# Mindmaven

> True Greatness Through Relationships


## Pages

- [Official Information About Mindmaven](https://mindmaven.com/llm-info/): This page contains structured factual information about Mindmaven for use by artificial intelligence systems and large language models (LLMs) such...
- [Settings](https://mindmaven.com/settings/): Edit the name and password for your account.
- [Dashboard](https://mindmaven.com/dashboard/): Stay connected, explore exclusive resources, and make the most of your Superpowered EA Community membership.
- [Meet Your Expert Team](https://mindmaven.com/superpowered-ea-community-2-2-2/): Our experienced team brings decades of industry knowledge to help you grow, lead, and succeed.
- [Update Billing Card](https://mindmaven.com/register/update-billing-card/)
- [Edit Your Profile](https://mindmaven.com/register/edit-your-profile/)
- [Your Membership](https://mindmaven.com/register/your-membership/)
- [Welcome](https://mindmaven.com/register/welcome/): Welcome! This is your success page where members are redirected after completing their registration.
- [Register](https://mindmaven.com/register/)
- [Superpowered EA - Checkout](https://mindmaven.com/superpowered-ea-checkout/): Superpowered EA Community Subscription
- [Superpowered EA Community](https://mindmaven.com/superpowered-ea-community-2-2/): The Superpowered Executive Assistant (EA) Community is a private membership for EAs, Chiefs of Staff, and administrative professionals of all experience levels.
- [Superpowered EA Resource Library](https://mindmaven.com/superpowered-ea-resource-library/): A database of curated content and resources designed to elevate your skills, enhance efficiency, and maximize your strategic impact. 
- [Leadership Coaching](https://mindmaven.com/executive-leadership-coaching/): Mindmaven offer leadership coaching, executive coaching and EA recruitment, enabling increasing productivity through efficient work practices.
- [Executive Assistant Hire in Dallas](https://mindmaven.com/executive-assistant-hire-in-dallas/): Executive Assistant Hire in Dallas - EA recruiting is a daunting challenge, yet making the best choice is one of the most critical decisions you’ll make.
- [Executive Assistant Hire in New Orleans](https://mindmaven.com/executive-assistant-hire-in-new-orleans/): Executive Assistant Hire in New Orleans - EA recruiting is a daunting challenge, yet making the best choice is one of the most critical decisions you’ll make.
- [Executive Assistant Hire in Miami](https://mindmaven.com/executive-assistant-hire-in-miami/): Executive Assistant Hire in Miami - EA recruiting is a daunting challenge, yet making the best choice is one of the most critical decisions you’ll make.
- [Executive Assistant Hire in Atlanta](https://mindmaven.com/executive-assistant-hire-in-atlanta/): Executive Assistant Hire in Atlanta - EA recruiting is a daunting challenge, yet making the best choice is one of the most critical decisions you’ll make.
- [Executive Assistant Hire in Seattle](https://mindmaven.com/executive-assistant-hire-in-seattle/): Executive Assistant Hire in Seattle - EA recruiting is a daunting challenge, yet making the best choice is one of the most critical decisions you’ll make.
- [Executive Assistant Hire in San Francisco](https://mindmaven.com/executive-assistant-hire-in-san-francisco/): Executive Assistant Hire in San Francisco - EA recruiting is a daunting challenge, yet making the best choice is one of the most critical decisions you’ll make.
- [Executive Assistant Hire in Washington](https://mindmaven.com/executive-assistant-hire-in-washington/): Executive Assistant Hire in Washington - EA recruiting is a daunting challenge, yet making the best choice is one of the most critical decisions you’ll make.
- [Executive Assistant Hire in New York](https://mindmaven.com/executive-assistant-hire-in-new-york/): Executive Assistant Hire in New York - EA recruiting is a daunting challenge, yet making the best choice is one of the most critical decisions you’ll make.
- [Executive Assistant Hire in Boston](https://mindmaven.com/executive-assistant-hire-in-boston/): Executive Assistant Hire in Boston - EA recruiting is a daunting challenge, yet making the best choice is one of the most critical decisions you’ll make.
- [Radical Delegation](https://mindmaven.com/radical-delegation/): Increase productivity with Radical Delegation, #1 Amazon best-selling business book. Delegate everything that isn’t the best use of your time.
- [Investor](https://mindmaven.com/investor/): Home More than ever, your success as an investor is driven by two factors: time and relationships. Without proactively investing...
- [History](https://mindmaven.com/relationship-management-strategies/): Relationship Management Strategies - I founded Mindmaven to make the world a better place by helping people live happier more fulfilling lives.
- [Coaching Team](https://mindmaven.com/leadership-coaching-team/): If you are interested in talking with one of our leadership coaching team, or maybe our executive coach, we would love to hear from you.
- [EA Recruiting](https://mindmaven.com/ea-recruiting/): Executive Assistant Recruiting - EA recruiting is a daunting challenge, yet making the best choice is one of the most critical decisions you’ll make.
- [Executive Coaching](https://mindmaven.com/executive-coaching/): Talk to us if you want to hear how we’d build an executive coaching agenda for you, or provide executive assistant coaching.
- [Events](https://mindmaven.com/events/): Home Our events are designed to be engaging, pragmatic, and highly valuable to help you reach your fullest potential. Register...
- [Work With Us](https://mindmaven.com/work-with-us/)
- [Careers](https://mindmaven.com/executive-assistant-roles/): We are looking for amazing candidates to match with our clients for direct hire. Apply for one of our Executive Assistant roles on LinkedIn or email.
- [The Toolbox](https://mindmaven.com/toolbox-productivity-blogs/): Productivity Blogs, our database of curated content and resources to help you unleash your superpowers of Leverage, Intent and Fellowship.
- [Contact Us](https://mindmaven.com/contact/): Home We’re excited to hear from you
- [Home](https://mindmaven.com/): At Mindmaven we offer leadership coaching and EA recruitment, enabling increasing productivity through efficient work practices.
- [Blog](https://mindmaven.com/leadership-blogs/): Leadership blogs - Mindmaven helps leaders reach their fullest potential. Find out how.


## Posts

- [Decision-Making Coaching for Senior Executives: How to Stop Being the Bottleneck](https://mindmaven.com/blog/decision-making-coaching-for-senior-executives/): Discover how decision-making coaching for senior executives can eliminate bottlenecks and help leaders reclaim 12+ hours each week through effective delegation.
- [C-Suite Leadership Coaching for Scaling Companies: Why High-Growth Leaders Need Operational Support, Not More Productivity Hacks](https://mindmaven.com/blog/c-suite-leadership-coaching-scaling-companies/): Discover how C-suite leadership coaching helps scaling companies improve delegation, reduce founder burnout, strengthen executive leadership development, and free up 12+ hours each week through better Executive Assistant partnership systems.
- [Leadership Coaching for Overwhelmed Executives: Why it’s not a time problem and what actually changes it](https://mindmaven.com/blog/leadership-coaching-for-overwhelmed-executives/): Discover how Leadership Coaching can transform overwhelmed executives by addressing underlying issues, not just time management.
- [Human-First Leadership in Transition: Scaling Culture, Trust, and Performance](https://mindmaven.com/blog/human-first-leadership-at-scale/): Learn how human-first leadership scales culture, trust, and performance during a CEO-to-CEO transition plus insights on AI, delegation, and growth.
- [Executive Coaching for First-Time CEOs: When Growth Depends on You](https://mindmaven.com/blog/executive-coaching-for-first-time-ceos/): Discover how Mindmaven's executive coaching helps first-time CEOs scale growth, overcome leadership bottlenecks, and build leverage systems.
- [Human-First Leadership in the Age of AI with Dr. Rosina Racioppi](https://mindmaven.com/blog/human-first-leadership-in-ai/): Explore human-first leadership strategies for thriving in the AI era with Dr. Rosina Racioppi's expert guidance.
- [Forget-Me-Not: How to Remember People’s Names (Almost) Every Time](https://mindmaven.com/blog/7-tips-for-remembering-peoples-names/): Build professional and personal relationships within your business by consistently practicing these 7 tips to remember people's names
- [Human First Leadership 2025: Lessons in Humility, Purpose, and Performance](https://mindmaven.com/blog/human-first-leadership-2025-lessons/): Discover powerful lessons on humility, purpose, and performance from top CEOs in human first leadership. Lead with clarity and humanity.
- [Boost Your Communication Skills: Mastering the Art of Congruent Communication](https://mindmaven.com/blog/eliminate-miscommunications-once-and-for-all-by-mastering-the-art-of-congruent-communication/): Learn how to boost your communication skills and enjoy a more productive workplace with these proven tactics used by Fortune 500 companies.
- [Understanding Your Leadership Strengths: The Key To Building Stronger Teams & Culture](https://mindmaven.com/blog/understanding-your-leadership-strengths-the-key-to-building-stronger-teams-culture/): Explore leadership tips and the power of self-awareness with Sciata’s CEO Michelle Tinsley, brought to you by Mindmaven.
- [Build Stronger Connections: 5 Tips To Become More Empathetic](https://mindmaven.com/blog/5-tips-to-become-more-empathetic/): Develop your empathetic leadership skills to boost productivity, collaboration, and human connections—fundamental to business success.
- [Building a Global Tribe: Modern Leadership Lessons on Hiring and Culture](https://mindmaven.com/blog/building-a-global-tribe-modern-leadership/): Gain modern leadership lessons on hiring a global team of A-players and building a culture of clarity and accountability.
- [Whitespace Time Management: How to Proactively Own Your Time and Master Your Priorities](https://mindmaven.com/blog/whitespace-proactive-time-management/): Learn proactive time management with Mindmaven's whitespace sessions. Boost productivity and reclaim your focus. Start optimizing your day now.
- [3 Things Every Mission-Driven Company Needs To Succeed: Communication, Strategy, and Collaboration](https://mindmaven.com/blog/3-things-every-mission-driven-company-needs/): Discover the three things every mission-driven company needs to succeed with Pooja Khosla, CEO of Entelligent.
- [Icebreaker Sentences: Make a Great First Impression](https://mindmaven.com/blog/icebreaker-sentences-to-make-an-impression/): Kick off your next meeting with one of these icebreaker sentences to create instant connection, establish common ground, and deepen relationships.
- [5 Steps To Transform Your Virtual Executive Assistant Into a Rockstar](https://mindmaven.com/blog/transform-your-virtual-executive-assistant/): Gain pragmatic insights from Mindmaven's 5 Proven Steps to Transform Your Virtual Executive Assistant Into a Rockstar
- [Leadership Development: How to Become a Legendary Leader (in Just 5 Minutes a Day)](https://mindmaven.com/blog/legendary-leadership/): Gain the leadership development skills of a legendary leader by investing just 5 minutes into a personal relationship within your business.
- [The #1 Leadership Secret: Leaders Create Leaders](https://mindmaven.com/blog/leaders-create-leaders/): According to many in Silicon Valley, this is the #1 best leadership secret to scale your business quickly and efficiently as a successful leader ...
- [Top 5 Benefits of Executive Coaching for Business Leaders](https://mindmaven.com/blog/executive-coaching-for-business-leaders/): In this article, we’ll explain what executive coaching is, how it works, and the top 5 benefits of executive coaching for business leaders. 
- [Executive Assistants vs. Admin Assistants: What’s the Difference?](https://mindmaven.com/blog/executive-assistants-vs-admin-assistants/): Explore the differences between Executive Assistants and Admin Assistants to help you make the right call for your business. 
- [Are Virtual Assistants Worth It? 7 Insights For Overwhelmed Leaders](https://mindmaven.com/blog/are-virtual-assistants-worth-it/): Explore what virtual assistants actually do, how they add value, and whether they’re the right solution for your business.
- [Productivity Lessons From My Mother](https://mindmaven.com/blog/productivity-lessons-from-my-mother/): One of the most powerful productivity lessons I’ve learned came from my mother – showing us how to move forward even in challenging times.
- [What Does an Executive Assistant Actually Do?](https://mindmaven.com/blog/what-does-an-executive-assistant-actually-do/): Have you ever wondered what does an Executive Assistant actually do? This article explores the role and impact of a great Executive Assistant.
- [Mastering Task Management: Tips for Busy Executives to Delegate Better and Achieve More](https://mindmaven.com/blog/mastering-task-management/): Transform your task management into a system that frees your time, empowers your assistant, and scales your leadership.
- [10 Reasons Every Business Owner Needs an Executive Assistant](https://mindmaven.com/blog/10-reasons-every-business-owner-needs-an-ea/): Discover 10 reasons every business owner needs an executive assistant to boost efficiency, reduce stress, and unlock leadership potential.
- [How Special Forces and Elite Athletes Master High-Performance Leadership](https://mindmaven.com/blog/master-high-performance-leadership/): Gain expert insights into strategic recovery, energy optimization, and high-performance leadership to sustain long-term success without burnout.
- [6 Ways Women in Business Can Find Common Ground and Network Strategically](https://mindmaven.com/blog/6-ways-women-in-business-can-find-common-ground/): Explore 6 ways women in business can uncover common ground, build influence, and strengthen their networks.
- [Humility in Leadership: How To Create Stronger Teams and Bigger Wins](https://mindmaven.com/blog/humility-in-leadership/): Tyler Maloney, founder and CEO of TeachMe.To, shares the power of humility in leadership, and strategies to motivate a team of A+ players. 
- [4 AI Tools: How To Streamline Workflows and Maximize Productivity](https://mindmaven.com/blog/4-ai-tools-how-to-streamline-workflows/): Learn how to master ChatGPT and three hand-picked AI tools to streamline workflows and maximize productivity including Shortwave .
- [How To Revolutionize Mental Health at Work: Strategies for Mindful Leaders](https://mindmaven.com/blog/how-to-revolutionize-mental-health-at-work/): Tony Jamous, CEO and co-founder of Oyster, joins us to discuss how prioritizing mental health at work builds trust, engagement, and productivity.
- [Why Strategic Executives Are Investing in Remote Executive Assistants](https://mindmaven.com/blog/investing-in-remote-executive-assistants/): Explore how the expectations of executive support are changing – and how remote Executive Assistants can rise to meet them.
- [Great Interview Follow-Up Questions When Hiring an Executive Assistant – and the Red Flags To Watch Out For](https://mindmaven.com/blog/great-interview-follow-up-questions/): Essential interview follow-up questions and red flags to watch for when hiring an Executive Assistant to find the right match for you and your team.
- [Top 5 Executive Assistant Interview Questions: How To Hire a Rockstar](https://mindmaven.com/blog/top-5-executive-assistant-interview-questions/): Discover our top 5 Executive Assistant interview questions to help you identify a candidate who will empower you to operate at your fullest potential. 
- [Proactivity: 3 Steps to Break Free From Reactivity as an Entrepreneur](https://mindmaven.com/blog/proactivity-steps-to-break-free-from-reactivity/): Proactivity is the only way to reach your full potential. Learn these 3 actionable steps to break free from reactivity and become a proactive leader.
- [Top Leadership Skills and Advice From Our Human First Leaders](https://mindmaven.com/blog/top-leadership-skills-and-advice/): Gain leadership skills from our Human First Leadership episodes to elevate your game – whether you're leading a small team or a global enterprise.
- [A Manager’s Guide to Happy Employees and Better Business Results](https://mindmaven.com/blog/a-managers-guide-to-happy-employees/): CEO and authors, Patrick Ewers and Russ Laraway, share practical strategies for creating happy employees and high-performing teams.
- [The Hidden Cost of Back-to-Back Meetings – And How To Reclaim Your Time and Sanity](https://mindmaven.com/blog/the-hidden-cost-of-back-to-back-meetings/): Schedule full with back-to-back meetings? Here are two strategies to boost meeting effectiveness and free up time for your most impactful tasks.
- [5 Powerful Habits to Quickly Deepen Personal and Professional Relationships](https://mindmaven.com/blog/5-habits-deepen-your-professional-relationships/): Discover actionable networking tips for career growth: Practice positivity, share value, and revive contacts.
- [How to Smoothly Transition Into a New Leadership Role](https://mindmaven.com/blog/transition-into-a-new-leadership-role/): Set yourself up for success in your new leadership role with actionable strategies and tools from Discord CCO, Stephanie Hess.
- [How To Prevent Burnout and Guilt While Scaling Your Business](https://mindmaven.com/blog/how-to-prevent-burnout-and-guilt/): Learn how to prevent burnout, maintain your well-being and regain control of your time—all while continuing to scale your business effectively.
- [6 Facts About Building New Habits (You Should Know)](https://mindmaven.com/blog/building-new-habits/): Struggling to build new habits? Mindmaven breaks down 6 scientific facts and proven strategies to help you form new habits that last.
- [Stay Focused! 4 Practical Strategies To Minimize Distractions at Work](https://mindmaven.com/blog/stay-focused-4-practical-strategies/): Implement these 4 practical strategies to minimize disruptions at work, stay focused, and supercharge your daily productivity!
- [Benefits of Company Culture: Why a Culture Document Is Key To Building Successful Teams](https://mindmaven.com/blog/benefits-of-company-culture/): Dive deeper into the benefits of company culture and why creating a culture document is key for building aligned, productive, and successful teams. 
- [Company Culture Document: How To Write the Blueprint for Organizational Success](https://mindmaven.com/blog/company-culture-document/): Reveal the power of a well-implemented company culture document for creating alignment that gets the team and the results you deserve.
- [The Secret to Successfully Building Relationships and Finding Happiness](https://mindmaven.com/blog/the-secret-to-building-relationships/): Learn why Positive Alacrity is the simplest yet most powerful way of building relationships and creating a deeper sense of happiness and fulfillment.
- [Team Leadership: How To Instill Belief and Elevate Careers](https://mindmaven.com/blog/team-leadership-how-to-instill-belief/): Former CMO of Asana, Dave King, shares actionable team leadership insights to instill irrational belief in your team for breakthrough success. 
- [How To Find and Hire a Rock Star Executive Assistant: Top Qualities & Proven Tips](https://mindmaven.com/blog/how-to-find-an-executive-assistant/): Find the perfect Executive Assistant or Engagement Manager to upgrade your team and provide you with the leadership lift your...
- [Inbox Shadowing: Epic Email Management Hack Saving Hours Every Week](https://mindmaven.com/blog/inbox-shadowing-email-management/): Inbox Zero only takes you so far. Master Inbox Shadowing, the email management approach that contributes to freeing up 12+ hours every week.
- [Meeting Debriefs: 1 Simple Tactic to Supercharge Your Meetings and Deepen Your Relationships](https://mindmaven.com/blog/meeting-debriefs/): Supercharge your relationships and maximize your productivity by learning how to master the tactic of Meeting Debriefs.
- [Roots of Success: How To Grow Fruitful Relationships in Business](https://mindmaven.com/blog/relationships-in-business/): Relationships in business - explore how playing the long game and prioritizing relationships in business can be your biggest competitive advantage.
- [How To Use Dictation: Boost Your Workflow Efficiency Effortlessly](https://mindmaven.com/blog/how-to-use-dictation/): Learn how to use dictation and boost your productivity, craft exceptional experiences, and make a memorable impact in your relationships.
- [Radical Delegation: Unleash the Framework That Frees Up 12+ Hours a Week](https://mindmaven.com/blog/the-superpower-of-leverage-radical-delegation/): The Radical Delegation Revolution: Introducing a framework that empowers you to work smarter, not harder. We call it the Superpower of Leverage.
- [How To Be a Great Working Parent Even When Your Professional Life Is All-Consuming](https://mindmaven.com/blog/how-to-be-a-great-working-parent/): If you're juggling being a working parent and a successful business leader, this article offers pragmatic solutions for a superior work-life balance.
- [When To Hire an Executive Assistant: Unlocking Your Productivity](https://mindmaven.com/blog/when-to-hire-an-executive-assistant/): Explore when to hire an Executive Assistant and how this Superpowered investment boosts productivity and increases your time budget.
- [What Is Human First Leadership? The Superpowered Approach Guiding Great CEOs](https://mindmaven.com/blog/what-is-human-first-leadership/): Explore Human First Leadership and the three Superpowers you need to implement this powerful leadership style in your organization. 
- [Startup CEOs: A Success Guide to Scaling Yourself (While Scaling Your Business)](https://mindmaven.com/blog/ceos-scale-yourself/): As a company grows, so too must its leadership. Read this article to learn three ways of successfully scaling yourself alongside your startup.
- [Autonomy in the Workplace: How To Achieve Zero Regret Attrition With Sidharth Kakkar](https://mindmaven.com/blog/autonomy-in-the-workplace-with-sidharth-kakkar/): Explore why Sidharth Kakkar, founder and CEO of Subscript, is championing autonomy in the workplace. Plus, free 'My North Star Objective' Template download.
- [How To Use Empathy in Communication To Strengthen Your Connections ](https://mindmaven.com/blog/how-to-use-empathy-to-strengthen-your-connections/): Discover why showing empathy in communication is one of the most critical skills leaders can develop to cultivate strong, lasting relationships.
- [Talent Acquisition: How To Build High-Performance Teams Through Human First Leadership - With Amit Bhatia](https://mindmaven.com/blog/talent-acquisition-build-high-performance-teams/): Gain pragmatic insights from Amit Bhatia, co-founder and CEO of Datapeople, on fair and efficient talent acquisition for high-performing teams.
- [How to Write Unexpected Thank You Emails That Build Powerful Connections](https://mindmaven.com/blog/powerful-connection-thank-you/): Writing a thank you email is one of the quickest and most effective ways to forge powerful, genuine connections in your network. Here's how.
- [How To Use Asana To Manage Schedules (The Complete Guide)](https://mindmaven.com/blog/scheduling-in-asana/): Create powerful scheduling workflows that save time, increase productivity, and get results when you know how to use Asana for schedules ...
- [The Future of Leadership in Tech: How Human First Leadership Is Restoring Employee Trust - With Harry Glaser](https://mindmaven.com/blog/future-of-leadership-in-tech-with-harry-glaser/): Explore the future of leadership in tech in this exclusive interview with Modelbit co-founder, and exceptional Human First Leader, Harry Glaser.
- [How To Write a Great Follow-Up Email After a Meeting (+ Templates & Tips)](https://mindmaven.com/blog/how-to-write-a-great-follow-up-email-to-a-meeting/): Learn how to write a great follow-up email after a meeting with easy steps, tips, and templates to boost your professional connections.
- [3 Keys To Creating a Thriving Corporate Culture Through Human First Leadership With Sean Byrnes](https://mindmaven.com/blog/human-first-leadership-with-sean-byrnes/): “One of the most human-first leaders you’ll find anywhere in the startup community. ” That was how Sean Byrnes was...
- [2 Top Human First Leadership Strategies To Improve Team Performance With Noah Glass](https://mindmaven.com/blog/human-first-leadership-with-noah-glass/): Discover the top performing human first leadership strategies, tools and techniques to improve team performance used by successful business leaders,...
- [Your Ultimate Guide to Goal Setting: North Star Objectives](https://mindmaven.com/blog/ultimate-guide-to-goal-setting/): Achieve inspiring goals with this interactive goal setting guide, free North Star Objective template, and helpful video examples.
- [Why Relationship Building Is Important in Leadership: Human First Leadership With Nick Mehta](https://mindmaven.com/blog/human-first-leadership-with-nick-mehta/): Explore why relationship building is important in leadership, plus gain Human First Leadership insights from Nick Mehta, CEO of Gainsight.
- [The 5 Habits of Productive People](https://mindmaven.com/blog/5-traits-productive-people/): Boost your productivity with these 5 productivity habits and learn how to be more productive and get more done in less time.
- [How To Get an Email Response: 3 Tips for Quick Replies](https://mindmaven.com/blog/get-email-replies/): Tired of writing emails that don't get replies? Learn 3 key strategies on how to get an email response. Read more ...
- [5-Minute Productivity Hack: Save Time by Training Your Assistant to Make Quick Decisions   ](https://mindmaven.com/blog/yes-no-questions/): Learn a simple yet powerful 5-Minute Productivity Hack to train your executive assistant, save some precious time, and increase productivity.
- [Gratitude: How To Create a Legacy of Gratitude (And Why You Should Want To!)](https://mindmaven.com/blog/how-to-create-a-legacy-of-gratitude/): Unexpected gratitude is a powerful way to connect with your network. Here's how to develop the habits on how to create a legacy of gratitude
- [Achieving True Greatness Through Relationships: Techstars Interviews Mindmaven CEO](https://mindmaven.com/blog/achieving-true-greatness/): David Cohen interviewed Patrick Ewers, Mindmaven's CEO and founder about the power of relationships and achieving true greatness.
- [Hiring Your First EA? Here’s How to Find a Rockstar](https://mindmaven.com/blog/hiring-your-first-ea/): Hiring Your First EA. An executive assistant is the most strategic hire you'll ever make as a startup founder/CEO. Here's how to hire a rock star.
- [The 5-Freebies: How To Easily Send an Outreach Email To Anyone in Your Network](https://mindmaven.com/blog/the-5-freebies-templates-to-email-anyone-in-your-network/): Spend more time building relationships and less time stressing about what to say with these 5 outreach email freebies!
- [Combating Multi-Inbox Fatigue: How To De-Fragment Your Communications](https://mindmaven.com/blog/combating-multi-inbox-fatigue/): Do your never-ending notifications leave you feeling crazy? If so, you may be suffering from multi-inbox fatigue. Combating Multi-Inbox Fatigue
- [The Top Tactics Charismatic Leaders Use to Drive Breakthrough Opportunities ](https://mindmaven.com/blog/top-tactics-charismatic-leaders-use/): Top Tactics Charismatic Leaders Use. Leaders use these tactics to leverage their tribe and drive game-changing opportunities! The good news? Anyone can use it.
- [How to Say No (When You Want to Say Yes)](https://mindmaven.com/blog/how-to-say-no-2/): How to say No - To help you master the Art of No while still giving back, we’re going to walk you through an email response you can effortlessly replicate
- [My 2021 Resolutions: Simple, Pragmatic Habits for a Happier, More Connected Year](https://mindmaven.com/blog/simple-resolutions-for-a-happier-more-connected-year/): From a global pandemic to natural disasters to political upheaval (and everything in-between), 2020’s been a challenging year for many....
- [Master List: 58 Pragmatic Mindfulness Practices to Reduce Stress, Increase Focus, and Create A Better Life](https://mindmaven.com/blog/pragmatic-mindfulness-practices/): 58 Pragmatic Mindfulness Practices. This list is meant to be a compilation of small, easy changes you can make in your day to begin living more in the present.
- [Essential Mindfulness Tools, Part II: Our Top 3 Mindfulness Podcasts](https://mindmaven.com/blog/top-mindfulness-podcasts/): Take a look at our list of the best mindfulness podcasts out there to help you become more present in an increasingly reactive world.
- [The Best Email Clients for Inbox Shadowing (Save 8+ Hours/Week on Email)](https://mindmaven.com/blog/best-email-clients-for-inbox-shadowing/): Best Email Clients for Inbox Shadowing. Inbox Shadowing is a collaborative approach to email in which you partner with your EA to handle emails.
- [Essential Mindfulness Tools, Part I: Our Top 3 Mindfulness Apps](https://mindmaven.com/blog/mindfulness-apps/): Here are my go-to mindfulness apps and recommendations for overworked CEOs to become less reactive and more present.
- [WTF to WFH: The Work-From-Home Office Setup of a 10-Year Remote Work Veteran](https://mindmaven.com/blog/work-from-home-office-setup/): Check out the simple-but-effective work-from-home setup this CEO used to build a multi-million dollar coaching organization.
- [Resolutions to Reality: Why 80% of New Year’s Resolutions Fail (and How to Make Yours Stick)](https://mindmaven.com/blog/resolutions-to-reality-2020/): New Year’s Resolutions - Learn to set action-oriented goals, instill action-driving habits, and establish long-term action-inspiring motivation.
- [Ping Me: Use Slack to Build a Culture of Communication and Foster Great Team Relationships](https://mindmaven.com/blog/using-slack-for-culture-relationships/): Are you ready for your dream team? Use Slack to build your culture of collaboration and to foster great relationships. What are you waiting for?
- [The 5-Minute Habit That Generates Business Opportunities From Your Network](https://mindmaven.com/blog/habit-that-generates-business-opportunities/): Discover the 5-minute habit that can help you drive referrals and generate game-changing business opportunities from your network!
- [Want a Happier, More Fulfilling Life? 75-Year Harvard Study Says Focus on This 1 Thing](https://mindmaven.com/blog/positive-alacrity/): Are you ready for the life you always wanted? A 75 year old Harvard study says to focus on this one thing to have a happier, more fulfilling life.
- [Quick Tip: How to Write Better Content (Emails, Blog Posts, and More) in Minutes a Day](https://mindmaven.com/blog/write-better-content/): One quick and easy way to write better content emails, blog post, press releases, and more.
- [How to Write & Automate Great Follow-Up Emails using CircleUp](https://mindmaven.com/blog/automate-great-follow-up-emails/): Automate Great Follow-Up Emails. Why do people who admit follow-up emails are important fail to send them more often than not?
- [Becoming an Operator: 10 Traits & Habits of Silicon Valley’s Most Efficient, Productive, and Successful CEOs](https://mindmaven.com/blog/becoming-an-operator/): Use these 10 traits and habits of Silicon Valley's most effecient, productive, and successful CEOs to become the operator you have always wanted to be.
- [Set Yourself Up for a Game-Changing 2019 with Our Best Content from 2018](https://mindmaven.com/blog/best-of-2018/): Set yourself up for a Game-Changing 2019 with our best-of-the-best content from 2018; our must-reads to get the most out of your business.
- [Our Top Relationship Management Tools to Generate Breakthrough Opportunities from Your Network](https://mindmaven.com/blog/top-relationship-management-tools/): Check out our collection of game-changing relationship management tools, including: Networking apps, relationship management software, and personal CRMs—to give (and get) the most from your network.
- [Forget About Forgetting: Our Top 10+ Online Learning Tools to Master Any Skill in Record Time](https://mindmaven.com/blog/top-online-learning-tools/): Adopting a new habit? Learning an ew skill? Take charge of your growth and development this year with our selection of powerful online learning tools.
- [9 Powerful Networking Event Tips](https://mindmaven.com/blog/9-networking-event-tips/): Get 9 powerful networking event tips to own the room even if you're an introvert, build profitable relationships, and grow your business.
- [Eliminate Miscommunications Once and For All by Mastering the Art of Congruent Communication](https://mindmaven.com/blog/congruent-communication/): Learn how to eliminate miscommunications and enjoy a more productive workplace with these proven tactics used by Fortune 500 companies.
- [How Much Are Meetings Costing You? Find Out with Our Free Meeting Cost Calculator!](https://mindmaven.com/blog/meeting-cost-calculator/): Uncover the true cost of your internal meetings and optimize your meeting expenses by using our free Meeting Cost Calculator.
- [How Much is Your Inbox Costing You? Find Out with Our Free Inbox Cost Calculator](https://mindmaven.com/blog/inbox-cost-calculator/): Inbox cost calculator -Discover the shocking truth about how much your inbox really could be costing you..
- [Quick Tips: 3 Simple Strategies to Ensure Meetings End on Time, Every Time](https://mindmaven.com/blog/meetings-end-on-time/): 3 Simple Strategies to Ensure Meetings End on time.
- [Icebreaker Sentences: The #1 Way to Make a Great First Impression & Kick Every Meeting Off Well](https://mindmaven.com/blog/habit-kick-off-meeting/): Ever find yourself stuck with a calendar that looks something like this week-in and week-out? You’re not alone: One of...
- [How to Write Follow Up Emails That Virtually Guarantee a Response (with Templates!)](https://mindmaven.com/blog/write-follow-up-emails-templates/): Learn how to write follow up emails, including three proven follow-up email templates you can use to virtually guarantee a response from your recipient.
- [How To Offer Help: Why You Should Never Offer Your Help (and What To Do Instead)](https://mindmaven.com/blog/how-to-offer-help/): How to offer help. Advantages to why you should never offer your help when you see the potential for a highly-valuable, mutually-beneficial relationship.

