Diary of a Doer

How to Onboard a New Team Member

Onboarding is NOT a sexy topic but it is SO freaking important to the success of your business. When you neglect your onboarding process, you put your company at RISK for high turnover and employee churn.  If you can’t keep butts in the seats, it’s harder to scale. Work falls back onto your plate, which makes you feel STUCK, overwhelmed and -- let’s be honest -- a little sad.  In today’s episode you’ll hear: - Why onboarding is “make-it-or-break it” - How to prioritize what to give y...

The 5 Questions I'm Asked The Most

You’ve got questions. I have answers.  Today, you’re going to learn the 5 questions I am asked the MOST about leadership, delegation, executive assistants, team building and strategy.  In short: shit you wanna know and stuff that we ALL need to get better at.  In today’s episode you’ll hear: - How to learn to LEAD while building your business.  - How to stay focused on your strategic goals WHILE keeping up with trends and your customer’s needs. - How to build a culture that makes...

Ethical Leadership: a QuickStart Guide to building diverse teams

Diversity and inclusion have always been important. Different voices, experiences and perspectives enrich your life and business.  Inclusivity is more than just checking a box. Diverse teams are statistically proven to capture new markets. They make better decisions and hit their financial targets.  Why? Because when a workplace is inclusive...its people feel empowered. They are able to come together to work harder and meet the goals of the company.  Today’s episode will leave you wi...

Make a New Plan: Embracing Change When You Hate It

How do you react to change? Do you welcome it or try to avoid it at all costs? The one thing that you can count on as a business owner is that things will change. Whether that be ideas, your team, your business model, it’s a big part of the game. Knowing this, you’ll soon be faced with making a new plan. Today, we’re going to talk about facing our fear of change head-on when we have to pivot and make a new plan. I’ll talk about some big changes we’ve made in our business, what led to...

Stop, Listen & Profit

Did you know that the idea for a Starbucks frappuccino was first suggested by a few frontline employees and a store manager in Southern California?  When the idea made its way to Starbucks’ corporate offices -- it was rejected. With a little encouragement from the manager to experiment with it at the store anyway … the result was a billion-dollar product. This is the power of Stop, Listen and Profit. When Leaders stop and listen to their team, their clients and their prospects...they m...

Staying Lean and Mean: Bootstrapping Your Growth

How do we show up as lean, mean, fighting machines for our companies, without compromising our sanity?  The answer is pretty simple: We need to be DISCIPLINED to protect our most valuable assets: our money, our time, and our energy.  This is easier said than done. Left to our own devices -- or without accountability -- we waste our time juggling tasks that could easily be delegated. We make excuses for poor judgment with our finances. We believe we must do everything in our busin...

Good to Great: a new perspective on a timeless classic

If you find yourself wondering what it takes to build a great company, you may have read Jim Collins’ book, “Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…And Others Don’t.”  This book was originally published in 2001 and it’s sort of considered a “classic” as far as business books go.  I recently had to re-read Good to Great…and while I wasn’t especially excited about re-reading it, there were lessons from that book that took on new meaning for me the second time around. Today, I’m ...

Appreciating Your EA in New Ways

Whether you are the WORST at showing your Executive Assistant appreciation, confused why it’s important, or are just OK — but want to be better — this episode is for you. I’m a strong believer that leaning into appreciation, even if you don’t think you’re very good at it, is an investment that pays dividends in team morale, creativity, and performance.  If you’ve got strong feelings about NOT wanting to give people a trophy for doing their job — I’m going to do my best to change your min...

105: Appreciating Your EA in New Ways

104: 6 Keys to Jumpstart Your Planning

We all have that note on our phones. You know, the one full of “million-dollar ideas”. It seems, day after day, they never make it beyond the screen. What is holding you back from making moves on one of those ideas?  Before we launch ourselves into a new venture, planning seems to be the first step. It can be challenging to know where to start, what to focus on, and what decisions to make, especially at the beginning. Today’s episode will finally help you put some of those ideas to paper...

6 Keys to Jumpstart Your Planning

We all have that note on our phones. You know, the one full of “million-dollar ideas”. It seems, day after day, they never make it beyond the screen. What is holding you back from making moves on one of those ideas?  Before we launch ourselves into a new venture, planning seems to be the first step. It can be challenging to know where to start, what to focus on, and what decisions to make, especially at the beginning. Today’s episode will finally help you put some of those ideas to paper...

