The Melody Manager: The Art of Managing a Sparkly-Brained Human - 13

Melody: [: 00:02:23

Kristine: I am honored.

Melody: I know you're nervous. It's okay. You don't have to be nervous. As I told you, nobody's listening and you have full edit control, but I thought it was really important to bring you on because I talk about, you know, all of the work in our, you know, in our company, home service VA.

Is helping business owners like me, visionary misfit, find someone who's going to help them be the best version of themselves and achieve the dreams that they have. And so in my journey, I really adapted to that concept, call you the melody manager, and it's really because I understand where my weaknesses are and to do the things I want to do in life and have the impact.

first of all, thank you for [: 00:03:30

So first question I always ask is, are you a business misfit?

Kristine: Yes, I am.

Melody: Why do you think that you are?

Kristine: Well, I'm a little bit creative on some parts and then I'm eternal optimist, a little bit fun, but it should be organized. I mean, yes. And then I'm an integrator at some point. Yes. No, you're,

Melody: you're my integrator of my life.

So yeah.

Kristine: Yes. But you're the visionary. So a little bit, probably, I'm not sure.

ways. Like you are a part of [: 00:04:30

So I think you are. And so kind of tell me how you came to work with. Me or our company.

Kristine: So, um, back then I just saw the ad in Facebook and then I applied and you guys paired me with my first client and you were still in the recruitment model by that time. So I've stayed with them for about two years and then something happened.

So I. contacted Zoe and then check if you guys could rematch me to a different client. And what I didn't know was I was applying for the internal role. So I'm really shocked when actually you interviewed and then when you were like saying that if you're going to work with me, I'm like already

Both: freaking out.

en Of course, I accepted the [: 00:05:30

Melody: and I guess I'm not scared of me because I know me, but I do imagine it's probably pretty nerve wracking to be interviewed by the founder of a company when you don't,

Kristine: I'm really like thinking, why is now interviewing?

Melody: And I was probably thinking she already knows why I'm interviewing her, perhaps. So, yeah, it's so hard to bring somebody new into my life because you have so much to learn and it takes a long time to adapt. And so I remember I talked to your former client, like in person, I happened to see him and I was like, tell me all the details.

se I feel like there's guilt [: 00:06:30

Like they want to make sure that person gets another job, but because you resigned, I felt like he could be more honest with me and it wouldn't be like him feeling guilty. So I don't know. I felt excited about it. And actually, I think you came on board right when I was having my surgery and all that.

Yeah. You started at like a weird time. And so you've been working with me, it's less than a year, probably nine months or something. And how has that experience been? Be honest, like let's, let's grade it on a scale of zero to a hundred.

Kristine: Right now. Probably eight.

Melody: Eight?

Kristine: Eight. Yeah. Why?

Melody: On a scale of zero to 100%.

Kristine: I'm sorry. Okay. 100%. I'm like thinking 10 and you say, okay, so 80%.

So, and that's another thing [: 00:07:30

And that was. Interesting and kind of weird, but we'll talk about that later if it comes up, but I guess the next thing I would ask you is, do you ever feel imposter syndrome working with me or just in general?

Kristine: Yes, now, of course, because I just tell you that I'll try my best to do everything that you want to do, like the task.

And I really want to do it well, however, sometimes I feel like I'm not doing it right. And I do make mistakes, something like that. I mean, if you tell me that I'm doing a great job, then sometimes I'm not,

Melody: you know,

Kristine: yes, I don't believe it. Yes, because I've done mistakes. So I want to do it well. And if I, I've done some mistakes, then, you know, it lessens the,

Both: yeah.

Kristine: Confidence level. Yes,

u're a perfectionist, so it. [: 00:08:30

Kristine: Yes. I think Mel I'm my own critic.

Melody: Oh yeah.

Kristine: So whenever I do stuff in my brain, it's like, no, this is not good.

Melody: Yeah.

