Hi Reader, On this day 6 years ago, I published my book for executive assistants (and their executives), The Leader Assistant: Four Pillars of a Confident, Game-Changing Assistant. It was a day full of refreshing my browser every few minutes so I could screenshot the Amazon bestseller rankings as the book climbed the charts. :-) Here are a few of my favorite screenshots from that day 6 years ago... #1 best seller in the UK (Business Leadership Skills category)! #1 best seller in multiple...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
#378: Former Personal Assistant to Archbishop Desmond Tutu - Atrayah Janhe 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...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
#373: Maaike Knoester Interviews Jeremy Burrows on the 5 Star Assistant Podcast 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...
3 months ago • 1 min read
#372: A Conversation with Heleen Vink - Management Assistant to the Deputy CEO & CFO at Ingka Group | IKEA In this spotlight, Diana Brandl explores 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...
3 months ago • 1 min read
Episode 371: Reggie Love - Former Personal Aide to President Barack Obama Diana Brandl is a longtime C-Suite assistant, and host of the Executive Office Insights podcast. In this spotlight episode of The Leader Assistant Podcast, 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 President...
3 months ago • 1 min read
Episode #370: Jana Franklin on the Biggest Mistake CEOs Make When Hiring a VA 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 episode #370 of The Leader Assistant Podcast, we dive into the biggest mistake CEOs make when hiring a virtual assistant, the importance of training and onboarding, and how to treat assistants as business partners. It’s packed with insights...
4 months ago • 1 min read
#369: Diana Brandl Interviews Patrick Jephson - Former Chief of Staff to Princess Diana In this spotlight episode of the Executive Office Insights podcast, Diana Brandl interviews Patrick Jephson - former Chief of Staff to Princess Diana. Listen to episode 369 of The Leader Assistant Podcast on your favorite podcast platform or stream via the show notes -> leaderassistant.com/369 -- More from The Leader Assistant... Book, Audiobook, and Workbook -> leaderassistantbook.com The Leader Assistant...
4 months ago • 1 min read
Episode 368: Executive Support in Microsoft Germany's CEO Office In this episode, Diana Brandl, a longtime C-Suite assistant and host of the Executive Office Insights podcast, takes us behind the scenes of Microsoft Germany’s CEO Office. Join Andrea Bross (Executive Assistant) and Svetlana Barsova (Chief of Staff) as they share insights on supporting top executives, managing complex schedules, and keeping leadership moving at full speed. Listen to episode 368 on your favorite podcast app or...
4 months ago • 1 min read
Episode 367: Donata Boston - Former Madonna Family Assistant In this spotlight episode of the Executive Office Insights podcast, Diana Brandl speaks with Donata Boston - the former assistant to the Madonna family. Donata shares her fascinating journey from working with high-profile clients to becoming a successful entrepreneur and matchmaker. Her insights on career transitions and people management are truly inspiring. Listen to episode 367 of The Leader Assistant Podcast on your favorite...
4 months ago • 1 min read