Executive Office Insights

058: Here comes part 2. I have been asking my community about the questions they want me to answer. I hope your question was part of it, if not, let me know. As I will do this again next year - so save your questions. Diana xoxo

057: Ashley grew up in the North-East in a town called Middlesbrough, and moved to London aged 18 to pursue her Acting dream! Once in London, a steady income to fund the partying was much more important than auditions & acting - hehehe!

Ashley quickly fell into EA work, previously working at a Hedgefund company (far too grown up) followed by Mindshare (amazing fun), before landing an amazing job at Spotify and has been there for nearly 5 years, and absolutely loves it. Great company, great team & great music & podcasts!

Looking after a VP of EMEA Ad-Sales initially, and now taking care of Global Head of Business Ops, whilst enjoying organising Offsites has not only kept Ash busy, but most importantly - happy! It's a great ride!

Ashley loves meeting new people, and a good chinwag, so she is WELL excited to get back to the office & get her daily water cooler moments back.

Enjoy this episode - we had fun! Diana xo

056: Reggie Love is a Senior Advisor at Apollo Global Management. Reggie's responsibilities include supporting and developing strategy for human capital, public engagement and DE&I initiatives.

Reggie previously served as Partner at RON Transatlantic EG from 2012-2019, an international financial holding company with interests in the financial services, logistics, energy, industrial and beer sectors in the United States, Latin America and Europe. The group, via its portfolio companies, encompasses assets under management and revenues of over $14 billion. Mr. Love's work at the firm focused on financial services and energy investments.

Prior to joining Transatlantic, Reggie served at the White House as personal aide to President Barack Obama from 2009-2011, where he was responsible for assisting with the coordination and completion of the President's daily schedule as well as coordinating with other White House offices to set up long and medium range planning. Love moved to the District of Columbia in 2006 to work for then Senator Obama after short stints in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers.

Love is a graduate of Duke University, holds and MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and is the author of the New York Times Best Seller, Power Forward, My Presidential Education, which is a collection of stories and principles learned during his time working for President Obama and being a captain for the all-time most winning NCAA coach, Mike Krzyzewski.

Love also serves on the boards of Cox Media Group, National Summer Learning Association, Center for Environmental Farming Systems, Organizing for Action, MilitaryBowl Committee, Team Works, and The New Renaissance.

Reggie's book: https://www.amazon.de/Power-Forward-My-Presidential-Education/dp/1476763348

055: Pepita Soler is the founder and president of Pepitas Secretaries Club, the largest network for assistants in Brazil.

She was born in Peru and grew up in Brazil. She lives in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Pepita is the mother of twins – Felipe and Thiago. She has a great love and gratitude for Brazil, its incredible people, art, nature and culture.

Pepita started her consulting and training business, Pepita Consultoria in 1994 where they focus on the development of people, teams and leaders, covering companies all over Brazil.

She created Pepitas Secretaries Club (https://pepitassecretariesclub.com/) in 1996, and today it is the largest Secretaries Club with more than 8,000 members from over 500 corporations, across 15 states of Brazil. Today, Pepitas Secretaries Club is led by councils, committees and ambassadors, who are the top executive assistants and influencers in Brazil. They have monthly gatherings to design, create and implement projects that will help the professional and personal development of the secretaries of Brazil. This special group is composed of secretaries united by their purpose and passion for their profession. The Club's principles, created by the council, are unite, connect, develop and innovate.

You will enjoy the story of Pepita as she takes us virtually to beautiful Brazil. Connect with Pepita here: https://br.linkedin.com/in/pepita-soler

054: I have been asking my community about the questions they want me to answer and here is the first part. I hope your question was part of it, if not, let me know. As I am working on part 2 in a couple of weeks, there is room to send in new questions if you like. Looking forward to hearing from you. Diana xoxo

053: Seit über 10 Jahren begleitet Kathrin Wood Menschen bei der Suche nach einem passenden Job und unterstützt ihre Kunden bei der Auswahl der richtigen Kandidaten.

Ihr Fokus liegt auf der Vermittlung von Mitarbeitern in den Bereichen Assistenz, Office und Sekretariat.

