As the eldest of seven siblings and the family’s breadwinner, Camille B. was already juggling a lot. But when she saw the chance to join HireSmart’s SMARTER Leadership Academy, she saw it not as another obligation but as an investment in the person she wanted to become. That decision is already paying dividends.
Camille started with HireSmart last December as an Admin Assistant for a property management company. Before that, she’d worked her way up through the BPO industry from customer service representative to supervisor before deciding to explore the virtual world. While she’d held a leadership title, she wanted to deepen her understanding of what true leadership means.
“I wanted to understand what it truly means to lead,” she said. “I felt ready to take one more responsibility and be someone who can uplift others.”
When Camille created her vision board in class, her goals reflected her dual responsibility: she wanted to qualify for HireSmart’s scholarship program to support her siblings’ education, build her own health (physically, emotionally, mentally), and grow into genuine leadership. But it was one lesson from Anne Lackey, HireSmart’s co-founder who teaches the academy, that would help her actually achieve those goals without burning out.
“Not My Circus, Not My Monkeys”
“Not my circus, not my monkeys,” Anne said during class. And suddenly, Camille understood something critical: being a breadwinner didn’t mean carrying every problem.
“It made me realize that as leaders and as people, we don’t have to carry every problem on our own,” she said. “Before, I used to think and take things personally or get emotionally affected by situations that weren’t mine to fix. But that lesson reminded me to stay focused on what I can control and let go of what’s outside my lane. It’s not about being indifferent, but about protecting your energy so you can show up better for the things that truly matter.”
Speaking Up with Confidence
The real shift came in how she showed up professionally. “Professionally, I speak up more, not out of pride, but because I trust my voice now,” she said. “Personally, I’ve become more grounded. I learned to pause, to reflect and handle challenges without panicking.”
The confidence translated immediately into her interactions with clients. “I’m more confident talking to my clients, suggesting whatever I think is good for our team,” she said.
She now approaches unfamiliar tasks with intentionality rather than anxiety. When faced with something new, she clarifies the goal and desired outcome, does her own research, and asks focused questions only when necessary, respecting her busy clients’ time while demonstrating capability.
“I feel capable of leading even without a title,” she said. “The confidence that I created in me really helped me a lot.”
Vision Board Goals: Making It Specific
When Anne asked the class to create vision boards, Camille was surprised. “When Anne asked us to create one, I realized that I wanted a lot of things for me and for my family,” she said.
Her health goal offers a perfect example of what Anne taught about specificity. Rather than simply writing “be healthy,” Camille broke it into actionable steps. “I’m taking little by little steps, at least taking a walk, not 10 steps, but at least I am starting to 3,000 steps to 5,000,” she said. “I know for sure it will be muscle memory for me if I am consistent and disciplined.”
The scholarship goal is personal. “I wanted to be part of the scholarship program because I’m a breadwinner supporting my siblings in their school, and that’s a big help for me,” she said.
Shared Ambitions
One unexpected gift of the program was discovering she wasn’t alone in her ambitions.
“One thing I noticed is that we wouldn’t know each other on the first day of class, but having our vision boards and listening to each other’s stories was amazing,” she said. “We share one goal. We all wanted the same things.”
Learning from classmates’ plans and strategies created a multiplier effect. “Their plans on how they’ll achieve their goals, I learned something from them, and I can apply that to myself too. The connection is really good,” she said.
The Virtual Employee Challenge — And Why HireSmart Matters
Virtual work comes with real obstacles when you’re working without organizational support. Clients who are stretched thin may have limited time to communicate. Tasks arrive with minimal instruction. The isolation of working alone can feel overwhelming without a community backing you.
“One main challenge I’ve experienced is that your client can’t always communicate with you,” she said. “They’re busy people, so they send messages about what you need to do, but there’s not much chitchat. I don’t think they have the time for that.”
But this is where HireSmart’s support system becomes invaluable. “There’s a big difference with an agency,” she said. “I feel very supported. Whenever I need help or support within the community, it’s easy for me to ask different opinions, especially now that I’ve joined the SMARTER Leadership Academy.”
Beyond the community, there are tangible benefits. “One thing I liked with HireSmart is that they provided HMO coverage,” she said. “That’s a big help for everybody. It definitely helped us check ourselves physically, emotionally, and mentally.”
The contrast with going solo is stark. “If you were working alone, you’d have to do everything by yourself. To the point that to survive the day, you have to talk to yourself,” she said. “It’s really a big difference working with an agency.”
Her Message to Other Virtual Employees
For those considering the SMARTER Leadership Academy, Camille’s advice is direct.
“Don’t wait until you feel ready, because you’ll never know until you get there,” she said. “Growth happens when you take the leap, even if you’re not sure about it.”
She’s clear that the class isn’t exclusive. “The SMARTER Leadership Academy isn’t just for those in leadership roles, but for everyone, anyone who wants to show up better, communicate better, and lead themselves first. It’s truly worth it,” she said.
A Grateful Vision Forward
Camille thinks about paying her blessings forward, using the lessons she learned to lift up others the way Anne lifted her.
“Thank you so much for bringing HireSmart to my life, to our lives, to everybody’s life,” she said to Anne. “I never expected that I’d be part of this, and it really helped me a lot. The opportunities, the chances, the benefits that you’re getting from this company.”
For a breadwinner balancing family responsibilities, career growth, and personal development, that’s the ultimate investment paying dividends.
If this environment of personal development and genuine support sounds like the right place for you, click here to apply to HireSmart Virtual Employees.
