InsideOut is an executive assistant recruiting and placement company. It sources assistants from the Philippines, Latin America, South Africa, and Egypt, helps clients hire one, and supports the first 90 days with onboarding, training, and its AI management platform, Cadence AI. Founder and CEO Chris Martin previously worked at CBRE.

What's the main difference between BELAY and InsideOut?

BELAY provides U.S.-based professionals through an ongoing, relationship-managed service that also covers accounting and marketing. InsideOut recruits international executive assistants whom clients hire and pay directly, with 90 days of included management support.

Are InsideOut's executive assistants based in the U.S.?

No. InsideOut recruits from the Philippines, Latin America, South Africa, and Egypt. It matches clients to a region based on role, working hours, and work style. BELAY matches clients with U.S.-based professionals.

How do you pay an InsideOut executive assistant?

InsideOut clients pay their assistant directly, using platforms like PayPal, Wise, or Payoneer. The client and assistant negotiate terms between them. BELAY clients pay BELAY, and BELAY handles the relationship with the professional.

Cadence AI is InsideOut's in-house management platform. Assistants submit a start-of-day plan and end-of-day recap, and the AI reviews each check-in, asks follow-up questions when answers are vague, and shows progress on a single dashboard. InsideOut includes it for the first 90 days.

What happens after InsideOut's first 90 days?

The included management period ends. InsideOut offers ongoing management, including a success manager, quarterly reviews, weekly calls, and continued Cadence AI access, as an optional add-on. Current pricing for that option isn't published, so confirm it directly with InsideOut.

Does InsideOut offer accounting or bookkeeping services?

Not through its executive assistant brand. InsideOut focuses on executive assistant support. BELAY offers bookkeeping, accounting, fractional controller, and fractional CFO services alongside assistant support.

How much does InsideOut cost compared to BELAY?

InsideOut doesn't publish its placement fee. Clients also pay the assistant's rate directly, which InsideOut positions as "a fraction of a US salary." BELAY pricing is based on role, scope, and hours. Confirm current numbers directly with each company before deciding.

BELAY vs. InsideOut: U.S.-Based vs. Global Executive Assistant Placement (2026)

Overview

BELAY and InsideOut both help founders and executives hand off work to a dedicated executive assistant. They're built on different models.

BELAY matches clients with U.S.-based professionals through a relationship-managed process and stays involved for the life of the engagement. Clients can add accounting, bookkeeping, and marketing support under the same partnership. InsideOut is a recruiting and placement firm. It sources executive assistants from the Philippines, Latin America, South Africa, and Egypt, helps the client hire one, and supports the first 90 days through onboarding, training, and its in-house management platform, Cadence AI. The client pays the assistant directly, with no contract.

The decision usually comes down to three questions: Where do you want your assistant based? Do you want to manage the working relationship and payments yourself? And do you need support beyond the executive assistant role?

Key Differences Between BELAY and InsideOut

Staffing Location: BELAY matches clients with U.S.-based professionals. InsideOut recruits from four regions outside the U.S.: the Philippines, Latin America, South Africa, and Egypt.
Engagement Model: BELAY provides an ongoing, relationship-managed service. InsideOut recruits and places an assistant, and the client then works with and pays that assistant directly.
Payment: BELAY clients pay BELAY. InsideOut clients pay their assistant directly through platforms like PayPal, Wise, or Payoneer, according to InsideOut's FAQ.
Management and Oversight: BELAY manages the client relationship throughout the engagement. InsideOut includes 90 days of hands-on management, weekly support calls, and Cadence AI daily check-ins, with ongoing management available as an option after that.
Service Scope: BELAY covers virtual assistant, executive assistant, accounting, bookkeeping, fractional controller, fractional CFO, and marketing support. InsideOut's EA brand focuses on executive assistants covering admin, business operations, sales and marketing, and personal tasks.
Replacement Terms: BELAY rematches clients if the initial match isn't the right fit. InsideOut offers one free replacement within the first six months.

BELAY May Be Better For

Businesses that want a U.S.-based professional working in their time zone and cultural context
Leaders who'd rather have the provider handle the working relationship than pay and manage an assistant directly
Organizations that need financial or marketing support alongside assistant work, from one provider
Teams handling sensitive client or financial information that benefits from a domestic, easy-to-reach point of contact
Companies that want ongoing relationship management as part of the service from day one

InsideOut May Be Better For

Founders comfortable working with an assistant based in the Philippines, Latin America, South Africa, or Egypt
Buyers who want to hire an assistant directly and set pay and terms themselves
Leaders who want AI-assisted daily reporting on their assistant's work through a dedicated platform
Businesses looking for full-time coverage (InsideOut says most clients hire for 45 hours a week) at international labor costs
Clients who want no contract with the placement firm or the assistant

