Get $1,000 Benefits with a VA — Free Bookkeeper ($500) + Business Tools ($500)

Get $1,000 Benefits with a VA — Free Bookkeeper ($500) + Business Tools ($500)

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Get the Much Needed Leadership Support

Hire a Decisive Chief of Staff For Your Business

Delegate operations, planning, people management, and more

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Where a Chief of Staff Makes a Difference
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Tech Startups
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  1. Strategic planning support
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  2. Investor communication
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  3. Product launch coordination
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  4. Team coordination
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  5. Manage key initiatives
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Consulting & Agencies
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  1. Client onboarding support
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  2. Project timeline management
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  3. Resource allocation
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  4. Proposal brainstorming
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  5. Team performance tracking
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Healthcare
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  1. Compliance tracking
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  2. Scheduling appoitments
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  3. Research project coordination
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  4. Patient program management
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  5. Reporting & documentation
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Finance & Investment Firms
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  1. Portfolio update tracking
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  2. Investor reporting
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  3. Compliance checklist
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  4. Meeting agenda creation
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  5. Financial data review

Your Next Chief of Staff in 3 Steps

Hand over the management, keep the leadership

1

Tell us what you’re looking for

Hire Once. Hire Right.

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You Get Only the Best

Every Chief of Staff goes through a strict vetting process, with only 0.1% making it past our interviews, skill checks, and training rounds

8+ Years of Industry Experience

You’ll work with professionals who’ve managed operations, teams, and projects across startups and enterprises

120+ Tools Ready

Slack, Notion, Asana, HubSpot, you name it. They’re already trained and up to speed on the tools you use daily

Dedicated VA Manager

You get a dedicated account manager who handles disputes, feedback loop, and performance tracking

Easy Timezone Sync

Whether you’re in New York, London, or Sydney, your Chief of Staff will work according to your timezone and schedule

They Found Their Missing Piece

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Founders Who Hired Right

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☆☆☆☆☆

My EA helps turn my yearly goals into an hour-by-hour schedule. Throughout the day, I just drop WhatsApp voice notes like, ‘Hey, please send an email to so-and-so…’ and it’s done. That mental load is off my head and into a system I trust. At the end of the day, I have 20 drafted emails ready to review, 90% perfect. That workflow is incredibly powerful. It's not something Siri can do, it takes a human.

TA McCann

MD - Pioneer Square Labs, Angel Investor, Serial Entrepreneur (Startups acquired by Google & BlackBerry)

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★★★★★

We have found the Wishup VAs to be a key part of our team at Springboard Pediatric Therapy. Utilizing a remote admin workforce has saved us money by making sure all our physical spaces are used for billable services and created an environment that has all the right, positive and happy therapy vibes.

Trish O'Brian

Pediatric Occupational Therapist & Owner - Springboard Therapy Practice

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★★★★★

Wishup's VA has successfully handled a variety of tasks for us, including email marketing, social media management, managing contractor/vendor communication, and handling administrative tasks. They have been efficient, productive, and always willing to go the extra mile. Since partnering with Wishup, we've experienced a significant improvement in our overall efficiency. Our VA has freed up our time to focus on providing our clients with the best possible care.

Dr. Aleksandra Gajer

Founder - The Gajer Practice

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★★★★★

We are very pleased with the work that Wishup Virtual Assistants have delivered for us. We use Wishup to augment many aspects of our business, from research, social media to marketing. Their staff is highly educated, very responsive, and experienced. We have been using them for over 6 months and have been telling others about our experience whenever we get the chance. The value they provide is truly immense.

Marvin Gouw

Co-Founder - Cubit

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★★★★★

I have been using the services of Wishup for close to half a year now and I truly feel this is one of the best investments I have made.

Farhad Ahmed

Founder - Confetti Holdings

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★★★★★

Professional, trustworthy, and competent is how I would describe Virtual Assistants at Wishup. In just a few months, they’ve really impressed me with their services and made my life much easier. I have been able to delegate lots of administrative work and have a good amount of time to work on other serious concerns. I will highly recommend the services provided by Wishup.

