A Double Assistant Frees Up 100 Hours of His Client’s Time Every Month

Double client and entrepreneur James G. juggles four businesses all on his own. To help him keep things running smoothly, he relies on the support of his Double assistant Philip Lopez.

We sat down with Philip to learn how he saves James valuable time every month and takes important operational and financial tasks off his plate. Going From Large Team to One-Man-Show

James G. sold his tech company and then took on four new ventures, which include:

1. Franchise in Wood Refurbishment
2. AI Solutions For Ministries
3. Podcast & Lifestyle Business
4. Real Estate Investments

On top of this, James has a busy family life with four kids under seven years of age. At his previous company, he had a team of 35 people who shared the workload. But once he began managing so much independently, it became clear he needed his assistant for support. Fortunately, he had backup. James turned to his Double assistant Philip to help offload some of his to-do list.

An Assistant Saves James 100 Hours Every Month

James began delegating a variety of tasks to Philip, whose previous experience would play a much more significant role than it initially seemed.

When we asked Philip about his responsibilities, he first explained how many of his duties revolved around operations:

It was more than an executive assistant role; it became an operations role. I proved to him what I can offer.

Philip has a background in managing travel, visas, clearances, and passports for celebrities, athletes, and politicians. He also has experience in accounting, management, HR, and digital marketing. Philip’s skillset was a huge help in assisting James with complicated or specialized projects.

Here’s a glimpse into some of the tasks Philip takes on for James:

• Invoicing
• Quickbooks Management
• Travel Planning
• Paying Bills
• Scheduling Appointments
• Calendar Management
• Purchasing Family Groceries
• Planning Parties & Events
• Inbox Management
• Acquiring Business Permits & Licensing
• Research

Thanks to Philip, James saves 100 hours every month, which he can redirect into growing his businesses and spending time with his family. He even has time for a deep focus day every quarter.

Philip told us, “Executives take a lot on their shoulders, and they don't realize sometimes that they need to step back. At least every quarter, James schedules a ‘Think Day.’ I book a remote location for him, and it's a full day for him to relax, think, and plan. There are no meetings, no calls. The purpose is to get away from everything and just be in the zone.”

An Assistant Who Acts As a Buffer

One of the most meaningful ways Philip can assist James is by protecting his time. By now, Philip is able to answer on James’ behalf and sit in on many appointments and meetings for him:

I want to be that buffer between the executive and anybody else. With James, I can sit in some meetings for him, take notes, and give them to him instead of him actually having to be there. Many executives are constantly in back-to-back meetings almost all day. If they trust their assistant to sit in the meetings, it gives them back that time to get more work done.

Additionally, Philip can take on complex projects for James so he can focus on strategy. For example, Philip took the initiative to get the required licensing and permits for the refurbishment franchise:

“He needed important permits for building the shop since it involved painting and woodwork. The state requires many permits and licensing that we were unaware of at first. Without those, you can't open your doors. I was able to get those answers, so I feel that the success there is pretty significant.”

Support Beyond the Office

James relies on Philip to help with personal tasks as well as professional duties. He assists with day-to-day items like scheduling family appointments and creating meal plans. But he also has supported James with more involved requests, like planning birthdays and family trips:

“One of my tasks was ensuring his child had an amazing birthday. We got a limo for them and closed down the trampoline park. Another time, for his family vacation, they wanted to go to Zion and then to Las Vegas. While they were still in Zion, I flew to Vegas and got everything situated with the rental van. I made sure that the car seats were ready to go. I also made sure their hotels were ready beforehand. Right when they flew in, I picked them up, dropped them off at the hotel, and had dinner preparations ready. Anything that makes their life smoother is key.”

Four Tips For Healthy Executive + Assistant Relationships

Philip believes the healthiest executive and assistant relationships are built on mutual trust and respect. In Philip’s view, there are four key tips for a productive delegating partnership:

1. Foster mutual motivation and proactivity. James and Philip are equally invested in completing tasks and finding ways to improve the businesses. Philip tells us how he always brainstorms ways to be useful with his allotted hours:

I develop my own tasks and then show James so he understands how I support him. That proactivity is very helpful to growth.

2. Stay available and responsive. Philip and James are great at communicating with each other and are quick to respond: “Be there for them when you do need them or when they need you. Be present, be available.”

3. Familiarize yourself with each other’s professional backgrounds. Philip's career spanned several industries, which introduced him to various tools and built his skillset. James leveraged Philip’s previous experience to help with more advanced duties like accounting, business licenses & permits, and event planning.

4. They are willing to learn from each other. Philip learns a lot from James and his executive experience, but he can also share his knowledge with James, like suggesting new tech tools that make workflows more efficient. Philip advises executives to ask their assistants questions and listen to suggestions: “If you want to have a great relationship with your assistant, remember, there's a two-way learning street. It really helps with success overall.”