The Leader Assistant Podcast with Jeremy Burrows

Episode

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  #385: Rachel Clissold on Finding Your Voice and Developing Your Confidence 19.07.2026 22mnt

  In this episode of The Leader Assistant Podcast, I chat with Rachel Clissold, a coach and consultant based in Australia who helps leaders gain clarity and communicate more effectively. Rachel shares her professional journey, starting as a team administrator managing hundreds of staff and transitioning into an executive assistant role. We explore the unique rewards of being a "sidekick" to executives, the art of making the impossible possible, and how assistants can lean into their intuition t...
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  #384: Beth Portesi - Vibe Coding for Executive Assistants 12.07.2026 33mnt

  Beth Portesi is AI Enablement and Program Lead at Fivetran after 12 years as an executive assistant. She’s also the founder of Vibe Coding for EAs. In this episode of The Leader Assistant Podcast, Beth explores the exciting world of AI for executive assistants. Beth shares her journey from longtime EA to AI program lead and dives into “vibe coding” – an approach that empowers assistants to create automations and tools using plain language prompts, without needing technical expertise. Di...
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  #383: Fiona Kelly - Founder of Executive PA Forum and Miss Jones Ireland 05.07.2026 34mnt

  Fiona Kelly is the founder of Executive PA Forum, Ireland’s only L&D platform for EAs, PAs and business support professionals. In this episode of The Leader Assistant Podcast, Fiona talks about the changes she has seen in the executive support industry since launching her first summit in 2010, her process for hiring trainers, and more. Show notes -> leaderassistant.com/383 -- It’s the last day of the offsite and it was exactly what the team needed. The CEO pulls you aside to say, “Than...
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  #382: How to Confidently Craft a Resume that Stands Out 28.06.2026 51mnt

  In this exclusive episode, Al-Husein Madhany and I talk about how to confidently craft a resume – specifically for executive support roles – that stands out from the crowd. This is not a generic conversation about resumes. This is a brutally honest session to help you with your resume so you can gain an edge in your current (or future) job search. To further dive into this topic and get access to the resume template and line by line videos, enroll in The Assistant's Guide to Crafting the Perf...
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  #381: Ashley Langlais on Supporting the Goals of Your CEO 21.06.2026 37mnt

  In this episode of The Leader Assistant Podcast, Ashley Langlais, Chief of Staff at DVx Ventures, shares her unique approach to being a strategic partner to a CEO. Ashley details her journey in supporting her CEO through a "big first," such as writing his first book, making his goal her own from day one. Jeremy and Ashley chat about how to provide support beyond calendar management for major initiatives like book writing, speechwriting, keynote prep, and internal/external messaging.&nbs...
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  #380: Amber Youngren - Executive Assistant and Office Manager Lead at Forged Fiber 37 14.06.2026 25mnt

  Amber Youngren is the executive assistant and office manager lead at Forged Fiber 37. In this episode of The Leader Assistant Podcast, Amber discusses the evolving role of the Executive Assistant. She shares how EAs can become strategic leaders by developing skills for operations and Chief of Staff roles, building deep trust, managing up, and acting as the organization's ultimate connector to translate observations into actionable insight and bring alignment across teams. Show notes → l...
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  #379: Executive Office Insights Spotlight - A Conversation with Bilingual EA Paula Moio and Her Executive 07.06.2026 57mnt

  Tune into this special episode featuring a rare dual interview between Diana Brandl, award-winning executive assistant Paula Moio and her executive, Louis. Discover the powerful synergy of their four-year working relationship, built on radical trust, open dialogue, and Louis' strong belief that "assistants must be leaders." They share how emotional intelligence and cultural adaptation are critical in modern administration, and why future EAs must continuously add value beyond routine ta...
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  #378: Former Personal Assistant to Archbishop Desmond Tutu - Atrayah Janhe 31.05.2026 1j 3mnt

  Join Diana Brandl for an inspiring spotlight episode of Executive Office Insights with Atrayah Janhe, former Personal Assistant to Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Atrayah shares her diverse career path – from her start as a secretary and policewoman in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) to managing the Arch's office during his transition to retirement. She offers crucial insights into the evolution of the assistant role, arguing that while technology advances skills, human connection and Emotional Intelligenc...
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  #377: James McPartland on Leading from Where You Are 24.05.2026 30mnt

  James “Mac” McPartland is a keynote speaker, author of the Unopened Gifts ® series, and MindShift & Performance Coach. In this episode of The Leader Assistant Podcast, James talks about what it really means to lead from where you are, self-leadership, radical responsibility, and communication. Show notes -> leaderassistant.com/377 -- It’s the last day of the offsite and it was exactly what the team needed. The CEO pulls you aside to say, “Thank you. This was next level.” Your secret? Y...
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  #376: Diana Brandl Interviews Brian Daniel - Founder of The Celebrity Personal Assistant Network 17.05.2026 1j 24mnt

  In this candid interview, Diana Brandl welcomes Brian Daniel, founder of The Celebrity Personal Assistant Network, to pull back the curtain on the world of private service for celebrities, high-net-worth families, and billionaires. Brian, a former Personal Assistant and Chief of Staff for royal families and A-list stars, shares his firsthand expertise on the ups and downs of the industry. He reveals the true salary realities (including the controversial Anna Wintour assistant salary) an...
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  #375: Strategic Partner in the Executive Suite - Diana Brandl's Conversation with Anne Marie Otañez 10.05.2026 55mnt

