Something about Base captivated me years ago. I started here as a contract Executive Assistant in 2018, looking for flexible income while I finished a degree.
But then I stayed. Something about the work, and the people doing it, made me want to build here instead of just passing through.
I stayed because the EA role gave me the chance to think, and read, and research, and write. But mostly, to think. To sit with a leader’s chaos and find the pattern in it. To anticipate the thing before anyone asked. To build the systems that made the next month quieter for everyone.
Yes, sometimes I felt like “just the admin.” But at other times, I felt like the COO. I understood the impact I was creating for leaders and businesses alike, turning their lack of process into order. That work took thinking, and creativity, and patience, and real problem-solving, and it was never trivial.
8 years later, I’m stepping into the role of CEO at Base. It is a deep honor to lead the company that I have loved for so long.
My primary goal for this next chapter is getting Base in front of more people. We have exceptional EAs, unbeatable processes, and our clients love us. But there are still too many people who need Base but haven’t yet found it. If you’re reading this and know any of those people, send them our way!
Paige McPheely, our former CEO of 13 years, has stepped into a new role as Executive Board Chair. While she and I will continue to collaborate closely, her main focus will be on the release of her new book, Built to Breathe. The book is a refreshing invitation to rethink an outdated model of leadership that so often leads to burnout.
I am so honored to step into this new role. But this post is as much a celebration of the EA role as it is of my new one.
Because here is what I learned from that side: EAs are indispensable. Smart, ambitious, resourceful. And they love to think. EAs see the whole business while everyone else just sees their corner of it. And a great EA will be your single biggest cheerleader.
If you’re an EA reading this, I hope you feel seen. The work you do is the work that holds everything together and there are not limits to your potential.
If you’re a fellow leader reading this, the right EA will blow your mind. It’s the best investment you can make in your leadership. I have yet to meet someone who regrets finding their right EA.
There is nothing more exciting to me than this next journey. Thank you for being along for the ride.
