Beth Portesi is a seasoned executive assistant and founder of Next Level VA, where Beth is passionate about mentoring EAs and VAs.
In this episode of The Leader Assistant Podcast, Beth talks about the transition from an independent contractor to an employee, “six figure habits” that make EAs invaluable assets, and valuing our time as we create more time for our executive(s).
LEADERSHIP QUOTE
Leadership is not about being the best. It’s about making everyone else better.
– Unknown
CONNECT WITH BETH
ABOUT BETH
Beth Portesi is an accomplished Executive Assistant with nearly a decade of experience, whose career began unconventionally as an ambitious independent contractor. Her initial goal was to support a remote lifestyle, a pursuit that rapidly evolved into a remarkable success story. Within just four years, Beth’s dedication and skill led to a 600% increase in her hourly rate, a testament to her determination.
In 2020, Beth founded Next Level VA, a platform born from her desire to mentor aspiring and current executive and virtual assistants. With this initiative, she shares what she calls “six-figure habits,” essential practices she identified and refined to elevate the role of an executive assistant. Her professional journey took a significant turn when she formed a deep connection with an executive, leading her to focus exclusively on this singular role. Beth’s unwavering commitment to excellence and her passion for empowering others in the industry make her a distinguished figure, keen on sharing her knowledge and inspiring others in the field.
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Visit leaderassistant.com/nova to learn more and secure your spot!
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EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
00:00:00.000 –> 00:00:08.460
BETH: Hi, I’m Beth Portesi, and one of my favorite leadership quotes is, leadership is not about being the best, it’s about making everyone else better.
00:00:14.488 –> 00:00:22.128
<v SPEAKER_3>The Leader Assistant Podcast exists to encourage and challenge assistants to become confident, game-changing leader assistants.
00:00:30.125 –> 00:00:37.085
JEREMY: Calling all Executive Assistants, are you looking for a way to elevate your skills or earn that promotion you’ve been eyeing?
00:00:37.965 –> 00:00:45.625
JEREMY: Nova Chief of Staff’s Online Certification Course provides you with the knowledge and confidence you need to stand out on the job.
00:00:46.325 –> 00:01:00.085
JEREMY: Whether you want to land your dream position or level up in your current role, Nova’s self-paced course gives you hands-on practice doing what Chiefs of Staff do every day.
00:01:00.785 –> 00:01:06.965
JEREMY: Visit leaderassistant.com/nova to learn more and secure your spot.
00:01:07.565 –> 00:01:12.105
JEREMY: That’s leaderassistant.com/nova.
00:01:13.305 –> 00:01:15.945
JEREMY: Hey, friends, welcome to The Leader Assistant Podcast.
00:01:15.965 –> 00:01:19.305
JEREMY: It’s your host, Jeremy Burrows, and it’s episode 269.
00:01:19.545 –> 00:01:23.485
JEREMY: You can check out the show notes at leaderassistant.com/269.
00:01:24.425 –> 00:01:33.425
JEREMY: leaderassistant.com/269 to check out the links and the bio and all the fun things related to this episode.
00:01:33.965 –> 00:01:38.505
JEREMY: And speaking of this episode, my special guest is Beth Portesi.
00:01:38.505 –> 00:01:42.605
JEREMY: Beth is Lead Executive Assistant at Fivetran.
00:01:42.625 –> 00:01:43.445
JEREMY: Is that correct, Beth?
00:01:43.785 –> 00:01:44.085
BETH: Yep.
00:01:45.005 –> 00:01:46.125
JEREMY: So welcome to the show.
00:01:46.385 –> 00:01:50.425
JEREMY: Tell us what part of the world you’re in and we’ll get started.
00:01:51.045 –> 00:01:51.505
BETH: Sure.
00:01:51.525 –> 00:01:51.945
BETH: Sounds good.
00:01:52.005 –> 00:01:53.965
BETH: Thanks so much for having me on, Jeremy.
00:01:54.145 –> 00:01:58.525
BETH: I love your book and I once gifted it to all of the EAs at our company for Christmas.
00:01:59.465 –> 00:02:02.185
BETH: Thanks for the work you’re doing and the way you advocate for our role.
00:02:02.205 –> 00:02:07.645
BETH: I am located in southern Oregon, originally from the Bay Area in California.
00:02:09.345 –> 00:02:13.125
JEREMY: And then what’s maybe your favorite thing to do when you’re not working?
00:02:13.985 –> 00:02:15.945
BETH: My favorite thing to do when I’m not working?
00:02:15.965 –> 00:02:19.905
BETH: Well, my husband and I own a small scale organic vegetable farm.
00:02:20.445 –> 00:02:27.625
BETH: So he runs it as kind of his day-to-day full-time job, but I help when I can and I go to the market with him every Saturday during the season.
00:02:28.265 –> 00:02:29.205
JEREMY: Wow, that’s awesome.
00:02:29.665 –> 00:02:36.605
JEREMY: We have had some rough, rough stretch trying to garden in our backyard.
00:02:36.885 –> 00:02:42.265
JEREMY: And thankfully, the one thing that has worked out is my favorite food in the world, and that’s strawberries.
00:02:42.285 –> 00:02:44.005
JEREMY: And so we, oh, the best.
00:02:44.025 –> 00:02:51.305
JEREMY: Yes, we tried like tomatoes and some other stuff and we kept killing them and they just wasn’t working, but the strawberries were going well.