Kristine: Something like that.

So

Melody: I don't scream at you and it's almost like, if I don't scream at you, then it can't, like, I don't know, I'll just speak for myself. There's nothing you can ever say to me that would be worse than what I would ever tell myself, like at my worst moment. So I'm always going to expect, like when I say, Christine, tell me the hardest parts of working with me.

I'm going to, if you're too nice about it, then I'm going to be like, she's lying. There's she's being too nice. There's no way. Right. I feel like that's a lot of how you seem to be as well. Like, if I'm not mean to you're always, I feel like you're afraid I'm going to be mad at you or something, or,

Kristine: yeah.

to have this kind of barrier [: 00:09:30

So, you know, um, if ever there comes a time that sometimes I'm really overwhelmed, I just really pause and then think, I just think. And then after that, then I Why I do what I need to do

Melody: that. Has it ever occurred to you? And I know it has because I've talked about this to you. That I don't mind hearing when you're mad at me, tell me something mean that you would say to me, if you had blurted it out in the past, I want to see if I'd actually be mad at you.

Kristine: Then after this podcast, I mean, I'm fired.

goes way back, but it's not [: 00:10:30

I can look without you, but you're so integrated into my life that when you're not here, it makes it very hard to be a normal human business lady. So I think you don't give yourself enough credit, but I don't think that's about me because I've never threatened to fire. You said I would fire you. We've never even talked about firing ever.

Kristine: It's just.

Melody: That's okay. Well, I challenge you to say something really mean to me sometimes and let's see if. I can only imagine, but for now we'll get off that topic. I won't ask anymore. So when I first called you the melody manager, which is more of a concept to me, and I'll just explain to people who are listening.

rything on my shoulders, the [: 00:11:30

Nobody asks us to do it. We just, it's natural for most of us to do that. And so to grow a business, I basically need a wife and I always say like, ah, I need a wife. I think most women have said that. Have you said that Christine? I need a wife ever.

Kristine: No.

Melody: Okay. Well that's because you are a great wife. I just feel as a business owner and being a parent and a wife, like there's too many roles that I'm playing.

er me, who's going to do the [: 00:12:30

That we are working together to move towards goals and that you have a voice and how things go, not just being a task doer. So that's the explanation of what a melody manager is. And when I tell people, like, I don't need more things and people to manage, I need somebody to manage me. A lot of business owners like, oh, my God, I need a melody manager.

So that's why I just keep saying that. But like, when I called you that what went in through your mind originally.

Kristine: I'm pressured. Oh, that. Yes. Because, of course, I mean, for example, in a meeting, I need to interrupt you when what, because you have another meeting, so it's hard for me because I'm not doing that before.

So, but you've, what you said, I always thought about what you said, giving me permission to interrupt you and you're not going to be mad if I interrupt you or something like that. So. That's what I'm always.

Melody: Yeah, it's literally what I want from you and we've talked about this and you've done a great job.

s in a lot of meetings early [: 00:13:30

Don't forget that you're a mother, you know, stuff like that. So you've done good. You've, you've worked on that. Are you comfortable actually managing me at times, or is this something you struggle with? So,

Kristine: yes, now I'm still struggling still because sometimes you change your, well, you change your mind a lot.

I'm trying my best, though, [: 00:14:30

Melody: I think there's been so many changes in our company in general, so sometimes it feels like absolute chaos working with me, because I have to, I have to be looking at the vision of the company for more forward than anybody else does. And I'm looking at where we are now, where I want us to go, the future, all of the millions of ideas that I have.

And. Of course, there's ways we filter out these ideas. We use Denise as a filter for one thing because she's like the integrator of the whole company. She's the vision strainer as we call her for my ideas. And then we also have our master list where you put all my ideas in things that we need to do. But I think I totally agree with you.

e're going sometimes. And it [: 00:15:30

Both: and

Melody: we have too many communication platforms.

