The Whole Assistant Podcast

By Annie CronerBusiness Education Self-Improvement How To Careers

The Whole Assistant Podcast episodes

March 12E189 - Answers to Listener Questions
You’re invited to Empowered Seat, my membership designed to help you grow, lead, and rise alongside other powerhouse assistants.
Join Here → https://www.wholeassistant.com/empoweredseat
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In this episode of the Whole Assistant Podcast, I tackle a handful of your most burning questions, all focused on real-life challenges assistants face every day.
In this episode, you will discover:
How to set boundaries with your executive, especially when emergencies crop up, and why boundaries don’t have to be rigid to be effective.
Strategies for working alongside a Chief of Staff, clarifying responsibilities, and maintaining healthy working relationships when roles overlap.
How to handle being caught in the crossfire between disagreeing leaders, and the importance of facilitating resolution rather than absorbing their conflict.
If you've been craving practical answers, validation, and a dash of empowerment to tackle your day-to-day, this episode is for you.
Course on finding your next role: https://www.wholeassistant.com/dream-position
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Have burning questions you've been dying to ask? Submit your question to Ask Annie Anything by clicking here.

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Enjoy what you're hearing on the podcast? Please rate and review wherever you're listening.
Stay Connected:
Snag your free strategic planning session guide.
Visit the website.
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Send me an email: [email protected]
23 min
March 05My Personal Path to Better Boundaries
You’re invited to Empowered Seat, my membership designed to help you grow, lead, and rise alongside other powerhouse assistants.
Join Here → https://www.wholeassistant.com/empoweredseat
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In this episode, I open up and share my deeply personal journey with boundary setting, starting from a time in my life when I was operating on empty, people-pleasing, and struggling to find my footing both personally and professionally.
I reveal the pivotal moment (a health crisis) that forced me to reassess everything about my work, relationships, and self-worth. Through the ashes of burnout and hardship, I learned the power of boundaries and why they’re essential to thriving, not just surviving.
In this episode, you will discover:
How burnout, resentment, and lack of alignment can be key signals that boundaries are needed, and how I recognized these in my own life.
Why boundaries aren’t about pushing people away, but about creating a safe, dependable container for healthy relationships, including with your executive and colleagues.
Practical tips for identifying where boundaries are needed, how to set them intentionally (not reactively), and what to do when they’re tested.
Whether you’re an assistant, a support professional, or anyone learning to prioritize your well-being, my story will show you that even if you’ve been “unboundaried” for years, you can turn things around—one intentional step at a time.
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Have burning questions you've been dying to ask? Submit your question to Ask Annie Anything by clicking here.

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Enjoy what you're hearing on the podcast? Please rate and review wherever you're listening.
Stay Connected:
Snag your free strategic planning session guide.
Visit the website.
Follow me on LinkedIn.
Send me an email: [email protected]
26 min
February 26The 5 Pillars of Strategic Partnership
Check out The Leveled-Up Assistant course.
Learn more here → https://www.wholeassistant.com/levelup
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In this episode, I break down the 5 essential pillars that define a strategic partnership between assistants and their executives.
Drawing from my 20 years of boots-on-the-ground experience and coaching thousands of hours in the admin space, I share the core framework that has helped countless support professionals level up their impact, build genuine trust, and create thriving, fulfilling careers. Whether boundaries feel impossible or your systems need an upgrade, this episode is packed with actionable strategies to transform the way you approach your role.
You will discover:
Why finely-tuned systems and processes are the non-negotiable foundation for dependability and trust
The power of strategic alignment
How boundaries are key to preventing burnout and performing at your best
The role mindset plays in elevating your career
Ready to embrace your badassery and take your partnership to the next level? Let’s dive in!
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Have burning questions you've been dying to ask? Submit your question to Ask Annie Anything by clicking here.