00:02:51.305 –> 00:02:54.125
JEREMY: And then the strawberries would spread to the rest of the garden bed.
00:02:54.145 –> 00:02:56.825
JEREMY: And then we’re like, well, let’s just, let’s just do more strawberries.
00:02:56.845 –> 00:02:58.345
JEREMY: And then the next year, let’s do more strawberries.
00:02:58.365 –> 00:03:02.805
JEREMY: So now this coming year, the whole bed is basically all strawberries.
00:03:03.125 –> 00:03:04.005
BETH: Oh, that’s amazing.
00:03:04.025 –> 00:03:08.045
JEREMY: And so I’m like, get the whipped cream, get the shortcake.
00:03:08.085 –> 00:03:10.125
JEREMY: Let’s have a good time.
00:03:10.145 –> 00:03:12.605
BETH: If you can get to them before the birds, you’re doing great.
00:03:13.325 –> 00:03:15.805
JEREMY: Yeah, it’s, oh yeah, we get, I get out there.
00:03:15.845 –> 00:03:17.985
JEREMY: I’m like, I’ll help garden if there’s strawberries.
00:03:20.365 –> 00:03:20.925
JEREMY: Good deal.
00:03:20.945 –> 00:03:23.925
JEREMY: Well, thanks for being on the show.
00:03:23.925 –> 00:03:26.845
JEREMY: How did you end up getting into the executive assistant role?
00:03:27.905 –> 00:03:30.345
BETH: Yeah, it’s kind of an interesting start.
00:03:30.365 –> 00:03:35.145
BETH: I always loved getting things done, and I especially loved getting things done for other people.
00:03:35.725 –> 00:03:40.865
BETH: So I found a job as an admin assistant in 2016 for a small nonprofit.
00:03:41.345 –> 00:03:43.045
BETH: I got paid $10 an hour there.
00:03:43.425 –> 00:03:45.625
BETH: Eventually, I was earning $12 an hour.
00:03:45.645 –> 00:03:52.625
BETH: I adored the people that I worked for and their mission, but I knew it wasn’t enough to support myself at the time.
00:03:52.645 –> 00:03:57.385
BETH: So I got a second job as an event bartender, and I was 25.
00:03:57.385 –> 00:04:01.205
BETH: So I was still kind of had this itch to travel and experience the world.
00:04:01.845 –> 00:04:07.525
BETH: So I saved my tips from my event bartending job, and I saved up for a trip to Southeast Asia.
00:04:07.545 –> 00:04:19.645
BETH: I’d planned to take a few weeks off in order to take this trip, but as I got closer to the trip, I started having discussions with my bosses at the nonprofit about the pay kind of being a hurdle for me.
00:04:19.665 –> 00:04:22.525
BETH: And they asked me what kind of pay I needed.
00:04:23.165 –> 00:04:24.865
BETH: And truthfully, I didn’t even have a number.
00:04:25.345 –> 00:04:29.685
BETH: So they said, well, go home, figure it out, get a number and come back to us.
00:04:30.245 –> 00:04:30.945
BETH: And I did.
00:04:30.965 –> 00:04:33.245
BETH: And I realized I needed $18 an hour.
00:04:33.745 –> 00:04:50.825
BETH: And that made me really nervous to even say that number out loud because it was eye-opening for me and it was wildly uncomfortable to have a conversation about compensation with my bosses at the time and to ask for what I needed as a living wage.
00:04:51.525 –> 00:04:56.765
BETH: But to no fault of the nonprofit, they were not in a position to pay me exactly what I needed at the time.
00:04:57.225 –> 00:05:00.765
BETH: And so they agreed, well, it’d probably be best if I found a job that could give me that.
00:05:00.825 –> 00:05:02.585
BETH: And so we have a great relationship.
00:05:02.685 –> 00:05:03.885
BETH: We still do to this day.
00:05:05.285 –> 00:05:13.705
BETH: But yeah, instead of taking that few weeks off for my trip that I had saved up for to Southeast Asia, I decided I’d have to look for a job when I got back.
00:05:14.185 –> 00:05:15.285
BETH: And so I took the trip.
00:05:15.965 –> 00:05:24.625
BETH: And while we were in Bali, we got an opportunity to live on a property and care for a few animals in exchange for a place to stay.
00:05:25.945 –> 00:05:29.945
BETH: But the only catch was, is she wanted us to commit to three months there.
00:05:29.965 –> 00:05:33.745
BETH: And I didn’t have three months of funds to support staying there, though.
00:05:33.765 –> 00:05:34.145
BETH: That long.
00:05:34.605 –> 00:05:36.245
BETH: And my flight home was the next day.
00:05:36.345 –> 00:05:47.185
BETH: So if I didn’t take my flight home, I knew I wasn’t going to have enough money to pay for another flight until I made the money, which means I was going to have to get a job while I was in Bali.
00:05:48.165 –> 00:05:53.725
BETH: And I don’t typically shy away from like opportunities or get nervous easily.
00:05:53.745 –> 00:05:58.745
BETH: But this was a moment in my life that I felt truly uncomfortable because I was taking a risk.
00:05:59.725 –> 00:06:03.725
BETH: I did not have the money, but it’s something I felt like I needed to stay and I needed to do.
