Delegate 2 Elevate – Get Sh!t Done

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Brandi Croghan, founder of The What If Collective and creator of the What If Mindset, joins Bonnie for a real, human conversation about curiosity, belonging, and the leadership shift that makes delegation easier. Brandi shares her five core pillars… connection over isolation, possibility over limitation, belonging before performance, flex over freeze, and commitment over fear… plus a powerful story from hiking the Camino in Spain that becomes the perfect metaphor for entrepreneurs carrying “packs” they don’t need to carry. If you’ve been white-knuckling your business like a recovering perfectionist, this episode is your sign to set something down.

Links:
http://www.thewhatifcollective.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandi-croghan-founder-whatifcollective/
https://www.instagram.com/therealwhatifcollective/
https://www.facebook.com/BrandiCroghanWhatIfMindset

#Delegate2Elevate #GetShitDone #Delegation #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #SmallBusinessOwner #WomenInBusiness #MindsetShift #TeamCulture #Productivity #BurnoutRecovery #EmotionalIntelligence #WorkplaceCulture #ChangeManagement #Curiosity

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Keywords:

• #Productivity
• #Delegation
• #Outsourcing
• #Productivity
• #Leadership 

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What happens when your former client comes on the mic to talk about delegation, leadership, and what it’s really like working with a powerhouse EA?

In this conversation, CFOO and strategic operator Josh Cheng joins Bonnie to unpack their years working together at Verity, how he thinks about delegating as a founder, and why humility might be the most underrated leadership skill in business.

Josh shares his journey from UC Berkeley to nonprofit financial counseling, wealth management, startup co-founder, and now fractional CFO/COO for founders, firms, and nonprofits. He and Bonnie talk about how they built a high-trust working relationship, what it looks like to treat your VA or EA like a chief of staff, and how that changes the way you lead.

They also dive into sabbaticals, AI, and the messy middle of being a small business owner or fractional leader…the part where your brain feels like it’s carrying everyone and everything at once.

If you’ve ever wondered:

• “Do I really need a COO or CFO right now?”
• “How do I know if a client or team member is actually good for my mental health?”
• “Can I trust someone else with my calendar, priorities, and big picture?”

…this one is for you.

You’ll hear Josh and Bonnie talk about:

• How they met through a holding company, and why that structure created multiple opportunities for VA support across subsidiaries
• Why Josh always saw Bonnie as a strategic partner and not “just” an assistant
• What it practically looks like to treat an EA like a chief of staff
• Using delegation and fractional roles as a talent pipeline before hiring full-time
• How to know when to fire a client that isn’t aligned with your values or energy
• Why is humility a core leadership value if you want to delegate well
• The magic of sabbaticals…and how stepping away actually made Josh more creative and strategic
• The tension of being the founder, where, yes, “it all rolls uphill.”
• Why your network is gold, especially in the age of AI

By the end, you’ll have a clearer lens for evaluating who you work with, who supports you, and how to build a high-trust team that lets you lead without losing your mind. 

#Productivity #Delegation #Leadership #CFO #COO #FractionalLeadership #EntrepreneurLife #Founders #Sabbatical #AI #Teams #Trust 

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Keywords:

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• #Delegation
• #Outsourcing
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• #Leadership 

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Today’s guest is someone after Bonnie’s own CEO heart.
Katie Ellinger, co-founder of Prometryx. She is an MIT-trained brainiac who took her love of systems, numbers, and smart delegation and built a wildly thoughtful bookkeeping and financial ops firm serving small businesses across the U.S.

Katie lives in Medellín, Colombia, blends tech with trust, and has the rare perspective of someone who has delegated intentionally and also been the recipient of high-stakes delegation.
We talk emotional money stuff, trust, perfectionism, letting people into your books, and how she built a yin-yang partnership that’s grounded, strategic, and honestly… impressive as hell.

You’re going to love this one.

