"I think it would've taken me many tries to find that person because it's very difficult to cast for that. And that's why BELAY is the expert. I'm looking forward to buying out her contract. I think there's no better testament to the success of what we've been able to do together than when I write that check to BELAY."
— Chris Tuff, Bestselling Author, Keynote Speaker, and Entrepreneur
The Challenge
Chris Tuff is a national bestselling author, sought-after keynote speaker, and serial entrepreneur managing multiple businesses simultaneously. With weekly speaking engagements demanding constant travel and logistics — and his second book in progress — Chris found himself overwhelmed by responsibilities that fell squarely outside his core strengths.
"[I was doing] a lot of things that I don't like to do nor am I very good at. I have a great friend group [of] entrepreneurs, and they all told me how impactful it was as soon as they brought in an executive assistant to help them manage their lives."
His entrepreneur peers weren't shy about pushing him toward a solution:
"They were basically yelling at me saying, 'Chris, you are an absolute cluster. You need someone to organize this – and it's a total game-changer.'"
Despite the clear signal from those around him, Chris remained apprehensive. He didn't just need someone to manage a calendar — he needed someone who could match his relentless pace, learn his personal and professional rhythms, and bring genuine structure to a complex, fast-moving life. As he summed it up: "I needed someone to help me bring order to chaos."
The Solution
Chris called BELAY, and within just one week his Client Success Consultant had identified the right match: Virtual Assistant Janelle Pauls. Though initially uncertain whether the partnership would work, Chris gave it time — and after roughly six weeks of finding their stride, the collaboration accelerated rapidly.
Janelle took ownership of Chris's daily schedule, coordinating meetings and managing his time throughout each day. She also stepped into more nuanced support: editing sections of his second book Save Your Asks, coordinating a shipping facility to ensure books were available at speaking events, and handling end-to-end travel logistics.
One of Janelle's most distinctive contributions is a daily morning email sent to both Chris and his wife, outlining each person's responsibilities for the following day — from professional commitments to picking up the kids and getting them to sporting events and horseback riding lessons.
"I think that takes a very special person who can also interact with spouses in a way that is frictionless. And that's how I explain my relationship to Janelle. It's frictionless."
So impressed with the results, Chris expanded his engagement with BELAY to include bookkeeping services as well, bringing on Virtual Bookkeeper Beth Lancaster to round out his support team.
"It seems like Janelle and I have been working together for years whereas, in reality, it hasn't even been a year. I'd even go as far as to say that Janelle and I have a friendship and a connection."
— Chris Tuff, Bestselling Author, Keynote Speaker, and EntrepreneurThe Impact
What began as an apprehensive trial quickly became one of the most valued relationships in Chris Tuff's professional life. Janelle grew so central to his operations that Chris regularly brings her along to speaking engagements to assist with on-site coordination, books, and logistics.
"It seems like Janelle and I have been working together for years whereas, in reality, it hasn't even been a year. I'd even go as far as to say that Janelle and I have a friendship and a connection."
The partnership has been so transformative that Chris is actively planning to hire Janelle directly — making her his first full-time employee. He describes writing that check to BELAY as the ultimate testament to the value they've created together.
"I think it would've taken me many tries to find that person because it's very difficult to cast for that. And that's why BELAY is the expert. I'm looking forward to buying out her contract. I think there's no better testament to the success of what we've been able to do together than when I write that check to BELAY."
For a fast-moving entrepreneur who once described himself as "an absolute cluster," the verdict is clear: "She's absolutely indispensable to my organization now."