Amaia Arruabarrena was executive assistant to ezCater’s previous CEO, and is now ezCater’s Director of DEI & Operations. She focuses on creating an inclusive environment that nourishes trust and encourages learning and vulnerability.
In this episode of The Leader Assistant Podcast, Amaia shares her fascinating story about her pursuit of becoming a doctor, finding a customer service job at ezCater on Craigslist, becoming EA to the CEO, and how her experience as a c-suite assistant prepared her for her director role.
LEADERSHIP QUOTE
The most meaningful way to succeed is to help others succeed.
– Adam Grant
CONNECT WITH AMAIA
ABOUT AMAIA
Amaia Arruabarrena is ezCater’s Director of DEI & Operations. She focuses on creating an inclusive environment that nourishes trust and encourages learning and vulnerability. In her experience as a DEI practitioner, she has worked closely with executive teams to implement tools, programs, and initiatives that eliminate opportunities for bias in systems and culture. Amaia takes a data driven approach and translates this data and research into strategy.
Using her background in Biology and Psychology, Amaia approaches her work through a neuroscience lens. She aims to achieve better understanding of the way our brains work and how this ties into the work of DEI, with the goal of better individual understanding, connection to this work, and ultimately driving long lasting change.
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THE LEADER ASSISTANT PODCAST IS PRESENTED BY EZCATER
ezCater is the nation’s most trusted provider of corporate food solutions — the best way for companies to order food for daily employee lunches, meetings, and events of any size or budget. ezCater’s simple-to-use platform provides a network of over 100,000 restaurants nationwide, business-grade reliability, food spend management tools, and 24/7 support from their highly trained customer service team.
To explore corporate food solutions or place a catering order, visit ezcater.com.
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EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
00:00:00.000 –> 00:00:04.320
AMAIA: Hi, I’m Amaia Arruabarrena, and today’s leadership quote comes from Adam Grant.
00:00:04.620 –> 00:00:07.900
AMAIA: It’s the most meaningful way to succeed is to help others succeed.
00:00:14.185 –> 00:00:21.625
<v SPEAKER_3>The Leader Assistant Podcast exists to encourage and challenge assistants to become confident, game-changing leader assistants.
00:00:29.362 –> 00:00:32.082
JEREMY: Are you tasked with ordering food for your office?
00:00:32.882 –> 00:00:34.782
JEREMY: Let me tell you about Easy Cater.
00:00:35.482 –> 00:00:48.062
JEREMY: With over 100,000 restaurants to choose from nationwide and 24-7 customer support, Easy Cater helps assistants like you and me succeed at work and makes our lives easier.
00:00:48.642 –> 00:00:54.102
JEREMY: Visit easycater.com/leaderassistant to find out more.
00:00:54.662 –> 00:00:56.642
JEREMY: Hey friends, welcome to The Leader Assistant Podcast.
00:00:56.782 –> 00:01:00.302
JEREMY: It’s your host, Jeremy Burrows, and it’s episode 253.
00:01:00.982 –> 00:01:09.382
JEREMY: You can check out the show notes at leaderassistant.com/253, leaderassistant.com/253.
00:01:09.802 –> 00:01:18.562
JEREMY: Today, I’m very excited because I have a special guest from my sponsor, Easy Cater, Amaia Arruabarrena.
00:01:18.602 –> 00:01:25.682
JEREMY: Amaia is a former executive assistant to the CEO of Easy Cater and now director of DEI and Operations.
00:01:25.762 –> 00:01:26.902
JEREMY: Amaia, welcome to the show.
00:01:27.622 –> 00:01:28.642
AMAIA: Thanks so much, Jeremy.
00:01:28.662 –> 00:01:30.842
AMAIA: I’m very excited to be here today.
00:01:30.862 –> 00:01:31.662
AMAIA: Thanks for having me.
00:01:32.102 –> 00:01:33.342
JEREMY: Yeah, you’re welcome.
00:01:33.362 –> 00:01:34.402
JEREMY: What part of the world are you in?
00:01:35.182 –> 00:01:36.262
AMAIA: I’m in New York City.
00:01:37.322 –> 00:01:37.742
JEREMY: Love it.
00:01:37.762 –> 00:01:39.342
JEREMY: I just went to New York City with my family.
00:01:40.082 –> 00:01:47.022
JEREMY: Spent a few days there, did a little bit of tourist stuff and a lot of walking around, and it was beautiful.
00:01:48.242 –> 00:01:49.422
AMAIA: It’s a good time of year for it.
00:01:49.662 –> 00:01:50.102
AMAIA: That’s good.
00:01:50.122 –> 00:01:50.922
AMAIA: I’m glad you enjoyed it.
00:01:51.382 –> 00:01:52.542
JEREMY: Thanks.
00:01:52.562 –> 00:01:53.882
JEREMY: Tell us a little bit about you personally.
00:01:54.962 –> 00:01:57.602
JEREMY: Do you have kids, dogs, pets, hobbies?
00:01:59.362 –> 00:02:02.742
AMAIA: No children, no human children.
00:02:02.762 –> 00:02:09.142
AMAIA: I have a sphinx cat named Dobby, or a sphinx otherwise known as a naked cat, whose name is Dobby.
00:02:09.742 –> 00:02:12.222
AMAIA: If you can’t tell from that, I’m a big Harry Potter fan.
00:02:13.602 –> 00:02:15.502
AMAIA: That was the inspo for his name.
00:02:15.882 –> 00:02:24.402
AMAIA: Then I also have a husky named Sasha, who are their best friends and they keep me entertained and very busy.
00:02:24.982 –> 00:02:26.122
AMAIA: They’re fun to have.
00:02:26.822 –> 00:02:32.402
AMAIA: As far as hobbies go, I’m very active.
00:02:32.502 –> 00:02:36.502
AMAIA: That was one of the reasons behind wanting to get a husky was I run a lot.
00:02:36.562 –> 00:02:41.382
AMAIA: She makes a great running partner and she keeps me very active and outside.