103: 3 Trends Shaping the Future of Executive Assistants

103: 3 Trends Shaping the Future of Executive Assistants

I read a 2020 study that said 90 percent of employees would leave an employer who did not show empathy. Can you believe that? 90 percent! That could determine if most of your talents stay or goes, whether you can lead with empathy. Paying attention to HOW we lead is more important than ever, as it is having a monumental impact on this industry. I see three trends shaping the future of Executive Assistants that you’ll want to know. Whether you are listening as a leader or as an Executiv...

3 Trends Shaping the Future of Executive Assistants

I read a 2020 study that said 90 percent of employees would leave an employer who did not show empathy. Can you believe that? 90 percent! That could determine if most of your talents stay or goes, whether you can lead with empathy. Paying attention to HOW we lead is more important than ever, as it is having a monumental impact on this industry. I see three trends shaping the future of Executive Assistants that you’ll want to know. Whether you are listening as a leader or as an Executiv...

10 Mistakes Leaders are making with their Executive Assistants

I was an EA for more than 20 years and trust me, I have seen it all — the good, the bad, and the crazy. An EA is more than an “assistant”; they are a trusted partner. An EA can offer skills beyond administrative tasks, and once a leader recognizes that, the real work can begin. The relationship between a CEO and an EA are unique. At PVA we mentor each to ensure they are successful, so you do not have to do it alone. Cultivating this relationship isn’t always easy. In this episode, I am g...

102: 10 Mistakes Leaders are making with their Executive Assistants

I was an EA for more than 20 years and trust me, I have seen it all — the good, the bad, and the crazy. An EA is more than an “assistant”; they are a trusted partner. An EA can offer skills beyond administrative tasks, and once a leader recognizes that, the real work can begin. The relationship between a CEO and an EA are unique. At PVA we mentor each to ensure they are successful, so you do not have to do it alone. Cultivating this relationship isn’t always easy. In this episode, I am g...

How to Be a Strong Leader

2021. Feels good to say that finally. Last year challenged all of us in ways that we never thought possible, and with only 10 days left in this sh*t show of a year, I can definitely say that I am glad to look towards better days ahead.  However, with a flip of the calendar, things won’t automatically change. What does this new year look like for leaders? How can you keep your company afloat and morale high, while making massive changes during this “phase of disruption?’ My mindset for th...

101: How to Be a Strong Leader

2021. Feels good to say that finally. Last year challenged all of us in ways that we never thought possible, and with only 10 days left in this sh*t show of a year, I can definitely say that I am glad to look towards better days ahead.  However, with a flip of the calendar, things won’t automatically change. What does this new year look like for leaders? How can you keep your company afloat and morale high, while making massive changes during this “phase of disruption?’ My mindset for th...

100: Your Voice Matters: What 100 Episodes Have Taught Me

It has been almost two years since I started this podcast. I seriously cannot believe that we're already in our 100th episode! First of all, I am grateful for each of you that has come alongside me on this journey.  In today's episode, I want to reflect back on what it's been like recording the Diary Of A Doer every single week. I'm going to talk about the lessons I've learned, the challenges I've faced, and what I'm looking forward to in the future with you.  To be honest, I don't kno...

099: Hell Yes, Hell No and Doing What's Right For You

Trust yourself when something doesn't feel right.  Arrgh! Easier said than done, isn’t it? If you’re a people-pleaser or have this FOMO (fear of missing out) on every little shiny object you come across, trusting yourself to say NO to things is just the hardest thing ever! But when you learn to practice using your voice because you know that some things are just “no for now,” you create space and room in your life for the things we really want.  When you learn to trust your instinct,...

098: I'm Turning Into an Optimist, and How You Can Too!

Do you always have a contingency plan for when things don’t work out?  Are you planning for the worst all the time? Do you identify yourself as a pessimist?  Pessimism can be good for anticipating the challenges you have in your company.  But it’s not good when it’s the only thing that you do – every time. The good news is that pessimism isn't a fixture of who you are. You can retrain your thinking so you can become an optimist. And I’m living proof of that! Today, I'm going to...

