In 2015, I had an idea for a business. The business would help small businesses focus on what they do best, and would give amazing administrators and bookkeepers what they need to thrive: respect, community, and opportunity.
I had this idea because I’d had the opportunity to work closely with Shannon Cassidy for the previous six months, with Tracey Yurkin for 3 years, and with many, many administrators throughout my career. I’ve always championed those often unrecognized and underappreciated professionals in administration and bookkeeping as true professionals.
The idea was one that was meant as a gift to Shannon. She strongly felt that she needed both me and Krysten, who built the structure of my financial planning firm as well as its marketing strategy and systems, to make this happen. We decided to go in on it with her, as supporting players, bringing our skills around building businesses together with her skills in providing the service. Tracey joined us a couple months later. We didn’t really know where Admin Slayer would go, but we thought it was cool, and at worst would give both Tracey and Shannon a great place to be themselves.
At the same time, Krysten and I have been building our financial planning firm, which has grown to become a pioneer - and I don’t love that word but it’s true - in the profession. What was once JYC Financial became Spring Plans. It added amazing team members, and became well known in Canada as the template for how advice-only financial planning, and now family enterprise advice, is provided.
We’re in a weird spot where there are now two successful companies that need strong leadership. We’re in a place where Krysten and I have actually found our limitations and know that we have not been doing either company a service by splitting our focus. We’ve had to make some really tough decisions about what makes sense for the individuals within each company, and for ourselves.
To that end, we are announcing that Krysten and I are departing Admin Slayer as of April 30, 2022. Shannon and Tracey are assuming full responsibilities as owners, and as leaders, in this company. They, and the amazing slayers that we’ve had the absolute honour to bring on to the team, are the reason why Admin Slayer exists. Krysten and I were always meant to support the team and its clients until Admin Slayer was ready to fly on its own, since we have responsibilities in our own areas of expertise, at Spring Plans.
It’s the end of an amazing era for us, and it’s a bit sad to know that the company we put our hearts and soul into will be out there, walking about, being amazing, without us. It’s not dissimilar to how I felt when my son moved out. It wasn’t right to try to keep him home forever - for him or for me - and it wouldn’t be right for either company, for Krysten and I to try to stretch across what are now two established, successful businesses. Admin Slayer and Spring Plans both deserve fully focused and committed leaders, who are there for the people who serve in and are served by those companies, every single day.
~Julia Chung, Departing CEO and Slayer Alumnus