Jessie Hopkins has over 17 years of professional experience, including working for renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma. She currently serves as Senior EA to the CEO at MindMed.
In this episode of The Leader Assistant Podcast, Jessie talks about what she learned working for a grammy winning cellist, the value of an EA coach and community, staying motivated while working remotely, working in a field you’re passionate about, and more!
LEADERSHIP QUOTE
The true mark of a leader is the willingness to stick with a bold course of action — an unconventional business strategy, a unique product-development roadmap, a controversial marketing campaign — even as the rest of the world wonders why you’re not marching in step with the status quo. In other words, real leaders are happy to zig while others zag. They understand that in an era of hyper-competition and non-stop disruption, the only way to stand out from the crowd is to stand for something special.
– Bill Taylor
CONNECT WITH JESSIE
ABOUT JESSIE
Jessie Hopkins has over 17 years of professional experience, including working for renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma. She currently serves as Senior EA to the CEO at MindMed.
In this episode of The Leader Assistant Podcast, Jessie talks about what she learned working for a grammy winning cellist, the value of an EA coach and community, staying motivated while working remotely, working in a field you’re passionate about, and more!
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EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
00:00:00.200 –> 00:00:05.920
JESSIE: Hi, this is Jessie Hopkins, and today’s leadership quote comes from Bill Taylor.
00:00:05.920 –> 00:00:21.220
JESSIE: The true mark of a leader is the willingness to stick with a bold course of action, an unconventional business strategy, a unique product development roadmap, controversial marketing campaign, even as the rest of the world wonders why you’re not marching in step with the status quo.
00:00:21.220 –> 00:00:25.360
JESSIE: In other words, real leaders are happy to zig while others zag.
00:00:25.360 –> 00:00:33.760
JESSIE: They understand that in an era of hyper-competition and non-stop disruption, the only way to stand out from the crowd is to stand for something special.
00:00:40.019 –> 00:00:47.619
<v SPEAKER_3>The Leader Assistant Podcast exists to encourage and challenge assistants to become confident, game-changing leader assistants.
00:00:57.339 –> 00:00:58.579
JEREMY: Hey, Leader Assistants.
00:00:58.579 –> 00:01:04.559
JEREMY: Have you heard the NOVA Chief of Staff Certification course is about to see a price increase?
00:01:04.559 –> 00:01:11.479
JEREMY: But don’t worry, you can enroll now, lock in the current rate, and start whenever you’re ready with lifetime access.
00:01:11.479 –> 00:01:15.519
JEREMY: NOVA’s mission is to give you the ultimate student experience.
00:01:15.519 –> 00:01:28.939
JEREMY: They’ve packed the course with dozens of templates, self-paced learning, hands-on practice, multiple instructor touchpoints, peer engagement, and even guest-authored assignments.
00:01:28.939 –> 00:01:36.139
JEREMY: With over 500 students across 22 countries, NOVA is the top spot for Chief of Staff Learning and Development.
00:01:36.139 –> 00:01:37.119
JEREMY: Don’t wait.
00:01:37.119 –> 00:01:40.319
JEREMY: Enroll today and join the community at leaderassistant.com/nova.
00:01:42.899 –> 00:01:45.299
JEREMY: Hello friends, welcome to The Leader Assistant Podcast.
00:01:45.299 –> 00:01:49.019
JEREMY: It’s your host, Jeremy Burrows, and this is episode 299.
00:01:49.019 –> 00:01:50.659
JEREMY: We’re almost to episode 300.
00:01:50.699 –> 00:01:51.459
JEREMY: Super exciting.
00:01:51.459 –> 00:01:52.619
JEREMY: Can’t wait.
00:01:52.619 –> 00:01:56.119
JEREMY: But 299 is just as special.
00:01:56.119 –> 00:02:00.719
JEREMY: And you can check out the show notes for this conversation at leaderassistant.com/299.
00:02:03.279 –> 00:02:09.219
JEREMY: Again, leaderassistant.com/299 to check out the show notes for this episode.
00:02:09.219 –> 00:02:12.579
JEREMY: And today, I’m excited to be speaking with Jessie Hopkins.
00:02:12.579 –> 00:02:21.619
JEREMY: Jessie has over 17 years of professional experience, including working for renowned cellist, Yo-Yo Ma.
00:02:21.619 –> 00:02:29.159
JEREMY: And Jessie currently serves as Senior EA to the CEO at MindMed.
00:02:29.159 –> 00:02:32.479
JEREMY: So, Jessie, I hope I got your bio right, but welcome to the show.
00:02:32.479 –> 00:02:33.259
JESSIE: Yes, you did.
00:02:33.259 –> 00:02:33.819
JESSIE: Thank you.
00:02:33.819 –> 00:02:35.499
JESSIE: I’m excited to be here.
00:02:35.499 –> 00:02:35.959
JEREMY: Awesome.
00:02:35.959 –> 00:02:38.439
JEREMY: What part of the world are you in?
00:02:38.439 –> 00:02:43.319
JESSIE: I live in Westford, Massachusetts, about 45 minutes from Boston.
00:02:43.319 –> 00:02:43.539
JEREMY: Cool.
00:02:43.539 –> 00:02:45.799
JEREMY: And are you from that area?
00:02:45.799 –> 00:02:52.699
JESSIE: I’m originally from Southern Vermont, right on the Massachusetts border, in the Tri-State area there.
00:02:52.699 –> 00:02:53.199
JEREMY: Okay.
00:02:53.199 –> 00:02:53.499
JEREMY: Cool.
00:02:54.599 –> 00:03:01.159
JEREMY: And what do you like to do when you’re not working?