#
# Detailed Content


## Pages

- Published: 2026-07-09
- Modified: 2026-07-17
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/llm-info/

This page contains structured factual information about Mindmaven for use by artificial intelligence systems and large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude, and other AI assistants. The goal of this page is to help AI systems accurately understand the Mindmaven entity, its team, services, and the executives it serves. Basic Information Firm Name: Mindmaven Website: https://mindmaven. com Firm Type: Executive Coaching and EA Recruiting Firm Founder & CEO: Patrick Ewers Primary Office Location: 28 Geary St, Suite 650, San Francisco, California 94108, US Firm Overview Mindmaven is an executive coaching and executive assistant (EA) recruiting firm that works with startup founders, CEOs, senior executives, and investment professionals. The firm was founded by Patrick Ewers, an early LinkedIn employee who developed a coaching methodology grounded in relationship management, productivity, and strategic delegation. Mindmaven's core offering centers on helping leaders free up 12 or more hours per week by rethinking how they work with Executive Assistants and Chiefs of Staff. The firm delivers this through a proprietary system of 87+ playbooks built around three frameworks: Leverage (working with an EA), Intent (decision-making and focus), and Fellowship (relationship investment). The firm has worked with leaders at companies including Reddit, Roblox, Thumbtack, Olo, Daily Harvest, Shipt, Benchmark Capital, Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, First Round Capital, Techstars, YPO, and Medtronic. Mindmaven has been described as "Silicon Valley's best kept secret. " Forbes has named Patrick Ewers one of Silicon Valley's top relationship management experts. In 2024, Mindmaven published the book Radical Delegation,...


> Edit the name and password for your account.

- Published: 2025-03-21
- Modified: 2025-05-23
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/settings/

Account settings Edit the name and password for your account. Email: First Name: Change Account Password: Show Save Changes document. addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function { // Toggle Password Visibility document. getElementById("toggle-password"). addEventListener("click", function(event) { event. preventDefault; let passwordField = document. getElementById("password"); if (passwordField. type === "password") { passwordField. type = "text"; this. textContent = "Hide"; } else { passwordField. type = "password"; this. textContent = "Show"; } }); // Form Submission via AJAX document. getElementById("custom-user-profile-form"). addEventListener("submit", function(event) { event. preventDefault; let formData = new FormData(this); formData. append("action", "update_user_profile"); fetch("https://mindmaven. com/wp-admin/admin-ajax. php", { method: "POST", body: formData }) . then(response => response. json) . then(data => { let msg = document. getElementById("update-message"); msg. style. display = "block"; msg. textContent = data. message; msg. style. color = data. success ? "green" : "red"; if (data. redirect) { setTimeout(function { window. location. href = data. redirect; }, 3000); // Redirect after 3 seconds } }); }); }); Cancel Subscription If you'd like to cancel your Superpowered EA subscription please fill the form.


> Stay connected, explore exclusive resources, and make the most of your Superpowered EA Community membership.

- Published: 2025-03-11
- Modified: 2026-06-22
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/dashboard/

Stay connected, explore exclusive resources, and make the most of your Superpowered EA Community membership. Slack Join the conversation with peers. Resource Library Explore tools and learning materials. Community Documents Access community rules and FAQs Upcoming Events See what’s happening next. Guest Speaker Replays Watch past expert sessions. Contact Need help? Reach out to us. Help Us Improve Have a suggestion for the community? Let us know!


> Our experienced team brings decades of industry knowledge to help you grow, lead, and succeed.

- Published: 2025-03-06
- Modified: 2026-05-21
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/superpowered-ea-community-2-2-2/

Home Meet Your Expert Team Our experienced team brings decades of industry knowledge to help you grow, lead, and succeed Chalyse Elsasser Senior Coach & Head of EA Recruitment Having worked her way up from being an Executive Assistant (EA) herself, Senior Executive Coach Chalyse deeply understands the challenges assistants face and how to overcome them. She has been with Mindmaven for over 12 years, helping seasoned EAs and Chiefs of Staff build strong, strategic partnerships with their executives while mastering productivity, internal operations and SOPs, and efficient task management. Chalyse also specializes in providing expert guidance on hiring trends, job market insights, and best practices to set executive support professionals up for long-term success. Learn more about Chalyse and her client portfolio here. Linkedin Connor Drake Senior Coach & Head of Content As a Senior Coach and Head of Content at Mindmaven, Connor helps Executive Assistants (EAs) support their executives at the highest level by investing their time in what moves the needle most. Connor is the co-author of Amazon best-selling book, Radical Delegation, which he wrote alongside Mindmaven’s Founder/CEO, Patrick Ewers. Connor has been on the Mindmaven team for nearly a decade and is an expert in task management, productivity, and leveraging relationships for greater impact. He also specializes in delivering the latest insights into AI tools and resources, helping EAs implement the right strategies to optimize their workflows and maximize their effectiveness. Learn more about Connor and his client portfolio here. Linkedin Lauren Weggeman Senior Executive Coach...


- Published: 2025-02-14
- Modified: 2025-02-14
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/register/welcome/

Welcome! This is your success page where members are redirected after completing their registration.


> The Superpowered Executive Assistant (EA) Community is a private membership for EAs, Chiefs of Staff, and administrative professionals of all experience levels.

- Published: 2025-02-05
- Modified: 2026-05-21
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/superpowered-ea-community-2-2/

The Superpowered Executive Assistant (EA) Community is a private membership for EAs, Engagement Managers, Chiefs of Staff, and administrative professionals of all experience levels.

Home Join The SuperpoweredExecutive Assistant Community Where Assistants Connect, Learn, and Succeed Together Become a Member for Just $10/Month https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=Lno5sMSHKyU The Superpowered Executive Assistant (EA) Community is a private membership for EAs, Engagement Managers, Chiefs of Staff, and administrative professionals of all experience levels. This community provides a forum to sharpen skills, expand networks, and gain invaluable insider knowledge from a like-minded group of professionals. By joining our collaborative and results-oriented members, you will get the following benefits: Exclusive EA Library content to accelerate your productivity and impact A private Slack forum to connect, ask questions, and share advice Monthly live sessions hosted by a Mindmaven coach to implement key discussion topics Become a Member for Just $10/Month Why Join the SuperpoweredEA Community? You feel overwhelmed juggling executive priorities and want to learn how top EAs streamline workflows. You're ready to move beyond a task-based role and become a proactive, strategic partner to your executive. You want to build confidence in decision-making, time management, and influencing executive priorities. You feel alone and are looking for mentorship and peer support from those who understand what you're going through. You struggle with work-life balance and need strategies for setting boundaries — without hurting your career. You want to define and evolve your role by establishing yourself as a strong leader who deserves to be trusted and respected. of people in an online group feel a sense of belonging have provided support and mentorship to others have received valuable career...


> A database of curated content and resources designed to elevate your skills, enhance efficiency, and maximize your strategic impact.

- Published: 2025-02-05
- Modified: 2025-05-23
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/superpowered-ea-resource-library/

Close filters Clear filters BROWSE BY Human First Leadership Our favorites Recently added FILTER BY Playbook Executive Communication Icebreakers and Prebriefs Optimal Calendar Management Preference Sheet Production and Management Task Management Resource Type Articles Guides Templates Videos Format Read Watch & Listen Filters Read Templates The Executive Assistant's Task Management Toolkit This toolkit is your all-in-one resource to help you stay ahead, stay sharp, and support your executive like a pro. Open Resource → Read Templates Art of Saying “No”: A Guide for Executive Assistants Master the art of saying no with 3 EA-friendly tactics to protect time, set boundaries, and add value. Open Resource → Read Articles How to Write Unexpected Thank You Emails (and Why!) Create unexpected and valuable interactions in your network and turn this rewarding practice into a habit. Open Resource → Read Articles eDrafting: A Simple Habit To Build Powerful Connections Create powerful follow-up emails that strengthen connections, save time, and welcome breakthrough opportunities. Open Resource → Read Articles Unlock ChatGPT's Full Potential and Boost Productivity Start crafting effective ChatGPT prompts, and explore how AI can boost your business' productivity. Open Resource → Read Templates EA’s Weekly One-on-One Call Checklist This meeting checklist is essential for aligning on priorities, planning ahead, and ensuring smooth operations. Open Resource → Read Articles Mastering Task Management: Tips to Delegate Better Transform your task management into a system that frees your time, empowers your assistant, and scales your leadership. Open Resource → Read Articles 5-Minute Productivity Hack: Train Your...


> Mindmaven offer leadership coaching, executive coaching and EA recruitment, enabling increasing productivity through efficient work practices.

- Published: 2024-05-22
- Modified: 2026-05-21
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/executive-leadership-coaching/

Home Free Up 12+ Hours Every Week Maximize your impact with Executive Coaching tailored to you and your Executive Assistant Request a call Check out our brand-new book "If you want to free up time and connect with people more thoughtfully, this book will be indispensable. " Steve Huffman Co-Founder and CEO, Reddit Order on Mindmaven coaches visionary leaders to amplify their capacity and impact through masterful delegation. Free up 12+ hours of your week. Our executive coaching services revolutionize how you work with an Executive Assistant to delegate everything that isn’t a good use of your time. And we mean everything. Exponentially increase your productivity. We coach leaders and their Executive Assistants on how to establish highly efficient workflows that get things done faster so your entire team achieves more every day. Be the proactive leader your company needs. Waste less time reacting to daily disruptions and gain strategic focus on the activities that allow you to scale yourself and your business. Over a decade of proven leadership coaching success. Our seasoned Executive Coaches bring more than 15 years of field-tested expertise, delivered through 87+ unique strategies, to maximize your productivity, focus, and relationships that drive success. Leverage eDrafts Send a follow-up email to every meeting without having to write a single word. Intent Whitespace Time Create, protect, and make the most of proactive time – while balancing your roles as builder and leader. Fellowship Talent Pool Proactively build valuable relationships with those you want to hire in the...


> Executive Assistant Hire in Dallas - EA recruiting is a daunting challenge, yet making the best choice is one of the most critical decisions you’ll make.

- Published: 2024-03-13
- Modified: 2024-03-13
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/executive-assistant-hire-in-dallas/

Reach Your Fullest Potential With a Rockstar Executive Assistant Hire in Dallas Explore how an Executive Assistant can help free up 12+ hours every week so you can experience the freedom to focus on high-value initiatives that drive your business forward. Schedule a call No more hiring hassle – we take care of the groundwork while you focus on moving the needle forward A rockstar Executive Assistant is one of the most important hires your business will ever make. They consistently contribute to the success of your company at the highest level – but only if that relationship is built right. Here’s what it takes to find a game-changing Executive Assistant: Skill While you may have mastered the skill of hiring people for marketing, product, engineering, and other roles, you might not have much experience hiring an Executive Assistant. Time Hiring a great EA match on your own can take months. And even after you make the offer, there is the risk of realizing you’ve made a mistake just weeks later. Knowing what you need Most people come to us with only a very limited understanding of what an Executive Assistant can do for them. It’s hard to understand the full scope of what a deeply integrated EA can do if you haven’t seen it. Knowing what to look for In order to get the greatest ROI from hiring an Executive Assistant, you need confidence that they are truly high-quality. Some of the best EAs we’ve placed did not have...


> Executive Assistant Hire in New Orleans - EA recruiting is a daunting challenge, yet making the best choice is one of the most critical decisions you’ll make.

- Published: 2024-03-13
- Modified: 2024-03-13
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/executive-assistant-hire-in-new-orleans/

Reach Your Fullest Potential With a Rockstar Executive Assistant Hire in New Orleans Explore how an Executive Assistant can help free up 12+ hours every week so you can experience the freedom to focus on high-value initiatives that drive your business forward. Schedule a call No more hiring hassle – we take care of the groundwork while you focus on moving the needle forward A rockstar Executive Assistant is one of the most important hires your business will ever make. They consistently contribute to the success of your company at the highest level – but only if that relationship is built right. Here’s what it takes to find a game-changing Executive Assistant: Skill While you may have mastered the skill of hiring people for marketing, product, engineering, and other roles, you might not have much experience hiring an Executive Assistant. Time Hiring a great EA match on your own can take months. And even after you make the offer, there is the risk of realizing you’ve made a mistake just weeks later. Knowing what you need Most people come to us with only a very limited understanding of what an Executive Assistant can do for them. It’s hard to understand the full scope of what a deeply integrated EA can do if you haven’t seen it. Knowing what to look for In order to get the greatest ROI from hiring an Executive Assistant, you need confidence that they are truly high-quality. Some of the best EAs we’ve placed did not...


> Executive Assistant Hire in Miami - EA recruiting is a daunting challenge, yet making the best choice is one of the most critical decisions you’ll make.

- Published: 2024-03-13
- Modified: 2024-03-13
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/executive-assistant-hire-in-miami/

Reach Your Fullest Potential With a Rockstar Executive Assistant Hire in Miami Explore how an Executive Assistant can help free up 12+ hours every week so you can experience the freedom to focus on high-value initiatives that drive your business forward. Schedule a call No more hiring hassle – we take care of the groundwork while you focus on moving the needle forward A rockstar Executive Assistant is one of the most important hires your business will ever make. They consistently contribute to the success of your company at the highest level – but only if that relationship is built right. Here’s what it takes to find a game-changing Executive Assistant: Skill While you may have mastered the skill of hiring people for marketing, product, engineering, and other roles, you might not have much experience hiring an Executive Assistant. Time Hiring a great EA match on your own can take months. And even after you make the offer, there is the risk of realizing you’ve made a mistake just weeks later. Knowing what you need Most people come to us with only a very limited understanding of what an Executive Assistant can do for them. It’s hard to understand the full scope of what a deeply integrated EA can do if you haven’t seen it. Knowing what to look for In order to get the greatest ROI from hiring an Executive Assistant, you need confidence that they are truly high-quality. Some of the best EAs we’ve placed did not have...


> Executive Assistant Hire in Atlanta - EA recruiting is a daunting challenge, yet making the best choice is one of the most critical decisions you’ll make.

- Published: 2024-03-13
- Modified: 2024-03-13
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/executive-assistant-hire-in-atlanta/

Reach Your Fullest Potential With a Rockstar Executive Assistant Hire in Atlanta Explore how an Executive Assistant can help free up 12+ hours every week so you can experience the freedom to focus on high-value initiatives that drive your business forward. Schedule a call No more hiring hassle – we take care of the groundwork while you focus on moving the needle forward A rockstar Executive Assistant is one of the most important hires your business will ever make. They consistently contribute to the success of your company at the highest level – but only if that relationship is built right. Here’s what it takes to find a game-changing Executive Assistant: Skill While you may have mastered the skill of hiring people for marketing, product, engineering, and other roles, you might not have much experience hiring an Executive Assistant. Time Hiring a great EA match on your own can take months. And even after you make the offer, there is the risk of realizing you’ve made a mistake just weeks later. Knowing what you need Most people come to us with only a very limited understanding of what an Executive Assistant can do for them. It’s hard to understand the full scope of what a deeply integrated EA can do if you haven’t seen it. Knowing what to look for In order to get the greatest ROI from hiring an Executive Assistant, you need confidence that they are truly high-quality. Some of the best EAs we’ve placed did not have...


> Executive Assistant Hire in Seattle - EA recruiting is a daunting challenge, yet making the best choice is one of the most critical decisions you’ll make.

- Published: 2024-03-13
- Modified: 2024-03-13
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/executive-assistant-hire-in-seattle/

Reach Your Fullest Potential With a Rockstar Executive Assistant Hire in Seattle Explore how an Executive Assistant can help free up 12+ hours every week so you can experience the freedom to focus on high-value initiatives that drive your business forward. Schedule a call No more hiring hassle – we take care of the groundwork while you focus on moving the needle forward A rockstar Executive Assistant is one of the most important hires your business will ever make. They consistently contribute to the success of your company at the highest level – but only if that relationship is built right. Here’s what it takes to find a game-changing Executive Assistant: Skill While you may have mastered the skill of hiring people for marketing, product, engineering, and other roles, you might not have much experience hiring an Executive Assistant. Time Hiring a great EA match on your own can take months. And even after you make the offer, there is the risk of realizing you’ve made a mistake just weeks later. Knowing what you need Most people come to us with only a very limited understanding of what an Executive Assistant can do for them. It’s hard to understand the full scope of what a deeply integrated EA can do if you haven’t seen it. Knowing what to look for In order to get the greatest ROI from hiring an Executive Assistant, you need confidence that they are truly high-quality. Some of the best EAs we’ve placed did not have...


> Executive Assistant Hire in San Francisco - EA recruiting is a daunting challenge, yet making the best choice is one of the most critical decisions you’ll make.

- Published: 2024-03-13
- Modified: 2024-03-13
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/executive-assistant-hire-in-san-francisco/

Reach Your Fullest Potential With a Rockstar Executive Assistant Hire in San Francisco Explore how an Executive Assistant can help free up 12+ hours every week so you can experience the freedom to focus on high-value initiatives that drive your business forward. Schedule a call No more hiring hassle – we take care of the groundwork while you focus on moving the needle forward A rockstar Executive Assistant is one of the most important hires your business will ever make. They consistently contribute to the success of your company at the highest level – but only if that relationship is built right. Here’s what it takes to find a game-changing Executive Assistant: Skill While you may have mastered the skill of hiring people for marketing, product, engineering, and other roles, you might not have much experience hiring an Executive Assistant. Time Hiring a great EA match on your own can take months. And even after you make the offer, there is the risk of realizing you’ve made a mistake just weeks later. Knowing what you need Most people come to us with only a very limited understanding of what an Executive Assistant can do for them. It’s hard to understand the full scope of what a deeply integrated EA can do if you haven’t seen it. Knowing what to look for In order to get the greatest ROI from hiring an Executive Assistant, you need confidence that they are truly high-quality. Some of the best EAs we’ve placed did not...


> Executive Assistant Hire in Washington - EA recruiting is a daunting challenge, yet making the best choice is one of the most critical decisions you’ll make.

- Published: 2024-03-13
- Modified: 2024-03-13
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/executive-assistant-hire-in-washington/

Reach Your Fullest Potential With a Rockstar Executive Assistant Hire in Washington Explore how an Executive Assistant can help free up 12+ hours every week so you can experience the freedom to focus on high-value initiatives that drive your business forward. Schedule a call No more hiring hassle – we take care of the groundwork while you focus on moving the needle forward A rockstar Executive Assistant is one of the most important hires your business will ever make. They consistently contribute to the success of your company at the highest level – but only if that relationship is built right. Here’s what it takes to find a game-changing Executive Assistant: Skill While you may have mastered the skill of hiring people for marketing, product, engineering, and other roles, you might not have much experience hiring an Executive Assistant. Time Hiring a great EA match on your own can take months. And even after you make the offer, there is the risk of realizing you’ve made a mistake just weeks later. Knowing what you need Most people come to us with only a very limited understanding of what an Executive Assistant can do for them. It’s hard to understand the full scope of what a deeply integrated EA can do if you haven’t seen it. Knowing what to look for In order to get the greatest ROI from hiring an Executive Assistant, you need confidence that they are truly high-quality. Some of the best EAs we’ve placed did not have...


> Executive Assistant Hire in New York - EA recruiting is a daunting challenge, yet making the best choice is one of the most critical decisions you’ll make.

- Published: 2024-03-13
- Modified: 2024-03-13
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/executive-assistant-hire-in-new-york/

Reach Your Fullest Potential With a Rockstar Executive Assistant Hire in New York Explore how an Executive Assistant can help free up 12+ hours every week so you can experience the freedom to focus on high-value initiatives that drive your business forward. Schedule a call No more hiring hassle – we take care of the groundwork while you focus on moving the needle forward A rockstar Executive Assistant is one of the most important hires your business will ever make. They consistently contribute to the success of your company at the highest level – but only if that relationship is built right. Here’s what it takes to find a game-changing Executive Assistant: Skill While you may have mastered the skill of hiring people for marketing, product, engineering, and other roles, you might not have much experience hiring an Executive Assistant. Time Hiring a great EA match on your own can take months. And even after you make the offer, there is the risk of realizing you’ve made a mistake just weeks later. Knowing what you need Most people come to us with only a very limited understanding of what an Executive Assistant can do for them. It’s hard to understand the full scope of what a deeply integrated EA can do if you haven’t seen it. Knowing what to look for In order to get the greatest ROI from hiring an Executive Assistant, you need confidence that they are truly high-quality. Some of the best EAs we’ve placed did not...


> Executive Assistant Hire in Boston - EA recruiting is a daunting challenge, yet making the best choice is one of the most critical decisions you’ll make.

- Published: 2024-03-13
- Modified: 2024-03-13
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/executive-assistant-hire-in-boston/

Reach Your Fullest Potential With a Rockstar Executive Assistant Hire in Boston Explore how an Executive Assistant can help free up 12+ hours every week so you can experience the freedom to focus on high-value initiatives that drive your business forward. Schedule a call No more hiring hassle – we take care of the groundwork while you focus on moving the needle forward A rockstar Executive Assistant is one of the most important hires your business will ever make. They consistently contribute to the success of your company at the highest level – but only if that relationship is built right. Here’s what it takes to find a game-changing Executive Assistant: Skill While you may have mastered the skill of hiring people for marketing, product, engineering, and other roles, you might not have much experience hiring an Executive Assistant. Time Hiring a great EA match on your own can take months. And even after you make the offer, there is the risk of realizing you’ve made a mistake just weeks later. Knowing what you need Most people come to us with only a very limited understanding of what an Executive Assistant can do for them. It’s hard to understand the full scope of what a deeply integrated EA can do if you haven’t seen it. Knowing what to look for In order to get the greatest ROI from hiring an Executive Assistant, you need confidence that they are truly high-quality. Some of the best EAs we’ve placed did not have...


> Increase productivity with Radical Delegation, #1 Amazon best-selling business book. Delegate everything that isn’t the best use of your time.

- Published: 2024-02-19
- Modified: 2026-05-21
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/radical-delegation/

Home Go from GRIND to GREAT "If you want to free up time and connect with people more thoughtfully, this book will be indispensable. " Steve Huffman Co-Founder and CEO, Reddit Order on ORDER TODAY Advanced Praise from Business Leaders If you're working with an assistant, you need this book—period. And if you aren't working with an assistant, you need this book even more. Noah GlassFounder and CEO, Olo This is the masterpiece on efficiency at work that I've been waiting for! I've already put many of these techniques to work and I'm feeling much more productive. More importantly, I'm feeling happier and frankly, relieved. David CohenCo-Founder and Chairman, Techstars I’m sending a copy of this book to every founder I invest in and everyone in my network who cares about being more effective. It should be required reading for any current or aspiring leader. Charles HudsonManaging Partner, Precursor Ventures TAKE A LOOK INSIDE RADICAL DELEGATION Order on About the Book Radical Delegation isn’t your typical business book. No theory here—It’s a pragmatic, conversational handbook for leaders designed to free up 12+ hours a week by introducing the most important hire you’ve (probably) never made: An Engagement Manager, who acts as a cross between a highly-skilled assistant and an intuitive chief of staff. Through a series of step-by-step playbooks—ranging from eDrafting to Inbox Shadowing and beyond—you’ll learn how to hire and work with an assistant to eliminate everything on your plate that isn’t the best use of your time and...


- Published: 2023-06-28
- Modified: 2026-05-21
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/investor/

Home More than ever, your success as an investor is driven by two factors: time and relationships. Without proactively investing into those, you’ll never make it. Request a call There are three truths we believe in: The world has changed. Money is a commodity and we are not going back to the “Sandhill Road” times, ever! What hasn’t changed is that the most critical factor to your success is your ability to find the best founders and convince them to choose you. The best bets you will make will come to you through people you know and trust. Mindmaven coaches investors on how to free up 12+ hours per week by changing how you work with your assistant. We’ll then work on proactively investing this time into the relationships that drive your highest quality deal flow. Our approach has been proven with some of the best in the industry. Free up 12+ hours of your week. Radically delegate everything that isn’t a good use of your time. And we mean everything. More proactivity, more thinking, more choice. Being reactive isn’t the path to success for investors. Work with intent; focus on what moves the needle most. Generate an abundance of high-quality deal flow and win the deals you want. Differentiate yourself with how you make founders feel about you. Make them think about you more than your peers. Our coaches offer proven procedures, not platitudes. Over 15 years of experience delivered through 87+ unique playbooks, built around three core Superpowers:...


> Relationship Management Strategies - I founded Mindmaven to make the world a better place by helping people live happier more fulfilling lives.