00:02:42.742 –> 00:02:46.122
AMAIA: Active, I’ve been learning to play the piano over the last couple of years.
00:02:48.862 –> 00:02:51.662
AMAIA: I love music, so music in all forms of dance to my whole life.
00:02:51.682 –> 00:03:00.362
AMAIA: So big into learning to play music, but also listening to it, dancing, and then also love in my downtime and when I’m able to relax watching movies.
00:03:00.542 –> 00:03:04.162
AMAIA: I’m a big movie person and all the movies except for horror.
00:03:05.802 –> 00:03:06.842
AMAIA: I’m kind of a chicken.
00:03:09.902 –> 00:03:22.182
JEREMY: I like movies, but I’m like, yeah, I like the suspense thrillers, but I don’t like the ones that are like, you know, super, you know, gory and whatever, and then super like making you jump every two seconds.
00:03:22.202 –> 00:03:22.802
JEREMY: I don’t like that.
00:03:23.322 –> 00:03:23.642
AMAIA: Yes.
00:03:24.382 –> 00:03:24.802
AMAIA: Same.
00:03:25.302 –> 00:03:29.062
JEREMY: Well, what’s so speaking of movies, what’s one of your favorite ones you’ve seen lately?
00:03:30.062 –> 00:03:30.982
AMAIA: Oh, my gosh.
00:03:31.002 –> 00:03:32.782
AMAIA: Have you seen Past Lives?
00:03:33.102 –> 00:03:34.682
AMAIA: It came out earlier this year.
00:03:34.702 –> 00:03:35.622
JEREMY: I don’t think so.
00:03:35.642 –> 00:03:37.102
AMAIA: Oh, it’s phenomenal.
00:03:37.122 –> 00:03:37.582
AMAIA: That one.
00:03:37.602 –> 00:03:38.442
AMAIA: That’s a really good one.
00:03:39.982 –> 00:03:43.622
AMAIA: It’s about, well, I don’t want to give it away because it really is such a-
00:03:43.642 –> 00:03:44.582
JEREMY: I’ll put it on my list.
00:03:44.822 –> 00:03:46.042
AMAIA: I’ll put it on my list.
00:03:46.162 –> 00:03:48.082
AMAIA: But it’s about a girl who had a friend.
00:03:48.622 –> 00:04:04.542
AMAIA: She was born in Korea, had a friend there that she made, and then her family moved to the United States, I think when she was middle school age, and it’s about their journey, her journey reconnecting with him and her life in the United States and that path.
00:04:04.642 –> 00:04:06.662
AMAIA: And it’s phenomenal.
00:04:06.682 –> 00:04:07.942
AMAIA: If you have a chance, definitely check it out.
00:04:08.102 –> 00:04:08.802
JEREMY: Yeah, definitely.
00:04:08.922 –> 00:04:09.902
JEREMY: Add it to my list right now.
00:04:11.162 –> 00:04:11.562
JEREMY: Awesome.
00:04:11.582 –> 00:04:26.502
JEREMY: Well, Amaia, speaking of journey, I’d love to hear your story and tell us a little bit about how you ended up at Easy Cater, and then specifically how you ended up as an executive assistant.
00:04:27.022 –> 00:04:27.382
AMAIA: Sure.
00:04:28.282 –> 00:04:45.842
AMAIA: My story is a bit unconventional, and it’s a little windy, but I like to tell it this way because I think it, one, is a testament to the phenomenal company that Easy Cater is and also contributes a lot to the work that I do, and diversity, equity, and inclusion really ties into that as well.
00:04:46.382 –> 00:04:51.422
AMAIA: And one of the reasons that I’m so passionate about that work, I have loved having the opportunity to do that work.
00:04:51.562 –> 00:04:54.262
AMAIA: And so I’m originally from Las Vegas.
00:04:54.282 –> 00:04:55.142
AMAIA: I was born and raised there.
00:04:56.242 –> 00:04:57.742
AMAIA: I’m half first generation.
00:04:57.762 –> 00:05:02.102
AMAIA: So my mother is from the United States, and my father immigrated to the States when he was 19.
00:05:03.102 –> 00:05:11.542
AMAIA: And neither of my parents, they actually met in Alaska in karate class and ended up in Las Vegas.
00:05:11.562 –> 00:05:13.382
AMAIA: Wow, that’s random.
00:05:13.982 –> 00:05:14.382
AMAIA: I know.
00:05:14.422 –> 00:05:15.522
AMAIA: So random, right?
00:05:15.542 –> 00:05:21.582
AMAIA: Like the way the stars have aligned in certain ways is really wild.
00:05:21.602 –> 00:05:24.002
AMAIA: So yes, they end up in Las Vegas.
00:05:24.682 –> 00:05:26.442
AMAIA: And I born and raised there.
00:05:27.602 –> 00:05:39.682
AMAIA: Neither of my parents went to college, and my father being an immigrant, I think I share a similar story to a lot of the kids of immigrants that I’ve talked to, which is my father worked in labor jobs.
00:05:40.242 –> 00:05:49.262
AMAIA: And he, not having had a higher education, he was very adamant that I go to school and get an education to have a better life.
00:05:49.282 –> 00:05:50.982
AMAIA: That was really important to him.
00:05:51.002 –> 00:05:55.182
AMAIA: And so that was ingrained in me from being a young kid.
00:05:55.202 –> 00:05:58.662
AMAIA: And I wanted to, so I was like, okay, school, important.
00:05:59.742 –> 00:06:01.062
AMAIA: What are the stable jobs?
00:06:01.082 –> 00:06:02.942
AMAIA: You get like doctor, lawyer, engineer.
00:06:03.602 –> 00:06:06.402
AMAIA: Those are the paths that you would know.
00:06:06.862 –> 00:06:09.882
AMAIA: And so I set my sights on being a doctor.
00:06:09.982 –> 00:06:11.362
AMAIA: I was like, I really like science.
00:06:11.482 –> 00:06:15.282
AMAIA: I think the human body is cool and I want to help people.
