REACH - A Podcast for Executive Assistants

Part Two: Event Planning Advice from an Event Planning Expert

This is part-two of our two-part series with event planner extraordinaire Heather Keenan, President and CEO of Key Events.  Heather and her firm have orchestrated events the likes of which have been attended by queens, US Presidents, celebrities and the A-list of the business world. If you missed part 1, definitely give it a listen (Season 1, episode 16) where Heather shared how Executive Assistants could pull off a successful virtual event.  As in-person events resume, we wanted to bring Heather back on the show to hear her advice around carrying out a meaningful and successful in-person event (the best kind)!  Whether it’s a casual team happy hour or a formal executive dinner party, Heather says that every event exists to push business forward and it’s an Executive Assistant’s responsibility to nail that objective. One of her favorite tips when it comes to brainstorming and executing an event is “to paint with a big brush.” Join us for a conversation with tons of practical tips and lots of laughs! And you won’t want to miss her answer to our infamous REACH question with a twist. 

Everyone Around Me is in their 20s (Including My Boss): How Not to “Age Out” of Your EA Career

You’ve probably heard the term “seasoned” or perhaps even been labeled or felt as such. And in the Bay Area tech arena especially, it’s not uncommon to work alongside colleagues or even support executives who may be in their early 20s or 30s. So, we’ve decided to tackle the ambitious topic of what it means to age gracefully in your career as an Executive Assistant and, in particular, how you can avoid “aging out” of the EA career. Nicole Hawkins, Senior Manager of Administration at Patreon, who supports CEO Jack Conte, has volunteered to share her experience of being a “seasoned” EA and what it’s like to work with and support individuals who are younger than she is. We’ll be talking about how to stay relevant amidst younger talent, how to relate to an executive team and group of colleagues who seem to get younger not older, how to provide invaluable support despite age differences, and how to confidently package your experience when interviewing.

Life at a Crossroads: Reflecting on the Executive Assistant Career

In this episode, Mallory Drury, former Executive Assistant to the President and CEO of Marcus & Millichap, shares her personal experience of being at a crossroads and thinking through next steps in her career. After eight plus years as an Executive Assistant, she finds herself in a reflective state of mind as she tries to determine what’s next for her, whether that’s another Executive Assistant position or something completely different. Jessica tackles this conversation interview-style by asking Mallory questions about what makes her tick, what contributes or detracts from her enjoyment and satisfaction and how she finds fulfillment. We hope that Mallory’s story offers some guidance and encouragement to those listeners out there who find themselves in a similar place. If you’re feeling similarly ambivalent or unsure about where you are with your Executive Assistant career, we hope hearing Mallory’s story will give you some ideas to ponder and reflect on, or even help you reignite your passion for EA work. This episode promises to be raw, heartfelt, enlightening and hopeful.

From Executive Assistant to Chief of Staff: What It Really Means to be a Chief of Staff

The topic you’ve all been waiting for!  These days it feels like Chief of Staff and EA are used almost synonymously and with all the buzz  around the Chief of Staff title, we decided to dive into what it actually means to be in this role, what the day-to-day of a Chief of Staff can look like, and how it differs from the EA role. In this episode, we explore why an Executive Assistant makes a great choice for a Chief of Staff. While there is no “one size fits all” definition of Chief of Staff, our goal is to share multiple perspectives on this role and the variety of ways in which a Chief of Staff can contribute.  To kick off this series, we’re thrilled to have Julia Quijano on our program, who served as Chief of Staff at Aera Technology, a venture-backed startup in Silicon Valley where she wore many hats including leadership development and building the company’s DE&I program. Julia started off her career as an Executive Assistant at Salesforce where she supported the Chief Revenue Officer and the Chief Customer Officer before deciding to pursue a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology. 

If There’s Anyone Who Knows How to Break a Glass Ceiling it’s Bumble’s Executive Assistant

If there’s anyone who knows how to break a glass ceiling it’s Lorena Legarreta, Executive Assistant to the President, CFO and CSO of Bumble. Today’s discussion promises to be an empowering one as we hear Lorena’s story. Growing up in Mexico, Lorena is a first-generation Latina who became an Executive Assistant sort of through happenstance because of her ability to speak Spanish and English fluently. She’s also been the first EA to many of the executives she’s supported throughout her career AND she supported her first ever female executive at Bumble. Bumble recently went public and made history as Bumble’s CEO, Whitney Wolfe Herd, became the youngest female founder in history to take a company public -- she even rang the bell with her baby perched on her hip, talk about breaking glass ceilings!

