| Persona | Athena | |
| Talent Quality | Acceptance rate of 0.1% over the last 6 months | Acceptance rate of 1%* |
| Applicant Volume | Average of 171,000+ per month over the last 6 months | Nearly 1,000 applications per day* |
| Talent Sourcing | 98+ countries | Select countries in LatAm, Asia, and Africa* |
| Matching Process | Personalized matching based on your goals and work style | Internal availability-based* |
| Support Scope | Admin, operations, finance, marketing, customer success, and more | Only executive assistants* |
| Flexibility | Flexible month-to-month contracts | Required 1-year minimum membership* |
| Business Fit | Provides long-term support to fast-scaling teams | Built to support only a single executive per hire* |
| Management Overhead | Low lift for clients; we handle all admin and HR management | Higher client involvement; required onboarding commitment* |
Why Top Companies Choose Persona Over Athena
Not all talent services are created equal. Here's why businesses that value quality, flexibility, and world-class talent trust Persona over Athena.
1. Higher-Caliber Talent
Persona rigorously vets only the top 0.1% of global applicants — not just experienced, but exceptional.
Athena does not apply the same extreme pre-hire selectivity, with an acceptance rate of 1%.
2. Global Reach
Persona sources elite professionals from 98 countries, offering a broader range of time zones, languages, and skillsets.
Athena's website lists its hiring hubs in a smaller selection of countries, including the Philippines, Kenya, and Guatemala.
3. Smarter Matching
Persona tailors every match to your business goals, working style, and communication preferences — no plug-and-play placements. Every fit is personalized.
Athena primarily matches based on executive preferences and internal availability.
4. True Flexibility
Persona offers flexible month-to-month agreements so you can scale up or down as your needs evolve.
Athena requires a one-year minimum membership, even if your priorities shift.
5. Broader Expertise
Persona offers world-class professionals across operations, finance, marketing, project management, customer success, HR, and more.
Athena focuses on executive assistants and doesn’t offer roles across other business functions.
6. Smarter Staffing Model
Persona is designed for fast-moving, modern businesses — with global reach, elite vetting, and the flexibility to grow.
Athena delivers a structured assistant experience with a 1-year minimum commitment.
Why Persona Is The Best Choice
If you’re looking for broader capabilities, global reach, and true flexibility, Persona stands far above traditional VA firms like Belay.
Belay limits its focus to virtual assistants, bookkeepers, and marketing support — but Persona goes further. We deliver the top 0.1% of remote talent across every department: assistance, operations, finance, marketing, project management, customer service, and more.
If you’re serious about building a high-performing remote team, Persona isn’t just the better choice — it’s the only one built for how modern businesses scale.
Work with the best.
How Persona Works
Tell us which roles you need to fill.
No two businesses are the same, so we start with a quick, focused chat to understand exactly what you need. From there, our team takes what we've learned and gets to work finding the right fit.
Meet your perfect match.
Once we understand your needs, we'll match you with a candidate that fits the bill. You'll have a chance to meet them before making any decisions—so you can be sure they're the right person for the job.
Get started with new team members.
You've found the right fit—now we'll manage the details behind the scenes so your team member is ready to start adding value from day one.