In this episode, we had the pleasure of interviewing the lovely Nicky Christmas from The EA Campus about her journey that began back in 2011. She launched a little blog called ‘Practically Perfect PA’ as a passion project while working full-time as an Executive Assistant to the COO and CFO of a global insurance organization.

At the time, there were very few resources dedicated to Assistants, and she saw an opportunity to create something that not only provided guidance but also reshaped the conversation around the role of Assistants in the modern workplace. What started as a blog quickly grew into one of the leading voices in the online learning space for Assistants, long before virtual training and digital communities became the norm.

Over the last 15 years, Nicky has continued to evolve her platform, staying ahead of industry trends and challenging outdated perceptions of the Assistant role. As an international speaker and thought leader, Nicky has traveled the world, engaging with thousands of Assistants and sharing strategies to help them excel in their careers.

In 2025, Practically Perfect PA rebranded as The EA Campus - a platform designed to meet the evolving needs of Assistants today. Nicky’s commitment has always been to put the needs of the Assistant community first, and her impact on the profession is undeniable.

If you’d like to learn more about The EA Campus or connect with Nicky Christmas, here are the links: Nicky Christmas LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicky-christmas

The EA Campus LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ea-campus

The EA Campus: https://theeacampus.com

The EA Campus Podcast: https://theeacampus.com/podcast

We want our listeners to stay connected with us, so please follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn to join our growing global community and newsletter. Remember, this podcast is all about admins.

Subscribe & Follow for more conversations that elevate, empower, and redefine what it means to be an admin in today’s world.

Thank you for being a part of The Future Focused Admin.

If you like what you hear, please share with your admin friends and community.

We welcome you all! If you have anything you want to share, have an idea or just want to connect, drop us an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠hello@thefuturefocusedadmin.com.

In this episode on The Future Focused Admin, you co-hosts Jessica McBride and Candice Burningham welcome our guest Sabrina Whittaker to talk about "Goal-Setting That Sticks: Creating Intentional Plans for Success".

Sabrina is a web designer, developer, and technical writer with expertise in business analytics, digital marketing, and crafting equitable, socially conscious data-driven solutions.

The discussion centers on strategies for effective goal setting, particularly how to create intentional plans for success. Sabrina shares her journey from corporate to freelance, emphasizing the importance of values-aligned goals and long-term thinking. She introduces her unique 'two notebook' system for balancing creative and analytical tasks and provides insights into various goal-setting frameworks like SMART, OKRs, and Agile planning.

The conversation also touches on overcoming common obstacles, maintaining motivation, and ensuring personal goals are not overshadowed by professional demands. Listeners are encouraged to document their goals and utilize both digital and physical tools for tracking progress.

The best way to connect with Sabrina is via these links:

Website: https://www.sabrinawhittaker.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabrina-n-whittaker

We want our listeners to stay connected with us on our social channels for updates on new episodes. So please follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thefuturefocusedadmin and LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-future-focused-admin to join our growing global community and newsletter.

Remember, this podcast is all about admins. Subscribe & Follow for more conversations that elevate, empower, and redefine what it means to be an admin in today’s world. Thank you for being a part of The Future Focused Admin Podcast. If you like what you hear, please subscribe and share with your admin friends and community. We welcome you all!

If you have anything you want to share, have an idea or just want to connect, drop us an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠hello@thefuturefocusedadmin.com.

In Episode 6 of Season 3, we’re diving into one of the most nuanced and essential skills for admin professionals today: “Managing Up: Are Executives Open To It?”. Jodie joins us to unpack what managing up really means, how to approach it strategically (and respectfully), and why it’s a must-have skill for every modern admin.

Jodie Mears is a strategic C-Suite Executive Assistant, LinkedIn Top Voice, and respected thought leader in the administrative profession. With over 20 years’ experience across aviation, energy, and digital industries, she now supports executives at Bentley Systems, blending high-level support with strategic business insight.

She is the co-host of The Crodie Files podcast and an Advisory Board Member for The PA Show UK. Jodie is deeply passionate about elevating the admin profession through mentorship, speaking, and her highly sought-after coaching program. A certified Mental Health First Aider and Regional Wellness Lead, she also shares her insights in her monthly newsletter The Assist List and through industry publications.

In this episode, Jodie shares honest insights from her 20+ year career, including what executives really think about being “managed up,” how to build trust without overstepping, and practical ways to position yourself as a strategic partner rather than just a task-doer.

We’ve covered questions like:

- What exactly does it mean to manage up, and how is it different from being proactive?

- Are executives generally open to being “managed up,” or does resistance still exist?

- What role does trust, emotional intelligence, and company culture play?

- How can admins build credibility and influence in environments where managing up isn’t the norm?

We’re also loving Jodie’s final words of wisdom: “For me, the game changer was developing my business acumen, staying ahead of our industry trends and being the person who brought information back to them and position yourself as a strategic partner who can manage up rather than waiting to be told you can now do that. The more you elevate yourself, the more indispensable you become. So that was something that stuck with me is it's all about you”

So if you’ve ever felt unsure about how to influence upwards, advocate for your role, or be seen as a true business partner, this episode is for you. Jodie brings clarity, warmth, and wisdom to a topic that many admins navigate but few talk about openly.

You can connect with Jodie on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodiemears.

You can learn all about and tune into The Crodie Files Podcast here: https://craigandjodie.com

As always, we want our listeners to stay connected with us on our social channels for updates on new episodes. So please follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thefuturefocusedadmin and LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-future-focused-admin to join our growing global community and newsletter.

Remember, this podcast is all about admins. Subscribe & Follow for more conversations that elevate, empower, and redefine what it means to be an admin in today’s world.

Thank you for being a part of The Future Focused Admin Podcast. If you like what you hear, please subscribe and share with your admin friends and community. We welcome you all!

If you have anything you want to share, have an idea or just want to connect, drop us an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠hello@thefuturefocusedadmin.com.