The Virtually Amazing Assistants Podcast

Rebranding and Evolution in the EA Community with Nicky Christmas.   In this episode of Virtually Amazing Assistant, host Shelley Fishel is joined by Nicky Christmas, Founder and Chief Executive of The EA Campus.   They discuss the rebranding journey from Practically Perfect PA to The EA Campus, the impact of the pandemic on the assistant industry, the evolution and future of the EA role, and the...

Adapting, Thriving, and Helping Others: Suzi Stanier’s Dynamic Journey   In this lively episode of Virtually Amazing Assistants, host Shelley Fishel chats with the incredible Suzi Stanier, founder of Suzi Stanier Business Solutions. Suzi’s agency specializes in virtual assistance and online business management services, aiming to bring calm to overwhelmed small business owners.   With a rich backg...

Unlocking Time Management and Personal Growth with Abigail Barnes  In this episode of Virtually Amazing Assistants, host Shelley Fishel engages in an insightful conversation with Abigail Barnes, founder and CEO of Success by Design Training.   Abigail, an expert in time management and productive wellbeing, introduces her innovative 8-8-8 formula, which divides the day into three equal parts for sl...

Unlocking Productivity and Creativity with Steven Puri  Join host Shelley Fishel on this exciting episode of Virtually Amazing Assistants as she chats with Steven Puri, the dynamic CEO and founder of The Sukha Company.   From his early days as a newscaster to producing visual effects for films like Independence Day and venturing into tech entrepreneurship, Steven shares his incredible journey and...

Show Notes Balancing Work and Wellbeing: Insights from Susanna Simmons In this episode of Virtually Amazing Assistants, the host welcomes Susanna Simmons, a multifaceted professional specializing in fitness and lifestyle coaching combined with customer experience strategy. Susanna shares her journey from corporate IT training to becoming a fitness coach and helping third chapter solopreneurs—indiv...

Show Notes Empowering Assistants: Insights from Bonnie Lo Kramen In this episode of Virtually Amazing Assistants, the host is joined by Bonnie Lo Kramen, a pioneering advocate for transforming the workplace. Bonnie shares her extensive experience as a former executive assistant to Oscar winner Olympia Dukakis and her mission to create respectful and equitable workplaces. The conversation covers th...

Show Notes A Conversation with Jeremy Burrows: Leadership and Automation in the Executive Assistant Role In this episode of Virtually Amazing Assistants, Shelley hosts Jeremy Burrows, a seasoned executive assistant, international speaker, and author of the bestselling book ‘The Leader Assistant.’ Jeremy talks about his career journey, the importance of leadership for assistants, and his approach t...

Show Notes In Discussion with Paige Wiese about Safeguarding Your Digital Assets   In this episode of Virtually Amazing Assistants, Shelley chats with Paige Wiese, owner and CEO of Tree Ring Digital, a top-ranked Denver-based marketing agency.   The conversation covers various aspects of digital asset management, including the importance of protecting hosting, domains, social media accounts, and t...

Show Notes In this episode of Virtually Amazing Assistants, Shelley engages in a captivating conversation with Helen Monument, an inspiring figure in the world of administrative professionals. Helen shares her journey from a receptionist to founding Monumental Assistance and becoming a global thought leader in administrative roles.   The discussion spans her extensive career, her passion for enhan...

Show Notes   Welcome to Season Two of Virtually Amazing Assistants! In this episode, I chat with Wendy Norman, founder of Live Link Resource Limited, a virtual assistant company specializing in supporting private healthcare clinics. Wendy shares her incredible journey from a varied career, including a stint in the Royal Navy, to establishing her successful business. Despite living with rheumatoid...

Show Notes Welcome to this week’s episode of Virtually Amazing Assistants, the podcast for assistants everywhere! This special solo episode is hosted by Shelley Fishel, the MS Office Maestro. In this episode: Shelley reflects on the first season, sharing gratitude for the amazing guests and listeners. Plans for Season 2 are revealed, with a call for guest suggestions and listener feedback—who do y...

Show Notes Celebrating Community and Innovation in the PA Profession with Daniel Skermer In this episode of Virtually Amazing Assistants, Shelley interviews Daniel Skermer, founder of the PA Forum, about his journey since 2016 to create a supportive and collaborative community for EAs, PAs, and business support professionals in Birmingham. Daniel discusses his passion for the profession, the initi...

