a business she started by accident that exploded in its first 12 months to become one of the leading companies that recruits, trains and manages support assistants in the digital marketing and social media space for businesses who need to free up time and energy so they can go to the next level.
The company’s mission is to eradicate small business overwhelm and pave the way for more businesses to scale successfully using offshore team strategies.
Barbara is also Mum to Ruby & Alexander, wife to her best friend Eti and an adventure lover with a passion for horses, skiing, tennis and timeout in nature.
- The biggest scariest decision I’ve made is starting a business in a country where I never been to which is the Philippines.
- When I took the business more seriously I realized I should make everyone an employee and launch the business seriously and so I launched the Philippine company and went to office-based and moved away from remote work-from-home.
- The concept of remote means everything from a large corporations that have remote offshore teams that maybe in an office.
- If you will hire a remote staff, workers or remote employee, take it seriously as you would if you were in a large corporation hiring people in the office in a big city.
- Have a process on how you are going to recruit a remote employee deeper than to chat. A deep dive approach on background check and cultural approach.
I launched an entire business off the back of this concept of not having to be present in order to run a lot of people or to have a company that runs a lot of people.
In this episode
00:00 Remote Business Summit Promotion
Cindy Pham and Anfernee Chansamooth promote an upcoming online event, the Remote Business Summit, inviting listeners to register and mentioning notable participating companies.
00:40 Introduction to Founders Connect Podcast
Cindy and Anfernee introduce the podcast’s mission to support lifestyle entrepreneurs in growing their businesses online while fostering healthier personal relationships, noting the high rates of startup failures and marital breakdowns.
01:24 Guest Introduction: Barbara Turley
Anfernee introduces Barbara Turley, founder of The Virtual Hub, a Support Assistant outsourcing company based in the Philippines with about 140-150 employees. He highlights her personal life, hobbies, and business mission to alleviate small business overwhelm.
02:55 Barbara’s Corporate Background and Transition
Barbara shares her 15-year career in investment banking, explaining how she initially had no entrepreneurial aspirations but gradually became interested after joining a financial industry startup, which inspired her to pursue her own ventures.
04:08 Barbara’s Courageous Decisions in Business
Barbara recounts two major courageous moments: starting a business in the Philippines without ever having been there while expecting a baby, and later, formally incorporating in the Philippines, transitioning to office-based operations with full employee benefits — a costly but valuable move for growth and legitimacy.
05:28 The Realities of Remote Work Growth
Anfernee notes the recurring theme in summit interviews about the romanticized notion of remote work, and how it requires solid infrastructure for scalability and client service. He sets up for deeper conversation about this in the upcoming summit.
06:04 Embracing the Remote Work Revolution
Anfernee tees up a discussion about Barbara’s role in the summit and her views on the remote work revolution. He touches on how remote work has evolved from a niche experiment to a mainstream strategy, and asks Barbara about its impact on her business and life.
06:40 Defining the Concept of Remote Work
Barbara redefines what “remote” means in today’s business environment, clarifying that it’s not just about digital nomads or work-from-home setups. She highlights how remote work can involve offshore offices, dispersed teams, or simply being physically distant from one’s team while managing a cohesive operation.
07:59 Variations of Remote Work Models
Anfernee and Barbara discuss the different models of remote work enabled by technology — from digital nomads to hybrid setups with part of a team in-house and others offshore. They reflect on how businesses now creatively structure remote arrangements to suit their operational needs.
08:34 Remote Work and Work-Life Balance for Mothers
Anfernee points out how remote work has created more opportunities for working mothers, granting them flexibility to stay engaged professionally while being present for family milestones. They note how corporate cultures have shifted compared to five years ago, becoming more supportive of this balance.
09:29 Hiring High-Quality Remote Performers
Barbara shares advice on remote hiring, stressing the importance of taking it as seriously as traditional in-office hiring. She warns against informal practices like casual Skype interviews without thorough vetting, and emphasizes having a structured recruitment process that includes assessing cultural fit and conducting background checks.
10:20 Mindset and Systems for Effective Hiring
Anfernee agrees on the importance of solid hiring systems and the right mindset, regardless of whether a hire is remote or in-office. Both highlight that a strategic, thoughtful approach to recruitment is key to long-term business success.
10:55 Promoting Resources and Summit Invitation
Barbara and Anfernee wrap up by sharing resources, including Barbara’s podcast The Virtual Success Show and her company’s content hub, inviting listeners to learn more about outsourcing. They also encourage registration for the upcoming Remote Business Summit.
11:17 Closing Remarks
Cindy and Anfernee conclude the episode with their signature sign-off, reminding listeners to live passionately, purposefully, and confidently until next time.
