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Case Study: RISC Zero

Nov 27, 2024 | About Athena, Business, Case Study, Delegation, Getting Started with an EA, Productivity

 

Case Study: RISC Zero

Background:

RISC Zero, a brand-new start-up, came to us smack in the middle of the pandemic, August 2022. They were in need of executive assistance to support their operations and leadership team. It was no coincidence they were referred to us by a former Athena client and startup CEO herself!

How it all began:

Soon, Brian and Ash found themselves speaking with Jennifer Tracy, Business Development & Client Care manager here at Athena. They needed support with many garden-variety admin tasks: email organization, schedule management, travel arranging, CRM updating, shepherding documents that needed signatures, along with some personal tasks. 

Neither had ever had an executive assistant before. Brian was candid with us right from the start when he said, “I’m just not good at delegating.” 

After Jennifer, like a doctor looking at a patient, assessed the situation and learned about all they were dealing with, she turned to her partner here at Athena, Dorian who she works shoulder to shoulder with every week. 

NEXT STEPS:

Dorian is the Performance Manager here at Athena. She oversees all the staff and ensures they are getting top-notch performance coaching on a regular basis. She keeps track of who on the staff has bandwidth available for a new client. Jennifer and Dorian regularly collaborate on which Executive Assistant to pair with which client. This collaboration is where the magic happens!

They selected a great executive assistant named Vee to work with the executives at RISC Zero. 

Jennifer then regularly checked in with clients Brian and Ash, while Dorian and our Performance coaches were regularly checking in with Vee. Part of the secret sauce at Athena is how the “partnership” gets built. What we are really in the business of is a high-performing, high-caliber “partnership”. 

Three months later Brian said he was so impressed by Vee and inquired about Vee working for them full time. Vee said that she was indeed interested in working for them full-time. RISC Zero took advantage of the Conversion Clause in the Athena Master Service Agreement, which allows a client to pay a fee to take their Athena Executive Assistant and bring them on to their own staff and payroll. 

This happens from time to time and as long as it’s something that the EA wants, we encourage it. We want all parties to really get what they need and want from this partnership, even if that means we lose an amazing resource like Vee. 

So we say goodbye to RISC Zero and Vee and wish them well. 

But the story isn’t over. Plot twist!  Eight months pass and Vee has been highly effective and promoted at RISC Zero. But that left the EA position open. Where did Vee go to get that EA position filled? Back to Athena Executive Services!

Now Vee is the Client, meeting with Jennifer to discuss finding a new EA for Brian, along with three other new executives, Manasi, Joe, and Nicole. 

Athena Executive Services provides two Executive Assistants to support the four executives. One of those EAs is Nathan! Nathan and Manasi formulate their partnership and Nathan gets the advantage of standing on the shoulders of the great foundation Vee had built. Fast forward 11 months and . . . you guessed it. RISC Zero decides to buy out Nathan and take him as their own staff member, as they did with Vee many months prior.

CHALLENGES ALONG THE WAY:

Throughout all engagements, RISC Zero was a strong advocate for the value of Athena’s services. Vee’s performance as an EA was impactful, leading to RISC Zero’s preference to continue sourcing talent from Athena.

Leadership changes at RISC Zero brought some challenges: 

  • With one leader’s departure, expectations around EA services shifted.
  • Conversations between Jennifer (from Athena) and RISC Zero saw some misalignment in expectations.
LESSONS LEARNED:
  • Expectation Management: Changes in leadership necessitate a clear communication strategy regarding expectations for EA services. Regular check-ins are essential to ensure alignment across all parties involved.
  • Value of Talent: The initial success of having a standout EA like Vee underscored the importance of placing the right talent in executive roles and maintaining relationships with clients through quality service.
CONCLUSION:

The collaboration between RISC Zero and Athena Executive Services highlights the critical nature of aligning expectations during leadership transitions. While Athena demonstrated the ability to provide exceptional executive assistance, ongoing communication and clarity on service delivery are vital for sustaining long-term relationships and ensuring mutual success.

Creating Systems That Work for You Now

Jul 30, 2024 | About Athena, Business, Delegation, Getting Started with an EA, Productivity

 

As you may know, I was part of Athena on its inception day several years ago. I was the first contractor hired here and was a part of our firm’s growth for four years before being offered an opportunity to serve an impact investing firm as their Chief of Staff. During those next first four years, I was in awe of how Gina managed the company. She documented EVERYTHING in Word documents. If I ever needed to pick up the ball and run anything in the organization I could, because there was a Word doc somewhere with those details and every step I would need to take and how to do it.

