""Erica is such a bright spot on our team. Her attitude, attention to detail, and excellent skills allow me to operate three businesses and focus on 70 business owners and executives each month. I gladly write this check every month.""
— Doug Poll, Southwest Florida C12 Chair
The Challenge
Doug Poll serves as a Southwest Florida C12 chair for C12 Group, an organization that guides business owners and executives to build high-performing companies in service of a greater purpose. Managing a growing practice meant balancing member relationships, new prospects, ongoing projects, and the constant flood of day-to-day details — a combination that was quietly undermining his effectiveness.
As a self-described visionary, Doug found that the weight of administrative demands was taking a real toll on his creativity and strategic thinking.
"I was overwhelmed with details. I'm a visionary, and too many details killed my creativity and ideas. [I needed] to serve all my clients effectively and handle new prospects and projects."
Doug had seen firsthand how BELAY had helped friends in similar situations, and he was drawn to the company's shared Christian values. When his wife encouraged him to take the leap and get support, Doug reached out to BELAY — ready to reclaim the time and mental space his practice demanded.
The Solution
After connecting with BELAY, Doug was paired with Virtual Assistant Erica Short — an experienced professional who could step in and take ownership of the administrative tasks that had been consuming his days. The impact was immediate.
Erica took over email management, project coordination, and follow-up communications, freeing Doug to focus on what he does best: leading, building relationships, and growing his practice.
"I have more time to think, plan, and execute — which makes a difference. Erica enables me to spend time on what's important. [With her help, we're] building member relationships and also serving them with an extra set of hands."
The partnership quickly proved its value. Rather than simply maintaining the status quo, things progressed so well that Doug chose to increase Erica's monthly hours — a clear signal that the collaboration was delivering real results and earning continued investment.
""I really believe Erica has allowed me to add the sixth group and run them effectively. Each group represents thousands of dollars a month and significant time poured into each member.""
— Doug Poll, Southwest Florida C12 ChairThe Impact
With Erica handling the details, Doug has been able to expand his business in ways that simply weren't possible before. Most notably, he added a sixth C12 group to his practice — a milestone that came with significant financial implications.
"I really believe Erica has allowed me to add the sixth group and run them effectively. Each group represents thousands of dollars a month and significant time poured into each member."
Beyond the growth of his C12 practice, Doug is now successfully operating three separate businesses while personally engaging with 70 business owners and executives each month. Erica's contribution goes beyond task management — she has become a valued member of the team whose attitude and work ethic have made a lasting impression.
"Erica is such a bright spot on our team. Her attitude, attention to detail, and excellent skills allow me to operate three businesses and focus on 70 business owners and executives each month. I gladly write this check every month."