Detailed Comparison

Feature	BELAY	InsideOut
Service Model	Ongoing, relationship-managed assistant service	Recruiting and placement, plus 90 days of management
Staffing Location	U.S.-based	Philippines, Latin America, South Africa, Egypt
Who Pays the Assistant	BELAY	The client, directly (PayPal, Wise, Payoneer)
Contract Terms	Confirm with BELAY	No contracts with InsideOut or the assistant
Time to Candidates	Confirm with BELAY	Finalists within the first week; most clients choose in 2 to 3 weeks
Onboarding	BELAY-guided matching and onboarding	Structured 90-day onboarding plan
Management After Placement	Ongoing relationship management	Included for 90 days; optional after that
Accountability Tools	Direct relationship with a dedicated professional	Cadence AI daily check-ins; optional tools like Hubstaff
Support Scope	Admin, executive, accounting, bookkeeping, fractional controller and CFO, marketing	Executive assistant support across admin, operations, sales and marketing, personal tasks
Replacement	Rematching if the initial match isn't the right fit	One free replacement within six months
Pricing Model	Engagement-based, priced to role and scope	Placement fee (not published) plus the assistant's pay, set by the client

Service Capabilities

Capability	BELAY	InsideOut
Executive Assistant Support	Yes	Yes
Virtual Assistant Support	Yes	Yes
Accounting and Bookkeeping Support	Yes	No
Fractional Controller and CFO Support	Yes	No
Marketing Support	Yes	Limited (sales and marketing tasks within the EA role)
U.S.-Based Staffing	Yes	No
AI-Based Performance Reporting	Not part of the core service	Yes (Cadence AI)
Provider Manages Assistant Payment	Yes	No
Replacement or Rematching	Yes	Yes (one free replacement within six months)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is InsideOut?: InsideOut is an executive assistant recruiting and placement company. It sources assistants from the Philippines, Latin America, South Africa, and Egypt, helps clients hire one, and supports the first 90 days with onboarding, training, and its AI management platform, Cadence AI. Founder and CEO Chris Martin previously worked at CBRE.
What's the main difference between BELAY and InsideOut?: BELAY provides U.S.-based professionals through an ongoing, relationship-managed service that also covers accounting and marketing. InsideOut recruits international executive assistants whom clients hire and pay directly, with 90 days of included management support.
Are InsideOut's executive assistants based in the U.S.?: No. InsideOut recruits from the Philippines, Latin America, South Africa, and Egypt. It matches clients to a region based on role, working hours, and work style. BELAY matches clients with U.S.-based professionals.
How do you pay an InsideOut executive assistant?: InsideOut clients pay their assistant directly, using platforms like PayPal, Wise, or Payoneer. The client and assistant negotiate terms between them. BELAY clients pay BELAY, and BELAY handles the relationship with the professional.
What is Cadence AI?: Cadence AI is InsideOut's in-house management platform. Assistants submit a start-of-day plan and end-of-day recap, and the AI reviews each check-in, asks follow-up questions when answers are vague, and shows progress on a single dashboard. InsideOut includes it for the first 90 days.
What happens after InsideOut's first 90 days?: The included management period ends. InsideOut offers ongoing management, including a success manager, quarterly reviews, weekly calls, and continued Cadence AI access, as an optional add-on. Current pricing for that option isn't published, so confirm it directly with InsideOut.
Does InsideOut offer accounting or bookkeeping services?: Not through its executive assistant brand. InsideOut focuses on executive assistant support. BELAY offers bookkeeping, accounting, fractional controller, and fractional CFO services alongside assistant support.
How much does InsideOut cost compared to BELAY?: InsideOut doesn't publish its placement fee. Clients also pay the assistant's rate directly, which InsideOut positions as "a fraction of a US salary." BELAY pricing is based on role, scope, and hours. Confirm current numbers directly with each company before deciding.

About InsideOut

InsideOut is an executive assistant recruiting, placement, and post-placement management company led by Founder and CEO Chris Martin (previously at CBRE).

Their support includes:

Primary product: recruited and trained executive assistants, supported by the Cadence AI management platform
Recruiting regions: Philippines, Latin America, South Africa, Egypt
Typical customers: founders and small business owners; testimonials include real estate, property management, insurance, construction, and healthcare
Headquarters and founding date: not publicly disclosed

Unpublished placement fee; the client pays the assistant directly. Confirm current terms at insideouteas.com.

Category: Executive Assistant Recruiting & Placement
Founded: —
Headquarters: Not publicly disclosed
Primary services: Executive assistant recruiting and placement; 90-day onboarding, training, and Cadence AI management
Typical client type: Founders and small business owners seeking international executive assistant placement
Pricing model: Unpublished placement fee; client pays the assistant directly (PayPal, Wise, Payoneer).
Official website: https://insideouteas.com/

Considering Your Options?

If you're weighing a U.S.-based assistant partnership against hiring an international assistant through a placement firm, start with the day-to-day. Who do you want managing the relationship after month three? Who handles payment? And will you need financial or marketing support down the road?

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This comparison is based on publicly available information from InsideOut's official website (insideouteas.com) as of September 2026. InsideOut's pricing, post-90-day management terms, company details, and the relationship between its related brands should be confirmed directly with InsideOut before this page is published or relied on.