REACH - A Podcast for Executive Assistants

From Supporting Simon Sinek to Supporting in the Era of AI: The Future of Executive Support, Human Judgment and Communication

Happy Administrative Professionals Week! On today’s episode of REACH, we’re joined by Monique Helstrom, former Executive Assistant, Producer, and “Chief of” to Simon Sinek, author of Start with Why. Often described as the “HOW Girl to the WHY Guy,” Monique spent nearly a decade helping build and scale one of the most influential leadership brands in the world, giving her a front-row seat to high-level leadership, communication, and partnership.

Now a keynote speaker and coach, Monique shares practical guidance for Executive Assistants on leading up, communicating with clarity, and stepping into their roles with confidence. We also explore how EAs can embrace AI as a powerful tool to stay relevant and enhance their impact. This episode is packed with actionable insights on communication, connection, and evolving as a strategic partner in today’s workplace.

Resources & Offers:

Podcast Listener Offer
Get $100 off The AI-Powered Assistant course. Learn how to think with AI so you can produce stronger work, faster, and position yourself as a strategic partner.
https://www.moniquehelstrom.com/ai-powered-assistant
Use code: reachpodcast

April Coaching Offer
Special Administrative Professionals Month pricing on coaching sessions focused on confidence, communication, career direction, and strategic partnership skills.
Book a Discovery Call: https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/discoverycallwithmonique

Double Course Bundle (April Only)
Get The AI-Powered Assistant and Introduction to Effective Communication together to build both technical skills and communication clarity.
Explore the bundle: https://moniquehelstrom.thinkific.com/bundles/administrative-professionals-month-2026

About Monique
Monique Helstrom is a recruiter, coach, and speaker specializing in the executive–assistant partnership. A former Executive Assistant to Simon Sinek, she now helps executives hire and work effectively with high-level assistants and supports assistants in building strategic, future-proof careers.

Website: www.MoniqueHelstrom.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moniquejhelstrom/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moniquehelstrom/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrz2UEjZterB-2AdKZuAYxQ
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MoniqueJHelstrom

How Executive Assistants Can Be Travel Heroes: Points, Luxury Travel & Smart Strategies for Executive Travel

In this episode of REACH, we’re joined by Julia Menez, founder of GeoBreeze Travel and host of the GeoBreeze Travel Podcast. Julia is a travel strategist and points expert who has built a loyal following by helping professionals maximize credit card points, airline miles, and loyalty programs to unlock elevated travel experiences.

For Executive Assistants and Personal Assistants, travel planning is a critical part of the role. Julia shares how assistants can take a more strategic approach to booking travel, using points and rewards programs to maximize budgets, unlock upgrades, and create seamless, high-quality experiences for their executives.

Whether you’re managing frequent business travel or looking to level up your approach to planning, this conversation offers practical insights on how to turn travel logistics into a true value-add. You can learn more about her offerings at: https://geobreezetravel.com/

With Grace and Grit: Resilience, Self-Advocacy, and the Evolving Role of the Modern EA

In this episode of REACH, we’re joined by powerhouse Executive Assistant Kim Owens, whose career spans more than a decade supporting top leaders across media, sports, and tech. From Viacom and the NFL Network to her most recent role as Lead Senior Executive Assistant to the CEO, Founder, and Board Member at GoPro, Kim has been at the center of major growth, cultural evolution, and global expansion.

Known for her unshakeable calm, trusted judgment, and innate ability to connect people across every corner of an organization, Kim exemplifies how EAs serve as both the glue and the engine behind their executives and teams. She has built a reputation for cultivating strong cross-functional partnerships, advocating for herself and others, and navigating change with clarity and confidence.

Whether you’re looking to strengthen your presence as an EA, navigate high-pressure environments with more steadiness, or deepen your influence across the business, Kim’s career offers a masterclass in resilience, strategic partnership, and leading with clarity in moments of change.

