We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Lisa Crilley Mallis a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Lisa, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you tell us about a time where you or your team really helped a customer get an amazing result?

When I first met this client—a financial advisor and recently widowed mom of four boys under 14—she was constantly toggling between spreadsheets and lacrosse schedules, trying to be fully present in both places and feeling like she was falling short in both.

She had closed to new clients for nearly a year just to keep up. But the overwhelm didn’t ease. Evenings were still spent at the kitchen table, catching up on emails and paperwork while her boys were in the next room. The business she had once poured her heart into started to feel like a burden. Client meetings, which used to energize her, now felt like one more thing she didn’t have the bandwidth to handle.

She thought the problem was having too many clients. But when we took a closer look, we realized it wasn’t how many clients she had—it was how she was working. She was doing too much herself, underutilizing her assistant, and trying to force through tasks at times when her focus was naturally at its lowest.
We cleared the fog by doing three simple but powerful things:
1. Delegated smarter. Her assistant took over all client communication—emails, newsletters, even created short FAQ videos to eliminate repetitive questions.

2. Restructured her schedule. We used her biological prime time to align focused work with the times of day she naturally had the most energy.

3. Streamlined operations. Her assistant implemented a secure client portal and created structured appointment templates that cut meeting prep and time by over 60%.

Her business didn’t just bounce back—she actually started enjoying it again:
** Revenue increased by over 50% in 12 months
** She started a nonprofit helping other widows understand and manage their finances
** She’s home for dinner most nights and leaves the laptop at the office
** She reopened to new clients—without adding stress

She came in thinking the only way to be there for her family was to scale back. But through delegation, smart systems, and working with her natural strengths—not against them—she built a business that works for her—not one that takes over everything else.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m a time optimization expert who helps service-based business owners delegate more, increase productivity, and level up—without working nights and weekends.

My journey started in the classroom as a high school math teacher. I’ve always been fascinated by how people think and learn, and that naturally led me into leadership as an athletic director, managing teams, juggling responsibilities, and putting out daily fires. I loved the variety—but I was also working 80-hour weeks, constantly chasing the next thing on my to-do list, believing the only way to succeed was to outwork everyone else. I thought I was being productive, but I was missing my actual life. One summer, my husband invited me to have breakfast with him on the patio. I said, “Just a minute,” and kept working. That minute turned into the whole summer. That moment stuck with me.

I realized something had to change. I had always been good at time management—the theoretical kind—but I wanted to go deeper into what actually works in the messy, real world. I didn’t just want more time—I wanted my life back. And I knew it wasn’t going to be solved by a new calendar or app. That’s when I developed the A.W.E. Time Management Framework™ to keep myself accountable. (Yes, I still fall into overscheduled habits. That framework saves me again and again.) I also realized I wasn’t alone. Business owners—especially those in service-based fields—were facing the same struggles: too much to do, not enough support, and no space to breathe. So, I started my own business to help them break that cycle.

My clients are brilliant at what they do—they help people in big ways. But they’re often so bogged down in day-to-day tasks that they’re constantly choosing between serving their clients, figuring out how to grow, or being present at the dinner table. I help them stop making that impossible choice. What sets me apart is that I don’t offer one-size-fits-all advice. I combine brains, systems, team dynamics, and real-life implementation to help people who help people… help more people.

I offer private coaching, group programs, and team workshops that focus on smart delegation, process optimization, and real-world time management tailored to each business owner’s style and goals.

Since 2013, I’ve helped hundreds of service-based business owners navigate rapid growth, team transitions, and jam-packed schedules. Together, we reclaim at least 10 hours a week, streamline operations, and identify what can be delegated so they can focus on what really matters—serving their clients, increasing revenue, and having a life outside of work. Through my Delegate Like a Pro™ system and Profitable Productivity™ workshops, I provide simple, customized strategies that give business owners breathing room and build momentum.
I believe there’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to time management. Every business owner has different strengths, goals, and responsibilities—and the systems that support them should reflect that. My role is to guide them in finding clarity, building the right strategies, and using their time in a way that supports the life and business they envisioned when they started.

What I’m most proud of isn’t just the hours we save or the revenue we unlock—it’s when clients tell me they’re able to help more people without burning out because of the work we did together. When they tell me they took a real vacation for the first time in years. When their team is finally clicking. When they stop saying “just one more thing” and start living again. That’s the transformation I live for.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

The best source of new clients for me has been the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO). I spent eight years on the board of our local chapter, and during that time, I built deep, meaningful relationships with women who share the same drive, values, and challenges as my clients. It wasn’t just about showing up—it was about being involved, rolling up my sleeves, and being part of a community that believes in supporting each other.

My business works with clients both virtually and in person, so having a network that’s both local and national has been a huge advantage. NAWBO has allowed me to grow relationships beyond my region and connect with business owners across the country—many of whom have become clients, collaborators, or strong referral partners.

What makes NAWBO different is the quality of the connections. It’s not surface-level networking. It’s real relationships with women who genuinely want to see each other succeed. And that’s where the magic happens—because both my ideal clients and my centers of influence are right there in that community. NAWBO has created the kind of environment where those relationships can thrive, and that’s made a direct impact on my business.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Lesson I had to unlearn: “It’ll only take 10 minutes, so I’ll just do it myself.”

I used to say that at least five times a day—without even thinking. Ten minutes to send the email. Ten minutes to fix the calendar link. Ten minutes to tweak the document, follow up on a task, or double-check the branding on a graphic. It all felt harmless—until I looked up and realized those “quick” tasks were quietly stealing hours of my week and pulling me away from the work that actually grows the business.

I told myself it was just easier to do it myself. And coming from a background in teaching and athletics, I was used to being the one who just handled it—no questions asked. But as my business grew, that mindset started to backfire. I’d block time for strategy, only to end up stuck in a pile of small tasks that didn’t really need me to get done.

The kicker? I was coaching my clients through the exact same thing. And because authenticity is one of my core values, that didn’t sit right with me. I couldn’t keep telling them to delegate and protect their time while quietly doing the opposite in my own business. It was a clear sign I needed to practice what I teach.

So I turned the lens on myself and applied my Delegate Like a Pro framework. I started separating the quick tasks that truly were in my Zone of Genius—creative work, strategy, connecting with clients—from the ones that weren’t. Turns out, I was still holding onto plenty I could hand off.

Breaking that “I’ll just do it real quick” habit took intention—but it gave me back the headspace to lead and the freedom to grow. Now, when something pops up that “only takes 10 minutes,” I pause and ask: Is this in my Zone of Genius, or just a distraction in disguise? If it’s not mine, I delegate it.

That shift didn’t just make me more productive—it made me more aligned. And for me, that’s what running a business with authenticity really looks like.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ImpactiveStrategies.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/profitableproductivityworkshop
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lcrilleymallis/
• Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@LisaMallis