A Day in the Life of OBM Desiree Silveira – Building a Business Around Her Values and Family

What does it really look like to build a successful OBM business around your values, lifestyle, and family?

In this behind-the-scenes episode of The OBM Show, I’m joined by Desiree Silveira—OBM School grad, Accredited OBM, and a vital strategic partner inside our internal team. From juggling launches to managing client strategy and raising her daughter, Dez has intentionally designed a business that supports her life, not the other way around.

We’re unpacking what it means to step into strategic leadership, the confidence it takes to work with premium international clients, and how Dez went from overbooked freelancer to fully aligned business owner—with more revenue and fewer hours.

Here’s what we cover:

• How Dez transitioned from doing “all the things” to becoming an Accredited OBM
• The mindset shift that helped her confidently land high-ticket clients
• How she plans her week to stay focused, flexible, and profitable
• Why anchoring into your values helps you attract the right clients
• What saying no has to do with long-term success

Whether you're just starting your OBM journey or craving a more sustainable business model, this episode will help you reimagine what’s possible when you build with intention.

----------------------------

Thanks for tuning in to The OBM Show - your go-to podcast for Online Business Managers and entrepreneurs who want to scale strategically and sustainably.

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🧭 Not sure where to start?
Find out your OBM Archetype and get personalized next steps → obmschool.com/quiz

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Until next time, keep building the business behind the business.

Episode Transcript

UNKNOWN (00:01):
you

SPEAKER_01 (00:01):
Welcome to the OBM Show, the podcast that pulls
back the curtain on what itreally takes to thrive as an
online business manager and helpbusinesses scale without burning
out.
I'm your host, Sarah Noked,agency owner, OBM mentor, and
founder of OBM School.
I've been working in the backend of online businesses since

(00:23):
2009, building systems, managingremote teams, and mentoring OBMs
who make businesses run likeclockwork.
Now, I've seen what works, whatdoesn't, and the messy middle
that no one talks about.
Here, we get real about thetools, strategies, and stories
that drive sustainable success,plus the tech mishaps, growing

(00:47):
pains, and lessons learned alongthe way.
If you're ready to stop spinningyour wheels, step into your
leadership role, and see whatactually happens behind the
scenes of thriving businesses,you're in the right place.
Let's get started.
Let's get started.
Hey there, and welcome back tothe OBM Show, where we spotlight
online business managers who arestepping into leadership,

(01:09):
creating freedom, and drivingreal results behind the scenes
of six and seven figurebusinesses.
Now, today's guest is someonewho is deeply rooted in
intention, purpose, andcreativity, as well as being a
really vital part of ourinternal team here at OBM
School.
So she's one of our OBMs.
Her name is Desiree Silvera, andshe is the founder of Desiree

(01:31):
Silvera Designs.
And again, a very valued teammember here at OBM School.
Now, she goes by Des over in ourbusiness, and her journey into
the OBM world is such abeautiful example of clarity and
courage.
She is based in India.
She's a vegan.
She's a Christian, a devotedmom, and a powerhouse OBM who
has really built her businessthat reflects her values, her

(01:54):
lifestyle, and her love forcreative digital agencies.
Now, she started off like somany of us, kind of scattered,
doing all sorts of things.
the things like projectmanagement, copywriting design,
but it wasn't really until shejoined our accelerator and
eventually went on to become anaccredited OBM that the pieces
really started to click intoplace and she went from juggling

(02:15):
six clients at once to choosingjust three aligned retainers,
doubling her revenue and finallycreating a sustainable business
that honors both her talents andher time.
In this episode, Des and I talkabout what it really means to
step into a strategic partnerher role.
the mindset shift required towork with premium clients across

(02:36):
borders, and why learning to sayno might just be the key to
long-term growth.
Now, let's dive in.
Hey, Des, welcome to the show.
I've been wanting to interviewyou for some time now, so I'm
glad you're here.
I'm

SPEAKER_00 (02:52):
so excited to be here, Sarah.
I think we have lots of lovelythings to discuss and share
today.