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-ellinger/
Company - Prometryx Accounting - Prometryx - Accounting services for small businesses  https://www.prometryx.com/

#Bookkeeping #BusinessFinance #CEOTips #BusinessSystems

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Keywords:

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• #Delegation
• #Outsourcing
• #Productivity
• #Leadership 

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Today’s episode features someone who is about to flip your entire idea of sales upside down in the best way possible. I’m sitting down with Aleasha Bahr, the founder of Black Sheep Sales, a keynote speaker, and the number one authority on selling without the sleaze. She’s a strategist, a coach, and a woman who has helped sell tens of millions of dollars worth of offers. All without pretending. Without pressure. And definitely without acting like a douchebag.

In this conversation, we’re digging into the real stuff. The “oh crap, I have to sell now” moment so many founders hit. The mistakes that tank momentum. How to identify your anti-audience. Why transparent sales is magnetic. And how creative delegation can actually save your sanity and revenue at the same time.

If you hate sounding salesy or you’ve been burned trying to delegate sales the wrong way, this one is going to hit home.

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleashabahr/
Website - Get Better at Sales with the Black Sheep Sales Method™ | Custom Sales Strategy https://aleashabahr.com/

Book - NEW! The Black Sheep Sales Method https://blacksheepsalesbook.com/

YouTube: Aleasha Bahr: https://www.youtube.com/@aleashabahr

#Delegation #MoneyMindset #OutsourcedSales

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Keywords:

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• #Outsourcing
• #Productivity
• #Leadership 

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HR consultant and strengths coach Kirsten Ziegler joins Bonnie to talk hiring, delegation, and the not-so-glamorous but oh-so-critical decisions between contractors and employees. They share laughs, rollercoaster metaphors, and golden nuggets for solopreneurs navigating people-first growth.

#Leadership #HRInsights #SmallBusiness 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirsten-zeigler-humanresources/

Website: KDZ HR Consulting | Empower Your Team Today:  https://www.kdzhrconsulting.com/

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Keywords:

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• #Delegation
• #Outsourcing
• #Productivity
• #Leadership 

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In this episode of Delegate2Elevate: Get Sh!t Done, Bonnie sits down with Ashley Connell, CEO of Prowess Project, to answer the question every service-based founder has asked at least once…

“Where do I get a Leah?”

If you’re a professional service provider… a consultant, agency owner, coach, fractional operator, CPA firm leader, or service-based entrepreneur trying to scale, this conversation is packed with practical insights on:

✅ Delegation and outsourcing without losing control
✅ How to hire the right operations manager, operations partner, OBM (online business manager), chief of staff, or fractional COO
✅ Building business systems, processes, SOPs, workflows, and project management rhythms that actually stick
✅ Why emotional intelligence and work-style compatibility matter more than a “perfect resume”
✅ How to define success metrics, clarify deliverables, and delegate based on behaviors, not vague adjectives
✅ Leadership identity shifts… moving from “hero operator” to true CEO leadership
✅ Scaling a remote team while protecting client delivery, quality, and momentum

Ashley also shares how Prowess Project uses a matching algorithm rooted in EQ, skills, and work-style alignment to connect founders with vetted operations leaders.

#Delegation, #Outsourcing, #Productivity, #Operations, #Entrepreneurship

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Keywords:

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• #Delegation
• #Outsourcing
• #Productivity
• #Leadership 

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This episode brings Alisha Harris, founder of Original Account Strategies (OAS), and a current client of Bonnie’s VA agency, TRS, into the hot seat. Bonnie and Alisha dive into the winding road that took Alisha from Disney costume design and AmeriCorps to running a Denver-based design agency. They get real about:

• Why delegation feels like a roller coaster (and why Bonnie’s sworn off the literal ones)
• The emotional weight of letting go of your “business baby” to invest in branding and web design
• Cross-delegation at home (Alisha handing vacation planning to her husband, Bonnie handing tech to Scott)
• The hard truth about outsourcing: giving up control vs. spending the money
• How OAS differentiates itself in a crowded design market (hint: it’s about joy, trust, and breakfast burritos)
• Alisha’s two golden rules: use what you learn and be a joyful giver or don’t give at all