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Enjoy what you're hearing on the podcast? Please rate and review wherever you're listening.
Stay Connected:
Snag your free strategic planning session guide.
Visit the website.
Follow me on LinkedIn.
Send me an email: [email protected]
15 min
February 123 Missteps That Are Killing Your Visibility
Please join us for our free masterclass, The Visibility Blueprint: 3 Power Moves to Stand Out & Build Influence.
Register Here → https://www.wholeassistant.com/visibility
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Have you ever felt like all the work you do goes unnoticed?
In this episode of the Whole Assistant Podcast, I tackle the top three missteps that are quietly sabotaging your visibility. I'll break down why visibility is crucial, and show you how to redefine your worth, capture your unique strengths, and communicate what you bring to the table in a way that feels authentic and empowering.
In this episode, you will discover:
Why visibility isn't about ego, being loud, or becoming someone you're not.
The benefits of improving visibility in your role
The difference between visibility and posturing.
If you've ever felt invisible in your role, this episode is your path to feeling feeling seen, valued, and empowered.
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Have burning questions you've been dying to ask? Submit your question to Ask Annie Anything by clicking here.

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Enjoy what you're hearing on the podcast? Please rate and review wherever you're listening.
Stay Connected:
Snag your free strategic planning session guide.
Visit the website.
Follow me on LinkedIn.
Send me an email: [email protected]
22 min
February 05Navigating HR Functions as an Executive Assistant
You’re invited to Empowered Seat, my membership designed to help you grow, lead, and rise alongside other powerhouse assistants.
Join Here → https://www.wholeassistant.com/empoweredseat
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Have you ever found yourself suddenly responsible for HR tasks and wondering if you’re crossing a line, but not sure where that line is?
This episode is all about shining a light on the blurred boundaries that come with executive assistants taking on HR functions, especially in startup environments where official HR support might be thin (or even nonexistent!).
In this episode, you will discover:
Why documentation and handling sensitive information demands strict awareness of compliance and personal liability.
Real-life stories from my own assistant journey that highlight the importance of protecting yourself.
Plus a resource that will be helpful for you in navigating HR functions within the context of your role.
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Have burning questions you've been dying to ask? Submit your question to Ask Annie Anything by clicking here.

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Enjoy what you're hearing on the podcast? Please rate and review wherever you're listening.
Stay Connected:
Snag your free strategic planning session guide.
Visit the website.
Follow me on LinkedIn.
Send me an email: [email protected]
11 min
January 29A Standalone Administration Vertical & The Future of Work
You’re invited to Empowered Seat, my membership designed to help you grow, lead, and rise alongside other powerhouse assistants. Join Here → https://www.wholeassistant.com/empoweredseat
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In this episode, I sit down with Lynn Walder to dig deep into the future of business administration and how assistants can break out of outdated models. We explore Lynn’s game-changing Executive Operations Cohort Model; a roadmap to elevate business administration into its own vertical, with clear career growth, measurable ROI, and genuine influence.
Whether you’re facing career roadblocks, craving more respect and mobility, or just ready to reimagine your value, you’ll want to listen in.
In this episode, you will discover:
Why the traditional admin model keeps us stuck, and what it takes to move to a standalone administration vertical that’s respected at the strategy table.
The three-stage framework for change: how to pilot, formalize, and ultimately standardize business administration as a core business function.
The importance of speaking the language of business and tracking your value using data, not just relationships or tenure.
How to combat resistance, both from leadership and within admin teams, and use practical strategies to build bridges, foster collaboration, and create real career paths.
Tune in and get ready to rethink everything you thought you knew about your role, your value, and your future in business administration!
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Resources mentioned in this episode:
Full step-by-step implementation guide for: A New ROI Paradigm: Business Administration for the Future of Work (The Executive Operations Change Management Roadmap)

Link to Lynn's "Admin Title Recalibration Initiative" framework presentation (launched in 2018, refreshed in 2023) - key TLDR slides below

(you can also access the full google drive of editable/downloadable docs inclusive of baseline JDs for each level through this article HERE)
Admin Task Tracker Template (to be used in an audit structure of 2 times a year for 1 - 2 weeks of tracking and data analysis)
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Have burning questions you've been dying to ask? Submit your question to Ask Annie Anything by clicking here.

----------------------------------------------

Enjoy what you're hearing on the podcast? Please rate and review wherever you're listening.
Stay Connected:
Snag your free strategic planning session guide.
Visit the website.
Follow me on LinkedIn.
Send me an email: [email protected]
44 min
January 22Assessing Your Standards in 2026
You’re invited to Empowered Seat, my membership designed to help you grow, lead, and rise alongside other powerhouse assistants.
Join Here → https://www.wholeassistant.com/empoweredseat
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In this episode of the Whole Assistant Podcast, I open up about my personal journey of reassessing and leveling up my standards for 2026. I share the standards I’m choosing with intention, and the mindset shifts that make it possible.
In this episode, you will discover:
How small, incremental shifts in your standards can lead to powerful breakthroughs in your life and career
How to lean into self-trust, not self-control when you adopt a new standard
Ways to reassess your definition of worthiness, embrace ease, and set boundaries that feel good to you
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Have burning questions you've been dying to ask? Submit your question to Ask Annie Anything by clicking here.