SPEAKER_01 (02:58):
Yeah, I really feel like that, too.
Now, you've been on our team nowfor I believe a little over a
year yeah it has really feltlike forever and you know I
think the wonderful thing for meand one of the things I really
want to focus on in today'spodcast slash vlog is how you've

(03:20):
really grown into quite astrategic leadership role.
I mean, you do a lot of thingsin our business internally
inside of OBM School, but one ofthe things that you do a really
great job of is managing all ofour launches.
So and as well as other variouspromotional activities, because
digital marketing, you know,obviously is Definitely.

(03:42):
You're very multifaceted.
Like you're great at design, butyou're also great at sort of
just the project management andgetting all of the nuts and
bolts into pieces.
So why don't you tell us alittle bit about what the
journey's been like for you sofar?

SPEAKER_00 (03:58):
I have had a very, a journey that has been really
long and there has been a longlearning curve as well.
So I have been in the onlinespace for quite a while, but
when I did complete theaccreditation, for me, what
happened was it gave me thisboost of confidence that opened
up so many other avenues.

(04:19):
Like you said, I have my mindworking all the time with
different things.
Like I know, you know, like I'mgreat with project management
I'm good with design so when youknow the tools when you know
what's involved with setting upa business the possibilities are
limitless so for me it enabledme so much so when I do step on

(04:43):
a call with a client or evenwhen we do our strategic
sessions with clients for me I'mable to cover such a band a huge
bandwidth of a Like staying ontop of the business, like the
big view, like the eagle view ofthings.
But at the same time, my brainalso starts looking at the micro

(05:06):
bits as well, like the tinythings that need to also take
place.
So I think that's what has beenreally a game changer for me is
stepping into that role of apartner.
So I

SPEAKER_02 (05:18):
knew

SPEAKER_00 (05:19):
exactly to do it when I had the tools to set me
up into it.
It also did take some time.
sort of mindset work as well.
And that I got through from theprogram, working with the
community, also observing somuch, like working so close with
the mentors.
So every aspect of theaccreditation was a learning

(05:41):
experience.
Like even just going through theflow of the emails that come to
you, the, you know, the languagethat is used on the hot seat
coaching.
And, you know, that's everythingtells me that this is OBM level.
So it was absolutely a livingexperience throughout like
taking me from where I was intothe place that I am now.

SPEAKER_01 (06:04):
Yeah, I love that.
And you know, it's you are sucha valued team member, as you
know, inside of our business.
And I want to really dive moreinto this mindset shift, because
I feel like a lot of ourlisteners, a lot of the people
watching here are really primedstrategic leaders.
Like I, I do believe that thecan be taught.

(06:25):
But I also believe that, youknow, we naturally have a little
bit of this sort of nugging ornudging at us.
And you are no exception.
Like, I really believe, Des,that you are such a, like,
almost the perfect OBMpersonality, if I may, because
you are so multifaceted, but youare also a great listener.

(06:47):
You are a great, you know,person to brainstorm with.
And you're very honest aboutyour idea and you are actually
very critical in your thinking.
Can you speak more to the shiftso that people who are listening
or watching us on YouTube rightnow can really kind of lash onto
or latch onto what that reallymeans?

(07:09):
Because it's so sort of vagueand I'm sure there's a lot of
people here that are like, well,yeah, I kind of have that, but
I'm not so sure.
Like, when did you know I can dothis?
this is me.

SPEAKER_00 (07:20):
So what happened is during the accelerator, I was
putting together the pieces.
I took it really seriously, theaccelerator.
I was very sure that after theaccelerator, I'm going to step
into this OBM strategic role.
I'm going to be start, you know,I'm going to start working with
these high ticket clients andall of that.
So for me, it was was bringingin the intention of where so

(07:45):
after I was very clear in myhead that this is what I want to
achieve it was just not anothercourse that I was doing I was so
clear because I have theexperience I know what it means
to work with a team member Iknow what it means to run
large-scale projects I know whatit means to look at different
pieces of digital marketing aswell and I know that I can be

(08:09):
successful like you know youhave this natural natural and
innate nature of problem solvingas well so I know that in any
situation where there is aproblem I am so sure I can
figure it out but I was stillnot confident I was still not
confident to still do it evenafter accelerator because in my
mind I'm thinking okay I'm goingto work with this high ticket

(08:30):
client and what am I going to doin there like I have zero
visibility of what exactly istheir problem what exactly does
an OBM do in Inside a six toseven figure business, whereas I
have worked with clients onreally tiny projects like
building a website or writingtheir copy.