From Music to Michelin Stars: The Art and Logistics of Supporting Culinary Visionary René Redzepi

Supporting a living legend in the food world comes with unique challenges and extraordinary rewards. As Executive Assistant to René Redzepi, the visionary Danish chef and co-owner of Noma, the three Michelin-star restaurant repeatedly named the best in the world, Matthew McGuigan has a front-row seat to one of the most influential culinary minds of our time.

Originally from Sydney, Matthew’s path to Noma is anything but ordinary. A professionally trained musician turned entrepreneur, he built his own EA and virtual assistant business in Berlin before finding his rhythm in the fast-paced world of fine dining. His artistic discipline and creativity now help him navigate the intricate choreography behind one of the most celebrated restaurants on the planet.

In this episode, we talk about what it means to support one of the world’s greatest food innovators, the power of food to connect people and cultures, and the massive logistical feat of moving an entire restaurant, staff, families, and ingredients for Noma’s legendary global pop-ups.

From the C-Suite’s Right Hand to Executive Coach: Guiding Growth-Stage CEOs Through Scaling and Change

In this episode of REACH, we’re joined by Kris Cordle Goodsall, Founder and CEO of Devenu Collaborations. Throughout her career, Kris has supported some of Silicon Valley’s most influential leaders, including Ev Williams at Twitter and Stewart Butterfield at Slack, guiding them through the evolution from product creator to company leader.

At Slack, she played a key role in scaling the company globally and later served as Chief of Staff, leading through its direct listing and $27.7 billion acquisition by Salesforce. Drawing on those experiences, Kris now coaches founders and CEOs of growth-stage companies, helping them strengthen leadership teams, uncover blind spots, and scale with intention.

Kris shares what she learned observing leadership up close, how those lessons shape her coaching today, and why avoiding burnout and setting boundaries are essential for both executives and their teams. She also reflects on her own journey from Executive Assistant, to a sabbatical in France, to Chief of Staff, and now executive coach, revealing how each chapter taught her to redefine success and leadership along the way.

Private Aviation Demystified: Making Executive Travel Seamless with Quantum Jets

In this episode of REACH, we’re joined by Tyler Macaulay, Senior Executive of Charter Sales at Quantum Jets, a private aviation company dedicated to making executive travel seamless, efficient, and stress-free. Quantum Jets' innovative mobile app and dedicated support team give Executive Assistants and advisors everything they need to plan private travel. Tyler brings insider expertise on everything from selecting the right aircraft to navigating private airports, coordinating timing, managing in-flight details, and even arranging for pet travel.

Together, we’ll demystify the world of private aviation, explore how it compares to commercial travel, and highlight common pitfalls to avoid when booking flights for your executive. You’ll walk away with practical strategies and best practices to make private travel smoother and more impactful for both you and your executive.

Sponsor: Quantum Jets – Seamless Booking and Trip Management
Quantum Jets offers an all-encompassing platform designed to simplify private travel and make life easier for busy EAs. Leveraging Quantum’s technology and dedicated support, you can:

• Compare multiple quotes side by side
• Communicate securely within the platform (no endless email chains or texts)
• Access over 1,500+ priced empty legs in real time
• Live flight tracking from departure to arrival, even on aircraft with blocked tail numbers that are usually not visible to the public
• Enjoy secure access to trip sheets and invoices anytime

It’s everything Executive Assistants need to manage private aviation for their executives, all in one place.

✨ Download the Quantum Jets app today (available on Apple and Android) and use code REACH to receive a $1,000 flight credit. For trips under $20,000, $500 will apply toward your first booking and $500 toward your next. For trips over $20,000, the full $1,000 credit applies to your first trip.

 

Who is the EA Behind Maven Recruiting Group’s CEO and REACH Podcast Host, Jessica Vann?!

In this episode of REACH, we sit down with Sarah Duncan, Executive Assistant to Maven Recruiting Group’s Founder & CEO, Jessica Vann. With over two years of partnership under their belt, Sarah has been instrumental in helping Jessica balance the demands of running a company with the realities of family life and personal pursuits. From managing client communications and high-stakes priorities to ensuring the home front runs smoothly, Sarah’s role extends far beyond the desk.