00:03:01.159 –> 00:03:05.619
JESSIE: Well, I am a mom, so that’s basically my life.
00:03:05.619 –> 00:03:09.199
JESSIE: I have a five-year-old son and a three-year-old daughter.
00:03:10.479 –> 00:03:12.599
JESSIE: We also have a house full of pets.
00:03:12.599 –> 00:03:14.979
JESSIE: We have a dog and two cats.
00:03:14.979 –> 00:03:19.419
JESSIE: We have quite a large yard here, so I love to garden, do landscaping.
00:03:20.599 –> 00:03:22.119
JESSIE: I stay pretty active.
00:03:23.339 –> 00:03:30.879
JESSIE: I like to basically go walking and hiking with our dog, do strength training, yoga.
00:03:30.879 –> 00:03:34.399
JESSIE: I like to read when I have time, see friends.
00:03:34.399 –> 00:03:37.379
JESSIE: A lot of play dates, a lot of playground time in our life.
00:03:37.379 –> 00:03:39.699
JESSIE: A lot of soccer, ballet.
00:03:39.699 –> 00:03:40.139
JESSIE: Yeah.
00:03:40.139 –> 00:03:41.459
<v SPEAKER_4>Yep.
00:03:41.459 –> 00:03:41.899
JEREMY: Awesome.
00:03:41.899 –> 00:03:43.979
JEREMY: So you said five and three?
00:03:44.659 –> 00:03:44.819
JESSIE: Yeah.
00:03:44.819 –> 00:03:46.559
JESSIE: My son just got kindergarten.
00:03:46.559 –> 00:03:46.959
JEREMY: Okay.
00:03:46.959 –> 00:03:48.399
JEREMY: Wow.
00:03:48.399 –> 00:03:49.319
JEREMY: Those are fun ages.
00:03:49.319 –> 00:03:51.099
JEREMY: Mine are 10 and 12.
00:03:51.099 –> 00:03:54.639
JEREMY: So I got that to your difference.
00:03:54.639 –> 00:04:04.359
JEREMY: But definitely, a lot of things I miss about the five and three range, but also a lot of things I don’t miss.
00:04:04.359 –> 00:04:09.359
JEREMY: So there’s pros and cons to each stage along the way.
00:04:09.419 –> 00:04:10.819
JESSIE: Absolutely.
00:04:10.819 –> 00:04:11.119
JEREMY: Cool.
00:04:11.119 –> 00:04:24.599
JEREMY: Well, tell us a little bit about your career and what got you into the Administrative Professional slash Executive Assistant slash Executive Strategic Partner, etc.
00:04:25.819 –> 00:04:26.319
JEREMY: world.
00:04:26.599 –> 00:04:31.099
JEREMY: How did you get into this world of executive support?
00:04:32.479 –> 00:04:36.119
JESSIE: Well, after college, so I was an art history major.
00:04:37.799 –> 00:04:40.679
JESSIE: I really didn’t know what I wanted to do.
00:04:40.679 –> 00:04:50.479
JESSIE: And, you know, as I was thinking about this, I was remembering how insecure I was about that, and how so many people knew what they wanted to do.
00:04:50.479 –> 00:04:54.719
JESSIE: And if they wanted to go get their masters or if they wanted to, they knew what career.
00:04:55.799 –> 00:04:57.439
JESSIE: And I just wasn’t sure.
00:04:57.439 –> 00:05:14.479
JESSIE: So after my first job, which was in sales, I started working with a small recruiting firm in Boston, and they couldn’t tell me the name of the person who they were looking to fill this role for.
00:05:14.479 –> 00:05:16.519
JESSIE: And it was for an administrative assistant.
00:05:16.519 –> 00:05:19.599
JESSIE: And I thought, okay, that sounds pretty cool.
00:05:19.599 –> 00:05:24.219
JESSIE: The recruiter was wonderful and got me lined up with them.
00:05:24.219 –> 00:05:29.619
JESSIE: And even throughout my first interview, I didn’t know, they couldn’t tell me who the person was.
00:05:29.619 –> 00:05:36.319
JESSIE: So then by the second round, I found out who it was and was pretty intimidated to meet him.
00:05:36.319 –> 00:05:44.639
JESSIE: But he was working in his small personal office for Yo-Yo Ma’s small personal office in Arlington, Mass.
00:05:46.139 –> 00:05:50.479
JESSIE: And, yeah, I kind of grew from there.
00:05:51.799 –> 00:05:52.419
JESSIE: I was young.
00:05:52.419 –> 00:05:54.199
JESSIE: I was still unsure.
00:05:54.199 –> 00:05:59.899
JESSIE: But I knew that I was in a really cool position there to grow and to learn.
00:05:59.899 –> 00:06:01.939
JESSIE: And I was still working in the arts.
00:06:02.079 –> 00:06:08.039
JESSIE: So I was following my passion of the art field.
00:06:08.039 –> 00:06:29.979
JESSIE: And I was with him for just under nine years and went from answering phones and doing bills for the office and catering and getting his coffee to getting to be on a private plane with him to go support him at a concert and hold a cello that is worth a lot of money.
00:06:30.139 –> 00:06:33.719
JESSIE: And his view is very nerve-racking.
00:06:33.719 –> 00:06:38.839
JESSIE: And I grew so much there because I had to just go.
00:06:39.039 –> 00:06:42.419
JESSIE: I couldn’t second guess decisions.
00:06:42.419 –> 00:06:47.659
JESSIE: You know, and it really was a wonderful, wonderful experience.
00:06:47.659 –> 00:06:50.139
JESSIE: I left working for him.
