"BELAY selects people who are eager to learn and they have a certain level of graciousness; they have just a really positive attitude. And that would have taken me years of searching. [And] if something doesn't quite go right, it's always,' How can we do better next time?'"
— Josh Kwan, President
The Challenge
As President of The Gathering — a learning community of Christian philanthropists and their families — Josh Kwan is a self-described dreamer. He thrives on big ideas and ambitious vision, but recognized early in his presidency that bold strategy requires an equally strong operational foundation. He had experienced the value of administrative support before and knew he needed a partner focused on execution and details to keep him on track.
The most pressing problem when he took over was his inbox, which Josh described as "absolutely out of control." Endless unread messages had piled up to the point that it was often "stressful" for other people even to look at it. Alongside email, calendar management had become equally unmanageable — meetings, conference calls, flights, and travel all competed for attention he struggled to give.
A few months into the role, a third challenge emerged when The Gathering's finance director departed, leaving the organization without bookkeeping coverage. Josh already knew the quality of BELAY's work and reached out to add bookkeeping to the services he was seeking — confident the same standard of excellence would apply.
The Solution
BELAY matched Josh with Virtual Assistant Abrielle, and the pairing was a natural fit. Abrielle finds genuine joy and a sense of accomplishment in tackling inboxes — bringing exactly the right temperament to Josh's most urgent problem. With Abrielle in place, Josh walks into every meeting prepared: he knows who he'll be speaking with and even has a backup phone number ready in case he's running late.
Josh explains that it's precisely these kinds of small details that make all the difference — not just for logistics, but for peace of mind. Having Abrielle handle them lifts what he calls the "psychological burden" of the things he no longer has to hold in his head, freeing him to focus on strategy and vision.
For bookkeeping, BELAY matched Josh with Kathryn, an experienced professional who stepped directly into The Gathering's existing systems — including QuickBooks, Expensify, and Salesforce — without requiring Josh to invest time in training or onboarding. Kathryn didn't just fill a gap; she increased productivity from the start, slipping into the workstream as though she had always been part of the team.
"I have a happier work life – and that makes a happier home life."
— Josh Kwan, PresidentThe Impact
With email, calendar, and bookkeeping all handled by capable BELAY professionals, Josh now has the time and mental bandwidth to pursue long-term goals and focus on the work that only he can do. The relief isn't only operational — it's deeply personal.
"BELAY selects people who are eager to learn and they have a certain level of graciousness; they have just a really positive attitude. And that would have taken me years of searching. [And] if something doesn't quite go right, it's always,' How can we do better next time?'"
For Josh, what sets BELAY apart isn't just competence — it's the culture of continuous improvement and genuine positivity that its professionals bring. Finding that combination independently, he notes, would have taken years.
The impact has extended well beyond the office. Josh's family has noticed the weight lifted from his shoulders, and he puts the outcome simply:
"I have a happier work life – and that makes a happier home life."