Morning Brew - ☎️ How can I help you?

Time-saving tools and products we’re really into rn.

• Clean up your messes with less guilt with this roll of reusable bamboo towels.
• Start your self-care journey by taking this assessment, which will help identify resources and best practices.
• Prep yourself for the sudden “return to normal” with Shondaland’s tips on coping with social anxiety as the world reopens.

A head start on your hustle.

Today’s side hustle: virtual assistant

Average Compensation: varies based on experience and responsibilities

Experience: Entry-level to experienced

Skills needed: Administrative and clerical skills (bookkeeping, contracts, invoices, emails, etc.), CRM systems, social media management, basic graphic design

If you like to schedule everything on your calendar and are a whiz at optimizing digital tools, a virtual assistantship might be the side hustle for you. As a virtual assistant, you can specialize in services including administrative and logistical support, creating and managing workflows, or social media management. To better understand what it takes, Sidekick spoke with two freelance virtual assistants—Kevwe Abamwa and Lauriel Mathis.

Abamwa and Mathis both emphasized the need to be organized and tech-savvy, and have strong communication skills. Virtual assistants manage the sometimes mundane tasks business owners don’t have time for. “[Business owners] hate checking their email [and] having to do the backend support. So, I would say learn how to do some administrative tasks like organizing emails, invoices, and contracts, or getting a little bit of travel planning under your belt,” Mathis said.

Whatever you don’t know, you can learn at a low start-up cost, Abamwa explained. For instance, while she was fairly skilled at scheduling and archiving through her full-time job, she learned to manage CRM workflow systems like HoneyBook and Asana through Google and YouTube. Other tips from our experts:

• Sell the skills you’re confident about. Mathis had experience working in social media management for Bumble, so she began to monetize managing other businesses’ Pinterest, Instagram and TikTok accounts. Because different types of assistantships require different skills and time commitments, you must be confident in the value you’re offering and price accordingly, Abamwa said.
• Manage your time well. Depending on the client’s needs, you may be working 10 hours a week or 40 hours. “If you can't manage yourself, it's gonna be hard to manage somebody else,” Abamwa said. Managing your time should also include dedicating time to your own business, as well as others’, she added.
• Be willing to learn and grow. Especially when you’re first starting out, you may encounter clients whose systems you aren’t familiar with, or you may not feel comfortable marketing yourself. Don’t let imposter syndrome take you out, Mathis said. “At the end of the day, we don’t grow inside our comfort zone. Do that extra mindset work.” Abamwa agreed: “[You need to have] the drive to want to learn things. So you have to have the open-mindedness to say: I don't know this, but I'm gonna figure it out.”—SS

Tech tips and tricks.

Eliminate suspicion about what you were doing up so late last night, and schedule your emails in advance.

In Gmail, type your correspondence and select the up-facing arrow next to Send. Click Schedule Send and choose from one of the three pre-loaded options, or select Pick Date & Time. Enter the desired hour to ping a colleague and schedule it.

You can do this on Outlook, too. Once you compose a message, select More options from the Tags group and select the Do not deliver before checkbox. Enter the delivery date and time you want, and close the tab. When you’re done writing your email, click Send.—SS

Burning questions of our time.

Your thoughts on the gift-giving dilemma:

I don't think it’s ever appropriate to get a coworker a gift unless you plan on getting the same thing for everyone in your team or office…I think if it’s really that important that a colleague receives a gift, it should be given in private.—Allyson

Whenever I feel compelled to get a coworker or boss a gift, it’s always a book. It must be a book that I’ve read and can personally vouch for; it must relate to their present circumstance (new job, promotion, stuck in a rut, end of year/beginning of year); and it must be less than $20...If possible, I’ll write in the cover why I chose this specific book for them. It’s sort of like a longer, more elaborate, more useful card.—Steven

The interview runaround:

It’s happened to the best of us. You excitedly applied for a job, only to be dragged through interview after interview and assessment after assessment. While intensive interview processes are a company’s greatest tool for finding the best fit and talent in their candidate pools, it can also be a hiring turn-off—especially in a job market that currently favors candidates over employers.

What’s your magic interview number? And how many rounds would make you walk away from your dream opportunity? Share your interview stories and thoughts by replying to this email!—MW

Your punch list for when you punch out.

Watch: Nothing kills movie night quite like having to search high and low for your next watch. Instead of scrolling endlessly through Netflix, use this site to help you find a movie that perfectly fits your tastes.

Eat: Skip the sad lunch salad, and use these four tips from Eater on crafting a Michelin star-worthy sandwich.

Play: Use Actually Curious’s interactive card game deck to learn more about the people in your life. The cards encourage discussion around topics from mental health to diversity and inclusion.

Here’s the beef: If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to try ButcherBox, you found it. New members receive 2 pounds of 100% grass-fed ground beef in every box for the lifetime of their membership. Snag this delicious deal today.*

^{*This is sponsored advertising content.}