Kathrin hat eine spannende Vita und ist wieder ein grandioses Beispiel dafür wie die Karriere einer Assistenz verlaufen kann. Sie hat nämlich u.a. für ein großes Unternehmen das Office in New York geleitet und ist nun erfolgreiche Unternehmerin. Ich liebe diese Geschichten und genau deshalb habe ich mir Kathrin für meinen Podcast ausgesucht. Aber höre doch selbst einmal rein und lasse Dich inspirieren.

Mehr Infos zu Kathrin und ihren Dienstleistungen gibt es hier: http://www.kathrinwood.de/

052: Hey there, it has been a while - I know. I was too busy preparing interesting interviews for you all that I almost forgot to record an episode myself. So, here I am. Super ready for my upcoming summer break. I will be gone three weeks. Still unreal to be honest but I so need this break. I have wonderful plans and will make memories.

I hope you enjoy your summer as well, no matter if you are travelling or staying home enjoying a detoxing phase, some good books or anything else.

I will for sure read a lot, here are my summer book recommendations for you, a mixture of German and international books. I have read them all or are about to read them during my upcoming vacation.

Books recommended by Diana:

German: Eigenlob stimmt von meiner lieben Trainer Kollegin Sabine Asgodom: https://www.amazon.de/Eigenlob-stimmt-Erfolg-durch-Selbst-PR/dp/343020254X

It's now von Janina Kugel: https://www.amazon.de/Its-now-f%C3%BChren-arbeiten-kennen/dp/3424202517

Das neue Land von Verena Pausder: https://www.amazon.de/Das-Neue-Land-jetzt-weitergeht/dp/3867746559

Was Männer nie gefragt werden von Fränzi Kühne (auf das Buch freue ich mich schon so sehr): https://www.amazon.de/Was-M%C3%A4nner-nie-gefragt-werden/dp/3596705827

Keine Panik, ist nur Technik von der großartigen Kenza Ait Si Abbou, die ich in meinem Buch "Die Assistenz in der digitalen Transformation" interviewt habe: https://www.amazon.de/Keine-Panik-ist-nur-Technik/dp/3833875461

International: Power Forward by Reggie Love (stay tuned for my podcast interview with him): https://www.amazon.de/Power-Forward-My-Presidential-Education/dp/1476763348

A promised land by Barack Obama: https://www.amazon.de/Promised-Land-US-Barack-Obama/dp/1524763160

Think again by Adam Grant: https://www.amazon.com/-/de/dp/1984878107/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

The subtle art of not giving a f+ck by Mark Manson: https://www.amazon.de/Subtle-Art-Not-Giving-Counterintuitive/dp/0062457713

Bet on yourself by my friend Ann Hiatt: https://www.amazon.com/-/de/gp/product/1400220262/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vamf_taft_p1_i0

And if you want to find out what Bill Gates will be reading this summer, check this out: https://www.gatesnotes.com/About-Bill-Gates/Summer-Books-2021

Enjoy a lovely summer and do not forget to listen to podcasts as well next to your books :-).

Diana xoxo

051: What a fabulous talk was this. Thank you Anthony and John for such a humble and authentic discussion. I am so honored to have you both in my network as you are wonderful ambassadors for our profession.

Anthony Carthew is a career professional with more than 25 years experience in PA & EA roles across government, corporate and entertainment industries. He joined the Sydney Opera House in 2006, and is currently Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer Louise Herron, as well as the Head of Protocol - responsible for overseeing the arrangements for the Opera House's many visiting dignitaries and VIPs, including heads of state and members of royal families from around the globe. Anthony manages a team of Executive Assistants, and heads up the Sydney Opera House Pride network, to help promote diversity and inclusion at the Opera House for its staff, partners and visitors. His past roles include senior EA roles at David Jones (Australia's leading department store), the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, amongst others. In 2018, Anthony was awarded EA of the Year Australasia (Executive PA Media), has spoken at many conferences and events in support of the EA profession, and is a highly-regarded mentor for aspiring PAs and EAs.