This conversation provides a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse into the EA–executive partnership, offering insights on how to build trust, navigate diverse working styles, and establish systems that empower both the assistant and the leader to thrive. For Executive Assistants curious about supporting a Founder/CEO, or leaders wondering how an EA can truly transform their capacity and impact, Sarah’s perspective provides both inspiration and practical insight.

Brain Types & High Performance: Unlocking the Strategies to Achieve High-Performance and How to Read your Executive

In this episode of REACH, we’re joined by longtime friend of the Maven community and executive coach, Michael “Coop” Cooper. With over 20 years of experience coaching executives and teams, Coop specializes in helping organizations align, collaborate, and perform at their highest potential. His work spans leadership accelerators, team alignment workshops, and coaching on the Brain Types framework, a tool that helps individuals better understand how they think, communicate, and respond under pressure.

We dive into what makes a high-performing team, how leaders can foster clarity and cohesion, and the common blind spots that hold teams back. Coop also shares actionable insights for Executive Assistants supporting C-suite leaders, especially when navigating misalignment or communication breakdowns.

If you’re looking to deepen your influence, drive alignment across your organization, or better understand how to show up at your best under stress, this episode is a must-listen!

If your team or organization is ready to operate at a higher level of alignment, collaboration, and performance, you can explore Coop’s offerings at highperformanceorgs.com.

From EA to Co-Founder: How a 17-Year Partnership Built Trust, Leadership and Opportunity

In this episode, we’re joined by longtime EA-turned-cofounder Michelle Czarnik, whose 17-year partnership with her executive led to the launch of BOXMEDIA.io, a mission-driven storytelling platform. Michelle shares what it takes to build a high-trust, long-term EA partnership, one that evolves from support to strategic collaboration, and how that trust ultimately opened the door to entrepreneurship.

We trace her incredible career journey, from working in Hollywood as Maria Bello’s assistant, to pivoting into tech, and now returning to her roots in estate management. Michelle also opens up about her passion for golf, the power of presence, and why she’s on a mission to get more women on the course.

Whether you’re in the early stages of your EA career or dreaming about what’s next, Michelle’s story is a masterclass in reinvention, resilience, and leaning into the unknown.

From the Kitchen to the Page with Laurie Woolever: From Supporting Culinary Icons Batali and Bourdain to NY Times best-selling Author

Bridging the worlds of food, writing, and the behind-the-scenes realities of celebrity chefs, today’s guest is a true powerhouse! Laurie Woolever is best known as the longtime assistant and trusted collaborator of the legendary Anthony Bourdain. But her story stretches far beyond that role, from working as a receptionist, a private chef to a UHNW health-conscious family, to graduating from culinary school and serving as assistant to Mario Batali at the height of his fame.

Laurie’s career evolved into food media and writing, culminating in co-authoring several books with Bourdain. A three-time New York Times bestselling author, she completed World Travel: An Irreverent Guide after Bourdain’s passing and penned Bourdain: The Definitive Oral Biography. Her latest memoir, Care and Feeding, is a raw, witty, and moving reflection on carving out her own voice while supporting someone else’s.

In this episode, we dive deep with Laurie into her memoir Care and Feeding and the pivotal events that have shaped her life. Laurie pulls back the curtain on navigating the world as an assistant to larger-than-life culinary personalities, breaking into food media, and forging a new path as a writer. We explore the highs and lows of her journey, as she reflects on years spent supporting others and how it ultimately led her to tell her own story.

You don’t want to miss this amazing episode and Laurie’s insights on what it truly means to find your own voice after a career spent amplifying others!

Learn More About Laurie, Her Work, and Her Podcast:

Website: https://lauriewoolever.com/about
Memoir – The Care and Feeding: https://www.amazon.com/Care-Feeding-Memoir-Laurie-Woolever/dp/0063327600
Podcast – Carbface: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/carbface/id1331076906