I like to text you and we also have click, which is where we're supposed to put all the stuff, but I'm very. Undisciplined about it, and I apologize for that. So, yeah. Well, what's the biggest misconception that people have about being an executive assistant to somebody like me a visionary entrepreneur.

Kristine: I forgot already.

Melody: What do you think? What do you think? People think it's like working with me versus what we actually. are dealing with on the backside of things.

Kristine: So you mentioned this earlier, uh, during your webinar. So you think that like with Melody, when you see her, everything's great. I mean, everything's organized, something like that.

he slides and all. And then. [: 00:16:30

So that's But

Melody: there's too many things all the time. And so What I say, what I tell the people is that you make me look good, like I'm very much wanting to be organized and systemized. And what I say is I can create a system, but they're not systems. I will follow. I create systems for other people to follow and I'm pretty good at that usually, but to get me to follow a system takes a tremendous amount of work.

Both: Yes.

Melody: But we do like we have our master list, but to sit down like how often do we actually get to sit down and go through the list together like we're supposed to. It's not as much as our schedule says we are supposed to.

Kristine: Yes. It's not as much, Mel, because you have a lot of things going on, so it's okay.

But before we were like doing it.

ah, really consistent. Well, [: 00:17:30

It's going to take a lot of energy to make a video. I might as well make 10 videos at once. But I have to write outlines for them.

Both: Yes.

Melody: Yeah. So that's how you helped me to organize and be on top of things and which again, so grateful. It's really hard to do all that on my own. So actually I can ask you this.

You knew me from as being the founder of the company that you were, you know, you had worked with. How did you view me before versus what you know about me now?

ve ADHD because, like what I [: 00:18:30

But thing is, with her, after that, all the tasks That I need her to do. I mean, uh, she's not doing it. So that's what I've experienced with Gabriel and with you. You're a workaholic.

Melody: Wait a minute. Let's call a spade a spade. Who's the workaholic out of both of us?

Kristine: Of course me.

Melody: Yeah, I'm always telling you, chill out.

wrong. I do work too much on [: 00:19:30

Christine, what happened?

Kristine: Yes, it's your off day. I mean, this is your week of a space where Melody is not doing anything within the company, but you're still doing deep work.

Melody: Yeah, I've still done a lot of things that I had not intended to do this week because things come up, things we forgot about. Like, somebody came to us and said, hey, this is the 3rd time we're asking for this thing that you said you'd send us.

And then 2nd time is 1 thing. 3rd time is like, oh, crap. So we have to do that. And then I get totally hyper focused on it. And suddenly the day that I was going to be working on all my AI stuff is about doing ebooks instead. So we're finishing them, but also knowing that this is going to be used in the future for other things as well.

lot like, is it Gabrielle or [: 00:20:30

Both: Oh

Melody: yes. Yeah, your old boss. When I didn't understand how to make the relationship work more collaboratively, I didn't understand how to handle the millions of things that I want to do.

And I think we do a much better job between our systems that we use. Between having somebody in our company who's managing like the bigger goals each quarter. And then we do a lot of work to plan quarterly as well. So if things are changing, there's actually been a plan. Kind of. So it's, it is, it does feel like chaos on a daily basis, but really we're always moving forward more than I'm, I'm always surprised at how many things we get done.

So can you tell me about a time or share a time when you had to be really direct with me about something and how did that conversation go?

've already set the, I mean, [: 00:21:30

And then, so I'm following it. But then you want to be meeting other people and it's not on the open hours that you want it to be. So, but you said, you mentioned that I need to be meeting with them, uh, within this week, something like that. It's really important. And , I do that all the time. Christina.

Melody: I'm always like, because I think everything's equally urgent.

Like everything's as urgent as the other thing. So, yeah.

