SPEAKER_01 0:06

Welcome to the Joy-Inspired Podcast. I'm Nikki Cruz, and I'm thrilled to explore with you what it means to walk in a faith-infused business. This is your space to find powerful feeds and insights, to build with resilience, and to create impact through your unique purpose. Discovering a joy that only God can provide. Together, let's embrace a business journey anchored in faith and empowered by joy. Let's jump in. Well, hey, hey, friends. Welcome back to the Joy Inspired Podcast. If this is your first time here, welcome. If you don't know me, my name is Nikki Cruz and I'm your host. I'm also your cheerleader. I'm known as the Joy Junkie because I believe that God has given us so much joy. And when you don't feel it, it doesn't mean it's gone. It's still there. And in every week's podcast, we want to bring out that joy. Because when we walk in alignment with God, with our faith, passion, and purpose, there is joy to be had. And I'm here today with a very special guest. So I'm going to encourage you, if you're watching this recording, grab a beverage, grab your drink, grab a notepad and pen, because God always drops such powerful words of wisdom and just things that you might want to record. If you're driving, please don't grab a beverage. Don't grab a pen. Because remember, you can always come back and you can always re-listen. But this is a space where you get to be your joyful self. You get to hear and be empowered. Because I don't believe that God has given us a calling or a purpose so that our joy can burn out. And today's guest helps us not burn out. And this we have so much alignment. If you've been in my world for a while, you know that I talk about being aligned with God, not exhausted, not burnt out. And today's conversation is going to be especially powerful for those of you who feel stretched a little bit too thin, who feel overwhelmed. Because behind the scenes, you're sitting there going, I don't know if I can manage, but on the outside, you're smiling and pretending that everything's okay. You feel like your business has started running you instead of you running your business. Hey, I've been there, I've felt that. And if you're in that place, then you get to take a breath, you get to hear and listen. Because we're talking about support systems, leadership, faith, delegation, growth, and building in a way that is sustainable. Because when you build based on faith and with the right structure and with God, things don't just fall over. But sometimes when we feel the pressure, when we feel like we've lost the joy, it's a signal something is wrong. So please help me welcome my amazing guest, Diana James.

SPEAKER_00 3:38

Hi! Hi, everyone. Thank you, Nikki. And I'm so great to be here.

SPEAKER_01 3:45

Diana, welcome to the Joy Inspired Podcast. I'm excited to have you here, especially because we have so much alignment. But also I know that so many entrepreneurs out there are listening, but they're also trying to do all the things themselves. And inside they're secretly feeling exhausted. And they're saying, I don't know if I can cope. And before we jump into strategy and business growth and what you do, I'd love for our listeners to get to know you a little. Who is Diana Grace James beyond the business owner title?

SPEAKER_00 4:26

Okay, thank you for that um question, Nikki. So um my name is Diana, and I am a mom. So I'm a boy mom. So I have two kids. So my one is um will just turn five this year, and I have um another one. My youngest will turn four this year, and I'm married, I'm a Christian, I also do discipling in our local church, but aside from that, I've been in this industry, so um, yeah, for almost six years, and yeah, I love to connect, I love um not just only to connect, but to bridge the gap. And I also do um VA coaching, and I am also a full-time fledged virtual assistant agency owner here in the Philippines.

SPEAKER_01 5:20

And wow, you do so much to give back, you do a lot at your community, and you're a mom, and you're doing all the things, and one of the reasons you managed to do that because you've got strategy and structures in place, and you started out as a virtual assistant working behind the scenes, and you just watched. Can you take us back to that season? What were you seeing that made you realize there has to be a better way of doing things?

SPEAKER_00 5:54

Yeah, so way back, I just want to share a little bit of story about how I started as a freelancer. So, way back during the pandemic, that was 2020, and you know what? It is really funny because during that pandemic, I was starting my family, meaning that is the time wherein I built my family, I got married, um, I have my my firstborn and then my my second one, it's really challenging that time because who would someone thought that you are building your family during you know, crisis, global crisis, right? So it had to push me a lot when it comes to disciplining myself and when it comes to you know reaching my goal. And it's hard for me that time because freelancing industry for me that time, I have no idea because I've been in the industry in marketing here in my local area for for almost two years, and I thought that was my dream job, and then pandemic came. So yeah, I really had a I would say bad transition that time because I am transitioning from you know, with no idea. I just had to push myself that I need to have an online job that time to survive the family because everybody is affected with the global crisis, right? And funny because I have to build my family that time. So yeah, there's no bad season when you see that you know, you have your faith and you see that everything has to happen. So from there, um, I have to find a group. So usually as a freelancer, every everyone has to, you know, they they say that you have to harass someone for you to be able for them to be able to see you as someone that could help them. So I've been in the group, um, like a freelancing group, virtual assistant group, business owner group, to find the right client for me. And you know what? Um to make the long story short, someone reached out to me and say, Hey, can you do this? Can you do that? And then I, you know, boldly say, Yes, I can do this. And then that made, you know, a history. And now I become a freelancing, not just only a freelancer, but a virtual uh assistant agency owner for five years almost.

