The EA Campus Podcast The EA Campus

In this EA Campus podcast episode, Nicky Christmas interviews Gabrielle Waxenberg, an experienced Executive Assistant who has recently transitioned to working as a fractional Assistant for multiple clients.
Key points from the episode:
From hospitality management to becoming an EA, she worked in various industries, such as legal, manufacturing, IT, banking, sustainability, and healthcare.Time management across multiple executives and organisations, maintaining confidentiality, and navigating different personalities and dynamics.Empowerment to set boundaries, choose clients and tasks, and establish a peer-to-peer relationship with executives.Set boundaries early on, learn to say no when necessary, and build strong relationships with other admins for support and growth. Invaluable connections, witnessing the profession's evolution, and the ability to positively impact leaders and organisations.The importance of challenging norms and providing honest feedback to executives, even when it's difficult, to help them grow and avoid potential issues.Throughout the episode, Gabrielle shares her experiences, challenges, and lessons learned during her 12-year career as an EA. She emphasises the importance of setting boundaries, building relationships, and speaking truth to power. Her insights offer valuable advice for Assistants at all stages of their careers.
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In this episode, Becky Kaapuni shares her winding career journey spanning publishing, wine business, investment banking, tech startups, Twitter, and now Salesforce, where she supports the CEO of AI.
Some key pieces of advice and insights Becky offers:
Be patient in building your career - you have to go through the stepping stones and start at the beginning, gaining experience over time.Know your worth and negotiate your compensation, even if it means being willing to walk away from an opportunity. Invest in a professionally written resume.For interviews, focus on showing up as your best self and demonstrating confidence. Worry about the details of the job later.Always maintain a beginner's mind, as every executive, company culture, and role will differ. Be ready to learn and adapt.Build your network and maintain connections over time. You never know when an opportunity may come back, even years later.Becky candidly shares the triumphs and challenges of her EA career, from navigating egotistical bosses and sudden layoffs to finding executives who truly value and empower her. She emphasizes the importance of documenting issues, leveraging resources, and prioritizing one's well-being while acknowledging that immediately leaving a bad situation isn't always feasible.
While Becky admits she could lead more by example in disconnecting from work, she has found that staying on top of things helps her mental health and ability to relax. Her story illustrates the ever-changing landscape of the EA role and the resilience required to succeed in the long term.
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In this episode, Chelsea Fox shares her 15-year journey as an assistant, from starting as an event manager in Spain to her current role as an EA supporting the CEO and leadership team at a data centre startup in London.
Some key pieces of advice and insights Chelsea offers:
Find the industry and company culture that allows you to thrive as an assistant. In a startup, being willing to roll up your sleeves and help out wherever needed is key.Confidence comes from having your voice heard and your opinions valued as an assistant. Chelsea appreciates that her current company seeks her input.Learn to say no when needed to avoid burnout, but be ready to pitch in on a wide variety of tasks, especially in a startup environment.Resilience and strong communication skills with your executive are critical. Have a plan A through Z, as things rarely go perfectly according to plan.Being bilingual (Spanish & English for Chelsea) can open up great career opportunities, especially in European companies.Build relationships across the organization by being friendly, remembering personal details, and, yes, bringing in treats! People are much more willing to help out a friend.Chelsea also shares some of her favourite productivity tools, such as Microsoft To Do, OneNote, Planner, and good old-fashioned handwritten lists. Her story illustrates the importance of adaptability, relationship-building, and being proactive in making your mark as an assistant and elevating the perception of the role.
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In this episode, Catherine Wright shares her varied career journey leading up to her current role as an Executive Assistant to a CEO. She discusses the importance of understanding the business you work for, being a connector between teams, and adding value wherever possible.
Some key pieces of advice Catherine offers:
Be meticulous about diary management - think through all the details like agenda items, travel/transition time between meetings, focus time, and your executive's well-beingRemember that your own time management is just as important as your executive'sConstantly keep learning and building your networkDon't be afraid to take ownership and be assertive when needed in managing your executive's scheduleFind ways to add value and make an impact, even with simple things like organizing social eventsTackle your most dreaded task first thing (eat the frog) to make the rest of your day easierCatherine also shares some of her favourite tools like OneNote, Asana, and good old-fashioned to-do lists. Her story illustrates how initiative, resilience, and a service-oriented mindset can enable an EA to become a true partner to their executive and make a difference in their organisation.
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Fatiha Zeghir shares her extensive journey as an Executive Assistant (EA), starting in Paris and transitioning through roles at major companies like Procter & Gamble, NRJ Global, SAP, News UK, Penguin Random House, Pearson, and the BBC, before her current role at Vodafone. Her experience highlights the importance of adaptability, communication, and learning from diverse roles and industries. The discussion emphasizes the EA role's significance in crisis management, especially noted during her time at the BBC during the pandemic.
A recurring theme is the challenge of being underutilized or not fully integrated into strategic discussions despite EAs' central role in executives' daily operations. Fatiha and Nicky discuss the importance of EAs establishing boundaries, learning to say "no but," and the need for better remuneration reflective of their contribution.
Fatiha expresses a preference for Gmail and Google Calendar for their synchronization capabilities. She emphasizes using cloud storage and shared documents for efficiency and easy access to the latest information. Fatiha advocates for consistent and logical document naming conventions to streamline work processes.
Sheryl Sandberg's "Lean In" is highlighted as a transformative book, offering insights on navigating a male-dominated corporate world and negotiating effectively.
Fatiha shares her interests outside of work, including her passion for writing, specifically exploring the idea of a dramedy about EAs. She also mentions her involvement with the charity Care for Calais and her love for London's cultural offerings.
The paramount advice for new assistants is learning to assertively set boundaries from the beginning of their career, emphasizing "no, but" as a strategy for managing workload and expectations.
This episode sheds light on the complexities of the EA role and the significant value EAs bring to their organizations and offers practical advice for EAs at all career stages. Fatiha's journey and insights serve as an inspiration and a guide for both seasoned and new EAs navigating their professional paths.
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In this episode of the EA Campus podcast, join Nicky as she welcomes Rebecca Greenhill, a seasoned Executive Assistant (EA) at Cobalt Search. Rebecca's unique career journey has transitioned from dance performance and teaching to retail management and finally into the realm of executive assistance. She shares the rich tapestry of experiences that have shaped her career. Her story is a testament to resilience, adaptability, and the pursuit of passion across different stages of her life.
Discover how Rebecca's early career in retail laid a solid foundation for her skills in management, dealing with diverse personalities, and fostering resilience—skills that later became invaluable in her role as an EA. Rebecca's turning point came from an inspired moment by the film "The Devil Wears Prada," leading her to pursue a career that combines pace, challenge, and the thrill of solving daily puzzles in an office environment.
At Cobalt Search, Rebecca supports the CEO, managing a wide range of tasks, from calendar and email management to handling HR and finance tasks. She emphasises the varied and dynamic nature of her role. The episode delves into the importance of adaptability, the joy of variety in daily tasks, and the significance of building relationships within the business.
Rebecca also touches on her life outside of work, including her involvement in musical theatre and the balance between personal life and professional commitments. The discussion extends to advice for aspiring EAs, highlighting the importance of emotional intelligence, the ability to say no to prioritize effectively, and the value of continuous learning and self-improvement.
This conversation not only illuminates the evolving role of executive assistants but also offers valuable insights and advice for those navigating or aspiring to thrive in this career path.
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