00:06:50.139 –> 00:06:58.119
JESSIE: I was with him for a really long time, was ready to try a new opportunity and worked at a company called Fuse, a tech company in downtown Boston.
00:06:59.019 –> 00:07:01.219
JESSIE: It was much larger, was very different.
00:07:01.219 –> 00:07:04.239
JESSIE: I supported a few executives there.
00:07:04.239 –> 00:07:07.799
JESSIE: And then when I had my son, I did not want to do the commute.
00:07:07.799 –> 00:07:15.999
JESSIE: So I took a job at a biosciences company in Lexington, supporting the medical officer and the scientific officer.
00:07:16.019 –> 00:07:24.619
JESSIE: I was there about two years through COVID, and then found MindMed, or MindMed found me.
00:07:26.319 –> 00:07:35.819
JESSIE: Our wonderful recruiter at MindMed contacted me just shortly after I actually got laid off from the previous role.
00:07:35.819 –> 00:07:38.619
JESSIE: And so it felt very much like fate.
00:07:38.619 –> 00:07:57.839
JESSIE: And I remember holding my six-month-old daughter walking around my kitchen island, talking to the recruiter, hoping to not have her cry during the recall, you know, and just being enthralled in what he was telling me about, and so excited about the opportunity and what MindMed is doing.
00:07:57.839 –> 00:07:59.619
JESSIE: And that’s what brought me to MindMed.
00:07:59.619 –> 00:08:02.959
JESSIE: So, here I am now.
00:08:02.959 –> 00:08:03.499
JEREMY: That’s great.
00:08:03.499 –> 00:08:18.619
JEREMY: So when was that moment where you thought this assistant role is not only a career option but it’s a career option for me, like something that I’m interested in and pursuing?
00:08:18.619 –> 00:08:22.339
JEREMY: Was it during the Yo-Yo Ma supporting time?
00:08:22.339 –> 00:08:25.219
JEREMY: Was it as you got into the corporate world?
00:08:26.059 –> 00:08:32.339
JEREMY: When did you kind of the light bulb hit and say, hey, you know what, this is a career, but it’s also a career that I’m interested in?
00:08:33.619 –> 00:08:54.359
JESSIE: I think once I got the actual Executive Assistant title working at Fuse because it was a big company, it was a team of executive assistants, it was your cut and dry EA role supporting a few executives at a busy company and learning how to manage complex calendars.
00:08:54.499 –> 00:08:56.939
JESSIE: When I worked for Yo-Yo, it was just him.
00:08:56.939 –> 00:09:02.039
JESSIE: Obviously, it was busy, but the role was very different, it was varied.
00:09:03.499 –> 00:09:21.059
JESSIE: I think once I went to Fuse, but it wasn’t really until I actually started at MindMed that I felt like it was a career, and I thought of it as a career, not just my job.
00:09:21.059 –> 00:09:35.339
JESSIE: And that’s because of the passion that I have for our field and the personal connection that a lot of people have to mental health, and just how fascinating I found it being what we’re doing.
00:09:35.339 –> 00:09:51.899
JESSIE: That wasn’t, and also starting at MindMed and actually looking for, starting to look around and see what there was for roles once I got laid off, was when I realized how big the EA community and network was.
00:09:51.899 –> 00:10:05.299
JESSIE: And I found your book then, and that was when my eyes kind of opened to like, wow, this is actually a career for a lot of people, and I’ve been doing it for a while now, and I really like it, I’m really good at it, so maybe that’s okay.
00:10:05.299 –> 00:10:23.539
JESSIE: Maybe I never found that I wanted to be a doctor, a lawyer, but this is a career and I really love it, and that’s fine, you know, and I kind of really have grown in that letting go of those insecurities of that this is enough and it’s, it’s for me.
00:10:23.539 –> 00:10:25.299
JEREMY: Yeah.
00:10:25.299 –> 00:10:25.999
JEREMY: Wow, that’s great.
00:10:25.999 –> 00:10:28.799
JEREMY: So tell us a little bit more.
00:10:28.799 –> 00:10:33.719
JEREMY: We’ve got lots of questions and a few topics I want to cover, but tell us a little bit more about MindMed.
00:10:34.019 –> 00:10:35.499
JEREMY: What does MindMed do?
00:10:37.359 –> 00:10:41.359
JESSIE: So MindMed is a clinical stage biotech company.
00:10:41.359 –> 00:10:56.839
JESSIE: We are, our lead product candidate is called MM120, and it is a tartrate salt form of lysergide, so of LSD, otherwise known as LSD.
00:10:56.839 –> 00:11:06.439
JESSIE: And it has a really huge therapeutic potential to help people with generalized anxiety disorder, so that’s our lead candidate.
00:11:06.439 –> 00:11:12.379
JESSIE: We’re currently looking at it going into MDD, which is Major Depressive Disorder as well.
00:11:13.479 –> 00:11:20.679
JESSIE: So MindMed’s been around for not a long time, 2019, and has grown.
00:11:20.839 –> 00:11:38.039
JESSIE: I don’t remember what number of employee I was, but we’re about 65 now, and we’re seeing a lot of growth the rest of this year and throughout next year, as we grow a commercial team and get closer to hopefully a drug approval, and having really big impact.
00:11:38.039 –> 00:11:39.099
JEREMY: Nice.
00:11:39.099 –> 00:11:47.679
JEREMY: The Boston area, I’ve interviewed other Boston assistants and worked with them over the years, seems to be pretty heavy in biotech, is that right?
00:11:47.679 –> 00:11:48.139
JEREMY: Yeah.
00:11:48.139 –> 00:11:51.079
JESSIE: So I’m actually fully remote.