From Red Carpet to Tech Startup: How Mandy King went from Journalist to Executive Assistant to the CEO of Box

Did you know the Senior Executive Assistant to the CEO of Box started her career off in broadcast journalism at companies like CNN, NBCUniversal and Forbes? This episode is all about how Mandy King’s background in media influenced how she operates as an EA to CEO today. For those listening who also have work experience in a completely different field and may be wondering how to incorporate those skills into your current role as an EA or how to speak to the unique value your background lends in the interview process, this episode is definitely for you! And for those of you who are just curious why and how someone in TV/Media/Journalism became an Executive Assistant, stay tuned. The best part? She loves being an Executive Assistant a thousand times more than being a producer even after working alongside Anderson Cooper, meeting Ryan Gosling on the red-carpet and interviewing the Saturday Night Live hosts!!

Happy Admin Day! Bonus Episode to Celebrate Our Administrative Superheroes

Happy Administrative Professionals Day! In this bonus episode of REACH, we’re celebrating the often-unsung heroes and backbones of our companies. Our mission at Maven Recruiting Group and through our podcast is to elevate the support role and give it the props and appreciation it rightfully deserves. Gillian Lopez, Director of Accounts and Growth at Maven Recruiting Group, joins Jessica and together they highlight all of the problems EAs solve, all of the ways they save the day, all of the areas they provide leverage to their executives and companies. Plus, stay tuned for a special treat at the end... a few of our clients wrote in personal notes of appreciation for their admins and you just might receive a special shout out from your exec! We hope this episode reminds you how valuable you are, how critical your role is to your organization and how much we appreciate all that you do behind the scenes. 

How to Standout in the Interview Process + How to Assess Fit with a Company and Executive

If you’re feeling lost among the shuffle of applicants, you’re not sure what to ask or how to assess fit in the interview process, or you’re looking for tips on how to spice up your LinkedIn game, this episode is for you. In this episode, Katie Thomas, Senior Executive Business Partner at Uber, talks about how to stand out and position yourself for success in the interview process, as well as how to assess fit with a potential company and executive. And if there’s anyone who knows how to network, stand out on LinkedIn and make a lasting first impression, it’s Katie! Spoiler alert: Katie received two job offers by simply making a memorable first impression. PS: If networking isn’t really your thing, this episode is still relevant! Katie, an introvert at heart, views networking in a non-traditional light and offers tips for how others can step outside their comfort zone and make meaningful connections even via Zoom. 

Bored in Your Role? How to Ask to Take on Special Projects and Expand Your Role Outside of Your Job Description

Today’s episode is geared to those Executive Assistants who may be feeling bored, apathetic, unmotivated, or simply burnt out in their role. Parke Davis, Executive Assistant to the SVP, Products, Cortex, at Palo Alto Networks offers ideas for how to expand your role to create new learning opportunities and a renewed sense of excitement. We’re talking video editing, voice-over recording, event planning, culture building, you name it! In this episode, you will learn how and when to approach your executive as well as all of the work you need to do in advance to ensure you get a strong “yes” at the end of your conversation. If you feel like you can do your job backwards and forwards with your eyes closed, and you’re just going through the motions every day, this episode is for you!

Reimagining Your Remote Workspace: Advice from a Designer on How to Create a Productive and Beautiful Home Office

With remote work being the ongoing and possibly indefinite reality for many of us, we thought it would be both fun and practical to call in a design expert to talk about how we can equip our work from home environments to be both functional and beautiful. In this episode, Michael Guidry offers his tips and tricks for establishing a comfortable, productive, and aesthetically pleasing home office space. Michael has designed a variety of spaces including Maven Recruiting Group’s HQ and Jessica’s home office space. Not only does he have an incredible design vision, but also a ruthless pragmatism, resourcefulness, and appreciation for functionality and frugality that make him a really unique designer and someone who can find the happy place between Gucci and Target. This is both a fun and practical episode that you won’t want to miss!