Pranay Gupta

Co-Founder - 91Springboards

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★★★★★

I never considered hiring a virtual assistant for my business but Wishup was different, my virtual assistant exceeded expectations! It is more affordable than I thought and the help she provides on a daily basis is incredible! I get more work done with my VA helping me with important tasks like email management, calendaring, bookkeeping and much more. Highly recommended for any tech founder trying to balance time and productivity.

Lance Rodela

Founder & CEO - Shift Health Inc. (Y Combinator S19)

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Day-to-Day Tasks Your Virtual Chief of Staff Owns

Keep Your Day on Track

Your virtual Chief of Staff manages your calendar, priorities, and meetings

Leadership Meeting Prep

They create reports, decks, and briefing notes before important meetings

Improve Internal Processes

They spot inefficiencies, streamline workflows, and suggest ways to get work done

Track Goals and Projects

Your Chief of Staff monitors progress on key projects and company targets

Your Trusted Advisor

They provide perspective, challenge assumptions, and help you make informed decisions

Handle Confidential Work

Sensitive projects are managed with discretion

Connect Teams Efficiently

They coordinate communication across departments and teams

Drive Strategic Initiatives

They take ownership from planning to execution of new projects

Support Senior Hiring

They manage interviews, onboarding, and alignment for leadership hires

For Every Industry That Runs Better With a Chief of Staff


Real-estate
PR Agency
Airbnb
Logistics
Healthcare
Nonprofits
Startup
Enterprise
Interior Designer
Ecommerce
Cleaning
Insurance
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Virtual Chief of Staff Explained: Everything You Need to Know

What is a Chief of Staff or Virtual Chief of Staff?

A Virtual Chief of Staff is a remote professional who supports business leaders by managing priorities, coordinating teams, and keeping key projects on track. They act as the CEO’s right hand, helping organize schedules, prepare reports, and oversee communication between departments. Unlike a traditional in-office CoS, a Virtual CoS works online, giving you the same strategic and operational support without the cost or commitment of a full-time hire.

What are the Services Offered by a Virtual Chief of Staff?

  • Strategic initiative management: Setting and tracking OKRs, and ensuring goals translate into action.
  • Executive support: Meeting prep, agenda setting, action item follow-ups, and decision preparation.
  • Cross-department alignment & communication: Facilitating collaboration, resolving blockers, and stakeholder management.
  • Operational oversight: Streamlining processes, identifying inefficiencies, and improving internal operations.
  • Project ownership: Leading special or gap projects that don’t neatly fall under existing departments.

Which Industries Need a Virtual Chief of Staff?

  • Scaling startups that need someone to operationalize strategy and free the founder or CEO from day-to-day execution.
  • Mid-sized companies entering growth phases and needing better project discipline.
  • Remote or distributed teams where alignment and follow-through across functions is challenging.
  • Companies without a full executive leadership bench but that need senior-level support.
  • Organizations preparing for rapid expansion or strategic shifts.

What are the Benefits of Hiring a Virtual Chief of Staff?

  • Amplified executive bandwidth: Frees up leaders to focus on vision, strategy, and high-impact decisions.
  • Improved alignment & less confusion: Ensuring all departments are pulling in the same direction.
  • Faster execution of strategic priorities: Less delay in decision-making and fewer missed follow-ups.
  • Scalable leadership support: Fractional Chief of Staff or remote modes make this more accessible before hiring a full-time COO-type role.
  • Cost effectiveness: Hiring a vCoS is typically cheaper than hiring senior full-time staff with similar responsibilities.

What’s the Cost Comparison: Freelancer vs. Virtual Chief of Staff vs. In-House Employee?