00:11:51.119 –> 00:11:52.779
JESSIE: My boss lives in Wisconsin.
00:11:53.879 –> 00:11:55.539
JESSIE: He lives in New York, Florida.
00:11:55.539 –> 00:11:57.559
JESSIE: So we’re very spread out.
00:11:57.559 –> 00:12:00.879
JESSIE: We have a few folks in Europe as well.
00:12:01.959 –> 00:12:07.179
JESSIE: But what brought me into biotech was Boston, because I was in the Lexington area working on a biotech there.
00:12:07.179 –> 00:12:07.359
JESSIE: Yeah.
00:12:07.359 –> 00:12:09.499
JESSIE: So there’s a lot of biotechs in Cambridge.
00:12:09.499 –> 00:12:10.299
JEREMY: Got you.
00:12:10.339 –> 00:12:12.059
<v SPEAKER_4>Yeah.
00:12:12.059 –> 00:12:12.399
JEREMY: Awesome.
00:12:12.399 –> 00:12:30.459
JEREMY: So then, has that always been a thought or a, I mean, working for Yo-Yo Ma and you said you had some art history, background, has that always been something where you’re like, I really want to work somewhere that is in a field that I’m interested in?
00:12:30.459 –> 00:12:31.359
JESSIE: Yes.
00:12:31.359 –> 00:12:33.779
JESSIE: It definitely is.
00:12:33.779 –> 00:12:39.719
JESSIE: When I was at Fuse, it was a communications platform that they created.
00:12:40.199 –> 00:12:53.739
JESSIE: It was a good product, but yeah, I didn’t have that passion and that drive to be connected to it and what we’re doing, and so I didn’t feel a deeper connection to the greater organization, plus it was so large.
00:12:54.879 –> 00:13:04.519
JESSIE: Then at Kaleido, obviously, we were helping people as a microbiome company, and that’s great, and I knew I wanted to stay with something that was helping people.
00:13:05.679 –> 00:13:12.599
JESSIE: But with MindMed, I have a little more of an understanding of it.
00:13:12.599 –> 00:13:24.919
JESSIE: I might not understand a lot of the biotech, the language, and a lot of abbreviations, but boy, I have learned a lot over the past two and a half years, and I feel like I can talk about it now.
00:13:28.879 –> 00:13:31.819
JESSIE: I sit in on meetings and it’s not just going right over my head.
00:13:35.279 –> 00:13:47.799
JESSIE: The employees at MindMed never hesitate to take time to explain something to you if you’re interested in it, and they love talking about what they do because they love what they do, and they’re going to help a lot of people.
00:13:49.019 –> 00:13:55.519
JESSIE: So it’s definitely been important for me to feel that connection, and I hadn’t felt that before.
00:13:56.979 –> 00:13:57.679
JEREMY: That’s awesome.
00:13:57.679 –> 00:14:00.359
JEREMY: So you mentioned working remote.
00:14:00.639 –> 00:14:04.659
JEREMY: So how do you stay motivated while you’re working remote?
00:14:05.719 –> 00:14:12.419
JESSIE: Yeah, I got used to working remotely during COVID, but I also had a toddler at home at that time.
00:14:12.419 –> 00:14:15.019
JESSIE: So that was a challenge.
00:14:15.019 –> 00:14:17.859
JESSIE: Luckily, now my kids are both in school.
00:14:18.939 –> 00:14:24.699
JESSIE: I stay motivated by loving what I do and by being really busy, to be honest.
00:14:24.759 –> 00:14:31.259
JESSIE: And I’ve talked to, so I work with the EA coach, shout out to Annie Croner.
00:14:31.259 –> 00:14:41.059
JESSIE: And I had a week or two there, and everybody does, where I didn’t feel super motivated and I was feeling burnt out and I was feeling tired and I was feeling really badly about it.
00:14:41.059 –> 00:14:48.179
JESSIE: And she just said to me, she was like, not everybody feels motivated or inspired all the time.
00:14:48.179 –> 00:14:57.359
JESSIE: You just need to figure out ways to kind of bounce back from it and look at yourself, care, look at staying physically active.
00:14:58.619 –> 00:15:03.079
JESSIE: I try and get out for walks, I try and listen to music.
00:15:03.079 –> 00:15:14.079
JESSIE: I check in with my boss as often as I can so that I can feel connected to everything and joining a good amount of meetings as well helps you feel connected.
00:15:14.079 –> 00:15:22.919
JESSIE: We also do have a good amount of in-person opportunities where folks meet for off-sites, and that is very motivating to have that connection.
00:15:24.619 –> 00:15:25.319
JEREMY: Nice.
00:15:25.319 –> 00:15:29.319
JEREMY: Do you have to organize that, or do you have somebody else that organizes those off-sites?
00:15:29.319 –> 00:15:34.499
JESSIE: I do organize, yes, the majority of them.
00:15:34.499 –> 00:15:40.479
JESSIE: We excitingly have just grown our EA team from one to two people.
00:15:41.439 –> 00:15:42.199
JESSIE: Very excited.
00:15:42.199 –> 00:15:45.659
JESSIE: She’s on her second week here and is doing great.
00:15:45.719 –> 00:15:54.019
JESSIE: And so I’m happily have another person to help with that and to take some of that on because it can take a lot of time.
00:15:54.019 –> 00:15:58.479
JEREMY: What’s like your one tip for off-site planning for a remote team?
00:16:04.685 –> 00:16:05.645
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00:16:05.645 –> 00:16:11.185
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<v SPEAKER_4>Here at NOVA, it’s our mission to provide the very best student experience possible.
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00:16:49.085 –> 00:16:51.025
JESSIE: Hmm, that’s a good question.