097: What I Learned From a Few Bad Bosses to Help Change My Leadership

Think of the moments when you experienced having a horrible boss.  Pretty sure it felt crappy! According to a Gallup survey, half of U.S. employees left a company because of a bad boss. This is fueled by the belief that people don't leave companies – they leave bad managers.  So, why are there are so many horrible bosses and leaders out there? Rather than dwelling on the bad side, I want to transform how you view poor leadership into something that can help improve your leadership.  ...

096: How Your Emotional Intelligence Affects Your Leadership

To be an effective leader, you need to set goals, have a vision, strategize, and communicate. But just a quick question – in all of the time that you spend attending workshops, webinars, or masterminds to improve those skills, how much of that same effort is spent on improving your emotional intelligence?  Do you even know what emotional intelligence means, to begin with? Emotional intelligence accounts for 67% of the abilities necessary for exemplary leadership performance. Hard skill...

095: Finding a Cause to Fight For - Building a Business that Serves More Than You

Are you interested in building a business that serves a cause you're passionate about but maybe you're afraid to ruffle some feathers? There is so much satisfaction in building a business that serves a cause. It changes your team. It changes your culture. It changes you as a leader. But what if supporting what you believe in turns your clients and prospects off? If you're ready to discover a cause worth fighting for, this episode is for you! Today, I’m sharing the steps to integrate th...

094: Are You Leading By Accident, or By Design?

For years, I thought that I had to be both the manager and the leader of my company.  I wanted to be in the weeds, planning, and solving problems just as much as I wanted to cast vision and strategize for the future.  But I realized you don’t have to be both.  As business owners, we can either lead by accident or by design. But in order to lead by design, you have to put in the work to be intentional.  Join me today to learn more about how leading by design purifies your role in yo...

093: How Your Irrational Mind Will Take You Where You Want to Go

Are you manifesting and receiving the things you want to attract into your life right now? If yes, great!  But if not… (And if you think you’re already doing everything you can to show up every day) Then you probably have cast a vision and you have hope for the future. But if you don't truly believe that it's possible to receive, then you have become a roadblock to your own success!  Today, I want to explore how WE are our biggest roadblock to success and how a little tip from Sir ...

092: How an Integrator Can Drive Momentum in Your Business

Are you sick of feeling like the boss in your business when you'd rather just be the leader or the visionary?  In this episode, we’re going behind the scenes with my Director of Operations, otherwise known as our Integrator, Monica Foster. Five years ago, Monica joined PriorityVA as our freelance resident tech ninja after a CEO told her that every entrepreneur needs a “Monica.” Today, Monica is the engine that drives my vision into reality at PriorityVA. And when shit hits the fan, Mon...

091: How to Build the Perfect Team

When I reflect back on how my career started as a business owner, three feelings stand out to me. I felt stuck, alone, and out of control. Good thing, I found a way to get myself out of that rut by building a team that can support me. But it’s not just about hiring a team and hiring fast.  It’s about hiring right.  Discover the steps to building a world-class team.  It might require a paradigm shift on your part, but trust me, it will make everything so worth it! In this episod...

090: Turning Failure into a Dream Come True with Laura Bartlett

If you believe FAIL stands for First Attempt In Learning, then you have something in common with today's guest.  Laura Bartlett overcomes failure and public rejection in front of millions of people on Dragon's Den, a British reality show where entrepreneurs pitch their business idea to a panel of venture capitalists. Think Shark Tank.  Today, Laura owns one of the most successful travel magazines in the UK called House of Coco. Despite starting her business with zero euros in uncertain t...

089: What I Learned as an EA That Made Me a Better CEO

Every business owner dreams of having a world-class team.  But you can make that a reality no matter where you are at this point in your business – whether you’re a mom-and-pop shop, an online entrepreneur, or a large organization. At the end of the day, it’s your leadership that will determine how your team will perform for you. Today, I’m sharing with you what I learned as an EA for more than 20 years that made me a better CEO.  Learn how to treat your team with the respect and car...

088: Creating a Culture of Accountability

We all desire momentum in our business. We want traction toward our goals.  But momentum and direction are not enough. The challenge is being able to stay on course and to redirect when you've lost your footing. Now, this is where the power of creating a culture of accountability comes in.  Accountability in your business culture is like a rudder to a sailboat. It not only keeps you on course, but it redirects and provides stability.  There are so many ways that we can create a cul...