Hiring Mode Typical Cost (USD) Best For
Freelancer $50–$100/hour Ideal for one-time jobs
Agency-managed Virtual Assistant $9.99 onwards Companies needing reliable and trained talent
In-House Employee $110,000–$350,000+ per year In-person coordination

What are the Essential Skills to Look for in a Virtual Chief of Staff?

  • Strong project management and process mapping skills.
  • Strategic thinking and ability to analyze priorities.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication; stakeholder management.
  • High autonomy, proactivity, and ability to anticipate issues.
  • Comfort with ambiguity and fast-moving environments.
  • Familiarity with tools for tracking OKRs, project management (Asana, Notion, Jira, etc.).
  • Discretion, reliability, and a leadership mindset.

How to Hire a Virtual Chief of Staff?

  1. Freelance Platforms Like Fiverr and Upwork
    Pros: Works remotely
    Cons: Limited availability and less reliability
  2. Agency-Managed Services like Wishup
    Pros: Vetted senior talent, built-in support, tool-trained, industry-ready
    Cons: Not preferred for one-off jobs
  3. Local Hiring Platforms like Indeed and LinkedIn
    Pros: Physical presence
    Cons: Very high cost, need to vet and train them

What are the Steps to Hire?

  • Define scope: leadership objectives, strategic initiatives, cross-functional responsibilities.
  • Identify whether you need full-time, part-time, or fractional support.
  • Examine work history: project outcomes, strategic execution, leadership interface.
  • Run a trial or pilot project if possible (e.g., lead OKR planning or manage a cross-functional initiative).
  • Set up feedback loops, KPIs for success (execution rates, clarity of operations, stakeholder satisfaction).

Frequently Asked Questions About Virtual Chief of Staff

A Chief of Staff helps the CEO or leadership team run the company more efficiently by managing priorities, projects, and internal communication. They ensure decisions turn into action and goals stay on track. Instead of the CEO being buried in meetings or admin work, the CoS steps in to handle operations, coordination, and follow-ups. In short, they’re the bridge between leadership and execution.

Hiring a Chief of Staff helps you focus on strategy while they handle the details that slow you down. They bring structure, filter what reaches your desk, and make sure your time is spent on what truly drives growth.

An Executive Assistant focuses on scheduling, emails, and admin support, while a Chief of Staff handles strategy, operations, and team alignment. The CoS works across departments, manages key projects, and often represents the CEO in meetings. They think like an operator and act like a partner, not just support staff.

A Virtual Chief of Staff performs all the duties of a traditional CoS but works remotely. They coordinate projects, manage communication, track priorities, and handle high-level operations through digital tools. You get full strategic support without needing someone in the office, saving both time and costs.

A Virtual Chief of Staff brings order to chaos. They manage your to-do list, coordinate between departments, and make sure projects move forward without delay. For growing companies, they help scale operations smoothly, freeing the founder or leadership team to focus on bigger decisions and new opportunities.

The right time is when your calendar is full, your inbox is overflowing, and strategic goals start slipping through the cracks. If you’re spending more time managing people and less time driving growth, it’s a sign you need a CoS. They bring structure, accountability, and breathing room for leadership to think clearly.

You can hire a Chief of Staff by defining your needs and working with a vetted hiring platform like Wishup. Wishup screens candidates for experience, communication, and industry fit, then matches you with professionals who meet your exact requirements. Once matched, you can onboard them and start delegating in a few days.

Look for someone who’s calm under pressure, organized, and trusted by leadership. They should have experience in managing teams, coordinating projects, and understanding business goals. Strong communication skills and the ability to anticipate needs before they’re stated are what make a Chief of Staff invaluable.

Hiring through a service like Wishup gives you speed, flexibility, and risk mitigation you won’t get with H-1B hires. A virtual Chief of Staff can start in days, adjust scope as your needs evolve, and doesn’t require you to navigate complex U.S. immigration law or visa sponsorship. On the H-1B front, there are new changes that make sponsorship more burdensome. As of September 21, 2025, new H-1B petitions must include a one-time $100,000 fee for employers applying for foreign workers from abroad. This means hiring foreign in-house talent via H-1B is now costlier, slower, and comes with regulatory risk. A virtual CoS gives you experienced support without those barriers.