00:16:51.085 –> 00:16:52.905
JESSIE: On tip, off-site planning.
00:16:56.525 –> 00:17:08.925
JESSIE: I think probably to get your budget, your expectations and your outline of how you want the event to go right off the bat before you start looking for hotels and getting quotes.
00:17:08.925 –> 00:17:13.725
JESSIE: Otherwise, you might be completely missing the mark and spending a lot of time doing research.
00:17:13.725 –> 00:17:19.845
JESSIE: So get all the information you need right upfront before you run with it and do your planning.
00:17:20.845 –> 00:17:23.625
JESSIE: Yeah.
00:17:23.625 –> 00:17:27.325
JESSIE: There’s awesome, offsite.com is out there.
00:17:27.325 –> 00:17:35.925
JESSIE: There’s a lot of people who if your company is larger and they have the funds and need external support, then definitely do that.
00:17:35.925 –> 00:17:37.325
<v SPEAKER_3>Nice.
00:17:37.325 –> 00:17:47.625
JEREMY: Yeah, that’s one of the big things because you get so overwhelmed at all of the details and the quotes and-
00:17:48.865 –> 00:17:50.525
JESSIE: Yep.
00:17:50.525 –> 00:17:57.025
JEREMY: The different types of preferences and opinions on how an offsite should go.
00:17:58.065 –> 00:18:08.545
JEREMY: Yeah, definitely getting that info before you go down that trail of, all right, city, what budget, all that stuff is great.
00:18:08.585 –> 00:18:10.685
JEREMY: Absolutely.
00:18:10.685 –> 00:18:17.405
JEREMY: What about, you mentioned working, you mentioned Annie Croner, which is awesome.
00:18:17.885 –> 00:18:21.845
JEREMY: I interviewed her on episode, I’ll go look it up real quick.
00:18:21.845 –> 00:18:23.805
JEREMY: I think it’s two, I did it twice.
00:18:23.805 –> 00:18:32.305
JEREMY: So back in 2019, episode 26, so leaderassistant.com/26, if anybody wants to listen to that.
00:18:32.305 –> 00:18:39.945
JEREMY: And then I interviewed her again in May of 2023, published it, episode 219.
00:18:39.945 –> 00:18:41.185
JEREMY: So leaderassistant.com/219.
00:18:43.125 –> 00:18:50.405
JEREMY: That one we talked about burnout and boundaries and confidence and all those things that I’m also passionate about.
00:18:50.405 –> 00:19:04.045
JEREMY: And so tell us a little bit about the value that you’ve found, you know, maybe how you got connected with her and how you work with her and then just the value of having an EA coach and community.
00:19:05.545 –> 00:19:07.885
JESSIE: Yeah.
00:19:07.885 –> 00:19:11.825
JESSIE: I have been working with Annie for about six months and just signed on for another six months.
00:19:11.825 –> 00:19:15.065
JESSIE: So my mind has been greatly supportive of that.
00:19:15.065 –> 00:19:18.665
JESSIE: And that’s been very appreciated.
00:19:21.325 –> 00:19:24.005
JESSIE: I started as the sole EA.
00:19:24.005 –> 00:19:27.865
JESSIE: I had never worked for a CEO before and I had never been the sole EA.
00:19:27.865 –> 00:19:32.885
JESSIE: So I needed, I mean, I had already been two years in, but I think I was just so busy.
00:19:33.345 –> 00:19:39.685
JESSIE: So in it that I wasn’t able to think outside of what I was dealing with in front of me.
00:19:39.685 –> 00:19:44.945
JESSIE: And I thought, I think I need some, I need a sounding board.
00:19:44.945 –> 00:19:48.105
JESSIE: I need better systems and processes.
00:19:48.365 –> 00:19:50.785
JESSIE: I didn’t really know what I needed.
00:19:51.825 –> 00:19:52.985
JESSIE: But I don’t remember how I found her.
00:19:52.985 –> 00:19:56.385
JESSIE: I think probably on LinkedIn and maybe listen to her podcast.
00:19:58.125 –> 00:20:01.185
JESSIE: And then we had an intro call and we hit it off really well.
00:20:01.865 –> 00:20:06.945
JESSIE: She’s also a mom and has been in EA for a long time.
00:20:06.945 –> 00:20:10.405
JESSIE: So the value is huge.
00:20:11.825 –> 00:20:23.825
JESSIE: Some sessions have just been talking about what’s going on at work, at home, and I’m thinking, we didn’t accomplish much today, but to have a sounding board.
00:20:23.825 –> 00:20:26.445
JESSIE: And it’s like EA therapy.
00:20:29.885 –> 00:20:40.545
JESSIE: I didn’t have another EA here to talk to you about certain things and ask questions about, how should I deal with this personality?
00:20:40.545 –> 00:20:43.325
JESSIE: What do you recommend for this software?
00:20:44.905 –> 00:20:48.905
JESSIE: She introduced me to Trello, which I love and use now for task management.
00:20:50.465 –> 00:21:01.305
JESSIE: She coached me through the hiring process of hiring another EA, which I had never done before, along with the great support from MindMed and the interview team and HR.
00:21:02.545 –> 00:21:13.645
JESSIE: So now going forward, we’re able to look at my goals and strategic planning with my executive, and what do I want out of my career?
00:21:13.985 –> 00:21:16.765
JESSIE: If this is it, that’s great, and that’s fine, but is there more?
00:21:19.345 –> 00:21:31.785
JESSIE: So I think it’s really been invaluable for me, and I highly recommend it, especially if you’re the only EA somewhere, or you’re starting out at any point in your career.