John Shaw is a familiar face on my podcast and I am grateful he agreed to be part of this discussion as well.

After 13 years of providing administrative support to award-winning recording artists and celebrities, John left the entertainment industry to broaden his knowledge and skills, and hone his talent further with a move into management consulting. He eventually returned to the world of entertainment, supporting the head of marketing of three major television networks, but John still felt he had something bigger to offer to the world. He found the opportunity he'd been looking for to make a bigger impact as part of his career, when he was hired in 2014 by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation CEO, Sue Desmond-Hellmann, to be her executive assistant. He now works as Executive Business Administrator to the Board of Directors for Microsoft. When John's not at work, you can find him with his family and his beloved dogs.

Here is the book link we talked about in this episode. I have this book as well and read it probably 100 times already: https://www.amazon.de/Hit-Refresh-Rediscover-Microsofts-Everyone-ebook/dp/B01HOT5SQA

Enjoy this episode. Much love, Diana x

050: Herrlich war mein Gespräch mit der lieben Katrin. Viele Themen waren auf der Agenda, aber höre einfach selbst hinein und begebe Dich auf die Reise der Vielbegabung, Hochsensitivität und vieles mehr.

Aber wer ist Katrin Stigge?

Nach ihrer Ausbildung zur Justizfachangestellten wusste Katrin sehr genau: Sie will "mehr". Sie hat nebenberuflich das Abitur auf dem Abendgymnasium nachgeholt. Anschließend hat sie eine Ausbildung zur fremdsprachlichen Wirtschaftskorrespondentin und Europareferentin (englisch / französisch) gemacht. Danach ging es dann zum ersten Mal ins Ausland. Vier Jahre lebte und arbeitete sie in Brüssel. Mit einem Wertewandel einhergehend ging es zurück nach Norddeutschland und wieder landete sie in einem Unternehmen, das international tätig war, auch in der Schweiz und schon stand der nächste Umzug an. Sie lebt nun seit dem Jahr 2000 in der Schweiz.

Ihre Karriere in einem Schweizer Großkonzern "passierte" ihr. Parallel machte sie einen Abschluss im Management & Personal. Neben dem klassischen Beruf eines Personalers (Human Resources, HR) war sie in der Führungskräfteentwicklung tätig, Organisations- und Talententwicklung und Rekrutierung. Nach fast 15 Jahren im Konzern hat sie gekündigt und startete ein Leben als Unternehmerin. Die MUT.VISION ist entstanden mit einem Netzwerk von über 100 Menschen in acht Ländern. Es gibt die MUT.AKADEMIE mit Workshops RESET & UPDATE und einer engagierten Mastermind-Gruppe.

Heute arbeitet Katrin als Business Mentorin. Ihr Fokus liegt zum einen auf der Karriereberatung für vielbegabte und hochsensitive Assistenzen und Führungskräfte. Zum anderen arbeitet sie mit Unternehmen bzw. "Corporate Communities" und unterstützt aktiv den Wir-Gedanken.

Mehr Infos zu Katrin gibt es hier: https://www.katrinstigge.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrin-stigge/ https://www.mut.vision/

Die Fragebögen zur Vielbegabung und Hochsensitivität findest Du hier: https://www.katrinstigge.com/downloadmodul/downloaden/e00df739a79ace45b32c4f1b55818525.html

https://www.katrinstigge.com/downloadmodul/downloaden/ce6312b6b65aac3f3b6ef0c7aa422e34.html

Viel Freude bei dieser Episode wünscht Dir Diana

049: Aalaa is based in Bahrain and works as Executive Assistant to the Executive Director and Managing Director and is also a Programme Administrator for the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) – Middle East. She took a training with me back in 2020 and I loved having her on the group as she shared valuable content. She also tought me Arabic for my presentation in Saudia-Arabia. What a gem she is!

Aalaa is currently trained to become a certified Coach (ICF – ACC). Make sure you connect with her: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aalaa-aljar-mba-pmp-6b47a9b8/

Book recommendation from Aalaa: https://www.amazon.de/CEOs-Secret-Weapon-Productivity-Effectiveness/dp/1137444231