(08:50):
It's nothing.
There's zero visibility of theback end action, which I didn't
know

SPEAKER_02 (08:58):
how to.

SPEAKER_00 (08:59):
There is where I was stuck.
I was stuck.
And I knew the accreditation hadthose projects.
And I told myself, that's all Ineed access to.
I need access to those projectsbecause I will clearly know how
to position myself.
I think that's also where I wasstruggling.
How do I position myself?

(09:20):
How do I package my services sothat it talks to the problem and
me as the solution provider?
And that only happened with...
the projects.
Because as soon as I completedmy project, Sarah, I was so
fired up.
I had all the pieces.

(09:40):
All I had to do is I was in aFacebook group where I was
engaging, you know, just solvingsmall little problems here and
there.
And I was so confident after thethird project, I put a post in
that group about me and myservices.
And I got a call booked.

SPEAKER_02 (09:57):
And

SPEAKER_00 (09:58):
I still work with that client till today.
She's from the digital agencyspace.
And it's almost two years now.
And she was my first client.
And I didn't even finish thecourse.
It was three months done.
The projects get over afterthree months.
Yeah.
So after three months, I had thefirst client.
And she paid everything, newrates, everything.

(10:21):
Yeah.
And when she did book it, Imean, that, again, established
so much for me that, you know, Itook the right decision of being
part of this accreditation.
This is exactly what I needed.
And then it was no stopping.
I could open this tap anytime.
Like, I knew then how to openthis tap if I wanted a new

(10:42):
client.

SPEAKER_01 (10:43):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah, because you were confidentabout it.
Very confident.
I believe, as is part of our OBMSchool Manifesto, that
confidence does really come fromdoing things.
And, you know, it's remarkableand not remarkable to me that

(11:03):
you were able to land a clientthree months into our
accreditation, which is a sixmonth program, because as we go
through the first three months,that's where that whole
transformation happens aroundthe simulated client experience.
experience.
You know, we have our client,there are projects, but I think
more than that, one of the,because, you know, obviously

(11:25):
projects you know, boom, bitty,boom, boom, boom.
It's more than that.
It's about actually simulatingwhat it's like when you have
some of the signature frameworksin place, like a breakthrough
strategy session.
You're starting off by creatinga solid 90-day plan and what
that looks like.
And as you kind of move on toworking with the client for 60

(11:47):
days, working with a client for90 days, working with a client
onwards and past that, becausemuch like corporate life, which
I know some of us haveexperienced, some of us haven't,
or any job for that matter,there is a learning curve, you
know?
DES is...
one of our very valued teammembers.
We have quite a small teaminside of OBM School.

(12:07):
And I feel like I have bore orbared witness, I can't talk
today, to what it has meant toreally see you step into such a
strategic role in our team,literally taking the reins on
our launch strategy, on ourmetrics, on our pivots, and even

(12:31):
in the last Thank you so much.

(13:01):
a smaller container of really,really eager students who are
very, very dead set on buildingOBM businesses.
So that's been able to justbring in this new ray of light.
And I don't take that forgranted as an OBM myself.
I know how it's hard to, youknow, kind of pull the rabbit

(13:22):
from your hat in a way that islike taken well from your
clients.
So I just feel like you havegone from just Thank you so
much.

(13:45):
how it evolves, you know, howyou evolve on someone's team,
because I think people thinkthat they decide they want to be
an OBM and then they step intosomeone's business, guns a
blazing, you know, and you makestart making these pivotal
changes right away.
But, you know, good things taketime and relationships bloom
over time.