Kristine: Yeah. So then I put it on your calendar. I mean, I scheduled all those appointments and then after that, after a week, it was said to me that Christine, my family will disown me if I'm always in the meeting. So I'm like, I'm really frustrated and what I'm going to do.

will create like a contract. [: 00:22:30

Melody: well, wait a minute, but I did agree to it and it was more like a handshake deal.

And I did actually negotiate with you on the contract because you were like, I think what it was is you were like, This is the schedule and you're gonna follow it. And I was like, we need to like also adapt sometimes and change it. So I think we agreed to like a month, was it a month where we would just do it as it was and then adapt as needed.

And of course things do come up that are important, especially family things. Like, the thing I always forget is my son has sports, but sometimes he doesn't. And school changes like, like every day. The schedule is different and I'm in charge of picking him up or dropping him off in the afternoons. And so yeah, how many times I'm like, Christine, I have to go get Max.

pening, but I think you do a [: 00:23:30

But I think I feel like we are good about coming back and talking about it and then resetting.

Kristine: Yes.

Melody: How has your role evolved? You know, since we first started working together, there's a lot of things that shifted. Of course, Dean left the company, my co founder left the company and you guys had to take on a lot more work in the company after that for the last quarter of the year.

So there's been a lot of shifts that have happened, but how have you felt about the role and its shift and where has that led you?

Kristine: Well, at first, probably you trust me more because you've already given me access to everything. But you know I don't like it, right?

Melody: I do know that.

You're giving me all access [: 00:24:30

And then, um, for the role, I think there's a lot. Right now, we're helping you with Customer journey and stuff. And then we are also doing a lot of stuff. I mean, a lot of tasks, uh, aside from customer journey. And you mentioned that customer journey is really, really important. That's the biggest thing right now is that we are doing a lot of tax and.

When you say we,

Melody: do you mean me and you, or do you mean you and other people in the company? Yes,

Kristine: me and you and the other people, all of us.

Melody: Okay.

Kristine: Yes. So we are moving forward. I feel that sometimes overwhelmed and, um, there's a lot of, because of the tasks. But still I want to do it. I mean, I still want to complete each day of the task.

r journey and I said that we [: 00:25:30

So that's what we're doing right now. And it's evolved before I was like only doing, um, scheduling and stuff. And right now I'm like helping you with customer journey with, of course, there's also the training tool part where

Melody: Well, you manage a lot of my projects. Yeah, you manage What I do is I'll get on a zoom, I'll get on a loom and I'll just talk out what the projects, what I want them to be.

x it up, but this is like, I [: 00:26:30

I do 10 in the beginning. You do 80 percent and then 10 at the end comes back to me. And that works pretty well, like, I think most people don't delegate because they think they have to get every single thing right, right from the start and or they don't communicate it. Right. I think we get. We do pretty well, but it is about managing your time.

And when you have me coming all the time with sometimes I won't talk to you for hours. Right. And so you have a lot of space, you're dealing with things. And then suddenly I'm sending 50 things your way. Even when I'm on vacation, this quote unquote vacation this week, and my vacation is to do the deep work in the company.

ked to you about this in the [: 00:27:30

Both: Yes,

Melody: you're very much inside the company helping because it helped me have you there. Doing the projects the company needed done before I went to, so that we could reset for our projects for the year. But then I was also frustrated because I felt like your time was being too much in the company and then taking away from what I actually needed.

And so, how do you deal with that? There's like this push and pull that happens.

Kristine: Honestly, Mel, I don't know what to do with that time. Because I want to help, I want to help the company, I want to help you. So probably I'm thinking I'll do my best to like finish everything and then help you out. Or I'll do the task that you want me to do and then afterwards I could help them.

g, I'll, I'll help you first [: 00:28:30

Melody: Well, you probably start your day with the plan.

And then today, did you plan on recording this podcast with me?

Kristine: Oh, no, Mel. Yeah. But I've been asking

Melody: you for a while now. And I finally talked you into it, but like, usually I, I know that you start with the plan for the day and then things always come up and part of your role is to help me decide what's really important or not.