While I was away, Gina promoted Jennifer Tracy, who was one of our great EAs, to Operations Manager. Jennifer was able to take all of those documents and run Athena’s operations. During this time, Gina didn’t relinquish all of her responsibilities but instead worked for Jennifer to make sure she had everything she needed to win in her role as the Operations Manager. (Then Gina had time to learn pickleball, and well, she’s been a little busier since then!)_

Fast forward two years and I return to Athena. Jennifer transitioned to become our Business Development and Client Care manager, and I stepped into the newly-created Operations and Performance Manager role, and Gina continues as CEO, den mother and pickleball maven. We also have a dedicated Executive Assistant, Corene, who helps us three run this ship. 

For the first few months of my return, the turnover was smooth sailing, but things were changing. Until this time, Gina had delegated tasks, projects, and the heavy lifting to either Jennifer or her own EA, but now there was a new cook in the kitchen. Very quickly we saw that keeping track of who owns what was becoming murky. 

Jennifer and I would talk about what’s next with a client or a team member, but neither of us communicated the changes with Corene. We kept emails and correspondence in our inboxes which can work when only two people are in the loop, however, now we had four people who needed access to all the information. Through these growing pains, we discovered where the cracks in the foundation were and knew we needed to create clarity around project ownership and improve how we run the business. 

This is where my superpowers kick in. I LOVE systems! I thrive on creating and implementing systems. There is nothing more grounding for a CEO, manager, or entrepreneur than having the accurate status of projects and tasks. I have used many different project management systems over the years and Asana is the software I thought would fit Athena’s needs best. It has taken time to build out new systems and workflows and it is still an ongoing process. We continue to fine-tune, put in the steps we discover are missing, add new workflows as projects emerge, and find the best ways to automate workflow so we are working smarter. 

What I was not expecting, while implementing new systems and processes, was how delighted our EA, would be. She was thrilled to have one place where everything was assigned and tracked. She could easily see who assigned a task or project, and what was needed to move things forward while being able to report her progress back in the same format. The clarity it provides all of us is freeing and empowering!

There is a point in every company where how we’ve always done things won’t get us to where we want to go. What got us here, won’t get us there, right?

Is there an area in your company or organization where it’s time for a  refresh, pivot, bringing in new systems, or doing a massive overhaul?

We would love to hear from you. Let us know what you are dealing with in your organization!

~ Dorian

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What could you delegate off your plate today?

May 20, 2024 | Business, Delegation, Getting Started with an EA, Mental Health, Productivity, Uncategorized

There really is a world of delegating effectively and turning over projects and tasks to another person in a way that leaves you freed up to go do the things that are a higher and better use of you and your unique talents and expertise. We will always shout this from the rooftops! When you are doing things that you enjoy and that utilize what you uniquely have to contribute to your organization or society, it is enlivening and fulfilling.

Over the years I have curated, read and written many things on the subject of delegation. It something I frequently discuss as a podcast guest. It is what feeds and fuels our firm. If people don’t delegate, we don’t have work to do.

Let’s say however, you already delegate to others, and you have become effective at that. Maybe you have even become really masterful at it. And now maybe, like with me, it thrills you. There is no low-level stuff that you feel obligated to do any more…

For instance, recently I saw an ad on Facebook for a silly mug and I said to myself “I HAVE to get that for my mom.” In the next 20 seconds, I sent the link to my Executive Assistant and asked her to do it. I will probably forget I delegated that, but I will hear from my mom when she gets it, and she will be delighted, and I will be delighted all over again that I did that.

Gina Cotner, CEO, Athena Executive Services

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Are you interested in discovering what you can delegate off your plate and learn more about hiring your own Virtual Executive Assistant? Click here to schedule a free consultation with us.

 

 

 

 

From Conflict Management to Conflict Curiosity

Apr 30, 2024 | About Athena, Accountability, Delegation, Getting Started with an EA, Mental Health, Productivity, Remote Work

What is the best way to avoid or manage conflict? I hate conflict as much as the next person, but there is an interesting paradox here. If you get interested in the conflict or issue, then a lot of the fire or fury can quickly be taken down a notch. People tend to press their issue until they can get it heard. So, if you can get yourself interested in finding, being available for, and listening to issues, then it is likely you will have less conflict to deal with, and the issues you do have will get resolved quickly.

