The EA Campus Podcast

Ever wish you had a clear roadmap for working seamlessly with your Executive? In this episode of The EA Campus Podcast, host Nicky Christmas guides you through the powerful process of creating an Executive User Guide - a strategic tool that captures everything you need to know about your Executive’s preferences, communication style, and leadership approach.From defining how they like to receive updates to understanding their management style, Nicky breaks down each section with practical tips and real-world examples. You’ll learn how to:Identify your Executive’s communication preferencesSet clear expectations around reporting and meetingsNavigate feedback and performance conversationsAlign with your Executive’s strategy and prioritiesPlus, don’t miss the free download to help you get started: the Executive User Guide Template, available at theeacampus.com/podcast/ep66.This episode is a must-listen for any Assistant who wants to build a stronger partnership with their Executive and elevate their impact. Tune in and discover how to take the guesswork out of working together! The EA Campus

In this episode of The EA Campus Podcast, we sit down with freelance Executive Assistant Kaitlin Bekken for one of our ever-popular Day in the Life conversations.Caitlyn shares her journey into the EA world, how she transitioned into freelancing, and what a typical day looks like supporting multiple clients across industries. From managing inboxes and booking complex travel to using AI tools like ChatGPT and NVO to streamline her workflow, Caitlyn walks us through the systems and mindset that keep her on top of her game.We also dive into the importance of knowing your own working capacity, how to build strong remote relationships with executives, and the career-defining power of problem-solving and tenacity.Whether you’re an in-house EA curious about life as a freelancer, or a virtual assistant looking to refine your own approach, Caitlyn’s insights are full of practical wisdom, humour, and reassurance.In this episode:Caitlyn’s journey into the EA role and her move into freelancingHow she manages her day across multiple clients and time zonesHer favourite tools and tech, including ChatGPT and NVOBuilding trust remotely and setting healthy boundariesAdvice for new EAs (and why “just go for it” might be your new motto) The EA Campus

Welcome to The EA Campus Podcast with your host, Nicky Christmas. In today’s episode, we’re diving into the different types of meetings your Executive attends and how you can manage them strategically to drive real progress.Here’s what we cover:Why meetings matter more than ever—and how EAs can support their Executive’s time as their most valuable resourceThe six key meeting types you need to know:Decision-Making Meetings – Where critical choices happenInformation-Sharing Meetings – Updates and reports that matterBrainstorming/Creative Sessions – Sparking new ideasRelationship-Building Meetings – Building trust and connectionsCrisis/Problem-Solving Meetings – When urgent solutions are neededGovernance/Board Meetings – Formal, high-level decision-makingHow to categorise meetings and tailor your prep: from agendas and pre-reads to setting the right mindset for each typeThe importance of managing transitions between meetings to avoid ‘meeting hangovers’ and keep your Executive focusedTips for asking the right questions when scheduling meetings—like clarifying objectives, success criteria, and your Executive’s roleThe difference you can make as an EA by setting every meeting up for success, transforming from a diary manager to a strategic partner🔗 Resources Mentioned:Free Meetings Checklist Template: theeacampus.com/podcast/ep64EA Campus Online Courses – 30% off with code SUMMER30Upcoming Events:Advanced Management Masterclass – 13th JuneStrategic Time Management Masterclass – 24th JuneAI Virtual Summit – 11th JulyMicrosoft & AI Masterclass – 24th Julyhttps://theeacampus.com/events/🗓️ Stay Connected:Subscribe to The EA Campus Podcast so you never miss an episodeLeave us a review - it helps other EAs discover the showShare this episode with a fellow EA who’d find it helpful The EA Campus