  In this spotlight episode of Diana Brandl's Executive Office Insights, Anne Marie Otañez details her intentional career path, moving from early roles at Netscape, Disney, and Apple to her current strategic position. Learn what it truly means to be a Chief of Staff—a trusted partner, liaison, confidant, and proxy—and the importance of clearly defining the role against that of an Executive Assistant. Anne Marie, who is also an author and the founder of the Chief of Staff Academy, shares how sh...
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  #374: A Powerful Partnership - Diana Brandl Chats with President Matthew Chapman and his EBP Agnes Spohn 03.05.2026 1j 4mnt

  In this spotlight episode of the Executive Office Insights podcast, join Diana Brandl for an inspiring conversation with Matthew Chapman (President of Sales and Marketing) and his Executive Business Partner, Agnes Spohn, from Freudenberg Group. Despite being based in the US and Germany, this power duo reveals the dynamics of their thriving, trust-based, remote partnership, including how they leverage time zones for efficiency and rely on open communication. Learn about the evolving role of th...
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  #373: Maaike Knoester Interviews Jeremy Burrows on the 5 Star Assistant Podcast 26.04.2026 32mnt

  I had the honor of speaking with Maaike Knoester for an interview on the 5 Star Assistant Podcast to discuss my 20-year career as an Executive Assistant, my book The Leader Assistant, and the journey of producing over 360 episodes of my own podcast. In this conversation we talk about challenging misconceptions about our profession. The greatest misunderstanding is that EAs are merely "one-trick ponies" focused on scheduling and expenses. In reality, we are strategic partners who see the whol...
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  #372: A Conversation with Heleen Vink - Management Assistant to the Deputy CEO & CFO at Ingka Group | IKEA 19.04.2026 54mnt

  Diana Brandl is a longtime C-Suite assistant, and host of the Executive Office Insights podcast. In this spotlight episode, explore how service skills evolve into strategy as Heleen Vink shares her path from hospitality to supporting the CEO of Ingka Group (IKEA), the calendar audit that reset priorities, and the systems that protect deep work and drive stakeholder engagement. Heleen and Diana also outline how to build an internal assistant network and keep balance through community and creat...
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  #371: Reggie Love - Former Personal Aide to President Barack Obama 12.04.2026 52mnt

  Diana Brandl is a longtime C-Suite assistant, and host of the Executive Office Insights podcast. In this spotlight episode, Diana interviews Reggie Love - former Personal Aide to President Barack Obama. The conversation features Reggie discussing his life, career, and time at the White House. He shares his background growing up in North Carolina and his path to working with Obama, emphasizing the importance of diversity and inclusion. He also offers leadership advice centered on passion, pati...
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  #370: Jana Franklin on the Biggest Mistake CEOs Make When Hiring a VA 05.04.2026 30mnt

  Jana Franklin is President of CEO Concierge, a company dedicated to offering high-quality virtual assistant services to busy entrepreneurs, business owners and C-suite levels. In this episode of The Leader Assistant Podcast, Jana talks about the importance of training and onboarding when bringing on an assistant, the role of personality assessments in the hiring process, treating assistants as business partners, and more. Show notes -> leaderassistant.com/370 -- It’s the last day of ...
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  #369: Diana Brandl Interviews Patrick Jephson - Former Chief of Staff to Princess Diana 29.03.2026 48mnt

  Diana Brandl is a longtime C-Suite assistant, and host of the Executive Office Insights podcast. In this spotlight episode, Diana interviews Patrick Jephson - former Chief of Staff to Princess Diana. Show Notes -> leaderassistant.com/369 -- It’s the last day of the offsite and it was exactly what the team needed. The CEO pulls you aside to say, “Thank you. This was next level.” Your secret? You used Offsite. They handled the venues, negotiations, and logistics – so you could focus on...
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  #368: Executive Support in Microsoft Germany's CEO Office 22.03.2026 1j 4mnt

  Diana Brandl is a longtime C-Suite assistant, and host of the Executive Office Insights podcast. In this spotlight episode, Diana speaks with the executive support team in Microsoft Germany's CEO office. Go behind the scenes of Microsoft Germany’s CEO Office with two inspiring women: Andrea Bross (Executive Assistant) and Svetlana Barsova (Chief of Staff). In this candid conversation, they share what it really takes to support a top executive, manage complex schedules, and keep leadership mov...
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  #367: Donata Boston - Former Madonna Family Assistant 15.03.2026 1j 23mnt

  Diana Brandl is a longtime C-Suite assistant, and host of the Executive Office Insights podcast. In this spotlight episode, Diana speaks with Donata Boston - former Madonna family assistant. Show Notes -> leaderassistant.com/367 -- It’s the last day of the offsite and it was exactly what the team needed. The CEO pulls you aside to say, “Thank you. This was next level.” Your secret? You used Offsite. They handled the venues, negotiations, and logistics – so you could focus on shaping ...
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  #366: Deborrah Mac Kenzie on Executive Assistant Superpowers 08.03.2026 24mnt

  Deborrah Mac Kenzie-Meneades has over 30 years of experience in executive support. In this episode of The Leader Assistant Podcast, Deborrah shares her assistant career story, including a bit from her experience leading EA teams, and talks about superpowers assistants have. Show notes -> leaderassistant.com/366 -- It’s the last day of the offsite and it was exactly what the team needed. The CEO pulls you aside to say, “Thank you. This was next level.” Your secret? You used Offsite. T...