Courageous Help

Best of Courageous Help 2023

On this episode, we listened back on all of the wisdom our guests have shared this year and chose some of our favorite moments for a Best Of Courageous Help 2023 episode. If you hear a clip that really strikes you, we’ve linked the full episodes below so you can go listen to the whole thing. Themes with timestamps and full episodes linked: Shaping the perception of EAs - [1:58] Rachel Bonetti Lauren Bradley Melissa Peoples The impact and influence of EAs - [13:53] Jenna Miller Elle Tyra Sarah Wright Mary Ryan Intentionally shaping your EA career - [24:25] Mary Ryan Jessica McBride Maggie Olson Ebony Belhumeur Assistants as culture keepers - [41:21] Rachel Bonetti Jenna Miller Annie Croner Creating your personal brand & showcasing your strengths - [48:36] Nick Ginsburg Lauren Bradley Laura Johnston Building your relationship with your leader, including being a strategic partner - [58:59] Hallie Warner Victoria Leech Ebony Belhumeur The importance of community for EAs and learning from each other - [1:10:34] Nick Ginsburg Elle Tyra Debra Coleman Technology and AI in the assistant role - [1:18:52] Anna Read Naomi White Jessica McBride How assistants can set boundaries - [1:25:52] Annie Croner Laura Johnston Melissa Peoples We really appreciate you listening this year, and look forward to what we’ll be sharing with you next!

Celebrating What You Uniquely Bring to Your Role with Debra Coleman

On this episode, we’re joined by Debra Coleman, Executive Assistant to the Vice President of Learning & Employment Records at Western Governors University and host of the "Have a Seat...Conversations with Women in the Workplace" podcast. Debra joins us today to share about who might thrive being an EA in academia, how assistants across generations can learn from one another, and a reminder of how great you’re doing and how supported you are in this role. Connect with Debra on LinkedIn. Resources mentioned in the episode: Debra’s podcast episode: From Typewriters to TikTok: Thriving in a Multi-Generational Office

Mining for Strategic Gold with Ebony Belhumeur

On this episode, we’re joined by Ebony Belhumeur, former Silicon Valley Executive Assistant, now Head of Operations at Subspace Labs and Curator at The Assistant’s List - A Guide for Assistants in the New Era. Ebony joins us today to share about exactly how to challenge pre-existing assumptions about assistants, getting clear on your career goals and working backward with tenacity, and developing valuable skills beyond the surface level to establish yourself as a truly strategic partner. Connect with Ebony on LinkedIn. Resources mentioned in the episode: The First 90 Days: Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter - by Michael D. Watkins Ebony’s blog post on Becoming a Trusted Partner The Ultimate Critical Thinking Cheat Sheet

Deciding If the Chief of Staff Path is For You with Maggie Olson

On this episode, we’re joined by Maggie Olson, former Chief of Staff to a President at T-Mobile, and owner of Maggie Olson Consulting, a fractional Chief of Staff consulting firm. Maggie is also the creator and instructor of the Chief of Staff Certification Course. Maggie joins us today to share about delineating between the EA and Chief of Staff role, why an assistant might choose one role over the other, and how getting really practical with tools and hands-on practice is what results in confidence. Connect with Maggie on LinkedIn. Resources mentioned in the episode: Maggie’s Chief of Staff Certification The Confidence Code: The Science and Art of Self-Assurance---What Women Should Know - by Katty Kay & Claire Shipman

The Impact of Humanizing Business with Mary Ryan

On this episode, we’re joined by Mary Ryan, Executive Business Partner to the CEO of Stitch, and a 2nd generation, seasoned Executive Assistant with 20 years total experience as an administrative professional. Mary joins us today to share how assistants are uniquely positioned to bring a human element to business, how to be trusted with more responsibility no matter where you’re starting, and why satisfying career growth as an EA can be a ladder OR a lattice. Connect with Mary on LinkedIn. Resources mentioned in the episode: “Grit” by Angela Duckworth  Hear more of Mary’s wisdom on Planning Engaging Offsites