SPEAKER_01 8:39

Wow, and there's quite a journey there, and I think so many of the entrepreneurs can relate to that because we sit in a situation where we think there has to be more, there's got to be more, and sometimes we just step out, and I love what you said, you have to harass people so they notice you. And yes, we do, because we have to become visible, we have to be seen. And you've heard Diana James talk about her community and talk about her family, you've heard her accent, she's from the Philippines, so yeah, all the way from there, she brings so much power to clients across the world because she has found that as she's learnt to build her own business so she can help other Christian entrepreneurs build theirs. And one of the things that you said, you said you are a woman of faith. And faith has become the foundation of how you build your company, hasn't it?

SPEAKER_00 9:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 9:50

And tell us about that. What did trusting God look like while building something that was growing slowly and steadily? That you were you were boldly standing before the throne of grace, saying, I'm stepping into this. Where did how did faith play a role in that for you?

SPEAKER_00 10:10

You know what? Before I went to this industry, like the on like putting a business online, I I remember there there were friends that telling me that that's not gonna happen, like you know, finding or building your online career. Because I I'm gonna tell you, Nikki, I I've done a lot. So from before before putting myself there and position myself for someone that I can, you know, I can help uh with the online business. So I tried before, like, you know, posting, selling online, selling products, and selling clothes, selling food, anything that you can, you know, think of. I sell it online, but everything that I did back then wasn't working. And you know what? If I think I stop from there, then nothing's gonna change, right? With my with my situation that time. That's why I really value that the time we're in. I put myself there, I I sell everything just to survive because it challenged my faith. And then I find out that you know that that urge is not from me anymore. It's from God. And the way I sell before, it helps me a lot. Like helping now with that skill, I can also help some of my clients with that skill when it comes to the marketing, when it comes how to position themselves also, especially their business online. So I have different training, right? But uh to be honest, I don't have at first, I don't have any, I would say, certificate that I am a virtual assistant, but because of my past experience, the way I sell my things online, I was trained with that skill. And without, you know, faith, again, I am you cannot you you cannot interview me because I have no story to tell. So I think yeah, faith really did a lot of work, not only just putting up um putting up online business for me, but also helping my past client and up till now. And yeah, I really love helping them because I know um I know it I have to help them. Because I have number one, I can pray for their business. When they when they hire us, I can pray for their business and I can share also my faith and be their the chill the cheerleader for them.

SPEAKER_01 12:59

Oh, that's amazing. You said so much in that, so much that so many of us entrepreneurs can relate to deeply, you know, where you go and you do things and they're just not working. Because when you're not in alignment, that happens. But just like Diana said there, God doesn't throw what experience you've had out when he draws you into alignment, when you step into your calling and your purpose, he uses what's behind the scenes, he's using her skills in her current business, but not only that, but to empower others. So just remember nothing is ever wasted. God will always say to you, look at what's in your hand, look at what's there, your experience is everything else. And with faith, God puts those in the right place when you are in alignment. But if things aren't working, excuse me, when things aren't working, you start to feel less joy, and that's where you get to examine it. And Diana got to look and say, this isn't working, it's not bringing in the money. Okay, or this isn't working because nobody's seeing me, and all of that has helped her build what she does now because she's built a business that helps you and I overcome those challenges that she had. And yeah, she doesn't have a certificate, but does but God doesn't call the qualified, he qualifies the called. And there are so many people who do not step into what God's calling them to because they say, I'm not certified, I'm not qualified. God's calling is all the qualification you need. Now, I'm not saying don't study, don't research, don't learn, but don't be held back because you don't have a certification. It's such a big thing. I hear so many people say, I say, why haven't you launched your program? Well, I'm not a certified coach. You know, the certification comes in the integrity you stand in. And there are many certified coaches who have just gone through a process and got a certificate, but the life experience certifies you for a lot. So, Diana, you are certified, you're certified by the life journey, and so are the rest of you out there. I'm not saying don't learn and become certified. If God calls you to do that, be obedient. I would love to know more about exactly how you help clients because one of the things you do as a VA, and you've now not just been a VA, you've built an agency, you've built a whole system to help other people. How does having a VA help an entrepreneur? Why is it a good idea?

