[00:00:00] Speaker A: Hello beautiful people and welcome to another segment of Complete Wellness with Cindy, the busy woman's cheerleader. This is the channel where women from all walks of life can stop by, get tools and resources to help them thrive. 360 in mind, body, spirit and finances. I invite you to stay connected, subscribe to this channel and visit me
[email protected] now for today's segment.
Hello beautiful people, and welcome to another segment of Complete Wellness with Cindy, the busy woman's cheerleader. So I am super excited to be back for my sabbatical. We'll go into that another day, but in the meantime, let's do some housekeeping.
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[00:02:02] Speaker A: If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. And that comes from Maya Angelou.
I am so super excited as usual for our guest today because she's going to help us do even more housekeeping. So her name is Renee Hastings out of Atlanta, Georgia. She is the president and CEO of of Executive Help Now, a virtual assistance agency.
Something that we all need. Okay. She's been in business in different realms for 15, 20 years and we're so super excited to have her here today with us to talk about delegations and how important it is for us to thrive with these delegations for success.
Please help me welcome Renee Hastings.
[00:02:47] Speaker C: Hello. It's great to be on the show.
[00:02:50] Speaker A: Thank you. Thank you so much for being here. I am so super excited. So listen, tell us about your journey and what led you to start the business of virtual assistants. And what basically got you to that point of wanting to work as an entrepreneur?
[00:03:08] Speaker C: So my journey goes way back.
It goes back to my grandfather who was a sharecropper from the south in the United States.
And my grandfather ended up moving his family from the south to an Amish community in Wisconsin.
Now for those who are just in listen only mode, I'm a black woman.
My grandfather was black.
He moved us to an Amish community that was all white.
And we were the only black experience that everyone in that community had ever had.
So my grandfather instilled in us a strong work ethic, a the importance of us representing the family well by working hard, being people of our word, being reliable, dependable, trustworthy, honest, all the things. And so that was ingrained in me from super young.
So the standard of excellence was just an expectation in our family because of where we were and who we were.
And so when I went through to school, that standard of excellence continued. I did well in school, ended up graduating from high school at 16 years old with aspirations to go to college and study civil engineering and interior design and fashion.
But when I graduated from high school at 16, I also graduated with a one month old son.
So because of my previous years of working during the summers and identifying my natural gifts and skills and talents, I was able to get a great full time job immediately out of high school to support my new family.
And this experience of working in the summers and discovering how much I enjoyed organizing and supporting executives helped me when I had to go into work in corporate America.
So fast forward a few years. All those things that I learned to do in supporting executives basically grew from one role to another, from an administrative assistant to an executive assistant, to finally being a C suite executive assistant to chief executive officers, Chief financial officers of Fortune 100 and Fortune 500 companies for about 20 years.
And so someone said to me, if you're going to start a business, do what you know and do what you love.
And so since I love supporting executives and it just came easily for me to help organize them and their lives and anticipate their needs, I decided to start a business of getting my own executives on the side. At first, while I still had my full time day job, I was kind of seeing what I could do on, on the nights and weekends for my own clients.
And my clients experience with having an assistant improved the quality of their lives so much they kept telling their friends and the more friends they told, the busier I got on my own business.
And things started to not go so great on my Day job. So in 2020, I had to end up getting my own assistant because I was working so many hours. I would go to work in the morning from 8 to 5, then come home, try to cook a meal for my husband, and spend a little bit of time starting start on my business at about 7 or 8 at night, not get to bed till about 2 or 3 in the morning, take a nap, and then get up again at 6 to be back at work at 8.
That is not sustainable.
And so I had to end up getting my own assistant. And when I got my own assistant and I was able to feel what my clients were feeling, the relief from being able to delegate, I said, everybody has got to have an assistant. Everybody needs an assistant. So in 2022, I left corporate America. Been full time, 100% all in the business.
My first assistant is now our business operations manager. She oversees a team of success coaches who oversee a team of about 30 assistants that we now have on our team. Awesome.
[00:07:48] Speaker A: That is awesome. I'd love to hear, like, the grassroots of these businesses.
When you were talking, I kind of jotted a note to myself as I chuckled because that transition period.
How do you tell me that transition period? When you said that things were not going so great on your regular job, did you readily realize what was going on? That it was bigger than you?
[00:08:14] Speaker C: Yes. So on my day job, like, like I had explained, shared in the beginning, I have a very high standard of excellence and I expect a lot of myself. And when things are not perfect, that reflects on me and my family.
[00:08:31] Speaker A: So you're perfectionist.
We don't say that.
[00:08:35] Speaker C: I'm a recovering perfectionist.