00:06:15.342 –> 00:06:16.782
AMAIA: So I guess I’ll be a doctor.
00:06:16.782 –> 00:06:22.522
AMAIA: And that was from about middle school age on the path that I had set myself on.
00:06:23.862 –> 00:06:26.462
AMAIA: And stayed that way through college.
00:06:26.482 –> 00:06:37.342
AMAIA: So all of my background, I was pre-med in college, did the science thing, the shadowing of doctors, the working, volunteering in the hospital, all of the things.
00:06:38.522 –> 00:06:40.622
AMAIA: And when I graduated, I wanted to move east.
00:06:41.282 –> 00:06:45.242
AMAIA: And so I worked full time while I was in school.
00:06:46.402 –> 00:06:53.562
AMAIA: And one of the things that helps bolster your application when you’re applying to medical school is to also have time in a research lab.
00:06:54.002 –> 00:06:57.362
AMAIA: And unfortunately, I, with working and everything else, wasn’t able to do that.
00:06:57.382 –> 00:06:58.402
AMAIA: So I was like, okay, I’ll move.
00:06:58.402 –> 00:07:01.422
AMAIA: When I move east, I’ll take a year after graduating.
00:07:01.582 –> 00:07:03.602
AMAIA: I’ll try to get into a research lab.
00:07:03.622 –> 00:07:07.382
AMAIA: I’ll get that on my, you know, have that for my resume and my application when I apply.
00:07:07.402 –> 00:07:08.522
AMAIA: And then I’ll apply to med school.
00:07:09.382 –> 00:07:14.862
AMAIA: And so in this time, right before I graduated, my mother was diagnosed with cancer.
00:07:15.822 –> 00:07:26.562
AMAIA: And she didn’t have insurance and it was a really challenging time to navigate trying to get her help.
00:07:27.302 –> 00:07:30.362
AMAIA: And not that before her being sick.
00:07:32.162 –> 00:07:38.702
AMAIA: Before her being sick, I was very aware of what I would call the gaps in our health care system in the United States.
00:07:39.722 –> 00:07:44.822
AMAIA: But it definitely hits harder when you are experiencing it firsthand.
00:07:45.522 –> 00:07:48.242
AMAIA: And so that kind of started to change.
00:07:49.102 –> 00:07:55.842
AMAIA: I think I had already been having a hard time with believing I wanted to be a doctor anymore.
00:07:55.902 –> 00:08:00.402
AMAIA: I wasn’t really enjoying anything I was doing, but I didn’t know what else I would do.
00:08:00.482 –> 00:08:02.342
AMAIA: And I felt like, well, I’ve come this far.
00:08:02.362 –> 00:08:03.722
AMAIA: I have to do it.
00:08:04.582 –> 00:08:06.322
AMAIA: And so my mother is sick.
00:08:06.382 –> 00:08:10.062
AMAIA: I do end up after graduating moving East to Boston.
00:08:10.922 –> 00:08:13.822
AMAIA: And she was super supportive of me moving.
00:08:14.142 –> 00:08:20.022
AMAIA: And she definitely didn’t want me to hang back, which that was challenging in and of itself.
00:08:20.042 –> 00:08:21.542
AMAIA: But decided to go.
00:08:21.842 –> 00:08:27.522
AMAIA: And when I moved to Boston, I was like, okay, I have to get a job in the meantime.
00:08:27.962 –> 00:08:32.602
AMAIA: Let me get a job that I’ll have while I’m looking to get into a research lab.
00:08:32.942 –> 00:08:34.562
AMAIA: And then maybe it’ll be a temporary.
00:08:34.582 –> 00:08:35.802
AMAIA: Maybe I’ll be there for six months.
00:08:36.502 –> 00:08:39.442
AMAIA: And I go on Craigslist because I didn’t really know another way to find a job.
00:08:40.802 –> 00:08:42.622
AMAIA: And I find an easy cater.
00:08:42.782 –> 00:08:50.622
AMAIA: And I actually joined as a customer service agent because I had worked all through, all through school since I was a teenager.
00:08:50.642 –> 00:09:00.422
AMAIA: I had worked in different service industry jobs, retail, restaurants, hotels, and customer service in other ways.
00:09:00.442 –> 00:09:03.502
AMAIA: And so I was like, okay, and this company sounds really cool.
00:09:03.682 –> 00:09:05.222
AMAIA: Like they’re in downtown Boston.
00:09:05.242 –> 00:09:08.482
AMAIA: I really liked the language they used in the job description.
00:09:08.502 –> 00:09:13.202
AMAIA: It seemed very human and very caring and just like a cool place to be.
00:09:13.582 –> 00:09:15.662
AMAIA: So I apply at Easy Cater.
00:09:15.682 –> 00:09:18.222
AMAIA: I get hired as a customer service agent.
00:09:18.902 –> 00:09:26.622
AMAIA: And I start at this company and I realize I am such a fish out of water.
00:09:26.922 –> 00:09:33.222
AMAIA: Like I’ve done customer service at this point in one way or another, the better part of a decade.
00:09:33.322 –> 00:09:37.562
AMAIA: So the job itself, I knew, I felt super comfortable doing customer service.
00:09:38.322 –> 00:09:42.842
AMAIA: But I was like, people keep talking about it as this fast-paced tech startup.
00:09:42.862 –> 00:09:44.402
AMAIA: And I was like, what’s a tech startup?
00:09:46.362 –> 00:09:51.662
AMAIA: And I didn’t, it was truly like an unknown world to me.
00:09:51.862 –> 00:10:01.182
AMAIA: And it started with me moving to Boston, first of all, I don’t know that there are two more different, bigger cities in the United States than Las Vegas and Boston.
00:10:01.202 –> 00:10:02.822
AMAIA: Maybe there are, but I haven’t found out yet.
00:10:04.462 –> 00:10:13.582
AMAIA: So it was not just this like, my eyes are being open to a whole different culture, way of life, language.