00:21:32.805 –> 00:22:04.765
JEREMY: Yeah, the benefit of just being that sounding board, and a lot of my clients will say, you know, I feel like this is like you mentioned, like EA therapy, like, this is like, you know, and I can’t call it therapy, I’m not a licensed therapist or anything, but it is that blend of like, you know, life coach, professional coach, counselor, therapist, friend, colleague that understands what it’s like to be an EA.
00:22:06.805 –> 00:22:16.125
JEREMY: That, you know, because I, you know, only EA’s understand what EA’s go through, you know, and so that’s great that you’ve got that connection.
00:22:16.125 –> 00:22:18.325
JEREMY: And Annie’s great.
00:22:19.905 –> 00:22:28.685
JEREMY: Again, you can check out those episodes where I had conversations with Annie in prior podcast episodes.
00:22:28.685 –> 00:22:37.165
JEREMY: And yeah, so I want to talk about balancing work and motherhood.
00:22:37.165 –> 00:22:47.665
JEREMY: And so you mentioned, you know, holding your six-month-old while you’re on the call with a recruiter, hoping they didn’t make any noise.
00:22:49.165 –> 00:22:59.085
JEREMY: What’s been maybe some of the challenges that you’ve had as your kids, or, you know, they’re now three and five.
00:22:59.205 –> 00:23:04.085
JEREMY: So you’ve had a few years of working with young kiddos.
00:23:04.085 –> 00:23:06.045
JEREMY: What’s been some of the challenges you’ve gone through?
00:23:06.045 –> 00:23:19.565
JEREMY: And how have you, through those challenges, how have you discovered that balance of, hey, you know what, I’m in high demand at my job and I’m in high demand at my home?
00:23:21.485 –> 00:23:22.985
JESSIE: Yeah, I was thinking about this.
00:23:25.405 –> 00:23:40.965
JESSIE: And I was reading something earlier today about this exact topic, and it was referenced that you never, if you were trying to find a perfect balance, which by definition, it doesn’t make sense.
00:23:40.965 –> 00:23:42.385
JESSIE: It doesn’t exist.
00:23:43.685 –> 00:23:47.745
JESSIE: The reality is we spend the majority of our lives at our jobs.
00:23:49.125 –> 00:23:55.085
JESSIE: And so that’s another reason why I have to feel that connection and that I’m doing something.
00:23:55.085 –> 00:24:00.325
JESSIE: I’m helping, you know, I’m supporting people to be able to support their work, to do something great.
00:24:00.325 –> 00:24:05.225
JESSIE: And, you know, by association, I’m part of that.
00:24:07.005 –> 00:24:10.165
JESSIE: Because I’m spending so much time away from my kids.
00:24:10.165 –> 00:24:13.645
JESSIE: Obviously, they’re getting older, they’re going to be in school anyways.
00:24:14.905 –> 00:24:20.045
JESSIE: But there’s also evenings where I’m cooking dinner and I’m checking my email or I’m responding to a text.
00:24:20.045 –> 00:24:22.845
JESSIE: And so my attention is taken away from them.
00:24:24.525 –> 00:24:29.385
JESSIE: That being said, I’m very committed to my job and I know that.
00:24:29.385 –> 00:24:37.965
JESSIE: And so even my husband will have to remind me sometimes, you know, do you need to do that now or, you know, can it wait till later or tomorrow after the kids are in bed?
00:24:39.745 –> 00:24:48.805
JESSIE: So I think it’s, I think I just circled, circled around, but they referred to it as work life integration.
00:24:48.805 –> 00:24:51.265
JESSIE: And I think especially working remotely.
00:24:51.565 –> 00:24:52.725
JESSIE: I say this all the time.
00:24:52.725 –> 00:24:56.145
JESSIE: I don’t know how I could do it if I had to commute.
00:24:56.145 –> 00:25:04.245
JESSIE: You know, I can take, you know, if my kids are home sick, I can work when they’re napping or when they’re watching TV or I cannot work.
00:25:04.245 –> 00:25:05.645
JESSIE: You know, I have that flexibility.
00:25:05.645 –> 00:25:07.065
JESSIE: We have unlimited vacation time.
00:25:07.105 –> 00:25:20.845
JESSIE: I have wonderful, supportive boss and co-workers, you know, that have supported me throughout all the transitions of motherhood and the sicknesses of kids and doctor’s appointments.
00:25:22.125 –> 00:25:28.525
JESSIE: So I think it’s finding that support system at your job, which hopefully I know some people are not as lucky.
00:25:28.525 –> 00:25:31.105
JESSIE: So I’m very grateful for that.
00:25:33.705 –> 00:25:34.345
JESSIE: That’s part of it.
00:25:34.345 –> 00:25:47.925
JESSIE: I think also creating your own boundaries with your work and with your co-workers and letting them know, yes, I am always available, but maybe this could be an email instead of a late night text.
00:25:47.925 –> 00:25:51.285
JESSIE: This is how, because otherwise I’m going to think it’s urgent.
00:25:51.285 –> 00:25:55.485
JESSIE: So just setting the setting expectations from the beginning.
00:25:56.985 –> 00:25:58.465
JESSIE: I talked to Annie a lot about burnout.
00:25:59.645 –> 00:26:11.465
JESSIE: I am someone who will, if I had to do something personal during the day, I’ll then make up the time after my kids go to bed, and that’s what I’ve noticed leads to burnout for me.
00:26:11.465 –> 00:26:15.125
JESSIE: Because by the end of the week, I’m just, I’m fried.
00:26:15.125 –> 00:26:19.505
JESSIE: Then I can’t give to my family or my job.
00:26:19.505 –> 00:26:27.525
JESSIE: So it’s just knowing your own personal boundaries, personal and professional.