SPEAKER_00 (14:03):
Yeah, I think it's important to always see what
that big picture.
So I've always stayed in the bigpicture thinking, hey, we're
going to be doing this a numberof times.
But then is there a way that heycan we do this in a way that
focuses our attention can weprioritize something within this

(14:24):
because I really see so much ofvalue even in other clients
businesses that they offer butthen how can we optimize like
I'm always thinking and it canonly come in when you are in the
business for a while like yousee what's working you see
what's you know what's pickingup as well because not
everything will have this lineargrowth like everything looks

(14:47):
great like it has this up anddowns sort of curve as well so
you have to also understandwhere's like the entrepreneurial

SPEAKER_02 (14:54):
struggle

SPEAKER_00 (14:55):
yeah like why does it and then you know yeah like
you said it does take time youhave to be really paying
attention to what the pulse isof the business and that takes
time so yes it's a growth it'snot every every day is not a new
it is a brand new day like youknow we'll have these set tasks
in but those set tasks keepevolving and that leads to new

(15:19):
things so And

SPEAKER_01 (15:20):
it keeps it exciting for me.
Like otherwise it's like thingsget boring.
But yeah, you are quite a bigpicture person.
And I think it's important tonote that, you know, you don't
just kind of absorb the bigpicture over time.
There are all these nuances andthe company culture and the
team.
But I just feel like you fit inso perfectly like to our team.

(15:45):
And again, I know that I talkabout this and I sometimes harp
on it.
I know I have on the podcast alot when I'm talking about how
your why is so important, notjust as a driving force to keep
you focused, but also as adriving force to keep you
resonating with the clients thatyou're attracting.
And I think when you can reallyown and you've done that

(16:08):
wonderfully is like, you know,owning just being a mom.
And, you know, that's like samewith Tovi and I and everybody
else on our team.
Actually, not everybody haschildren, but All of the mummies
on our team were like, we'rehere because we're mummies.
And, you know, our children comefirst.
And I think it's so important tofind clients that really

(16:29):
resonate with you.
And I think we are a perfectmatch.
But, you know, I can, I'm verybiased.
So I would love to hear youmaybe speak about what a day
looks like in your life withworking with OBM School, but
also like working with, youknow, some of the digital
marketing agencies because that–by the way, were always the

(16:52):
favorite clients of mine becausetheir heads are like spinning
and the money's pouring in.
So speak a little bit to whatit's like working with your
current clients and what a daywhen Des, mummy Des wakes up,
you know, and takes care of allthe things happening in her
life.

SPEAKER_00 (17:09):
Yes, absolutely.
So as you said, Sarah, the mummyrole is absolutely on the
forefront.
So for me, early in the morning,my daughter is off to school.
So I have all that time in themorning to get her going,
spending that time with her.
And then when she's off thedoor, that's when it's my focus
time.
I'll talk about my week.

(17:31):
So every beginning of the week,this could be on a Sunday
evening, or this could be likeeven Monday, like if I didn't
get my slot on Sunday, I wouldlook at what's ahead in the week
for me.
I In terms of tasks, like myplanning, like what I need to

(17:52):
plan for my business or for myclients, of course, I have some
other tasks around those.
But if I'm looking at what myday, like looking at the week
ahead, I just look at what arethe priorities.
I'm always focused on thepriorities because there are a
lot of things to do.
So not everything gets done.
And when it doesn't get done, Iquit.

(18:15):
I can at least say that Ifocused on the priorities and
the other things can move to thenext week.
So the first thing is I look atwhat are the priorities.
I get on a call with Toby.
We are only discussingpriorities.
Like what am I focusing on thisweek?
We catch up on what we did lastweek and then we know what we're
doing for the next, till thenext meeting.

(18:36):
So I do the same thing with theother clients as well.
Only priorities.
And then I question it as well.
Hmm, but You know, I only have,you know, some time here.
Like I also look at the hoursbecause I want them to also be
mindful that these are thenumber of hours I have.
And the best use of my hours isto focus on this particular area

(18:57):
only because that's money.
Like, you know, I always look atthe money, the revenue
generating tasks.
Because the other things canhappen eventually with a team
member, you know, you candelegate it.
Even my other clients have teamsand, you know, we can always put
the tasks together.
to them but we need to get thebig the big ticket things going