00:10:13.602 –> 00:10:20.722
AMAIA: Like it was, you know, like people use words that I was, and they talked about things in ways that I was like, wow, I just like a fish out of water, right?
00:10:20.742 –> 00:10:22.882
AMAIA: Like I’m getting an education for sure.
00:10:23.002 –> 00:10:35.822
AMAIA: And so as I’m at Easy Cater, I’m learning all of this about, you know, this kind of company I didn’t know existed before and this way of working I didn’t know existed before.
00:10:36.562 –> 00:10:44.302
AMAIA: And one of the things that stood out to me so like significantly about Easy Cater was how much they cared about the employees.
00:10:44.802 –> 00:10:47.822
AMAIA: So when I joined, we were only about 100 employees.
00:10:48.222 –> 00:10:49.322
AMAIA: Everybody knew each other.
00:10:50.562 –> 00:10:57.402
AMAIA: Everyone, we had like one half of one floor and like one small part of another floor in the building.
00:10:57.882 –> 00:11:00.162
AMAIA: So for the most part, everybody sat really close to each other.
00:11:00.182 –> 00:11:07.002
AMAIA: And it was just this like, you could tell people cared about each other, including everyone who was an executive, right?
00:11:07.042 –> 00:11:11.282
AMAIA: And I sat, my desk was like 10 feet away from our CEO, Stavanya’s.
00:11:11.702 –> 00:11:13.982
AMAIA: I think I sat a couple of desks away from our CFO.
00:11:14.322 –> 00:11:24.622
AMAIA: It was just an interesting, because I had come from when I worked in Las Vegas, my most recent jobs, I worked for some of the hotels on the Strip.
00:11:25.182 –> 00:11:30.422
AMAIA: And those are between 10,000 and 15,000 people in these companies.
00:11:30.522 –> 00:11:34.342
AMAIA: And you had an employee number and you very much felt like your number, right?
00:11:34.362 –> 00:11:42.102
AMAIA: I never really, I knew my immediate team cared about me, but I never felt, I felt very replaceable at the company, let’s put it that way, right?
00:11:42.842 –> 00:11:48.502
AMAIA: And at this time, so I’m just like, I’m like in a whole new world, right?
00:11:48.522 –> 00:11:50.962
AMAIA: I’m like Ariel, I’m like, what is this?
00:11:51.162 –> 00:11:56.862
AMAIA: And at this time, my mom’s health unfortunately takes a turn for the worst.
00:11:57.102 –> 00:12:02.182
AMAIA: And I fly back in October of 2016.
00:12:02.202 –> 00:12:05.222
AMAIA: So sorry, I started with Easy Cater July of 2016.
00:12:05.242 –> 00:12:07.702
AMAIA: In October of 2016, I find out my mom is terminal.
00:12:08.462 –> 00:12:19.202
AMAIA: And I will never forget how supported the team at Easy Cater was for me during this time, even though I had only been at this company for a few months.
00:12:19.882 –> 00:12:33.362
AMAIA: And at any other job I’d ever worked at before, if I were taking time off with this short of notice, or even this amount of time off, only having been there for so long, they would have terminated me or I would have been put on probation.
00:12:33.462 –> 00:12:41.462
AMAIA: Or I would have had to not only worry about everything that I was experiencing, but also worry about losing my job.
00:12:42.442 –> 00:12:44.002
AMAIA: And Easy Cater never made me feel that way.
00:12:44.382 –> 00:12:46.762
AMAIA: They never made me feel anything but supported and asked what I needed.
00:12:47.282 –> 00:12:52.502
AMAIA: And so my mom did end up passing in December of 2016.
00:12:53.242 –> 00:13:00.482
AMAIA: And again, through that time, Easy Cater was immensely supportive and just human and caring.
00:13:00.962 –> 00:13:23.222
AMAIA: And it hit me harder in that moment that not only was I now in this position where I was really feeling some type of way about the path that I was on, but I had also had my eyes opened to a different way of working and a different kind of company that I had no idea eight months prior even existed.
00:13:24.382 –> 00:13:32.782
AMAIA: And I go back to Boston from Vegas after my mom passed, and I’m in this place where I’m like, I think I want to…
00:13:33.842 –> 00:13:36.582
AMAIA: I’m no longer thinking I’m just going to be at Easy Cater for six months.
00:13:37.682 –> 00:13:39.822
AMAIA: I think I’m going to…
00:13:40.502 –> 00:13:42.442
AMAIA: There’s something special about this company.
00:13:42.462 –> 00:13:44.282
AMAIA: I appreciate it.
00:13:44.302 –> 00:13:49.442
AMAIA: I now have a really deep loyalty to them based on how they’ve treated me.
00:13:49.462 –> 00:13:52.622
AMAIA: I mean, at this point, I’d worked at the company for less than six months and it was…
00:13:52.642 –> 00:13:55.442
AMAIA: And again, the support unmatched.
00:13:55.462 –> 00:13:56.722
AMAIA: I’ve never seen anything like it.
00:13:57.882 –> 00:14:01.362
AMAIA: And so I’m like, okay, what do I want to do then?
00:14:01.542 –> 00:14:12.842
AMAIA: Because I’m kind of in this weird place in life, and again, very fortunately, which is not something I’d really ever been exposed to before, EasyKitters fast-paced and growing.
00:14:13.462 –> 00:14:17.822
AMAIA: So because it’s growing so rapidly, there are these new positions that are opening.
00:14:18.582 –> 00:14:22.162
AMAIA: And I am able to kind of start to…
00:14:22.662 –> 00:14:26.862
AMAIA: Now that my horizons have been broadened, I’m like, wait, what else is out there?
00:14:26.922 –> 00:14:27.262
AMAIA: Right?
00:14:27.282 –> 00:14:34.102
AMAIA: Because there’s all these job titles, all these things I’m like hearing people talk about, or it just…
00:14:34.142 –> 00:14:38.462
AMAIA: I’m learning so much every day about possibilities, about other paths to follow.