SPEAKER_00 16:24

I think um, just like for me, I have my own executive virtual assistant who helps me when it comes to managing um the you know the repetitive tasks. I think that's where VA came in, or that's where you know that you need a virtual assistant because you know that some repetitive tasks could be delegated, and there is power in delegation because you are just duplicating yourself, and I really love that concept because you can duplicate yourself without you know, uh, you can duplicate yourself by saving more time, so those times you can delegate it by um learning and growing your business. And for the past six years, our business, my business is uh, I would say slowly getting there, but I would say it's better to be like that, like slowly building so you can see the the ins and outs of your business, right? And I've been working with so many VAs, and I think it's really important that you find your good dedicated virtual assistant, or I would say sidekick, right? Because it's really important that you have the right team. And for me, I just for almost six years, I think I could say right now that I can I I can, you know, gladly say that I find or I found my my right team right now, and it's been a journey for me having the right team for me to be able to grow slowly and you know scale. So yeah, so if you are looking for a virtual assistant, I think you have to think about uh those repetitive tasks. And once you upload those repetitive tasks, now think about what will be the time or those times that were uh that were saved. Where are you going to put it? Where are you going to allocate it? Because if you don't know, then I think it's just also a waste of time, right? You have to put it to something that is growing, something that is seeding or planting for your business.

SPEAKER_01 18:54

Oh, I love that. You know, because so many of us sit and think we want to do it all. You know, when you start your business, this is your baby, and it is so hard to let go of some of those tasks. You want to be in control of it all, but when you're in control of it all, you aren't actually doing what you're called to do. Because I'm sorry, those of you who know me will totally agree. I am not called to be a tech person. Definitely not. Do I get to have basic knowledge so I know how to work it in my business? Yes. But I get to give that to somebody who's passionate and loves it and gets excited about it so that I can have time to be excited and passionate about my coaching. But there is a cost to it. Look at what the cost is worth because those hours are so important, and that's option, often where we become the own our own bottlenecks in our business. And we are all building businesses to have an impact. Let me tell you, if I was doing all my own tech, that impact would be very interesting. My impact of what I my message would be minimized, and the impact of everyone looking and going, uh-uh, she just don't have it together, would be expanded. So I choose to hand that over to someone else. So what would you say, Diana, are some of the indications or signs that a business owner is actually becoming the own bottleneck in their business growth, you know, where they are holding their business back from growing. What are the signs?

SPEAKER_00 20:51

Well, if you have a you know urge that you want to do more, but you cannot do more because you're you're doing it all by yourself, I think that's the biggest sign that hey, you need to, you know, sit down, write those tasks, and then you know, hand it over to someone.

unknown 21:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 21:11

Because you cannot be one team show, right? Or one month show, I say. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 21:19

And I think as well as the desire being there, when you start feeling burnt out, when your business is growing and successful and you are still feeling burnt out or overwhelmed, you know, overwhelmed isn't proof that you're successful. That's a badge of honor that a lot of entrepreneurs have worn that is now out of fashion and it doesn't belong to us as faith centered entrepreneurs. But if you're exhausted, that's not really success. And then isn't it time to handle some of those tasks? So I remember Niggy.

SPEAKER_00 22:00

if i may say this i i remember i was um i've been in in so many networking international in us in australia in canada and there is a feeling of me that i want to connect with my fellow business owners but i don't have any time and i think that is being one of my bottlenecks that time because i wanna be i wanna get i wanna to be be there be visible be be there as someone that is you know having this this kind of um business but it's hard for me that time because i need to handle my social media i need to check my emails i i need to edit some videos because i'm doing you know i'm i'm i'm doing uh a podcast for my virtual assistant um uh career as a coach and it's really taking me you know it's it is slowing me down and I don't want to get that feeling anymore that's why that time I say to myself that hey I need to tress even though um my first virtual assistant that time were like miles miles away from me but you know in the end of the day you have to trust because you have that goal you have to be there you need to position yourself that's someone that is you know being helpful and people will not see that if you are trying to do everything on your own absolutely and you know you you may have to build your own little structure and you might be building but that structure will not hold solid if you want to scale and grow bigger and have greater impact greater kingdom impact it's going to take faith and trust and let the Holy Spirit lead you in finding that perfect team but there's so often in those moments of pressure and you've spoken about it when you talk about needing to connect with people have there been moments where you have had to choose integrity over convenience or pressure to stand up for what you believe in your business yeah I think I remember like I'm a Christian entrepreneur and I love supporting purpose-led business especially Christian-led you know business and there are moments that you know I need to get the money you know the paycheck coming but I cannot serve someone that it doesn't align with with my morals and value and I have to say no to them. I have to point them to different you know different business that can support them.