00:06:04.345 –> 00:06:04.865
BETH: So we did.
00:06:04.885 –> 00:06:05.865
BETH: We committed to staying.
00:06:06.625 –> 00:06:07.965
BETH: And I didn’t take my flight home.
00:06:08.845 –> 00:06:12.105
BETH: And now I had this big task in front of me of finding a remote job.
00:06:12.525 –> 00:06:15.705
BETH: And keep in mind, this is four years before COVID.
00:06:16.025 –> 00:06:17.665
BETH: So this is 2016.
00:06:19.045 –> 00:06:25.105
BETH: Working remotely was much less common occurrence because, you know, it just wasn’t as common.
00:06:25.125 –> 00:06:32.485
BETH: And yeah, so I told myself I was going to spend every single day looking for a job for at least $18 an hour.
00:06:32.505 –> 00:06:35.465
BETH: And I wouldn’t go any lower than that because that’s what I knew I now needed.
00:06:35.485 –> 00:06:39.725
BETH: And I applied all day, every single day.
00:06:39.745 –> 00:06:45.945
BETH: And I think it took me about three months until I finally got my first yes.
00:06:46.665 –> 00:06:48.365
BETH: So that’s kind of how I got started.
00:06:48.385 –> 00:06:52.465
JEREMY: And that was was that the remote assistant?
00:06:53.505 –> 00:06:56.585
BETH: Yeah, I got a job as a remote virtual assistant.
00:06:59.665 –> 00:07:04.085
JEREMY: So you were doing remote virtual assistant stuff.
00:07:04.105 –> 00:07:28.585
JEREMY: Well, before we talk about kind of the next step in your journey in the next path or career transition, what may be something you learned working remotely and some tips that you share with those that maybe they’re looking for remote work, or maybe they’re just working remotely and they want some good work from home tips?
00:07:29.325 –> 00:07:29.785
JEREMY: Sure.
00:07:30.145 –> 00:07:35.685
BETH: I think maybe more important than like working remotely is actually getting a remote job.
00:07:36.905 –> 00:07:39.225
BETH: Like I mentioned, I spent all day every day applying.
00:07:39.305 –> 00:07:44.965
BETH: I used my $150 Chromebook that I got from Walmart to apply to these jobs.
00:07:45.965 –> 00:07:47.725
BETH: I submitted hundreds of applications.
00:07:48.085 –> 00:07:51.865
BETH: I would wake up at three or four in the morning just to take interviews across time zones.
00:07:51.885 –> 00:07:57.945
BETH: And like I mentioned, I just I couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong and why I couldn’t get to a yes.
00:07:58.645 –> 00:07:59.605
BETH: So I did a test.
00:08:00.225 –> 00:08:08.445
BETH: I don’t know if this is like somewhat unethical, but I created a job posting for the exact type of role that I was looking for as an assistant.
00:08:08.945 –> 00:08:10.625
BETH: And I watched the applications come in.
00:08:11.405 –> 00:08:13.545
BETH: And every applicant seemed great.
00:08:13.845 –> 00:08:17.405
BETH: And they were experienced and they were qualified and they were well spoken.
00:08:18.125 –> 00:08:19.805
BETH: But they all blended together.
00:08:20.065 –> 00:08:25.485
BETH: And then I realized what I was doing wrong was I was blending in just like everyone else.
00:08:26.785 –> 00:08:32.785
BETH: So I asked myself, like, why would someone give me a job over these other amazing candidates?
00:08:33.125 –> 00:08:37.325
BETH: And I had to have kind of like a heart to heart conversation with myself about what makes me different?
00:08:37.645 –> 00:08:39.985
BETH: Why should I get the job over these other people?
00:08:41.025 –> 00:08:45.665
BETH: And the only answer that I could come up with was me, like the personal side of me.
00:08:45.665 –> 00:08:47.365
BETH: That’s the only thing that makes me different.
00:08:47.805 –> 00:08:51.705
BETH: And the side of me that you can’t get by reading a resume or a cover letter.
00:08:52.565 –> 00:08:56.125
BETH: So I created a short intro video, like super short.
00:08:56.145 –> 00:08:58.225
BETH: And I sent that in with my applications.
00:08:58.245 –> 00:09:00.145
BETH: And boom, I got my first yes.
00:09:00.165 –> 00:09:01.085
BETH: That’s how I got it.
00:09:01.365 –> 00:09:02.505
BETH: And I didn’t just get one.
00:09:02.505 –> 00:09:03.525
BETH: I got four of them.
00:09:03.625 –> 00:09:06.425
BETH: And that was all within probably two weeks.
00:09:06.785 –> 00:09:08.325
BETH: And I had been applying for months.
00:09:09.845 –> 00:09:13.445
BETH: So, yeah, that’s I think that’s when it became when it rains, it pours moment.
00:09:13.465 –> 00:09:18.425
BETH: And just one of the biggest takeaways is learning that you are your differentiator.
00:09:20.845 –> 00:09:21.885
JEREMY: So what was in the video?
00:09:22.725 –> 00:09:26.005
BETH: The video was just me saying like it was it was an honesty video.
00:09:26.025 –> 00:09:29.525
BETH: So I first started with the video kind of like I’m Beth.
00:09:29.885 –> 00:09:31.705
BETH: I have this many years experience.