00:14:39.002 –> 00:14:46.722
AMAIA: So I end up moving over to our talent team as a coordinator.
00:14:47.402 –> 00:14:57.462
AMAIA: And in that position, I am able to meet even more people throughout the organization, because I’m working with them to schedule interviews for their teams.
00:14:57.782 –> 00:15:00.562
AMAIA: I worked closely with our executive team because we were hiring…
00:15:00.702 –> 00:15:02.322
AMAIA: You know, they were involved at that time.
00:15:02.362 –> 00:15:03.962
AMAIA: Remember, we’re still pretty small at this point.
00:15:03.982 –> 00:15:10.282
AMAIA: So our executives are relatively involved with a lot of the hires that we’re making, or we’re hiring important folks.
00:15:10.302 –> 00:15:14.102
AMAIA: And it was just this amazing surge of information, right?
00:15:14.122 –> 00:15:16.142
AMAIA: Just like, oh, my gosh, like, wait, what’s that job?
00:15:16.162 –> 00:15:16.842
AMAIA: And what do they do?
00:15:16.862 –> 00:15:21.262
AMAIA: And learning, like just I was like a sponge just sucking up.
00:15:22.062 –> 00:15:28.102
AMAIA: And I’m also still kind of in this space where I’m lying to myself, telling myself I’m still going to pursue being a doctor.
00:15:30.162 –> 00:15:36.402
JEREMY: I was going to say this is all sounding like the doctor thing is like disappearing, but yeah.
00:15:36.802 –> 00:15:38.922
AMAIA: I’m still fully lying to myself.
00:15:39.002 –> 00:15:44.222
AMAIA: I’m like, oh, I’m just going to learn all of this, and I’m totally still going to go to medical school.
00:15:45.462 –> 00:15:55.022
AMAIA: And so one of the amazing things I had the opportunity to do at Easy Cater was create the community outreach program and employee volunteering program.
00:15:55.502 –> 00:15:59.282
AMAIA: It didn’t exist at the company yet, and when I came, I asked about it.
00:15:59.302 –> 00:16:01.622
AMAIA: I had the idea, and they were supportive of me doing it.
00:16:01.982 –> 00:16:12.302
AMAIA: So I started to organize group volunteer opportunities for our employees, for anybody at the company to attend and to support our community.
00:16:12.322 –> 00:16:23.282
AMAIA: At this point, we were only based in Boston, so it was really focused on Boston-based organizations and nonprofits, and our focus was hunger-based organizations.
00:16:23.602 –> 00:16:27.262
AMAIA: So supporting people who are facing food insecurity in the communities.
00:16:28.082 –> 00:16:36.882
AMAIA: And one of the events I organized was the Walk for Hunger with Project Bread, and they’re a phenomenal organization.
00:16:38.022 –> 00:16:41.242
AMAIA: And the Walk for Hunger happens in May, so this is now May of 2017.
00:16:41.262 –> 00:16:43.342
AMAIA: I’ve been in my new coordinator role for a couple of months.
00:16:44.142 –> 00:16:49.862
AMAIA: And we’re super excited, have a great group of us going, and our CEO, Stefania, and her husband attend.
00:16:50.622 –> 00:16:58.922
AMAIA: And on that walk, I’m chatting with her husband at one point, and he’s asking me about myself and asks, what do I want to do?
00:16:58.922 –> 00:17:01.262
AMAIA: And I say, oh, I want to be a doctor one day.
00:17:01.622 –> 00:17:02.362
AMAIA: This is my plan.
00:17:02.382 –> 00:17:03.902
AMAIA: And I tell him, and he’s like, oh, cool.
00:17:04.122 –> 00:17:07.222
AMAIA: And I think nothing of it, and the walk continues, and the end.
00:17:07.302 –> 00:17:08.282
AMAIA: That happened on a Sunday.
00:17:08.842 –> 00:17:13.422
AMAIA: The next day at work, I happen to be in a meeting that Stefania, the CEO, was in.
00:17:13.862 –> 00:17:15.942
AMAIA: And as the meeting ends, she asks me to hang back.
00:17:15.962 –> 00:17:17.482
AMAIA: And I’m like, oh boy, what did I do?
00:17:19.502 –> 00:17:23.242
AMAIA: And she’s like, so what’s this I hear about you wanting to be a doctor?
00:17:23.262 –> 00:17:26.142
AMAIA: And I was like, yeah, I do.
00:17:26.842 –> 00:17:30.562
AMAIA: And she’s like, you know, George, her husband, told me that you told him that yesterday.
00:17:30.582 –> 00:17:35.662
AMAIA: And I’m like, yeah, so I give her the same spiel, the same spiel I’ve now said at this point for like half of my life.
00:17:35.682 –> 00:17:37.162
AMAIA: I’m like, oh yeah, I want to be a doctor.
00:17:37.182 –> 00:17:38.902
AMAIA: I want to help people, the whole thing.
00:17:39.582 –> 00:17:44.182
AMAIA: And she looks at me and she says, you know, I will support you in anything that you choose to do in your life.
00:17:46.282 –> 00:17:49.182
AMAIA: And if you want to be a doctor, then great, I’ll support you in that.
00:17:49.602 –> 00:17:50.162
AMAIA: She said, but…
00:17:51.722 –> 00:18:00.102
AMAIA: And this was like the most profound thing anybody had ever said to me, which is going to sound really obvious, but I promise you, in the moment, it was truly like mind-blowing to me.
00:18:00.202 –> 00:18:04.862
AMAIA: She goes, but you know, there’s more than one way to help people.
00:18:05.622 –> 00:18:12.102
AMAIA: And I was like, I’m going to be honest with you, it had never crossed my mind.
00:18:12.122 –> 00:18:18.942
AMAIA: It had truly never crossed my mind that there was a different way I could help people.
00:18:19.502 –> 00:18:20.082
AMAIA: It just hadn’t.