Business travel – glamorous on Instagram, chaotic in real life. In this episode of The EA Campus Podcast, host Nicky Christmas revisits one of her most-requested topics: how to expertly plan and manage business travel for your executive. Originally recorded at her first public speaking event back in 2012 (or maybe 2013 – who’s counting?), this session has been fully updated for 2025 with all the latest tools, AI tricks, and tech tips.Whether your executive is flying long-haul or hopping on a train to a regional office, you’ll learn how to build a bulletproof itinerary that keeps them calm, collected, and exactly where they need to be. From pre-flight prep to worst-case scenario plans, we’re covering it all.Oh, and yes – we still print the itinerary. Even in 2025.In this episode, we cover:Why travel planning is still one of the most essential EA skillsSetting clear expectations before your executive sets foot on a planeQuestions to ask before you book anything (trust us, these are game changers)What the purpose of the trip tells you about how to plan itHow to build an itinerary your executive will actually useFour essentials every itinerary needs – plus the added extras that make all the differenceWhy paper copies still matter (yes, really)Who should get a copy of the itinerary – it’s not just your exec!How to prep for delays, jet lag, and all those unexpected curveballsThe best AI and travel tech tools to streamline the process in 2025One final Google Maps trick that will make you look like a total travel genius🎁 Free Download: Grab our customisable Travel Itinerary Template – complete with emergency contact checklist and pre-trip planning questions. The EA Campus

In this solo episode, host Nicky Christmas dives into a topic that’s often overlooked but absolutely essential for Executive Assistants - feedback. Not just collecting it, but organising it, categorising it, and using it to demonstrate your value, influence, and impact.We’ll unpack how to turn everyday praise into a powerful narrative you can use in performance reviews, salary conversations, and even job interviews. If you've ever struggled to explain your contribution, this episode will give you the tools—and the confidence—to make your invisible work visible.Plus, Nicky shares a free downloadable Feedback Categorisation Template to help you get started.🔗 Download the free template here: https://theeacampus.com/podcast/ep62🗂️ Show Notes:In this episode, you’ll learn:Why feedback often goes unnoticed—and how to start spotting itHow to collect feedback in a way that fits into your busy scheduleA step-by-step system for categorising and analysing your feedbackHow to turn praise into a compelling narrative for performance conversationsWhy sending your feedback summary ahead of time changes the tone of the meetingHow tools like ChatGPT can help structure and polish your feedback log💡 EA Tip of the Week: Track praise like you’d track spending. It doesn’t have to be perfect—it just has to be captured.🎁 Resources Mentioned:Download the Feedback Categorisation TemplateSign up for The Collaborative Assistant Masterclass – Friday 30th May📣 Don’t forget to:Subscribe, share, and leave a reviewFollow us on LinkedIn and Instagram @TheEACampusVisit https://theeacampus.com for upcoming events, courses, and community support The EA Campus

This week, we’re tackling one of the most common challenges Assistants face - getting your Executive to delegate.If your Executive insists on doing everything themselves, avoids handing off tasks, or says they simply don’t have time to show you the ropes, you're not alone. In this episode, I unpack eight key reasons why so many Executives struggle to delegate and what you can do about it. From perfectionism and fear of failure to not knowing where to start, we’ll explore the mindset behind the resistance and give you practical strategies to break through the barrier.You’ll learn how to:Understand the psychology behind under-delegationUse the “multiple-choice strategy” to make it easier for your Executive to say yesBuild trust and showcase your capability through small winsCreate a system that makes delegation a habit, not a headachePlus, I’ll share tips on how to keep your Executive accountable once they start delegating.👋 A quick heads-up before we dive in - May is a big month here at The EA Campus! Join us for the Project Management Masterclass with Mary Beth Imbarratto on Friday, 9th May, our Impact Virtual Summit on Friday, 16th May, and the Collaborative Assistant Masterclass on Friday, 30th May. We’d love to see you there!Project Management MasterclassImpact Virtual SummitCollaborative Assistant MasterclassReady to help your Executive let go and level up? Let’s get into it! The EA Campus

From setting goals and refreshing their profile to drafting content and tracking engagement, Nicky walks you through seven practical steps to help your Executive build a personal brand on LinkedIn - without it taking over your day.Whether you're already ghostwriting posts or just starting to explore what this might look like, this episode is packed with advice, real-world EA insights, and helpful tools to make the process smoother.You don’t need to be a social media manager to add value here. You just need the right plan, the right tools, and the confidence to get started.Plus, don’t miss the bonus segment on what not to do when managing your Exec’s LinkedIn, and a reminder of the exciting events coming up on The EA Campus!🎧 Listen now and learn:How to set goals and boundaries with your ExecutiveWhat kind of content works best on LinkedInHow to create a sustainable content scheduleTools to help you write, schedule, and track contentHow to turn social media support into real performance winsContent Planning & Scheduling:Trello / Asana (content calendar)Notion (content tracker)SocialBee (scheduling, categorising, and repurposing posts)Buffer / Later (content scheduling)LinkedIn’s Native SchedulingContent Creation & Design:Canva (graphics, thumbnails)ChatGPT (drafting ideas - just make sure to edit for tone!)LinkedIn-Specific Tools:Shield App (performance analytics)Taplio (personal branding, scheduling, AI help)LinkedIn Creator Mode (highlight posts, access extra tools)Crystal (understand tone of potential connections)Profile Optimisation:TealResume Worded The EA Campus

