Member Spotlight – Anna Read

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 Read

Where are you at in the world?
I live in Hoover, AL which is a large suburb outside of Birmingham, AL.

What is your job title and place of work?
I currently work as a VA/EA for several clients. One of my clients offers curriculum and online summer camps teaching kids ages 8-18 how to think like an entrepreneur!!

How long have you been an admin or assistant?
12 years. I worked for 2 years as an appointment coordinator out of high school before deciding I wanted to go to college.

What are your favorite admin tools?
Office Supplies – Sticky notes – each client has their own color! Papermate Flair colored pens, file pocket folders and recently added is a travel file tub. This allows me to take my “office” to different parts of my house. Software – Asana, Airtable, Slack, Google Drive and OneNote.

How do you stay on top of your to do list?
I write a new one every day. This allows me to see what I did the day before, and prioritize based on that.

What is your favorite part of the job?
I love that each day looks different. I also love being the person that people come to for solutions, guidance, or reassurance.

Tell us something you are proud of professionally?
Last year, I was thrown into a work environment that was not healthy for me. I felt on an island as the company’s only EA and I knew I couldn’t be the only one who felt that way. I mentioned something about starting a mentorship outlet in a Facebook EA group and was connected with someone I now consider a dear friend, Jaclyn Gaughan. She’d been thinking about starting a Slack community for EA’s, and together we built Empowered Assistants Empowering Assistants – we’re on Slack, our website is in progress.

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.

I also love being the person that people come to for solutions, guidance, or reassurance.

What is some of the best advice you’ve been given that relates to your job?
Listen 80%, Speak 20% when in new roles. Always, always have a pen and paper with you and take notes. This applies to calls, in-person meetings, Zoom, or meeting with vendors.

What website do you visit the most?
Business Insider.

Currently watching/reading/listening to:
Listening – Ted Talks Daily playlist on Spotify.
Watching – Bosch on Amazon Prime
Reading – The Phoenix Project

If you were handed a plane ticket to go anywhere in the world where would you go and why?
I’ve always said St. Lucia for this question. It is just one of those tropical places I’d love to spend a week enjoying! Hello tiki huts (air-conditioned of course 😉)

Why are you a member of The Officials?
I was attracted to The Officials by the mentorship program. After completing it, I knew I wanted to stick around. The resources, community, and network opportunities are incredibly valuable.

I want to thank Anna for being an advocate for our community. Not only is she a chameleon able to adapt to any role whether that be EA, VA, or leader, but she also is the co-host of Let’s Talk About It – a podcast where she and Josh Lovejoy discuss issues around racism, equality, and inclusion. She is also a productivity tech master and with a particular love for Asana. 😉 (Watch this space!)

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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