A Day in the Life of a Chief of Staff
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How to Create a Strategic Partnership with Your Executive Assistant – 2021 Edition
NOTE: This post first appeared on the Herg Life blog by Adam Hergenrother on April 28, 2016 and again on October 22, 2020 on The Founder & The Force Multiplier blog. It’s funny to look back now on how far Adam, and I, and Adam Hergenrother Companies have come since this blog was originally written […]
Force Multiplier Survey Results: Growth, Respect, Training, Impact, Communication, and Leadership
Last week we conducted a survey to learn more about what is important to Force Multipliers – what is working in their roles, what their biggest professional challenges are, and what they would like to see change in the future. What was most evident to me from the results was that Force Multipliers are overall […]
Can One Person Be Both an Executive Assistant and Chief of Staff?
The conversation around the roles of Executive Assistant and Chief of Staff continues! There are so many nuances, iterations, and evolutions of both of these positions that, for me, the conversation never gets old. I’m here for it! My current situation has got me thinking a lot recently about whether or not one person can […]
Building Your Strategic Partnership with the Trust Triangle
For visionary leaders and growth-minded, business-savvy Force Multipliers, a strategic partnership is the Holy Grail. There is no hierarchical, superior/subordinate relationship here, just a purely powerful partnership where together, both individuals achieve more. What is a strategic partnership? A strategic partnership is a mutually beneficial relationship where both parties are working towards a common goal. […]
Navigating Decision Fatigue for Force Multipliers
Late last year, Adam wrote a great article about how Executive Assistants and Chiefs of Staff can help their Executive’s overcome decision fatigue. It’s an important topic and one I know that leaders and their Force Multipliers feel all too much. Decision fatigue is real. In the article, Adam outlined some strategic and tactical ways […]
Strategic Partnerships in Action: Jean Patrick, CEO and co-founder of ScaleUp Edge, with Chief of Staff Rory Hibbler
In this series, Strategic Partnerships in Action, we highlight some of the Executive and Force Multiplier duos who are doing it right. This week, we chatted with the powerful strategic partnership behind ScaleUp Edge. Jean Patrick and Rory Hibbler began their strategic partnership about eight months ago at the start of ScaleUp Edge – an exclusive community for […]
Why Asking for Help Actually Helps the Company
Force Multipliers are the badasses of the business world. Okay, yeah, I might be biased, but I have seen first hand what Force Multipliers can do. Force Multipliers are problem-solvers and fixers. They are some of the most resourceful and connected individuals in your organization. If you have a challenge, bring it to your nearest […]
The Biggest Challenges Leaders Face in 2021
We all know that 2020 was a challenging year, but the challenges didn’t stop just because the clock struck midnight, the ball dropped, and we entered a new calendar year. Challenges are a part of life and we’ll have our share of challenges in 2021 too. The word “challenge” tends to have a negative connotation. […]
How 2020 Brought Clarity to My Work & Life
I recently asked my network what one word they would use to remember 2020, and the responses were all over the place (much like the year itself)! Here is a sample of the responses: amazing, battle, exhausting, forward, perseverance, growth, revelation, overcoming, learned, fantastic, whew, challenging, evolution, interesting, renewal, change, resilience, contentment, bonding, reflection, long, […]
From Force Multiplier to Founder: Virtual Assistant Company Edition
I often get asked what the next career move is for Force Multipliers (Executive Assistants, Chiefs of Staff, and Personal Assistants). While I believe that being a Force Multiplier is a dynamic career in its own right, it may no longer be the right fit for the individual at some point, as with any position. […]
How Executive Assistants & Chiefs of Staff Can Effectively Work Together to Lead Up
A common question I get is, “What is the difference between an Executive Assistant and Chief of Staff?” Over the course of my thirteen years in the professional workforce, I’ve spent about five of those years as an Executive Assistant and about six years as Chief of Staff. I’ve seen the commonalities and overlap in […]
From Force Multiplier to Founder: Coaching & Training Company Edition
