Beau Sides is the founder and president of Global Partners in Life, a non-profit organization that helps widows, orphaned children, special needs orphans and disadvantaged youth with educational, humanitarian and medical needs around the world.
Since 2004, Global Partners in Life has provided a broad spectrum of assistance ranging from major medical procedures to scholarships and food.
It concentrates on funding corrective surgeries for children living with heart defects, cleft palates, Spina Bifida and many other debilitating conditions.
Its vision is to enhance the lives of people around the world while continuing to provide assistance to allow children to grow, flourish and become independent if physically possible.
The Challenge
After one of Beau’s board members met our founder on a flight, he returned sharing the tidbits of his conversation about BELAY.
Beau did some research and signed the contract in January 2020.
“Having another voice in the room was good for me,” Beau remembers. “We’re a tiny nonprofit. We do have a governing board of directors and an advisory board of directors, but as far as employees, it’s just me.
“Having someone I could bounce ideas off of — not to mention rely heavily on for the majority of the work — has been a huge benefit, especially with the knowledge that Virtual Assistants have with technology.”
“Ironically, my background is that I was a multi-regional manager for IBM, and over the past 19 years technology has truly passed me by.
“BELAY brought forward Virtual Assistants who have an amazing knowledge of social media and technology, and they can even make it where an old guy like me can understand.”
And so BELAY Virtual Assistant Brittany Lane joined his team.
The Solution
With Brittany’s help, Global Partners in Life joined Instagram — opening up a world of communication and sharing content with so many more people about their global work and playing a huge part in its growth and success.
After Beau’s first Virtual Assistant transitioned to another job, Brittany came in and assured him that she would be able to jump right in.
“Brittany said with confidence that she was sure she would not let me down in any way and there would be no lag in her getting caught up to speed on anything,” Beau remembers. “And she has definitely exceeded my expectations.
“She does so many things way better than me.”
The Result
“[Having a VA] frees me up to make plans for the future, to cast the vision and to communicate with our partners and the people we help around the world,” Beau says. “Her strengths are what we need.”
With getting the right support, Beau has gained time.
“I now have more time to communicate with not only our partners globally but for our donors and potential donors here as well as board members,” Beau says.
Beau also felt less stress in having someone take over the newsletters, website and brochure.
“I have more confidence in the newsletter being done more professionally,” Beau adds. “Our website is better and our brochure is going to be updated.
“I can take a post on Facebook and send Brittany the picture and text I used, and the next thing I know, it goes out to multiple social media sites.
“What a blessing it's been to work with Brittany the last few years. I know you call her a Virtual Assistant, but now I think of her as family.
“I know about things going on in her life. She knows about things going on in my life as well as Global Partners in Life. I look forward to our weekly conversations.
“I just can't thank BELAY enough for bringing [me] someone that I'm so like-minded with.”