But it's also really, really hard to take that on and make decisions. And, but I do think one of the things I. Do better than I've ever done before is I recognize that, for instance, sometimes I'll say, I need to get on a zoom with you, but finish whatever you're doing 1st, because I think sometimes you would just let go of what you're doing.

ith you that I can't, you'll [: 00:29:30

And then you probably get mad, although you won't tell me and just say, you said you wanted me to do this other thing. It's hard, but I, I try to be cognizant of not overwhelming you as much as possible. And so we do have good systems. And we keep going back to them, you know, I would say that's 1 thing that if anybody's listening, who has an assistant, don't assume that it's always going to be perfect.

It's going to run smoothly. That's what me and Christine. I would love that. Wouldn't you? But that's not the way the entrepreneurial journey works. And so. Last week, when I was feeling super stressed out and feeling like, Oh, my God, I'm just going to be meeting with people forever and ever, never getting to the stuff we're actually supposed to do.

hat's kind of I've done this [: 00:30:30

It wouldn't be a natural thing, I think, to do. So, I got off topic and I'm sorry this isn't the Christine Interviews Mal show. What strategies do you, or have you developed to help manage my sparkly brain? Like when I'm, have those moments of what you call energy and I call sparkly brain.

Kristine: Okay. So for example, you're going to message me and for example, like tomorrow, and then you left me a ton of message in click and there's also videos.

Like

Melody: last night? Like yesterday? Yeah.

ith a lot of things too, so, [: 00:31:30

Give me those messages first. I read click first and then unread all the things that I haven't done yet. And then for the messages I check one by one, then put it in my notepad. Or if sometimes you see that I'm transferring it to Mel's brain. Or the Mel's brain channel. I do see

Melody: that. Yeah. We have just for people who are listening, we have it.

There's a channel that I want to talk, come back to in our, basically our Slack or click that's called Mel's brain, which is where all my ideas go go.

Kristine: Yeah, so I'm transferring it to Mel's brain. And then after that, I put those tasks that's needed to be like done in our, uh, master list. Sometimes if I, cause like, for example, there's a lot.

mes up. And then I was doing [: 00:32:30

And I want to like, transfer it to mouse brain, but I'm forgetting it because I was already doing something. So I'm really sorry. Uh, sometimes like I do forget some things. That's normal human behavior. And I think we both agree that there are reasons that happens. You just told us. And I just want to say one thing about the Mel's Brain channel.

I think the brilliant part about it, I used to just text everything and I think I really try hard to never text you outside of work hours, Christine, I think you know that. Unless it's like an immediate emergency or if you're, if I'm seeing how you're doing, but the Mel's Brain channel is really there so that I can get all the things out of my head.

That I don't want to forget, but that's how, you know, it's not like you have to immediately look and before I didn't realize I was every time I would put a text in. I'm just thinking I'm getting out of my head. I'm not thinking they have to respond to it in the middle of, you know, dinner or anything like that.

hat you still have your time [: 00:33:30

And so if I'm trying to get something too fast, it's text. But I never think of flicks. It's like, well, it would be easier for you if I put it into that thing. That's a two step process for me instead of a one step process for me. So I apologize. It's says it's okay now. I mean, yeah, we do. Okay. I mean, I mean, if you're out and then of course I understand that you'll be texting and then that's the main reason why I sometimes I'm putting it in click.

sually when my brain is very [: 00:34:30

Then that's what I'm doing. I'm like copying or putting a screenshot your message and then sending it to them. So, well, I am committing to you right now that I am going to try to live and click more. But I can't try, I can't commit to having less ideas and I'm sorry, but not sorry. I love the fact that you take on a lot of the things for me that I would struggle with or like that I take that I procrastinate on.

as an American? Well, just a [: 00:35:30

So probably that's it. And then I'm not sure if it's cultural also that tell me about the pushback thing. So, so I think it's not cultural because Denise is, well, I think she's a normal Filipino, you think? No. Yeah. What you're talking about is the fact that I want you to push back. I want you to tell me your opinions and debate me.