00:18:20.562 –> 00:18:35.202
AMAIA: And that was probably one of the most life-changing moments for me, because it really like something clicked in my brain that was like, you do not have to keep forcing yourself down this path that you know, you don’t want to go down.
00:18:35.882 –> 00:18:37.942
AMAIA: There are other ways that you can help people.
00:18:39.762 –> 00:18:51.462
AMAIA: And you have already been seeing all of these amazing new opportunities and a new way of working and new roles and careers that you never knew existed before, like maybe just be open to those.
00:18:51.682 –> 00:18:52.322
AMAIA: And that was it.
00:18:52.422 –> 00:18:55.502
AMAIA: Like that conversation, I was like, I’m letting it go.
00:18:55.522 –> 00:18:57.942
AMAIA: I don’t, it’s not for me and I don’t want to do it anymore.
00:18:58.822 –> 00:19:00.142
AMAIA: And I let, that was it.
00:19:00.162 –> 00:19:05.302
AMAIA: Like I truly did just like, and I felt like the biggest weight lifted off of my shoulders.
00:19:05.902 –> 00:19:18.162
AMAIA: And when I made that decision, what was also really amazing, again, I’m at Easy Cater with all this phenomenal growth opportunity, is that now I’m like, okay, what do I want to do?
00:19:18.782 –> 00:19:22.022
AMAIA: And more opportunities are like presenting themselves.
00:19:22.882 –> 00:19:27.162
AMAIA: So a couple months after that was when I became Stefania’s Executive Assistant.
00:19:28.022 –> 00:19:42.762
AMAIA: She had, she was, she, like there were, we, she had a person at the time who was kind of doing a dual office manager role and supporting her in that way, but we were growing so much that we needed the office manager full time.
00:19:43.222 –> 00:19:47.942
AMAIA: So that person shifted to doing that role full time, which opened up the EA position.
00:19:48.482 –> 00:19:50.262
AMAIA: And that’s when I started doing that work.
00:19:50.882 –> 00:20:15.982
AMAIA: And the reason I tell that whole long story is that when she opened my eyes to there’s more than one way that I can help people, I started thinking about my experiences as a person and work I had been doing in my personal life, understanding kind of all the systemic inequities that exist in the United States across all of the systems that exist in the United States.
00:20:17.542 –> 00:20:36.742
AMAIA: And had my own experience with them being first gen, first person to go to college, a woman, a person part of the LGBTQ community, a person of color, like all of these different parts of my identity that had impacted my experience in the world based on the inequities that exist.
00:20:37.882 –> 00:20:42.422
AMAIA: But I didn’t know there was a job you could do to like do something about it.
00:20:42.962 –> 00:20:51.142
AMAIA: And so while I’m having all of that experience and I’m like learning, like, and I’m thinking that I’m having my eyes open to this other work.
00:20:52.042 –> 00:20:57.002
AMAIA: And I realized it hit me like truly like this brick wall, right?
00:20:57.022 –> 00:21:04.482
AMAIA: What Stefania said, but also this like, this is a huge part of you can’t be what you can’t see.
00:21:05.002 –> 00:21:18.102
AMAIA: And had I never moved to Boston, maybe had I never had the specific experiences, I don’t know that I would be doing the work I’m doing today because I don’t know if I would have even known it was a role you could do.
00:21:18.702 –> 00:21:29.382
AMAIA: And I think about all of the people who when we talk about creating access to opportunities, it’s not just about removing unnecessary barriers to opportunity.
00:21:29.762 –> 00:21:36.962
AMAIA: It’s also about people being aware of what opportunities are out there and how to go about working towards them.
00:21:38.202 –> 00:21:54.762
AMAIA: And so all of these parts of this journey truly just came together and with the timing of when I was at Easy Cater and having these amazing opportunities to get me to honestly where I am now.
00:21:55.242 –> 00:21:57.522
AMAIA: And being E.A.’s EA was a huge…
00:21:57.922 –> 00:22:00.702
AMAIA: And the role she played in that was massive.
00:22:01.882 –> 00:22:04.422
AMAIA: And so, yeah, that’s the backstory.
00:22:04.442 –> 00:22:05.382
JEREMY: Wow.
00:22:06.162 –> 00:22:06.902
JEREMY: That’s amazing.
00:22:06.922 –> 00:22:07.642
JEREMY: Thank you for sharing.
00:22:07.662 –> 00:22:08.582
JEREMY: That’s an incredible story.
00:22:12.062 –> 00:22:19.502
JEREMY: I mean, it reminded me of how I became CEO’s assistant.
00:22:19.722 –> 00:22:25.642
JEREMY: And my first kind of founder assistant role was…
00:22:26.142 –> 00:22:30.262
JEREMY: The short version is I was talking to my wife after we got back from our honeymoon.
00:22:30.482 –> 00:22:33.582
JEREMY: And I was like reassessing my job and kind of bored.
00:22:33.602 –> 00:22:34.562
JEREMY: And I was like, what am I going to do?
00:22:34.582 –> 00:22:37.182
JEREMY: And I was like, it would be kind of fun to be the founder’s assistant.
00:22:37.502 –> 00:22:40.982
JEREMY: And I was like, but I don’t know that that would ever happen.
00:22:41.022 –> 00:22:44.642
JEREMY: And literally the next day, they said, hey, we want to have a meeting about your role.
00:22:44.662 –> 00:22:45.542
JEREMY: And I was like, okay, whatever.
00:22:46.042 –> 00:22:47.502
JEREMY: That happened every few months anyway.
00:22:48.882 –> 00:22:51.282
JEREMY: And then they’re like, oh, hey, we want you to be the founder’s assistant.
00:22:51.302 –> 00:22:52.042
JEREMY: And I was like, what?
00:22:52.682 –> 00:22:57.902
JEREMY: So it’s just this like, just this crazy, like, you know, the stars aligned.
00:22:57.902 –> 00:23:00.042
JEREMY: And it’s like, wait, okay, this is interesting.
00:23:00.062 –> 00:23:04.482
JEREMY: And that’s how I got into the whole senior level C-suite assistant.