#Branding #SmallBusiness #JoyfulLeadership #BusinessGrowth
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisharharris/

Website: Original Account Strategies | Web & Graphic Design: https://originalaccountstrategies.com/

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Keywords:

• #Productivity
• #Delegation
• #Outsourcing
• #Productivity
• #Leadership 

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What do bookkeepers, boundaries, and a 130-pound rottweiler have in common?
They’ve all played a role in how Tonisha Stalnaker, CEO of SVS and self-proclaimed “Chaos Coordinator,” built a thriving global business.

In this episode of Delegate2Elevate: Get Sh!t Done, Tonisha shares her journey from healthcare IT recruiting to leading a worldwide team of systems and tech pros. She opens up about:

• The bookkeeper who taught her a hard lesson on contracts (hint: don’t raise fees 600% by email).
• Why setting clear boundaries with clients and teams protects everyone.
• Her “five-hour rule” for easing into delegation without fear or overwhelm.
• How she built a team across time zones without losing her sanity.
• Why dogs sometimes make the best business co-stars. 🐾

If you’ve been hesitant to delegate or don’t know where to start, Tonisha’s story will give you the practical tips and confidence to try again.

🎧 Tune in to hear how a systems strategist turned chaos into clarity — and why you can too.

#Boundaries #Leadership #BusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #GlobalTeams #SystemsStrategy 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonishastalnaker/
Website - https://stalnakervs.com/

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Keywords:

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• #Delegation
• #Outsourcing
• #Productivity
• #Leadership 

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In this episode of Delegate 2 Elevate: Get Sh!t Done, Bonnie sits down with Sumayyah Emeh-Edu, Principal Strategist at Embedded Consulting, for a raw, powerful conversation about resilience, wellness, and the messy realities of delegation when life throws you to your knees.

Sumayyah opens up about her journey through near-burnout while raising a daughter with special needs, the toll of trying to “fix it all” alone, and how learning to ask for help reshaped her life, her relationships, and her business. Together, she and Bonnie unpack the dangers of tech-driven comparison, the myth of perfection, and the necessity of discomfort tolerance in both life and leadership.

This episode is part therapy session, part business strategy, and full of golden nuggets on letting go of control, reclaiming your energy, and reconnecting with what really matters.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sumayyahee/
Website: Embedded Consulting LLC:  https://sites.google.com/embeddedconsultingllc.com/embeddedconsultingllc/home

#Resilience #Delegation #SecondAct #WomenInBusiness #MentalHealth #Boundaries #WorkLifeBalance

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Keywords:

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• #Delegation
• #Outsourcing
• #Productivity
• #Leadership 

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Bonnie sits down with Acey Holmes, founder of BoredLess, to unpack the neuroscience of play for adults and what it means at work. Drawing on her journey from speech pathologist to speaker and facilitator, Acey explains why burnout often looks like “play deprivation”—and how reframing tasks to be interesting, entertaining, or stimulating changes everything. She breaks down four personal play identities, shares a powerful story from law-enforcement evidence teams, and maps easy on-ramps to playful work design that don’t require improv games or office ping-pong. The duo also explores delegation beyond assistants—think cross-delegation to family, outsourcing taxes and creative assets, and letting marketing be next on the list. Mic-drop moment: “It’s not about what to do with your free space… it’s about how to be in it.”

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/aceym/
Website - Workshops for ERG Leaders | Playful Work Design: https://playfulworkdesign.com/

#WomenInBusiness #PlayAtWork #ProfessionalServices #Productivity #WorkLifeJoy

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Keywords:

• #Productivity
• #Delegation
• #Outsourcing
• #Productivity
• #Leadership 

  #Viral