[00:08:37] Speaker A: Listen, we don't say we're perfectionist. I tell people all the time, I said, listen, I'm my own worst critic, but I am not a perfectionist. I am not a perfectionist. I just want it done right.
[00:08:47] Speaker C: Right, right. Exactly, exactly. So you and I are like, right here.
And so when I saw that the quality of work on my day job was starting to suffer, that's when I knew something had to change. Something had to be different. I needed more sleep. My lack of sleep was causing me to perform underperform to my expectations.
And so that's. Yeah, that was definitely a game changer.
[00:09:15] Speaker A: Okay, so how does that intertwine with when you say you were basically teaching them through what was your career at the time of organizing and being an assistant to them? How has that shaped what you're doing now?
What is the importance of delegations? What is the importance of that? Because A lot of times, you know, you hear people say, oh, you know, I wear multiple hats. Oh, yes, we do. We wear multiple hats. Oh, I do this and I do that. Yes, we do. But how does that help or hinder a business?
And why is it important to delegate if not all but some?
[00:09:58] Speaker C: Right.
So delegation is so important.
Your business should be able to run without you.
And if you're the one wearing all the hats, there's no way that that's possible.
If you intend to scale or to grow to the next level, you need to delegate some, some of those duties and responsibilities so that you can help lighten this load that you have that you're carrying, that you're not meant to carry by yourself so that you can, number one, get some relief for yourself.
I equate getting an assistant and being able to delegate to self care.
[00:10:38] Speaker A: Okay?
[00:10:39] Speaker C: Because when you're able to do that, you have room to breathe, you have room to think. You've got capacity to take your mind places that you don't have when you're so overwhelmed and inundated with work that you shouldn't be doing.
[00:10:53] Speaker A: This is true. This is true. So how do you feel? And I'm going to, I'm going to try my best to make this like an open end question.
So one of the things that I constantly, constantly tell the, the ladies that I work with, you know, either through executive coaching or as an accountant, I constantly tell people that they should know every single part of their business prior to delegating.
How do you feel about that statement?
And I'm going to defend it. I'm going to defend it like a PhD.
I'm going to offend it, I'm going to defend it. But I want to know your take on that.
[00:11:32] Speaker C: I think it's important to know what's going on in your business.
It's absolutely important for you to know the numbers of your business.
What I think is super critical as part of that is for you to be able to help your person understand what it is that needs to get done in their lane.
Allow them the freedom to do and execute on that the way that they do best, because that's what they do best or you wouldn't have hired them and then check in with them to see how things are going as it relates to your goal and the end result of what it is that they're trying to accomplish.
[00:12:12] Speaker A: Okay, all right. You know, I'll accept that with a smile.
And I, I, the reason why I say I'll accept it with a smile is because oftentimes, especially with new entrepreneurs, they want to hire too quickly, and then you're hiring people, but the vision is still in your head.
My mother told me years ago I was working, I think. What was it? Nope. I was building a swing. Listen, I'm a hammer and nail in disguise. So I was building, I kid you, no lie. I was building my daughter a swing set, like one of those outdoor, the big wood ones. And so I, I ended up getting into that because I was trying to pay somebody to do it. Because a lot of times if, if, If I don't have to do it, I, I'd rather delegate it. But at the time, the math wasn't mathing for the size. You know, the size versus what you're. You're telling me you're going to charge me. It just wasn't mathing.
And I'm a dollars and cents type of person. And I was like, man, I mean, I could do that myself, you know, for. Do a big one and put a mama swing and bench and everything else, which I did on there. Yeah. Oh, yes. I, you know, that's why I tell people, don't put me in a box. Most of us ladies. Most of us ladies do not put. I really like the outdoors, and I really like building.
So what happened was it took me like a week in between work and all the other stuff, you know, other mommy duties, and it took a week, but I took my time because at the time, I think some kids were teasing my daughter because she didn't have anything to, you know, that was huge to play with. And they had those little swings, you know, the iron swing sets from back in the day. And she was an honor roll student. And I said, listen, I said, don't you worry about it. I said, mama's going to get you something good for your birthday. You just keep doing good in school.
And so I was trying to find something that was really like, you know, impactful, that she could enjoy and, you know, have her buddies or friends I don't like to call friends, but have them over as well. Long story short, my mother came to visit us, and, you know, that's really where I get that from. That will, you know, climb on top of a building and start hammering and fixing shingles. I get that from my mother. I mean, we are girls, but we kind of rough around the edge when it comes down, you know, to actually like our outside projects, you know.
Long story short, she said, so she's standing there, you know, she has a hammer, and I think, I don't know. I think my daddy might have been there, but my daughter, a couple other people, and she's standing there and with her hands on her hips, and I'm just working because I'm in my head, my favorite place to my head. She said.
She said, where are your plans?