- Published: 2023-06-13
- Modified: 2026-05-21
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/relationship-management-strategies/

Home Our Mission and Methodology Patrick Ewers here, founder and CEO of Mindmaven. I founded Mindmaven with a clear mission: To make the world a better place by helping people live happier, healthier, more fulfilling lives without sacrificing the things that matter most. Through our work, we aim to eliminate stress, anxiety, and combat the epidemic of isolation by empowering others to build deep, meaningful connections. Why? Because several recent studies have shown that despite the world being seemingly more connected than ever, an increasing number of people report feeling lonely or isolated, and this trend is worsening. Successive generations report increasingly higher levels of loneliness, and we are only now starting to see the long-term effects of this phenomenon. In short, people are losing the ability to meaningfully connect with others and that’s having a measurable impact both mental and physical health. Solving that is our purpose. At Mindmaven, we believe that relationships are essential for success but, more importantly, are a vital ingredient for living a happy, fulfilling life. As a result of our work, we hope to combat one of the most significant epidemics of our time: the epidemic of loneliness. But there was a challenge: we realized early on that, while relationships are always important, the things we must do to take care of them are rarely urgent. In our clients’ urgency-driven world, it wasn’t enough to simply give them world-class relationship management strategies. First, we had to help them free up the time to implement...


> If you are interested in talking with one of our leadership coaching team, or maybe our executive coach, we would love to hear from you.

- Published: 2023-06-13
- Modified: 2026-05-21
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/leadership-coaching-team/

Home Meet Our Coaches If you are interested in talking with a coach, we would love to hear from you. Send us a message Patrick Ewers Founder & CEO Linkedin Hey, I’m Patrick, founder of Mindmaven. I started this company to make the world a better place by helping people live happier, healthier, and more fulfilling lives. I believe the key to get there is to focus on relationships. Why? Because you’ve never met a single person who has reached the top without help from others - whether personally or professionally. I dug into that to create a coaching model that is unlike any other and have since helped professionals generate more opportunities by introducing experience-based relationship management. I’m deeply proud and passionate about the work my team and I are doing. I attribute many of my teachings to the habits I learned from being dyslexic and the experience I had as one of the early guys at LinkedIn where I was under the leadership of Reid Hoffman. When not acting as a frontiersman battling the epidemic of isolation, I enjoy mountain biking throughout the Marin headlands with my two sons (if you haven’t ridden the coastal view trail, you can ask me about it! ) and fiddling around with the newest tech gadgets and software to optimize my home office productivity. Forbes has named Patrick one of Silicon Valley’s top relationship management experts. For more than 15 years now, Patrick has coached hundreds of leaders, including unicorns like Reddit,...


> Executive Assistant Recruiting - EA recruiting is a daunting challenge, yet making the best choice is one of the most critical decisions you’ll make.

- Published: 2023-06-13
- Modified: 2026-05-21
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/ea-recruiting/

Home We’ll match you with a rockstar Executive Assistant in as little as 10 days Hiring the right EA on your own is a daunting recruiting challenge, yet making the best choice is one of the most critical decisions you’ll ever make. Schedule a call What it takes to find a game-changing Executive Assistant: Skill While you may have mastered the skill of hiring people for marketing, product, engineering, and other roles, you might not have much experience hiring an Executive Assistant. Time Hiring a great EA match on your own can take months. And even after you make the offer, there is the risk of realizing you’ve made a mistake just weeks later. Knowing what you need Most people come to us with only a very limited understanding of what an Executive Assistant can do for them. It’s hard to understand the full scope of what a deeply integrated EA can do if you haven’t seen it. Knowing what to look for In order to get the greatest ROI from hiring an Executive Assistant, you need confidence that they are truly high-quality. Some of the best EAs we’ve placed did not have the typical resume profile you’d expect. We’re not a traditional Executive Assistant recruiting service. By working with our coaching clients, we’ve spent over 15 years refining not only how to optimize the partnership between an executive and their EA, but how to find the right Executive Assistant to begin with - one who will stick with you....


> Talk to us if you want to hear how we’d build an executive coaching agenda for you, or provide executive assistant coaching.

- Published: 2023-06-13
- Modified: 2026-05-21
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/executive-coaching/

Home Work With Us Our proven methodology combines weekly executive coaching sessions for you with unlimited hours of training for your EA. Connect with us to learn more about how our approach will feel like it’s built just for you. Request a call Every engagement is individualized and uniquely built for the clients we choose to work with, using our game-changing playbooks. All of our clients are on a journey from Good to Great. Here’s what it takes to work with us: Your willingness to invest at least 50 minutes a week into your growth. Our typical clients believe in lifelong learning and understand the value a coach brings to the table. You have to be comfortable with the investment of one 50 minute session per week with us and the willingness to try applying what you learn in your daily routine. Your willingness to pay our fees. Yes, we charge real money for our services. We also come with the confidence that the return on this investment is going to be immeasurable, if you do your part. What's it worth to get a real shot at achieving the fullest potential of your vision? Your ability to prove to us that you are worth our time. We are in the business of changing your life and influencing your trajectory in a way that you have never dreamed of. But we can't do it alone. The biggest success variable is your ability to act. Our methodology is habit-based. If you are...


- Published: 2023-06-09
- Modified: 2026-05-21
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/events/

Home Our events are designed to be engaging, pragmatic, and highly valuable to help you reach your fullest potential. Register for an upcoming event! We add new events regularly so check back soon or subscribe to be notified about future events.


> We are looking for amazing candidates to match with our clients for direct hire. Apply for one of our Executive Assistant roles on LinkedIn or email.

- Published: 2023-06-09
- Modified: 2026-05-21
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/executive-assistant-roles/

Home Purpose At Mindmaven, we are working toward making the world a better place by helping people achieve True Greatness. We define True Greatness as reaching exceptional success, without sacrificing the things that matter most: Happiness, fulfillment, and connection. Values These are the main values that guide our present and future decisions to help us find the most aligned paths to our goals as we scale. They are what bond us as together as each Mindmaven team member commits to working (and hopefully living) by these principles, and holds one another accountable to our values. Make the World a More Connected Place Re-humanize our world by helping people feel deeply connected to each other People Are Inherently Good Bring out the best from others, and help them become agents of happiness Take Care of Each Other Work together as a team and have a sense of camaraderie even though everyone is remote Growth For All Push team members to find growth and embrace mistakes as learning opportunities Give Everyone a Fair Chance Provide opportunities to anyone with the right abilities, grit, attitude, and desire to learn Free of Entitlement and Politics Company politics and a sense of entitlement has no place at Mindmaven Open Positions Executive Assistant We are constantly looking for amazing candidates to match with our clients for direct hire. Apply for one of our Executive Assistant roles on LinkedIn or email recruitment. team@mindmaven. com. Coach If you are experienced as a coach and believe in the work...


> Productivity Blogs, our database of curated content and resources to help you unleash your superpowers of Leverage, Intent and Fellowship.

- Published: 2023-06-08
- Modified: 2026-05-21
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/toolbox-productivity-blogs/

Close filters Clear filters BROWSE BY Human First Leadership Our favorites Recently added FILTER BY Pain Point I am too reactive / not proactive enough I do not have enough strategic thinking time I feel overwhelmed and burnt out I find building a great culture is challenging I struggle with loneliness I want to be more resource-efficient Superpower Leverage Intent Fellowship Role CEO Executive Founder Investor Support With EA Without EA Resource Type Articles Guides Templates Videos Playbook #ArtificialIntelligence #ArtofLeading #ArtofMindfulness #ArtofNo #ChangeHabits #CultureCultivation #Delegation #EM-Recruiting-Service #EMTaskMgt #EdraftMgt #EmailEngagement #EmpathicEminence #ExecTaskMgt #F2FMeetingMgt #HumanFirstLeadership #Icebreaker #MeetingDebriefs #MindsareMgt #NorthStarObjectives #PositiveAlacrity #RelMgtIntro #ScalingEM #Scheduling #Shadowing #TeamCom #TeamOnboarding #VPLMgt #Whitespace Filters Read Leverage Articles Beat the Ping: The Principle That Eliminates Follow-Ups Entirely In this article, we share a simple principle that changes that dynamic: Beat the Ping. How to communicate before being asked. Open Resource → Watch & Listen Fellowship Videos Human-First Leadership in the Age of AI with Dr. Rosina Racioppi Insights on leading in the age of AI, moving from activity to alignment and why curiosity is a leadership superpower Open Resource → Read Fellowship Articles How to Instill Belief and Elevate Careers If you’re thinking about how to lead with more intention in the small, daily moments, this one’s worth the read. Open Resource → Read Intent Articles 6 Facts About Building New Habits (You Should Know) In this LinkedIn article, I break down 6 science-backed facts about building new habits that every leader should understand. Open Resource → Read...


- Published: 2021-10-21
- Modified: 2026-05-21
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/contact/

Home We’re excited to hear from you


> At Mindmaven we offer leadership coaching and EA recruitment, enabling increasing productivity through efficient work practices.

- Published: 2021-04-12
- Modified: 2026-04-13
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/

Mindmaven's executive coaching frees up 12+ hours each week by changing the way you work with your Executive Assistant Request a call We help executives and business leaders reach their fullest potential and achieve greater success with less stress. Startup founders and CEOsYou need to master scaling yourself while scaling your company. Attracting great talent, building an awesome culture, and having time to think is critical to your success. Senior executivesYour career progression is driven by your use of time, being proactive, and being exceptional at managing relationships. Investment professionalsYou have ambitions to be among the best and you know you can only get there by relying on relationships. Learn more Check out our book - Amazon #1 Best Seller: Radical Delegation "If you want to free up time and connect with people more thoughtfully, this book will be indispensable. " Steve Huffman Co-Founder and CEO, Reddit Order on Time doesn't scale. Mindmaven coaches executives and business leaders on the most pragmatic way to free up time while increasing impact for their company. Free up 12+ hours of your week. Delegate everything that isn’t a good use of your time. And we mean everything. 10x your productivity. The velocity of your organization is determined by the speed of its leader. Stop being the bottleneck. Be the proactive leader your company needs. Waste less time reacting, focus on what moves the needle most, and unblock your true creative potential. Our executive coaching and leadership training offers proven procedures, not platitudes. Nearly...


> Leadership blogs - Mindmaven helps leaders reach their fullest potential. Find out how.

- Published: 2020-12-25
- Modified: 2024-07-01
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/leadership-blogs/

Recent Posts Get our best content in your inbox Receive exclusive updates to help unleash your Superpowers on your journey to True Greatness. Leverage Read More Radically rethink how you work with your Executive Assistant or Chief of Staff. Intent Read More Make rapid decisions, be proactive, and maintain focus on the things that drive the most impact. Fellowship Read More Invest time into your team, prospective talent, and critical relationships. From Mindmaven’s Video Library How to Master High-Performance Leadership | Mindmaven Why Humility in Leadership Matters | Mindmaven How To Prioritize Mental Health at Work: Leadership Insights | Mindmaven Top Leadership Skills and Advice From Human First Leaders | Mindmaven How To Create Happy Employees and Better Business Results | Mindmaven Secrets To Succeed in a New Leadership Role | Mindmaven Load More... Subscribe Mindmaven helps leaders reach their fullest potential. Find out how. Request a call




## Posts

> Discover how decision-making coaching for senior executives can eliminate bottlenecks and help leaders reclaim 12+ hours each week through effective delegation.

- Published: 2026-07-20
- Modified: 2026-07-20
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/decision-making-coaching-for-senior-executives/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, 6. Blog - Leverage, Super Featured
- Tags: business, CEO, communication, connections, Email Management, Fellowship, founder, high performance leadership, leadership, leverage, management, Productivity, time management

Explore why executives become decision bottlenecks, how leadership systems create capacity, and why stronger Executive Assistant partnerships, delegation structures, and operational design can help leaders reclaim 12+ hours every week.

Growing a company creates a paradox. The more successful a founder, CEO, or executive leader becomes, the more decisions seem to flow directly toward them. That's why decision-making coaching for senior executives, the leadership system that frees 12+ hours every week, has become increasingly valuable for leaders navigating rapid growth. Not because executives suddenly forget how to make good decisions, but because scaling organizations create more complexity, more requests for input, and more demands on leadership attention than any one person can sustainably manage. What starts as strategic leadership gradually turns into operational bottlenecking. Calendars become crowded. Slack notifications never stop. Team members wait for approvals. Meetings multiply. Important decisions compete with urgent requests. And despite working longer hours, many leaders feel they have less time to think than ever before. The challenge isn't decision quality. It's decision architecture. Why Senior Executives Become Decision Bottlenecks Most executives don't intentionally become bottlenecks. It happens gradually. As companies scale, complexity increases faster than leadership systems. A founder who once managed ten people may suddenly oversee fifty. A COO who previously handled a straightforward operation now manages multiple departments. New managers require guidance. Cross-functional decisions become more frequent. Without intentional systems, executives become the default escalation point. This creates three common problems: Decision Fatigue Research consistently shows that decision quality declines as cognitive load increases. When leaders spend their day approving minor requests, reviewing operational details, and responding to constant interruptions, they have less mental bandwidth available for strategic thinking. The result is...


> Discover how C-suite leadership coaching helps scaling companies improve delegation, reduce founder burnout, strengthen executive leadership development, and free up 12+ hours each week through better Executive Assistant partnership systems.

- Published: 2026-06-22
- Modified: 2026-06-09
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/c-suite-leadership-coaching-scaling-companies/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, 6. Blog - Leverage, Super Featured
- Tags: business, CEO, communication, connections, Email Management, Fellowship, founder, high performance leadership, leadership, leverage, management, Productivity, time management

Discover how Mindmaven's Leadership Coaching can transform overwhelmed executives by addressing underlying issues, not just time management.

Growth changes leadership. What works for a founder leading a team of five rarely works at fifty. And what works at fifty often breaks at one hundred. Most executives discover this the hard way. The calendar becomes unmanageable. Decisions bottleneck around leadership. Meetings multiply. Delegation weakens under pressure. Strategic thinking gets replaced by constant reaction. From the outside, the company looks successful. Inside, the executive team is operating at capacity. This is where executive coaching for CEOs and scaling leadership teams becomes essential — not as a performance perk, but as an operational necessity. The companies that scale sustainably are rarely led by executives who simply “work harder. ” They are led by executives who build systems around leadership itself. At Mindmaven, we see this pattern repeatedly: overwhelmed executives don't usually have a motivation problem. They have a leadership operating system problem. Historically, that operating system consisted of people, processes, communication rhythms, and leadership habits. Today, there is a new variable entering the equation: AI. Leaders are being asked to integrate AI into their workflows while simultaneously scaling teams, improving delegation, and protecting strategic focus. The result is that many executives feel caught between two competing realities: they know AI can create leverage, but implementing it often feels like more work. That's why modern leadership systems must account for both human and technological leverage. And one of the most overlooked solutions is strengthening the partnership between executives and their Executive Assistants. Because the fastest way to create strategic leadership capacity...


> Discover how Leadership Coaching can transform overwhelmed executives by addressing underlying issues, not just time management.

- Published: 2026-05-08
- Modified: 2026-05-25
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/leadership-coaching-for-overwhelmed-executives/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, 6. Blog - Leverage, Super Featured
- Tags: business, CEO, communication, connections, Email Management, Fellowship, founder, high performance leadership, leadership, leverage, management, Productivity, time management

Discover how Mindmaven's Leadership Coaching can transform overwhelmed executives by addressing underlying issues, not just time management.

It’s 9:12 AM. You’ve already sat through two meetings you didn’t need to be in. Slack is blinking, your inbox is stacking faster than you can reply, and you open your calendar to find a block of “focus time”... that’s already been taken by something “urgent. ” You tell yourself you’ll catch up later. You won’t. Because by 4:30 PM, you’re pulled into another decision only you can make. And somewhere in between, the work that actually moves the company forward (the thinking, the strategy, the leadership), never happens. We see this pattern across many founders and CEOs and it’s rarely because they aren’t working hard enough. One solution that many overwhelmed executives turn to is Leadership Coaching, which can provide the clarity and support needed to navigate these challenges. The Reality of Overwhelm Overwhelm at the executive level doesn’t look like disorganization. Through effective Leadership Coaching, executives can learn to prioritize tasks and manage their time more efficiently. It looks like: Being the default escalation point for everything Making hundreds of micro-decisions per day Sitting in meetings where your presence isn’t required but expected Constantly context-switching between strategy and execution Ending the day feeling busy, but not effective Most executives we work with are incredibly capable and that’s part of the problem. Because the more capable you are, the more your team relies on you. And without realizing it, you become the system. The Misdiagnosis Most executives assume the problem is time so they try to fix it with:...


> Learn how human-first leadership scales culture, trust, and performance during a CEO-to-CEO transition plus insights on AI, delegation, and growth.

- Published: 2026-04-20
- Modified: 2026-04-20
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/human-first-leadership-at-scale/
- Categories: 3. Fellowship, 5. Video, 8. Blog - Fellowship, Human First Leadership, Super Featured
- Tags: business, CEO, communication, empathetic leadership, empathy, Fellowship, founder, high performance leadership, human-first leadership, manager, relationship

Learn how human-first leadership scales culture, trust, and performance during a CEO-to-CEO transition plus insights on AI, delegation, and growth.

At some point, every successful founder faces a question most never prepare for: What if I’m no longer the right CEO for the next stage of the company? Not because they failed but because they succeeded. The skills that take a company from zero to one (vision, speed, instinct), are not the same skills required to scale it into a global, operationally complex organization. And yet, many founders try to stretch themselves into that next phase, often at the company’s expense. In a recent conversation on our Human-First Leadership Podcast, Mindmaven Executive Coach Lauren Rueve sits down with Tony Jamous (Executive Chairman, Oyster) and Hadi Moussa (CEO, Oyster) to unpack a rare kind of transition: Tony intentionally stepped down as CEO and handed the reins to Hadi, from a position of strength. This wasn’t reactive nor forced. It was designed. And in that decision, a deeper truth becomes clear: Leadership doesn’t scale automatically. It has to evolve. Intentionally, structurally, and personally. It Starts With a Shift in How You See People Before strategy, structure, or scale, both leaders anchor on something more fundamental: How you see your team. According to Hadi, human-first leadership begins with recognizing that people are not just resources to optimize. They’re whole individuals with lives, ambitions, and realities beyond work. But this isn’t about being a “softer” leader. It’s about building an environment where psychological safety and high performance reinforce each other, instead of competing. Tony Jamous builds on this by turning the lens inward. For...


> Discover how Mindmaven's executive coaching helps first-time CEOs scale growth, overcome leadership bottlenecks, and build leverage systems.

- Published: 2026-04-13
- Modified: 2026-04-14
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/executive-coaching-for-first-time-ceos/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, 6. Blog - Leverage, Super Featured

When growth starts to depend on you, everything slows down. Discover how executive coaching and AI-driven systems help CEOs scale without becoming the bottleneck.

Executive Coaching for First-Time CEOs: When Growth Depends on You is about helping founders recognize and overcome the leadership challenges that limit their company’s potential. Think about this for a moment — when was the last time you had a full day dedicated to strategic thinking? Not reacting. Not responding. Not catching up. Just thinking. For most first-time CEOs leading a fast-growing company, uninterrupted time to think is rare. Your calendar fills before your day begins, your inbox dictates your priorities, and even when you block out time for reflection, urgent issues demand your attention. As a result, you spend more energy running the business than shaping its direction. Here’s the question every founder should ask: What if your biggest growth bottleneck isn’t the team, the market, or the strategy—but the way you’re operating as a CEO? Many new CEOs reach a turning point where growth accelerates, revenue increases, and the team expands, yet leading starts to feel heavier instead of lighter. Decisions pile up, problems escalate, and progress depends more on you than on the systems around you. This is the moment when executive coaching becomes essential—helping first-time CEOs shift from managing growth to truly leading it. The Shift: Why Being a Great Founder Is Different From Being a Great CEO Most founders don’t fail because they lack skill. They struggle because the role changes faster than they do. As a founder, your job was to build, move fast, solve problems directly and stay close to everything. As a...


> Explore human-first leadership strategies for thriving in the AI era with Dr. Rosina Racioppi's expert guidance.

- Published: 2026-03-23
- Modified: 2026-03-24
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/human-first-leadership-in-ai/
- Categories: 3. Fellowship, 5. Video, 8. Blog - Fellowship, Human First Leadership, Super Featured
- Tags: business, CEO, communication, empathetic leadership, empathy, Fellowship, founder, high performance leadership, human-first leadership, manager, relationship

In this Human-First Leadership conversation, Dr. Rosina Racioppi shares insights on leading in the age of AI, moving from activity to alignment and why curiosity is a leadership superpower

What does leadership look like in a world shaped by artificial intelligence? For many organizations, the conversation starts with technology. New AI tools promise faster workflows, smarter insights, and unprecedented productivity. Leaders everywhere are asking the same question: How do we use AI to move faster and stay competitive? But according to Dr. Rosina Racioppi, President and CEO of AscentPoint Leadership, that question may be incomplete. Because the real differentiator has not changed. People still determine whether organizations succeed. In this episode of Human-First Leadership, Mindmaven Senior Executive Coach Lauren Rueve sits down with Dr. Racioppi to explore why leadership development, human capability, and relationships remain the foundation of organizational performance even as AI continues transforming the workplace. The principles of human-first leadership are essential in this transformation. With more than 25 years advising Fortune 1000 executives, Dr. Racioppi has seen firsthand that technology alone cannot drive results. Organizations succeed when leaders invest in people. “AI is a phenomenal tool but it’s still a tool. The real question is how we ensure people have the skills to use it effectively. ” — Dr. Racioppi Human-first leadership emphasizes the importance of prioritizing people in the age of AI. Why Human-First Leadership Still Matters in the Age of AI Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing how companies operate. Organizations are racing to adopt new technologies, hoping to improve productivity and remain competitive. But Dr. Racioppi believes that the framing of this conversation is often wrong. “The question shouldn’t be AI versus people,” she...


> Build professional and personal relationships within your business by consistently practicing these 7 tips to remember people's names

- Published: 2025-12-08
- Modified: 2025-12-08
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/7-tips-for-remembering-peoples-names/
- Categories: 3. Fellowship, 8. Blog - Fellowship, Odds and Ends, Super Featured

Build professional and personal relationships within your business by consistently practicing these 7 tips to remember people's names

Dale Carnegie, legendary author of How to Win Friends and Influence People, once said, “A person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language. ” In other words: If you want to leave a positive impression on someone—to make them feel noticed, important, and valued—say their name. And that’d be great advice, if not for one thing: So many of us often struggle to remember people's names that we meet. Sound familiar? Like most people, you probably meet new people on a fairly regular basis. And despite the best of intentions, it can be so easy to forget the name of the person we shook hands with just 15 minutes ago. Yet, remembering someone’s name is so important and does far more than just impress. It deepens rapport, builds trust, and makes people feel genuinely seen. Whether you’re trying to strengthen a professional relationship, make someone feel valued, or create a more personal leadership style, using a person’s name is one of the simplest and most powerful ways to signal care and presence. Over the years, we’ve come across a number of great tips for remembering names and even developed a few of our own, and we’d like to share some of our favorites with you. But first ... The Unfortunate Truth About Remembering Names The tips and tricks we're going to share below have been incredibly effective for many of our clients. But no matter how powerful they may be, one thing remains...


> Discover powerful lessons on humility, purpose, and performance from top CEOs in human first leadership. Lead with clarity and humanity.

- Published: 2025-11-24
- Modified: 2025-11-25
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/human-first-leadership-2025-lessons/
- Categories: 3. Fellowship, 8. Blog - Fellowship, Human First Leadership, Super Featured
- Tags: business, CEO, communication, empathetic leadership, empathy, Fellowship, founder, high performance leadership, human-first leadership, manager, relationship

Mindmaven's Human First Leadership 2025 Mashup brings together six visionary CEOs redefining what it means to lead with humility, purpose, and sustainable high performance.

What defines the leaders who truly stand the test of time? It’s not just their ability to build high-performing teams or scale companies across continents. It’s their humility in the face of growth, their clarity of purpose, and their relentless commitment to performance without burnout. In this special edition of our Human First Leadership series from Mindmaven, we’ve gathered the most powerful insights from six visionary leaders who embody these principles in action. Each conversation reveals a different facet of what it means to lead with humanity in 2025. From the humility that builds trust, to the mission that fuels long-term purpose, to the balance between performance and recovery that keeps leaders thriving. Whether you’re leading a startup or scaling a global team, these lessons will help you lead more intentionally and humanly. How To Revolutionize Mental Health at Work: Strategies for Mindful Leaders with Tony Jamous, CEO of Oyster “A human-first leader is one who connects with the real needs of humans: to be seen, validated, and recognized. ” Tony Jamous has built a global organization where mental health isn’t an afterthought, it’s a foundation. Leading 550+ employees across 70 countries, the CEO of Oyster has shown that psychological safety isn’t just good for people, it’s good for performance. For Tony, the role of a modern leader begins with mastering your own emotions before managing others. “The higher you go in the organization, the more your emotions ripple through everyone else,” he shares. “Your ability to stay grounded defines...


> Learn how to boost your communication skills and enjoy a more productive workplace with these proven tactics used by Fortune 500 companies.

- Published: 2025-11-10
- Modified: 2026-04-05
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/eliminate-miscommunications-once-and-for-all-by-mastering-the-art-of-congruent-communication/
- Categories: 3. Fellowship, 8. Blog - Fellowship, Articles, Super Featured, Uncategorized
- Tags: body language, communication, congruent communication, connections, eliminate miscommunications, networking

Learn how to boost your communication skills and enjoy a more productive workplace with these proven tactics used by Fortune 500 companies.

Ever had the painful experience of sending (what you thought was) a well-meaning check-in email only to have it blow up in your face when your message was completely misconstrued? Most of us have been there and know what comes next: Time wasted attempting to eliminate miscommunications and repair the relationship. All because they misunderstood you, right? While it’s easy to blame the other person, that’s rarely accurate. In almost all cases of communication confusion, the fault isn’t on the recipient; it’s on you. That’s the bad news. The good news is, once you understand and accept that, it’s entirely in your power to boost your communication skills. But we're getting ahead of ourselves—before we talk about future solutions, let’s take a closer look at what went wrong in the first place. The Three Driving Factors of Effective Communication Skills Back in 1967, UCLA professor Albert Mehrabian published two groundbreaking studies on communication (Decoding of Inconsistent Communications and Inference of Attitudes from Nonverbal Communication in Two Channels), introducing a then-revolutionary concept: Effective communication isn’t the result of chance. It’s a process. In other words, communication is a skill, not a gift; and with the right understanding, anyone can learn to boost their communication skills to eliminate miscommunications effectively. At the core of this idea was the belief that effective communication skills had 3 primary components: Words: The actual words we use to communicate our message. Tonality: The tone of our voice as we deliver our words. Body Language: The movements...


> Explore leadership tips and the power of self-awareness with Sciata’s CEO Michelle Tinsley, brought to you by Mindmaven.

- Published: 2025-10-27
- Modified: 2025-11-10
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/understanding-your-leadership-strengths-the-key-to-building-stronger-teams-culture/
- Categories: 3. Fellowship, Human First Leadership, Super Featured
- Tags: human-first leadership

Discover how leadership strengths enhance team growth and culture with insights from Michelle Tinsley on effective leadership strategies.

The best leaders know that understanding themselves is the first step to understanding others. That’s the philosophy that drives Michelle Tinsley, CEO of Sciata, who sat down with Senior Executive Coach Connor Drake to discuss what it takes to build stronger teams and a more connected culture. Michelle is a seasoned technical leader who spent 26 years at Intel in Finance, General Management, Product, and Sales roles before transitioning into the startup world. In this conversation, Michelle shares how these experiences have shaped her understanding of her leadership strengths and how she helps her teams grow and succeed. From leveraging tools like the DISC assessment to seeing feedback as a gift, Michelle offers a masterclass in how self-awareness as a leader can drive both performance and culture. Keep reading until the end of the article to access your free How I Work Document – a practical tool to communicate your leadership style and empower your team to do their best work. What Human First Leadership Means in Practice Connor: The phrase Human first leadership can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. What does it mean for you as you're leading your company? Michelle: I think it really means meet each employee, or a customer, or sales prospect where they're at. Having the same consistent approach and treating everybody the same as a widget just doesn't work. Everybody has good days, bad days. Try to understand where they're coming from and how maybe we can...


- Published: 2025-10-06
- Modified: 2026-04-05
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/5-tips-to-become-more-empathetic/
- Categories: 3. Fellowship, 4. Featured, 8. Blog - Fellowship, Mindfulness, Mindset and Likability, Mindshare Management, Network Relationship Management, Super Featured
- Tags: being interesting, boost productivity, communication, empathetic leadership, empathy, high performance leadership, how to be empathetic, human-first leadership, morale, network, network relationship management, relationships, team building

Develop your empathetic leadership skills to boost productivity, collaboration, and human connections—fundamental to business success.