087: How to Build a Business You Really Want

Building a business on your own terms is easier said than done.  The online space for a business owner is littered with voices, gurus, experts, and thought leaders who tout themselves as the consummate experts for achieving success.  So you try all these ideas and methodologies in your organization. But trying to chase every new fad or every best practice to come on the scene is like riding a neverending roller coaster.  What happens when their ideas don't pay off? Or when you realiz...

086: The Next Step to Loving Yourself with Bonnie Cribbs

Where are you in your life right now? Are you sure you’re right where you belong? Or is it just the place you’re used to? Because sometimes the place you're used to – is not the place you belong.  Whether it's physical or career-wise, most of us live life on autopilot where you're going in one direction all the time.  And if you're not intentional in steering the wheel into the direction you want to go, you won't end up where you want to be.  Then you just settle with the idea that...

085: 10 Questions to Ask Your Team (That You Might Not Want The Answers To)

As business leaders, we all desire a world-class tight-knit organization and we dream of having a team we can trust, don’t we all? But what makes great leaders truly exceptional is having the ability to ask questions that will build trust and reveal how their people are really doing and what’s required of them as a leader.  In case you haven’t yet, be sure to check out Episode 82 where I asked some hard questions about who you are and who you are not. The answers should reveal some thin...

084: Transform from Bottleneck to Badass Through Real Mindset Work with Kelly Ruta

Whether you’re new in your business or a seasoned entrepreneur, we all hit different upper limits.  The faster you can break through them and create new habits, new thoughts, and new beliefs on the other side, the faster you can create that momentum. However, the biggest disconnect among struggling entrepreneurs is that they don't understand how mindset impacts their revenue and their profit. And if you think positive thinking and vision boards are just not cutting it for you, you’re p...

083: The Mystery That Is You with Jeff Goins

Who you think you are – is NOT really who you are. Each day, we wear so many different hats, as a mother/father, entrepreneur, writer, brother/sister, teacher, friend, whatever that looks like for you. We have all these roles that we have to play, and on top of that, we’re constantly inundated with job responsibilities, errands, tasks, and social media stuff.  We are so busy that we forget to take a step back, listen, and just – breathe. My guest today is Jeff Goins. Jeff is a friend...

082: Change Yourself, Change Your Business

Are there days when you think your team is constantly letting you down or that nobody can get things right?  Then, have you ever thought that the problem could actually be not your team – but you?  It’s really challenging to look at yourself in the mirror and discover your flaws. But you have to learn to get real and honest with yourself about how you’ve contributed to the problems you’re seeing within your team or in your business. In today’s episode, I’m going to share with you these...

081: Becoming a Successful Speaker with Grant Baldwin

Have you ever dreamed of being up on stage to deliver a message but you don't actually know where to start? What should you be talking about? How can you stand out when everybody seems to be doing the same? How much should you charge for? If your goal is to become a successful public speaker and you want to really pursue speaking as a business, our guest today will show you how to get there. Grant Baldwin is a "normal" guy from Tennessee who began his career as a youth pastor. He t...

080: Why Falling Doesn't Equal Failing

Is there something that you’ve always wanted to do – but the idea of failing freaks you out so you’d rather do nothing instead?  Sure, things may not work out perfectly all the time. There are hiccups along the way where falling is inevitable.  But falling is not failing. Falling is when you get back on your feet to start again. Failing is when you never try at all. In today's episode, I talk about my half-marathon experience, the lessons I’ve learned from falling, and how you can ...

079: Creating Tiny Habits to Make Big Change with Linda Fogg-Phillips

Let’s be honest, consistency is one of the hardest things in life.  I admit… I’ve struggled with this my entire life! I’m a quick starter. I can start out of the gate – like super amazing fast! Whether it's exercise or diet or working on a project.  But then I fade pretty quickly. And I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one struggling with making a new habit stick for good.  Believe it or not, the problem might be that you're not thinking small enough.  You can actually develop a ha...

