Event Planning & The Executive Assistant Toolbox
I can’t believe it’s been 32 years!
I’ve spent the past 32 years supporting Leaders in various capacities. When I think back to my first job as an EA, it was very different than it is now. It was a large downtown Toronto law firm. The 44th floor to be exact. We had typewriters (you know, those big bulky things that you had to change the ribbon on!). The IBM Selectric Typewriter was cutting edge! We made ‘carbon copies’ of documents by inserting a dark ink page into a special machine. We had no cell phones and fax machines were cutting edge! Everything was done IN PERSON and paper was filed — there were no ‘virtual meetings’, no ‘Zoom’, no ‘Google’, no ‘Uber Eats’. Microsoft Office was a new software tool we were all using and many didn’t know it’s full potential! Facebook didn’t exist! Yes, you read that right, Facebook didn’t exist. After all, Mark Zuckerberg was 4 years old!
The one constant from then to now is the pressure and versatility of being an EA. The continuous demand. The booking (and rebooking) of meetings and events. Taking minutes and greeting clients. Running out to get lunch. Let’s face it, EA’s have to think outside of the box, all while under constant pressure. I don’t think that will ever change. We are expected to be creative, the ‘fixer’ of things and doer of all tasks and events.
Then there is the software. EA’s are always looking for ways to do things more efficiently and be more streamlined. How do we collaborate? I myself, have thought many long hours about how to be more efficient and organized. If I only had one tool to do everything…instead of using a mish mash of tools to get the job done. I see it all the time with EA’s. We all have different ways of doing things — let’s call this our ‘toolbox’. A lot of what’s in our toolbox depends on how comfortable we are with technology, our budget and more importantly, what our organization has purchased for us.
But, has any organization ever asked ‘us’ what we need to do our job? Have you been asked what is missing in your toolbox?
One of the things I found missing in my toolbox was an event management tool to capture the intimate details and provide the type of event every Leader wants. To paint it with the VIP brushstroke that we like to treat our clients with.
What is Mr. Jones’ favorite wine? How many events has Mrs. White been to this year that I have invited her to? Do Mr. Jones and Mrs. White know each other or frequent the same country club?
Sure, I would put this information on a sticky (you know, those yellow things we all love to use), or maybe I’d make a note in Outlook Tasks or in their contact sheet. Or maybe I’d add it to my ‘old school binder’ or throw it in my purse. But at the snap of a finger, when I needed the information, I would forget where it was or I struggled to find it quickly.
What would your EA world look like if you could have one tool in your toolbox to do your job? One tool that housed all the information you needed on your clients. The fine details. The important details that differentiate how you treat your clients.
I have always been tech savvy and I always knew that one day, my tech savvy background would be put to good use. Approximately 12 weeks ago, I started my ‘dream job’ as an EA and product tester at Gatsby Labs. I’m now part of a dynamic team that is creating a tool I’m passionate about. A tool built for EA’s. A tool that every EA needs in their toolbox.
That tool is Gatsby Events. Gatsby takes care of the process so you can focus on the people. Gatsby Events is an event management software tool that allows you to create beautiful VIP Events, with such ease and flexibility. Gatsby is the most effective way to collaborate on and create VIP Events.
With Gatsby, I can now collaborate, design, invite, and nurture business relationships. I’m building that guest list I’ve always wanted — in one place. I am able to collaborate with my team in real time. I can create and design a beautiful invitation that speaks to our brand. I can now track RSVPs, create overflow lists, check-in guests, add plus 1’s and nurture those relationships between events. I now have a place where I can set dietary restrictions. How great is that? With no more sticky notes. No more screenshots and flipping from tool to tool. Gatsby is your one-stop shop for events and collaboration.
Gatsby can also do more. It has a very easy reminder tool. Never forget that VIP’s birthday or accomplishment again. I use this tool for anything I need to remind myself on. Gatsby works the way you do. And when the event is over, Gatsby will run metrics on the event about RSVP rates, and much more.
How did I get so lucky to be working at Gatsby after all these years? The tool every EA needs in their toolbox.
-Carrie Smith
