""[Lynne] dramatically transformed the quality of my life. Things get done, and I don't have to spend my days worrying about them – or my weekend doing them." "She's that person who always has my back and helps me stay on track with things. Which, as a mom and a business owner, you really appreciate having someone like that.""
— Suzanne Cerra, Partner / Attorney
The Challenge
Suzanne Cerra, a partner at Nukk-Freeman & Cerra — a prominent employment law firm with 32 attorneys and offices in New Jersey, New York, and California — had spent years feeling the weight of an overflowing schedule. Like many business owners, the demands of running a high-performing legal practice left little room for the personal tasks and professional to-dos that consistently slipped to the bottom of the list.
"For years, [my business partner] Katherin and I had both talked about having no time to tend to personal issues and professional things at work that kind of fall to the bottom of the list," Suzanne explains.
The turning point came through a professional organization, where Suzanne met a peer who described how his three virtual assistants managed everything from birthday gifts and holiday shopping to travel logistics and personal errands. The idea resonated immediately. She brought it to her business partner with conviction: "This is what we both really need; it will make our lives so much better."
The Solution
Suzanne turned to BELAY and was matched with Virtual Assistant Lynne Arellano — a pairing that proved to be an immediate fit. From the start, Suzanne made her priorities clear: she needed someone light-hearted, personable, and capable of managing the full spectrum of her personal and professional life.
"When I first contacted BELAY, I explained that it was really important to me to have somebody who was light-hearted and had a great personality, and she's a joy to work with."
Lynne quickly took on an expansive list of responsibilities. She coordinated logistics for a three-country family vacation, helped Suzanne navigate a home move by proactively sending a checklist of everything that needed to be done, and scheduled medical appointments for Suzanne and her children. Rather than waiting to be directed, Lynne anticipated needs and took initiative — exactly what Suzanne required.
The two developed a collaborative rhythm built on mutual accountability. "She can't do her job unless I give her the information she needs," Suzanne explains. "We mutually set each other up for success."
""I'm better to my family because I can really devote my time to them when I'm not at work. I can accomplish all the things for them that I want to do that I wouldn't be able to without her. Lynne helps me make sure everything stays on track. Everything she touches turns to gold.""
— Suzanne Cerra, Partner / AttorneyThe Impact
The results of working with BELAY extended far beyond task completion. For Suzanne, the impact was deeply personal — freeing her to be more present for her family and more effective as a business leader.
"I'm better to my family because I can really devote my time to them when I'm not at work. I can accomplish all the things for them that I want to do that I wouldn't be able to without her."
What began as a professional engagement evolved into a trusted partnership. Lynne's warmth and professionalism made an impression not just on Suzanne, but on everyone who encountered her. "Everyone who comes in contact with her is impressed with her and likes her," Suzanne says. "She makes a huge effort, and she's not just professional, but she goes that extra mile of trying to build relationships, which is really important."
Suzanne looks forward to the relationship continuing to grow — and to Lynne helping her discover even more ways to streamline both her professional and personal life. In her words: "Everything she touches turns to gold."