(19:19):
so my day is like so i have mymeetings only on tuesdays and
thursdays with clients and mydeep brain work is on monday and
uh wednesday i try to keep thosetwo days away from the meetings
because meetings really suck myenergy and the thing is i want

(19:39):
to

SPEAKER_01 (19:40):
be

SPEAKER_00 (19:40):
okay

SPEAKER_01 (19:40):
I am not.
Oh, with you.
I do Mondays and Tuesdays are mymeeting days because I, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 (19:46):
It's a lot of energy and it also requires some
planning.
And what happens as well isafter the meeting is done, I
immediately start.
those tasks as well, because,you know, you remember the
urgency, you know, what's thepriority from that as well.
And I get something going aswell.
So, so those client meetings,you know, those days are pretty

(20:06):
intense.
I use Monday and Wednesday for,you know, other brain work.
And then Friday is in thebusiness.
So for me, while I'm alreadyfully rostered right now, for me
in the businesses, and this iswhat has worked for me, is being
in Facebook groups.
What has happened is I havebecome familiar with people in

(20:31):
that group.
This is where the moms are, theChristians, and I'm a Catholic,
so the Catholic moms are in thisgroup.
So that already kind of, I thinkthat's very important is working
with people who are in with yourvalues because the moment you
have these values aligned, thatcommon denominator is taken care
of.

(20:51):
They don't have to worry.
This is what I realized.
That's where the barriers, it'snot about me being in India and
you're in the US.
I have now worked with clientswho are in Australia and in the
US, in the UK.
And yeah, It's all because wehave this common denominator.
And that takes away any sort of,you know, the trust issues or

(21:13):
whatever.
So

SPEAKER_01 (21:13):
I'm

SPEAKER_00 (21:14):
in that group.
So it can be one or twocomments, something I show up in
that group, even though I'm notactively looking at clients, I
just like something put my justso that I have some sort of
visibility somewhere because I'mnot active on social media.
I'm not doing all of that rightnow.
But the moment I open the tap inthat group, I know I I can get a

(21:36):
client.
I can just ask.
I have already passed clients inthere.
They recommend me as well.
I just tell them, hey, you know,I want to do a little light
project and, you know, can yourecommend me?
And they do it instantly inthis.
So it just works so well.
I am so happy with that group.
And what it does then for me, itgives me an opportunity also not

(21:58):
to look further.
So I have time also in mybusiness now.
Hey, now you are doing thisthree clients.
Like what's next as well for mein my business as a team?
So now I'm kind of working thatplan out.
Like do I get team in?
How will that look like?
All of that.
So, you know, scaling is in thepicture, but I'm doing it at my

(22:19):
pace.
There's no rush.
There's no timeline.
for any of this stuff and that'sfantastic because I'm already
achieving the numbers that Iwant right now for me my family
is you know I have my familytime I'm able to do the things
for my family and which I waslike, it's amazing, like what

(22:39):
you can do now, you know, thebenefits of being this kind of
lifestyle.
So I'm always grateful that Ihad this journey, even though
sometimes you may feel like it'sso hard, but so hard.
Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 (22:52):
Yeah, we're not here to sugarcoat things.
It is difficult at thebeginning.
That's why you have to have astrong why that can keep you
focused on making it a reality.
And I think it's so, soimportant to be able to then
look back and say, wow, look athow much time I have now with my
family.
I have some semblance of balancein my life.

(23:12):
I'm getting to choose who I wantto work with.
And obviously this wasn't anovernight thing.
How many years have you been inthe business, Devs?
Like how many years have youbeen doing this?

SPEAKER_00 (23:21):
I was in corporate HR and I did the transition to
this whole digital profile andcareer in 2019.
Wow.

SPEAKER_02 (23:31):
So

SPEAKER_00 (23:32):
in 2019, that's when I got into web design, into
copywriting, but really intothis OBM role happened in like
post COVID.
That's when everything startedto take shape.
And I think it was a goodprogression for me as well,
because that's where I amfamiliar with all the different
areas.
But then I also realized thatyou can be a specialist as well.