If the angry person feels like they are being listened to, they soon find they don’t have as much to say. It is disarming for people when they are met with an opportunity to be heard. This does require that we as leaders must muster the courage to be interested and to listen. We all know what Ted Lasso would say! “Be curious. Not judgmental.” Easier said than done. Like most leaders and business owners, I just want the problem to go away. But similar to a Chinese finger trap, you must get into it, to get out of it. 

One of the many valuable things I learned from my business coach, John Barron, is that my job as a CEO is to be up in the crow’s nest. Up in the nest, I’m looking out ahead to see if there is any smoke, so any fire can be put out quickly. I’m looking for roadblocks and icebergs. I’m also readily available to my managers for the topic of issues! I’m a big open welcoming space when it comes to issues. Why? Because that’s my job! I’m the Issue Monster (think Cookie Monster, my GenX friends).

When all is going according to plan, my managers can run this company well. They need their CEO when issues arise. So, I cannot be frustrated or annoyed with them when they bring me issues or conflicts.

A warning: If you do not nail an issue shut, it will return. Somewhere, somehow, someway, it will return. And you will know in your heart of hearts, “Ya, we didn’t fully resolve that issue. We just made it go away.” If you do the real work to resolve the actual issue, it will be nailed shut and you can move on. Don’t forget to take your Lessons Learned with you!

  • Conflict comes with anything worthwhile (no matter how right you think you are, there will always be people who disagree, and some who will even bark about it. Remember high school? Life is still like that sometimes.)
  • If you want no conflict, surround yourself with staff, clients, friends, and family who 100% agree with you all the time (now there’s a boring life with no richness).
  • Sometimes the only way out is through (and it is often the fastest).
  • What you resist persists (if you want the problem to linger, keep avoiding actively resolving it, but continue to talk about it a lot.)
  • As a leader, if you are proactively looking for potential issues, guess what? You will find them. (but the good news is, you found them before they found you!)
  • The longer a client or a staff member goes without hearing from you about an issue, the more they believe what they think to be true about you or the situation. (Their view quickly becomes the “truth” for them.)
  • Resolution is better than the right or perfect outcome (you may not like what you have to do to resolve the issue, but you will get the reward of the issue being resolved. Said another way, “better done than perfect.”)

Gina Cotner, CEO, Athena Executive Services

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Are you interested in learning more about hiring your own Virtual Executive Assistant? Click here to schedule a free consultation with us.

 

 

 

 

Trusting the Captain of Your Ship – Your EA

Apr 10, 2024 | About Athena, Business, Delegation, Getting Started with an EA, Mental Health, Remote Work, Uncategorized

Gina celebrated a milestone birthday a couple of years ago and wanted to do something on her bucket list – a yacht trip around the beautiful Puget Sound area where she lives most of the year. How the heck do you plan something so fabulous? You turn to your EA, of course! 

Gina’s EA did all kinds of research that was new to both of them. They learned a ton about what it takes to charter a yacht and all the planning that goes around an epic week-long adventure at sea. 

“The trip was stunning in many ways, but what was most remarkable for me and surprised me the most, was our captain. I kept finding myself in awe of all that he had to do and handle, and how graceful and amazing he was in the process, with anything and everything that came up. As I watched him work for us each day, I thought of all of the high-caliber executive assistants out there. 

I made some requests around the itinerary, as there were a few key places that I wanted to visit. But I had no idea what I was really asking for until I watched it play out. I didn’t know that I was asking to go places where the timing of the current and the tides would be difficult! 

I didn’t know the depth of the Swinomish Channel could be an issue. I just wanted to go to La Conner (quaint town on a channel of water, which I will never look at the same again!).

I didn’t know there were swirling currents and tricky tides at Deception Pass. I just wanted to go under the Deception Pass bridge. 

In many cases I did not know what I was asking for, and day by day as I watched it play out, I was amazed and frankly almost moved to tears by the situation. What situation? The situation where every day this captain (Captain Dick was his name) thought through so many details (tides, currents, weather, moorage, fuel, places to eat, etc.) all with a smile on his face and consistently tending to the happiness of the guests on board. Walking past me while he was going from the bow up to the fly bridge (yep, I have boat lingo now) he would pause and say, “Are you having a nice birthday Gina?”

The picture of the paddling duck feet underwater comes to mind. Gliding on top. Rapid kicking under water. Much like the life of a high-caliber executive assistant. 