And you're like, I don't like that. And I don't want to do it, but I have Denise for that. And I think it's okay. I do understand there was, I won't bring up the topic, but there was a time when we were in the Philippines, when I did debate you and You hated it, and then I think you were pretty mad at me about it, and I was like, why is she so mad?

would have been like, not a [: 00:36:30

I don't know. So I get that Matt and you are very similar in that way. He doesn't love debating me about things. It's not, it does not bring him joy. So it's okay. There's a tendency with Filipinos to be very differential, to kind of just be like, not, I don't want to say subservient. That's not what it is.

It's like just being. Very respectful and not being a partner or collaborator. That's not how you guys are trained. And in America, we're very individualist. You guys are very, like, the group culture matters and the, or the collectivism and also, like, just. Respect for elders, respect for hierarchy in your systems.

ecome more of a collaborator [: 00:37:30

You know, it's like, it makes me, and I totally get it. It does drain you. It doesn't drain me. But it doesn't mean I think collaboration the way that we define it is that you do feel free. It's not just pushback like mean pushback, but just to be like, no, don't forget that. You said there are these 3 things that are also important.

You just gave me 6 more things, you know, which ones should I be actually focused on, you know, pushing it back to me that way. And thing is, for being a collaborator, the thing I like about you is, you always ask for my opinion. So, my other bosses are not like that. They're not asking for my opinion, like, is this good?

hat I really like about you. [: 00:38:30

Right. So, Oh yeah. But I mean, like, yeah, I do listen. I think I could do a better job of listening. That's one of my challenges with Filipino culture. Is you guys think inside of your mouth, like in your brain, and then you say it in your, out of your mouth. Whereas I kind of think out loud and culturally when I'm in meetings, it's frustrating.

Like, guys, tell me your opinions. What do you think about this? And silence. Cause we're all thinking, not really, but that's because we're shy. Yeah. We're shy. And then we're afraid to like, say the wrong thing. We have such a tight team, like, we've spent weeks together, like, we have a very tight, good team.

guys shy around each other, [: 00:39:30

I try sometimes to be silent for 10 seconds because I'm like, if I just am quiet for 10 seconds, cause I feel very uncomfortable with space when there's silence. And so I'll be quiet and nothing will happen. And then I can't handle it anymore. I'll have to say something. Even if it's just like, guys say something.

It's hard, but I'm trying this year. I think I committed to this of trying to hold more space for you guys to be able to open up on your own terms and not just on Melody's terms. Well, what are the most stressful days working with me? We kind of talked about this a little bit already, but how do you work through that?

[: 00:40:30

I just pause for a while and then after probably two minutes, then I'll go back and then that's what I'm doing in order for me to focus because my brain's like, Oh my gosh, there's a lot overwhelming. Yes. So I focus on one message at a time and then transfer it to our master list. That's what I'm doing.

ly hundreds of items long at [: 00:41:30

Well over a hundred things on there. Do you see it that same way still? Like now I can filter it out. Like I don't even see anything below one and two most of the time because we order it by urgency. When you started, were you overwhelmed? And now how do you feel about it? For the master list? I mean, and then you like gave me like, uh, Christine, you only have to give me like two to three things that you need, I need to focus on every day.