(23:56):
Like if your zone of genius isjust science, systems and tech I
have a client that I'm onlydoing that for them you know so
just kind of putting thosepieces together I had another
client who only wanted thelaunch plan like what does that
look like so I could draw outthe whole launch plan draw out
what exactly she had to build interms of her content and all of

(24:18):
that some timelines all of thatI could do for her because

SPEAKER_02 (24:22):
yeah

SPEAKER_00 (24:23):
You know, you can just look at that one area and
clients only want sometimes justthat one solution and you can
provide that as well.
You don't need to have all theexperiences and know everything.
No, it's not required at all.
And you learn with the clients.
Like, you know, we're alwayslearning as

SPEAKER_02 (24:41):
you learn.

UNKNOWN (24:42):
Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 (24:42):
Absolutely.
And I will always also betransparent with the client and
say, this is something that I amdoing for the first time, but I
have the idea in terms of, youknow, I mean, I do understand
what you are, you know, the goalis.
I can get to, you know, I cansee the pieces of it, but it may
need more time.

(25:03):
Just this conversation is veryessential because then we find
the right resources.
We pull in maybe somebody elseto support you.
And as an OBM, sometimes wethink we need to know it all.
And I think that's what scarespeople off.
And sometimes you can just findsomebody who's like a V or, you

(25:25):
know, somebody who specializeswho can step in.
And so you don't have to sweatit out.
Yeah,

SPEAKER_01 (25:31):
I think I really appreciate you sharing that
because I think it's so hard forbeginner OBMs to imagine
themselves working with clientsfor that very reason.
And I and always an OBM school,one of the things that comes up
for everybody is like servicesand packages.
And I always I'm like, you canhave all the sexiest packages.

(25:55):
Yeah.
button, really messaging onpoint.
But the truth is, is that thereare two issues.
One is that the client doesn'tnecessarily know what they need.
That's why we have a veryspecific onboarding process to
really kind of understand thatand to kind of make the most out
of those first 90 days.

(26:16):
And then the other piece is thatevery business is as unique as
the business owner themselves.
So you've worked with lots ofdigital marketing agencies and
arguably not all of them needthe same set of services.
And it really stems from thestrengths of the business owner,
the strengths of the other teammembers.

(26:37):
as critical thinkers.
And that's why, you know, youand I would both argue that soft
skills are so important becauseyou need to be a good listener.
You need to recognize what theyneed.
And then you need to getcreative around solutions
because, you know, for better orworse, this is such a fast paced
digital world.
And, you know, you're not goingto know the latest and greatest

(26:59):
service as a software, SaaSsoftware on the market.
You're going to have to getcreative.
You're going to have to call inthe reins.
And I think, you know, know youmentioned this earlier in our
interview today about theaccreditation and not to kind of
do you know shameless pitsshameless sort of drops here but
um being in a container withother like-minded individuals

(27:20):
and having that as a resource ithink the community is one of
the most important confidenceboosters around

SPEAKER_00 (27:29):
absolutely the community is really helpful like
i i I have some besties alreadywhen I was in accreditation.
It's so nice to just call upsomebody and just bounce ideas
off and they get you.
I was so happy when I hadanother girl who was from India
as well.
And it was fantastic.
We're so, you know, we're goodfriends and fantastic, really

(27:53):
great.
I love the community of OBMschool and even the mentors,
such lovely, lovely people.

SPEAKER_01 (28:00):
Absolutely

SPEAKER_00 (28:01):
happy to share it all.
So that was,

SPEAKER_01 (28:03):
yeah.
Yeah.
It's so important.
It's like you share in the wins,but also in the struggles, you
know, you're having like asituation with a client that,
you know, or a difficultconversation that you're having
to navigate.
There's nothing better thanhaving, you know, other people,
like-minded individuals to leanon.
So, you know, from community tojust, you know, embracing like

(28:24):
what you said it so well wasjust, you know, like I'm not the
best at everything, but I'mresourceful in that I can, you
know, find the right resource,find the right team member, find
the right tech, have an open,honest conversation.
Because I think that's the otherthing that I always want to
point out here is that, youknow, in earlier on in my OBM