I said, oh, no, mama, I'm gonna put this over here and that over here and this over here. She said, cindy, nobody can help you. They don't know. We don't know how to help you because it's all in your head. She said, you get it out of your head so you can lead us as to how to help you. You see where I'm going?
[00:15:13] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:15:14] Speaker A: This was many, many years ago, but that simple phrase carries me to this day in all the different capacities of delegation.
Sometimes it's like my baby. I don't want to let it go, but I know I have to get it out of my head, onto paper. Even with the nonprofit that I have, I was leading multiple groups. I mean, large groups of volunteers, even, you know, different things that I do. I would write it down even if I sketched it out. What she said to me about how to delegate has carried me for. For many, many decades and years later in business.
Because you first, no one can help you if it's up here, locked in. You've got to get it out. Write it down. See, I've got paper everywhere. Write it down. Write it down.
Write down what. What your plans are, where you're trying to go. And like you just said, give them the space and the ability. And I would say an ounce of trust, okay?
[00:16:18] Speaker C: An ounce.
[00:16:19] Speaker A: Trust to get me to that destination, your way.
And so even in. In that particular arena, I often say, listen, I'm not going to tell you how to get us there, but get us here. This is where we need to be. This is the bottom line of where we need to be. And so with that being said, it gives them the opportunity to grow, make an impact and think cognitive skills to use theirs so that you're not burning your brain out, you know, so when I tell people, and a lot of times, the reason why I say know your business from top to bottom before you delegate, it goes back to what I was just saying with them. They want to get this person that. To say that they're bossing somebody. Leading and bossing are different.
[00:17:05] Speaker C: I agree. Yeah.
[00:17:06] Speaker A: You know what I mean? You lead by example.
[00:17:09] Speaker C: That's right.
[00:17:09] Speaker A: You're boss. I don't like to be bossed around. You're not the boss. Of me. You can leave, but don't leave me out in the middle of the ocean with one paddle. And you don't know how to get us back shore. You see?
[00:17:19] Speaker C: Right, right, right, exactly.
[00:17:23] Speaker A: In gist, delegation is as a part of mental health.
Yes, that's a part of mental health. Sharing the load and growing. Yes. I stand firm that you need to know, especially when you're starting a business from scratch, grassroots, you need to know how to do it so that you can teach someone else how to do it. Not you know how to do it so you can boss them around.
[00:17:48] Speaker C: No, But I agree 100%. You need to know it so you can teach them how to do it.
And so you can know if it's being done right.
[00:17:57] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:17:58] Speaker C: And if what's being done is productively the way it's supposed to be done. Like if you know you're supposed to be able to do 10 graphics in 30 minutes and it's taking someone else two hours, you know that there's a problem. But if you don't know how to do graphics, then you wouldn't know.
[00:18:19] Speaker A: That's the. That's why I said, you know, you're so smart. And I knew that was coming because that's the bottom line reason you can't create metrics and expect outcomes.
If you have someone, and a lot of times they're hourly paid contractors and if you know, like you just said, it takes you an hour to do 30 graphics and it's taking them four hours and they're clocking you for that. That math is.
[00:18:42] Speaker C: That's right. Exactly. And so that. But I would go on further to say that once you know and you are able to now gauge that metric, there's no need for you to continue making graphics.
[00:18:56] Speaker A: Yes, yes, absolutely. Absolutely. So.
[00:19:00] Speaker C: But money to find a new person who has a higher skill set and can get it done quicker.
[00:19:06] Speaker A: But what would be your top three? Top three reasons and execution for delegations?
[00:19:16] Speaker C: So I would say the top reason to delegate is so that you can scale, so that you can get your life back and have better work, life balance. And so that you can give other people an opportunity to operate in their gifts.
[00:19:33] Speaker A: Okay. Okay.
So what are your go to strategies for improving business efficiency without burning out you or your team?
[00:19:42] Speaker C: So one of the things I think most people.
And I shouldn't, I don't even know if I should say most people, but what. In my experience, the founder or leader of the business ends up being the bottleneck for decisions that need to get made.
So I Strongly encourage our clients to not when they are delegating, making sure that with that delegated task also comes some judgment and authority to operate and make decisions that are in the best interest of the company.
And it's based on what they have shared with their person about the company and what their desired goals are and what their desired outcomes are. You can share all this high level information with your person and allow them that freedom to help you not get decision fatigue by having to be the one to make all the decisions for the company and be that approval bottleneck. Sure, you may have to set some layers and maybe up to $500 somebody approves something, between 500 and 5,000 somebody else approves something. You know, there may have to be some layers to that. But that's so important if you're going to be successful and have a balance and have a company that's, that's not running you, but a company that you're actually running.
