Running a company is no small feat—and as CEO, you’re the one steering the ship. Your decisions and leadership directly impact your business and everyone in it.
To excel in this role, you need much more than just business smarts. You must think strategically, act decisively, and inspire your team to achieve great things. Most importantly, you need the right support system to help you perform at your best.
That’s where an exceptional executive assistant comes in. In this blog, we’ll see how the right EA can help multiply your impact as a leader.
Pro Tip: Finding the perfect executive assistant match doesn’t have to be complicated. ProAssisting connects busy executives like you with experienced, US-based remote EAs who can maximize your productivity starting day one.
Sounds good? Let’s talk about your needs: Schedule a free consultation →
What Does an Executive Assistant to the CEO Do?
An executive assistant to the CEO serves as a strategic time multiplier, giving valuable hours back to the chief executive by:
- Managing the constant flow of communication
- Handling critical administrative, operational, and personal tasks
- Taking ownership of key projects
As trust grows and efficiency improves, their role naturally expands.
Think of them as the CEO’s right-hand person—someone who can step in, make decisions, and represent the CEO’s interests both inside and outside the company.
They do this through five key roles: business partner, chief of staff, project manager, scheduler, and personal assistant. Each role is designed to maximize the CEO’s time and effectiveness.
We’ll talk about these more in the following sections.
Benefits of Having an Effective Executive Assistant for CEOs
The value of a great executive assistant isn’t just measured in dollars—it’s about giving you the time and space to focus on what really matters.
Key benefits include:
- Strategic Focus: More time for big-picture decisions and initiatives that fuel company growth.
- Brand Leadership: More space to work on thought leadership and engage with the industry.
- Energy Management: Less time spent on admin work, so CEOs can focus on what truly needs their expertise.
- Business Development: More time to nurture client relationships and explore new opportunities.
- Personal Fulfillment: A better work-life balance, with time for personal interests and family.
In practical terms, when you consider that a CEO’s total compensation package often reaches $1 million annually, having an assistant who enables even 8% more productivity more than justifies the investment.
But the real value goes far beyond simple productivity metrics—it’s about empowering CEOs to operate at their highest and best use, both professionally and personally.
Core Responsibilities of an Executive Assistant to the CEO
In “The 29-Hour Work Day,” Ethan and Stephanie Bull (ProAssisting co-founders) explain how the executive assistant role has changed far beyond basic administrative duties.
What was once focused on managing calendars and answering phones has become far more strategic.
Today’s EAs are true performance partners who can multiply your productivity through what the authors call “performance multipliers.”
So, what exactly does a high-performing executive assistant do?
Let’s break down the five key areas of responsibility that together create a force multiplier for any CEO or business leader:
1. Business Partner
As your business partner, an executive assistant becomes your strategic ally.
They can represent you in meetings, offer valuable insights on decisions, and help maintain important relationships.
They’re your second set of eyes and ears in the business, someone who understands your vision and can help move it forward even when you’re not in the room.
2. Chief of Staff
While different from a traditional Chief of Staff role (which focuses on long-term strategy and C-suite coordination), your executive assistant acts as a vital liaison between you and your organization by:
- Overseeing office support staff and home personnel
- Managing information flow between you and your direct reports
- Serving as the primary point of contact for employees, vendors, and maintenance staff
- Coordinating communication across different departments
- Making sure your directives are correctly communicated and executed
3. Project Manager
Need to organize a board retreat? Launch a new initiative?
Your EA can take full ownership of projects from start to finish.
They’ll track deadlines, coordinate with team members, and keep you updated on progress without bogging you down in details.
They take care of:
- Coordinating office relocations or renovations
- Planning family vacations and personal travel
- Managing home improvement projects
- Overseeing special company initiatives
And much more!
This lets you focus on the big picture while ensuring nothing falls through the cracks.
4. Assistant/Scheduler
This is the traditional EA role but with a modern twist.
Beyond just managing your calendar, they’re masters at “calendar Tetris”—fitting meetings into your schedule while respecting your energy levels and priorities.
They’ll make sure you have enough information before every meeting and enough time between appointments to stay focused and effective.
5. Personal Assistant
Work and life overlap inevitably, and that’s where this role becomes non-negotiable.
A top-tier executive assistant understands that reducing your stress and maximizing your time often means handling personal matters, including:
- Scheduling medical and personal appointments
- Coordinating with household staff
- Managing vehicle maintenance and services
- Purchasing and coordinating gifts
- Handling personal scheduling and family logistics
- Managing personal projects and commitments
Keep in mind not every executive assistant will take on all these tasks in the same way. Their responsibilities should be customized to fit your needs and working style.
The goal is to find an EA who has the right professional superpowers to support you as needed. Someone who can adapt to your priorities while maintaining excellence across their core functions.
Skills Required to Excel as an Executive Assistant
“Someone who says they’re going to do what they’re going to do, and it gets done when they say it will be done!”
This simple but powerful description captures the essence of a great executive assistant.
They’re someone who holds themselves to high standards and is comfortable interacting with many different kinds and levels of people.
As many veterans in the field say, “dress one step up from the person you’re serving”—this mentality reflects the level of professionalism required.
When it comes to the full spectrum of skills needed, renowned restaurateur Danny Meyer’s “51:49 rule” provides an excellent framework.
The rule suggests that success comes from having:
- 51% “soft skills” (emotional intelligence, communication, empathy)
- 49% “hard skills” (technical abilities, organizational capabilities)
Soft Skills
These are the people-focused abilities that set truly exceptional EAs apart.
They’re harder to teach but often make the biggest impact:
- Emotional Intelligence: Ability to read rooms, understand unspoken dynamics, and manage complex personalities. Great EAs sense when their executive is stressed, anticipate needs before they arise, and handle delicate situations with grace.