So that's what I'm doing right now. It's easier and you get things done right away. Well, yeah, right away. But well, you know, I mean, within a couple of days,

yeah, so sometimes you do it right away and then sometimes, um, I just have to like put it and put it over and over again so that you can, it's easier now. Yes. Uh, and you don't get really overwhelmed when you look at the master list because we are getting things done and then. We're all the things that are done.

ng it in the completed list. [: 00:42:30

Okay. Okay. Tell me as well, and I should just explain to people that one of the things we figured out about me is that right now I'm in sales and marketing and I'm really focused on that in our company, but we figured out slash melody. I'll mostly figured out that if I know too much about what's going on in the company.

hings of breeding or working [: 00:43:30

s in the last eight months of: 2024

That was like a lot of different tasks to get there, but that wouldn't have happened otherwise. I'm going to switch gears for a minute. And I want to ask you about the timeline of your life. What is a year that you can think of that really trans? Formed your life in some way or changed the way you view life.

ng enough on my own and then [: 00:44:30

, or: 2000

c. He loves you. I think way [: 00:45:30

So it does, I understand that it changes everything to have a supportive partner when you've been doing things on your own. So congratulations on having Dale. Well, congratulations of having Matt. Oh, well, thank you. I worked hard for that.

are of the kids. So I made a [: 00:46:30

And then I've been three years, I, I'm not working. I'm just selling, like baking, baking, I was baking actually, and then selling those that I bake. And after that, I, I mean, my colleague before told me that I can apply to this job, like a VA role. And I was really nervous because, you know, it's like three years, I don't have any work.

Well, I tried it and luckily I got accepted and they have training before. So I went through the training and then I got accepted and that's my first step actually for the VA world. And then it helped us. I mean, before it was only like 4, which by the way, I just have to say to people who are listening.

listening. It does not sound [: 00:47:30

That's crazy. So that's, and there's a lot of call centers in the Philippines, so it could be as low as like 2. an hour. And so then you'd be dollars. Yeah. Wow. And then you became a, a VA. And so it went up in that other company at four and We in home service VA, our company, we say that a living wage starts at six, even though there's a lot of factors that play into that, but it's a different, it's so different than America.

ot sick, so, I was diagnosed [: 00:48:30

I mean, two years because I, I got sick. I was not yet diagnosed by that by then because I need to go through a lot like biopsies and all. So it took me two years, I guess, or one year to go through everything. And then after that, I underwent surgery. And then after getting the endometrium, that that's a time that yeah.

his, uh, surgery, because of [: 00:49:30

Yeah, he's really nice about that. And, um, yeah, I'm really grateful. That is nice. We we've always had pretty good clients in our company. I feel like we've attracted good people and Ryan was one of those people. So yes. And, um, that's it. And then I was rematched to you guys. So thank you so much. It's a big shift.

It's interesting. We both have had the health journey. I've not been diagnosed with cancer, but I had my own two year health journey and then had surgery last year. And so that's why I'm always yelling at you. It's quote unquote yelling. about not being a workaholic and take care of yourself because I worry about you with that stuff.

of people can relate to. And [: 00:50:30

Yes, we need to take care of ourselves, Mel. We do. Yes, that's our motto for this year, right? Health is my, besides my other year, my words are health and unlearn. I'm allowed to have two words. So, what has been the best part of our journey together? The best part of our journey, probably like knowing you as a person and, um, how your brain works and of course you do give me, for example, if I wanted to learn something like this, like DHL, so you push me to Also learn GHL and you let me go through trainings.

example, that I, if I commit [: 00:51:30

I try to live it. You have to have trust with the people you work with, or else it doesn't work. Not at the level that people want it to work. And I think that's really hard for a lot of entrepreneurs, and it's not as hard for me. Sometimes I get burned. Yes, a lot of times. Yeah, but I also have a bad memory for it.

So that's good. But I think. I'm really lucky to have great people around me too, you know, and you're one thing I love about you, Christine, is that you really. Understand that I need a buffer. I need somebody and I've talked about it to you, but you really do try to keep me from just being overwhelmed by people wanting things because I will always say yes and so I appreciate that you do that for me.