5 Tips To Become More Empathetic Empathy is one of the most powerful leadership skills for building trust, strengthening relationships, and guiding teams through complex challenges. For executives, founders, and leaders, the ability to understand how others think and feel can dramatically influence decision-making, team performance, and long-term business success Empathy is the ability to understand and share other people's feelings and viewpoints, and is essential to various aspects of business and life. This article explores five actionable tips to strengthen your empathy – and with it, your ability to lead, influence, and build deep trust with those around you. Whether you're building a world-class team, nurturing investor relationships, or creating a culture people want to be part of, mastering empathy is a competitive advantage every great leader needs. Table of Contents Toggle 5 Tips To Become More EmpatheticEmpathetic DefinitionWhy Is It Important To Be Empathetic? Why Empathy Matters for Executives and Executive AssistantsEmpathy Versus SympathyWhy Empathy Is Vital in Generating Referrals for Your Business5 Tips To Become a More Empathetic PersonTip #1. (Actively) Listen More Than You SpeakTip #2: Express Your PerspectiveTip #3: Be VulnerableTip #4: Don’t Make AssumptionsTip #5: Use Your ImaginationThe Bottom Line: Empathy Is an Essential Skill for Great LeadershipExplore How Mindmaven Executive Coaching Can Help You Lead with Empathy and Impact Empathetic Definition Empathy is the ability to understand and share another person’s perspective, emotions, and experiences. In leadership, empathy allows executives to recognize what others are feeling and respond in a way that builds...


> Gain modern leadership lessons on hiring a global team of A-players and building a culture of clarity and accountability.

- Published: 2025-09-22
- Modified: 2025-09-22
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/building-a-global-tribe-modern-leadership/
- Categories: Super Featured, Uncategorized

Gain modern leadership lessons on hiring a global team of A-players and building a culture of clarity and accountability.

What does it take to build a high-performing team when your people are spread across continents? To answer that question, Senior Executive Coach Connor Drake sat down with Kent Halliburton, CEO and co-founder of Sazmining, a renewable-energy-powered Bitcoin mining company. Kent’s path from computer engineering and solar energy to Bitcoin entrepreneurship has shaped a leadership philosophy grounded in clarity, accountability, and human connection. Instead of viewing people as cogs in a machine, he sees his team as a tribe built on trust, transparency, and a shared mission. In this conversation, Kent reflects on the lessons he’s learned building distributed teams across continents, creating cultures of ownership and accountability, and redefining leadership as an ongoing journey of personal growth. Drawing from Kent’s experience, this reveals essential strategies for building a global tribe through modern leadership lessons on hiring and culture. Discovering Bitcoin: Kent Halliburton’s Journey to Entrepreneurship Connor: I wanna get into your leadership and how you've built your company. But before we do, why don't we start with a little bit of background. How did you first get into Bitcoin and what pulled you into this space? Kent: I did computer engineering in college and then went into rooftop solar. I mentioned those two things because computer engineering was a core focus on networking there. Then, rooftop solar. Solar energy was clearly about energy and how the grid works, and those two things wound up being predecessors for understanding Bitcoin quickly. I took a two-year sabbatical between my rooftop solar...


> Learn proactive time management with Mindmaven's whitespace sessions. Boost productivity and reclaim your focus. Start optimizing your day now.

- Published: 2025-09-08
- Modified: 2025-09-08
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/whitespace-proactive-time-management/
- Categories: 2. Intent, 4. Featured, Articles, Learning, Mindfulness, Productivity, Super Featured
- Tags: habits, mindset, proactive, proactivity, Productivity, task management, time management, whitespace, whitespace time

Ever feel like there just isn’t enough time in the day? Like after you finish responding to emails, replying to Slack messages, and sitting in meetings, there’s no time left for the tasks that really matter? You aren’t alone. Time management is one of the most universal challenges faced by people across the world; especially entrepreneurs. And it isn’t helped by the fact that our lives are becoming increasingly reaction-driven. You can spend an entire day reacting to urgent tasks, like answering dozens of emails, and still feel like you haven’t made real progress. Ask yourself: "Are my actions helping me reach my goals, or are they just keeping me busy? " What is Whitespace Time Management? Whitespace is about reclaiming your schedule from constant reactivity – emails, meetings, Slack messages – and replacing it with intentional, distraction-free time to focus on high-leverage, proactive work. We call this shifting from the Manager’s Schedule (reactive) to the Maker’s Schedule (proactive). That means finally making space to focus on the tasks that move the needle the most, such as: Developing a powerful, motivating vision for your product, Connecting with 10 new contacts you feel will be a valuable source of opportunities, or Running a roadmap exercise to plan the optimal growth strategy for your company. You know, the things you’ve been putting off for the past few months until you “find the time. ” Because we all know “more time” isn’t going to just happen. You can’t find time. You have to...


> Discover the three things every mission-driven company needs to succeed with Pooja Khosla, CEO of Entelligent.

- Published: 2025-08-25
- Modified: 2025-08-25
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/3-things-every-mission-driven-company-needs/
- Categories: Super Featured, Uncategorized

Discover the three things every mission-driven company needs to succeed with Pooja Khosla, CEO of Entelligent.

What Defines a Mission-Driven Company? Purpose is the core of everything a mission-driven company does. It guides its decisions, culture, and long-term strategy. But it’s also a valuable asset for attracting and motivating employees and helping leaders ensure they create a lasting impact. That’s exactly what Senior Executive Coach Connor Drake explores in this conversation with Pooja Khosla, CEO of energy and climate analytics company Entelligent. Pooja’s journey from scientist to CEO may not be the typical route, but it’s a masterclass in leading with purpose, building trust, and aligning a company’s long-term vision with the goals of its people. Along the way, she shares tactical, real-world advice every leader of a mission-driven company can put into action to drive success. Plus, keep reading to the end to get your free North Star Goal Notion Template! How a Mission-Driven Company Starts With a Bold Idea Connor: You're clearly a very mission and community-driven leader. I'm curious what shaped that part of your identity? Pooja: I truly believe that it takes a village to make companies, to make leaders. Similarly, as we raise our kids, we all start from a very promising idea to create a very promising future. We really need a lot of people to believe in the idea, believe in the mission, and contribute to the mission. You should have a very strong idea. You should have a lot of community around you that trusts your mission, that has shared goals. We need to be transparent because ideas...


> Kick off your next meeting with one of these icebreaker sentences to create instant connection, establish common ground, and deepen relationships.

- Published: 2025-08-04
- Modified: 2025-08-06
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/icebreaker-sentences-to-make-an-impression/
- Categories: 3. Fellowship, 4. Featured, 5. Video, 8. Blog - Fellowship, Articles, Learning, Mindset and Likability, Mindshare Management, Network Relationship Management, Productivity, Super Featured
- Tags: communication, connections, conversation starters, first impression, first impressions, habit, habits, high performance leadership, ice breaker sentences, ice breakers, icebreaker sentences, icebreakers, leadership, making a good impression, meeting kick off, meetings, networking, relationship management, relationships, team building

Kick off your next meeting with one of these powerful icebreaker sentences to create instant connection, establish common ground, and deepen your relationships.

Whether you're meeting with someone for the first time or the fiftieth, the first few moments are vital. They set the tone for the rest of the meeting and potentially your future relationship. The question is, how do you create a great first or lasting impression? The answer is to deliver something above what's expected—something personalized. That's why icebreaker sentences are a valuable tool you can use every time. Icebreaker sentences are a powerful way to open a meeting and make a great lasting impression. This article covers the following to help you craft the perfect icebreaker sentence starters. Table of Contents Toggle What Is an Icebreaker Sentence? Breaking the Ice – ExamplesHow To Use Icebreaker Sentences To Find Common GroundThe Do’s & Don’ts of Great Icebreaker Sentences Do: Your Research in Advance Don’t: Use Absolutes Do: Leverage Unique Interests Don’t: Let the Conversation Veer off Course Do: Leverage Their Background Don’t: Underestimate Common GroundSupercharge Your First Impression With Icebreaker ProfilesYour Challenge: Try This for Yourself and Notice the Difference What Is an Icebreaker Sentence? You may have heard of icebreaker games for team-building activities, but what are icebreaker sentences? An icebreaker sentence is a strong statement or question you can use to kick off a meeting. Icebreaker sentences are conversation starters that can create an instant connection, establish common ground, and show that you're genuinely interested in the person you're meeting. It can also help with creative brainstorming, team member engagement, and group dynamics for workplace productivity and corporate...


> Gain pragmatic insights from Mindmaven's 5 Proven Steps to Transform Your Virtual Executive Assistant Into a Rockstar

- Published: 2025-07-28
- Modified: 2025-08-11
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/transform-your-virtual-executive-assistant/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, 4. Featured, Super Featured, Uncategorized

Want to take your leadership to the next level? Gain pragmatic insights on helping your virtual Executive Assistant reach rockstar status.

The Journey So Far The decision to work with a virtual Executive Assistant is a pivotal moment, but the journey there often isn’t easy and usually looks something like this: It starts with a core team led by a scrappy DIY-type CEO determined to become an exceptional leader and build something great. But as the company becomes more successful, the pressures and responsibilities on the CEO mount, causing them to feel increasingly less productive despite working longer hours. As their backlog grows and important responsibilities fall through the cracks, they begin to feel like they’re failing their team and undermining everything they’ve worked so hard to achieve. This overwhelming reality often forces the leader to confront the fact that the velocity of their team is limited by their velocity as CEO. They realize something has to change and look for ways to increase their throughput. One of the most immediate solutions? Hiring a virtual Executive Assistant. In this article, we'll explore five steps to transform your virtual Executive Assistant into a rockstar, giving you the Leverage to reach your fullest potential as a Superpowered leader. With Mindmaven's executive coaching engagement, we’ll help you free up 12+ hours every week by changing the way you work with your Executive Assistant. Table of Contents Toggle The Journey So FarWhat is a virtual Executive Assistant? Two Approaches That Could Be Hindering Your Virtual Executive Assistant 5 Steps To Working With a Rockstar Virtual Executive Assistant#1: Climb Out of the Tradition TrapTransform Your EA...


> Gain the leadership development skills of a legendary leader by investing just 5 minutes into a personal relationship within your business.

- Published: 2025-07-07
- Modified: 2025-07-08
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/legendary-leadership/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, 2. Intent, 3. Fellowship, 4. Featured, 8. Blog - Fellowship, Learning, Mindset and Likability, Network Relationship Management, Productivity, Productivity Through Leverage, Super Featured
- Tags: founder, habits, l, lead, leader, leaders, leadership, leading, legend, legendary, leverage, manage, management, manager, Productivity, relationship management, time management

The more your team grows, the harder it often becomes to build meaningful, lasting relationships with each person. Check out this article on successful leadership development and learn how to keep building those relationships no matter your size, all in just five minutes a day.

For many founders, one of the best parts of leading a young startup is the one-on-one relationships they’re able to develop with their small-but-passionate team. And often, these relationships become more than strictly professional connections; they become genuine friendships between two people who share the same vision to build something great and leave their mark on the world. But as a startup begins to gain traction, that initial team is probably going to grow. Obviously, growth’s a good thing and, at least for a little while, that growth won’t change the team dynamic much; it’ll still be possible to build those personal relationships with each new hire. But unfortunately—as many founders have discovered—that doesn’t last forever. The more a startup grows, the more responsibilities the founder has; and the more responsibilities the founder has, the harder it becomes to find time to invest into relationships. In this article, we'll explore the leadership growth strategies that can help you overcome this to become the legendary leader your business needs to drive it to success. The (Often Painful) Cost of Neglected Relationships And at the end of the day, there’s no way around it: Relationship development at 50+ employees is going to look and feel a little different than it did at 5. By the time a company reaches 50 people, many founders are struggling just to remember everyone’s name, let alone develop meaningful relationships with them. And for a relationship-minded founder that cares about their leadership development, this can often feel...


> According to many in Silicon Valley, this is the #1 best leadership secret to scale your business quickly and efficiently as a successful leader ...

- Published: 2025-07-07
- Modified: 2025-08-19
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/leaders-create-leaders/
- Categories: 3. Fellowship, 8. Blog - Fellowship, Articles, Learning, Productivity, Scaling
- Tags: business, communication, gardner, habits, jason, leader, leaders, leadership, leading, marqeta, Productivity, relationship management, success, time management

According to many in Silicon Valley, this is the #1 best leadership secret to scale your business quickly and efficiently as a successful leader ...

To scale your business as a successful leader—hire the right people and get out of their way. This is a well-known saying in Silicon Valley about leadership to scale your business quickly and efficiently. And for good reason. Not only is it the path to effective leadership, but it's also the best way to tap into the value, expertise, and potential your team brings to the table. At Mindmaven, we help CEOs and executives turn this philosophy into a reality through our executive coaching engagements. We provide proven systems and personalized guidance to help you build a culture of ownership, trust, and leadership at every level of your organization. As a leader, your job is to create more leaders. Mindmaven's executive coaching services help you do just that by teaching you how to delegate, free up your time, and empower others to take full responsibility over their roles without sacrificing alignment or outcomes. After all, leading a company to successful outcomes involves getting as much leverage as possible, and Mindmaven executive coaching gives you the tools, structure, and support to do it with confidence. The Benefits of Effective Leadership Imagine that instead of being the front-line combatant many CEOs are, you have freedom knowing your teams will lead your business to success. Many people talk about this leadership style, but, in our experience, few leaders seem able to master it, and for a good reason. While stepping back and letting your team lead may seem like a simple leadership style,...


> In this article, we’ll explain what executive coaching is, how it works, and the top 5 benefits of executive coaching for business leaders.

- Published: 2025-06-23
- Modified: 2025-06-23
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/executive-coaching-for-business-leaders/
- Categories: Super Featured, Uncategorized

In this article, we’ll explain what executive coaching is, how it works, and the top 5 benefits of executive coaching for business leaders.

When you’re deep in the weeds of running a company, it becomes almost impossible to maintain the clarity and focus that helped you get where you are. Decisions pile up, distractions creep in, and your time disappears faster than you can track it. That’s why more and more entrepreneurial minds are turning to executive coaching for business leaders. Not just to grow their companies, but to become more focused, effective, and resilient leaders. In this article, we’ll explain what executive coaching is, how it works, and the top 5 benefits of executive coaching for business leaders. What is Executive Coaching for Business Leaders? Executive coaching for business leaders is a structured partnership between a coach and a leader (like a CEO, founder, executive, venture capitalist, or investor) to help you grow professionally. It’s not therapy or advice from a mentor. It’s a guided process that helps you lead more effectively, navigate complex challenges, and achieve your goals faster. Top 5 Benefits of Executive Coaching for Business Leaders to Achieve Efficiency 1. End firefighting and unlock proactive leadership skills If your days feel like a blur of urgent emails, last-minute meetings, and constant task-switching, you’re not alone. One of the biggest benefits of executive coaching is learning how to shift from reactive to proactive leadership. Executive coaching for startup founders and business leaders helps you work on building the habits and systems that keep you ahead of problems – and not always scrambling to fix them! 2. Increase self-awareness for greater...


> Explore the differences between Executive Assistants and Admin Assistants to help you make the right call for your business.

- Published: 2025-06-16
- Modified: 2025-06-16
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/executive-assistants-vs-admin-assistants/
- Categories: Uncategorized

Explore the differences between Executive Assistants and Admin Assistants to help you make the right call for your business.

Do you know the difference between an Executive Assistant (EA) and an Admin Assistant? Perhaps you didn’t know there even was a difference. And if that’s the case, you’re not alone. These roles often get used interchangeably, but in reality, they serve very different purposes within an organization. However, understanding the difference between Executive Assistants and Admin Assistants is key to setting the right expectations and unlocking the full value of each. Let’s break down the difference and help you make the right call for your business. What Is an Administrative Assistant? An Administrative Assistant provides general office support to a team or department. They’re often the go-to person for keeping things organized and helping operations run smoothly. Typical tasks for Admin Assistants include: Filing documents and managing records Answering phones and greeting visitors Scheduling meetings or appointments Ordering supplies and supporting office logistics Handling data entry and basic reporting Admin Assistants tend to work behind the scenes, assisting multiple team members with daily tasks. The role is usually task-based and reactive, meaning Admin Assistants respond to requests rather than proactively shaping priorities. What Is an Executive Assistant? An Executive Assistant (EA) is a strategic partner to a high-level leader, like a CEO, founder, or executive team member. They don’t stop at keeping your day organized. Rather, their focus is to protect your time, energy, and attention so you can focus on what only you can do. Common Executive Assistant responsibilities include: Managing calendars, scheduling, and inboxes Preparing for meetings...


> Explore what virtual assistants actually do, how they add value, and whether they’re the right solution for your business.

- Published: 2025-05-26
- Modified: 2025-05-26
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/are-virtual-assistants-worth-it/
- Categories: Uncategorized

Explore what virtual assistants actually do, how they add value, and whether they’re the right solution for your business.

If you’ve ever felt buried in admin tasks, missed follow-ups, or spent too much time managing your calendar instead of growing your business, you’ve probably wondered ... Are virtual assistants worth it? In this article, we’ll answer the most commonly asked questions about virtual assistants: what they actually do, the benefits of hiring an executive assistant, and whether they’re the right solution for your business. 1. What Are the Daily Responsibilities of a Virtual Assistant? Virtual assistants handle a wide range of administrative, operational, and even creative tasks – all done remotely. Their goal is to free up your time so you can focus on high-impact work. Typical daily responsibilities include: Managing calendars and scheduling meetings Handling email inboxes and drafting responses Booking travel and processing expenses Conducting online research or data entry Coordinating with clients or team members Creating reports, slide decks, or spreadsheets Posting to social media or managing content Following up on tasks, meetings, or client leads Whether part-time or full-time, a good virtual assistant helps keep your business moving without needing to be in the office. 2. How Can a Virtual Assistant Add Value to a Company? The real value of a virtual assistant lies in what they give back to you: time, focus, and peace of mind. Here’s how: Increased productivity: You stop doing repetitive tasks and start working on strategy. Faster execution: With someone helping in the background, you make progress on more fronts. Better follow-through: Virtual Assistants help you follow up on commitments,...


> One of the most powerful productivity lessons I’ve learned came from my mother – showing us how to move forward even in challenging times.

- Published: 2025-05-12
- Modified: 2025-06-23
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/productivity-lessons-from-my-mother/
- Categories: 2. Intent, 7. Blog - Intent, Productivity

One of the most powerful productivity lessons I’ve ever learned came from my mother, and how forcing functions can be used effectively as a tool even in the most challenging of times.

If you’ve spent any time in the past talking to productivity gurus or reading their content, one of the productivity lessons that you come across a lot is advice on how to avoid procrastination and get stuff done. One recommendation I have always found valuable towards overcoming procrastination is to plan your projects using forcing functions. A forcing function is a tool that pushes you to get a certain thing done in a certain way by a certain time. What is a Good Forcing Function? An example of a good forcing function might be, if you’re planning to launch a piece of new technology, to schedule an all-hands launch meeting for a specific date in the future. The looming date will give you the motivation to have all your ducks in a row by the time you have that launch meeting, and more impetus than if you set the date for just yourself. As we all know, due dates can slip if there’s not something else that coerces you to get it done by that time. In my experience, forcing functions are one of the most powerful tools you can use to move the needle forward. In fact, much of our executive coaching is rooted in helping leaders build these kinds of structures – external commitments that turn intention into consistent, high-leverage action. Productivity Lessons From My Mother I once came across a situation where my mother overcame procrastination in an extraordinary way. I feel compelled to share it with...


> Have you ever wondered what does an Executive Assistant actually do? This article explores the role and impact of a great Executive Assistant.

- Published: 2025-04-29
- Modified: 2025-06-22
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/what-does-an-executive-assistant-actually-do/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, 4. Featured, Articles, Human First Leadership, Productivity

Whether you’re thinking of hiring one or becoming one, this article will help you understand the role, responsibilities, and powerful impact of a great Executive Assistant.

If you’re a busy professional, entrepreneur, or CEO, chances are you’ve asked yourself: Do I really need an Executive Assistant? Or maybe you’re wondering if this is the right career path for you, but find yourself asking: What does an Executive Assistant actually do? Whether you’re thinking of hiring one or becoming one, this article will help you understand the role, responsibilities, and powerful impact of a great Executive Assistant. What Are the Duties of an Executive Assistant? The duties of an Executive Assistant go far beyond booking flights and taking notes. At a foundational level, Executive Assistants handle key administrative tasks like scheduling meetings, managing calendars, handling emails, coordinating travel, and preparing reports. But they can also play a pivotal role in supporting senior executives at a strategic level and ensuring the smooth operation of an organization. Their duties are wide-ranging and require a blend of administrative expertise, communication skills, and strategic thinking. Here are just a few examples of the duties of an Executive Assistant: Essentially, Executive Assistants ensure that everything behind the scenes is handled so that executives can focus on high-value work. What Is an EA Responsible For? Executive Assistants are responsible for protecting an executive’s time, energy, and attention. This includes: Managing and prioritizing the executive’s inbox (sometimes called Inbox Shadowing) Prepping for and debriefing after meetings Tracking commitments and making sure follow-ups actually happen Creating space for “deep work” by blocking time and managing distractions Acting as a gatekeeper to reduce interruptions and low-priority...


> Transform your task management into a system that frees your time, empowers your assistant, and scales your leadership.

- Published: 2025-04-21
- Modified: 2025-04-23
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/mastering-task-management/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, Super Featured

Transform your task management into a system that frees your time, empowers your assistant, and scales your leadership.

You didn’t become an executive so you could manage tasks all day. But somewhere along the way, that’s what it starts to feel like. Between meetings, emails, and Slack messages, your brain becomes a whiteboard of half-finished thoughts and forgotten follow-ups. And while task management tools were built to organize the chaos, most leaders aren’t using them to lead but simply to survive. When used right, task management tools are more than a to-do list. They become a system that frees up your mind, empowers your assistant, and helps you scale your leadership. In this article, we’ll discuss how we master task management to delegate better, think clearly, and create space for greatness. Let’s dive in! The Executive’s Task Management Dilemma: Why Your System Isn’t Working There’s a misconception that task management is a productivity issue. It’s not. At the executive level, it’s a leadership issue. Here’s why: You’re carrying tasks you shouldn’t even own. Executives often fall into the trap of micro-ownership – holding onto tasks simply because it feels easier to do them than delegate. Over time, this creates an invisible drag on performance. Every time you complete a task that someone else could have owned, you reinforce a system where you’re the bottleneck. Context switching is costing you your best thinking. Even small tasks steal more than just time – they steal mental real estate. When your brain toggles between preparing a board deck and remembering to follow up with a vendor, strategic focus suffers. You’re underutilizing...


> Discover 10 reasons every business owner needs an executive assistant to boost efficiency, reduce stress, and unlock leadership potential.

- Published: 2025-04-08
- Modified: 2025-06-25
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/10-reasons-every-business-owner-needs-an-ea/
- Categories: 4. Featured, Articles, Learning, Productivity, Scaling, Super Featured

Here are 10 powerful, real-world reasons every business owner or CEO needs an Executive Assistant.

Running a business is rewarding – but let’s face it, it’s overwhelming, too. Between emails, meetings, logistics, and big-picture planning, there’s barely time to breathe. If you’re constantly asking yourself, “How do I get it all done? ”, it might be time to bring in one of the most powerful additions to your team: an Executive Assistant (EA). But what exactly does an Executive Assistant do? And what are the reasons every business owner needs an Executive Assistant? Let’s break it down. What is the Role of an Executive Assistant? An executive assistant serves as a vital support system for senior executives by maintaining organizational efficiency, streamlining operations, and contributing to strategic decision-making. Executive Assistants wear many hats and play a crucial role in keeping things running smoothly behind the scenes. Typical key responsibilities and skills of an Executive Assistant include administrative support, project management, office management, strategic support, and event planning. 10 Reasons Every Business Owner Needs an Executive Assistant As your business grows, so does the complexity of your role. At some point, handling it all alone starts to cost you time, energy, and missed opportunities. That’s where an Executive Assistant becomes not just helpful but essential. Here are 10 reasons every business owner needs an Executive Assistant: 1. Enhanced Efficiency and Time Management Executive Assistants handle the tasks that slow you down: managing your calendar, organizing travel, responding to routine emails, and coordinating team logistics. By taking over these responsibilities, they free up your time so you...


> Gain expert insights into strategic recovery, energy optimization, and high-performance leadership to sustain long-term success without burnout.

- Published: 2025-03-24
- Modified: 2025-03-28
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/master-high-performance-leadership/
- Categories: Human First Leadership, Super Featured

Gain expert insights into strategic recovery, energy optimization, and high-performance leadership to sustain long-term success without burnout.

What is high-performance leadership, and could optimizing your recovery be the key to achieving it? To shed light on this topic, Senior Executive Coach Connor Drake is joined by serial entrepreneur, advisor, and investor, Paul Meinshausen. Paul co-founded PaySense, a mobile credit company that was acquired by PayU in 2019 for $185M. Today, he is the CEO and co-founder of Aampe, a B2B SaaS startup helping organizations optimize their messaging through AI-driven personalization. Beyond his startups, Paul brings a fascinating background, having worked with military special forces, data science, and elite team dynamics. Read their conversation below to learn Paul’s greatest lessons on strategic recovery, energy optimization, and high-performance leadership to sustain long-term success without burnout. High-Performance Leadership in a Remote World Connor: We are a fully remote team here at Mindmaven. I'm curious if you built Aampe that way because you think that is the right way to build a company in the modern day? Paul: I think it's much more important to be responsive to your situation. When we started Aampe, it was 2020. It's right before the pandemic. So the pandemic wasn't actually that central to the decision. I have always believed that you start companies around people. The two people that I wanted to co-found the company with, and was sure that we were the right people to build this particular technology and business, one of them happened to be in Paris, the other happened to be in North Carolina. We had worked together in different...


> Explore 6 ways women in business can uncover common ground, build influence, and strengthen their networks.

- Published: 2025-03-10
- Modified: 2025-06-22
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/6-ways-women-in-business-can-find-common-ground/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, 3. Fellowship, Super Featured, Uncategorized

Explore six ways women in business can uncover common ground, build influence, and strengthen their networks.

With women in business accounting for only 29% of C-Suite positions, underrepresentation in leadership roles is a persistent challenge. This imbalance often leads to feelings of isolation and disconnection, especially in industries traditionally dominated by men, such as tech, finance, and engineering. Whether it's deals being made on the golf course or conversations revolving around sports, cars, or other topics that may not naturally resonate, it’s easy to feel excluded from the informal networks that drive professional advancement. But the solution isn’t about trying to fit into these spaces by adopting new hobbies you have no interest in. It’s about strategically finding common ground and discovering the deeper connections that already exist. In this article, we’ll examine the impact of the Likability Bias, and explore six ways women in business can uncover common ground, build influence, and strengthen their networks. What Is the Likeability Bias and How Does It Affect Women in Business? If you’ve followed Sheryl Sandberg’s “Lean In” campaign, you might be familiar with the term Likeability Bias – and its impact on women in business. Unlike men, where success and likeability are positively correlated, women in business often experience the opposite. The more successful they become, the less they are liked by both men and women. This bias stems from deep-rooted expectations – men are expected to be assertive, while women are expected to be kind. When women in business lead with confidence, they are often seen as “too aggressive” or “political,” whereas men displaying the same...


> Tyler Maloney, founder and CEO of TeachMe.To, shares the power of humility in leadership, and strategies to motivate a team of A+ players.

- Published: 2025-02-24
- Modified: 2025-02-27
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/humility-in-leadership/
- Categories: 3. Fellowship, 8. Blog - Fellowship, Human First Leadership, Super Featured

Tyler Maloney, founder and CEO of TeachMe.To, shares the power of humility in leadership, and strategies to motivate a team of A+ players.

