I think most of us are first-time bloggers here, but I would like to think I should be good at this seeing as my cousin is a big-time ‘Youtuber’ The Anna Edit, (shoutout to you girl). As you will learn I didn’t go down the same route as her in 2010 and become a YouTube sensation, instead, I chose to pursue a life with my horses. As a young 16-year-old rider I thought it was the easy way to work, not needing to ‘work hard’ as in using my brain. Riding 10 horses a day isn’t hard work to me in my head, but physically it was tough and you couldn’t be a fair weather rider… see picture below (SNOW) I remember this was the day before my horse, Donny decided to throw me off onto a sheet on ice, absolutely fabulous. Did I go to hospital? Erm nope, in this game you get back on and pray nothing is broken!
From this I really made the most of being a rider and went on to groom for several top GB Riders in the UK, I moved to Wales at the age of 17, on my own with my horse Donny and had the best experience. I travelled all over the UK most weeks going to shows, I also got the opportunity to fly to Lexington, Kentucky for one of the largest 3-day events. From this, I then moved back down to Essex to work for another GB Rider, this time travelling across the world with horses. This was a complete life experience for me, going to countries alone with the horses as my friends and of course other riders. As much as you would think it was a ‘glam’ experience travelling around the world to places such as Hong Kong, it was nothing but HARD GRAFT. I am not afraid of hard work, even if it's waking up at 3 a.m to feed horses and get them ridden before shows started, with most shows not starting until 7 pm. It’s safe to say I have done my fair share of long hours! In fact here is myself and my favourite horse Oz De Breve in Hong Kong… he was having a great time dragging me about!
I then got headhunted to ride the Queen’s show horses… yes that is right HM The Queen! May she rest in peace. It was a pinch-me moment, of course, especially since I had the honour of meeting her twice and riding at her home stables in Windsor. Again even more hard work meeting HM standards, rightly the horses had to be pristine at ALL TIMES. One of my favourite horses of the Queens was Archie, he came from Canada and was a black beauty. I liked him because he was a little bit naughty and I always liked a challenge where they tried to get me off! I have had my fair share of injuries but this sport is highly dangerous, horses are very unpredictable and some of my friends would put me in the category of a ‘psychopath’ but you have to have no fear!
I then decided it was time for me to get back into an office role and pursue a career as an Executive Assistant. Now you may think how did you know what to get into after working with horses for so long, what a random role to go into?!
Well, previously I was a PA to 3 directors but it wasn’t my main job role, it was another role I happily gained. So considering my previous experience I knew it was a role for me and something I could flourish in. I love the variety of the role and knowing each day is different. I call myself the ‘Jane of all trades’, as much as my title is an EA I manage a lot of processes here and I love it!
I think the best thing about doing so many jobs is gaining experience in each type of role. I can switch from carrying out payroll to then taking a call about compliance etc. I would like to think I can multi-task pretty well! Also, I am able to engage with our candidates building relationships and assisting with the onboarding process.
Being an Executive Assistant is mostly an individual role, where most tasks are solo and on your own but I can assure you there is always someone coming to me with a question or needing my IT expert help (maybe try logging on and off again)…
Even the little tasks of going to get kitchen supplies I enjoy doing as it gets you out of the office for a bit and you can stretch the legs, which is perfect for me given my active background!
I think there is a stigma around EA/PA roles where most view them as 'menial' but I wouldn’t think that at all. There is more to an EA/PA role than you think! You sign up for what is in your contract, you know what you are getting yourself into.
I am lucky enough to work alongside a great team and another EA (Molly) who joined after me. It’s safe to say we have become the best of friends, big cook, little cook is what we call ourselves because of the major height difference! It is nice to have someone else working alongside our CEO’s, we both have different roles here but we help each other out and bounce ideas off one another. One of my favourite photos of us is below, at an incentive, watching England v Australia at Wembley. We re-created a classic fartherdaughter memory Molly and I both with our dads at Football games, it was hilarious as molly is small enough to get on my shoulders!