I often get asked what the next career move is for Force Multipliers (Executive Assistants, Chiefs of Staffs, and Personal Assistants). While I believe that being a Force Multiplier is a dynamic career in its own right, it may no longer be the right fit for the individual at some point, as with any position. […]
How Executive Assistants and Chiefs of Staff Can Help Their Executive Overcome Decision Fatigue
It’s been quite a year. 2020 has pulled no punches. Many of us are stronger, more resilient, more centered and more clear because of it. And, at the same time, I am starting to see fatigue set in with my team. They have been running hard all year, doing what needs to get done for […]
Why Self-Awareness at Work Is Your Key to Success
I don’t know about you, but I, for one, have taken this year to do a deep dive into my behavior, personality, psyche, and soul. I replaced margarita and taco nights and Saturday morning brunches with moon calendars and Thursday afternoon coaching sessions. After all, self-awareness is the key to success in life and in […]
Then & Now: 10-Year Transformation of a Founder & Force Multiplier
Last week, Hallie celebrated her 10-year anniversary of working by my side at Adam Hergenrother Companies. We have both grown a lot over the years in our leadership and have learned a tremendous amount about how to build and scale companies (hint: it’s about hiring the right people and then organizing them in the most […]
Here’s What I’ve Learned Working for the Same CEO for 10 Years
On October 6, 2020, I celebrated my 10 year anniversary at Adam Hergenrother Companies. When I was first hired, I knew very little about real estate and building businesses, but I did know a thing or two about being an Executive Assistant. And I knew a lot about working hard to get results. I was […]
How to Position Your Founder as a Thought Leader on a Limited Budget
“Thought leadership” is one of the past decade’s business buzzwords, and it’s a good one! There are several definitions of thought leadership, all involving influence, inspiration, and implementation. There is one definition, in particular, I like by Denise Brosseau of Thought Leadership Lab: “Thought leaders are the informed opinion leaders and the go-to people in […]
Think Twice Before Laying Off Your Force Multiplier
It’s that time of year, as the third quarter winds down, where business owners and executives are taking a good hard look at their P&Ls and ruthlessly cutting expenses and evaluating their budget for the year ahead. As they should. It’s been an incredibly interesting year with the unprecedented global health crisis, shifting markets, skyrocketing […]
Why Business & Life Coaching Isn’t Just for the Top of the Org Chart
There’s a common myth when it comes to leadership in the business world and it’s this – coaching is just for business owners and executives at the top of the org chart. Sure, business owners and executives should absolutely get coaching to level up their leadership. It’s essential for their personal and professional growth. But […]
How Much Should I Pay an Assistant?
So, you’ve decided it’s time to hire an assistant? Smart move. Decision made. Time to get to work, right? Not so fast! Inevitably, the next series of questions I get from our Founder & Force Multiplier community or from coaching clients is, “What do I pay an assistant? What is a good salary for a […]
Strategic Partnerships in Action: Founder and CEO Adam Hergenrother & Chief of Staff Hallie Warner at Adam Hergenrother Companies
When we wrote The Founder & The Force Multiplier: How Entrepreneurs and Executive Assistants Achieve More Together, in February 2019, our focus was on the partnership between an entrepreneur and their right-hand employee (usually in the form of an Executive Assistant, Personal Assistant, or Chief of Staff). What we’ve realized over time is that the […]
The Best Short Term & Long Term ROI for Your Business
There are a lot of ways to invest in your business but after 10 years of being a CEO, I still maintain that investing in your strategic partnership is the #1 investment you can make in your business –both in the short term and long term. Maybe you’re thinking about hiring your first assistant. Or […]
An Open Letter to Leaders (and Their Assistants)
A letter from Adam Hergenrother, CEO of Adam Hergenrother Companies Dear Leaders: It should go without saying that this letter is for the assistants and Force Multipliers of the world, too. After all, they will have likely read this letter before you, vetted it, and then, if it passed muster, brought it to your attention. […]