The delegation audit
Find out how much of your week is work someone else could own.
From Built to Breathe by Paige McPheely, founder of Base
Make the list, then let it leave your hands.
In Built to Breathe, Paige writes about how capable leaders end up handling too much, and how to put some of it down. The first step is a list: ten things you do each week that need your involvement but not your judgment. Think scheduling, inbox triage, travel, meeting prep.
Send us your list and a Base EA will email you a draft job description, an hours estimate, and a monthly cost range within 2 business days. It’s free, and it’s yours to keep whether or not you work with us.
Send us your list
No list yet? Start with what you did this week that someone else could have done.
Most of us skip the exhale.
Built to Breathe follows the rhythm of a breath. The inhale is what we take on. The hold is the work we give our full attention. The exhale is what we put down because it’s no longer ours to carry.
Most leaders are good at the first two. The exhale is the one we skip, often because we don’t know what to hand off or how to describe it to someone else. That’s the part we help with.
- Inhale We take in more than we realize.
- Hold Our full attention goes to what we choose to take on.
- Exhale What is no longer ours to carry, we put down.
How it works
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1
Send your list.
Page 84 of Built to Breathe says to list the ten things you do each week that require your involvement but not your judgment. That list will become the job description for your first hire.
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2
A Base EA reads it.
Someone who does this work every day sorts what can be owned by someone else, and what only you can do.
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3
You get a one page plan by email.
A draft job description, an hours estimate, and a monthly cost range, within 2 business days.
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4
You decide what’s next.
Keep it, share it with your CEO or board, or talk it through with us. No pressure either way.
What lands in your inbox
Something you can act on, or show to whoever needs to say yes.
- A draft job description written from your own list, in plain language
- An hours estimate, so you know whether this is a few hours a week or a full role
- A monthly cost range, so the conversation with your CEO or finance starts with real numbers
Every hour spent on work that someone else could own is an hour not spent on the work that only we can do.
Before you hand anything off
The questions every leader asks before letting go.
“Can I trust someone with my inbox?”
Your EA will see what you see, so we take that seriously. If you want an NDA, Base and your EA will both sign one. Every Base EA works under contract with Base.
“What if it doesn’t work out?”
Then we find your next EA. Transitions are unlimited. If a match ever stops working, you don’t start over.
“Isn’t this just another VA?”
Most delegation fails because the task gets handed off but the ownership stays with you. Base EAs bring many years of experience. Onboarding is EA led. Your EA walks you through how you like things done, so there’s nothing to prepare in advance.
What it costs
Starting at $2,800 a month for 40 hours.
You get a dedicated US based EA, matched to you within 5 business days. Scale up or down anytime, one monthly invoice, no payroll or HR overhead.
- Matched within
- 5 days
- Your EA is
- US based
- Billing
- 1 invoice
Not sure where to start?
Two short tools from the book.
The breath cycle quiz
Inhale, hold, exhale. Find out where you’re getting stuck.
For leadership teams
Bringing Built to Breathe to your leaders?
Order copies for your team, or bring Paige in for a keynote, workshop or fireside chat on the cost of being the one everything depends on.
Talk to Paige’s team
Questions
How do I know I need an executive assistant?
Ask yourself the question from lever one: when was the last time you were away from work for a full day and didn’t check in? If the answer is “I can’t remember,” or your ten things came to mind easily, you’re likely carrying work that someone else could own.
What should I delegate first?
Start with work that needs your involvement but not your judgment: scheduling, inbox triage, travel, meeting prep and follow ups. That’s exactly what your list captures, and it’s where we start when we review it.
What does an executive assistant cost?
Base works in monthly blocks, starting at $2,800 for 40 hours, with 60, 80 and 100 hour blocks available. We also offer Built by Base, an aspiring EA backed by Base’s training and coaching. Your list review includes a cost range based on your actual needs.
Do I need to train my EA?
No. Onboarding is EA led. Your EA walks you through how you like things done, so there’s nothing to prepare in advance. If you’re too busy to train someone, Base was built for you.
Do I have to sign up for anything to get my list reviewed?
No. The review is free and the plan is yours to keep. If you’d like to talk afterward, you can book a call when you send your list.
What if I only need help for a short time?
We also offer temporary EA support for projects and seasonal needs, and one time resets of your inbox, calendar or cloud storage. See pricing for both.
I haven’t read the book yet. Where do I start?
Built to Breathe is out October 27. Find it at builttobreathebook.com. Or start with the delegation audit above.