In this episode of The Smart Real Estate Coach Podcast, I sit down with Tim Francis, founder of Great Assistant. Tim has helped over 800 entrepreneurs and investors hire trusted, high-level domestic executive assistants—not virtual assistants overseas, but real partners who become an extension of you.
Tim's story is remarkable. From losing $350K in the 2008 crash, to developing a rare illness that left him unable to walk for months, he had to rethink everything about business and life. That journey led him to discover the right way to hire and lead executive assistants, and ultimately, to build Great Assistant.
We dive into his hiring process, why most entrepreneurs fail with assistants, and how the right assistant can free you up to focus on strategy, high-level skills, and relationships—the "surgeon in the room" work that only you can do.
If you've ever felt overwhelmed juggling all the moving pieces of your real estate business, this conversation will show you how to scale sustainably.
Key Talking Points of the Episode
00:00 Introduction
00:53 Who is Tim Francis?
02:35 The 2008 crash, $350K loss, and developing a rare illness
04:24 Spiritual turning point: chasing truth and mastery, not fame and fortune
05:40 Failing with five assistants and discovering a new hiring process
08:22 Hiring Sarah—the paralegal who changed everything
10:16 The Great Assistant formula: pairing trained assistants with trained leaders
13:15 Hiring volume: why they review 50–200 candidates per role
17:06 The difference between VAs and executive assistants
19:21 What makes a great assistant: complement, not clone
20:50 The surgeon vs. nurse analogy—strategy, skill, and access vs. admin
22:15 Practical example: prepping comps and organizing negotiation notes
25:28 Why you must live out of your calendar, not your inbox
26:49 Expense vs. revenue mindset—why an assistant is a profit center
29:53 Tim's upcoming book: arranging life to minimize regret
32:45 How to connect with Tim and Great Assistant
Quotables
"Your assistant will always be an expense on paper. But your relationship with your assistant will be the biggest profit center of your career."
"We don't want a clone of you—we want a complement. You throw the balls in the air, and they catch them and close the loops."
"A great assistant isn't about saving time, it's about helping you fulfill your potential in this lifetime."
Links
Episode 152: Discover the Power of a Great Assistant, with Tim Francis
https://sites.libsyn.com/101440/episode-152-discover-the-power-of-a-great-assistant-with-tim-francis
Get a Great Assistant by Tim Francis
https://greatassistant.com/book
Great Assistant
https://smartrealestate.com/greatassistant
Apply for a Discovery Call with Great Assistant
https://greatassistant.com/apply
Tim Francis
https://www.instagram.com/realtimfrancis
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