"Having someone that I can actually engage with, talk to, think things through with is significant. And because we built that level of trust and relationship, we can do that in a very open, transparent way."
— Carlon Howard, Co-founder and Chief Impact Officer
The Challenge
Carlon Howard, co-founder and Chief Impact Officer of Equity Institute, is a self-described visionary leader who thrives at generating ideas and dreaming up new ways to create impact. But as the nonprofit began to scale, a critical gap emerged between his big-picture thinking and the day-to-day operational demands of leading a growing organization.
"I am definitely a visionary... Where I struggle as a leader oftentimes is taking all those ideas, turning it into actual steps, and then delegating it to other people."
The challenge grew more acute as Equity Institute expanded. Building a team meant navigating an entirely new layer of responsibility — managing staff, maintaining momentum, and staying present as a leader while keeping pace with an ever-expanding task list.
"Being an entrepreneur is one thing — to figure out how to get resources together and show up to places to make things happen. It's another thing when you start building something and now you have a team and a staff that you have to manage and lead and support."
Carlon's to-do list had swelled to hundreds of items with no clear system for sorting, prioritizing, or delegating them. The weight of it all was real — and he knew something had to change.
The Solution
Carlon partnered with BELAY and was matched with Virtual Assistant LaShanda, whose support made an impact from the very first week. Because Carlon processes best by thinking out loud, the two connected daily at the start — giving him the sounding board he had long lacked as a leader.
"The most immediate relief was just getting everything out of my head and somewhere where it made most sense."
With LaShanda's support, Carlon was able to sort through his overwhelming task list and determine what could be delegated versus what required his direct attention. LaShanda also stepped in to manage one of his biggest recurring pain points: his calendar and the relentless volume of meeting requests.
"Organizing all of those folks and figuring out what to say no to and yes to, figuring out how to structure my week so I'm not just in meetings every single day all day — that's what LaShanda supported and made possible."
Unlike virtual assistant services Carlon had tried before — where tasks were sent by email and returned without real engagement — BELAY offered something more meaningful: a genuine partnership built on trust, transparency, and open communication.
"I think that was probably one of the bigger lessons I took away. That it's okay to let go. And if anything, you're able to get more done when you're able to co-create results with others."
— Carlon Howard, Co-founder and Chief Impact OfficerThe Impact
The results were both immediate and deeply meaningful. With his calendar protected and his task list under control, Carlon was finally able to show up fully in every interaction — present, focused, and free from the constant mental weight of undone work.
"With a lighter load, it allows me to actually be fully present with someone without worrying about the million and one things that have to be done."
Beyond the practical relief, the partnership fundamentally shifted how Carlon thinks about leadership. He no longer measures the worth of his day by how many checklist items he completed, but by the depth of impact he created.
"I think that was probably one of the bigger lessons I took away. That it's okay to let go. And if anything, you're able to get more done when you're able to co-create results with others."
Today, Carlon leads Equity Institute with clarity and confidence, spending his energy on the questions that matter most — how to build relationships, lead authentically, and create results that are truly meaningful. With LaShanda in his corner, he has the space to be the visionary leader his organization needs.