00:09:32.025 –> 00:09:33.905
BETH: Here’s like what I have experience with.
00:09:34.285 –> 00:09:39.905
BETH: But even watching those, I just felt so like kind of like repulsed by like how boilerplate it felt.
00:09:40.185 –> 00:09:41.025
BETH: So I was like, you know what?
00:09:41.065 –> 00:09:44.285
BETH: I’m going to scrap this and I’m just going to be totally myself.
00:09:44.745 –> 00:09:47.525
BETH: And I was and I just said, hey, I’m living in Bali.
00:09:47.645 –> 00:09:52.025
BETH: I have this really like weird, unique opportunity where I’m staying somewhere in exchange for housing.
00:09:52.425 –> 00:09:59.025
BETH: You know, I have this experience, you know, I want to live a life that I love, but also do great work.
00:09:59.345 –> 00:10:01.505
BETH: And this is how I counterbalance my time.
00:10:02.185 –> 00:10:07.705
BETH: And so that’s kind of like the overview that I gave of myself, the situation I was in at the time and what I was looking for.
00:10:07.725 –> 00:10:09.485
JEREMY: You’re hired.
00:10:10.685 –> 00:10:11.765
BETH: And just it resonated.
00:10:11.785 –> 00:10:16.085
BETH: Some lady was like, hey, my mom used to go to Bali when we were younger.
00:10:16.125 –> 00:10:20.265
BETH: And so it’s just you immediately have some kind of personal connection with some people.
00:10:20.285 –> 00:10:21.765
JEREMY: Yeah, that’s amazing.
00:10:22.525 –> 00:10:22.905
BETH: Yeah.
00:10:23.625 –> 00:10:24.005
JEREMY: Cool.
00:10:24.025 –> 00:10:32.085
JEREMY: Well, so then as you got going into that, was that the birth, I’m assuming, of Next Level VA?
00:10:33.485 –> 00:10:34.645
BETH: It kind of slowly.
00:10:34.665 –> 00:10:39.565
BETH: So as I mentioned, I got quite a few more clients over time.
00:10:39.585 –> 00:10:46.025
BETH: I was getting a lot of referrals and I wasn’t just selling my services as an independent contractor.
00:10:46.045 –> 00:10:50.585
BETH: I realized that I was spending my time creating time for busy people.
00:10:52.025 –> 00:10:56.765
BETH: But eventually I got to the point where I didn’t have as much time anymore, right?
00:10:56.785 –> 00:10:59.825
BETH: Because now I’m getting all these referrals and I’ve got all this work.
00:11:01.845 –> 00:11:19.345
BETH: So I wanted to do something else and I wanted to be able to share this experience with other women and teach them, hey, if you’re uncomfortable having conversations around compensation, if you are not sure how to differentiate yourself or like get your foot in the door, it’s something that I wanted to help with.
00:11:19.405 –> 00:11:28.805
BETH: So that’s kind of what launched Next Level VA, which stands for Next Level Virtual Assistant, where I basically wanted to teach other women how to do this.
00:11:32.105 –> 00:11:37.045
JEREMY: So then, you know, I asked about the guests that I have on the show.
00:11:37.065 –> 00:11:38.785
JEREMY: I asked what topics they’d like to discuss.
00:11:38.805 –> 00:11:45.165
JEREMY: And one of them you mentioned was the value of what assistants and administrative professionals are selling.
00:11:46.485 –> 00:11:49.185
JEREMY: And you mentioned time specifically.
00:11:49.765 –> 00:11:51.865
JEREMY: So you talked about that, too.
00:11:51.885 –> 00:11:55.825
JEREMY: You realized how you’re saving, you’re spending your time saving these executives’ time.
00:11:56.065 –> 00:11:56.485
BETH: Yes.
00:11:56.805 –> 00:12:01.445
JEREMY: So talk a little bit about that and just kind of the value of what we bring to the table.
00:12:02.085 –> 00:12:03.005
BETH: Sure, absolutely.
00:12:05.405 –> 00:12:09.525
BETH: In our roles, we’re always going to be asked to do a variety of things, right?
00:12:10.345 –> 00:12:12.945
BETH: And you can’t really nail down what it is.
00:12:12.965 –> 00:12:14.145
BETH: And he’s like, what do you do?
00:12:14.165 –> 00:12:16.345
BETH: You know, a better question is like, what don’t we do?
00:12:16.645 –> 00:12:16.965
BETH: Right.
00:12:16.985 –> 00:12:25.325
BETH: But the main overarching thing that we’re doing is we are creating time for people that don’t really have enough of it or that need more of it.
00:12:25.745 –> 00:12:28.505
BETH: And so the things that we do are contributing to that.
00:12:29.545 –> 00:12:31.685
BETH: And interestingly enough, it kind of goes both ways.
00:12:31.705 –> 00:12:34.185
BETH: So same for ourselves.
00:12:34.205 –> 00:12:37.525
BETH: We also have to evaluate, like, what do we value our own time at?
00:12:37.985 –> 00:12:44.465
BETH: Like, what is it worth getting paid to spend our time on, you know, when we’re creating this time for these executives?
00:12:45.485 –> 00:12:55.085
BETH: So as I worked as an independent contractor, the more time, the less time I had to offer to clients, I realized it was worth more.
00:12:55.585 –> 00:12:59.925
BETH: And so I did something called, I implemented demand-based increases.
