Fiona Young is a breath of fresh air to the assistant profession in terms of professional development! She is a former EA turned digital learning leader.  Carve is building the next generation of AI-powered executive assistants. They offer exciting new AI courses for assistants |  We touch on numerous points: ·       Growing up with technologist parents and the positive impact of this ·       Undertaking a degree in economics, the lack of jobs but the positive outcome to this ·       From admin professional to learning and development professional - building start up programmes for global corporates ·        L&D: Fiona's methos for learning, why most corporate learning spend is wasted ·       Revolution vs Evolution of the roles ·       Startling discoveries from assistants and how much they really know about AI ·       Future of EA role in the age of AI: evolution and revolution, there will be winners and losers, tips to win   Learn more about Carve here.   Free Carve AI Tools Guide for Assistants: https://joincarve.com/tools-signup·       Free Carve Chatbot Prompting Guide for Assistants: https://joincarve.com/chatbots-guide-signup  You can listen to The Assistant Lab show on any of the following links below: You can also watch this content on YouTube Find out more Anel Martin Training Here and EPAA Here  If you are a paying EPAA member, you can earn 2 PD credits by listening to this episode of The Assistant Lab and submitting your L & D form in the members area of the EPAA website

We are excited to welcome international trainer, coach and mentor - Ruth Kilah of Hoxton Hyde. We talk about a LOT of different topics and Ruth's views are refreshing and innovative. Ruth's career journey and some very shrewd career moves Working internationally and what she learned Taking what many would consider a step down, but was actually a step up The 7 year itch! Redundancy and how this led to the next positive step Why the Chief of Staff role isn't the next step for every assistantSelling and marketing your value How niching makes you a formidable force! How assistants can help to make this industry more ethical and therefore gain the maximum impact and high value from your educators and at events Learn more about Hoxton Hydes services hereYou can listen to The Assistant Lab show on any of the following links below: You can also watch this content on YouTube Find out more Anel Martin Training Here and EPAA HereIf you are a paying EPAA member, you can earn 2 PD credits by listening to this episode of The Assistant Lab and submitting your L & D form in the members area of the EPAA website. 

After a summer break, we are back and delighted to welcome Jess Gardiner, Founder of The Assistant Room. Our discussion is varied and may be considered controversial at times: Executive Energy Toxic Loyalty How to be a good quitterWhy the EA/PA industry is 'wash, rinse and repeat' and needs to change Evolution vs revolution of the assistant roles Awards for Assistants Lessons learnedThis is an episode not to be missed! The Assistant Room is an exclusive global lifestyle and professional development platform dedicated to improving the lives and developing the careers of Business Support Professionals around the world. Established in 2016, we provide accessible and all-inclusive learning and support for professionals at every stage from entry level admins to Chief of Staff and beyond through a variety of interactive materials including our exclusive, members-only platform. Find out more about The Assistant Room hereYou can listen to The Assistant Lab show on any of the following links below: You can also watch this content on YouTube Find out more Anel Martin Training Here and EPAA HereIf you are a paying EPAA member, you can earn 2 PD credits by listening to this episode of The Assistant Lab and submitting your L & D form in the members area of the EPAA website. 

EDI is a top priority for most leadership teams, but how many are really driving through culture change? This weeks interview discusses exactly this and all things EDI and why is should matter to every business and executive support professional. Natasha is the founder and Director of Diverse Matters. She is responsible for the overall running of the company and for the design and delivery of a range of diversity and inclusion solutions for clients across the voluntary, public, third and private sectors.Natasha has over 25 years’ experience of working within the diversity and inclusion field, and prior to setting up Diverse Matters and was the Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion for Victim Support.  We talk about what has changed since the pandemic and what organisations need to focus on going forward. The UK EA/PA industry still has an extensive amount of work to undertake before we are truly inclusive and we touch on this too. You can listen to The Assistant Lab show on any of the following links below: You can also watch this content on YouTube Find out more Anel Martin Training Here and EPAA HereIf you are a paying EPAA member, you can earn 2 PD credits by listening to this episode of The Assistant Lab and submitting your L & D form in the members area of the EPAA website. 

Alex Leigh is a new addition to the board of EPAA and an ambitious millennial Executive Assistant, with over 13 years experience under her belt. A former quantitative market researcher focusing on fast-moving consumer goods, Alex’s love for sport and excellent administration brought her to the sport sector nearly 14 years ago, and the start of her administrative career.  We of course discuss Alex's career change and her learnings from this, as well as her huge appetite for learning and development and why this matters. Alex's current employer is Sport England. Sport England are an arms-length body of government responsible for growing and developing grassroots sport and getting more people active across England.We discuss the fact that millennial and Gen Z assistants have had so little profile within the EA/PA world, despite the former now being one of the largest voting populations in the UK! This is a super interesting story, inspiring and we of course have some laughs along the way. You can listen to The Assistant Lab show on any of the following links below: You can also watch this content on YouTube Find out more Anel Martin Training Here and EPAA HereIf you are a paying EPAA member, you can earn 2 PD credits by listening to this episode of The Assistant Lab and submitting your L & D form in the members area of the EPAA website. 