Show Notes Exploring the VA Journey: An Interview with Gwen Backhouse  In this episode of Virtually Amazing Assistants, Shelley Fishel chats with Gwen Backhouse, an award-winning virtual assistant and the owner of Curlew Secretarial Solutions. They discuss Gwen’s journey from being a nurse to becoming a VA, the growth of her business, the importance of networking, and her leadership role at the So...

Show Notes Lucy Brazier OBE Discusses the Future of the Administrative Profession  In this week’s episode of Virtually Amazing Assistants, Shelley chats with Lucy Brazier OBE about the evolving role of administrative professionals. They discuss Lucy’s impressive career, the impact of AI on the profession, and the importance of effective communication and proactive value addition. Lucy shares her i...

Show Notes Exploring Business Sustainability with Alex Hughes   In this episode of Virtually Amazing Assistants, Shelley Fishel chats with Alex Hughes, founder of Auxilium Business Consulting, about her journey in business development and sustainability. Alex shares her experiences transitioning from finance and operations management to founding Auxilium in 2017, and how she helps business owners...

Show Notes Building Community and Embracing Continuous Learning: A Conversation with Hayley Hudson   In this episode of Virtually Amazing Assistants, Shelley chats with Hayley Hudson, founder of Hudson Admin Support and the VA Lounge.   Hayley shares insights into her background, the evolution of the Virtual Assistant industry, and the importance of building a supportive community for VAs. Emphasi...

Show Notes From Executive Assistant to Canva Queen: A Journey with Stephanie Wium   In this week’s episode of Virtually Amazing Assistants, Shelley interviews Stephanie Wium, known as the Canva Queen.   Stephanie shares her inspiring journey from being an executive assistant to becoming a widely respected Canva expert. They discuss the ups and downs of her career, the challenges of transitioning t...

Show Notes From Admin to Professional Speaker: A Journey with Rhonda Scharfe   In this episode of Virtually Amazing Assistants, Shelley chats with Rhonda Scharfe, a professional speaker with over 30 years of experience. Rhonda shares her career journey from being an administrative assistant to becoming a renowned speaker. They discuss the evolution of the administrative profession, the impact of A...

Show Notes Explosive Growth: Anna Bailey’s PallyTalk Journey In this episode of Virtually Amazing Assistants, Shelley Fishel talks with Anna Bailey, the founder of PallyTalk. They delve into Anna’s journey in creating PallyTalk, a networking platform for female assistants, which amassed over 1600 users in less than a year. Anna discusses her transition from being an executive assistant to a virtua...

Interview with Rebecca Newenham of Get Ahead VA: Exploring Franchising and Flexible Working In this episode of Virtually Amazing Assistants, Shelley interviews Rebecca Newenham, founder of Get Ahead VA, discussing the transition from corporate buying to establishing an award-winning outsourcing agency and franchising business. Rebecca shares insights into the advantages of franchising, managing vi...

Interview with Gayle Thompson: From Training to Virtual Production   In this week’s episode of ‘Virtually Amazing Assistants – The Podcast for Assistants Everywhere,’ Shelley welcomes Gayle Thompson, an experienced trainer with over 25 years in various training fields, including criminal justice, leadership, and communications. Gayle, founder of Virtual Instructor Led Training Solutions (VILT), sh...

From EA to Virtual Alchemist: A Chat with Suzy Sanders In this episode of ‘Virtually Amazing Assistants’, host Shelley Fishel interviews Suzy Sanders, founder of Alchemy Virtual Assistants. Suzy shares her journey from being an executive assistant to setting up her own successful virtual assistant business. She discusses her experience with postnatal depression, her entrepreneurial spirit, and the...

In this episode of the Virtually Amazing Assistants podcast, host Shelley Fishel welcomes Paula Edwards, founder of Advance Virtual Assistants Limited. Paula shares her journey from a solo virtual assistant to running a thriving agency and academy. They discuss the role and importance of online business managers (OBMs), along with tips for those looking to transition into the virtual assistant wor...

In this episode of Virtually Amazing Assistants with Shelley Fishel, Kathy Soulsby, founder of Personally Virtual, shares her journey from a varied career to building a successful team of virtual assistants over the past decade. Kathy discusses her experience, including scaling her business, managing a team of VAs, and the process behind authoring her two books. The episode dives into the importan...

n this episode of 'Virtually Amazing Assistants,' host Shelley Fishel, also known as the MS Office Maestro, introduces the podcast dedicated to assistants everywhere. Shelley speaks with Karen Cureton of Cureton Consulting, a seasoned social media trainer with over two decades of corporate sales experience. They discuss Karen’s transition from corporate sales to social media consultancy, her appro...