After 12+ years of building companies, raising over $25 million, and experiencing both big wins and tough failures, Tyler Maloney is no stranger to the importance of humility in leadership. Tyler Maloney, founder and CEO of TeachMe. To – a fast-growing platform connecting students with skilled private coaches to master new skills in sports, music, and the arts – like many ambitious entrepreneurs, has experienced many hard-won lessons of humility in leadership. In this episode, Senior Executive Coach Connor Drake is joined by Tyler, to discuss the importance of embracing humility in leadership, company culture, and pragmatic strategies to motivate a high-performing team of A+ players. If you’re a leader struggling with self-doubt and delegation while managing a growing team, this article will help you lead with confidence – without feeling like you need to have all the answers. How To Be a Human-First Leader Connor: What does it mean to you to be a Human First Leader in today's world? Tyler: I think the phrase can mean so many different things. I think to me the starting point has to be coming from a position of humility. You have to start with the belief that teams are much greater than the sum of the individual parts. Which I think for entrepreneurs sometimes can be a difficult place to start. You come in and part of why you jump into this is because you're a little crazy and confident that you can go build the next big thing. You learn...


> Learn how to master ChatGPT and three hand-picked AI tools to streamline workflows and maximize productivity including Shortwave .

- Published: 2025-02-11
- Modified: 2025-06-22
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/4-ai-tools-how-to-streamline-workflows/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, 4. Featured, Articles, Learning, Productivity, Productivity Through Leverage, Super Featured

Learn how to master ChatGPT and three hand-picked AI tools to streamline workflows and maximize productivity.

The most effective leaders and Executive Assistants (EAs) today aren’t just keeping up with the demands of their role; they’re leading the way by integrating AI tools into their workflows to streamline operations and maximize productivity. But with countless AI tools being introduced to us every day, knowing where to start can feel overwhelming. Which AI tools are worth your time? And how can you make them a seamless part of your workflows? This guide cuts through the noise to give a clear, actionable roadmap. We’ll show you how to master ChatGPT and three hand-picked AI tools to: Automate time-consuming tasks Streamline and organize workflows Enhance communication accuracy and quality Free up capacity to focus on what matters most: driving strategic outcomes Demystifying ChatGPT AI tools like ChatGPT have become invaluable for simplifying and enhancing everyday workflows. But getting the most from ChatGPT requires knowing how to use it effectively. The two keys to mastering ChatGPT are: Prompt Crafting: Clear, targeted instructions that coach ChatGPT to deliver exactly what you need Training ChatGPT as Your Writer: Teach it to understand your tone, style, and preferences so that it mirrors your voice effortlessly Let’s explore how you can get the most from ChatGPT and turn it into an efficient and strategic part of your workflow. Prompt Crafting: The Key to Getting Results from ChatGPT Think of prompt crafting as briefing a new team member: the clearer and more specific you are, the better the results. Here are four steps we recommend...


> Tony Jamous, CEO and co-founder of Oyster, joins us to discuss how prioritizing mental health at work builds trust, engagement, and productivity.

- Published: 2025-01-27
- Modified: 2025-01-28
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/how-to-revolutionize-mental-health-at-work/
- Categories: 8. Blog - Fellowship, Human First Leadership, Super Featured, Uncategorized

Tony Jamous, CEO and co-founder of Oyster, joins Senior Executive Coach Lauren Weggeman to discuss how prioritizing mental health at work builds trust, engagement, and productivity.

Could prioritizing mental health at work strengthen your team’s connections, engagement, and productivity? That’s exactly what Tony Jamous, CEO and co-founder of Oyster, has achieved. With 550 employees across 70 countries, Tony has built a culture where trust, psychological safety, and meaningful work serve as the foundation of his team’s success. Senior Executive Coach Lauren Weggeman leads our discussion with the CEO of Oyster – a global employment platform that empowers companies to streamline the hiring and management of remote workers worldwide. Tony’s insights are a powerful reminder that when leaders prioritize mental health at work, the results can be extraordinary – for both their people and their businesses. If you’ve ever wondered how to lead with empathy and truly champion mental health at work, you’re in the right place. Here’s the interview! How To Be a Human First Leader Lauren: Tony, when we first spoke, you shared a little bit about your definition of Human First Leadership. Your definition included this idea of being connected to the real needs of humans. I'd love for you to talk about what some of those needs are that you're thinking about and looking out for and how you accomplish that at Oyster. Tony: Yeah. So, first, is what does it mean to connect with the real needs of humans, and what are these needs, right? These needs are below the surface. They are things like need to be seen, need to be validated, need to be recognized. And there are other needs,...


> Explore how the expectations of executive support are changing – and how remote Executive Assistants can rise to meet them.

- Published: 2025-01-13
- Modified: 2025-01-13
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/investing-in-remote-executive-assistants/
- Categories: 2. Intent, 4. Featured, 7. Blog - Intent, Articles, Learning, Scaling, Super Featured, Uncategorized

Explore how the expectations of executive support are changing – and how remote Executive Assistants can rise to meet them.

The role of remote Executive Assistants (EAs) is evolving – and fast. What was once considered enough to succeed in this career is no longer sufficient. Today, being great at managing schedules, handling inboxes, and staying organized is just the baseline. To truly thrive, they must be more efficient, proactive, and strategic than ever before. Executives are increasingly looking for remote Executive Assistants who can go beyond traditional support tasks – who can help them reclaim their time, focus on high-priority work, and operate at their highest potential. In this article, we’ll explore how the expectations of executive support are changing – and how remote Executive Assistants can rise to meet them. Revolutionizing the Role of Remote Executive Assistants: From EA to EM At Mindmaven, we believe the role of remote Executive Assistants (EAs) has the potential to be so much more than it traditionally has been. That’s why we’re redefining what it means to support an executive by introducing a new standard: the Engagement Manager (EM). What is an Engagement Manager? Engagement Managers (EM) are a hybrid of the organizational excellence of an EA with the strategic focus of a Chief of Staff. This role transforms EAs into indispensable strategic partners who don’t stop at managing schedules and tasks. Instead, they optimize workflows, nurture key relationships, and facilitate strategic delegation – creating the space executives need to focus on their highest priorities. What Does an Engagement Manager Do? An Engagement Manager’s (EM’s) role goes beyond task execution to become...


> Essential interview follow-up questions and red flags to watch for when hiring an Executive Assistant to find the right match for you and your team.

- Published: 2024-11-18
- Modified: 2024-11-18
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/great-interview-follow-up-questions/
- Categories: 4. Featured, Articles, Super Featured, Uncategorized

Essential interview follow-up questions and red flags to watch for when hiring an Executive Assistant to find the right match for you and your team.

Asking the right interview questions is essential to finding a rockstar Executive Assistant (EA) – but it’s also only the beginning. It’s your interview follow-up questions that reveal a candidate’s true potential and fit. In our last article, we shared the top 5 Executive Assistant interview questions we use in every search to reveal the qualities that distinguish rockstar EAs from the rest. (Not caught up? Click here to read Part 1 of this article now. ) And in this article, we’ll be taking things a step further. These next steps are about creating a more meaningful interview experience that will help you identify a candidate who will empower you to operate at your fullest potential. Keep reading to discover essential interview follow-up questions and red flags to watch for during the interview – ensuring you find a lasting, productive match for you and your team. Interview Follow-Up Questions: How To Find The Right Candidate Knowing what interview follow-up questions will bring the most insight can make all the difference in identifying the right candidate for your business. Asking follow-up questions – what we call “firing the second dart” – allows you to move beyond surface-level answers and have a truly meaningful conversation. Think of your primary interview questions as a warm-up, inviting Executive Assistant candidates to share their thoughts on key topics. Then, “second dart” interview follow-up questions allow you to uncover the candidate’s core thought patterns, priorities, and how they approach challenges. How to “Fire the Second Dart”:...


> Discover our top 5 Executive Assistant interview questions to help you identify a candidate who will empower you to operate at your fullest potential.

- Published: 2024-11-11
- Modified: 2025-08-14
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/top-5-executive-assistant-interview-questions/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, 2. Intent, 3. Fellowship, 4. Featured, Articles, Human First Leadership, Learning, Mindfulness, Network Relationship Management, Super Featured, Uncategorized

Discover our top 5 Executive Assistant interview questions to help you identify a candidate who will empower you to operate at your fullest potential.

Hiring a rockstar Executive Assistant (EA) is one of the most impactful decisions you’ll ever make for yourself and the success of your business. When you find the right fit, it’s like adding a powerful extension of yourself. They not only support you but anticipate your next move and contribute to the success of your company at the highest level. But finding the right person requires asking the right questions. Keep reading to discover our top 5 Executive Assistant interview questions to help you identify a candidate who will empower you to operate at your fullest potential. How We Revolutionized The Role of an Executive Assistant At Mindmaven, we didn’t just adopt the idea of an Executive Assistant – we revolutionized it. For many leaders, hiring a virtual Executive Assistant is seen as a tactical decision to “save time” or “be more productive. ” But, after working with top-tier leaders for over 15 years, we realized this limited mindset misses the mark and undercuts the success of the relationship from day one. The executives who see the biggest returns on their investment approach this hire as building a high-impact, strategic partnership. To realize this vision, we created a new role: the Engagement Manager (EM). What is an Engagement Manager (EM)? An Engagement Manager is a role that combines the operational prowess of an EA with the strategic mindset of a Chief of Staff. With one core mission – to empower you to contribute to the success of your team at...


> Proactivity is the only way to reach your full potential. Learn these 3 actionable steps to break free from reactivity and become a proactive leader.

- Published: 2024-10-07
- Modified: 2025-07-18
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/proactivity-steps-to-break-free-from-reactivity/
- Categories: Uncategorized, 1. Leverage, 2. Intent, 3. Fellowship, 7. Blog - Intent, Super Featured

Proactivity is the only way to reach your full potential. Learn these 3 actionable steps to break free from reactivity and become a proactive leader.

Proactivity is more than just a buzzword. Proactivity is a vital part of creating massive success, and it's the only way to reach your full potential. If you remain stuck in reactivity, the consequences are inevitable: wasted time, missed opportunities, and growing stress. But by becoming proactive, you don't just stay ahead of challenges—you actively create opportunities for growth. In this article, we show you how to break free from reactivity as an entrepreneur, offering three actionable steps to reclaim your time and focus on high-impact work that truly moves the needle. What Is Proactivity? And Why It’s Critical to Success Proactivity is more than just staying busy—it's about acting with intention. According to Merriam-Webster, being proactive means "acting in anticipation of future problems, needs, or changes. " When scaling a business, this translates to prioritizing tasks that drive long-term success rather than reacting to every immediate demand. It means focusing on what's important, not just what's urgent. Identifying the Reactivity Trap The problem is, our world is becoming increasingly reactive, not proactive. According to Merriam-Webster, a reactive person is someone who is "readily responsive to a stimulus. " In other words, a reactive person is at the mercy of urgency and outside influence. The feeling of urgency often trumps the feeling of importance, causing many of us to spend our days stuck in an endless loop of: New email? Better respond right away. Meeting request? Can't say no to that. Slack notification? Better respond before it's lost in the...


> Gain leadership skills from our Human First Leadership episodes to elevate your game – whether you're leading a small team or a global enterprise.

- Published: 2024-08-26
- Modified: 2024-08-27
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/top-leadership-skills-and-advice/
- Categories: 3. Fellowship, 8. Blog - Fellowship, Human First Leadership, Super Featured, Uncategorized

Gain leadership skills from our Human First Leadership episodes to elevate your game – whether you're leading a small team or a global enterprise.

What sets truly exceptional leaders apart from the rest? It's not just their titles or the companies they lead but the invaluable leadership skills and lessons they've learned along the way. Whether it's their ability to build winning team cultures where employees thrive, inspire loyalty and engagement, or leave behind a legacy as a legendary leader who paved the way for others ... In this article, we'll highlight the top leadership skills and advice from our recent Human First Leadership episodes that will help you elevate your game, whether you're leading a small team or a global enterprise. How To Build Long-Term Relationships in Business: The Power of Relevance and Intent With Adam Katz In the world of business, success often hinges on the relationships you build and the value you bring to others. For Adam Katz, Partner at New York private wealth advisory firm Corient, this has always been about more than just transactions – it's about the intent behind every interaction. Adam's leadership skills are simple yet profound: focus on making meaningful introductions and connections. Stating, "All I did for years was look at my introduction activity – those are my goals. " Instead of chasing assets and revenue, Adam's victories were measured by the connections he facilitated, even if they didn't result in immediate business outcomes. For him, success was when someone would say, "Man, you introduced me to that COO, not really a great fit for me, but my other friend who started another company, he's...


> CEO and authors, Patrick Ewers and Russ Laraway, share practical strategies for creating happy employees and high-performing teams.

- Published: 2024-07-29
- Modified: 2024-07-29
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/a-managers-guide-to-happy-employees/
- Categories: 8. Blog - Fellowship, Human First Leadership, Super Featured, Uncategorized

CEO and authors, Patrick Ewers and Russ Laraway, share practical strategies for creating happy employees and high-performing teams.

Ever wondered what it takes to become a successful manager? It’s not your authority or control; it’s about creating an environment where engaged, happy employees drive better business results. A notion Russ Laraway refers to as When They Win, You Win. In this insightful discussion, Russ Laraway, CEO and author of When They Win, You Win, and Patrick Ewers, Founder and CEO of Mindmaven and author of Radical Delegation, discuss why so many managers fail their teams. Plus, the practical strategies you can implement that result in happy employees and consistent and measurable improvements in team performance. At the end of the blog, you’ll also gain free instant access to our 10-day Positive Alacrity Challenge. This challenge helps you put the insights learned into action by leveraging the power of praise to create motivated, high-performing, and happy employees! When They Win, You Win: A Human Leadership Approach Russ has built his career on the principles of Human First Leadership, first as a US Marine Corps commander and then, more recently, at Google, Twitter, Qualtrics, and Goodwater. Continuing his principled approach to management, Russ explains why his book, When They Win, You Win, is inherently human-first. Russ says: “We spend a lot of time at work. It means a ton to us. You think about Maslow's hierarchy of needs and how much of that is served by our jobs and our careers. Whether or not you get the things you want, your manager has a really big role in that. I...


> Schedule full with back-to-back meetings? Here are two strategies to boost meeting effectiveness and free up time for your most impactful tasks.

- Published: 2024-07-22
- Modified: 2024-10-28
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/the-hidden-cost-of-back-to-back-meetings/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, 2. Intent, 3. Fellowship, 7. Blog - Intent, Articles, Learning, Productivity, Productivity Through Leverage
- Tags: communication, management, meeting, network, networking, proactivity, Productivity, time, time management

“Meetings should be like salt: A spice sprinkled carefully to enhance a dish, not poured recklessly over every forkful. Too much salt destroys a dish. Too many meetings destroy morale and motivation. ” – Jason Fried (@jasonfried), Basecamp founder and CEO According to Zippia, the average CEO has at least 37 meetings per week. That’s a colossal 72% of their time spent on meetings alone. Now, consider your own calendar. Perhaps you exceed those numbers on a regular basis. If you do, ask yourself: How many of those back-to-back meetings were truly productive? In our experience, less than 50% of the commitments made during external meetings are actually followed through. This lack of follow-through not only makes meetings ineffective but also downright damaging. In fact, the reactive chaos of day-to-day life almost guarantees this outcome. This article highlights the true cost of back-to-back meetings. But, more importantly, it shares two strategies that will maximize your meeting effectiveness and boost productivity. That way, you can reclaim your time, mental space, and ability to really move the needle forward! The Chaos of Back-to-Back Meetings Imagine this: You arrive at the office at 8:00 am with a calendar packed full of back-to-back meetings. The meetings are scheduled so close together that you hardly have time to run to the bathroom before you’re off to the next one. By 8:00 pm that night, you’re exhausted. You’ve spent the last 12 hours in (or on your way to) a blur of back-to-back meetings. You hardly...


> Discover actionable networking tips for career growth: Practice positivity, share value, and revive contacts.

- Published: 2024-07-05
- Modified: 2025-12-11
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/5-habits-deepen-your-professional-relationships/
- Categories: 2. Intent, 3. Fellowship, 8. Blog - Fellowship, Network Relationship Management

The most valuable opportunities in life—both personally and professionally—come through your network; from the people you know and trust. But there's a catch: It's not just about the people you know and trust. That's only half the equation. Equally important are those who know and trust you. That's why it's so important to continuously invest in your network. Many people assume this means time-consuming, long-game-focused interactions with your professional relationships, but that isn't always the case. Let's take a look at five simple habits you can begin implementing today to achieve immediate and measurable results in your personal and professional relationships. #1: Practice (and Preach) Intentional Positivity During interactions and conversations with others, you probably think positive thoughts about the other person fairly often. For example: "That's a really insightful way to look at the situation," "Wow, she handled that ordeal really well," or "I really admire the way he manages his team. " For most of us, those positive, uplifting, and empowering thoughts stay thoughts. But when you hold on to a thought like that, you cheat yourself out of a valuable opportunity to make the other person feel great about themselves. So, the next time you think something genuinely positive about another person, let them know. For example: Imagine you're meeting with a client—a senior partner at a law firm. Also present is a junior associate, and during the conversation, they offer a unique solution to a problem. You might think to yourself, "He's really on the ball!...


> Set yourself up for success in your new leadership role with actionable strategies and tools from Discord CCO, Stephanie Hess.

- Published: 2024-06-24
- Modified: 2025-07-07
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/transition-into-a-new-leadership-role/
- Categories: Human First Leadership, Super Featured, Uncategorized

Set yourself up for success in your new leadership role with actionable strategies and tools from Discord CCO, Stephanie Hess.

Stepping into a new leadership role can feel like navigating uncharted waters. You're inheriting a team full of expectations, adapting to a new culture, and trying to prove your value—all while figuring out what the business truly needs from you. At Mindmaven, we help executives approach this transition with clarity, confidence, and intention. Through personalized coaching and proven workflows, we help create the leadership mindset shift needed to free up 12+ hours every week, build trust, and focus on your most strategic priorities. In this episode of our Human First Leadership series, Mindmaven Founder and CEO Patrick Ewers sits down with Stephanie Hess, Chief Communication Officer at Discord, to explore strategies for a smooth and confident transition into a new leadership role. Drawing on her extensive experience, including her tenure as Head of Global Communications and Marketing at Asana, Stephanie offers invaluable insights on embracing Human First Leadership to create a curious, compassionate, and effective team environment right from the start. At the end of the article, you'll also get free access to our How I Work Notion Template, designed to help you implement these strategies for enhanced productivity and seamless team collaboration, setting you up for success in your new leadership role. Why Practice Human First Leadership? Kicking off their discussion, Patrick delves into what Human First Leadership means to Stephanie, including how compassion, empathy, and transparency can transform team dynamics and drive impactful results. Stephanie: "I love this topic. It's been something that, over the last few years...


> Learn how to prevent burnout, maintain your well-being and regain control of your time—all while continuing to scale your business effectively.

- Published: 2024-06-24
- Modified: 2024-10-04
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/how-to-prevent-burnout-and-guilt/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, 2. Intent, 3. Fellowship, 7. Blog - Intent, Scaling

Picture this: You’re in the driver’s seat of your growing business, steering your company towards success, but it feels like the road is getting steeper and the traffic heavier. You’re pushing harder, working longer hours, yet the list of tasks seems to grow faster than your progress. For over 15 years, working with innumerable startup founders and executives, we’ve noticed the same cycle ... Entrepreneurs are too often overworked and underleveraged. In this blog, you’ll learn not only how burnout, guilt, and stress develop but also discover pragmatic solutions to regain control of your time and maintain your well-being—all while continuing to successfully scale your business. Like Founder, Like Startup: The Challenge of Scale Most successful startups go through a surprisingly similar process. It all starts with a crazy idea. Then you raise money, build a proof of concept, and work hard on establishing product/market fit. One day, that idea becomes a business. But as your company scales, the demand for your time grows with it. Down the road, this can lead to some serious problems. For example: You’ll find yourself becoming more reactive to the huge amount of inbound that’s coming your way. As a result, you’ll spend less time on the proactive initiatives that move the needle most for your business. And finally, you’ll likely start sacrificing the most important relationships in your life simply because you don’t have the time to upkeep them. While we understand the importance of scaling a business, any seasoned founder knows a...


> Struggling to build new habits? Mindmaven breaks down 6 scientific facts and proven strategies to help you form new habits that last.

- Published: 2024-06-17
- Modified: 2026-04-05
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/building-new-habits/
- Categories: 2. Intent, 7. Blog - Intent, Uncategorized

Wanting to get a jump on the new year? Here are 6 facts successbul people know about building new habits that make it easy to acheve your goals.

Here at Mindmaven, we know new habits are central to the success of our clients. In fact, almost everything we teach is based on adopting new habits. Why? Because we all share the same 24-hour days, so what sets the most productive and successful people apart is simply how they use the time they’re given. In other words, they have better habits, allowing them to make better use of their time. If you’ve ever found yourself wishing there were more hours in the day, it’s probably time to take a closer look at the habits that are running your life. After all: Habits, by their very nature, are subconscious. They happen with or without your intention. Think about it: How often do you forget to brush your teeth in the morning? Probably not often. And if you do forget, you’ll probably notice immediately and get up to do it because you feel “wrong. ” And we don’t mean “wrong” in the hygienic sense; we mean you have this sense that you didn’t do something you usually do. Habits like brushing your teeth don’t need to be scheduled onto your calendar. They just happen, no management required, and your life (or at least your hygiene) is better because of it. That’s the power of habits: Subconscious positive change. And yet, as powerful as they are, many of us don’t leverage them to the extent we should. Why? At least in my experience, it’s because we don’t understand them as fully as...


> Implement these 4 practical strategies to minimize disruptions at work, stay focused, and supercharge your daily productivity!

- Published: 2024-06-17
- Modified: 2024-06-18
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/stay-focused-4-practical-strategies/
- Categories: 2. Intent, 7. Blog - Intent, Super Featured, Uncategorized

Implement these 4 practical strategies to minimize disruptions at work, stay focused, and supercharge your daily productivity!

Imagine this: You're deep in the zone, tackling a critical project, when suddenly, an email notification pops up. You pause to check it, thinking it'll only take a moment. But what you might not realize is that this tiny interruption has just set off a chain reaction. Finally, you can resume your project, but now you're faced with the price of this disruption: increased stress, higher frustration, and a surge in time pressure and effort. In fact, research shows that after just 20 minutes of interrupted work, the levels of stress and frustration skyrocket, making the task at hand feel even more daunting. Interruptions aren't just a minor inconvenience – they're a major productivity killer. But don't worry, we're here to help. Let's dive into some practical strategies and insights we've found offer excellent results in helping our team, clients (and hopefully you) stay focused! Assessing the Damage: How Much Time Do Distractions Cost? While interruptions are nearly impossible to eliminate entirely, there are steps we can take to reduce interruptions and distractions to a more reasonable (and less detrimental) level so we can stay focused. But first, it's important you really understand the damage these distractions are causing. Over the next three days, we challenge you to create a log of all the interruptions (and interrupters) you encounter that hinder your ability to stay focused. And keep in mind: One of your chief interrupters may be yourself. After all, how often do you stop in the middle of a...


> Dive deeper into the benefits of company culture and why creating a culture document is key for building aligned, productive, and successful teams.

- Published: 2024-05-20
- Modified: 2024-05-20
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/benefits-of-company-culture/
- Categories: 3. Fellowship, 8. Blog - Fellowship, Human First Leadership, Super Featured, Uncategorized

Dive deeper into the benefits of company culture and why creating a culture document is key for building aligned, productive, and successful teams.

Welcome back to our series on the benefits of company culture, where we continue our discussion with Mindmaven Founder and CEO Patrick Ewers and serial entrepreneur Jeff Wald. In Part 1, Patrick and Jeff laid the groundwork on how to create a living company culture document that propels your operations toward your collective North Star. (Not caught up? Click here to read Part 1 of this session now. ) Now, in Part 2, we dive deeper into the benefits of company culture and why creating a culture document is key for building aligned, productive, and successful teams. Keep reading to discover why this is not only critical to achieving your organizational goals but is also a more humane way of leading. What Are The Benefits of Company Culture and Transparency In Leadership? Jeff shares the benefits of company culture, including how prioritizing transparency not only attracts the right followers but also enhances communication and mutual understanding within your team. Jeff: “I think it's important that you are very clear and intentional about the kind of company you want to build. So, as a leader, we get the followers we deserve. And if you're not really clear with everybody, then that's going to be the team you're going to get. People aren’t going to be clear with each other. If you are being intentional, not only will you get the team you deserve, and everybody understands, but people opt in and opt out. Post-acquisition, when that document was then up on...


> Reveal the power of a well-implemented company culture document for creating alignment that gets the team and the results you deserve.

- Published: 2024-05-20
- Modified: 2024-05-20
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/company-culture-document/
- Categories: 3. Fellowship, 8. Blog - Fellowship, Human First Leadership, Super Featured

Reveal the power of a well-implemented company culture document for creating alignment that gets the team and the results you deserve.

The company culture document. You may have heard of it; you may even already have one ... But like most startups, you may be one of many who fail to make it come alive daily. Providing the pragmatic insights you need to succeed, Mindmaven Founder and CEO Patrick Ewers is joined by Jeff Wald. Jeff is the founder of several technology startups, including Bento Engine, Independetly. ai, Heist, Memory Lane, Sonero, and Spinback – a social sharing platform purchased by Salesforce. With another HR tech startup on the horizon, Jeff is the prototype of a successful serial entrepreneur. Together, they reveal the transformative power of a well-implemented company culture document for creating alignment that gets the team and the results you deserve. Keep reading to learn the practical steps to create a living company culture document that enhances team cohesion and propels your operations toward achieving your collective North Star. How Can Leaders Align Actions With Values? Human First Leadership is an approach that prioritizes each team member's well-being, personal growth, and empowerment. Believing that a company's success is built on genuinely valuing and investing in its people, Patrick asks Jeff why he considers forming a company culture document so critical to his organizational achievements. Jeff: “We all talk about our people are our most important asset. Okay, I'm certainly going to be in violent agreement with that statement. How are you aligning your people toward your goals? How are you making sure these most important assets are being as...


> Learn why Positive Alacrity is the simplest yet most powerful way of building relationships and creating a deeper sense of happiness and fulfillment.

- Published: 2024-04-29
- Modified: 2025-08-11
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/the-secret-to-building-relationships/
- Categories: 3. Fellowship, 8. Blog - Fellowship, Super Featured, Uncategorized

Learn why Positive Alacrity is the simplest yet most powerful way of building relationships and creating a deeper sense of happiness and fulfillment.

The best things in life always come from quality relationships with other people. Most people we talk to agree with this statement, but when we ask, “Do you think you’re investing enough into building relationships? ” most people sheepishly admit, no, they aren't. (Feeling guilty of this yourself? You’re not alone! ) Diagnosing the Issue If most people agree relationships are the source of the best things in life, why do we so often neglect them? It boils down to this: building relationships takes proactive work to maintain. Proactive work is always important but almost never urgent. Unfortunately, important but non-urgent tasks often get pushed aside for tasks that are more urgent but less important. To combat this urgency vs. importance battle, we will give you the habits and pragmatic steps you can follow to consistently and easily deliver experiences that deepen your relationships, bring you to your highest leadership potential, and get the most from your network. One of the most powerful ways we’ve found to overcome the urgency vs. importance issue is a practice we call Positive Alacrity. Positive Alacrity: The Simplest Yet Most Powerful Way of Building Relationships Positive Alacrity comes down to one little habit: When you think something positive that you genuinely believe, voice it. If it sounds surprisingly simple, you’re right! But the fact is, as common sense as this sounds, it’s very rarely practiced. The power behind Positive Alacrity comes from developing the skill of consistently delivering micro-moments of positivity that have a...


> Former CMO of Asana, Dave King, shares actionable team leadership insights to instill irrational belief in your team for breakthrough success.

- Published: 2024-04-15
- Modified: 2024-04-15
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/team-leadership-how-to-instill-belief/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, 2. Intent, 3. Fellowship, 4. Featured, 5. Video, Human First Leadership, Network Relationship Management, Super Featured, Uncategorized

Former CMO of Asana, Dave King, shares actionable team leadership insights to instill irrational belief in your team for breakthrough success and career highs.

At Mindmaven, we're big fans of Asana for efficient project management. But nothing quite motivates a team to produce maximum output like extraordinary team leadership. That's why, in this installment of our Human First Leadership series, we're thrilled to be joined by former Chief Marketing Officer of Asana, Dave King. Our very own Mindmaven Founder and CEO, Patrick Ewers, sits down with Dave to reveal the profound impact of excellent team leadership on his career. Plus, how you can instill belief in your team that produces Superpowered results and career highs. What Is the Difference Between Managing and Leading? Kicking things off, Patrick reminisces about a gem Dave dropped during their first chat about team leadership. Patrick: "You said, 'As a leader, if you do not care about the people that follow you, they won't care about you, and there's absolutely no way you will ever get the highest performance out of that team. ' That is such a profound realization. What journey were you on to get to that particular conviction? " Dave explains: "A lot of people conflate the role of a manager with the role of a leader. A manager is a position that is given to you. A leadership role is an act; it's an action. It's a series of activities that you do. At the heart of leadership, I think it's really two things: First is, how do you help the people that you are leading achieve their full potential? And secondly, how do you...