(28:44):
life, I used to put my clientson a pedestal and I sometimes
still do And I think, oh, well,they have this business.
They're so successful, blah,blah, blah.
But the truth is they're alsonavigating the complexities of
this field that is ever evolvingwith the tech, with the team,
with all the things.
So it's about partnering withyour client and being able to

(29:08):
have open, honest, brainstormingconversations so that you can be
resourceful together and come upwith the best plan that is going
to make the most sense for thatunique business and it's
something that like that's thework you know that's the work is
figuring out what kind ofservices does this business need
what's in the best interest ofthis business you know what does

(29:31):
you know what's in the bestinterest of the team because
we've got a VA that's techie butdoesn't know active campaign for
example and that's something wewant to start using so I think
it's so important to I think oneof my like life strengths is
that I'm a resourceful humanbeing you know put me anywhere
in the world and I'll survivekind of thing and it's been such
a blessing as an OBM becausethat too really requires me to

(29:56):
be my resourceful self and it ismore than having an MBA, more
than selling my landscapingcompany, more than I think so
many of these notches on my beltthat I could really talk about
is the fact that I've alwaysjust been a resourceful person
who knows that where there's awill, there's a way.
And it's so true.

(30:17):
And I think it's such a powerfulthing as an OBM.
I'm in Israel, you're in India.
We work with clients all overthe world.
I've always been an OBM workingin the Middle East and also So
for me, I think it was the samesentiment when you realize, oh
my God, I can work withAustralians and not just North
Americans.
Oh my God, it's just abouthaving these very, very similar

(30:42):
whys.
And it doesn't matter where youare.
It doesn't matter what time zoneyou're in.
You can really have a globalbusiness, Des, and you have,
much like myself, reallyexemplified that.
So I just want to really pointout here too our listeners, to
people watching this today, thatit really doesn't matter where

(31:03):
you are geographically, yoursocioeconomic status is.
It's really about taking a stepforward and putting your stake
in the ground and deciding thatthis is something that you are
willing to pursue come hell orhigh water.
I know for me, I had no otheroptions.

(31:23):
I don't know what it was likewith a baby being in HR.
I don't know if you left HRbefore.

SPEAKER_00 (31:29):
Yes, of the baby, yes.
My daughter was just one and ahalf.
And I had to travel to work,come back and then be a mom.
It was exhausting.
And then it was just no joy, nojoy.
Even in that role, I was alreadyworking with the CEO.
I was already in the big pictureof things, but there was no joy

(31:51):
because of the other areas of mylife.
So this brought absolutely allthe balances that I needed.

SPEAKER_01 (31:58):
This

SPEAKER_00 (32:00):
really got sent.

SPEAKER_01 (32:01):
Yeah, I feel that way too about it.
I really do.
I mean, I don't mean to getcheesy, but I think that, you
know, for a lot of us who, likemyself, we're sitting Googling,
how do I, or now on chat GPT,now on AI, how do I legitimately
make money working from home?
This is such a viable, concreteway of using a lot of our

(32:23):
corporate skills.
Like you mentioned, I was theright hand to the CEO.
I was already had HR experience.
Yes.

(32:55):
You know, doing fun things likehaving a different life for
yourself and being really sortof the alchemist behind how and
where things go.
And I know because, you know, asour daughters get older, how
much more we need to be aroundfor them.
So I think that's such ablessing.
And I think, you know, Ireally...
I think it's so important to beable to show others that there

(33:17):
is another way.

SPEAKER_00 (33:18):
Absolutely.
Yeah, there's no excuse.
What

SPEAKER_01 (33:21):
would you tell your younger self?

SPEAKER_00 (33:24):
I would tell my younger self to just hold your
peace and be patient becausethis is all going to make sense
at some point.
Just be peaceful.
Just, you know, all those greatclients are waiting there for
you.
You know, I would just tellyourself to just do it with joy.
It was

SPEAKER_01 (33:44):
joy.
True.
So much easier said than done.