078: You Need a Team That Will Disagree With You

Have you ever been told to surround yourself with people who disagree with you?  Or are you this headstrong leader who’s not open to other people’s ideas?  You may view disagreement as a form of dissension and disrespect, and worry this might undermine your vision.  But as leaders, we have to be open to people disagreeing with us. You want people who disagree with you because iron sharpens iron.  If we’re left unchecked, we can lead with some blinders on.  Sparks will fly for sure ...

077: Radical Service: How Serving Others Will Save You

I'm not usually a glass-half-full kind of person, but I can't stop staring at the silver lining of the COVID-19 pandemic.  There has been an amazing demonstration of radical service to others.  Brooks Brothers and Under Armour manufactured medical masks.  New York landlords allowed tenants to skip months of rent.  Snowboarders are donating goggles to healthcare workers. Xerox is producing disposable ventilators.  That's just the tip of the iceberg.  As a nation, we've helped ea...

076: Your Secret to Success: Momentum over Speed

We're so used to getting things happening fast. We want fast internet, fast food, fast weight loss results, and whatnot. And we want the same for our business – we want to fast-track our success. We think that success equals rapid scale and growth – wrong! When we first start out as business owners, we don't always exactly know what we want. We're not always sure we're going in the right direction.  The problem is when we scale our business at rocket speed, we might realize that we'v...

075: How to Work With Your Spouse and Stay Married

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to work with your spouse?  Owning a business is hard enough – then throwing it into your marriage complicates things. But it is absolutely doable! And to prove that, joining me today is my husband of 18 years, Chris, along with our amazing friends, Steve and Katesha Weaver. Steve and Katesha have been together for 17 years. They have owned their current company, The Candle Lab for the past 11 years. They have seven retail stores, 27 licens...

074: The Opportunity in Crisis with Mike Cline

During times of big change or crisis, do you pivot?  Or do you pause?  Or do you find yourself scrambling to keep what you’re used to doing and to avoid having to create what you really want?  Having me speak on this today is my friend Mike Cline, who is the CEO of Tech Guys Who Get Marketing.  Since 2006. Mike and his talented team of developers, marketers, and designers have worked with fortune 500 companies and business owners to help them meet their goals become more profitable a...

073: The Path to Confidence with Rachel Luna

We all have trauma.   And this manifests in so many ways for everyone.    Some people are loud, some people go introverted. There are those who are depressed, while others are managed.    And sadly, sometimes the way we let our trauma or life circumstances mess with our heads can also mess with our growth.   This leads to self-sabotage that tramps upon the confidence you were supposedly born with.   My guest today is Rachel Luna. She is the founder and chief confidence cr...

072: Our Responsibility to Share Our Truth

I had a home life that said I should have ended up on the wrong side of the tracks.    I've struggled with suicidal ideation, depression, and anxiety.   In fact, having a podcast, owning my own business, raising four daughters, and being in a healthy Christ-centered relationship sometimes feel like nothing short of a miracle.   Today’s episode is all about your responsibility to share your absolute truth.   There’s actually an aspect of sharing our truth that encourages other...

071: Self-Sabotage and Trusting The Process with Doug Brackmann

Are you results-focused? Of course! As business owners, we are highly driven to do better at everything because it’s how we know we could feel safe. But this pursuit of better can actually destroy our happiness now.  Today, Doug Brackmann shares valuable insights into how we, as humans, are in a constant state of self-sabotage.  Doug is one of the leading psychologists to some of the most successful and driven entrepreneurs, pro athletes, executives, and other top performers. Fin...

070: The Lies That Keep Our Schedule Overwhelmed

Are you literally doing everything in your business right now? Do you feel like you have to be busy all the time in order to be successful that you can’t afford not to be busy? You could be micromanaging yourself when the truth is you don’t need to. Perhaps it’s time you reset your priorities and have an empowered team to back you up so they can support you in a way you’ve never allowed anyone to before.  If you're ready to stop feeling busy and to start feeling focused, productive, ...

069: Show Up, Deliver, Engage (and don't do it alone!)

Do you ever feel alone as a solopreneur?  Like you have taken this massive leap to start your own business but you don't have community support?  Today’s guest is Ed Troxell who is committed to ending that feeling of isolation once and for all.  Ed is the founder of the Yes to Entrepreneurship Movement, a brand that brings together ambitious entrepreneurs, the Y-Notters as he likes to call them, who want to be connected to the right people, resources and make growing their business onl...