How Michele Gained Clarity and Positioned Her Business for Growth

Background

Michele has been in the insurance industry for years, primarily working for other firms before launching her own business 18 months ago. While her business was growing steadily - thanks in large part to referrals - she found herself overwhelmed with inconsistent payments, a CRM she wasn’t fully utilizing, and a workload that was quickly becoming unsustainable.

After overcoming a battle with cancer, Michele knew stress wasn’t an option for her. However, as the business grew, so did the pressure. She worked obscene hours during the last quarter and had an "oh crap" moment—she couldn’t turn off the spigot of incoming business, but she also couldn’t keep up with everything herself. She needed clarity, direction, and a plan to set up her business in a way that allowed her to serve clients without burning out.

That’s when she turned to me for a Strategic Mapping™ session.

Challenges

Before working together, Michele faced several challenges:
✅ Disorganized Payment Structure – She was getting paid at different times from different sources, making cash flow difficult to track.
✅ Underutilized CRM – She had done extensive research on a CRM (Agency Block) but wasn’t fully leveraging its capabilities.
✅ Overworking & Overwhelmed – Last quarter had been exhausting, and she didn’t want to repeat the cycle.
✅ Delegation Struggles – She had a part-time assistant (20 hours/week) but wasn’t utilizing him as effectively as she could.
✅ Lack of Systems & Boundaries – She was drowning in text messages and wanted to shift communication back to email.
✅ Fear of the Next Steps – She knew what she wanted, but she needed a clear plan—and someone to tell her honestly what was realistic, what needed to wait, and what would require significant effort.

The Strategic Mapping™ Process

During our session, we worked through the clutter of ideas, projects, and responsibilities that were weighing Michele down. As she put it, "You were able to go inside my head and pull out the jumbled mess, then lay it all out in front of me."

Together, we:
✔ Created a clear action plan for optimizing her CRM so she could track payments and manage clients more efficiently.
✔ Established boundaries and communication processes to shift client interactions away from text messages and back to email.
✔ Identified delegation opportunities so she could train her assistant to take on more responsibilities.
✔ Mapped out a strategy for growth that allowed her to increase revenue without increasing stress or working more hours.
✔ Built in automation and scheduling tools to ensure she had dedicated prep time for client renewals, preventing last-minute scrambles.

Results & Transformation

Following the session, Michele had a renewed sense of confidence in her business. She took immediate action on the plan we created, implementing new systems and beginning to let go of control over every task.

📌 Clarity & Direction – She now knows exactly what steps to take to streamline operations and create a sustainable workload.
📌 More Effective Delegation – She’s actively training her assistant, setting the foundation for long-term support.
📌 Increased Efficiency – By utilizing her CRM properly and automating key processes, she’s saving time and reducing stress.
📌 New Opportunities Flowing In – With more space in her schedule, she’s been able to welcome exciting new business opportunities.

In her words:
"I wanted to let you know how thankful I am for you. It’s so great to be able to say I’m actually doing the things we discussed. You literally changed my work life and catapulted me forward. It’s not just what you do—it’s the way you deliver it."

What’s Next for Michele?

Michele is continuing to refine her processes, increase her assistant’s responsibilities, and step further into the role of a true business owner—not just someone doing all the work herself. Her next focus is on sustaining her current level of business while working fewer hours—exactly what she set out to do.

Are You Ready for More Clarity & Less Stress?

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the weight of all the details in your business and need a roadmap to work smarter, not harder, let’s talk. Book a free Business Diagnostic Call, and together, we’ll assess where you are and what you need to do next.

📅 Schedule your session here: https://calendly.com/thejugglingbuddhallc/45-minute-call-with-cassie

Boutique CPA Firm: Prioritizing for an Ideal Work-Life Balance 

Company:
Lereah & Associates, PLLC is a CPA firm in Alexandria, Virginia. Managing Partner, Wendy Lereah, has over 25 years of experience specializing in small businesses and taxes. The firm partners closely with clients to ensure their accounting and related matters are handled accurately and efficiently.

Situation:
Like many business owners, Wendy encountered an unexpected challenge. In 2024, she found herself with her office manager leaving abruptly after 5 years just as tax season was ending, along with a backlog of tax work resulting from some broken commitments - a critical situation for any CPA firm.  Initially the priority was handling the backlog of client work.  Wendy knew what needed to be done to stabilize and grow the business but struggled to determine how to prioritize tasks, or even find the time to implement them.  She needed a clear, strategic plan to move forward without continuing to sacrifice her work-life balance or the business relationships and revenue.

Process:
Cassie is a Fractional Director of Operations — a role that focuses on getting the operational side of a business on track. Simply put, Cassie helps business owners create structure, prioritize projects, and build the systems needed in small businesses.

Here's how Cassie and Wendy worked together

Strategic Mapping Session:

Cassie and Wendy began with an in-depth discussion about the business, its goals, and its immediate challenges. The result was a:

Strategic Map™:

— a clear, actionable 12-month plan outlining exactly what projects, tasks, and ideas Wendy should focus on, and in what order. This gave Wendy the clarity she needed to move forward confidently. 

Prioritizing Key Actions:

Through the Strategic Map™, they identified the most urgent need: hiring a full-time employee to support the firm during leading up to the next busy season and beyond, and subsequently focusing on getting the support needed for tax services in the next tax season.

Streamlined Hiring Process:

With priorities set, Cassie implemented her proven hiring process, taking the workload off Wendy’s plate. This allowed Wendy to focus on client work while Cassie sourced, vetted, and secured two rockstar team members.

Result:
Thanks to Cassie's guidance and strategic approach, Wendy's business now operates more efficiently, and the team is better equipped to handle both client needs and internal operations. With two strong new hires and a clear action plan, Wendy has regained an ideal work-life balance. The firm is thriving, and Wendy has the confidence and structure to continue growing without feeling overwhelmed.

Testimonial:
"I highly recommend Cassie to any business owner who feels overwhelmed or struggles with hiring and retaining team members. Her strategic approach gave me the clarity I needed, and her hiring process brought incredible new talent to my team. Thanks to Cassie, I’m confidently running my business and enjoying a much better work-life balance."
— Wendy Lereah, Owner & Managing Partner, Lereah & Associates, PLLC