SPEAKER_00 (33:48):
Yes.
But now I feel like I'm in sucha place because you need some
maturity as well in this role.
You can't be panicking whenthings go awry.
And that tends to happen as wellwhen, you know, you are in the
back picture working withdifferent businesses.
But then...
The experience is, again, whatyou rely on, like all those past
experiences of how you'vemanaged the stress that it's not

(34:12):
different now.
Like I said, it's always thistransparency, but always also
keeping the communication lines.
That's something I completely.
Yeah, I think that's something.
I just share it because, youknow, I want to make sure that
we're always, you know, on theright plane.

SPEAKER_01 (34:28):
It is the best thing ever.
I think there's nothing, youknow, I mean, we always say, and
this is, you know, obviously nota reflection on either of us but
you know there's no such thingas I hate this expression of
stupid questions but yeahsometimes in the most dumb
question or the state ofconfusion you realize that you
overlooked a landing page thatyou were supposed to build oh my

(34:51):
god this automation actuallyisn't going to work because of
this one sort of oversight so Ithink that Communication is
something.
Thank you for bringing that up.
Definitely.

SPEAKER_00 (35:02):
And that's why that project management tool is gold.
You know, you cannot holdeverything in our brains and,
you know, and the projectmanagement tool is the truth, is
the source of truth of what'shappening in there.
So if it's not in the tool, it'snot going to happen.
It's not going to be in theconversations, nothing.

(35:24):
Out of

SPEAKER_01 (35:24):
mind, out of sight, out of heart.

SPEAKER_00 (35:26):
Yes, absolutely.
This is just how I manage it.
I don't have everything up in myhead.
I don't have this big book ofnotes.
It's all my tasks.

SPEAKER_01 (35:36):
You don't have

SPEAKER_00 (35:37):
all

SPEAKER_01 (35:39):
these scattered to-do notes

SPEAKER_00 (35:40):
on your desk?
Always I go into, I have like anotepad and I just quickly put
it in there.

SPEAKER_01 (35:46):
Oh, you mean like this notepad that I also have on
my desk?
That's like, I can't even readit.
Yes.

SPEAKER_00 (35:53):
Yeah.
So I love Canva for that, youknow, these ideas in there.
And then I make sure it'squickly in the tool.
So then in my project managementtool as well.
So that, you

SPEAKER_01 (36:04):
know,

SPEAKER_00 (36:05):
it gets going.
It should get going.

SPEAKER_01 (36:07):
Amen.
Amen.
Honestly, Des, it is like havingyou on our team is amazing.
So for anybody who wants a pieceof Des or needs an incredible
online business manager, if youare running a digital marketing
agency, again, aligned values,all that good stuff.

(36:27):
Des, where can we find youonline?

SPEAKER_00 (36:29):
Yes, you can find me on my website.
I have this contact page whereyou can get in touch with me.
My website isDesireeSilveda.com.

SPEAKER_01 (36:40):
Awesome.
Well, Des, you know that we loveworking with you, that you are
such an integral part of ourteam here.
So it's just a pleasure for meto interview you.
I know that you are a greatresource if anyone has questions
about OBM school or becoming anOBM.
I know that you're always likean honest, open resource.

(37:02):
So thank you for always beingavailable and just being such an
incredible resource.
It's my

SPEAKER_00 (37:10):
pleasure, Sarah.
You're a joy to work with aswell.

SPEAKER_01 (37:14):
What a joy it was to talk with Des, someone who's not
only building an intentional OBMbusiness, but also leading by
example for others navigatingfreelancing from across the
globe.
Des' story is a powerfulreminder that you don't need to
do everything to build abusiness that's both profitable
and peaceful.
You just need the rightfoundation, the right community

(37:35):
and the confidence to take yourseat at the table.
If her journey resonated withyou and you're ready to go from
doing all the things to owningyour OBM expertise, I want to
personally invite you to checkout OBM School over at
obmschool.com.
Whether you are at the start orready to scale, we can help you
really build a business thatworks for your life and not the

(37:57):
other way around.
I also invite you to check outour starter kit over at
obmschool.com forward slashstarter.
If you are just getting startedwith your OBM business or if
you're making a transition fromanother role, If you love this
episode, share it with a fellowservice provider or another OBM
who needs to hear this.
And until next time, keepleading, keep evolving, and keep

(38:21):
showing up like the strategicpro you are.