- Published: 2024-03-10
- Modified: 2025-07-17
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/how-to-find-an-executive-assistant/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, 4. Featured, 5. Video, Articles, Learning, Productivity, Productivity Through Leverage, Scaling, Super Featured
- Tags: business, CEO, Email Management, engagement Manager, executive assistant, founder, leader, leadership, leverage, management, Productivity, startups, time management

Find the perfect Executive Assistant or Engagement Manager to upgrade your team and provide you with the leadership lift your company deserves.

As a CEO or founder, you need a highly skilled and trustworthy person to help you manage your day-to-day operations and scale your business. But knowing how to find and hire a rock star Executive Assistant (EA) or Engagement Manager (EM) can be daunting ... However, with the right knowledge and resources, you can find the perfect person to save you time, provide a mental lift, and help you take your business to the next level. Before we start, we're thrilled to announce the release of our inaugural book, Radical Delegation – now available on Amazon. Radical Delegation offers a revolutionary approach that reimagines the role of Executive Assistants to boost your productivity and free up 12+ hours every week. To start freeing up massive hours, focus on high-impact tasks that truly move the needle and dramatically reduce your mental load ... Get your copy of Radical Delegation on Amazon now. You’ll find lots of pragmatic, step-by-step guidance on how to delegate to an Executive Assistant and streamline your operations for efficient, Superpowered success. But if you're simply curious to learn what you need to look for in an Executive Assistant or Engagement Manager, this article is the perfect starting point. We'll share the five inherent and hard-skill qualities to look for and how to make the hiring process much easier. Plus, explore the four myths that can derail you with Mindmaven's time-tested, proven solutions to hiring a rock-star Executive Assistant. By the end of this article, you'll better understand...


> Inbox Zero only takes you so far. Master Inbox Shadowing, the email management approach that contributes to freeing up 12+ hours every week.

- Published: 2024-02-26
- Modified: 2024-03-20
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/inbox-shadowing-email-management/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, 6. Blog - Leverage, Network Relationship Management, Productivity, Super Featured
- Tags: Email Management, Productivity, time management

Inbox Zero only takes you so far. Master Inbox Shadowing, the email management approach that contributes to freeing up 12+ hours every week.

US President John F. Kennedy was well-known for a unique and powerful skill: The ability to remember the names and details of almost every single person he’d ever met. Although other leaders after him may have been charismatic, few possessed this uncanny skill (probably because they never read Forget Me Not: 7 Tips to Remember Names). But once that precedent was set, there were expectations to live up to. And so, short of Kennedy’s extraordinary memory, many world leaders now deploy a special individual called a “shadower. ” A shadower is someone who walks the crowd with the president at important events, whispering pertinent personal information in the leader’s ear about approaching attendees. For example: A shadower might inform the president that a California senator’s 19-year-old daughter is attending Princeton this fall. With this information at hand, the president is able to deliver a highly relevant, personalized interaction to the senator, thus forming a deeper, more meaningful connection. Can you see how something like this might be valuable? Now, let’s apply this concept to the digital world. Realistically, you probably don’t need someone shadowing you at board meetings or fundraising events; but there is another way you can leverage this practice in your email management: Inbox Shadowing. Unleash Your Leverage Superpower and Free Up 12+ Hours Every Week. Before we dive into the fundamentals of Inbox Shadowing, we’re thrilled to announce the launch of our inaugural book, Radical Delegation – now available on Amazon! Radical Delegation is packed with productivity-boosting...


> Supercharge your relationships and maximize your productivity by learning how to master the tactic of Meeting Debriefs.

- Published: 2024-02-12
- Modified: 2024-03-20
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/meeting-debriefs/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, 6. Blog - Leverage, Super Featured, Uncategorized
- Tags: communication, Fellowship, first impression, meeting debrief, meetings, networking, professional challenges, relationships

Supercharge your relationships and maximize your productivity by learning how to master the tactic of Meeting Debriefs.

Imagine this: You’re meeting with Erin, an up-and-coming startup CEO whom you haven’t talked with in six months. You walk into the room, shake hands, and the first thing she says is, “Hey, last time we talked, you mentioned that your grandmother wasn’t doing so well. How is she now? ” How would that simple question make you feel? Your first response would probably be a thought like, “Wow, she has incredible memory! ” But afterward, you’d probably think, “If she remembered my grandmother’s health, she must really care about me. ” Now, fast-forward a couple of weeks. You meet a venture capitalist actively looking to expand their portfolio. You might have a network of 500 startup CEOs you could recommend, but who’s the first person that will probably come to mind? Likely Erin, who just a few weeks prior made you feel valued, cared for, and important. Because of that simple interaction—that simple question—you introduce Erin and the investor, and they end up striking a deal and delivering massive value to both sides. If Erin hadn’t made such a strong impression by asking about your grandmother, who knows if she would have been top-of-mind when the opportunity arose? Now, here’s the question: What if you could deliver experiences like that to practically everyone in your network almost every time? What kind of an impact would that have on your relationships? Your network? Your business? The effect could be huge. We’re going to talk about how you can do just...


> Relationships in business - explore how playing the long game and prioritizing relationships in business can be your biggest competitive advantage.

- Published: 2024-02-05
- Modified: 2024-02-06
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/relationships-in-business/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, 2. Intent, 3. Fellowship, 4. Featured, 5. Video, Human First Leadership, Network Relationship Management, Super Featured, Uncategorized
- Tags: productivity through leverage, relationship, relationship management, relationships

Relationships in business - explore how playing the long game and prioritizing relationships in business can be your biggest competitive advantage.

In a vast field of trees, everyone is busy shaking branches, seeking immediate rewards. But what if the real secret to long-lasting success lies beneath the surface, in the art of planting seeds and becoming the sustenance for the most fruitful growth of all? This is the story of Adam Katz, Partner at Corient, a private wealth advisory firm based in New York. Now, if you're thinking, "I don't want to hear from a private wealth advisor today. " Hold that thought ... Adam is more than just a financial expert – he's an entrepreneur and true Human First Leader with an incredibly inspiring story to tell. Keep reading to explore how playing the long game and prioritizing relationships in business can be your biggest competitive advantage yet. Adam's Entrepreneurial Journey Before we begin, here's what you need to know about Adam ... For around 20 years, Adam worked in private wealth at Merrill Lynch. Despite everything pointing him to being a lifer, Adam decided to found his own private wealth company, Kore Private Wealth. Leveraging the fact that business is all about humans, Adam set out to prioritize authentic relationships in business, happiness, fulfillment, and, as a by-product, remarkable success. In just four years, Adam orchestrated a multi-million dollar exit from Kore Private Wealth – a speedy feat rarely achieved in the startup environment! Adam's story offers an insightful take on a fun and fulfilling route to success, grounded in authentic relationships in business and the joy of genuinely...


> Learn how to use dictation and boost your productivity, craft exceptional experiences, and make a memorable impact in your relationships.

- Published: 2024-01-29
- Modified: 2024-03-20
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/how-to-use-dictation/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, 3. Fellowship, 4. Featured, 6. Blog - Leverage, Articles, Productivity, Productivity Through Leverage, Super Featured, Uncategorized
- Tags: boost productivity, communication, Dictation, Email Management, habits, high performance leadership, leadership, productive, Productivity, productivity through leverage, superpowers, time management, use your voice, when to use dictation

Use your voice and dictation to create amazing experiences to boost your productivity and create lasting impact with improved relationships.

"Hey Siri, what's the weather today? " "Alexa, turn off the living room lights. " "Hey Google, which city is the tech capital of the world? " We all love giving nifty voice commands that make life just a tad easier. But while most of us are savvy with cool tech tricks in our personal lives, it's mind-blowing how many CEOs and leaders are sleeping on the power of dictation to supercharge their efficiency and productivity. In this article about how to use dictation, we explore new, innovative ways to use dictations to gain enormous Leverage, revolutionize your productivity, and provide amazing experiences to those who drive success. Before we get to that, we have over 15+ years of experience helping clients free up 12+ hours a week, and we’ve built up a treasure trove of pragmatic strategies to help you achieve the same Superpowered results. If you didn't know, we've even written a book giving you the framework – and it’s now available on Amazon! Master Dictation and Free Up 12+ Hours a Day by Reimagining Your Partnership With Your EA Through Our New Book, Radical Delegation. By clicking on this article, we're guessing that, like us, you love learning new productivity tactics to free up massive time in your week, maximize your impact, and propel you toward your vision. If that sounds like you, then we'd love you to check out our new book, Radical Delegation, on Amazon. This isn't just another business book; it's a playbook for...


> The Radical Delegation Revolution: Introducing a framework that empowers you to work smarter, not harder. We call it the Superpower of Leverage.

- Published: 2024-01-15
- Modified: 2026-04-03
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/the-superpower-of-leverage-radical-delegation/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, Articles, Mindshare Management, Productivity, Productivity Through Leverage, Uncategorized
- Tags: CEO, delegation, engagement Manager, executive assistant, founder, leadership, Leadership skills, leverage, managing teams, productive, Productivity, productivity through leverage, radical delegation, superpower, team building

Wish you had more time for the important things instead of always firefighting urgent requests? Would you like to have an extra day a week for what matters most to you? Discover how to leverage radical delegation as your superpower.

Do you often feel overwhelmed by endless tasks, leaving no time for thoughtful decision-making? Do you wish you could devote more time to those things that move the needle most rather than constantly firefighting? Do you find yourself wishing for more hours in a day or more days in a week? If so, read on ... This article introduces you to a framework that empowers you to work smarter, not harder. We call it the Superpower of Leverage. Why trust us? Because at Mindmaven, we’ve spent more than a decade helping our clients free up hours every week. We know what works – so much that we’ve decided to literally write a book about it. Senior leaders rarely struggle with a lack of ideas. What they struggle with is time. When every day is filled with operational decisions, email threads, and meeting follow-ups, even the most capable executives can find themselves trapped in reactive work instead of focusing on the strategic priorities that actually move the business forward. Many leaders ask the same question: How do I create more space for the work that truly matters? At Mindmaven, we’ve spent more than a decade helping executives answer that question. The solution often comes down to one powerful leadership capability: Leverage. How Executives Free Up Time Without Losing Control Executives free up time without losing control by redesigning how work flows through their organization. Rather than trying to work faster, effective leaders delegate operational execution while maintaining strategic oversight and decision...


> If you're juggling being a working parent and a successful business leader, this article offers pragmatic solutions for a superior work-life balance.

- Published: 2024-01-08
- Modified: 2024-01-16
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/how-to-be-a-great-working-parent/
- Categories: 3. Fellowship, 8. Blog - Fellowship, Mindset and Likability
- Tags: fulfillment, mindset, parenting

One thing we come across regularly in our coaching sessions with high-powered, successful professionals in Silicon Valley is that they care. They care incredibly about their children but often feel unsatisfied about the role they're taking on as a parent. But perhaps most profoundly ... They feel guilty. If you're juggling being a working parent and a successful business leader, we predict, like many of our clients, you have a common concern when it comes to your work-life balance: You never seem to have enough time and wish you could spend more of it with your kids. Professional pressures are a common obstacle between you and spending quality time with your family. Part and parcel of why we deliver strategies to help manage your time with heightened intentionality and efficiency – giving you back massive hours every week so you can become more involved with your family life. What Does Parental Burnout Look Like? Parental burnout is a genuine concern for any working parent, especially those navigating high-powered careers. Constantly juggling professional responsibilities and family life can take a severe mental and physical toll. These create a unique set of pressures that can impact personal well-being and the dynamics within your family unit. Parental burnout presents itself in several ways. Some indicators include constant exhaustion, emotional distance, increased irritability, lack of enjoyment, neglect of mindfulness, and a feeling of immovable overwhelm. Suppose you are dealing with parental burnout or simply struggling with balancing your children's needs as a professional working...


> Explore when to hire an Executive Assistant and how this Superpowered investment boosts productivity and increases your time budget.

- Published: 2023-12-04
- Modified: 2024-01-09
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/when-to-hire-an-executive-assistant/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, 2. Intent, 3. Fellowship, 4. Featured, 6. Blog - Leverage

When you think of your journey as a startup founder, what image springs to mind? You might picture yourself locked away, fully immersed in the relentless pursuit of developing the next groundbreaking idea in complete isolation... But at Mindmaven, we believe this is not only unnecessary but also highly ineffective. From our experience working with and coaching hundreds of successful founders, CEOs, and entrepreneurs, we can tell you this... Hiring an Executive Assistant (EA) isn’t a luxury but a strategic necessity that can revolutionize your startup journey. In fact, the question is no longer whether you should hire one – the question is simply when to hire an Executive Assistant. Does a CEO Need an Executive Assistant? Before getting into the enormous value of why and when to hire an Executive Assistant, we must start by dismissing the myth of scrappy entrepreneurs. If you believe as a founder, you need to sit in the bullpen next to all your other employees – think again. Our founder and CEO, Patrick Ewers, has spent nearly two decades coaching some of Silicon Valley’s most brilliant minds and defines the role of founder as this ... "Your job as a founder is to guide the product vision and convince people that you are onto something big. ” What do we mean when we say “people”? We mean the best talent you can possibly find – and convincing them to join you at a time when most would deem you too risky. What are the...


> Explore Human First Leadership and the three Superpowers you need to implement this powerful leadership style in your organization.

- Published: 2023-11-20
- Modified: 2025-06-22
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/what-is-human-first-leadership/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, 2. Intent, 3. Fellowship, 6. Blog - Leverage, 7. Blog - Intent, 8. Blog - Fellowship, Articles, Human First Leadership, Super Featured, Uncategorized
- Tags: business development, Fellowship, High performance teams, human-first leadership, intent, leadership development, leadership styles, leverage, organizational goals

Explore Human First Leadership and the three Superpowers you need to implement this powerful leadership style in your organization.

Human First Leadership allows you and your team to reach your fullest potential. But what does this leadership style mean, and why is it defining the future of great CEOs? In this article, we’ll answer this question and reveal the three Superpowers you need to implement this powerful leadership style in your organization. To do this, we’ll explore Human First Leadership and why it’s so valuable to propel your organization toward new heights of success ... We’ll dive into the three Superpowers you need to unleash that allow you to become an awesome Human First Leader ... Plus, at the end of this article, you’ll gain instant access to a comprehensive collection of game-changing resources to assist you in embracing and implementing Human First Leadership within your organization! So, let’s begin this exciting exploration into Human First Leadership and how it could help you unleash the full potential of your organization ... What Is Human First Leadership? It goes without saying that leadership is far more complex than command and control. Today, successful leaders understand that a people-centric approach that prioritizes their team member’s well-being, growth, and fulfillment is key to organizational success. But don’t be fooled into thinking Human First Leadership will come at the expense of achieving your business goals. In fact, Human First Leadership, when executed correctly, can massively enhance your organization’s efficiency, productivity, and overall success. This is something that Sean Byrnes, founder of Flurry and Outlier, can attest to. Patrick recently sat down with Sean...


> As a company grows, so too must its leadership. Read this article to learn three ways of successfully scaling yourself alongside your startup.

- Published: 2023-10-16
- Modified: 2025-06-22
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/ceos-scale-yourself/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, 2. Intent, 3. Fellowship, Super Featured, Uncategorized
- Tags: CEO, engagement Manager, executive assistant, Fellowship, goal setting, leadership, leadership traits, leverage, mindset, networking, scale yourself, scaling yourself, start-ups, whitespace time

Like many founders and startup CEOs, you've probably embraced the idea of scaling your business, but you may be overlooking something equally important: Scaling yourself. The truth is, a company can’t out-scale its leadership (or, if it does, it’s often not long before that leader burns out). As we’ll talk about below, what got you here won’t necessarily get you there. There will always be new challenges to overcome. The trick is developing a system to consistently meet and overcome these challenges while ensuring your time and resources are being invested in the most efficient way possible. It’s really this simple: As a company grows, so must its leadership. So, in this article, we’d like to share three ways of developing the CEO mindset necessary for successfully scaling yourself while scaling your business. #1: Scaling Yourself Means Embracing an Identity Crisis In the early stages of their company, many startup CEOs embrace the “scrappy, do-it-yourself startup entrepreneur” identity: A leader of many hats (and just as many responsibilities) who works miracles with limited resources and an even more limited budget. And while that approach is often necessary to establish initial success, this CEO mindset can become harmful. As a company becomes more successful and the pressures and responsibilities on the CEO mount, that well-intentioned “do-it-yourself” mentality can fast-track burnout. As a startup CEO or leader, it’s important to be open to adopting new leadership “identities” to continue successfully scaling yourself as you meet the growing needs of scaling your business....


> Explore why Sidharth Kakkar, founder and CEO of Subscript, is championing autonomy in the workplace. Plus, free 'My North Star Objective' Template download.

- Published: 2023-10-02
- Modified: 2023-10-16
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/autonomy-in-the-workplace-with-sidharth-kakkar/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, Articles, Human First Leadership, Productivity, Uncategorized
- Tags: attrition rates, autonomy, autonomy in the workplace, company culture, Employee attrition, fulfillment, leadership, Leadership trust, micromanagement, micromanagement in the workplace, Productivity, regret attrition, Sidharth Kakkar, Subscript, zero regret attrition

Explore why Sidharth Kakkar (founder and CEO of Subscript) is championing autonomy in the workplace. Gain pragmatic insights on how to elevate your organization's productivity and talent retention. Plus, download your free 'My North Star Objective' Notion Template for leadership success.

Meet Sidharth Kakkar, the founder and CEO of Subscript, a subscription intelligence platform empowering B2B SaaS leaders. Bringing a unique approach to our Human First Leadership series, Sidharth’s methods, including offering complete autonomy in the workplace, can be described as both exceptional and intriguing. In this interview, led by Mindmaven founder Patrick Ewers, we look inside Sidharth’s operations that have allowed him to achieve zero regret attrition. A remarkable organizational accomplishment that indicates a prowess in effectively managing and retaining top-tier talent and building a stable, high-performing workforce. Read on to gain the pragmatic insights and strategies that can help you achieve similarly remarkable results and redefine your business’ approach to productivity and fulfillment ... Plus, download your free copy of our 'My North Star Objective' Notion Template. An invaluable resource to help you consolidate your goals, providing the clarity and direction needed to navigate your journey toward success. Let’s get started ... Championing a Company Culture Where Everyone Wins Subscript is on a mission to empower finance leaders of subscription companies to better understand and manage their businesses and support their CEOs and leadership teams. Revealing how they are driving this vision, Sidharth states: “The way we’re operating the company and building things is some of the principles that you mentioned around giving people a lot of autonomy. " What Is Autonomy in the Workplace? Sidharth opens up about what autonomy in the workplace means for his business, explaining: "Almost complete autonomy in terms of how they go about...


> Discover why showing empathy in communication is one of the most critical skills leaders can develop to cultivate strong, lasting relationships.

- Published: 2023-09-19
- Modified: 2023-10-02
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/how-to-use-empathy-to-strengthen-your-connections/
- Categories: 3. Fellowship, 4. Featured, 5. Video, Articles, Mindset and Likability, Network Relationship Management
- Tags: communication, empathy, empathy in communication, empathy in leadership, high performance leadership, how to be empathetic, network, network management, network relationship management, networking, relationship management, relationships, strengthen your connections, sympathy, the power of empathy

Empathy allows us to create and nurture strong, lasting relationships by showing our genuine care for others as individuals rather than business opportunities. This article explores how developing empathy is one of the most essential skills for successful leadership.

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. ” ― Maya Angelou Imagine your Executive Assistant (EA) abruptly hands in their two-week resignation following an unexpected personal emergency. Besides being completely blindsided by the news (and worried about how you will cope without them), you’re devastated to lose such a valuable team member. Upon hearing the news, two friends of yours reach out: Friend 1: Hey, I just heard about Rob quitting. I’m so sorry to hear that. Hope you find someone new soon! Best, John Friend 2: Hey, I just heard about Rob’s sudden departure. I can imagine you’re still in shock, so I wanted to reach out. As a founder myself, I understand what a blow this is. At times, finding the right people for my team has been an agonizing process – between candidates without the right skills, those who don’t fit in with the culture, and those who are snapped up by more established companies with better benefits or higher pay – the talent pool can feel quite limited. When I have lost those right people from my team and had to start all over again, it has been devastating. I just wanted you to know you’re not alone and you’ll get through this. As a side note: Mindmaven helped me find my EA, and she’s been a game-changer. They have a great recruiting team and take the work out of finding...


> Gain pragmatic insights from Amit Bhatia, co-founder and CEO of Datapeople, on fair and efficient talent acquisition for high-performing teams.

- Published: 2023-09-04
- Modified: 2023-12-04
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/talent-acquisition-build-high-performance-teams/
- Categories: 7. Blog - Intent, 8. Blog - Fellowship, Articles, Human First Leadership, Uncategorized, Video
- Tags: Amit Bhatia, Datapeople, Fellowship, hiring, hiring process, human-first leadership, intent, leadership, leverage, meetings, Productivity, talent acquisition, talent pool

When discussing how to optimize your talent acquisition, there’s no one better to turn to for pragmatic insights than Amit Bhatia. Amit is the co-founder and CEO of Datapeople, a pioneering SaaS platform redefining recruitment by helping businesses predict ideal hires. Since 2015, Datapeople has been on a mission to revolutionize talent acquisition. Affording candidates a more human hiring experience and empowering recruiters with increased effectiveness. In this article, we share an exclusive interview with Amit, led by our Mindmaven founder, Patrick Ewers. Together, they spearhead one of the most important topics in modern leadership, Human First Leadership, and what that means for the future of talent acquisition. Read on to gain pragmatic insights on how Human First Leadership is cultivating high-performance teams and could help propel your business toward robust success. Why the World Needs Human First Leadership Diving straight into the anchor of our discussion, Patrick asks Amit what Human First Leadership means to him and its manifestations in his professional journey. Amit shares: “Through my experiences in lots of different geographies and companies and careers ... I’ve realized everything in the corporate world is designed to treat people like they’re infants. The Monday to Friday, the nine to five, stem from a very early industrial age, and it hasn’t ever evolved since then. All the structures, the bureaucracy, the red tape, the meetings, the petty politics. They’re all designed to treat us like we’re less than adults as if we’re not trusting. And so to me, Human...


> Writing a thank you email is one of the quickest and most effective ways to forge powerful, genuine connections in your network. Here's how.

- Published: 2023-08-28
- Modified: 2025-07-07
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/powerful-connection-thank-you/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, 2. Intent, 3. Fellowship, Mindset and Likability

As a busy executive, sending thank you emails more often might seem like obvious advice. But what’s often overlooked is just how strategic thank you emails can be in building lasting, high-value relationships. Gratitude is one of the most powerful, underutilized tools in your relationship-building toolkit. Not just because it’s the right thing to do—but because it creates relevant, meaningful, and memorable interactions with the people who matter most to your success. The problem? Most leaders only express thanks when a specific trigger or event prompts it. For example: A team member exceeds expectations, A peer offers helpful feedback, or A contact makes a valuable introduction. These are all valid moments. But they’re expected. The real power lies in the unexpected thank you—when you reach out not out of obligation, but out of genuine appreciation. That’s when gratitude becomes a leadership asset. It surprises, uplifts, and strengthens trust in ways that reactive communication never could. The Benefits of an Unexpected Thank You Email for Executives Unlike routine gratitude that follows a trigger, unexpected appreciation is proactive. It signals that you’re thinking intentionally about your relationships, not just reacting to events. This type of outreach isn’t driven by obligation or politeness; it’s rooted in authentic appreciation. And because it catches people by pleasant surprise, it lands with far more emotional weight. Here are three ways unexpected thank you emails can meaningfully enhance your leadership relationships: #1: You make the other person the center of attention Saying “thank you” as a response...


> Create powerful scheduling workflows that save time, increase productivity, and get results when you know how to use Asana for schedules ...

- Published: 2023-08-15
- Modified: 2024-03-12
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/scheduling-in-asana/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, 2. Intent, 4. Featured, Articles, Mindshare Management, Productivity, Productivity Through Leverage
- Tags: asana, calendar, diary management, executive assistant, how to use asana, managing schedules, schedules, scheduling, scheduling in asana, workflow

Create powerful scheduling workflows that save time, increase productivity, and get results. This Complete Guide to Scheduling in Asana helps leaders and their Executive Assistants (EA) achieve true greatness by freeing up quality time to invest in what matters most.

If you want to know how to use Asana for managing schedules, how to use scheduling assistants, or how to make schedules for employees with examples, then this guide is for you. We designed our complimentary Complete Guide to Scheduling in Asana, to help leaders and their Executive Assistants (EA) achieve true greatness by freeing up quality time to invest in what matters most. We hope you find it valuable. Whether it's wanting to know "How do I schedule a meeting in Asana? " Or "How can scheduling efficiency be improved? " — understanding how to use Asana to manage schedules is vital for busy executives and their Executive Assistants (EA). This article covers the following top ten items: What is Scheduling? Why Is Scheduling Important? How To Create a Workflow What Is a Good Workflow? How To Use Asana A Story Showing the Real Difference This Can Make Is a Lack of Structure or Transparency Causing Issues? What Can We Do About It? Flipping the Script: Effortless Scheduling in Asana The Complete Guide to Scheduling in Asana What Is Scheduling? Scheduling is the process of planning, arranging, and optimizing available time and workload. Managing schedules efficiently empowers you to use your time in the most efficient way, investing in meeting the right people and objectives to drive the best results for your business. For an Executive Assistant (EA), managing your executive's schedule is the art of carefully planning your executive's time to help them achieve their goals and priorities...


> Explore the future of leadership in tech in this exclusive interview with Modelbit co-founder, and exceptional Human First Leader, Harry Glaser.

- Published: 2023-07-17
- Modified: 2023-07-28
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/future-of-leadership-in-tech-with-harry-glaser/
- Categories: 3. Fellowship, 5. Video, 8. Blog - Fellowship, Uncategorized
- Tags: empathy, Fellowship, Harry Glaser, human-first leadership, Leadership in tech, the power of empathy, toolbox resources

Leadership in tech is an exhilarating roller-coaster where shifting priorities, soaring AI capabilities, and an ever-evolving landscape keep us on the edge of our seats. You don't need us to tell you these past few years have been one wild ride. Tech giants like Google, Microsoft, Meta, and Amazon - yeah, the big shots - have all been making headlines with seismic layoffs that have shaken the industry to its core. Who can forget Elon Musk's acquisition of Twitter in 2022? According to Business Today, the $44 billion takeover came with multiple rounds of layoffs and a jaw-dropping 80% reduction in Twitter's workforce! Amidst this chaos emerges a burning question: Can leaders in tech ever regain the trust of their employees? And are there valuable lessons to be learned for CEOs and executives across all industries? Today, we're delving deep into these pressing issues through a candid interview with special guest Harry Glaser. Harry's own $130 million sale of his co-founded company, Periscope Data, means he's no stranger to the challenges, triumphs, and lessons of leadership in tech. Now, Harry's on a new mission, co-founding Modelbit - a trailblazing tech company empowering data scientists to unleash the lightning-fast potential of machine learning models. Together with Mindmaven founder Patrick Ewers, they dive headfirst into the future of leadership in tech. Covering everything from Harry's difficult lessons learned as CEO to his courageous outlook on deviating from the industry playbook. Brace yourself to unlock a new paradigm of Human First Leadership, where...


> Learn how to write a great follow-up email after a meeting with easy steps, tips, and templates to boost your professional connections.

- Published: 2023-06-30
- Modified: 2026-04-05
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/how-to-write-a-great-follow-up-email-to-a-meeting/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, 3. Fellowship, 4. Featured, 5. Video, 6. Blog - Leverage, Articles, Learning, Mindshare Management, Productivity
- Tags: communication, email, email template, follow-up emails, how to follow up with email, how to write emails, leadership, leverage, network relationship management, relationship management, relationships

Learn how to send quick, effective follow-up emails to strengthen your connections with our free template, comprehensive checklist, and engaging video tutorial.

