Work Smarter, Move Faster & Scale Better | Barbara Turley | AwakenHub Event Replay
On Tuesday, 21st January, we kicked off 2025 with an online event hosted by AwakenHub Chair and co-founder Mary McKenna featuring Barbara Turley, CEO of The Virtual Hub, who shared her remarkable entrepreneurial journey and transformative business strategies. The full video playback is available on our platform for members. Below are some key takeaways from the event.
The Virtual Hub: A Decade of Success: With 350 global employees and clients ranging from one-person businesses to giants like HubSpot, Barbara’s Virtual Hub represents a masterclass in strategic business scaling. Her 10-year journey demonstrates that success isn’t about working harder, but working smarter.
Key Takeaways for Entrepreneurs
1. Personal Vision Drives Business Strategy
Barbara’s fundamental philosophy is simple yet powerful: Design your business around your personal life vision. For Barbara, this meant creating a portable, flexible business that allows her to be a hands-on mother while working globally. The message is clear: Your business should serve your life goals, not the other way around.
2. The Power of Delegation
Critical business growth happens when founders learn to:
Create comprehensive process maps
Delegate recurring tasks
Hire cost-effectively
Focus on high-value activities
3. The "High-Low" Hiring Strategy
Barbara shared her approach to hiring that maximises efficiency and cost-effectiveness:
Delegate routine tasks to cost-effective assistants
Reserve resources for hiring top-tier talent
Build a well-structured operational framework
4. Bootstrapping Success
Barbara’s approach to business growth is refreshingly pragmatic:
Barbara bootstrapped her entire business
Focused on profitability from day one
Prioritised operational efficiency
5. Personal Reflections and Growth
Barbara candidly shared her challenges, including:
Early years of 15-hour workdays
Overcoming anxiety about client experiences
Balancing entrepreneurship with motherhood
6. Future Vision
Looking ahead to the next decade, Barbara plans to:
Scale up operations
Hire end-to-end sales executives
Continue building a globally flexible business
Barbara Turley’s journey offers a powerful blueprint for entrepreneurs: Build a business that serves your life vision, not the other way around. "Keep your head down and keep your eye on the prize. The prize is your personal vision for your life, not just your business."
📺 Members can now access the full event replay in our members platform. Not a member yet? Join today.
