the blog!

We are so excited to welcome Shannon Savaglio to the Outsourcing With Love blog today!

Shannon is the founder and owner of Shannon Savaglio | Creative Biz Manager. After working as an executive assistant for a little over 5 years, all while attempting many different side hustles, she finally realized that she was working in a field she was great at – but she needed to switch it up and make it work on her terms. Here, Shannon shares how she has created a successful business with a toddler home 5 out of 7 days a week & why she chose to jump ship from the corporate world.

Shannon is a business manager focused on people over profits, having a heartfelt relational business in a service based world that typically chooses tasks & productivity over relationships.

Shannon allows small business owners to focus on what they excel at and enjoy while giving them the confidence to know that all of the other ‘stuff’ is taken care of. She thrives on working alongside you and championing your ideas and she has no trouble speaking up when needed. Her motto is “Make it Fun” because owning/running a business will never be easy, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be fun!

Hey there! I’m so glad we get to chat today.

I’m Shannon, the hustle & heart behind Shannon Savaglio | Creative Biz Manager.

18 months ago, I found myself in a place of despair. I loved what I did, but hated who I did it for. For a little over 5 years, I worked as an Executive Assistant to C-Level Executives in the Corporate world.

I worked with some great people and some not so great people. I loved being an assistant – I felt like I had an integral role in the businesses, but I started seeing a pattern: most companies only care about the bottom line. They don’t actually care about the people that we are serving.

So, I began to dig.

At this point, I had an almost 3-year-old and had been married for 4 years. Financially I needed to bring in an income, and I also had a desire to work!

I started by writing down the things I love doing, why I love doing them and then comparing those lists to what I’m naturally talented at.

Very quickly after this, I stumbled across a few things on Pinterest regarding Virtual Assistants and actually ended up reading about Creative at Heart & learning about what Emily does for Kat. I was immediately intrigued & I figured “why not!?”

I told one of my closest friends about becoming a VA, and her immediate response was “Shannon – you should push on the door. God will open it if it’s the right door you’re pushing on.”

One thing I knew I needed to do differently was creating heartfelt relationships with the people I worked with. I was at a job where I was not appreciated in any way and was talked down to constantly. I was always in tears and terrified of making mistakes. I made a decision early on that my business would be built on heartfelt conversations & true connection.

GOD PROVIDED

So with the knowledge that I was already working a full-time job, and had a family to go home to at night, I started the search for my first clients. Within 7 days of actively looking, I was hired by my first client! NO JOKE!

Ninety-one days later (June 7, 2018) I was 3 clients in and was terminated from the job I hated.

I went home that day so afraid that I wouldn’t be able to make it work – but my husband and I knew it would be the best option if I would just try. We agreed to give it 6 months, and if I could bring home the same income I was from my corporate job – we would make it work.

That first Summer was H A R D.

I struggled every day to not think about the dollar signs. I hustled hard so that I could grow relationships with clients and with people I didn’t even know on Instagram because I knew that the power of a heartfelt relationship was so much more meaningful than any amount of money.

I also had to juggle being a mom to a 3-year-old at the same time as growing a business. Man, that was rough!

In August, we chose to find a part-time program to send our son to, so I could have 2 partial days with no other responsibilities other than getting my tasks complete. From September to December I had 10 hours a week that were kid-free – Tuesdays & Thursdays from 9:15 – 2:15.

It. Was. Hard. It IS hard.  

But I have learned through this that I don’t need (or want) to be the mom that is always hands on. My son, he’s great at entertaining himself. Sure – I totally allow screen time. And you’re darn right I still expect a 2-hour quiet time in the afternoon so momma can get work done.

I also have learned how to say no to things that do not bring me joy. Such as (but not limited to) never EVER being a room mom at my child’s school, watching other people’s children for extended periods of time, and giving myself the unrealistic expectation of being a “pinterest” mom, or anything remotely close to it.

Yes, there are definite moments where I feel immense guilt. Where I feel like I am not doing anything right at ALL and that he’s going to be messed up forever. But there are also days where I know that he sees me working hard, and he knows that I love him with everything I’ve got and that’s why I do what I do.

I choose to be a working mom because I WANT to do this because I have found the most amazing clients that I have the opportunity to work with!

Those first six months taught me something I will never forget. Patience, perseverance and the power of heartfelt conversations that turn into beautiful friendships.

In November, my husband and I were hit with some unexpected bills that threw a serious curve ball at us. What happened from that still shakes me to my core. I was prepared to go out and find a job that same day – and within 12 hours, I had a client call me and tell me that the Lord told her to give us a specific amount of money – which was the exact amount we needed to make ends meet.

At exactly the 6 month mark, I doubled what I had been making at my job 6 months prior. And I know that the only reason that is true is that I chose to focus my efforts on the relationships I was creating, and not the invoices I was sending out.

MAKING BUSINESS FUN

You’re probably wondering why “make it fun” is my tag-line.

If you’ve caught on – the 5+ years I had in the corporate world were not the most fun. During that time, our family also went through some hard times.

It sucked the joy right out of me. I barely recognized myself. I didn’t smile, I didn’t laugh. It was like I lost all the passion for my life.

So when I started really thinking through my business and what I wanted out of it – “fun” was what came to mind.

Fun fact: one of my clients actually helped me come up with the tagline!

I know, I know – business isn’t always fun. But the point behind it is that I want to infuse my clients’ businesses with fun. Business is hard and can be draining. It is a lot of hustle and takes a long time to see the rewards of a great business.

My goal as a Virtual Assistant and Business Manager is to come in, and take all of the tasks that are sucking the life out of my clients let them really hone into their zone of genius (whatever that may be) while I infuse some fun into the tasks that may not be classified as fun, but need to get done in order for the business to be successful.

Today, I have the immense privilege of walking alongside some of the most amazing women I’ve ever met in my entire life.

They are world changers, creatives & dreamers.

I run a successful business because I have created a conversation with women who get it. Women who want to see the world differently, who choose to value the relationship we have built.

They are understanding when I have a family emergency. I am able to step back from time to time and catch my breath when life gets busy because we have created heartfelt conversations & an open line of communication.

I am a mom, I am a wife, I am a business owner – but at the core of it all, I am a friend.

I CHALLENGE YOU…

To look at your business through a new lens.

Take a pen and paper and write down all the things you do. What brings you joy?

If something doesn’t bring you joy, do you have the means to outsource it? Friend. You can do anything you put your mind to, but you can NOT do everything.

Stop forcing it. Stop hating it.

Start loving where you are in business & knowing that you are where you are and doing what you’re doing for a reason!

Like I always say: owning a business is never easy, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t be fun!

You can connect with Shannon through her Outsourcing With Love page, website, Instagram, and Pinterest.