Member Spotlight – Anna Beam

Each month we highlight one of our members, not only because they are fabulous people but also because we fully believe that shared experience and knowledge is important and makes everyone better people.

What is your name?
Anna Beam

Where are you at in the world?
Greenville, SC

What is your job title and place of work?
I work for Engenius, a web design and digital marketing agency. I’m the c-suite executive assistant and office manager.

How long have you been an admin or assistant?
I’ve been assisting since 2012, so 8 years!

What are your favorite admin tools?
Software must-haves:

  • Gmail’s snooze and schedule features
  • Slack is great, but have you ever tried Discord? It’s free, does video calls and screen sharing just as great as Zoom, and you can listen to playlists of music with people. What more do you want? I’m mildly obsessed.

I can’t live without my “notebook of destiny”. Seriously, that’s what my executive calls it. I have a spiral notebook that tracks to-dos, scratched down notes from phone calls, making mental notes for later, etc. If it’s in the Notebook, then it’ll get done. I’m also a sucker for great pens, specifically fountain pens. Right now I’m loving this very affordable pen on Amazon.

How do you stay on top of your to do list?
Our company’s inventory is time – we’re selling hours, right? So we have our project management software where a lot of my recurring to-dos tend to go so they pop up and remind me. Between that and the Notebook Of Destiny, my to-dos tend to stay right in front of me. We also follow really disciplined meeting agendas where action items are all read over and agreed upon at the end of each meeting, so after that – they go in the NOD (notebook of destiny…again, I did not invent that name). 😂

What is your favorite part of the job?
Building trust. When I can see trust being built with my executives, or building relational equity with my team – gosh that’s everything. At the end of the day, I want my team to know that no matter what I’ve got their back and I’m gonna be the biggest cheerleader I can be for our company.

Tell us something you are proud of professionally?
I’ve recently started The Influential Assistant podcast, and it’s been so incredible to see people spend their time listening each week and reaching out to say “omg, SAME!” (Follow her podcast on Instagram!)

It’s not something I ever thought I’d do, but I’ve always had a passion for speaking to other assistants and sharing stories of how things have been along my journey. So I’m proud of myself for continuing to put out episodes even when the imposter syndrome kicks in, for staying disciplined to something I committed to do for myself (not for anyone else) and now I’m getting to hear great feedback from people who actually like!

There are so many times where as an EA, you DO feel like you’re on an island and you need someone to be your sounding board, to give you advice of what you’ve done in similar situations, and so on. I didn’t know about The Officials at the time, but it is like Lauren always says, there is room for any advocate or community that is here to help admins and assistants. We all rise up together.

Basically, be honest with everyone as much as you can, be transparent and approachable to the people you’re serving and elevating, and be vulnerable with a small circle of people who will hear you, encourage you, and hold you accountable. Find those people to be in that small circle, and then hang onto them for dear life

Anna Beam, EA and Owner of The Notebook of Destiny

What is some of the best advice you’ve been given that relates to your job?
Proverbs 11:25 “The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped.”

What website do you visit the most?
Besides Instagram and Google News, probably Roll20.net to play Dungeons and Dragons online with my guys.

Currently watching/reading/listening to:
Reading: Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero, Fires of Heaven by Robert Jordan
Watching: Holey Moley (this show is ridiculous, but it makes me forget about all the chaos in the world right now)
Listening: The Leader Assistant Podcast, Assistants Together Podcast

If you were handed a plane ticket to go anywhere in the world where would you go and why?
To Relax: Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands
To Explore: Machu Picchu in Peru
To Eat: Lago Di Garda in Italy

Why are you a member of The Officials?
Because until I joined the Officials, I had never found an online community that I resonated with so well. Everyone is bought in (literally) and ready to laugh with each other, cry with each other, and elevate each other as much as possible. Plus, if you can find anyone who’s more passionate about connecting assistants and seeking potential out of them individually than Lauren Bradley, I’d be seriously surprised.

Any further comments you’d like to share?
Some really great advice I’ve gotten is, “Be honest with all, transparent with some, and vulnerable with a few.” Basically, be honest with everyone as much as you can, be transparent and approachable to the people you’re serving and elevating, and be vulnerable with a small circle of people who will hear you, encourage you, and hold you accountable. Find those people to be in that small circle, and then hang onto them for dear life.

Wow! I want to thank Anna for being such an inspiring member and for saying the nicest of things about our community. Please make sure you follow her podcast where she gives you quick tips on how to be an amazing and influential assistant.

If you would like to connect with Anna and our many other incredibly supportive members then join The Officials HQ. We are waiting to welcome you with open arms.

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