Comments on: The Personal Outsourcing Olympics: Bangalore Butler or American Assistant? http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2007/12/06/the-personal-outsourcing-olympics-bangalore-butler-or-american-assistant/ Tim Ferriss's 4-Hour Workweek and Lifestyle Design Blog Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:05:13 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Wendy http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2007/12/06/the-personal-outsourcing-olympics-bangalore-butler-or-american-assistant/comment-page-1/#comment-54477 Wendy Tue, 13 Oct 2009 04:19:57 +0000 http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2007/12/06/the-personal-outsourcing-olympics-bangalore-butler-or-american-assistant/#comment-54477 I'm a single american female teaching music in Pakistan. The bane of my existence is lesson planning and after reading this, realize I'm in the perfect place/situation to outsource most, if not all, of my mundane, time-consuming tasks Long term I want to get out of the classroom and be more of a consultant. Interests include creating/researching material for education on the links btwn ADHD/exercise/nutrition. What I need: someone to... 1) initially work with me to lay out a curriculum framework - I work really well having someone to bounce ideas off of and it keeps me focused - then create and update lessons based on that 2) research and condense info, putting it into developing books/curriculum/programs/materials useful for education - basically get my ideas out of my head and into action 3) look after personal, daily stuff, including finding the best places to shop, researching products I want to buy (new smartphone?) 4) find me a date(s) - here, internationally - location doesn't necessarily matter. The plus is I get paid in US $ but live on rupees. Now I just want to take advantage of it. I’m a single american female teaching music in Pakistan. The bane of my existence is lesson planning and after reading this, realize I’m in the perfect place/situation to outsource most, if not all, of my mundane, time-consuming tasks

Long term I want to get out of the classroom and be more of a consultant. Interests include creating/researching material for education on the links btwn ADHD/exercise/nutrition.

What I need: someone to…
1) initially work with me to lay out a curriculum framework – I work really well having someone to bounce ideas off of and it keeps me focused – then create and update lessons based on that
2) research and condense info, putting it into developing books/curriculum/programs/materials useful for education – basically get my ideas out of my head and into action
3) look after personal, daily stuff, including finding the best places to shop, researching products I want to buy (new smartphone?)
4) find me a date(s) – here, internationally – location doesn’t necessarily matter.

The plus is I get paid in US $ but live on rupees. Now I just want to take advantage of it.

]]> By: Gary http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2007/12/06/the-personal-outsourcing-olympics-bangalore-butler-or-american-assistant/comment-page-1/#comment-54317 Gary Sat, 10 Oct 2009 17:03:57 +0000 http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2007/12/06/the-personal-outsourcing-olympics-bangalore-butler-or-american-assistant/#comment-54317 To what extent do you trust VAs with personal or sensitive information? We are a SaaS startup looking to outsource the development and management of secure web applicatinos. We would like to find a VA to be our highly-skilled, high-level Project Manager with extensive experience in developing secure, multi-user applications. This person would design/document the architecture, and sub out some of the site-design and lower-level coding. Is it easy to find high-quality talent for this, and which company(s) would be the best for this? With ALL of our assets digital, controlled by people who are not under US law, what is my recourse if something goes wrong with the program, and I can no longer get a hold of someone? Can I trust that they are not keeping copies of our applications, and using them in some way? Will these VA providers typically adapt to my time zone, or will we be working opposite each other? Is there a lot of turnover in this industry? If I start working with someone, developing a relationship, training them to take on an application as “their baby”, is it likely that they will be around for a while, or is there a high turnover rate. Any tips on finding a “keeper” that will be around for a long time? I am excited to delve in. We are in the education space, and need to keep our applications at a low cost to teachers/schools. Tapping the vast supply of talent overseas seems to be a viable way to accomplish this, if setup and maintained properly. Anyone have some light to shed on this? Thank you! To what extent do you trust VAs with personal or sensitive information? We are a SaaS startup looking to outsource the development and management of secure web applicatinos. We would like to find a VA to be our highly-skilled, high-level Project Manager with extensive experience in developing secure, multi-user applications. This person would design/document the architecture, and sub out some of the site-design and lower-level coding.
Is it easy to find high-quality talent for this, and which company(s) would be the best for this?
With ALL of our assets digital, controlled by people who are not under US law, what is my recourse if something goes wrong with the program, and I can no longer get a hold of someone? Can I trust that they are not keeping copies of our applications, and using them in some way?
Will these VA providers typically adapt to my time zone, or will we be working opposite each other?
Is there a lot of turnover in this industry? If I start working with someone, developing a relationship, training them to take on an application as “their baby”, is it likely that they will be around for a while, or is there a high turnover rate. Any tips on finding a “keeper” that will be around for a long time?
I am excited to delve in. We are in the education space, and need to keep our applications at a low cost to teachers/schools. Tapping the vast supply of talent overseas seems to be a viable way to accomplish this, if setup and maintained properly. Anyone have some light to shed on this? Thank you!

]]> By: Tim Ferriss http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2007/12/06/the-personal-outsourcing-olympics-bangalore-butler-or-american-assistant/comment-page-1/#comment-53195 Tim Ferriss Sat, 26 Sep 2009 00:48:04 +0000 http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2007/12/06/the-personal-outsourcing-olympics-bangalore-butler-or-american-assistant/#comment-53195 I've heard rentacoder.com has some good talent. Good luck! Tim I’ve heard rentacoder.com has some good talent. Good luck!

Tim

]]> By: Pouya http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2007/12/06/the-personal-outsourcing-olympics-bangalore-butler-or-american-assistant/comment-page-1/#comment-53131 Pouya Fri, 25 Sep 2009 09:58:33 +0000 http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2007/12/06/the-personal-outsourcing-olympics-bangalore-butler-or-american-assistant/#comment-53131 Tim, In your experience, which outsourcing option has the most professional web developers that are good with both design and code? I have been using Brickwork India for a web development project and have been very disappointed with the results. Even with extremely specific instructions (using simple language) in outline format and annotated screen shots of what I needed done, their work product has been unacceptable. Tim,

In your experience, which outsourcing option has the most professional web developers that are good with both design and code?

I have been using Brickwork India for a web development project and have been very disappointed with the results. Even with extremely specific instructions (using simple language) in outline format and annotated screen shots of what I needed done, their work product has been unacceptable.

]]> By: Tim Ferriss http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2007/12/06/the-personal-outsourcing-olympics-bangalore-butler-or-american-assistant/comment-page-1/#comment-48051 Tim Ferriss Thu, 03 Sep 2009 07:53:05 +0000 http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2007/12/06/the-personal-outsourcing-olympics-bangalore-butler-or-american-assistant/#comment-48051 Hi Derek, Here's a new one I'm using that's worth a shot: www.samasource.org Also, www.asksunday.com Best, Tim Hi Derek,

Here’s a new one I’m using that’s worth a shot: http://www.samasource.org Also, http://www.asksunday.com

Best,

Tim

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