This special bonus episode of Panic Proof Radio features the one and only Amy Landino, bestselling author, keynote speaker, personal brand coach, and longtime friend.

As we navigate economic uncertainty and shifting business landscapes, Amy shares her perspective on what’s really holding people back and how we can reclaim control, reframe fear, and start building the life we actually want.

We also dive into one of her most talked-about strategies for entrepreneurs not quite ready to hire help: the “fake assistant.” If you're in the middle of a pivot, considering one, or just need permission to think bigger, this episode is for you. Key Takeaways:

• When the world feels out of control, building a personal brand gives you leverage and long-term stability.

• Fear-based decisions lead to small moves while abundant thinking opens the door to growth.
• The "fake assistant" method helps you understand what tasks you need to delegate and builds confidence before hiring.
• Evolving your brand may alienate some followers, but it attracts the right people for your next chapter.
• Forget waiting for the perfect moment—make the moment perfect and start now.

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Learn more about Amy Landino

Learn more about Don’t Panic Management

Reclaim your time with the Panic-Proof Blueprint

Linda Abraham has been a leader in the admissions consulting field since 1994. She founded Accepted to empower applicants to tell their unique stories through their college, graduate school, business school, law school, and medical school applications. Linda’s passion for sharing information about admissions and empowering applicants to achieve their goals led her to start the Admissions Straight Talk podcast in 2012.

At Don’t Panic Management, we’ve been able to work with Linda on the Admissions Straight Talk podcast throughout their production process, along with daily standard administrative procedures. In this episode, Linda shares her perspective on the evolution of the podcast and why building a solid team, including virtual assistants, helps small businesses scale and reach new audiences.

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Tony Holbrook leads a busy life—he’s a business owner, a consultant, a CrossFit gym owner and trainer, and a dad to four. It’s a lot to juggle, but thanks to his team of trusty virtual assistants, he’s been able to consistently grow his business over the years. 

We have much to learn from Tony, who masterfully organizes and operates his many ventures. He’s a big fan of virtual teams and credits his team for making his business more efficient and productive. He shares how he structures his virtual teams, where he sees his place as the leader, and what he does when he recognizes it’s time to pivot.

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Some may view being a virtual assistant as a stepping stone in between roles, but a career is very much possible. We’re diving into this topic with Hannah Kahn, our Chief People Officer at Don’t Panic Management. Hannah reflects on her career journey and shares how she grew from an Administrative Assistant to her current role and made herself an irreplaceable employee. 

Of course, Hannah keeps a close pulse on all things virtual work-related, and we hear her perspectives on how to collaborate remotely, what the rise of AI tools means for VAs, and more! 

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Katie Mleziva is the Founder and Brand Strategist of Real Food Brands and is constantly innovating and presenting new ideas for her clients. Yet, when it came to taking a leap in her business in 2018, she felt overwhelmed and didn’t know where to start. That’s when Katie enlisted the help of Don’t Panic Management. 

She shares how working with virtual assistants gave her the confidence, accountability, and a step-by-step plan to roll out new offerings in her business. What surprised Katie was how quickly she started to notice other areas where her business could benefit from the help of a VA. Tune in to hear more about how Katie’s leap paid off and how she continues to grow her business. 

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Virtual assistants are notorious for fascinating and sometimes unexpected career crossovers. That’s certainly the case for DPM VA, Emilee Joseph. A true powerhouse, Emilee balances her virtual assistant work with a demanding full-time career in government work. Pretty impressive, we’d say!  

In this episode, Emilee takes us through her unique career journey and shares why she decided to pursue VA work, what it has taught her, and how it complements her development in her day job. Emilee offers a valuable perspective from her position of being both a leader and an assistant at the same time.  

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As a leader in the PR world, Gini Dietrich is no stranger to living (and thriving!) in a storm. And she’s been thrown a couple of curveballs, too, like leading a company through a bumpy recession and transitioning her team to be fully remote when nobody in her industry was doing it. Yet she’s somehow navigated it all without losing her cool or skipping her morning cycle session.  

Leading a business is a bumpy ride, but Gini is a master at staying calm and prepared for any challenge. A lot of it comes down to delegating the things that don’t require her attention so that she can focus on the big picture. She shares her methods for setting up her virtual team for success and how she stays adaptable to change.  

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Nick Puleo is the President and Founder of Comsint, a public relations and marketing advisory dedicated to helping brands navigate their most pressing challenges. He is also a communications strategist and Emmy award-nominated producer committed to helping brands enhance and protect their reputation.  

As someone who works in public relations, remaining calm and strategic in the face of challenges is incredibly important. In this episode, we chat with Nick about the importance of administrative help, self-awareness, delegation, and collaboration in creating an efficient and scalable agency model while working with a virtual assistant.  

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Erin Guidry has been a part of the Don’t Panic Management team since the very early days and is integral to so much of the work that we do. In this episode, Erin shares her unexpected journey to becoming a virtual assistant and how she benefits from the non-traditional job.  

Before becoming a virtual assistant, Erin explored some quite interesting paths—from animal rescue work to professional baking. It was when she had her first child that she realized how valuable work flexibility was to her. Erin shares how she has navigated becoming a mom while continuing to work and how her role as a virtual assistant has allowed her to strike the rare balance of being a present mom and being fulfilled professionally. 

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Dr. Sarah-Soonling Blackburn is an educator, speaker, author, and coach. Her work focuses on identity, diversity, and justice, emphasizing inclusion and belonging within the Asian American community.  

Throughout her time working with Don’t Panic Management, Sarah has been able to reach more people through her workshops, books, and other educational materials. She believes that education can be liberating, and she aims to develop and deepen these mindsets with her workshops.  

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