This month, we take a look into the Day in the Life of Natalie Stroble, Virtual Assistant. Natalie has been with BELAY since October 2015. She lives in California with her husband and son.
The Third Option
If you asked Natalie what her life aspirations were 15 years ago, she wouldn’t have been able to give you a concrete answer.
“I’ve always worked with kids, spent much of my young adulthood in ministry internships and after I graduated with a Bachelor’s in Communications from a private Christian university, I felt confused about what I would be qualified to do given the diverse nature of my work history.” She continues, “Shortly after having my son I began my career as a Children’s Director. As much as I loved staying home with my son and working part-time, I still felt like something was missing. When I found BELAY it felt like a match made in heaven, it definitely felt too good to be true.” Isn’t that what they all say?
Natalie’s son is now in kindergarten and was recently diagnosed with special needs. She can support him when he needs it - whether it be before school, at school, or after school. Recently she was asked how her son’s special needs have affected her career. “It made me think how much I appreciate how blessed I am to have a third option. I can’t imagine working outside the home and still being able to support the needs of my family.”
Always Learning
Natalie loves connecting with people around the globe from the comfort of her home, and she enjoys the responsibility of project-based tasks that allows her to work in a flexible way while being challenged to learn and try new things. She has had the opportunity to meet incredible people and learn so much from her clients through conversations, trial and error projects, brainstorming sessions, and even prayer sessions!
Most of Natalie’s clients are in ministry or the non-profit spectrum. Her experience in non-profit ministry and children’s ministry give her insight to understand the organization’s structure and helps her connect to their vision. Her experience with media production and communications has proven to be invaluable as well. Natalie has served clients with unique requests and walks alongside them to see their dreams become a reality.
Virtual Culture
Natalie says that the biggest problem for her right now is leaving the house! She says, “I walk my son to school and church, so driving anywhere even to get groceries seems like a much bigger chore than it used to be! When I started working from home, the biggest struggle was having to be responsible with my time - making time for my family and setting firm boundaries to separate work and home was a challenge at first. I remember hearing a piece of advice from 
Shannon Miles when I first began - to have a workspace set aside just for work in the home and make it my own. That way I can disconnect when it’s time to log off. I took her advice and created an office space for myself.”
Working from home takes a great deal of self-motivation, but it’s not hard for Natalie to get excited about her work because it doesn’t feel like working. She has been with BELAY for two years and can no longer fathom working outside the home. The flexibility has allowed her to be a much needed support to her family. “With BELAY, I’m able to do ALL of the things I love and feel called to do, without feeling like I’m falling short in one area or somehow unable to keep up with everything.”
We are grateful for you, Natalie. Thank you for all that you do to serve BELAY.
“Putting a smile on my clients’ faces, seeing that I’ve made a difference and provided them some much deserved relief - that gives me satisfaction. It’s addicting.”
Interested in applying to be a virtual assistant with BELAY?
Explore open positions on the application page?
Or if you want to learn more about The Third Option, visit Shannon’s book page to learn more.