00:23:06.042 –> 00:23:06.562
JEREMY: Yeah.
00:23:06.862 –> 00:23:08.022
JEREMY: So, yeah, thanks for sharing.
00:23:08.042 –> 00:23:14.742
JEREMY: I want to hear just a couple things about your time as assistant to the CEO.
00:23:16.262 –> 00:23:20.462
JEREMY: What was maybe one of your favorite parts about that season?
00:23:26.610 –> 00:23:28.790
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00:24:07.990 –> 00:24:10.090
AMAIA: I think the learning, I learned so much during that time.
00:24:10.250 –> 00:24:13.070
AMAIA: I was also very fortunate in who I was supporting.
00:24:14.690 –> 00:24:36.710
AMAIA: So I think thinking about the quote that I used at the beginning today, Stefania, one of the reasons it was so wonderful to work for her was that she, what she said to me in that room, she meant, which is, she wants to the support was real, the helping people succeed was real, the helping people find what they’re good at and then helping them get there.
00:24:36.730 –> 00:24:37.670
AMAIA: That was very real.
00:24:38.290 –> 00:24:46.230
AMAIA: And so learning, learning about the business, but also learning from her as a leader and the way that she led.
00:24:47.430 –> 00:24:56.690
AMAIA: So much of when I spoke about Easy Cater being this phenomenal company to work for, so much of that was her.
00:24:56.950 –> 00:25:06.170
AMAIA: She was so she was such a huge part of building the culture and the culture being what it is and what it was and is.
00:25:06.250 –> 00:25:10.530
AMAIA: And learning about her, her leadership style and how she did that in her journey.
00:25:11.650 –> 00:25:12.990
AMAIA: That’s that’s invaluable.
00:25:13.290 –> 00:25:20.170
AMAIA: So I feel so what a privilege to have been able to work closely with a leader in that way.
00:25:20.430 –> 00:25:37.550
AMAIA: And then also the other leaders that exact at the in the executive team and learning from them and their their thought process and their approach and being exposed to these conversations and decision making and just invaluable.
00:25:37.690 –> 00:25:41.190
AMAIA: Yeah, that was so grateful for that time.
00:25:41.690 –> 00:25:44.170
JEREMY: Yeah, it’s you know, you mentioned it earlier.
00:25:44.310 –> 00:25:48.810
JEREMY: You’re just being a sponge, absorbing all this information and learning all the stuff.
00:25:49.310 –> 00:25:57.470
JEREMY: And that’s one of my favorite parts, too, about the role is just you get to be in all these conversations and see the good, the bad and the ugly.
00:25:57.570 –> 00:26:12.590
JEREMY: But you really get to kind of weed through all that or wade through all that and just really figure out what you like and what skills you have, what industry you enjoy, what topics and departments you enjoy.
00:26:12.610 –> 00:26:29.510
JEREMY: And then, of course, as you transition from that role to where you’re at now, I’m sure that, as you mentioned, part of this you mentioned already, but you discovered that through your journey as an assistant.
00:26:30.170 –> 00:26:30.510
AMAIA: Yeah.
00:26:31.230 –> 00:26:31.570
AMAIA: Yeah.
00:26:31.750 –> 00:26:43.690
AMAIA: I think the other piece that was very helpful in that time was the cross-functional work and understanding the importance of communication and working with different teams and how to do that.
00:26:44.230 –> 00:26:56.330
AMAIA: And so all of that experience, first of all, in general, I think what you learn and the skills you need to be a successful EA are skills that are…
00:26:57.170 –> 00:27:00.310
AMAIA: I don’t want to say will make you successful in anything because that sounds a bit like…
00:27:00.630 –> 00:27:08.650
AMAIA: But EAs are super humans and you have to weigh the thoughtfulness, the planning, the organization, the attention to detail.
00:27:14.470 –> 00:27:16.870
AMAIA: The consideration, the problem-solving.
00:27:16.890 –> 00:27:18.730
AMAIA: Those are skills that EAs fine-tune them.
00:27:19.110 –> 00:27:21.790
AMAIA: And what they do is nothing short of extraordinary.
00:27:22.150 –> 00:27:41.830
AMAIA: And so I think having that opportunity to really fine-tune those skills with the personal experience I was having in the background did really contribute to my success and my ability to move into the work that I’m doing now because I was able to take all of that learning and apply it.
00:27:41.930 –> 00:27:50.090
AMAIA: And while, no, it’s not exactly the same job, it’s not, of course, a lot of it’s transferable, right?
00:27:50.110 –> 00:28:03.350
AMAIA: I think that’s the other part of an EA’s role that maybe folks don’t realize is that those skills are so transferable that even if you’re plopped into something you maybe haven’t done before, yeah, there’s going to be a learning curve.
00:28:03.370 –> 00:28:13.230
AMAIA: But having those having those muscles ready to flex the way that people who’ve done that work are, I think really sets them up for success in a lot of different ways.
00:28:13.230 –> 00:28:16.170
AMAIA: And so I definitely felt that way in my new work, for sure.
00:28:16.590 –> 00:28:20.130
JEREMY: Yeah, it gives you a good foundation and, you know, it’s transferable.
00:28:21.410 –> 00:28:29.890
JEREMY: I’ve seen it where it’s transferable between roles, but also between industries and, you know, executives and different personalities.
00:28:29.910 –> 00:28:36.990
JEREMY: It’s like if you can excel in the executive assistant role, then yeah, you really do have a lot of opportunities.
00:28:37.850 –> 00:28:39.470
AMAIA: Yeah, absolutely.
00:28:39.490 –> 00:28:40.810
JEREMY: Awesome, Amaia.
00:28:40.830 –> 00:28:43.190
JEREMY: Well, I really appreciate you sharing your story.
00:28:43.350 –> 00:28:47.970
JEREMY: Is there anything, you know, related to what you currently do as Director of DEI and Operations?
00:28:48.830 –> 00:29:01.290
JEREMY: Is there any tips or encouragements that you want to share with the assistants of the world as far as maybe cultivating a culture at their organizations?