SPEAKER_01 24:59

So it's really hard for me that time because for me to be able to support my family and to support you know my my people I have to keep my paycheck coming but I have to put my integrity first right by saying no by saying hey we don't do that I think we're we're not the best fit to for you to yeah we're we're not the best fit for for for for your business and it's really hard to say no especially when you're you're a Christian but you have to put God first right absolutely and you know that difficult decision God honors and God rewards and you're still here so obviously God worked it out doesn't mean it's easy no but you get to stand in your faith so quick question what are two or three tasks business owners should stop holding on to first okay number one the admin team please please dedicate it to someone you cannot be checking your email 247 right or you know filtering inbox 247 so if you can delegate that then you'll be fine I want to tell you that you're doing great with that second is the social media hey you cannot be you know creative I know that you are creative you're you're artists but you have to delegate those tasks to your virtual assistant and I would say uh as a business owner it it is really important that you know your business it's okay to do it at first but when it but when the right time will come like hey you need to be there you need to connect you need to network you you need to grow your community that's the time that you can handle or you can hand off those tests to your to your virtual assistant uh to your virtual assistant so admin social media or email management or email marketing I say then yeah I think that's a great start I love that virtual assistant I know when I started I thought oh but I can't lose control I've got to be putting me out there well if I know my business well enough I can communicate it to my virtual assistant and when there's something that needs my personal response on an email my VA in fact I call her my office success manager because my business could not run without her she she actually draws my attention to that particular email but the run of the milk email she deals with the sending emails out she deals with so what kind of impact do you hope that your work leaves on your family leaves on your clients and the people you meet I think right now if you will ask me am I having an impact I say yes because um I I am not just sending virtual assistant to our clients connect them and match them but what I can see is I am helping them build their success story and I remember we have one client who started their business as an online business coaching but because of our support she won as a marketing a marketing business of the year that was 2023 and one more thing is that um having you know reclaiming the time you know for for our clients and to put those time with their family and growing their business I think that is the huge impact that we can that we already bring to our to our clients plus this VA my people that I have is that they are also building their family because of the opportunity that I was able to share with them because I can eat you know this is what I really tell to my students I can I can gatekeep this yeah I can I can gatekeep this and enjoy only the opportunities that I have just only for me and for my family but you know that is not the legacy that I want to put here in the world I just want to you know share those opportunities because you know in the end of the day this is what I I say to them life is short right and I really want to make sure that I use my time wisely and build something wisely that's beautiful and I know that when we've spoken you've talked about giving opportunities and opening opportunities to people in your community and that is a beautiful empowerment where you give back very powerful now you actually have a gift for our listeners so for those of you who are driving do not panic you do not need to write any of these details down they are all in the description and the show notes you can look for them there.

SPEAKER_00 30:45

However Diana what is the gift that you are giving our audience today okay so if you feel that you know this is the right moment for you to hire a virtual assistant so don't worry I will give you a task delegation checklist for you to begin and see what will be the repetitive task that you need to delegate. So all you have to do is just go there click that button and then download it wow and so if you're sitting there thinking what would I hand over there's the solution you've already been helped with that isn't that a powerful VA move and Diana this has been such a beautiful and and faithful conversation learning about you thank you for sharing not only your wisdom but also your heart and your journey with and how can our how can our listeners get hold of you where will they find you and again you don't have to write it all down yeah so you can find me on my socials so we have website as well so you can type there it's www.yan e james virtualsolution.com and then you can have all those free resources not only the one that I mentioned here but we have different resources we have different um we have also educational resource for someone that would you know like to venture virtual assistant yeah you can go there very nice thank you and on the social it's Diana Grace James and I love the grace so for everybody listening if you know somebody else who might benefit from this conversation please feel free to share this with them please go and say to them listen to this there is opportunity out here perhaps it's time you stepped out of burnout in your business and got a VA so because we're called but we're not called to be exhausted or to build something being exhausted we're called to be aligned and part of that is just releasing that control.

SPEAKER_01 33:10

So for all of you out there this is how you get to reclaim your joy if you feel like you've lost it this is how you can go from being burnt out to just building in alignment and Diana any last words for our listeners well um I just want to thank you all I'm so blessed to be here and if you feel that there is surge or there is urge that you know God is talking to you to build something do it now don't wait for next day do it now just do it now. It's your calling absolutely because if you don't step into your calling you become frustrated and we don't want that what we want to do is have you living a life of abundant joy. So I'd love to have your comments don't forget to leave a high below and thank you for being here thank you thank you for being here and thank you for joining us for the Joy Inspired podcast. Until next time keep building with joy bye all thank you so much for joining me on the Joy Inspired Podcast at wwwjoinspiredpodcast.com Make sure you hit that subscribe button so that you can get this and every other episode that comes out we have lots of great stuff coming and you don't want to miss it. So make sure hit that subscribe I am so grateful for all the reviews and comments and I look forward to serving you in next week's episode.