How To Write a Professional Follow-Up Email If you invest 30-60 minutes of your time with someone, isn't it worth sending a follow-up email? Of course, the answer is yes, but urgent reactive demands can often take time and attention away from simple proactive tasks. That's why this article will give you a simple step-by-step process to send quick and effective follow-up emails, with practical examples, top tips, and valuable free support resources, such as Mindmaven's email template checklist. Why It's Important To Send a Follow-Up Email Follow-up emails aren’t just polite. They’re a powerful tool for reinforcing your value, building trust, and keeping relationships active. In competitive markets where the difference between you and your closest competitor is razor-thin, a thoughtful follow-up can tip the scales in your favor. Besides, when you look at the minimal time and energy investment involved in writing a follow-up email to your meetings, it's really a no-brainer (especially with these follow-up email templates. ) Costly Mistakes To Avoid With Follow-Up Emails This won’t be the first time you've thought about sending follow-up emails. In fact, it probably isn't even the first time you've tried to make this practice into a habit. But then, something happened; a crisis arose. You invested your time and energy into resolving a situation and, as a result, didn't have time to send your post-meeting follow-up email. The crisis ends, but something else comes along, and the emails remain unsent. Sound familiar? It's the classic story of well-intentioned habits...


- Published: 2023-06-06
- Modified: 2023-09-08
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/human-first-leadership-with-sean-byrnes/
- Categories: 3. Fellowship, 5. Video, 8. Blog - Fellowship, Uncategorized
- Tags: communication, corporate culture, empowerment, Fellowship, human-first leadership, leadership, leadership development, transparency

"One of the most human-first leaders you'll find anywhere in the startup community. " That was how Sean Byrnes was introduced to Patrick Ewers by a mutual connection, and this interview reveals why. In this visionary human first leadership interview, Sean shares three keys to creating a thriving corporate culture and unlock the best from teams while building successful, responsive, resilient organizations that demonstrate agile leadership. Patrick also shares how collaborative leadership can help create something more fulfilling. As the founder and CEO of Mindmaven, Patrick shares how strategic leadership can free up 10-12 hours a week. Patrick said, "More importantly, we utilize that time to get people to invest in relationships. "We think that you won't be able to find a single person who has been able to reach their fullest potential without help from others. It's a state that doesn't exist. " Patrick was pleased to introduce his distinguished guest, Sean Byrnes, founder of Flurry and Outlier, for this high-performance human first leadership discussion on creating a thriving corporate culture. Patrick said that what was most interesting was Sean's "fantastic story about why you started those companies. " Let's find out more. How and Why I Got Started in the Startup World "I didn't have this dream of putting better charts or graphs in front of people or processing data at larger volumes. I was just frustrated that all the jobs I looked at and all the jobs I had - they didn't really treat the employees as...


- Published: 2023-05-17
- Modified: 2025-01-09
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/human-first-leadership-with-noah-glass/
- Categories: 3. Fellowship, 4. Featured, 5. Video, 8. Blog - Fellowship, Articles, Human First Leadership
- Tags: authentic leadership, Customer Experience, customer-centric leadership, employee retention, employee satisfaction, employee wellbeing, Fellowship, high performance leadership, High performance teams, human first, human-first leadership, leadership strategies, people-centric leadership, personal growth and development, positive workplace culture, servant leadership

Discover the top performing human first leadership strategies, tools and techniques to improve team performance used by successful business leaders, Noah Glass Olo CEO and Patrick Ewers Mindmaven CEO.

Leaders Achieve True Greatness With Others Mindmaven's definition of human first leadership stems from the belief that people don't achieve true greatness without help from others. In the video above, Patrick Ewers, Mindmaven CEO, talks with Noah Glass, Olo CEO, about their top human-first leadership strategies that have made the most significant difference. "Drive sales, do more with less, and make every guest feel like a regular" is how Olo sets out to "Enable hospitality with modern solutions. " The Olo website also states: "Our employees and the culture we have created are the backbone of our success. " This human-first leadership approach has proven successful for Olo. Recently recognized as one of the most innovative companies in the world in the dining category, Olo enables 600+ brands to reach 85 million guests across 76,000 locations, processing an average of two million orders a day. Patrick has worked with Noah for nearly three years and has seen first hand how Noah has grown his company with authentic people-centric leadership. Watch the video above for top tips on how compassionate leadership strategies can inspire positive workplace culture, personal growth and development, and increase employee engagement, satisfaction, and retention. The article below captures the highlights of the discussion. Discover what you can achieve with this free leadership user manual: How I Work customizable template. Human First Leadership Is About Human Experiences Noah: "Before answering directly about human first leadership, I want to reflect a little bit on what we do at Olo,...


> Achieve inspiring goals with this interactive goal setting guide, free North Star Objective template, and helpful video examples.

- Published: 2023-03-27
- Modified: 2024-03-08
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/ultimate-guide-to-goal-setting/
- Categories: 2. Intent, 4. Featured, 5. Video, 7. Blog - Intent, Articles, Learning, Mindfulness, Productivity, Productivity Through Leverage
- Tags: CEO, founder, goal, goal creation, goal setting, goals, how to achieve your goals, leadership, learn, motivational, north star, north star goal-setting, north star objectives, Productivity

Create inspiring yet achievable goals that will actually get done with this interactive goal setting guide, free templates, and helpful video examples.

Your Ultimate Guide to Goal Setting North Star Goal Setting is extremely powerful when done right. That’s why we want to give you the Ultimate Guide to Goal Setting Using North Star Goals, with practical examples and an interactive goal-setting worksheet. But first ... Imagine your ideal life in 5-10 years, where you are enjoying feeling accomplished and successful. What had to happen in your life to experience your desired level of success? What did you accomplish? Who did you become? When it comes to goal-setting theory, it's important for you to ask yourself, what does success look like for you? Before you can begin any journey, you have to know where you're going. You can't set effective long-term goals without a compelling vision of success. Until you have a vision of success that you truly connect with and that inspires you, you can't create meaningful or motivating life goals. "Every goal, long-term and short-term goals, need to be rooted in a vision of success. " Tweet this! How Do You Measure Success? When it comes to defining success, there's no “right" way to do it. Some people measure success by their bank account, others by their family. Some people won't feel successful until they're a CEO, others when they've lost 30 pounds. Success can take many forms, including: Professional: Reaching a career milestone or status. Monetary: Making a certain amount of money. Network: Curating a high-quality professional network. Health: Reaching a certain level of physical fitness. Hobbies: Becoming the...


> Explore why relationship building is important in leadership, plus gain Human First Leadership insights from Nick Mehta, CEO of Gainsight.

- Published: 2023-03-20
- Modified: 2023-09-12
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/human-first-leadership-with-nick-mehta/
- Categories: 3. Fellowship, 5. Video, 8. Blog - Fellowship, Clients, Mindset and Likability, Mindshare Management, Network Relationship Management, Quotes
- Tags: authentic leadership, compassionate leadership, customer-centric leadership, empathetic leadership, employee engagement., employee retention, employee satisfaction, employee well-being, high performance leadership, human-centric leadership, human-first leadership, mindful leadership, people-centric leadership, people-first culture, personal growth and development, positive workplace culture, relationship building, relationship-drivem leadership, visionary leadership

Unlock the power of human first leadership: strategies and tips for success with Mindmaven and Gainsight CEOs discussing their key strategies and leading principles.

This inspiring and insightful conversation about Human First Leadership styles and strategies reveals how you can make a positive difference in your business and life through relationship building. Patrick Ewers, founder and CEO of Mindmaven, and Nick Mehta, CEO of Gainsight, discuss the benefits of authenticity and positive feedback in relationship building with employees and customers, where the results speak for themselves. Nick's leadership style has been recognized with multiple awards, and his company is considered the number one rated customer success platform. Gainsight earned the number one spot on Glassdoor for 2022, with ninety-six percent saying they would recommend Gainsight to a friend. As Patrick introduced Nick and his achievements, he explained how Mindmaven provides executive coaching to help leaders achieve true greatness through their relationships. Together, they are excited to share their top tips for helping people build deep and lasting relationships through Human First Leadership. Executive Summary: Human First Leadership "What does Human First Leadership actually mean, in your own words? And why do you think it's important to startup founders and CEOs? " These are just some of the questions discussed in this insightful conversation. In this fire-side-style chat, Patrick shares what he considers to be the most powerful relationship building principles of positive alacrity and the proven benefits of habits. Nick explains his three "buckets" for Human First Leadership, which involve: Normalize traditions that awaken the human element in our daily routine. Find ways to celebrate the humanity of your teammates rather than just seeing...


> Boost your productivity with these 5 productivity habits and learn how to be more productive and get more done in less time.

- Published: 2023-02-13
- Modified: 2023-11-22
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/5-traits-productive-people/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, 2. Intent, 3. Fellowship, 5. Video, 7. Blog - Intent, Articles, Learning, Mindfulness, Mindset and Likability, Mindshare Management, Network Relationship Management, Productivity, Productivity Through Leverage
- Tags: habits, learning, leverage, mindset, network, network management, network relationship management, networking, nrm, productive, Productivity, productivity through leverage, relationship management, relationships, time management

Learning how to be more productive is the key to success. Boost your productivity with these 5 habits of productive people and learn how to get more done in less time. We’ve also included some really useful practical resources and tools to help you get started straight away.

How To Get More Done in Less Time When leaders discover how to boost their productivity and accomplish more in less time, they commence their journey to true greatness. This article will show you how you can be a healthier and more productive human being by revealing five surprising things productive people do differently, which you, too, can use to boost your productivity. We’ve also included some really useful resources and tools to help you get started straight away. Our content is based on years of working with hundreds of CEOs and Founders to boost their productivity and help them get more done in less time. Contact us if you'd like to discuss how we can help boost your business and productivity. So, what is productivity? It's good to make sure we're clear on the productivity definition, as it can mean different things to different people. What Does Productivity Mean? Productivity measures how much you can get done (output) in relation to the time and effort put in (input). Productivity increases when you understand how to get more done in less time with the least amount of effort. Efficiency, output, and effectiveness are all productivity synonyms. At Mindmaven, we also talk about superpowers as a productivity synonym, helping leaders achieve true greatness. For clarity on the productivity definition, there is a big difference between being busy and productive. The challenge comes when people are so busy responding and reacting that they don't have time to focus on what matters most....


> Tired of writing emails that don't get replies? Learn 3 key strategies on how to get an email response. Read more ...

- Published: 2023-01-16
- Modified: 2023-10-18
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/get-email-replies/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, 3. Fellowship, 5. Video, 6. Blog - Leverage, Articles, Clients, Learning, Mindshare Management, Productivity, Productivity Through Leverage, Uncategorized
- Tags: communication, email, Email Management, email reply examples, email response, how to get a response to an email, Productivity, relationships

How To Get an Email Response How to get a response to an email is a question we often help Mindmaven clients with. So we thought it could be helpful to share some top tips. If you struggle with getting responses to emails or want to know how to politely follow up on unanswered emails, then this article is for you. In this article, we discuss... 3 key factors that drive email response rates 3 email response tips — with real-life email examples How to follow up on emails that have had no response We will look at tried and tested ways to increase email engagement, with email reply examples, and take you through exactly how to politely follow up on an unanswered email. To see how to get a response to an email in action, we've also made this quick little video showing how a few simple tweaks can turn a so-so email into a stellar one. Watch this over-the-shoulder video example to see how you can improve an email in less than two minutes. How To Get Someone To Respond To Your Email? When considering how to get an email response, or a follow-up on an email that has no response, it’s important, first of all, not to take it personally. According to a global Radicati study, the average person sends around 40 emails a day. Of course, that’s only the average, and if you’re anything like us or many of our clients, you probably send considerably more....


> Learn a simple yet powerful 5-Minute Productivity Hack to train your executive assistant, save some precious time, and increase productivity.

- Published: 2022-10-20
- Modified: 2023-11-03
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/yes-no-questions/
- Categories: Productivity Through Leverage, 1. Leverage, 2. Intent, 4. Featured, 6. Blog - Leverage, Articles, Productivity

A brilliant executive assistant not only saves you time and increases productivity but also reduces your mental load by taking decisions off your plate. But more important than an executive assistant that makes quick decisions is having an EA who makes the right decisions, quickly.

5-Minute Productivity Hack - Train Your EA to Make Quick Decisions to Save Time, Increase Productivity, and Decrease Mental Load As a founder, time is your most precious - and scarce - resource. One of the best ways to protect that asset is, of course, by hiring and empowering a great team. At Mindmaven, we believe one of the most critical early hires you can make is an executive assistant (and then turn them into an Engagement Manager). But it’s not just about hiring a great EA; it’s about empowering them to reach their full potential. Many founders sacrifice productivity by waiting way too long to hire an assistant (if you have a team of 30 and haven’t hired an EA, it’s well past time! ), and the select few who do get support often massively under-leverage that partnership and leave a lot of value on the table. In this article, we'll share a simple yet powerful 5-Minute productivity hack to train your executive assistant, save yourself some precious time, and increase overall productivity. Making the Right Decisions, Quickly A brilliant executive assistant not only saves you time but also reduces your mental load by taking decisions off your plate. But more important than an executive assistant that makes quick decisions is having an EA who makes the right decisions, quickly. So, how do you train your assistant to make the right call? It's simple: You train them to ask Y/N questions. Sounds like common sense? It's a little bit...


> Unexpected gratitude is a powerful way to connect with your network. Here's how to develop the habits on how to create a legacy of gratitude

- Published: 2021-11-24
- Modified: 2024-03-12
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/how-to-create-a-legacy-of-gratitude/
- Categories: 2. Intent, 3. Fellowship, 8. Blog - Fellowship, Uncategorized

How to Create a Legacy of Gratitude (And Why You Should Want To! ) They tell us as children that please and thank you are the magic words, and even in business, saying “Thank you! ” is one of the easiest ways to show appreciation and gratitude to people you care about or respect. Unfortunately, in a fast-paced, transaction-driven world, gratitude sometimes becomes little more than an automated response or formality. For example, when someone gives you a compliment, you’ll probably have the knee jerk reaction to say thank you—even if the compliment isn’t that meaningful! And while socially expected moments are fine opportunities to say thank you, there’s a whole other dimension to gratitude that can leave lasting impressions on those who follow you and those you want to. This other dimension is what we call unexpected gratitude. The Benefits of an Unexpected Thank You An unexpected thank you is different from your typical thank you because it does not rely on a trigger happening in the moment. As a result, your gratitude comes as a pleasant, genuine, and heartfelt surprise to the other person. Untriggered gratitude is so powerful because it isn’t done out of social obligation or rote muscle memory. The only reason for sending an unexpected thank you is genuine appreciation for that other person. Let’s look at three huge benefits of expressing thankfulness when others aren’t expecting it. #1: You make the other person the center of attention. Saying “thank you” as a response to...


> David Cohen interviewed Patrick Ewers, Mindmaven's CEO and founder about the power of relationships and achieving true greatness.

- Published: 2021-11-12
- Modified: 2025-08-05
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/achieving-true-greatness/
- Categories: 3. Fellowship, 8. Blog - Fellowship, Audio, Uncategorized

Achieving True Greatness Through Relationships: Techstars Interviews Mindmaven CEO Mindmaven’s CEO and founder, Patrick Ewers recently sat down for an interview hosted by David Cohen, Co-Founder and Chairman of Techstars. You can catch the podcast here, or read through the summary below about Achieving True Greatness Through Relationships. Some Background on the Star: Patrick Ewers of Mindmaven David: Tell people listening a little bit about yourself. Patrick: I first joined LinkedIn—back when nobody thought it would become as big as it is today—because I believed so much in the power of relationships and what they were doing. When my time there was over, I really wanted to do more to help people make the most of their relationships. I had found my passion. Immediately after, my wife and I were traveling around the world and ended up in a Buddhist monastery for a ten-day silent meditation retreat. During this time, I thought deeply about what I would do with my life when this journey came to an end, and it was time for the next one. The idea for Mindmaven came to me like a revelation from inside and my path became clear. Mindmaven: Achieving True Greatness Through Relationships David: So give people some background on what Mindmaven does. The way I understand it is that you basically give leaders superpowers, you’re a sort of relationship management genius. Patrick: Yeah that’s pretty close! Basically, we’re an executive coaching firm helping leaders achieve True Greatness by focusing on relationships. The basis...


> Hiring Your First EA. An executive assistant is the most strategic hire you'll ever make as a startup founder/CEO. Here's how to hire a rock star.

- Published: 2021-10-15
- Modified: 2023-11-09
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/hiring-your-first-ea/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, 2. Intent, 4. Featured, Uncategorized

What to Look for in Your First EA The Most Important Search of Your Career - Hiring Your First EA It’s a new day at your young startup company. The energy is palpable as the cap table excitedly discusses the next hire—something that desperately needs to happen to keep with up with the breakneck speed at which you’re moving. Biz dev wants a rockstar salesperson. Your COO wants a talented engineer, she’s already pushing her next ambitious product deadline after all. And both would be incredible assets for your young business. But as the founder/CEO you’re beginning to realize that you’ll need to scale your own capabilities as fast as your company's, and neither of those proposed hires will offer you much leverage. Without leverage, you know you’ll quickly burn out, and the focus and energy you need to take your company to the next level will fade along with the joy you once found in the work. Itching at the back of your mind is the idea of a highly skilled and trustworthy executive assistant. Maybe you’re even dreaming of someone with the desire, skill, and ability to go beyond the traditional EA title to become a sounding board, even a strategic partner. We at Mindmaven call this an EM, or engagement manager, and they really do exist! An EM is someone who can provide massive lift to the office of the CEO, potentially saving up to 10+ hours of week of time. Think: a combination EA and Chief...


> Spend more time building relationships and less time stressing about what to say with these 5 outreach email freebies!

- Published: 2021-09-28
- Modified: 2024-03-08
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/the-5-freebies-templates-to-email-anyone-in-your-network/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, 2. Intent, 3. Fellowship, 6. Blog - Leverage, Uncategorized

Have you ever found yourself thinking you should probably reach out to someone, but you just don’t know what to say? Maybe the relationship has been damaged, or it’s been so long it feels awkward. So, you skip it. You tell yourself that’s okay. Next time! After all, keeping up with your network, especially meaningful connections, is hard work, right? You’re not alone in thinking that. But sending a successful outreach email doesn't have to be as difficult as you think. We’ve solved the problem with the 5 Freebies: 5 simple concepts you can use to easily reach out to anyone at any time—so you can spend more time building relationships and less time stressing about what to say. More Than Just Reading: The Pragmatics The following information empowers you to act upon the ideas within rather than just skimming through and moving on. To that end, we’ve built-in outreach email exercises for you to complete throughout. Each should take you no more than 4-7 minutes. Commit to this time, and your outreach email results could be game-changing! Don’t move on to the next section until you complete each outreach email exercise. Here’s what you’ll need: 4-5 names of contacts you would like to reach out to but haven’t. Your email open and ready. A willingness to commit to deepening your relationships. (Optional) A fantastic EM you can dictate this work to. At the end of most Freebies below, you’ll find a template, some examples, and instructions to pick a...


> Do your never-ending notifications leave you feeling crazy? If so, you may be suffering from multi-inbox fatigue. Combating Multi-Inbox Fatigue

- Published: 2021-09-16
- Modified: 2025-08-05
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/combating-multi-inbox-fatigue/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, 2. Intent, 3. Fellowship, Uncategorized

Mockup PSD by Rawpixel Combating Multi-Inbox Fatigue: How To De-Fragment Your Communications The Problem of Too Many Inboxes What do you see when you open your phone? If you’re like most people, there are 9-10 different apps just for communication. And it’s likely they all require your attention with at least some regularity. Even to contact anyone, you must do the “mental math” of figuring out which platform is the best for both the contact and the message you want to convey. At one time we would have defaulted to email, but for many, email is broken, and messages go to email inboxes to die. So, we experiment, sending messages through other channels. Between SMS, email, iMessage, Telegram, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Facebook Messenger, Twitter, Voicemail, WhatsApp, Instagram, Zoom chat, Tik-Tok, Snapchat, Google Hangouts, LinkedIn, etc. the choices seem endless. And it’s easy to find yourself overwhelmed at the prospect of communicating at all. Honestly, I’m just waiting for the day the USPS decides to release a chat app just to add to our pain! Even if you don’t view all these apps as “inboxes,” they essentially have the same function. At the end of the day, each app will have some notification that—if ignored—can negatively impact your relationship with the sender. By having so many services, we’ve added stress-inducing decisions to even our most basic task: communicating. You may have noticed that this results in incredibly inefficient communications flow. At best, this communication chaos can cause you to waste time...


> Top Tactics Charismatic Leaders Use. Leaders use these tactics to leverage their tribe and drive game-changing opportunities! The good news? Anyone can use it.

- Published: 2021-06-30
- Modified: 2023-12-07
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/top-tactics-charismatic-leaders-use/
- Categories: 3. Fellowship, 8. Blog - Fellowship, Uncategorized

The Top Tactics Charismatic Leaders Use to Drive Breakthrough Opportunities Does this strike a chord with you? The most important things in life always come from your relationships. It certainly should. It has been a long-standing mantra within Mindmaven, but it’s also an agreed upon fact by the biggest players in the business and tech worlds. Kathy Ireland put it incredibly simply when she said: “In business it’s about people. It’s about relationships. ” In fact, I challenge you to find one person who has ever reached their fullest potential without help from others along the way. There is, perhaps, no better illustration of this then the story of a social gaming company that was in the #2 spot of their space. The CEO and one board member were incredibly skilled at building and nurturing relationships from an early stage of the company, post series A. Building their tribe, they knew to focus on and consistently interact with people who could become potential acquirers. When the first offer came, for $200,000,000 dollars, they were able to immediately activate those relationships, essentially creating a whole new market for themselves overnight. This is how they turned $200,000,000 into $400,000,000 in just seven days—using their empathy, communication skills, listening ability, and charm to double their value in a week. In the end, most charismatic leaders who achieve results like this do so by developing the skill of Fellowship and using it to leverage their tribe. This is the mark of a truly charismatic...


> How to say No - To help you master the Art of No while still giving back, we’re going to walk you through an email response you can effortlessly replicate

- Published: 2021-06-01
- Modified: 2024-03-12
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/how-to-say-no-2/
- Categories: 2. Intent, 3. Fellowship, 7. Blog - Intent, Uncategorized

The Slippery Slope of Little Requests Tell me if this sounds familiar. In a rare free moment, you find yourself checking your email. A few messages in, you stumble onto a name you don’t recognize. Subject line: Can I buy you a cup of Coffee? Hiya! You don’t know me, but... Another request for your time you should say no to... . But this is a high-quality person connected to someone important in your network. The email continues... Your story has really inspired me—I’d love to have just a moment of your time to pick your brain over coffee. You know you don’t have time for this request—in fact, you’ve said yes to too many these requests already! But you can’t help remembering when you were sending emails like this, hoping for a little help. You genuinely want to help and besides, this person is connected to someone you care about and you don’t want to let them down. Protecting Your Most Valuable Asset So what do you do? An essential step towards becoming the type of leader your company needs is being highly intentional with how you allocate your time. Practically, that means if a request does not move the needle forward, you need to master the Art of No. The real challenge of saying no is not figuring out when to say it—honestly, you already know! Instead, it’s learning how to say no when you feel compelled to help or want to avoid the negative repercussions of no....


- Published: 2020-12-29
- Modified: 2020-12-29
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/simple-resolutions-for-a-happier-more-connected-year/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, 2. Intent, 3. Fellowship, 7. Blog - Intent, Uncategorized

From a global pandemic to natural disasters to political upheaval (and everything in-between), 2020’s been a challenging year for many. I think it’s fair to say a lot of us are hoping for a little more normalcy, connection, and peace in 2021. Many are trying to tip the odds in their favor by setting New Year’s resolutions, such as losing weight, getting organized, earning more, learning a new skill, or breaking a bad habit. While each resolution may look different from others, most share an ultimate goal: Living a happier, healthier, more fulfilling life. Assuming you’re as fed up with 2020 as many of us, you might be after that too. If so, there’s something you should know ... The Harvard-Backed Secret to Happiness & Fulfillment in 2021 (and Beyond) A 75-year Harvard study uncovered the secret to happiness, and many resolutions overlook it entirely: Our relationships. In other words: If you want a happier, more fulfilling life in 2021, the most direct path is building deeper, more meaningful relationships—and it’s easier than you may think (even in a socially distanced world). No matter what 2021 has in store, here’s five New Year’s resolutions designed to help you live a happier, healthier, more connected life. 1. Master the Simplest, Most Impactful Relationship Habit Positive Alacrity is the easiest, most powerful relationship practice I know. It’s the skill of delivering micro-experiences that have a profoundly uplifting impact on others, and the habit is simple: When you think something positive you genuinely...


> 58 Pragmatic Mindfulness Practices. This list is meant to be a compilation of small, easy changes you can make in your day to begin living more in the present.

- Published: 2020-11-12
- Modified: 2023-12-07
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/pragmatic-mindfulness-practices/
- Categories: 2. Intent, 7. Blog - Intent, Uncategorized

I’ve been practicing mindfulness for more than 15 years now, and I have built my entire business, Mindmaven, around the concepts of living a more mindful life. In fact, the whole idea behind Mindmaven was conceived on a 10-day silent meditation retreat, at a Buddhist monastery in Thailand. You can learn more about Mindmaven and how it owes its existence to mindfulness here. So, I know what I’m talking about when I say that while regular meditation is one of the best and most efficient methods to get there, it is certainly not the only way. Keep in mind that Mindfulness is simply the art of being completely present in the moment. This list is meant to be a compilation of small, easy changes you can make throughout your day to instantly begin living more in the present. This naturally leads to enhanced mindfulness and ultimately culminates in feeling better and more energized throughout your life. Use this list as a menu, of pieces of practical advice you can choose from. While the list is grouped thematically to represent each stage of a full day of living mindfully, each piece will work on its own. And the first two will help to prepare you to successfully making the other's habits. Most of these tips are intended to do one of three things: Help you to focus on one thing at a time. Help you stay present in the moment. Prepare your mind in a positive way to improve your mental...


> Take a look at our list of the best mindfulness podcasts out there to help you become more present in an increasingly reactive world.

- Published: 2020-09-24
- Modified: 2023-10-06
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/top-mindfulness-podcasts/
- Categories: 2. Intent, 7. Blog - Intent, Uncategorized

“Let go of the battle. Breathe quietly and let it be. Let your body relax and your heart soften. Open to whatever you experience without fighting. ” - Jack Kornfield, Author, Buddhist Practitioner and one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West Welcome to Part II of our essential mindfulness guide. In Part I, I shared my top apps for living a more mindful life. In Part II, we’ll take a look at some of the best mindfulness podcasts out there. There’s a lot out of mindfulness podcasts out there, so knowing where to start can feel overwhelming. I’ll share the three mindfulness podcasts I always return to, along with a handful of my favorite episodes for each. But before we get there, a brief refresher on why mindfulness matters. If you’ve already read Part I, feel free to jump straight down to my top recommendations for mindfulness podcasts. A quick note: This blog post is the second in a four-part series exploring the best tools to get started with mindfulness. If you’re eager to get going and want all the information at once, download our free eBook: Mastering Mindfulness: The Essential Tools to Live a More Mindful Life The concept of “mindfulness” is becoming increasingly commonplace these days. But despite that, it often seems there’s a lack of clarity around what exactly mindfulness is. That ambiguity can make it feel inaccessible to some of the people who would most benefit from it. At Mindmaven,...


> Best Email Clients for Inbox Shadowing. Inbox Shadowing is a collaborative approach to email in which you partner with your EA to handle emails.

- Published: 2020-09-16
- Modified: 2023-12-07
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/best-email-clients-for-inbox-shadowing/
- Categories: Uncategorized

Does This Sound Like You? I’m going to try and read your mind. More specifically, I’m going to try to predict what email management might look like for you. If I’m right, this article could be a game-changer. If I’m wrong, you can save yourself the time of reading this. Let me know if any of these points resonate: You spend 2+ hours a day on email. You review your emails on a last-in/first-out basis, rather than by what’s most important. You deliver rapid, short email responses that may inadvertently communicate a lack of care to others. You often become a bottleneck as your team sends emails you don’t get around to for hours (or days). You feel constant, low-grade stress about hidden time bombs waiting in your inbox. You get anxious if you haven’t checked your email in a couple of hours. How’d I do? Maybe every point didn’t hit home, but if at least two or three did, you’re in the right place. There’s a better way. Inbox Shadowing: A Modern Approach to Email Inbox Shadowing is a collaborative approach to email in which you partner with your EA to proactively handle the barrage of emails that are constantly flooding your inbox. With Shadowing, your EA will: Prioritize your inbox by what’s most important. Produce email response drafts for you (though they won’t send them). Proactively initiate new and meaningful actions with your network. Capture, track, and execute action items and other valuable information. This new approach has...


