Q: How did you get into your current role/industry?
A: I was 18-years-old serving at a non-profit adult day care for Alzheimer’s patients in my first EA role. I had no idea what I was doing but I loved every minute of my learning. I used to tell the director “I’m going to be the boss one day.” I cut my teeth doing admin work for leaders making life changing impact whether serving in the non-profit sector, juggling multiple C-Suite execs, a corporate furniture business, and especially in the 12 years I spent in healthcare serving over 50 physicians and a practice manager.
I’d been working remotely (hybrid) since 2003, and struggled over the years with the desire to be a present mom, playing legos, being room mom at school, and my drive to be a top level employee. It’s a problem many new parents face and I knew there had to be a way for me to still provide incredible value to my leaders, AND go on the kindergarten field trip.
It became something I was obsessed over, and I was determined to find a way to make it work, and through lots of creative planning and some tough negotiating skills: it did.
For over 9 years I balanced working at home and being a top level EA. When the company I supported got bought out, I had to decide to go back into an office or find a new role that would keep me working in the yoga pants I wasn’t too keen to let go of.
I broke into the online space serving entrepreneurs as a freelance EA in 2012 and a whole new world revealed itself.
Little did I know, every role I had as an EA gave me the skills I needed to start my company, Priority VA, that same year.
I jokingly say I’m an accidental entrepreneur. While I knew I’d be in charge of something one day, I had no idea it’d be my own company.
I simply combined my love of people, my need to solve a problem I had in my own life and started the company that has gone on to place hundreds of EAs in either fractional part time contractor roles, or full time, direct hire roles for some of the most incredible leaders in North America.
I get to do meaningful work that marries two decades of serving as an EA and 9 years of leading a business, and fully know what it’s like to sit in both seats. I have a very different perspective and when I tell EAs, or the clients we serve that I have their back, it hits a little differently because they know I’ve been where they both sit.
Q: What’s something you do to help boost your productivity?
A: I have an entire morning routine that is 9 steps (and I talk about it on my podcast Diary of a Doer in episode 8) that includes everything from meditation and apple cider vinegar water to exercise and gratitude. It’s the number one game changer for not more productivity but a better attitude, too.
Q: How do you find work-life balance?
A: The only way you’ll find it is to realize it doesn’t exist.
A friend of mine once said “If you’re going to be a successful entrepreneur, you need to realize now that you will need to hurt people you love.” I think this is true of anyone who aims to do meaningful work. You will need to take a late night call and cut story time short, miss an after work celebration with your favorite work-mate to go to the dance recital, terminate an employee you came to adore, or let go of a client you built a fantastic relationship with but can no longer serve well.
There is no balance. There are only choices, and acceptance of the consequences of those choices. So, be very clear of the consequences and choose wisely.
For a practical tip (which is what everyone wants), I’d say: have a very clear start and ending routine to your day. I block my calendar at my designated end time and it says: Shut it down. Be with your girls. Your job is done. Good job.
It’s directive. It’s not a suggestion, it’s a mandate. It reminds me of my why (my girls). It tells me what I already know (I did enough today!), and it’s affirming (in a world where we all are so mean to ourselves, I chose to be kind to the one I’m always with: me).
And still — it’s a choice. I have to choose to be done, or push through. And there are consequences on either end, aren’t there?
Q: What’s the best piece of professional advice you’ve received so far?
A: Don’t outsource your self esteem.
People are going to build you up, and others will tear you down. You cannot build a life on what other people think of you. Good or bad, it will destroy you.
Get to know and love yourself. Then, you’ll never be burdened by what others think of you.
Q: What’s your favorite software or app that helps with your workflow?
A: OneTab. It’s a Chrome plugin that keeps every workflow I need organized and separated. Simply deploy one tab in a new window and everything I need is ready to go. It takes time to set up, but will save you loads of time.
This is particularly effective when you serve a leader that insists on “doing things themselves” and then gets caught in the weeds. Help them by having a one-tab in their calendar appointment with ONLY the links they need to execute on.
Q: What’s a book or podcast you’d recommend to a colleague?
A: The Road Less Stupid: Advice from the Chairman of the Board by Keith Cunningham.
HBR IdeaCast is always a go to favorite of mine.
Q: What do you like to do in your free time outside of work?
A: Hands down, I love to cook. I love that there is a finished product, that I can taste and adjust along the way and (usually) fix any mistakes I make. I love watching people enjoy food I create and dream of going to culinary school just for fun one day. I have no desire to work in kitchen but learning among great chefs is a new life goal of mine.
☀️ Read about the power of a good morning routine.
⏰ Master time blocking.
👀 Watch a 3 min tutorial on OneTab.