00:13:00.585 –> 00:13:07.485
BETH: So every time I got a referral or a new client, I would increase my rate by $5 for each new client, $5 an hour.
00:13:07.505 –> 00:13:17.005
BETH: And that might sound like a big jump to some people who are kind of in a setting as an employee, where you have to wait to have these conversations like during an annual review.
00:13:18.065 –> 00:13:28.605
BETH: But as an independent contractor, you get to kind of set your rate, which was really helpful in getting comfortable having those conversations around what you offer and what that’s worth.
00:13:30.625 –> 00:13:31.665
JEREMY: I love that strategy.
00:13:32.245 –> 00:13:33.645
JEREMY: I kind of did something similar.
00:13:33.665 –> 00:13:39.085
JEREMY: I didn’t have as clever of a catchy way to phrase to call it.
00:13:39.125 –> 00:13:44.425
JEREMY: But I basically was like, you know, I’m going to charge for my speaking and coaching.
00:13:45.105 –> 00:13:49.685
JEREMY: And then as I started to get more and more requests, I still have a day job.
00:13:49.705 –> 00:13:52.205
JEREMY: I still have kids and I’ve got all this stuff going on.
00:13:52.225 –> 00:14:05.645
JEREMY: I’m like, all right, I don’t want to do more coaching calls or more speaking engagements necessarily, but maybe I can charge more, do the same amount of engagements, but charge more so that it kind of weeds out some of them.
00:14:05.665 –> 00:14:10.165
JEREMY: And then, you know, so yeah, I just would raise my coaching rate.
00:14:10.205 –> 00:14:14.185
JEREMY: I raise my speaking fee and get more and more interest.
00:14:15.025 –> 00:14:16.645
JEREMY: I’m getting overwhelmed with all these requests.
00:14:17.165 –> 00:14:22.405
JEREMY: Raise my price again, you know, and be OK with them with getting a lot of no’s and a lot of no.
00:14:22.425 –> 00:14:24.505
JEREMY: We don’t have that budget and whatever and just moving on.
00:14:25.125 –> 00:14:27.625
BETH: Yeah, and it’s a great way to find your perfect client.
00:14:28.245 –> 00:14:29.665
JEREMY: Yeah, exactly.
00:14:30.525 –> 00:14:42.465
JEREMY: So then, OK, so talk to us about your transition then from independent contractor to an employee, because right now you’re an employee.
00:14:42.485 –> 00:14:43.025
JEREMY: Is that right?
00:14:43.045 –> 00:14:43.785
JEREMY: At Fivetran?
00:14:44.105 –> 00:14:44.985
BETH: Yeah, that’s right.
00:14:46.805 –> 00:15:09.805
BETH: So I guess backtracking a little bit about Next Level VA, I think one of the things that I might have left out was that I wanted to create this opportunity to share with other women, but I also knew there was a very practical side of things of being an assistant, like a skill set that you needed to have and be able to offer in order to kind of move your way up and get these yeses and get these referrals.
00:15:10.185 –> 00:15:21.945
BETH: So similar to kind of your approach in teaching assistants to be leaders, my approach for Next Level VA was to help develop a skill set for people who wanted to provide next level service to executives.
00:15:23.185 –> 00:15:33.865
BETH: And kind of similar to the whole discovery process of what I was doing wrong when I was first looking for a job, I had to ask myself, like, what am I doing that’s different from a skill side of things?
00:15:33.885 –> 00:15:38.405
BETH: And is this something inherent to me or is it something I can teach to others?
00:15:39.185 –> 00:15:40.805
BETH: And the answer was, I’m not special.
00:15:42.505 –> 00:15:46.705
BETH: And the way that I work can be broken down into practices and steps.
00:15:48.005 –> 00:15:50.945
BETH: And so I kind of coined the term, like, six-figure habits.
00:15:51.645 –> 00:16:00.945
BETH: And this is kind of how I describe the skill set that enabled me to go from getting paid that $10 an hour, like, up to six figures in a very short amount of time.
00:16:00.965 –> 00:16:07.545
BETH: But yeah, so I think that’s kind of what led Next Level VA onto its path.
00:16:08.145 –> 00:16:15.805
BETH: But in that time, I feel like I kind of I found my executive, like the person that I wanted to assist for the long term.
00:16:17.125 –> 00:16:24.165
JEREMY: So then your what are kind of a few of those practically those six-figure habits?
00:16:29.245 –> 00:16:31.825
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00:17:05.665 –> 00:17:06.085
BETH: Sure.
00:17:06.925 –> 00:17:16.305
BETH: One of, I think, the biggest ones I picked up when I was 20 years old, I was living in Boston and working at the Ritz Carlton as a line cook.
00:17:17.445 –> 00:17:22.885
BETH: And when we went to our orientation training, we had filled out a sheet that asked us all of these personal questions.
00:17:23.445 –> 00:17:25.985
BETH: And one of them was, what is your favorite food?
00:17:26.725 –> 00:17:29.385
BETH: And I’m a sucker for sweets, so I put tiramisu.
00:17:30.265 –> 00:17:36.185
BETH: And later on, we broke for lunch and I got back to my desk and there was a tiramisu sitting on my desk.
00:17:36.205 –> 00:17:38.005
BETH: And it said, welcome to the Ritz Carlton, Beth.