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Enjoy what you're hearing on the podcast? Please rate and review wherever you're listening.
Stay Connected:
Snag your free strategic planning session guide.
Book your free coaching discovery call.
Visit the website.
Follow me on LinkedIn.
Send me an email: [email protected]
21 min
January 15The Power of Incremental Change
You’re invited to Empowered Seat, my membership designed to help you grow, lead, and rise alongside other powerhouse assistants.
Join Here → https://www.wholeassistant.com/empoweredseat
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What if small incremental shifts are the secret to creating lasting change?
In this episode of the Whole Assistant Podcast, I share why the most sustainable breakthroughs often start with tiny, strategic upgrades rather than massive overhauls. I also reveal why consistency (not perfection) is one of the most effective ways to create the life you want.
In this episode, you will discover:
Why incremental change is more effective (and lasting) than dramatic, all-at-once actions
How to set sustainable goals that help you “become”, as well as achieve
Practical steps to implement small upgrades in your professional and personal life without the overwhelm
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Have burning questions you've been dying to ask? Submit your question to Ask Annie Anything by clicking here.

----------------------------------------------

Enjoy what you're hearing on the podcast? Please rate and review wherever you're listening.
Stay Connected:
Snag your free strategic planning session guide.
Book your free coaching discovery call.
Visit the website.
Follow me on LinkedIn.
Send me an email: [email protected]
19 min
January 083 Ways to Create Career Leverage in 2026
January 13-15 I’m hosting a free 3-day challenge for executive assistants who want to get organized for their most impactful year, without adding more work to their plate. Join the free challenge here → https://www.wholeassistant.com/challenge
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Are you looking for a clear path to creating momentum in 2026?
After reflecting on my own journey and the energy I want to bring to our EA community this year, I share intentional strategies to help you clear the clutter, define your vision, build systems that work for you, and increase your visibility, without hustling harder. If you're ready to show up strategically and make a meaningful impact, this episode is for you.
In this episode, you will discover:
How clarity is your launchpad for creating career leverage.
Where to focus your energy when it comes to reducing mental load, increasing ease, and setting yourself up for sustainable success.
Strategies for fostering visibility (even if you're an introvert).
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Have burning questions you've been dying to ask? Submit your question to Ask Annie Anything by clicking here.
----------------------------------------------
Enjoy what you're hearing on the podcast? Please rate and review wherever you're listening.
Stay Connected:
Snag your free strategic planning session guide.
Book your free coaching discovery call.
Visit the website.
Follow me on LinkedIn.
22 min
January 01Best of 2025 - When Your Executive Has Internalized Chaos
You’re invited to Empowered Seat, my membership designed to help you grow, lead, and rise alongside other powerhouse assistants.
Join Here → https://www.wholeassistant.com/empoweredseat
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Working for an executive who thrives in chaos can leave you feeling frustrated and questioning your own abilities. You are not the problem, and you are not responsible for fixing someone else’s patterns.
In this “best of 2025” episode, I unpack why some leaders operate in chaos, how to stop taking it personally, and what it looks like to stay grounded when everything around you feels unpredictable.
In this episode, you will discover:
Why chaos feels normal for some executives

How to stop blaming yourself for situations you did not create

Ways to stay professional and calm in messy environments

How to decide whether a chaotic workplace is the right fit for you

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Have burning questions you've been dying to ask? Submit your question to Ask Annie Anything by clicking here.

----------------------------------------------

Enjoy what you're hearing on the podcast? Please rate and review wherever you're listening.
Stay Connected:
Book your free coaching discovery call.
Visit the website.
Follow me on LinkedIn.
Send Me an Email: [email protected]
13 min

About The Whole Assistant Podcast

From the publisher's feed

Welcome to The Whole Assistant Podcast! I’m your host Annie Croner. I’m a former assistant who is passionate about the profession, and a certified coach who is invested in your success. You’ve come to…