When Ner Jan Ramos joined HireSmart’s S.M.A.R.T.E.R. Leadership Academy for virtual employees, she was at one of the lowest points in her life.
“I was really going through one of the most difficult seasons of my life,” she said. “My boyfriend and I had been financially drained. We trusted people we shouldn’t have, and they left us with overwhelming debts.”
The nights were the hardest.
“There were nights I would cry myself to sleep, praying for a way out, and it was mentally and emotionally exhausting, and I didn’t know how I’d recover.”
Fast forward to 2025, and Ner Jan’s debts are paid off. She stands as HireSmart’s Top Virtual Employee for 2024, selected from more than 1,000 virtual employees serving U.S. businesses, and she is now helping HireSmart Co-founder Anne Lackey teach the company’s S.M.A.R.T.E.R. Leadership Academy. The transformation wasn’t accidental. It was the direct result of the leadership training that changed not just her career trajectory but her entire life approach.
More Than Leadership Training: A Life Blueprint Built on Core Values
“That S.M.A.R.T.E.R. Leadership Academy was an answered prayer I never knew I needed,” said Ner Jan. “The class didn’t just teach leadership. It taught life.”
The S.M.A.R.T.E.R. Leadership Academy is built around HireSmart’s core values: Service, Mindfulness, Availability, Respect, Team, Ethics and integrity, and Relationships. These values formed the foundation of Ner Jan’s transformation.
What made the difference? The program went beyond traditional leadership concepts to address the whole person through these guiding principles.
“We discussed so many things, like financial management, and it taught me so many things,” she shares.
Perhaps most importantly, the academy helped her realize she wasn’t alone in her struggles.
“I realized that I wasn’t just alone in those financial difficulties because so many of us were carrying similar burdens,” said Ner Jan. “I really used to be ashamed of my financial struggles before, but hearing the others during that discussion, during the HireSmart S.M.A.R.T.E.R. Leadership Academy, it really opened up. It gave me the courage to face mine head-on.”
The Power of Vision and Structured Planning
One of the most transformative elements of the academy was learning to create vision boards and implement structured planning. Anne introduced concepts like 90-day plans and living by core values — tools that Ner Jan had never fully applied.
“I wrote down a vision to pay off my debts, and I also added to that vision so many goals about, like, living a healthier lifestyle, going on more nature trips, and investing for the future,” she said.
The results speak for themselves.
“Over the past year, I really implemented these things with discipline and consistency… I’m really proud to say, just a couple of months ago, I fully paid off that debt. And I’ve also started going to the gym regularly. I’m taking my time to explore nature, making smart investments.”
What surprised her most was how these seemingly simple tools could create such dramatic change.
“I can confirm that a few of the things I put on my vision board a year ago actually slowly came into reality,” she said. “I never heard of this vision board before. I just heard this first time from Anne, and I’m just so grateful that they are gradually and slowly coming into reality for me right now.”
From Student to Teacher: Giving Back
The impact of the S.M.A.R.T.E.R. Leadership Academy was so profound that Anne asked Ner Jan to help teach the 2025 program.
“I was really shocked when Anne mentioned that she needed my help,” said Ner Jan.
Her role will focus on sharing the vision board process with fellow VEs.
“Anne would like me to share my vision board, and since we discussed that, it really helps the virtual employees. We gain clarity on what are our vision in the next years and our goals.”
Addressing the Unique Challenges of Virtual Work
The academy specifically addresses challenges that virtual employees face — challenges that traditional leadership training often overlooks.
“When we work remotely, we really often face unique challenges, disconnection, even blurred boundaries, and the pressure to be self-directed,” said Ner Jan.
One of the biggest obstacles she identifies is work-life balance.
“One of the biggest challenges, or like obstacles, many people face here, and even as a VA, is when you try to improve the balanced life, because emotionally, socially, mentally, and physically… it is actually quite difficult as a VA to manage your time.”
The S.M.A.R.T.E.R. Leadership Academy provides practical solutions rooted in the company’s core values.
“During the training, I really learned the importance of planning your daily and weekly life intentionally… Anne tasked us to create a 90-day planner that really helped me, because by writing down what needs to be done at a specific time, it will allow VAs to be more mindful of how they spend their time and energy every single day.”
A Philosophy That Drives Excellence
Central to Ner Jan’s success is a philosophy she’s carried since high school: “Diligence beats intelligence.”
This motto, reinforced and structured through the leadership academy, became the foundation of her transformation.
“While I earned honors in college, I don’t consider myself naturally intelligent — rather, I’m hardworking with the willingness and determination to pursue my goals,” she said. “Whatever endeavors or whatever we’re going through in our life right now, we need to show up. We need to be diligent enough, because whatever it is, I know that we can always conquer with discipline and persistence.”
Recognition That Follows Transformation
The S.M.A.R.T.E.R. Leadership Academy didn’t just change Ner Jan’s personal life. It elevated her professional performance to award-winning levels. Her client praised her “unwavering dedication, exceptional performance, and ability to consistently exceed expectations,” noting that “her contributions have significantly streamlined operations, improved efficiency, and enhanced customer satisfaction.”
Beyond her Top VE recognition, Ner Jan was also crowned HireSmart’s “Referral Queen” for bringing in the most new virtual employees to the company in 2024 — a direct result of her desire to share the opportunity that transformed her own life.
The Multiplying Effect of Leadership Investment
Ner Jan’s story illustrates why HireSmart invests in comprehensive leadership development through the S.M.A.R.T.E.R. Leadership Academy for its virtual employees. The company’s approach creates a multiplying effect: transformed employees become top performers, referral champions, and eventually, teachers who help transform the next generation of VEs, helping them live their best lives.
“Success isn’t just accidental. It’s intentional through your vision board, and it is built through a step-by-step process with grounded purpose and discipline,” said Ner Jan.
An Invitation to Transformation
For virtual employees considering the S.M.A.R.T.E.R. Leadership Academy, Ner Jan’s advice is clear.
“I always encourage everyone to really join the Leadership Academy, because I think it is the only way for us to sustain our work right now,” she said. “It is going to be a game changer for their lives. It will allow them (VEs) to focus not just on productivity, but on purpose.”
The program helps participants “align their actions with what truly matters in their life” while providing practical tools for both professional excellence and personal fulfillment, all grounded in HireSmart’s core values of service, mindfulness, availability, respect, team, ethics and integrity, and relationships.
As Ner Jan puts it: “The S.M.A.R.T.E.R. Leadership Academy was not just another leadership training program for me. It was a transformative experience because it really became a bridge between my potential and my purpose.”
For virtual employees ready to unlock their potential and transform their careers, just as Ner Jan did, HireSmart’s S.M.A.R.T.E.R. Leadership Academy offers more than training. It offers a blueprint for success and lasting transformation, built on the solid foundation of the company’s core values.
Click here to apply to the HireSmart S.M.A.R.T.E.R. Leadership Academy.
