Alan Darney has spent 27 years building something remarkable.
Alan Darney has spent 27 years building something remarkable.
As Training Director of Northern Nevada JATC, an educational nonprofit that has trained electricians and telecommunications workers since 1946, Alan started as an electrician himself, went through the program, taught for a while, and eventually took the helm of day-to-day operations.
For years, the growth was steady and manageable. Then everything changed.
In just three and a half months, Northern Nevada JATC more than doubled its student body. The growth wasn't gradual. It was exponential, explosive, and unlike anything the organization had experienced in its nearly 80-year history.
"We could not have survived the growth that we've experienced in the last few months without help," Alan said plainly.
When Control Becomes a Liability
Before the growth surge, Alan was already stretched thin.
National commitments meant frequent travel. His calendar was a mess of conflicting appointments. Emails slipped through the cracks regularly.
"Sometimes meetings didn't make it to my calendar. Sometimes I just was so busy that it slipped through the cracks," Alan admitted.
He'd tried to solve the problem before.
Twice, he'd hired local administrative staff through a hiring agency. Both times, the employees eventually found their place in different roles, but Alan was still managing everything himself.
The problem wasn't just about finding help. It was about letting go. Alan had always enjoyed control over his email and calendar, "probably to my detriment," he acknowledged.
The Michael Hyatt Connection
Alan had been following Michael Hyatt's Full Focus system for years. When Hyatt offered delegation coaching through BELAY, Alan signed up and worked through the program for about a year.
But it was growth that ultimately forced his hand.
"I think ideally it would have been that if I were to learn to delegate, it might have driven growth," Alan reflected. "But I think it was kind of the tail wagging the dog for me. Growth demanded that I delegate, really more than anything else."
With the organization clearly needing more structure, Alan finally made the call to BELAY.
A Perfect Match with Christina
The matching process was different from anything Alan had experienced with traditional hiring.
"When you go out and hire somebody, you interview them. They don't do a lot of interviewing of you," Alan explained. "I think the interview with me — the extensive interview that they did with me — is key to the success of that."
BELAY matched Alan with Christina as his executive assistant, and the transformation was immediate.
"A lot of trust happened very, very quickly," Alan said.
What surprised him most was how the remote arrangement actually worked in his favor. The physical distance created something unexpected: a level of trust and openness that developed almost instantly.
"I had no hesitation in trusting her with my email and calendar, things that I have always enjoyed control over."
Taking Control of the Calendar
Christina's first order of business was Alan's calendar, and she didn't mess around.
"There was a timeframe when we agreed that I wasn't allowed to put anything on my calendar because I was putting things on, and [they] [were] conflicting with things that she was trying to do," Alan laughed. "That's all leveled out, and so I'm allowed to put things on my own calendar now."
Christina implemented a flagging system for emails that they review together during one-on-one time. "A lot of emails would fall through the cracks. That doesn't happen nearly as much as it used to."
The First Month Transformation
Alan's assessment of that initial month with Christina was striking.
"I always say that I accomplished more in that month than I did in probably the six months prior to that."
Now, Christina has full control of his calendar and makes the most of every minute.
"We joke around sometimes. I tell her, 'You forgot to schedule ‘me time’ to go use the restroom today.'
“But it's been necessary just because of the explosive growth. If I didn't have somebody managing that time for me, I could never accomplish the things that I accomplished."
Building the Team: Bookkeeping and Marketing
As Northern Nevada JATC continued to grow, Alan recognized that Christina couldn't be the only solution.
The organization had previously worked with a local bookkeeping company that provided personalized service. When that company was acquired by a larger corporation, the relationship deteriorated.
When bookkeeping services were announced, Alan returned to BELAY again bringing on accounting support to return to personalized service with someone who could "translate" accounting for a team that doesn't "speak accounting very clearly."
Marketing Transformation with Faith
Northern Nevada JATC relies heavily on grant funding, and many grants include marketing dollars. But the organization had always handled marketing in-house "to varying degrees of success."
"We've never had anybody that really had a passion for doing social media," Alan said. "I just felt like we needed to take the next step."
BELAY matched them with Faith for marketing support about six months ago, and she's transformed their presence entirely.
Faith's impact went far beyond social media:
- Led a complete rebranding initiative
- Designed graphics for a recruitment trailer project
- Collaborated with the architectural team on facility upgrades to ensure brand consistency
- Created and manages content for electronic marquees throughout the facility
"It's been really interesting to see where that flows into other things," Alan said. "Really beyond, way beyond what we originally had envisioned for that position."
Christina as the Central Hub
Christina has become far more than an executive assistant. She's the connective tissue holding the entire organization together.
She works directly with Alan and his successor, Aaron, who is gradually taking on more responsibilities. "It's been mind-boggling to me to see how much they click as well," Alan said.
Christina now serves as the liaison between all of BELAY's contractors and the entire leadership team.
She coordinates between marketing, finance, and operations. Faith and Christina collaborate constantly, brainstorming content, managing the calendar of events, and ensuring brand consistency.
"She's really become part of the leadership team," Alan acknowledged. "She's the cohesive glue that kind of holds us all together. We would literally fall apart if we didn't have [her] in place."
What Christina Does Differently
"She is very intuitive as far as knowing what she should be taking on herself or what she needs to involve me with," Alan explained.
“Christina has the professional judgment to know when to push forward independently and when to loop in leadership. She has the confidence to say, ‘It's time to do this right now. We have to get this done.’"
The delegation happens organically.
"Everything really just clicks between the two of us."
The Confidence of Continuity
As Alan moves forward with his succession plan, one of the most valuable aspects of working with Christina is knowing she'll be the constant through the transition.
"It gives me a lot of confidence to know that as I transition out of the position that I'm in and turn that over to somebody else, she's going to be the constant that's there and carry that on as well," Alan said. "That's important to me."
Surviving and Thriving
When asked to summarize BELAY's impact, Alan was clear.
"We could not have survived the growth that we have experienced in the last few months without her being directly involved in the work that she's doing. In addition to that, not only have we survived the growth, but we've expanded in outward areas as well."
The organization has increased its reach, improved internal systems, and maintained compliance with constantly evolving Department of Labor regulations, including the latest cybersecurity requirements. They've built a marketing presence where none existed before. They've moved from cold corporate bookkeeping services back to personalized support.
Advice for Leaders Holding On Too Tight
For leaders who, like Alan, tend to hold control over their operations — especially those experiencing rapid growth — Alan's journey offers a clear lesson.
"I kind of preach the BELAY gospel to anybody that I hear of that's struggling with admin help especially," he said. "I truly believe in the system, and it's been an absolute positive experience."
The challenge isn't just finding help. It's finding the right help through a process that matches skills, personality, and working style. BELAY's extensive interview process ensures not just skills alignment, but personality fit and working style compatibility.
From a training director who couldn't keep his calendar straight to an organization that more than doubled its size without falling apart, Northern Nevada JATC's story is about recognizing that you can't do it all alone, no matter how capable you are.
Sometimes the most important skill a leader can develop is knowing when to let someone else take the wheel.