- Communication Excellence: Mastery in written and verbal communication, with the ability to adapt style based on the audience. This includes knowing when to be formal versus casual and how to authentically represent their executive’s voice.
- Discretion and Judgment: Strong ability to handle confidential information and make sound decisions independently. EAs often know sensitive information before others—knowing what to share, when, and with whom is crucial.
- Proactive Mindset: The ability to think three steps ahead and solve problems before they occur. Rather than waiting for instructions, exceptional EAs anticipate needs and take the initiative.
- Relationship Building: Skill in developing and maintaining professional relationships at all levels. From the maintenance staff to board members, effective EAs build trust and rapport efficiently.
Hard Skills
These capabilities are essential for handling the day-to-day demands of supporting a CEO effectively:
- Tech Framework Understanding: Knowledge of key business technology categories (email, calendar, CRM, project management) and ability to quickly adapt to new tools. They don’t need to know every software but should understand how different types of business tools work together.
- Calendar Management: Expert ability to handle complex scheduling scenarios, including international time zones and competing priorities. This includes knowing your energy patterns and optimal meeting times.
- Time Management: Skilled at juggling tasks and deadlines while keeping everything running smoothly—both for themselves and for you.
- Project Management: Skills in organizing, tracking, and executing multiple projects at once. EAs need to know how to break down big tasks into smaller steps and keep everything on track.
- Data Organization: Strong capabilities in managing information flow and creating efficient systems for retrieval. This includes everything from email management to document filing systems.
- Business Acumen: Understanding of basic business concepts and your organization’s industry. They should be able to speak knowledgeably about your company’s goals, competitors, and challenges.
- Resource Coordination: Efficient at handling everything from office supplies to event planning. They need to know how to get things done efficiently and cost-effectively.
Your technical abilities make you competent, but it’s your emotional intelligence and ability to present yourself professionally that makes you indispensable.
Think about it this way:
While you can teach someone how to manage a calendar or create a PowerPoint presentation, it’s much harder to teach work ethic, the ability to keep their own score, and how to present themselves professionally.
Challenges Faced by Executive Assistants to CEOs
Executive assistants handle tough challenges every day:
- Marathon Mindset: Many EAs burn out by treating their role like a sprint instead of a marathon. This leads to exhaustion and frustration.
- Value Recognition: EAs often struggle to see the true impact of their work. They question whether their daily efforts really matter.
- Self-Validation: Finding satisfaction in your work without constantly needing praise or thanks from others can be challenging for many EAs.
Tips for CEOs When Hiring an Executive Assistant
Finding the right executive assistant requires significant time and expertise in vetting candidates.
This is where ProAssisting steps in, offering a simpler solution with pre-vetted, experienced executive assistants.
Our ProAssistants go through a rigorous selection process—less than 5% of applicants make the cut!
Each ProAssistant has at least 5+ years of experience supporting high-level executives at globally recognized brands.
Every ProAssistant brings:
- Deep experience in executive support, project management, or equivalent roles
- Ability to work remotely while maintaining high-touch support
- Proven track record at top-tier organizations
- Strong technical and communication skills
- Professional discretion and judgment
Instead of managing payroll, benefits, and equipment costs, you get a flat monthly rate starting at $3,000.
Your ProAssistant can handle up to 95% of what an in-house EA does, from managing your inbox to coordinating complex projects.
ProAssisting’s unique model ensures your assistant isn’t spread too thin—they work with a maximum of three executives, ensuring dedicated attention to your needs.
With quick response times (usually under an hour) and after-hours availability when needed, your ProAssistant becomes a true extension of your team.
Looking to save time and boost productivity?
Schedule a free consultation to find your perfect ProAssistant match →
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Let’s address some common questions about executive assistants to CEOs:
What is the Typical Career Path for an Executive Assistant to a CEO?
The most interesting thing about an executive assistant’s career path is that it often isn’t about climbing the corporate ladder but building lasting relationships.
Many experienced EAs find their greatest satisfaction in supporting a CEO who truly values and trusts them, often staying for 10-20 years or more.
When combined with fair compensation and benefits, these long-term partnerships allow EAs to build stable careers, plan for retirement, and maintain a healthy work-life balance while making a meaningful difference in their executive’s success.
What Tools Do Executive Assistants Use to Stay Organized?
Modern executive assistants must know:
- Document management solutions
- Calendar management systems
- Project management software
- Communication platforms
- Travel booking systems
The best executive assistants are adaptable and function like chameleons when it comes to tools and systems.
Rather than imposing their preferred platforms or methods, they flex to match their executive’s working style.
They prioritize meeting the CEO where they are and adapting to existing workflows and preferences rather than creating new ones.
How Does an Executive Assistant Handle Confidential Information?
For executive assistants, confidentiality isn’t just a policy—it’s a fundamental pillar of their professional identity.
“I’m not at liberty to say” should be branded into their thought process.
The golden rule is:
Never share information unless explicitly given permission. Great EAs err on the side of absolute discretion. They treat all information as confidential by default.
This mindset of “when in doubt, don’t share” builds trust and protects both the executive and the organization.
Conclusion
A great executive assistant is more than just a support role—they’re a strategic partner who can transform how you work, think, and lead.
When the right match is made, the impact extends far beyond administrative efficiency into true organizational transformation.
But finding this perfect match can be challenging. This is where ProAssisting makes a difference.
ProAssisting connects you with elite executive assistants who can handle everything from basic administration to high-level strategic support.
We pay our ProAssistants 80% of your monthly retainer—the highest in the industry—which helps attract and retain top talent. Your ProAssistant stays with you long-term, building deep knowledge of your business and preferences.Ready to multiply your impact and reclaim your time?
Book a free consultation to discuss how a ProAssistant can transform your workday →