00:29:02.070 –> 00:29:05.370
AMAIA: Yeah, I think like I said, the skills are.
00:29:10.850 –> 00:29:19.750
AMAIA: I think one of the pieces of doing DEI work is having the ability to be efficient and effective without losing thoughtfulness.
00:29:20.570 –> 00:29:28.130
AMAIA: And I think, especially in, well, I don’t want to say just in a tech startup, because I think this applies to all different industries and companies.
00:29:28.190 –> 00:29:31.790
AMAIA: There’s a lot of times where people are under pressure, there’s a time crunch.
00:29:34.570 –> 00:29:38.590
AMAIA: You’re stressed, you have a million things on your plate, and things need to get done quickly.
00:29:39.110 –> 00:29:45.050
AMAIA: And it is understandable and in human nature for us to just like, what decisions can I make quickly?
00:29:45.070 –> 00:29:45.590
AMAIA: Let me make them.
00:29:45.610 –> 00:29:46.090
<v SPEAKER_3>Let me do it.
00:29:46.110 –> 00:29:46.710
AMAIA: Let me move forward.
00:29:46.730 –> 00:29:49.350
AMAIA: Let me check things off the list and get on to the next one.
00:29:50.450 –> 00:30:16.930
AMAIA: And I think what I learned in my EA role that also is helpful in this work and that I would remind folks to do is even when you have to move fast, is to maintain that thoughtfulness, to not let the need for speed overwhelm and to take a breath and to think through whatever decision you’re making and to think of everyone that it will affect.
00:30:17.750 –> 00:30:31.710
AMAIA: And even if they are not necessarily people who are in the room that you’re regularly interacting with or having conversations with, if something is going to affect a person in some way, think about that when you’re making that decision or moving forward.
00:30:31.770 –> 00:30:46.150
AMAIA: And just take that moment because that thoughtfulness, that pause, that intentionality in what is being done can make a huge difference and can hopefully save you some work down the road.
00:30:46.310 –> 00:30:49.670
AMAIA: Because we’re all about efficiency, right?
00:30:49.690 –> 00:30:55.170
AMAIA: So I think it’s really setting yourself up for success with that.
00:30:56.650 –> 00:30:59.470
AMAIA: Let me use those skills of the problem solving.
00:30:59.490 –> 00:31:01.230
AMAIA: Let me think of everything, the attention to detail.
00:31:01.250 –> 00:31:03.330
AMAIA: And it really is all of that, right?
00:31:03.350 –> 00:31:07.810
AMAIA: It’s like the holistic view of things that you already do in one way.
00:31:08.430 –> 00:31:16.250
AMAIA: Just kind of repurpose it towards, all right, let me think about this communication or this process or plan or scheduling or whatever it is.
00:31:16.270 –> 00:31:19.910
AMAIA: Like, whose voices am I not hearing?
00:31:20.390 –> 00:31:29.470
AMAIA: And how can I be an advocate for folks that this will affect who may not have the opportunity to speak up for themselves or even to voice their feedback or concerns?
00:31:29.490 –> 00:31:31.530
AMAIA: Because it’s just whatever it is, right?
00:31:33.230 –> 00:31:33.990
AMAIA: Yeah, that’d be my…
00:31:35.150 –> 00:31:35.710
AMAIA: Be thoughtful.
00:31:36.530 –> 00:31:37.190
JEREMY: That’s great.
00:31:37.410 –> 00:31:37.730
JEREMY: Great.
00:31:37.750 –> 00:31:38.330
JEREMY: Be thoughtful.
00:31:38.430 –> 00:31:38.830
JEREMY: Love it.
00:31:38.850 –> 00:31:40.410
JEREMY: Great way to end the conversation, Amaia.
00:31:40.430 –> 00:31:42.550
JEREMY: Thank you so much for taking time to be on the show.
00:31:42.850 –> 00:31:53.810
JEREMY: Thank you so much for just sharing your story and being a part of the fun, easy cater team that I’ve had the privilege of working with as they sponsor the show this year.
00:31:53.830 –> 00:31:57.290
JEREMY: It’s been a fun run, and I really wish the best for you.
00:31:57.610 –> 00:32:01.110
JEREMY: Is there anywhere that people wanted to reach out or connect?
00:32:01.130 –> 00:32:03.130
JEREMY: Should they hit you up on LinkedIn?
00:32:03.150 –> 00:32:04.070
JEREMY: What do you think?
00:32:04.470 –> 00:32:05.670
AMAIA: Yeah, I’m on LinkedIn.
00:32:05.690 –> 00:32:06.890
AMAIA: Feel free to reach out.
00:32:07.310 –> 00:32:09.370
AMAIA: You can also email me.
00:32:09.390 –> 00:32:11.530
AMAIA: My email is mynameateasycater.com.
00:32:11.750 –> 00:32:12.530
AMAIA: Feel free to.
00:32:13.430 –> 00:32:18.350
AMAIA: I’m always happy to chat, whether it’s about DEI questions or any of the above.
00:32:20.330 –> 00:32:21.690
AMAIA: I’m always happy to connect.
00:32:22.550 –> 00:32:22.890
JEREMY: Great.
00:32:22.910 –> 00:32:23.470
JEREMY: Sounds great.
00:32:23.470 –> 00:32:24.290
JEREMY: Thank you so much.
00:32:24.890 –> 00:32:31.910
JEREMY: Best of luck to you and your animal friends and your movie watching and all the things.
00:32:32.510 –> 00:32:34.290
JEREMY: And yeah, thanks again for being on the show.
00:32:34.910 –> 00:32:35.350
AMAIA: Wonderful.
00:32:35.370 –> 00:32:36.210
AMAIA: Thanks so much, Jeremy.
00:32:36.230 –> 00:32:36.770
AMAIA: It’s been a pleasure.
00:32:47.250 –> 00:32:49.990
<v SPEAKER_3>Please review on Apple Podcasts.