Captain Dick was always striving to get the best for us. The best what? (Again, things I would never have thought of.) The best moorage slip at a very popular resort Marina. The best crab. (He caught us five large Dungeness crab! What?!) Anchoring in the best cove to watch the sun set and to watch the big glowing full moon rise in the sky. (Like I said, moved to tears at times by this man’s desire for excellence for his guests and clients.)

Of course, things never went 100% according to plan, and yet he pivoted, adapted, and adjusted with grace and calm. And continued to ask, “Are you having a nice birthday Gina?” I was amazed!”

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Learning and Growing Together

Feb 15, 2024 | About Athena, Accountability, Business, Delegation, Getting Started with an EA, Mental Health, Uncategorized

A couple weeks ago we had our Athena Leadership retreat. This happens a couple times a year with me and our two managers, Jennifer and Dorian. We met together right back where we were last January, in Pismo Beach, California. This is one of my happy places. It’s on the central coast of California. It’s never too hot and never too cold there. (However, as I write this today, it is getting pummeled with rain and wind).

Dorian drove up from LA and Jennifer flew from Peoria, IL. Jennifer had one of those travel days that we’ve all had at one point, where one delayed flight, leads to an enormous layover somewhere, and then you reconfigure and reconfigure your itinerary until you end up getting as close as you can to where you’re going, and then say “Screw it! I’ll get a driver service to get me the rest of the way.” So, at midnight after being awake for 20 hours, she arrived. And when she was good and ready to wake up the next morning, we began.

The retreat was a time for being open, curious and audacious. Thinking big thoughts and creating big ideas without having to know how we will achieve them. Some conversations were right on the agenda. Some topics bubbled up while we were soaking in a hot tub or gnawing on barbecue for dinner.

If I think about my experience of being together with the two of them, living together with them for a few days . . . Well, if I think about it too much I will cry. They are bold and inspiring, and some of the greatest human beings I have ever known. Getting to spend time in person with them is a real treat.

We covered a lot of ground, from short term action plans to long-term dreams. But I was curious, now a couple weeks later, what were the highlights for them? We talked about this after everyone returned to their homes and families. Needless to say, I was thrilled with their take on the weekend:

Creating 2024 Together: The opportunity to collectively envision and shape the future of the company for the upcoming year served as a powerful catalyst for inspiration and motivation. With the groundwork laid in 2023, the retreat provided a blank canvas for creativity and innovation.

Magic in the Air: The act of sitting together and looking “eyeball to eyeball,” yielded a deep level of connection and commitment.

Safe Space and Trust: Being in a safe space with supportive colleagues underscored the importance of psychological safety in fostering creativity and collaboration. This trust gave us the freedom to express ourselves without fear of judgment and led to more authentic and meaningful contributions.

Partnership and Support: We know we have the full support of each other. Coming together and sharing bold ideas can be daunting, but feeling supported in expressing them is safe and validating. We understood that even if some ideas didn’t immediately resonate, they might contribute to future innovations. No bad ideas!

Culture of Winning: We are creating a space together and with the entire Athena Executive Services team that ensures success is not a zero-sum game, but rather a collective endeavor where each individual’s achievements contribute to the overall success of the company.

Diverse Approaches to Rejuvenation: Our discussion around team members’ diverse rejuvenation needs highlighted the importance of accommodating individual preferences for recharging and self-care. Not everyone recharges in the same way!

Our Responsibility as Managers: We really got into the significant impact a manager has on the lives of team members, clients, and their respective circles. Beyond direct interactions with team members and clients, we hold a broader responsibility for fostering an environment where fulfillment and success are prioritized.

Looking ahead to 2024, I asked Dorian and Jennifer who they were going to be in 2024 that stands on the shoulders of who they were in 2023?

They each had answers that were uniquely their own which I will hold to myself. But I will say that they are both looking to tackle 2024 with bold confidence! Our intention as a leadership team is clear: to empower and uplift team members, foster a culture where every team member feels valued, supported, and integral to the company’s success, and create a dynamic environment where the Athena team and our fabulous clients thrive!

It was so interesting for me to learn what the managers got from the retreat, and I wanted to share these highlights with all of you, because I think it paints a picture of what it’s like behind the curtain at our firm.

– Gina Cotner, CEO, Athena Executive Services

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Interested in learning more about hiring your own Virtual Executive Assistant? Click here to schedule a free consultation with us.