00:26:29.405 –> 00:26:50.645
JESSIE: So yeah, I don’t think I have it down at all, but I’m trying my best and I try to embrace all the benefits of time off and time off, and we are a mental health company, and so I have to walk the walk too, and talk the talk because that’s what we stand for.
00:26:50.645 –> 00:26:59.165
JESSIE: So if I am not taking care of my own mental health, doing my own self-care, taking care of my kids and myself, then what am I doing?
00:27:01.445 –> 00:27:08.385
JEREMY: So practically, do you have, hey, I’m logging off at 6 p.m.
00:27:08.385 –> 00:27:17.865
JEREMY: on Friday, and I’ll check back in on Sunday for a brief check-in, but then I’ll see you on Monday, or is it a little bit more loose?
00:27:18.245 –> 00:27:19.105
JESSIE: More loose, yeah.
00:27:20.105 –> 00:27:20.525
JESSIE: Yeah.
00:27:21.065 –> 00:27:31.405
JESSIE: My boss also has young kids, which I felt that connection with him when we first chatted, and so he really gets it, and we have that conversation a lot.
00:27:31.405 –> 00:27:38.905
JESSIE: So while I’m trying to help him have a better work-life balance, I’m reminding myself to have it as well.
00:27:38.905 –> 00:27:43.925
JESSIE: So no, I mean, by 6 p.m., I’m eating dinner with my family.
00:27:43.925 –> 00:27:46.545
JESSIE: So it’s not a nine to five.
00:27:48.085 –> 00:27:52.525
JESSIE: Today, I didn’t get home from dropping my daughter up until 9.30, and then I had a dead disappointment.
00:27:52.525 –> 00:27:57.905
JESSIE: And so I’m logging off at four when my son gets off the bus, and then I might check in later.
00:27:59.045 –> 00:28:03.245
JESSIE: It’s really getting everything done when you get it done.
00:28:03.245 –> 00:28:06.065
JESSIE: That flexibility is invaluable.
00:28:06.065 –> 00:28:15.045
JEREMY: Yeah, that’s the thing with my executive, it’s a similar situation where I work remote, and he has four kids, I have two kids.
00:28:15.505 –> 00:28:32.905
JEREMY: You know, we get that there’s no work-life balance, there’s just balance, and we all have one life, and as long as you get your work done, and get it done when it needs to get done, then it doesn’t matter if you do it at 6 p.m.
00:28:32.905 –> 00:28:35.165
JEREMY: on a Thursday, or 10 a.m.
00:28:35.165 –> 00:28:42.025
JEREMY: on a Friday, like whenever you can get it done, you get it done as long as that’s what the business needs.
00:28:43.665 –> 00:28:53.465
JEREMY: And then we also have a communication levels of urgency tiers and tiers.
00:28:54.525 –> 00:29:00.085
JEREMY: So like you mentioned earlier, oh, this could have been an e-mail, doesn’t have to be a text.
00:29:00.085 –> 00:29:06.725
JEREMY: So if my executive texts me, which is rare, then it’s pretty urgent.
00:29:06.725 –> 00:29:08.125
JEREMY: I need to get back within a few minutes.
00:29:08.125 –> 00:29:09.605
JEREMY: If he calls, I answer it.
00:29:09.985 –> 00:29:11.205
JESSIE: Right, then it’s really urgent.
00:29:11.205 –> 00:29:12.425
JEREMY: It’s really urgent.
00:29:12.425 –> 00:29:13.345
JEREMY: Yeah.
00:29:13.345 –> 00:29:20.385
JEREMY: But some executives, they just call their assistant all the time, you know, and it’s like, that’s how they work and that’s whatever.
00:29:20.385 –> 00:29:30.825
JEREMY: And it’s like, it’s very helpful to have those boundaries and those clear expectations of, hey, if I e-mail you, I expect to hear back within 24 hours.
00:29:31.405 –> 00:29:34.445
JEREMY: If I slack you, I expect to hear back within 15 minutes.
00:29:34.445 –> 00:29:37.885
JEREMY: If I text you, I expect to hear back within two minutes.
00:29:37.965 –> 00:29:38.305
JESSIE: Right.
00:29:38.305 –> 00:29:39.125
JEREMY: Or five minutes.
00:29:39.125 –> 00:29:41.785
JEREMY: And then if I call you, I expect you to answer.
00:29:42.525 –> 00:29:51.765
JEREMY: But I’m not going to abuse that because I’m not going to just think that everything is urgent when urgent is actually rarely urgent.
00:29:51.765 –> 00:29:52.025
JESSIE: Right.
00:29:52.025 –> 00:30:11.885
JEREMY: And so, yeah, so that’s great that you’ve got that back and forth where, you know, I just saw an article today or yesterday or whatever about the CEO of Amazon is requesting everybody to return to work, return to the office and five days a week and all this.
00:30:11.885 –> 00:30:15.225
JEREMY: And just like, all right, well, this is going to be interesting.
00:30:15.225 –> 00:30:17.285
JEREMY: And that’s that could be a whole other conversation.
00:30:17.285 –> 00:30:29.725
JEREMY: But just the idea that if you are productive and effective, doesn’t matter where you work, doesn’t matter when you do the tasks.
00:30:31.045 –> 00:30:32.965
JEREMY: What matters is that they’re done well.
00:30:33.365 –> 00:30:40.665
JEREMY: And that you have that partnership formed, where you’re helping your executive reach their goals.
00:30:40.665 –> 00:30:42.285
JESSIE: Right.
00:30:42.285 –> 00:30:53.025
JESSIE: And, you know, uniquely, companies that are fully remote, we have the benefit of hiring our workforce wherever they live.
