Samantha C. Prestidge

Lead Well. Work Simply. Scale Smart. I’ve wasted way too much time trying to reverse-engineer someone else’s “perfect” system. Sales systems, marketing systems, management systems—I’ve chased all of them at one point or another, hoping that if I just copied the right formula, I’d finally feel like I was doing business the “right” way. Spoiler: I wasn’t. Instead, I’ve bounced between accounting software for no good reason, created an overly complex expense process with a VA, over-engineered...

Lead Well. Work Simply. Scale Smart. I have a confession. I’m actually bad at delegating… sometimes. There are times when I’m super clear— “This is not worth my time and I straight-up don’t wanna do it. But it’s gotta get done.” And then there are times when I fall into the trap of: “Well… this might not be worth my time, but if I don’t do it, it won’t get done right.” I’ve been burned before. Like the time an editor didn’t cut out a very embarrassing section of a podcast episode. After that,...

Hi, Reader There’s this weird place business owners land in sometimes—where things aren’t terrible, but they’re definitely not great either. You’re not in survival mode anymore… But you’re also not exactly leading with ease, clarity, and confidence. You’ve got a team, but they’re not really taking things off your plate. You’re hitting some goals, but only because you’re the one still pushing every task forward. Sound familiar? In this week’s episode of Strategy, Solutions, & Sanity, I break...

Hi, Reader! Most interviews are useless. Not because you’re useless—because no one ever teaches you how to actually run one that works. So you end up hiring someone who sounded great… …and two weeks later you’re cleaning up their mess, wondering what the heck happened. This week on Strategy, Solutions, and Sanity, I’m breaking down: What you really need to learn in an interview Why charisma keeps tricking you into hiring the wrong person The difference between a strong answer and a rehearsed...

Hi, Reader! You built a team so you wouldn’t have to be in every decision. And yet… somehow, you’re still the one answering every “quick question,” reviewing every draft, and getting pulled into problems you thought were off your plate. So what gives? Here’s the hard truth: Your team probably isn’t trying to annoy you—they’ve just learned that without your input, things stall. Whether that’s because of over-critiquing or unclear expectations, the result is the same: you’re stuck in the weeds...

Hi, Reader Some of us are managing like Michael Scott from The Office. Just out here declaring buzzwords like“We just need better alignment”— aka the corporate version of “thoughts and prayers.” “Alignment” shows up in every business conversation these days… but half the time, no one even agrees on what it means. Is it about getting buy-in? Keeping everyone informed? Making sure people follow the same process? Agreeing on the plan? Those are four completely different things. When leaders...

Hi, Reader! I get it—hiring help feels like one more thing to add to your already-too-long to-do list. And if you’re anything like most business owners, you might be thinking: 🚧 “I don’t know if I have enough work for a VA.” 🚧 “I don’t have time to train someone.” 🚧 “What if they’re not the right fit?” You’re not alone—almost every client we’ve worked with has had these same concerns. And you know what they say after hiring a fractional admin? "I should’ve done this way sooner." So, Let’s...

Hi, Reader Your team isn’t failing. They’re just guessing. There’s a time and place to give people the freedom to figure things out. When I take my kids on a winter hike, I let them explore—even when they’re one step away from falling into an icy creek. They’ll learn. But when we cross a busy street? That’s when we hold hands, set clear expectations, and make sure everyone knows exactly what to do. The Problem:Too many business owners expect their teams to “figure it out” when what they...

Hi, Reader! Management in one meme:"I was put in an awkward situation. And I reacted poorly." Honestly, this should be in every new manager handbook. Your employee asks for a raise mid-crisis? Awkward. You tried to “empower” your team but forgot to give actual instructions? Awkward. You held a meeting that could’ve been an email? Awkward and unforgivable. If we're all being honest, every leader has had a poor reaction to something in their career. Early in my recruiting days, I was on a...

Hi, Reader! Your managers don’t need another boring leadership talk. They need real-world strategies to:✅ Get projects moving without chasing people down.✅ Handle tough conversations—without tension or awkwardness.✅ Free up YOUR time because they actually take ownership. Here’s what happens when they do: 💬 “I was able to look at my day-to-day challenges differently and understand how I could practically and effectively solve them.” 💬 “Samantha's workshop style made it enjoyable to actually...