00:17:38.885 –> 00:17:43.825
BETH: And that totally knocked my socks off in a way that I had never forgot.
00:17:44.805 –> 00:17:50.245
BETH: And so it was, they had told us this is the level of service that like we provide to our guests.
00:17:50.545 –> 00:17:57.205
BETH: And that kind of inspired me to incorporate that into the level of service I provide to my executives.
00:17:58.085 –> 00:18:00.865
BETH: So my first six-figure habit is called the Ritz treatment.
00:18:00.905 –> 00:18:03.125
BETH: I like to give my executives the Ritz treatment.
00:18:03.785 –> 00:18:08.365
BETH: And, you know, people don’t pay the Ritz Carlson because they have the biggest and the nicest rooms.
00:18:08.385 –> 00:18:10.905
BETH: Like, sure, they’re nice, but people are paying for the service.
00:18:11.745 –> 00:18:14.925
BETH: And I think that service is greater than anything else.
00:18:15.205 –> 00:18:16.645
BETH: And the same goes for assistance.
00:18:17.205 –> 00:18:23.285
BETH: The service we provide is more important than the years of experience or the credentials that we might have.
00:18:25.245 –> 00:18:25.705
JEREMY: Love it.
00:18:25.725 –> 00:18:32.925
JEREMY: So what what’s maybe an example of the Ritz experience or the Ritz?
00:18:32.965 –> 00:18:33.605
JEREMY: What do you call it?
00:18:33.625 –> 00:18:34.945
BETH: The Ritz treatment?
00:18:35.165 –> 00:18:35.725
JEREMY: Treatment.
00:18:35.745 –> 00:18:36.145
JEREMY: Treatment.
00:18:36.285 –> 00:18:43.365
JEREMY: What’s an example of the Ritz treatment throughout your career that you’ve, you know, gifted or used?
00:18:44.285 –> 00:18:44.645
BETH: Sure.
00:18:45.005 –> 00:18:53.185
BETH: I think a few ways you can provide the Ritz treatment as an assistant is number one, just recording your executive’s preferences, like even the smallest details.
00:18:53.625 –> 00:18:58.285
BETH: And I think this probably comes as second nature to a lot of very seasoned executive assistants.
00:18:58.285 –> 00:19:02.585
BETH: I could go, yeah, like, I got to know, like, where their favorite spot to sit on the plane is.
00:19:03.485 –> 00:19:05.645
BETH: But I like to record all of the details.
00:19:05.665 –> 00:19:11.945
BETH: Like, if I notice that they’re always drinking or eating a certain thing, I keep that in mind so that I don’t have to ask them when I go to the office.
00:19:12.005 –> 00:19:17.725
BETH: Or when I go to order their lunch, like, I know exactly what they want and anticipating their needs that way.
00:19:18.385 –> 00:19:21.385
BETH: And they have another term at The Ritz called Surprise and Delight.
00:19:21.385 –> 00:19:25.405
BETH: So I also like to use those details to surprise and delight them.
00:19:25.425 –> 00:19:30.085
BETH: Like, if it’s their birthday, I know exactly what to send them because I’ve spent the time getting to know them.
00:19:31.305 –> 00:19:38.125
BETH: And then lastly, you know, at The Ritz, like, you kind of execute everything, like, all the way to the next level.
00:19:38.165 –> 00:19:40.705
BETH: And that’s what I like to do as an assistant.
00:19:41.545 –> 00:19:53.345
BETH: So if there’s any tasks that I’m given, I always try to take it as far as I possibly can and execute it as far as I can until I, you know, hand it back to them or I need their input on something.
00:19:53.365 –> 00:19:55.805
JEREMY: Nice.
00:19:56.485 –> 00:19:58.665
JEREMY: So what’s maybe one thing you’ve learned?
00:19:58.685 –> 00:20:02.405
JEREMY: I’m assuming Fivetran is a fairly large company.
00:20:02.425 –> 00:20:05.685
JEREMY: I mean, I’m assuming there are other assistants at the organization.
00:20:06.005 –> 00:20:06.945
BETH: Yes, there are.
00:20:06.965 –> 00:20:09.245
BETH: I think we have seven total today.
00:20:09.805 –> 00:20:10.205
JEREMY: Okay.
00:20:10.225 –> 00:20:13.145
JEREMY: So what’s it like working with a team of assistants?
00:20:14.145 –> 00:20:14.945
BETH: It’s really great.
00:20:14.985 –> 00:20:17.485
BETH: I mean, the thing is, is that you’re constantly learning.
00:20:17.505 –> 00:20:27.945
BETH: So even me, somebody who has had the opportunity to train and work with other assistants, I think I learned the most just by working with my peers at Fivetran.
00:20:28.865 –> 00:20:32.005
BETH: I pick up a lot of great practices from them.
00:20:32.025 –> 00:20:38.405
BETH: And it’s really amazing because the executive assistant role, it really draws in a certain type of individual.
00:20:38.485 –> 00:20:41.945
BETH: And when you have a lot of them, I feel like it can be a force to reckon with.
00:20:41.965 –> 00:20:43.785
BETH: Like these are people that get stuff done.
00:20:44.545 –> 00:20:47.985
BETH: So it’s great to have a resource with my peers.
00:20:49.705 –> 00:20:56.345
JEREMY: And then do you, is there an office in your town or do you work remotely for Fivetran?