The cost of hiring a Chief of Staff can vary widely depending on experience. In the U.S., salaries for in-house Chiefs of Staff typically range from $120,000 to $250,000 per year, which can be a significant investment for growing businesses. If you want a more flexible and cost-effective option, hiring a Virtual Chief of Staff through Wishup is a smart alternative. Rates start as low as $9.99 per hour. The Kickstart Plan offers 4 hours per day starting at $999 per month, while the Growth Engine Plan provides 8 hours per day along with 30 seats in our AI-powered office management app (valued at $299/month) for just $1,799 per month.

Yes, often even more effective. A Virtual Chief of Staff uses online tools to manage communication, track progress, and lead projects across time zones. With structured systems in place, you get the same efficiency and control without being tied to one location.

They use platforms like Asana, Notion, Trello, Slack, Google Workspace, and ClickUp to manage workflows and communication. At Wishup, our Chiefs of Staff are trained in 120+ tools, allowing them to plug into your existing setup instantly. You won’t need to spend time teaching or onboarding them.

You can typically onboard a Chief of Staff within an hour. Once you share your requirements, our team matches you with vetted professionals who have the right experience and skill set. You’ll review profiles, pick your fit, and start working immediately.

Industries that move fast or involve complex coordination benefit most, like tech startups, finance, healthcare, real estate, and consulting. These companies rely on a Chief of Staff to bring structure, track priorities, and help leaders stay focused on long-term goals while managing the day-to-day flow.

A great Chief of Staff combines leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills. They should be analytical enough to manage data-driven decisions yet flexible enough to deal with people and processes. The best ones understand business priorities and know how to turn them into actionable steps.

Yes. Platforms like Wishup let you choose a Chief of Staff who works in your preferred time zone for full overlap with your team. This ensures smooth coordination, real-time communication, and faster decision-making, regardless of where your business operates.

You can delegate strategic and operational tasks like managing your calendar, tracking OKRs, preparing meeting briefs, or following up on company-wide projects. They can also handle hiring for senior roles, oversee initiatives, and ensure every department stays aligned with leadership’s direction.

Yes. Reputable platforms conduct background checks, sign NDAs, and ensure data confidentiality before onboarding any professional. At Wishup, every Chief of Staff goes through a rigorous vetting process, so you can delegate high-level work with full trust and privacy.

An Operations Manager focuses on daily execution within specific teams, while a Chief of Staff works directly with leadership to align the entire organization. The CoS looks across departments, connects dots, and ensures business goals turn into real outcomes. They’re more strategic than managerial.

Yes, especially if you go virtual. Startups often can’t afford a full-time CoS salary, but a Virtual Chief of Staff offers the same level of experience at a price as low as $9.99/hour. It’s an efficient way to bring leadership-level structure into a growing business.

Getting started is simple. Share your requirements, review profiles of pre-vetted Chiefs of Staff, and pick the one that fits your business best. Once onboarded, they start managing your operations right away, helping you free time, improve structure, and focus on scaling.

A Fractional Chief of Staff is a senior executive who works part-time or on a contract basis, providing the same strategic support as a full-time CoS. They manage priorities, oversee projects, and coordinate teams, but at a fraction of the cost of hiring someone full-time. This makes them ideal for startups or growing companies that need expertise at a lower cost.

The main difference is time and cost. A Fractional CoS works a set number of hours per week or month, focusing on high-impact tasks. Full-time Chiefs of Staff are embedded in the organization daily. Fractional CoS offers the same flexibility, access to experienced leadership, and scalability.

Startups, small businesses, or growing companies often benefit the most. If you need leadership support, project management, or strategic guidance but not full-time, a Fractional CoS fills the gap.