In this special Admin Week episode of The EA Campus Podcast, we’re exploring one of the most important (and often most uncomfortable) topics for Executive Assistants: asking for a training budget.If you've ever felt awkward or unsure about asking for professional development support, this episode is for you. We’re unpacking the mindset shift that turns “asking for permission” into “claiming what’s already available to you” - because training isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity.We cover:Why EA-specific training matters more than everThe reasons assistants hold back from asking for budget—and how to move past themHow to make a confident, strategic ask (with a strong ROI)What to do if the answer is “no”The tools and templates available to make your ask easier (including our free Business Case Template)Plus, to celebrate Admin Week, we're offering 40% off all EA Campus online courses through April—the perfect reason to take that next step.This is your moment. You deserve professional development, and in this episode, we’ll show you how to ask for it with clarity, confidence, and purpose. The EA Campus

In this episode, we’re diving into a topic that sparked a massive response on LinkedIn - KPIs for Executive Assistants. If you've ever struggled to explain your value, felt stuck in performance reviews, or wondered how to track the impact of your work, this is the episode for you.We explain KPIs, why they matter in our role, and how you can start measuring your impact in simple, practical ways without adding to your workload. We also discuss how to use this data in one-to-ones, performance reviews, interviews, and even casual conversations with your Executive (yes, without feeling like you’re bragging!).And a huge thank you to our sponsor, Vimcal EA, for supporting this episode. Their brand-new Executive Calendar Audit feature is a game-changer for Assistants looking to save time and prove their value. Make sure to check out the free upcoming webinar!Links and Resources MentionedFree KPI Template for Executive Assistants → theeacampus.com/podcast/ep58Vimcal EA – Executive Calendar Audit Tool → https://vimcal.com/eaVimcal EA Webinar – Hosted by CTO Michael Zhao → Next session: April 18th, 2025 – Register here: https://lu.ma/ro0ylk6k📌 Recommended Tools to Track KPIsProject/Task Management: Asana, ClickUp, TrelloAI Tools: ChatGPT, Zapier, Microsoft Power AutomateTravel & Expense Management: Concur, Expensify, NavanFeedback & Survey Tools: Google Forms, Typeform The EA Campus

In this inspiring episode of The EA Campus Podcast, Nicky Christmas sits down with the one and only Hallie Warner - Force Multiplier, coach, consultant, and co-author of The Founder and the Force Multiplier. If you’ve followed Hallie’s work, you’ll know how much she’s impacted the assistant community. And if this is your first introduction to her, you’re in for something really special.Hallie shares her career journey from early assistant roles to becoming Chief of Staff and now launching her own business, including the brand-new Force Multiplier Academy. We dive into what it means to show up as a strategic partner, how Hallie defines the Force Multiplier mindset, and what makes a true, trusted partnership with your Executive.We also talk about:The transition from EA to Chief of Staff (and how to know if it’s right for you)Building your personal brand intentionally (even if you're an introvert)Taking a meaningful career break and learning to restThe power of self-awareness and communication style in building influenceHer current coaching and consulting work, plus exciting new projects on the horizonAnd yes, Hallie shares her latest book recommendations, her love for reality TV (hello, The Traitors), and what’s always on her desk, even on a deserted island.Whether you're just starting out in your career or stepping into a senior EA or Chief of Staff role, Hallie’s honest, practical advice will leave you feeling empowered and ready to take the next step.Hallie Warner LinkedIn The Force Multiplier AcademyEmail: hallie@halliewarner.comThe Inner Circle Weekly NewsletterBooks: All the Colors of the Dark by Chris WhitakerThe Wedding People by Alison Espach Fierce Conversations by Susan ScottMultipliers & Impact Players by Liz Wiseman  The EA Campus