00:20:56.425 –> 00:20:57.385
BETH: I work remotely.
00:20:57.705 –> 00:20:59.465
BETH: We do have locations worldwide.
00:21:00.445 –> 00:21:01.805
BETH: But I am not in office.
00:21:02.805 –> 00:21:03.145
JEREMY: Nice.
00:21:03.365 –> 00:21:08.285
JEREMY: Is there, are your executive, is your executive in office?
00:21:08.365 –> 00:21:10.885
JEREMY: Is your executive remote or kind of hybrid?
00:21:11.425 –> 00:21:13.125
BETH: My executive is hybrid.
00:21:13.845 –> 00:21:22.365
BETH: So kind of rewinding just a little bit, you had asked about the transition from an independent contractor to an employee.
00:21:22.385 –> 00:21:28.665
BETH: I had met this leader, this executive, and we just jived so well.
00:21:28.725 –> 00:21:33.985
BETH: Like it was just, you know, the type of leader that he was really inspired me.
00:21:34.265 –> 00:21:35.665
BETH: And it also made me feel safe.
00:21:35.685 –> 00:21:38.685
BETH: And I’m like, this is the type of person I want to assist for life.
00:21:38.685 –> 00:21:40.825
BETH: Like this is an awesome individual.
00:21:40.845 –> 00:21:43.185
BETH: And I feel like it’s like a once in a lifetime CEO.
00:21:43.585 –> 00:21:46.585
BETH: And I found my once in a lifetime CEO that I could assist.
00:21:47.345 –> 00:21:48.525
BETH: He’s really great at what he does.
00:21:49.285 –> 00:21:53.785
BETH: So great that the company that he had worked towards building got acquired by Fivetran.
00:21:54.905 –> 00:22:01.305
BETH: So he transitioned, we merged companies and he moved into more of like a board president role.
00:22:01.765 –> 00:22:05.305
BETH: And then I started assisting the general counsel at Fivetran.
00:22:06.045 –> 00:22:16.985
BETH: So my for life CEO, he’s kind of on vacation right now, enjoying all of the work and all of the time that he’s put into his career for the last 25 years.
00:22:17.825 –> 00:22:22.825
BETH: So now the executive I support at Fivetran, she’s based in Denver.
00:22:22.945 –> 00:22:25.065
BETH: So it’s a hybrid role.
00:22:27.885 –> 00:22:32.825
JEREMY: Any other like just in general, it could be your current role.
00:22:33.645 –> 00:22:36.205
JEREMY: It could be one of the clients that you supported.
00:22:36.225 –> 00:22:47.985
JEREMY: You know, any interesting or funny or crazy stories or, you know, Spider-Man saving the day kind of things with your job.
00:22:48.005 –> 00:22:57.665
JEREMY: Kind of putting you on the spot, but you know, I’m sure you had some variety of clients if you were working with as an independent contractor.
00:22:57.685 –> 00:23:03.545
BETH: This is one of those moments, Jeremy, where I’m like, don’t say too much.
00:23:03.565 –> 00:23:12.225
BETH: I don’t want to tell any of my stories because no names, no company names, you know, just like general vague story.
00:23:13.665 –> 00:23:16.385
BETH: Oh, man, a general vague story.
00:23:16.405 –> 00:23:18.305
BETH: Oh, my goodness.
00:23:19.065 –> 00:23:21.605
BETH: Okay, I can tell you this one and this is pretty bad.
00:23:21.625 –> 00:23:23.285
BETH: Oh, man.
00:23:23.305 –> 00:23:23.645
BETH: Okay.
00:23:24.105 –> 00:23:26.985
BETH: So I had this client one time, very short lived.
00:23:28.145 –> 00:23:35.645
BETH: This person was an executive and I would say was having some personal issues in their personal life.
00:23:35.805 –> 00:23:43.205
BETH: And it’s one of those moments where, you know, as an EA, like you get asked to do a lot of things, you know, and it’s like, where kind of where do you draw the line sometimes?
00:23:43.605 –> 00:23:47.545
BETH: And this is, I think, one of the only times in my life where I had to draw a line.
00:23:48.725 –> 00:23:55.745
BETH: But this person asked me, they were suspicious of their partner cheating on them.
00:23:55.865 –> 00:24:09.345
BETH: And so they had taken like a secret audio recording of a conversation their partner was having and they wanted me to like subcontract out this audio recording to somebody to like dissect it and find out what was being said in the recording.
00:24:11.265 –> 00:24:12.885
BETH: And I just felt like, you know what?
00:24:12.905 –> 00:24:16.985
BETH: Like, I don’t think the juice is worth the squeeze on this one.
00:24:17.005 –> 00:24:20.425
BETH: And I feel like just personally, I have to draw the line here.
00:24:23.165 –> 00:24:23.505
BETH: Yeah.
00:24:23.525 –> 00:24:26.525
JEREMY: It’s like, yeah, you want to you want to really want to do something with that?
00:24:26.545 –> 00:24:27.245
JEREMY: You can do it yourself.
00:24:28.185 –> 00:24:29.305
BETH: Exactly.
00:24:31.905 –> 00:24:32.305
JEREMY: Awesome.
00:24:32.325 –> 00:24:35.625
JEREMY: Well, thanks so much for joining me on the show.
