Tonya Allen-Mucci is the full-time Executive Assistant to the co-founders at RealWealth, a California-based real estate investment group that provides education and resources, and cash-flowing investment properties for real estate investors.
Rich Fettke and his wife, Kathy, cofounded RealWeath in 2003 to help people create real wealth — which they define as having the money but also having the freedom to live life on your terms through real estate investing.
RealWeath helps investors find single-family properties around the country in markets that are emerging and growing. They have over 66,000 members and have been on the Inc. 5000 list of America's Fastest Growing Companies for three years in a row.
The Challenge
RealWealth has been working with BELAY contractors for five years. About two years ago, Rich and Kathy bought Tonya out of her contract during her engagement with them as a BELAY VA.
“I came on with BELAY after I left New York City and moved into an RV,” Tonya remembers.
She and her husband were traveling around deciding on where they wanted to land, and having a remote job was a perfect fit for Tonya.
“I found BELAY through a friend of mine on Instagram. I interviewed and BELAY was super fantastic.
“RealWealth was a pivot for me. A Client Success Coordinator called me one day and said, ‘I have this client that I think you would be a great culture fit for them.’
“She introduced me to Rich from RealWealth and the first minute he opened his mouth, I was like, ‘This is the guy I want to work for.’
“I was about a year into working with them, and I had just never had a better experience in any [other] job I’ve ever had. I’ve had a lot of jobs, and I never felt a better connection [or] a better working environment.”
The Solution
“It’s the best job I’ve ever had,” Tonya exclaims. “[Rich] values me, and shows me he values me and tells me he values me. And that, to me, is much more important than any monetary thing — or any gift — you could give me.
“I’ve never worked for anybody who cared so much about my wellbeing as this company [does].
“This is the type of company — and these are the type of people — that truly believes you shouldn't sit in front of a computer all day. You shouldn't feel like this job is exhausting to you or that you don't want to do it on a daily basis.
“There's this [dread] of going to work from some people, and I just don't have that feeling.”
The Result
“Rich asked me if he could get me to work for them full-time,” Tonya remembers. “He told me they were looking for 17 years for someone like me.”
And three years later, Tonya is still in a great place.
“I could not be happier,” Tonya says. “They are an incredible company and completely have the values I look for in a company and partnership.
“I looked at other virtual assisting companies, and they just were like, ‘Oh, this is the job we have and this is the person we have, and let's get the body in the seat.’ That's not always a good fit.
So for me, it was important that the CSCs were like, ‘This is the type of person this assistant is, and this is the type of person that she needs to work with.’
And it just felt like she was always on my side. BELAY was always on my side, and I enjoyed that so much. And it definitely paid off because look where I am now.”