The Client – Lauren Pawell, Founder/CEO Bixa Media

Lauren Pawell is the founder and CEO of Bixa Media, a digital marketing agency that helps business owners generate, qualify and nurture more leads online. 

Founded on Lauren’s love of translating complex marketing and tech challenges into clear strategy, and making the “daunting become doable,” Bixa Media helps business owners generate, qualify and nurture more leads online. 

Lauren and her team’s ability to simplify and clarify what their clients actually need to do not only saves them time, money and frustration — it garners results. Case in point? That time Bixa Media generated more than $250,000 in revenue for an e-commerce business using only 9 email campaigns.

The Challenge – Protecting Time and Focus

Like many entrepreneurs, Lauren struggled with delegating, feeling pressured to say “yes” to “too many things,” and protecting her time. 

“Understanding that I don’t need to be (and shouldn’t be) the sole owner of every project has been a lesson I’ve had to learn a few different times,” said Lauren.

But in order to grow Bixa Media in a scalable way, Lauren knew she needed to find focus and prioritize her efforts to achieve her three-year vision: helping more than 300 service providers (with $250,000 and $5 million in annual revenue) with lead generation, lead qualification and lead nurturing.

So, Lauren heeded the advice of a trusted mentor, who said hiring an executive assistant would be the most important hire she would ever make — and would make her professional life as a business owner easier.

The Solution – Finding Support Through an Executive Assistant

Lauren knew of Trivinia Barber, CEO and founder of Priority VA, through a mutual friend. When she was ready to pull the trigger on hiring an assistant, Lauren reached out to Trivinia and the team at Priority VA to find the right fit. 

Priority VA matched Lauren with Elizabeth, an EA with 15 years experience of project management and assistant work in corporate and higher education settings, and a passion for helping her clients succeed.

Elizabeth joined Bixa Media during the holidays, the company’s busiest time of year. Despite concern that onboarding Elizabeth would interfere with her clients’ massive Cyber Monday email campaigns, Elizabeth “dove right in and got her hands dirty.” 

“She was a quick study, willing and eager to learn anything she wasn’t familiar with,” said Lauren.

In short order, Elizabeth became a strategic partner and stabilizing force with Lauren over time management and priority-setting.

“One of my business mentors told me the most important hire I’d ever make was my assistant…and, gosh, was he right.” 

The Result – Time Allocated to Biggest Priorities in the Business

Elizabeth is now the primary manager of Lauren’s calendar and has implemented time blocking for high-value activities, which has been a “game changer.”

“By far the best outcome has been having someone manage my calendar and protect my time like a mama bear protecting her cub,” said Lauren. 

Rather than feeling like she has to do it all, or be involved with everything, Lauren now strives to focus on the work that only she can do — and delegate the rest. 

“My calendar is far less hectic and time is allocated to the biggest priorities in the business.”

Lauren admits that delegation is “a journey,” but she takes comfort knowing Priority VA is quick to jump on a call and provide support when something is not working, or guidance is needed.

“The Priority VA team truly has your back when it comes to building a right-fit team. They truly are a partner for your business, not just another vendor.”

If she could do one thing differently in her business, Lauren said, “Hire Elizabeth sooner! No, but seriously, I would have hired an assistant sooner to take everything off my plate that didn’t keep me focused.”

Now, Lauren doesn’t have to feel pressured to say “yes.”

“By delegating the management of my time to Elizabeth, she says “no,” I don’t feel bad, and my calendar is far less hectic and time is allocated to the biggest priorities in the business.”