00:24:35.665 –> 00:24:37.565
JEREMY: It’s been great chatting with you.
00:24:37.645 –> 00:24:56.425
JEREMY: Is there anything that you would put on a billboard or maybe put it on a 30-second Super Bowl ad that was, you know, a little message to assistants of the world?
00:24:56.665 –> 00:24:59.545
JEREMY: What would you what would you put on a billboard or put in a Super Bowl ad?
00:25:00.005 –> 00:25:03.865
BETH: Well, if I was making a Super Bowl ad, I sure would have put a lot more time into it than this.
00:25:04.445 –> 00:25:10.785
BETH: But I guess just in summary of kind of what we talked about, I think assistants, differentiate yourselves.
00:25:11.185 –> 00:25:13.925
BETH: You know, a lot of companies are going through layoffs right now.
00:25:13.945 –> 00:25:23.165
BETH: And if you’re applying to jobs, you know, like a mad person, differentiate yourself, stand out, send in a video with your resume.
00:25:23.905 –> 00:25:26.065
BETH: Let them get to know you, who you truly are.
00:25:26.165 –> 00:25:29.785
BETH: And don’t be afraid to be who you are.
00:25:30.845 –> 00:25:34.665
BETH: Because the second you start sounding like everyone else, you sound like everyone else.
00:25:35.485 –> 00:25:41.025
BETH: So be yourself and the right client, the right executive, the right person will find you and connect with you.
00:25:42.845 –> 00:25:50.385
BETH: Don’t be afraid to ask for what you need as far as a living wage and get comfortable around conversations, around compensation.
00:25:50.805 –> 00:25:57.805
BETH: Starting as an independent contractor could be a really good way to do that if you’re having trouble going the W-2 or employee route.
00:25:59.105 –> 00:26:01.825
BETH: And then above all else, just really invest in your skill set.
00:26:01.965 –> 00:26:07.185
BETH: You know, provide next level service to your executives and that’ll get you really far.
00:26:08.965 –> 00:26:10.125
JEREMY: Well said, well said.
00:26:11.025 –> 00:26:11.945
JEREMY: Thanks for sharing.
00:26:12.205 –> 00:26:25.605
JEREMY: And speaking of next level, what’s the best way for, or what’s maybe the number one thing you do for, like if those are listening and they’re like, oh, this next level VA sounds interesting.
00:26:26.625 –> 00:26:31.625
JEREMY: What’s maybe the top use case for how you help VAs?
00:26:32.065 –> 00:26:32.705
JEREMY: Sure.
00:26:32.725 –> 00:26:36.185
BETH: I think the top use case would be coaching, one-on-one coaching.
00:26:36.525 –> 00:26:43.305
BETH: But in full transparency, next level VA has kind of taken a backseat while I focus on my full-time role as an employee.
00:26:43.525 –> 00:26:45.025
BETH: So it’s more of a one-off thing.
00:26:45.045 –> 00:26:49.305
BETH: But if you want to reach me, it’s beth at nextlevelva.com.
00:26:50.485 –> 00:26:50.925
JEREMY: Perfect.
00:26:51.025 –> 00:26:52.705
JEREMY: And I’ll put the link in the show notes.
00:26:53.005 –> 00:26:58.245
JEREMY: And as well as your LinkedIn, if that’s all right, people want to reach out and connect with you on LinkedIn.
00:26:58.885 –> 00:27:01.565
JEREMY: And yeah, thanks again for being on the show.
00:27:01.925 –> 00:27:03.665
JEREMY: Best of luck to you in your career.
00:27:03.745 –> 00:27:06.045
JEREMY: And it sounds like you’re in a good spot right now.
00:27:06.065 –> 00:27:08.265
JEREMY: And, you know, when you find…
00:27:08.605 –> 00:27:14.485
JEREMY: I can relate to what you’re saying about, you know, you found this executive that’s like the for-life executive.
00:27:16.745 –> 00:27:18.225
JEREMY: My current executive is awesome.
00:27:18.245 –> 00:27:18.585
JEREMY: And I’m like…
00:27:19.025 –> 00:27:24.105
JEREMY: People are like, oh, why don’t you go do your side stuff full time?
00:27:24.125 –> 00:27:29.085
JEREMY: Or why don’t you go take this higher paying job at the San Francisco tech company?
00:27:29.125 –> 00:27:31.125
JEREMY: And I’m just like, you don’t understand.
00:27:31.145 –> 00:27:32.225
JEREMY: My executive is awesome.
00:27:33.165 –> 00:27:34.545
BETH: You can’t put a price tag on that.
00:27:34.565 –> 00:27:35.185
BETH: You really can’t.
00:27:35.205 –> 00:27:45.025
JEREMY: Yeah, it’s like, once you find that fit, it’s really hard to think about changing and trying a different fit.
00:27:46.865 –> 00:27:48.265
BETH: Well, thank you so much for having me on.
00:27:48.285 –> 00:27:49.345
BETH: I really appreciate your time.
00:27:50.165 –> 00:27:50.845
JEREMY: Thank you, Beth.
00:27:50.865 –> 00:27:51.385
JEREMY: Appreciate it.
00:28:01.570 –> 00:28:04.090
<v SPEAKER_3>Please review on Apple Podcasts.
00:28:10.685 –> 00:28:12.465
BETH: goburrows.com.