What would you say to [: 00:52:30

So you have to look for like an agency. Of course, you have to research that agency and then look for feedbacks and all, so that you know that you'll be working with a great team. So who could really support you, especially with a VA. You could look for a VA DIY. But thing is. There's no one to support you, and then if you're going to encounter, like, problems, then there's really no one to support you.

your time back, yes, to get [: 00:53:30

Do you know any agencies that do that, Christine? Yeah. So there's something like that because of course there's a lot of agencies and if you want to. You need help. You need to accept that you need help. And then after accepting that you need help, you need to, um, look for people who can help you. The right people.

give to my fellow Filipino, [: 00:54:30

Yes. Let's be clear first, so that people don't assume that we just give everybody passwords to everything. We do take security very seriously in our company. However, there has to be 1 person who has all my stuff because I don't want to be giving you access all the time to all the things. Remember you talked about how you don't like having all my stuff.

a password protection thing.[: 00:55:30

I know you were just giving an example, but I could imagine if I heard that, that I would just go out and just give people my password. Well, that's literally what I never mind And then I just want to add that for everything that they I mean all the tasks like what they said that they would do They should put it in somewhere where your boss will see it So they would know what you, all the tasks that you did, you accomplished for this day.

So they would, would not think like, what are they doing? Something like that. There's like accountability. Yeah. It's transparency, but it's also protection for them. Like we've seen a lot of times where, you know, we always tell people. You have to do this system. Like now we make people do our systems, but a lot of times before people wouldn't follow through on it.

n because they're just doing [: 00:56:30

But it's also like, that's how you build trust with somebody. Like, I don't want to micromanage you. Nobody wants to be a micromanager. They can become recovering micromanagers though, if you show them ahead of time, if you're proactive and giving them the information that they might want later, if they, that would make them become more micromanaging.

And one of those things is just showing them what the work you're doing and making sure that they see every day, the progress you're making and all and being detailed about it. Well, Christine, this has gone longer than I had thought, so that's a good sign. You had more words to say than you could have ever imagined, and I appreciate that.

wl? Early bird. Introvert or [: 00:57:30

Savor or spender. Savor. Workaholic or recovering. Workaholic. . Workaholic. Adventure or relaxing. Relaxing things or experiences. Experiences. Phone calls or texts. Phone calls. Plan ahead. Go with the flow. Plan ahead. Hands on or delegate hands on. Not a trick question. Compete or collaborate? Collaborate. Sweet or savory?

ove chocolate. No, a little, [: 00:58:30

Okay. Thank you so much for being on here. And I want to say one last thing that we didn't even talk about is the end of relationships. Not that the end is here, but we have talked about very honestly and openly. And I told you right when we started working together, I don't keep some assistance forever, even though I want to desperately and there's a reason for that because we find the places in the company where they're better suited.

h is a software that is very [: 00:59:30

I'm still learning Mel. So yes. And I'm very excited about that. I'll be in the operation. I think, yeah, I think you'll be more like with Roey at HR projects, things like that. And then we will be looking for the next Melody manager, although we are not in a rush, we're still working together. And I really am grateful that even though I hate when I have to start over with somebody, I know that you're going to do a great job training them so that they don't have to as much as possible.

Actually, Mel, I'm already working on those training. Yeah, yeah, I know you are. I'm going to, uh, like create a document first. I mean, I already have a document, but it's not in our drive yet. So I'll just putting the document in our drive and then, but I have to complete it first before I put it so that you could check.

Well, and we also have [: 01:00:30

The Melody Bible manual. What is that? The Melody Manager, I think. Yeah, it's just like, it's just like a book of all of the things about Melody and all of the things you need to know. But I love that we've continued to grow that because it makes it much easier for me to transition, even though I don't like it.

But you and I will always have this special connection because you have been one of my key people. And that's the cool thing is you get to go off into the company and become a key person in a different role in the future. So until then. You can't leave me, but I will wish you many. This is weird.

going to be working together [: 01:01:30

You're a very patient person. In your business life with me, and thank you for being somebody who's always willing to grow with me to appreciate you so much. Thank you too. Now you're welcome.