Bonnie Schutz – 57

About me

After 27 years as a high-level Executive Assistant in corporate America, I made the bold leap into entrepreneurship and founded Tandem Resource Solutions — an administrative recruiting firm and virtual assistance agency with a mission to transform how small businesses delegate and grow.

Based in Denver and powered by a fully remote, US-based team, we help solopreneurs and entrepreneurs tap into smart, strategic support so they can stop doing it all and start focusing on what they do best. As a second-act founder, I blend decades of professional know-how with the courage to build something entirely my own. I’m especially passionate about helping women in business rise together, and I lead with empathy, humor, and a no-BS approach — and yes, those also happen to be my initials, so very apropos.

I host the Delegate2Elevate: Get Sh!t Done podcast, where I spotlight the stories, struggles, and success strategies of service-based entrepreneurs. I’m also proud to serve or have served on the advisory boards of the Association of Virtual Assistants (now defunct), The Admin Awards, and SecondAct Women — communities close to my heart where I advocate for and elevate “my people.”

My most recent “proud moment” was when my company was inducted into the Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP). This was a full-circle moment for me as a former military spouse who once struggled to build a career during frequent duty station changes.

What do you do and why do you do it?

I am the CEO of an admin recruiting firm and virtual assistance agency. I created my company to be the one I would have always wanted to work for and support as team members supporting our clients, women (and men), who have either been underrepresented or experienced obstacles. I enjoy helping them in my empty nest years because I miss being needed. They bring me a sense of wellness, knowing I am still relevant and needed by others. I want to help these people find work, make money, and support themselves and their families. That is what is important to me.

I also want to support entrepreneurs who are struggling to make it work. I want to help them build their delegation muscles and not have to juggle it all themselves. I know I can make a difference for them in their business through my podcast or by helping them find the assistant they need to be their right arm, confidant, and accountability partner. This will level up their business and free up their time to spend doing what they love with who they love, even if the “who” is themselves.

What changed for you after age 50?

My confidence. My ability to handle situations differently than in my younger years. My boundaries and walls were built higher and I enforced them more to protect myself. I was ready to invest in ME after 50.

What would you tell the 20 or 30-year-old YOU?

Do not settle. Period. In life, love, or your career path, do what you love and build from there! And as the saying goes, build it, and they will come. I live by that mantra.

What do you think you’ll tell yourself in retrospect at the end of your life?

You probably didn’t step into your light early enough to shine in your brilliance, but you, girl, were resilient, and it showed! You went through some things and always found a way forward. You judged your appearance too much; people loved your soul—always.

What impact do you think increased visibility can have on your business?

The edification of my expertise, passion, and dedication to doing what I do to support others will further create trust and elicit interest in working with me or my company.

Who or what inspires you and why?

This will sound generic, but any woman 40, 50, 60+ who has built an empire in their second act of life inspires me! They make me feel like I’m not nearing the dreaded end and that I’ve only just begun. There is so much more purpose left for me in this life.

Something else I’d like to share

Many passions developed over the years and became even more prevalent for me after 50. I love to help women who have been in situations or places I’ve been in, like single mothers, military spouses, and women freshly pivoting a corporate career into entrepreneurship. I also like to mentor up-and-coming, younger people who are becoming Executive Assistants or exploring this career path.

I also have a passion for travel (which I couldn’t afford when I was younger). I travel primarily by cruise line, but I’m happy anywhere and in any way I can find myself near the ocean surrounded by palm trees for a week or more.