This weeks interview is with the incredible Sarah Howson.  Sarah is Co Founder and Director of The Strategic PA Network & Strategic PA Recruitment. We chat to Sarah about her career story  with a big chunk of her early childhood spent living in the USA , before coming back to the UK and continuing her education.   Sarah talks through her journey as an assistant and what she learned along the way. In addition to setting up a PA network, which has grown to include awards. Making the leap to business owner which launched at the very beginning of the pandemic!   Learn more about The Strategic PA Awards here.  You can listen to The Assistant Lab show on any of the following links below: You can also watch this content on YouTube Find out more Anel Martin Training Here and EPAA HereIf you are a paying EPAA member, you can earn 2 PD credits by listening to this episode of The Assistant Lab and submitting your L & D form in the members area of the EPAA website. 

Dalya is an award-winning Executive Assistant with over 15 years of progressive experience within the EA/PA industry and also EPAA's new chair. She has been EA to a high profile/high net worth Entrepreneur & Philanthropist since 2010 and has since been promoted to Director.In 2013, she was 1st runner up in the Executive PA Magazine PA of the Year Awards and in 2014 won the Pitman Training Super Achievers PA of the Year Award. This has allowed Dalya to be invited as a guest speaker for many PA networking and training events throughout the UK and Internationally.Outside of work, Dalya is professional singer, mum of 2 boys and a School Governor at her Son’s Primary School. In 2014, Dalya proudly raised over £9500 for charity by running 2 half marathons and successfully climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.We talk to her about how she manages a hectic life, her passion for singing, changing direction career wise and why the perception of the profession is so important. You can listen to The Assistant Lab show on any of the following links below: You can also watch this content on YouTube Find out more Anel Martin Training Here and EPAA HereIf you are a paying EPAA member, you can earn 2 PD credits by listening to this episode of The Assistant Lab and submitting your L & D form in the members area of the EPAA website. 

This weeks episode is with incredible Emily Broadbent of the UK charity Pregnant then Screwed. Pregnant then Screwed was set up in 2015 by Joeli Brearley. Two days after she informed her employer that she was pregnant with her first child, Joeli Brearley was sacked from her job by voicemail. She was four months pregnant and unemployed with bills to pay.  She knew this wasn't a unique experience. The charity is dedicated to ending the motherhood penalty, supporting tens of thousands of women each year, and successfully campaigning for change.Emily is the Support Services Manager for the charity and we talk through Her career to date, which included changing direction and following her professional heartThe statistics around British women who have lost their jobs simply for getting pregnant and over 390,000 women who face potentially discriminatory behaviour Support available from PTS for pregnant women How those of us who are not Mums can be great allies! The provisions around childcare and what more needs to be achieved Recent research released by PTS on women going through fertility treatment and receiving punishment from their employers Some of Emily's top tips for Mums to be Mental Health LineIn partnership with MIND, Pregnant Then Screwed set up a mental health support line for women experiencing challenges in  the workplace and needing a safe space to talk. To speak with one of the mental health support team, call 0161 222 9879 and dial 2. This will transfer you to one of the team at MIND.Women in the WorkplacePTS are releasing training for employers to help support those undergoing fertility treatment or who have experienced pregnancy loss.  Please click here for more information and how you can help. Find out more information about Pregnant then Screwed and how you can get support or support for a colleague/family or friend here.

Welcome to this next episode of the show! This weeks guest is the incredible Clare Hall, who currently works for Arup. Dedicated to sustainable development, Arup is a collective of designers, consultants and experts working across 140 countries. Founded to be both humane and excellent, we collaborate with our clients and partners using imagination, technology and rigour to shape a better world.We discuss Clare's entire career and life along the way. Leaving school and making a move into the travel industry Making a life changing decision to leave the UK and go travelling Starting her career officially in Australia and their public sector Moving back to London and working in London Marriage, family and moving to Sheffield What it is like working as a corporate assistantHaving a leader who really backs and supports you! Launching the Sheffield PA Network Follow the Sheffield PA Network LinkedIn Page here. You can listen to The Assistant Lab show on any of the following links below: You can also watch this content on YouTube Find out more Anel Martin Training Here and EPAA HereIf you are a paying EPAA member, you can earn 2 PD credits by listening to this episode of The Assistant Lab and submitting your L & D form in the members area of the EPAA website.