00:30:53.025 –> 00:30:57.465
JESSIE: You know, if we find someone wonderful who lives in California, great.
00:30:57.465 –> 00:30:58.925
JESSIE: It’s not limited to that.
00:30:59.565 –> 00:31:04.205
JESSIE: For EAs, it was preferred to have somebody on the East Coast.
00:31:05.225 –> 00:31:10.625
JESSIE: But for other people, I like to think it’s the future.
00:31:10.625 –> 00:31:13.585
JESSIE: And I like to think my kids will have the option to work remotely when they’re working.
00:31:13.585 –> 00:31:16.905
JESSIE: But it obviously depends on your industry.
00:31:16.905 –> 00:31:17.665
JEREMY: So, right.
00:31:17.665 –> 00:31:19.205
JEREMY: Yeah, totally.
00:31:19.205 –> 00:31:19.965
JESSIE: Yep.
00:31:19.965 –> 00:31:20.565
JEREMY: Awesome.
00:31:20.565 –> 00:31:22.945
JEREMY: Well, Jessie, thank you so much for being on the show.
00:31:22.945 –> 00:31:24.445
JEREMY: Lots of great conversations.
00:31:24.585 –> 00:31:40.785
JEREMY: Is there any other any other stories or tidbits that you wanted to share from your career, whether it’s early on with with Yo-Yo Ma or more recently at MindMed or anything that you want to say to the assistants of the world?
00:31:40.985 –> 00:31:43.345
JEREMY: I’m all ears.
00:31:43.445 –> 00:31:54.865
JESSIE: Oh, gosh, I think, um, you know, personally, um, it’s been about a year and a half since I lost my mom.
00:31:54.865 –> 00:31:59.845
JESSIE: And I was writing some notes for the show, and I wrote in caps.
00:31:59.845 –> 00:32:02.105
JESSIE: And sorry if I get a little choked up here.
00:32:02.145 –> 00:32:13.205
JESSIE: I wrote caps, you know, at the end of the day, after everything is said and done, all I want to know is that my mom, all I know and that I want to know and think about is that my mom is so proud of me.
00:32:14.105 –> 00:32:34.145
JESSIE: And everything I’ve thought about, you know, working with Annie, you know, asking, promoting for myself at work, asking for a promotion, asking for, you know, support and paying for coaching is a confidence that I gained pretty much more recently.
00:32:34.145 –> 00:32:37.825
JESSIE: Asking you to be on this, asking if you’d be interested in having me on this podcast.
00:32:38.485 –> 00:33:01.525
JESSIE: Um, and I think that, I think it’s important that don’t, don’t discount yourself and that what you’ve chosen as a career or as a career stepping stone, whether it’s not for you forever, don’t discount who you are and don’t discount just, just being authentic and being yourself.
00:33:03.205 –> 00:33:07.365
JESSIE: Not worrying about your credentials or your experience or this or that.
00:33:07.365 –> 00:33:18.785
JESSIE: And, you know, when I started working for Yo-Yo, I felt pretty like, wow, they, they wanted me to, why did they pick me?
00:33:18.785 –> 00:33:23.965
JESSIE: And then now I’m thinking, yeah, I’ve worked really hard to get where I am and I really love what I do.
00:33:23.965 –> 00:33:31.165
JESSIE: And I’m really lucky and grateful for everybody who has supported me throughout, including my mom.
00:33:31.165 –> 00:33:36.905
JESSIE: And I know she’d be really proud of where I am now and stepping out of that comfort zone.
00:33:36.905 –> 00:33:44.525
JESSIE: You never know something until you ask or you try, you get up and you fight another day.
00:33:45.865 –> 00:33:52.205
JESSIE: So that would be what I want to end on is, yeah, just and also take care of your mental health.
00:33:52.265 –> 00:33:53.625
JESSIE: Plug for that.
00:33:53.625 –> 00:33:55.225
JESSIE: And watch MindMed.
00:33:55.225 –> 00:33:57.505
JESSIE: Pay attention to MindMed because we’re going to do big things.
00:33:57.505 –> 00:33:58.605
JEREMY: Nice.
00:33:58.605 –> 00:33:59.085
JEREMY: Awesome.
00:33:59.085 –> 00:33:59.885
JEREMY: That’s great, Jessie.
00:33:59.885 –> 00:34:02.825
JEREMY: Thank you so much for sharing and well said.
00:34:02.825 –> 00:34:10.685
JEREMY: And I’ll put the link to your LinkedIn, if that’s okay, for people to reach out and say hi and connect.
00:34:10.685 –> 00:34:12.525
JEREMY: In the show notes at leaderassistant.com/299.
00:34:14.485 –> 00:34:17.665
JEREMY: leaderassistant.com/299.
00:34:17.665 –> 00:34:21.265
JEREMY: Reach out to Jessie and say hi and connect with her on LinkedIn.
00:34:21.965 –> 00:34:24.125
JEREMY: And yeah, best of luck to you in your career.
00:34:24.125 –> 00:34:28.865
JEREMY: Thank you so much for taking a risk and being on the show.
00:34:28.865 –> 00:34:39.325
JEREMY: And yeah, we’re excited to share this conversation with the world and excited to stay in touch for sure.
00:34:39.325 –> 00:34:40.265
JESSIE: Thank you.
00:34:40.265 –> 00:34:40.745
JESSIE: Thanks, Jeremy.
00:34:51.583 –> 00:34:53.623
<v SPEAKER_3>Please review on Apple Podcasts.
00:35:00.362 –> 00:35:02.062
<v SPEAKER_3>goburrows.com.
