"Rhonda runs my schedule, does some light accounting, stays on top of customer programs that need monitoring, and gives me information when she finds problems. This is very effective and allows me to find out about things that might have gotten past me without her!"
— Renard Bergstrom, President
The Challenge
Renard Bergstrom, President of Bergstrom Automotive, leads a team of more than 100 people across three new car dealerships in Devils Lake, North Dakota. His mission is straightforward: put the fun back into buying a car by treating people with genuine courtesy and building relationships that last a lifetime.
But running a multi-location automotive retailing group meant Renard's plate was constantly full. In addition to managing his on-site team, he had already outsourced calling services to maintain customer relationships — yet he still found himself buried in routine tasks that, while necessary, didn't require specialized knowledge to complete.
He needed a reliable way to offload those recurring responsibilities without sacrificing quality or confidentiality. Sharing sensitive business information with someone outside his organization gave him pause. As he put it,
"I was somewhat hesitant to share confidential information at first."He knew the right support could transform how he worked — he just needed to find someone he could trust.
The Solution
Renard turned to BELAY, and was matched with Virtual Assistant Rhonda. From the start, Rhonda began absorbing the routine tasks that had been pulling Renard away from higher-priority leadership work.
"Rhonda has picked up many of the routine tasks that I have to do — and now takes care of them for me,"Renard shares. Her value grew quickly: as she became more embedded in the team, she began supporting other team members as well, creating capacity across the organization for work that truly required an on-site presence.
Building trust took time, but Rhonda earned it consistently. Every sensitive project she handled was managed with professionalism, and that track record gave Renard the confidence to delegate more.
"Time is the best tool to build trust, and as we have progressed, I have become more and more comfortable on that front."
"Every time I have given Rhonda sensitive projects or information, she has handled it professionally — and that is the best way to build trust."
— Renard Bergstrom, PresidentThe Impact
With Rhonda handling his schedule, light accounting, and ongoing customer program monitoring, Renard gained something invaluable: visibility. Rather than letting issues slip through the cracks of a busy week, he now has someone actively surfacing the things that need his attention.
"Rhonda runs my schedule, does some light accounting, stays on top of customer programs that need monitoring, and gives me information when she finds problems. This is very effective and allows me to find out about things that might have gotten past me without her!"
For Renard, the most meaningful outcome wasn't a single task off his list — it was a fundamental shift in how he operates as a leader.
"Better control of my time is the biggest improvement, but having someone gathering information for me and telling me when there are issues I need to attend to has been huge as well."As he put it simply: "I am more on top of things now — and I'm sure it shows!"