Mining for Strategic Gold with Ebony Belhumeur

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!

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

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

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

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

On this episode, we’re joined by Melissa Peoples, the CEO and Founder of Admin Gurus, a company dedicated to equipping, empowering, and enabling Administrative Professionals to take their seat at the table.  Melissa joins us today to share practical self-inquiry and steps for building confidence in the role, spicy insights into the profession still being 98% women, and what to ask your leader instead of “how can I help?”. Connect with Melissa on LinkedIn. Resources mentioned in the episode: Other folks to follow: Meg Steinschauer Ebony Belhumeur Debra Coleman Melissa’s top rated Youtube Channel

On this episode, we’re joined by Jessica McBride, the Founder of Tech Savvy Assistant where she helps assistants stay ahead of the curve in today's rapidly changing tech environment. Jessica joins us today to share why AI won’t be able to replace the true value assistants bring, what being a tech-savvy assistant really means, and how embracing technology and AI is opening up new avenues for career growth and advancement. Connect with Jessica on LinkedIn. Resources mentioned in the episode: TechSavvy TechStack Sign up for Jessica’s newsletter Check out upcoming Events hosted by Jessica

On this episode, we’re joined by Victoria Leech, a seasoned Executive Assistant, now Chief of Staff, passionate about supporting administrative professionals in reaching their full potential.  Victoria joins us today to share about the most important set of skills for new and mid-level EAs, the power of relationship building as an assistant, and applying all the things you do for your leader to yourself. Connect with Victoria on LinkedIn. Resources mentioned in the episode: Nonviolent Communication Joindonna.io Favorite AI tools: Motion- manages calendars and tasks  Airgram.io - note-taking automation 

On this episode, we’re joined by Sarah Wright, Executive Assistant to the Founder and CEO of The Opportunity Trust, a nonprofit working to ensure that every child who calls St. Louis home is prepared to thrive. Sarah was matched with Eric during her time as a Base EA contractor, and recently celebrated her first year as an EA. Sarah joins us today to share about the mental and emotional reprieve of the EA/Executive relationship, redefining the standard of excellence for an EA through a part-time and remote work perspective, and knowing the value you bring as an EA, and that it’s enough. Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn. Resources mentioned in the episode: 1. The Opportunity Trust Careers Page 2. REACH Podcast Episodes Part One: The Ins and Outs of Remote Support and How to Get it Right Part Two: The Ins and Outs of Remote Support and How to Get it Right 3. The Founder Factor Episode 6 - Building a Human-Based Business: Paige McPheely, Founder and CEO at Base

On this episode, we’re joined by Naomi White, former Senior EA and recently promoted to Engineering Program Manager at Cohere, a start-up in the AI space that focuses on natural language processing(think Chat GPT for reference). She has over 7 years of experience in operations and administration at tech companies, where they’ve ​​placed hiring great assistants at their core.  Naomi joins us today to share about being your own spokesperson as well as a listening ear, how you can go beyond “making someone’s life easier” as an EA, and all the ways assistants can utilize AI to supercharge their efforts. Connect with Naomi on LinkedIn. Resources mentioned in the episode: Invisible Women - by Caroline Criado Perez