Ep99: Building Systems, Setting Boundaries and Thriving as a Remote EA with Gillian Gelston

What does it take to move from being a transactional Executive Assistant to becoming a true strategic business partner? In this episode of The EA Campus Podcast, I sit down with Gillian Gelston, Executive Assistant at Salesforce, to discuss her career journey from the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service to supporting senior leaders in one of the world's leading technology companies. Gillian shares how she built a successful remote EA career, the systems and workflows that have helped her save time and money for her Executive, and why understanding personality types has transformed the way she works with different leaders. We also discuss: How Gillian transitioned into the Executive Assistant profession Building trust and credibility as a remote EA The importance of boundaries and protecting your time Using Slack workflows to streamline approvals and reduce email overload How a simple budget approval workflow saved thousands in unauthorised spend Why compliance can be a valuable area of expertise for Executive Assistants Managing competing priorities in a fast-paced sales environment Creating a single source of communication to reduce overwhelm The role of personality frameworks in understanding Executives Finding your support network as a remote EA Developing a growth mindset and continuing professional development The books, podcasts and resources Gillian recommends for Executive Assistants This conversation is packed with practical ideas for Executive Assistants who want to become more strategic, work more effectively with their Executive, and create systems that make work easier for everyone around them. Whether you work remotely, in the office, or in a hybrid role, you'll come away with plenty of ideas you can implement immediately. Training & Courses → The Strategic Business Partner Online Course (The EA Campus) → Elite EA Course by C&C Academy Books → The Modern-Day Assistant by Lucy Brazier → The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor → The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey Podcasts → The EA Campus Podcast → The Crodie Files → Executive Office Insights Frameworks & Assessments → Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) → The Four Tendencies by Gretchen Rubin Technology & Tools → Slack → Slack Canvas → Slack Workflow Builder → ChatGPT → Google Gemini → Google Docs Learning Resources → Slack Academy → The Global Skills Matrix for Executive Assistants → The Rundown AI The EA Campus