Fiona Young is a breath of fresh air to the assistant profession in terms of professional development! She is a former EA turned digital learning leader. Carve is building the next generation of AI-powered executive assistants. They offer exciting new AI courses for assistants | We touch on numerous points: · Growing up with technologist parents and the positive impact of this · Undertaking a degree in e...

We are excited to welcome international trainer, coach and mentor - Ruth Kilah of Hoxton Hyde. We talk about a LOT of different topics and Ruth's views are refreshing and innovative. Ruth's career journey and some very shrewd career moves Working internationally and what she learned Taking what many would consider a step down, but was actually a step up The 7 year itch! Redundancy and how this led to the next positive step Why the Chief of Staff role isn'...

After a summer break, we are back and delighted to welcome Jess Gardiner, Founder of The Assistant Room. Our discussion is varied and may be considered controversial at times: Executive Energy Toxic Loyalty How to be a good quitterWhy the EA/PA industry is 'wash, rinse and repeat' and needs to change Evolution vs revolution of the assistant roles Awards for Assistants Lessons learned This is an episode not to be missed! The Assistant Room is an exclusive glo...

EDI is a top priority for most leadership teams, but how many are really driving through culture change? This weeks interview discusses exactly this and all things EDI and why is should matter to every business and executive support professional. Natasha is the founder and Director of Diverse Matters. She is responsible for the overall running of the company and for the design and delivery of a range of diversity and inclusion solutions for clients across the voluntary, public, ...

Alex Leigh is a new addition to the board of EPAA and an ambitious millennial Executive Assistant, with over 13 years experience under her belt. A former quantitative market researcher focusing on fast-moving consumer goods, Alex’s love for sport and excellent administration brought her to the sport sector nearly 14 years ago, and the start of her administrative career. We of course discuss Alex's career change and her learnings from this, as well as her huge appetite for le...

This weeks interview is with the incredible Sarah Howson. Sarah is Co Founder and Director of The Strategic PA Network & Strategic PA Recruitment. We chat to Sarah about her career story with a big chunk of her early childhood spent living in the USA , before coming back to the UK and continuing her education. Sarah talks through her journey as an assistant and what she learned along the way. In addition to setting up a PA network, which has grown to include ...

Dalya is an award-winning Executive Assistant with over 15 years of progressive experience within the EA/PA industry and also EPAA's new chair. She has been EA to a high profile/high net worth Entrepreneur & Philanthropist since 2010 and has since been promoted to Director. In 2013, she was 1st runner up in the Executive PA Magazine PA of the Year Awards and in 2014 won the Pitman Training Super Achievers PA of the Year Award. This has allowed Dalya to be invited as a guest spea...

This weeks episode is with incredible Emily Broadbent of the UK charity Pregnant then Screwed. Pregnant then Screwed was set up in 2015 by Joeli Brearley. Two days after she informed her employer that she was pregnant with her first child, Joeli Brearley was sacked from her job by voicemail. She was four months pregnant and unemployed with bills to pay. She knew this wasn't a unique experience. The charity is dedicated to ending the motherhood penalty, supporting tens of thousands o...

Welcome to this next episode of the show! This weeks guest is the incredible Clare Hall, who currently works for Arup. Dedicated to sustainable development, Arup is a collective of designers, consultants and experts working across 140 countries. Founded to be both humane and excellent, we collaborate with our clients and partners using imagination, technology and rigour to shape a better world. We discuss Clare's entire career and life along the way. Leaving school and ...

Julie Perrine is an executive assistant turned CEO and the founder of All Things Admin. She is also an enthusiastic trainer, author, Certified Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Administrator, perpetual planner, longtime thimble collector, and adoring aunt. As an advocate of the administrative profession, Julie encourages admins to be prepared, hone their skills, and always keep their minds open to new career opportunities. This is another action packed interview covering an incredible amount...

This is a hugely inspiring and motivating interview with the incredible Daniel Skermer, Founder of the West Midlands PA Forum. We cover a LOT! This episode is packed with a mammoth story of hard graft, being completely unapologetic and your authentic self. Daniel's schooling years and what happened when he first left school Staying in Turkey after a holiday and becoming an au pair His career in the travel industry and the different challenges he faced A lov...

Ngagementworks was created by Nick, based on over 20 years experience of leading and working with teams throughout the world. Nick is passionate about helping both individuals and teams achieve the success they deserve and do this, by facilitating engaging workshops and delivering motivational presentations at conferences. In this episode we take Nick back to when he left school at 16 and landed at Barclays Bank, where he eventually became a Director of Change. We discuss his journey...

Mairi is a Personal Impact Expert and CEO of Scene Change Creative Consultants Ltd, global providers of bespoke people development initiatives across the sectors. Founder of the UK Houses of Parliament cross sector Mentoring Programme, Storytelling Expert for the European Women In Leadership Programme at Coca Cola and founder of the Graduate Professional Consultant Programme for Oracle. Mairi specialises in face to face and online coaching sessions on Communication Skills, Resilience, Confide...

We are excited to be joined by Ben Stevenson on this episode of The Assistant Lab. Ben is Chief of Staff at North East Headquartered Bloom Procurement Services. Over the last 10 years, he has built an exciting career in operational and C-Suite support roles than have allowed him to live and work in all four corners of the UK and embed the unique skills and experiences from each into his role today. Driven by Bloom’s purpose, Ben is motivated to make the company’s strategi...

We are super excited to release this episode of The Assistant Lab, with one of the UK's most inspiring assistants! Big words, but 100% the truth. Leeanne Adu is a former Executive Assistant, who is award winning and spent most of her career in the UK Third Sector. She has achieved a huge amount, under really challenging and exceptional circumstances. Special Lee (you will find out more in the podcast why she had this nickname) doesn't hold ...

We are delighted to welcome Abigail Langridge to this weeks episode. Abigail is the Founder and Owner of Poppins PA. A private Personal Assistant company which supports business people and their families. They work with you & not for you. Being on your side, making suggestions, using our initiative & judgement to help you succeed & flourish in your world. We alleviate that ‘noise’ that you carry around with you, all those things that keep you awake at night. A...

What can we say about the amazing Gill Quirk!?! Gill has recently retired after a 40 year career at the Ministry of Defence and arguably one of the most famous Assistants to come out of the UK Civil Service! Born in the Isle of Man, Gill started her career there with local government, before making the bold move to London and commencing what was to be an awe inspiring career with the MoD. Gill's career as an assistant at the Mod meant she got the opportunity work in Cairo...

Welcome to the next episode of The Assistant Lab. We invited top recruiter, Kam Vara from Katie Bard Recruitment to come and talk all things recruitment. We discussed her background from completing a law degree to finding her perfect profession in recruitment. Kam has been at Katie Bard Recruitment for over 20 years. Katie Bard is based in Birmingham. They recruit permanent and temporary staff across the Midlands for a full range of office support and executive roles. We cover a multi...

Welcome to the next episode of The Assistant Lab! Wow - is one word to describe this amazing interview with Shirwyn. Shirwyn talks us through his extraordinary career to date, which included being the first man and first person of colour to win the South African PA of the Year award in 2019. We also discuss the impact of the Not Just a Girls Job campaign, an EPAA UK campaign to look at the gender split between male vs females in the roles. As someone who has moved ...