[00:21:10] Speaker A: Awesome. That makes sense. That makes super sense.
So what has entrepreneurship taught you about the authenticity of living, of leading with purpose
[00:21:21] Speaker C: entrepreneurship and leading with authenticity?
So my team often says to me that they enjoy working with us, that they enjoy being a part of our culture, that they have left corporate America to do their own thing.
And it's in this environment where they are thriving because they are appreciated, because they are recognized and because they're given challenging work, where they are given this freedom and truly be able to contribute to somebody else's dream and that sort of thing. And the way I lead is purely from this place of servant leadership. I have a servant leader's heart.
And if there's anything that I can do to open up a door for you or to help you gain some experience that you're looking for, I'm all about it. And I'm going to look for that for you because I want nothing but your success. Because when you are successful and you're representing me to our clients and a lot of times our clients to their clients, that makes it so that all of us are successful and we all look good because I have led with authenticity and, and they can truly see my heart.
[00:22:46] Speaker A: Awesome. That is awesome. I love that. I absolutely love that A lot of times people lose themselves into entrepreneurship. They'll lose themselves, they'll lose their personality and, and you know, I talk a lot about wealth and health and we're all still works in progress trying to get to that goal, that tangible, you know, okay, this, this can be checked off. We're trying to get there. But again, it's just very important not to lose yourself and your. Your bottom purpose. And I even spoke the other day. I think it was yesterday.
That's the. The common denominator. Servants.
We're here to serve in different capacities, but we're here to serve. You know, Jesus himself came to serve.
[00:23:31] Speaker C: That's right.
[00:23:32] Speaker A: We are here to serve.
[00:23:33] Speaker C: And when.
If I could, when you have that servant leadership mindset, then people see it. People, not just your clients and not just your team members. It reflects off of you. It just. And I'm not a whole vibration person and all the things, but I. I believe that when people see how genuine you are, it draws more people to you. So you don't even have to strive to be successful. The success comes because of how you have operated out of your own natural purpose. Just authentically.
[00:24:13] Speaker A: Yes, yes, absolutely.
That city sitting on top of a hill, that cannot be here.
[00:24:18] Speaker C: Okay, that's.
[00:24:20] Speaker A: Yeah, that's another story for another day.
[00:24:22] Speaker C: That's right. Be the light.
[00:24:24] Speaker A: I'm not. I am not.
But listen, listen. I have so enjoyed you. How can people get in contact with you afterwards? How can. What are you doing? How can they get in contact with you?
[00:24:37] Speaker C: Well, I would love for people to stay in touch. We have an amazing website that our team created atexecutivehelp now.org in our future, we have also, out of our clients, we have started.
One of our clients is a professional podcast producer, and we support him in producing his shows.
So I actually started a whole nother business of producing done for you podcast production services.
So I would love for people to check us
[email protected] if that's something that they. They want to show, but don't want all the work and time associated with doing a show. They just want to show up and talk. That's when they can give us a call.
[00:25:19] Speaker A: That works. That works. That is so awesome. So basically, what we have learned today.
Delegate, delegate, delegate. From the floor up, delegate. It's a part of your mental health. It is part of your peace and your growth as well, within your business. And I would say even within your life, you have to delegate. You have to be willing to pass on that knowledge to someone else, which in turn makes you look good as well, because you taught someone. You're building somebody, pulling somebody as you rise.
Well, that is it for today.
Thank you so much, Renee Hastings, for being here, and we will see you next time.
[00:25:54] Speaker C: All right, thank you. It's been fun.
[00:25:58] Speaker D: Are you looking for a savvy speaker to add value to your upcoming event Cindy the busy woman's cheerleader empowers groups across the globe to thrive 360 on purpose in mind, body, spirit and finances. As a dynamic speaker known for delivering insight in a relatable time tone, Cindy brings real world experience, practical strategies and an energy that keeps audiences engaged from the very first minute. She's a thought leader, serial entrepreneur, author, leadership coach, humanitarian and purpose pusher that produces impactful dialogues. Her style blends clear expertise with authentic storytelling and humorous candor, making even complex ideas ideas attainable and actionable for every audience, be it faith based, co ed or secular. Whether your goal is to empower, educate or spark positive change, Cindy creates an inclusive environment where people feel seen, motivated and ready to act. She's now accepting new speaking engagements Book the Busy Woman's Cheerleader Today Submit your request by email to
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make your event most memorable and remember, together we can thrive360 on purpose.
[00:27:25] Speaker A: Thank you again for tuning in to complete wellness with Cindy the busy woman's cheerleader. Follow me on social media izzyWoman's Cheerleader Remember, together we write our stories, share our journeys, create memories and leave our marks in history. Until next time. Peace, blessings and joy be multiplied to you. Tata.