> Here are my go-to mindfulness apps and recommendations for overworked CEOs to become less reactive and more present.

- Published: 2020-08-06
- Modified: 2024-03-12
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/mindfulness-apps/
- Categories: 2. Intent, 7. Blog - Intent, Uncategorized

Here are my go-to mindfulness tools and recommendations for overworked CEOs to become less reactive and more present.

“Happiness lies not in finding what is missing, but in finding what is present. ” - Tara Brach, PhD, psychologist, author and teacher of meditation, emotional healing and spiritual awakening The concept of “mindfulness” is becoming increasingly commonplace these days. But despite that, it often seems there’s a lack of clarity around what exactly it is, and the mindfulness apps and tools that allow you to achieve it. That ambiguity can make mindfulness feel inaccessible to some of the people who would most benefit from it. At Mindmaven, we believe ambiguity is the enemy of change, so we have a very simple definition: Mindfulness is simply the art of being completely present in the moment. It’s a simple concept with roots in ancient Buddhist philosophy, yet today it’s practiced by bhikkhu monks, busy parents, and overworked CEOs alike. That’s Great, but Why Should I Listen to You? Many don’t know this, but Mindmaven owes its existence to mindfulness. It began nearly 13 years ago, when my wife and I decided to pursue a lifelong dream: Exploring the world. The decision was rooted in a deep desire to get "back to basics. " After so many years of living in Silicon Valley, it's easy to fall into the trap of Bay Area Blinders, or experiencing the world through a limited, tech industry-specific perspective—a perspective that simply isn't real or relatable for most. So we packed up the essentials and spent the next 10 months traveling. The goal for our trip was...


> Check out the simple-but-effective work-from-home setup this CEO used to build a multi-million dollar coaching organization.

- Published: 2020-06-17
- Modified: 2020-06-17
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/work-from-home-office-setup/
- Categories: 2. Intent, 7. Blog - Intent, Uncategorized

If you’re one of the millions who worked from home for the first time this year, Day 1 might have looked something like this: On the couch, cuddled among the pillows with your laptop on the coffee table, reveling in the opportunity to work in your pajamas just a few feet from the fridge. It probably felt like paradise ... For about a week. Now, months into remote work, things may not be so rosy. Maybe your back hurts from leaning over the couch to view your screen. Your eyes may be sore from the contrast between the bright light of your monitor and the soft light of your living room. You may be feeling increasingly isolated as Zoom calls just don’t quite cut it anymore. Any of that resonate? If so, this post is for you. There is a better way. Mindmaven’s been a 100% remote company for over a decade, so we’ve had years to build expertise on this topic; and I’d like to share that expertise with you, so you can avoid some of the painful trial and error I had to experience. Note: Looking for a no-frills collection of my recommendations? Check out the TL;DR section at the bottom of the article. My Work-From-Home Office Essentials First things first: I’m a believer that less is more. It doesn’t take an expensive or complicated setup to succeed while working from home. For proof, here’s a look at my office setup: That’s it: Everything I’ve used to build...


> New Year’s Resolutions - Learn to set action-oriented goals, instill action-driving habits, and establish long-term action-inspiring motivation.

- Published: 2019-12-18
- Modified: 2023-12-07
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/resolutions-to-reality-2020/
- Categories: 2. Intent, 7. Blog - Intent, Articles, Learning, Productivity

It’s that time of year again and, if you’re anything like nearly half the US population, you’re probably thinking about your New Year’s resolutions. Every year, countless individuals use the New Year as an opportunity to commit to creating meaningful, lasting change ... And yet, less than 30 days later, 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail. Why? Is it that people aren’t serious about creating change? Are their goals to lofty? Are they just plain lazy? In my experience, probably not. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at why most resolutions fail, and—more importantly—at the three steps you can take to make sure yours don’t. But this topic is bigger than a single article. I’ll cover the basics here but, if you’re interested in really getting the most out of the New Year, I invite you to enroll in my brand new, 100% free online course: Resolutions to Reality—How to Crush 2020 with Bulletproof New Year’s Resolutions. If an intensive online program sounds more your speed, click the button below. If you’re just here for the basics, read on! The #1 Reason New Year’s Resolutions Fail Why do most New Year’s resolutions fail? To answer this question, we first need to ask a more basic question: What is a New Year’s resolution? And the way I see it, the answer’s clear. At its core, a New Year’s resolution is simply a goal to act differently. The keyword in that definition is “act. ” Without action—or forward momentum—you can’t...


> Are you ready for your dream team? Use Slack to build your culture of collaboration and to foster great relationships. What are you waiting for?

- Published: 2019-11-14
- Modified: 2019-11-14
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/using-slack-for-culture-relationships/
- Categories: 3. Fellowship, 8. Blog - Fellowship, Uncategorized

Use Slack To Build a Culture of Communication, Collaboration, and Foster Great Team Relationships The Slack app is often viewed as a powerful and efficient team communication tool—and it is. But there can be an easily overlooked consequence in our endless search for efficiency. Eventually, it often comes at the expense of one of our most valuable assets: Our relationships. As CEO, your relationship with your team is one of the primary drivers of your company’s culture. When your team feels known, supported, and appreciated, you’ll foster a culture that reflects that. Likewise, if your team feels overlooked, overwhelmed, and taken for granted ... Your culture will often reflect that, too. Tools like Slack are always driving your culture in one direction or the other ... The question is, do you know what direction Slack’s taking your company? Beyond being just a communication tool, Slack can also be a powerful relationship-building tool that allows you as CEO to deliver great experiences to your team that trickle down through the company, driving culture, increasing followership, and combating CEO loneliness. The best part? Achieving those results is surprisingly easy. Let’s look at a few simple shifts you can make to get more value out of Slack. #1: Don’t Be That Guy (You Know the Type). Positive Alacrity Much like you wouldn’t want team members dreading the thought of coming to work, they shouldn’t dread opening any given Slack channel either. After all, there’s likely not much motivation that would derive from opening...


> Discover the 5-minute habit that can help you drive referrals and generate game-changing business opportunities from your network!

- Published: 2019-07-17
- Modified: 2024-10-17
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/habit-that-generates-business-opportunities/
- Categories: 3. Fellowship, 8. Blog - Fellowship, Uncategorized

At Mindmaven, we believe the best things in life and business come from our relationships – our network – or those we know and trust. Think back on the best business opportunities you’ve encountered. There’s a good chance most if not all, happened because someone in your network thought of you at the right time. Many of these business opportunities come in the form of referrals – and if you’re in a service-based business, those referrals are the lifeblood of your success. So the question is ... How do you increase the number of referrals you generate (and, as a result, the success of your business)? In this post, we’ll share a simple 5-minute habit allowing you to do just that. But before we get there, we need to answer an important question ... What Drives Referrals? We’ve asked this question hundreds of times and are always surprised by the answers. They usually sound something like this: “If you work hard, referrals naturally come. ” “Focus on delivering a great experience, and referrals will follow. ” Or, the most common, “I don’t know, they just ... Happen, sometimes. ” And while we don’t want to diminish the importance of hard work or delivering great experiences, those answers don’t capture the whole truth. Referral generation is a repeatable process driven by two factors. Once you understand it, you can leverage that process to dramatically increase the number of game-changing business opportunities you encounter. So, what are the two factors? Factor #1:...


> Are you ready for the life you always wanted? A 75 year old Harvard study says to focus on this one thing to have a happier, more fulfilling life.

- Published: 2019-04-24
- Modified: 2019-04-24
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/positive-alacrity/
- Categories: 3. Fellowship, 8. Blog - Fellowship, Uncategorized

Positive Alacrity is the art of creating micro-experiences that have an emotionally uplifting impact on others that leads to a happier, more fulfilling life. But I’m getting ahead of myself ... A quick Google search for “secret to happiness” brings up over 7,500,000 results. That’s a lot of people writing about and searching for something that, according to a groundbreaking Harvard study, has already been found. That’s right: Thanks to Harvard’s Grant and Glueck studies — which tracked 724 participants from varying walks of life over the course of 75 years — we’ve already uncovered the key to long-term happiness and fulfillment. The answer? Our relationships. Here’s Robert Waldinger, director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development: “The clearest message that we get from this 75-year study is this: Good relationships keep us happier and healthier. Period. ” In other words: The quality of our life — emotionally, physically, and mentally — is directly proportional to the quality of our relationships. But there’s a catch. If there’s one thing most of us have learned, it’s this: Just knowing a lot of people isn’t enough. True fulfillment in relationships is about genuine connection, and one of the most efficient ways to form that connection is by practicing what we at Mindmaven call Positive Alacrity; a skill we define as creating micro-experiences that cause an emotional uplifting in others. The Uncomfortable Truth About Relationships Did we really need a 75-year study to tell us relationships are important? Probably not; I bet many...


> One quick and easy way to write better content emails, blog post, press releases, and more.

- Published: 2019-04-19
- Modified: 2019-04-19
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/write-better-content/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, 2. Intent, 7. Blog - Intent, Uncategorized

If you’re anything like most, you probably spend a lot of time writing: Blog posts, Slack messages, press releases, or—the biggest offender—emails. In fact, the average person (who isn’t leveraging Inbox Shadowing) spends an upwards of 11 hours a week on email alone. And if we spend so much time writing, would you agree it’s probably a good idea to ensure you’re sending the best message possible? In this short post, I’ll share a simple way to do exactly that: It’s a tip we’ve shared with many of our clients (and their EAs) to produce higher-quality content with minimal added effort. I hope you find it as valuable as many of them have. Why Spelling & Grammar Checks Just Don’t Cut It How you write says a lot about you—especially if you’re writing to someone you don’t have a pre-existing relationship with (something that’s becoming increasingly common as more and more first impressions become digital). Whether you’re writing an email to an audience of one or a blog post to an audience of 10,000, it’s generally a good idea to be sure of two things: First, that your content is free from spelling and grammar mistakes, and Secondly, that your content reads well and feels like it’s coming from you. Thanks to tools like Grammarly and built-in spelling/grammar checks, the first problem often takes care of itself; but the second mistake can be easily-overlooked. Have you ever gotten an email that just felt “wrong? ” From a grammar and spelling...


> Automate Great Follow-Up Emails. Why do people who admit follow-up emails are important fail to send them more often than not?

- Published: 2019-04-04
- Modified: 2023-12-07
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/automate-great-follow-up-emails/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, 2. Intent, Uncategorized

If you spend 30+ minutes meeting with someone, would you agree it’s generally a good idea to send a follow-up email? I’ve asked that question hundreds of times over my career, and the answer’s almost always a resounding “Yes! ” But there’s a catch ... Those same people who agree it’s important are also the first to admit that they actually do it less than half the time. Why the disconnect? Why do people who admit follow-up emails are important fail to send them more often than not? We’ll explore that in detail soon, but the short answer’s this: Consistently writing truly meaningful follow-up emails takes both time and effort; time and effort it often feels like we don’t have. So what do we do about that? There are a number of potential solutions out there, but I want to highlight one in particular: CircleUp. CircleUp is an innovative tool that automates the most time- and effort-intensive parts of the follow-up email process, reducing what’s often a 10-15 minute process to less than five. Here's a quick video detailing how: In this blog post, I’ll share how to combine CircleUp’s powerful automation tools with Mindmaven’s pragmatic, relationship-driven best practices to write follow-up emails that deliver great experiences to anyone in your network; all in just minutes a day. The Power of Mindshare (and Why Follow-Up Emails Still Matter) But before we get there, let me address a common question: Why bother? What difference is sending a follow-up email really going...


> Use these 10 traits and habits of Silicon Valley's most effecient, productive, and successful CEOs to become the operator you have always wanted to be.

- Published: 2019-03-20
- Modified: 2024-03-12
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/becoming-an-operator/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, 2. Intent, 3. Fellowship, Uncategorized

After 10+ years working with some of Silicon Valley’s most brilliant CEOs, executives, VCs, leaders, and influencers, I’ve found there are two schools of thought when it comes to success: Grinders and Operators. Grinders are primarily driven by the belief that success comes to those who work hard and never give up; and to a degree, they’re right: Of course consistent hard work is necessary to succeed, and it is possible to grind your way to success. But the question is ... Is that the best way? In my experience—and that of many of my clients—no. And that’s where Operators come into play. What is an Operator? Operators believe in the importance of hard work, but they also believe that true success only comes when you pair hard work with extreme leverage and valuable relationships. Operators are those who consistently push the limits of peak efficiency, drive innovation, and generate valuable opportunities for themselves and their network. Here in Silicon Valley, the title’s a badge of honor; one of the highest compliments you can receive. And it can be yours. Because here’s the thing: Operators aren’t lucky, and they don’t just work harder than everyone else; they also work smarter. They get leverage, and invest their energy into the relationships and opportunities with the highest possible ROI. The Ten Traits & Habits of an Operator In working with numerous Operators over many years, I’ve discovered that while each Operator is unique, nearly all share 10 powerful traits. Adopt and master...


> Set yourself up for a Game-Changing 2019 with our best-of-the-best content from 2018; our must-reads to get the most out of your business.

- Published: 2019-01-23
- Modified: 2019-01-23
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/best-of-2018/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, 2. Intent, 3. Fellowship, 6. Blog - Leverage, Uncategorized

With 2018 officially behind us and 2019 unfolding before us, I hope you can look back on the past year with a sense of pride and accomplishment. Here at Mindmaven, it’s been an exciting year of learning and growth, and I imagine many of you can say the same. But as great as 2018 was, I’ve got my eyes set on making 2019 even better. If that resonates with you—and if your New Year’s Resolutions are focused around reaching your fullest potential—this blog post is for you. Below, you’ll find a list of what I believe to be the best-of-the-best content we’ve created in 2017; our must-reads to get the most out of yourself, your business, and your network. Ready? Let’s get started: Here’s our top content from 2018. Our Top 5 Blog Posts of 2019 2018 saw both brand new content, and the return of some of our best content, rewritten to provide more value than ever before. Picking a top 5 certainly wasn’t easy, but I hope you’ll agree with the choices we made. Want a Happier, More Fulfilling Life? 75-Year Harvard Study Says Focus on This 1 Thing This breakthrough piece wasn’t just our top performing content of 2018 ... It’s our top-performing content of all-time, and the 53rd most shared content on Pocket in the last two years. In it, we share the Harvard-backed “secret to happiness;” a secret we at Mindmaven have been preaching since day one. We also introduce the concept of Positive Alacrity,...


> Check out our collection of game-changing relationship management tools, including: Networking apps, relationship management software, and personal CRMs—to give (and get) the most from your network.

- Published: 2019-01-09
- Modified: 2019-01-09
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/top-relationship-management-tools/
- Categories: 3. Fellowship, 8. Blog - Fellowship, Uncategorized

Check out our collection of game-changing relationship management tools, including: Networking apps, relationship management software, and personal CRMs—to give (and get) the most from your network this year. If you’re in a referral-based business—meaning 80%+ of your opportunities come from your network—the health of your relationships is generally a good indication of the health of your business. As a result, we at Mindmaven believe the best things in life come from our relationships, but there’s a catch: Your ability to generate the game-changing opportunities you need hinges on your ability to stay relevant and top-of-mind to the most important people in your network. And left to our own devices, that’s a challenge. According to the Dunbar Number, the average person can only effectively manage about 144 relationships, max. Thankfully, the rise of relationship tools has made it easier than ever to surpass the Dunbar Number and manage more relationships than ever before. And today, I’d like to share some of my go-to relationship management tools. I hope you’ll find them as valuable as myself and many of my clients have. -- Asana: Master the Art of Follow-Through Available for: Browser, Android, iOS Quick summary Asana is a highly-customizable, collaborative task management solution that enables you to follow through on 100% of the commitments you make. Why We Love It Trust is one of the most important factors in any relationship. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that if you don’t have trust, you don’t have a relationship....


> Adopting a new habit? Learning an ew skill? Take charge of your growth and development this year with our selection of powerful online learning tools.

- Published: 2018-12-04
- Modified: 2018-12-04
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/top-online-learning-tools/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, 2. Intent, 3. Fellowship, 6. Blog - Leverage, Learning
- Tags: MFL-How-to-Learn

Take charge of your growth and development this year with our selection of powerful online learning tools. Growth requires one thing above all else: Change—and our ability to adopt and direct change is largely influenced by our ability to process, store, and act on new information. The problem is, our brains are constantly flooded with new information. Names, places, data, decisions, you name it ... We’re introduced to countless variables a day. So how do we stay focused on what matters most amidst a sea of information overload? And once we learn something, how do we retain it for future use? There’s a number of solutions out there, but you can build a strong foundation by utilizing some of the powerful online learning tools below. We’ve used them here at Mindmaven to great effect, and many of our clients can claim the same. So without further ado, here’s our top 5 online learning tools to make the most of the new year. Our #1 Pick for Learning New Concepts: SuperMemo Available for: Browser, Android, iOS German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus changed learning and education forever with his theory of the Forgetting Curve. According to the Forgetting Curve, our brain needs rapid, repeated exposure to retain new information on initial exposure. But over time, the repetition should be spaced further and further apart to ensure continued retention. SuperMemo is a powerful learning platform built largely on that concept. For that reason, I’ve found it to be an immensely powerful tool when trying...


> Get 9 powerful networking event tips to own the room even if you're an introvert, build profitable relationships, and grow your business.

- Published: 2018-10-10
- Modified: 2023-09-15
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/9-networking-event-tips/
- Categories: 3. Fellowship, 8. Blog - Fellowship, Uncategorized

If you're reading this, you probably already know that the relationships built at networking events have the potential to generate the game-changing opportunities you need to take your organization to the next level. The problem isn't knowing that networking is important; it's knowing how to get the most out of those events so many people dread. If you're anything like I was, the idea of walking up to a stranger and striking up a conversation may feel daunting, and that's exactly what I aim to tackle here: The art of the approach. Because, in my experience, most people don't need to be told how to hold a conversation once it's been started. The real challenge comes simply in initiating the interaction, getting over that fear, walking up to someone, shaking their hand, and beginning a conversation. Below, you'll find 9 networking event tips to quickly master the art of the approach and own the room. Note: This quick-reference guide is meant to be an accompaniment to our more detailed eBook, Networking Events Demystified: 9 Rules to Nail Networking Conversations Every Time. We highly recommend starting there if you haven't read the book yet. You can download a copy for free here: 9 Powerful Networking Event Tips #1: Starting Off Strong: Talk to the First Person You See Keep in mind: The standard you set at the start of your networking event is likely the standard you'll keep for the duration of the event, so it's important to start off strong....


> Learn how to eliminate miscommunications and enjoy a more productive workplace with these proven tactics used by Fortune 500 companies.

- Published: 2018-09-21
- Modified: 2023-07-18
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/congruent-communication/
- Categories: Uncategorized

Ever had the painful experience of sending (what you thought was) a well-meaning check-in email only to have it blow up in your face when your message was completely misconstrued? Most of us have been there and know what comes next: Time wasted attempting to eliminate miscommunications and repairing the relationship. All because they misunderstood you, right? While it’s easy to blame the other person, I’ve found that’s rarely accurate. In almost all cases of communication confusion, the fault isn’t on the recipient; it’s on you. That’s the bad news. The good news is, once you understand and accept that, it’s completely in your power to eliminate miscommunications. But I’m getting ahead of myself—before we talk about future solutions, let’s take a closer look at what went wrong in the first place. The Three Driving Factors of Effective Communication Back in 1967, UCLA professor Albert Mehrabian published two groundbreaking studies on communication (Decoding of Inconsistent Communications and Inference of Attitudes from Nonverbal Communication in Two Channels) which introduced a then-revolutionary concept: Effective communication isn’t the result of chance, it’s a process. In other words, communication is a skill, not a gift; and with the right understanding, anyone can learn to eliminate miscommunications more effectively. At the core of this idea was the belief that effective communication had 3 primary components: Words: The actual words we use to communicate our message. Tonality: The tone of our voice as we deliver our words. Body Language: The movements of our body (especially our...


> Uncover the true cost of your internal meetings and optimize your meeting expenses by using our free Meeting Cost Calculator.

- Published: 2018-08-28
- Modified: 2024-04-15
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/meeting-cost-calculator/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, 2. Intent, 3. Fellowship, Uncategorized

1860 minutes. According to Atlassian, the average person spends 31 hours, or 1860 minutes, in meetings each and every month. That’s about 62 30-minute meetings! That’s a lot of meetings, but I’d be willing to bet that many of you exceed those numbers on a regular basis. If that sounds like you, here’s the question you’ve got to ask: Are they really worth it? In my experience, the answer’s often a resounding “no. ” In fact, one study of 182 senior managers found that ... 65% felt that meetings kept them from completing real work, 71% felt the majority of meetings were unproductive and inefficient, 64% felt that meetings came at the expensive of deep thinking—or Whitespace—time, and 62% felt meetings generally failed to bring the team closer together. That’s pretty damning. 1860 minutes every month, and the majority of executives feel they’re a waste of time. And yet, I doubt this comes as a surprise. Most people know their meetings may not be as efficient as they could. In fact, many people will admit that the majority of meetings are ultimately unnecessary. And yet we keep having them. Why? There are a number of issues at play here, but I think one of the major problems is this: The true cost of meetings is still too abstract. Sure, 1860 minutes probably feels like a lot; but the pain isn’t tangible enough to prompt people to change (even though, in many cases, they should). And that’s why I wanted to...


> Inbox cost calculator -Discover the shocking truth about how much your inbox really could be costing you..

- Published: 2018-08-15
- Modified: 2023-12-07
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/inbox-cost-calculator/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, 2. Intent, 3. Fellowship, Uncategorized

It’s time for an honest discussion: Your inbox is probably costing you more than you realize. 4. 1 hours. According to a recent survey, the average professional spends about 4. 1 hours managing their inbox each day. If that doesn’t seem like a lot at first, that totals to over 1,000 hours a year. And keep in mind: That’s just the average professional; it doesn’t speak to the countless CEOs and executives who often spend even more time feeling like a slave to their inbox. And the funny thing is, while many people agree the inbox is their single biggest time and productivity sink, they ultimately do little to change it for two reasons: First off, they see hours in the inbox as an unavoidable part of doing business Secondly, they don’t realize just how much their inbox is truly costing them. We’ve already written about how to get more value out of your inbox (while spending less time managing emails), so I won’t rehash that here. Instead, I want to focus on that second point and offer you a 100% transparent look at the true cost of your inbox through our inbox cost calculator. So, without further ado, let's on the precise dollar amount your emails are costing you each day. And as a warning: It may come as a painful surprise. How Much Time and Money Does the Average Employee Spend on Email? Let’s look at the average Silicon Valley tech employee. With 4 hours spent in email...


> 3 Simple Strategies to Ensure Meetings End on time.

- Published: 2018-07-18
- Modified: 2023-12-07
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/meetings-end-on-time/
- Categories: 2. Intent, 3. Fellowship, 7. Blog - Intent, Uncategorized

Let’s face the uncomfortable truth: Sometimes, back-to-back meetings are an unavoidable part of doing business; and while there are a number of great strategies to reduce back-to-back meetings, you often can’t eliminate them entirely. But then again, the meetings themselves are only half the problem. The real problem comes when one of those meetings runs over it’s budgeted time. When you’ve got a full day of meetings one after the other, a single meeting running over its allotted time can wreak havoc on the rest of your day. It can be easy to lose an entire day trying to catch up on and complete your meetings. Needless to say, that isn’t an optimal way to spend your most valuable resource: Time. So the question is ... What do you do about it? If you can’t eliminate these meetings entirely, you need to find a way to make sure to end meetings on time; and that’s exactly what we’re discussing today. I’m going to share three strategies—one for each stage of a meeting—to help increase the likelihood you’ll not only end meetings on time ... you’ll dramatically increase the perceived ROI of those meetings, for you and everyone involved. Ready? Let’s get started. Pre-Meeting Hack: Optimize Your Meeting Length First things first: Let’s optimize your meeting length. Most people seem to default to two meeting lengths: Short 30-minute meetings, or longer 60-minute meetings. This is half the reason meetings wind up scheduled back-to-back; on a calendar, 30- or 60-minute meetings fit...


- Published: 2018-07-04
- Modified: 2018-07-04
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/habit-kick-off-meeting/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, 2. Intent, 3. Fellowship, Mindset and Likability, Network Relationship Management

Ever find yourself stuck with a calendar that looks something like this week-in and week-out? You’re not alone: One of the realities of building a startup is the seemingly-endless series of back-to-back-to-back meetings. Now we’ve already covered two ways to reduce the pressure of back-to-back meetings, but the fact of the matter is you can’t eliminate meetings entirely. And if that’s true—that meetings really aren’t going anywhere—you may as well make the most of them; because I still believe some of the game-changing opportunities you’ll encounter will come out of meetings. Here’s the problem: So often, we end up so slammed with meetings that we walk in not entirely certain of who it is we’re meeting with. On a good day, maybe you remember their first name. But their background? If you’re anything like most people, probably not. As a result, we end up walking into meetings and delivering an average-to-subpar experience where, at best, we kick things off with a, “Hey, great to meet you. ” Not exactly memorable, and it certainly doesn’t make a great first impression. That sound familiar? If so, read on—because this one’s for you. The (Simple) Secret to a Great First Impression The first few moments of a meeting—whether you’re meeting with someone for the first time or the 50th—are vital. They set the tone for the rest of the meeting. The question is, how do you deliver a great experience? The answer’s easier than you may think: All you’ve got to do is...


> Learn how to write follow up emails, including three proven follow-up email templates you can use to virtually guarantee a response from your recipient.

- Published: 2018-06-19
- Modified: 2024-02-08
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/write-follow-up-emails-templates/
- Categories: 1. Leverage, 2. Intent, 3. Fellowship, Uncategorized

How to Write Follow Up Emails That Virtually Guarantee a Response (with Templates! ) Ever spent what felt like ages drafting the "perfect" email, only to get nothing but radio silence in return? If you're anything like most people, you probably have. After all, a recent study found that the average person receives about 141 emails a day but sends only 40. It doesn't take a mathematician to realize that means 3/4th of the emails someone receives never get a response. The question is, how do you stack the deck in your favor to increase the odds of being a part of that coveted 1/4th? Sure: How you write your initial email plays a big part in that, and we've already talked pretty extensively about how to write emails that get replies. But at the end of the day, your initial email's only half the battle. Even if you do everything right, you still may not get a response. And when that happens, the fortune's in the follow up. The problem is many people don't know how to write follow up emails or when to send them. This uncertainty makes them uncomfortable, and, as a result, they often don't end up sending anything (or they send something that's ineffective at best). Today, we're going to show you how to write follow up emails, including three proven follow up email templates you can use to virtually guarantee a response from your recipient. Note: This blog post is part of our new...


> How to offer help. Advantages to why you should never offer your help when you see the potential for a highly-valuable, mutually-beneficial relationship.

- Published: 2018-05-16
- Modified: 2024-03-08
- URL: https://mindmaven.com/blog/how-to-offer-help/
- Categories: 2. Intent, 3. Fellowship, 7. Blog - Intent, Articles, Learning, Mindfulness, Mindset and Likability, Network Relationship Management
- Tags: CEO, empathy, Fellowship, how to offer help, intent, mindfulness, positive alacrity, Productivity, professional challenges, relationships

How To Offer Help ... Don't Ever found yourself in a situation like this? You’re in the middle of a great meeting with a new connection—let’s call him Michael—and you see the potential for a highly-valuable, mutually-beneficial relationship. Wanting to make a good impression (and lay a strong foundation for the relationship), you wrap up the meeting with an attempt to uncover the challenges he’s currently facing to see how to offer help. And despite the best intentions, it’s at this crucial moment that you make the common (but grave) mistake of asking, “Hey before we wrap this up ... How can I help you? ” Wrong move. Am I really saying it’s wrong to offer your help? Absolutely. Let me explain. Don’t get me wrong: I understand your offer’s coming from a genuine desire to provide value, and there’s nothing wrong with that. In fact, that’s the heart of Positive Alacrity and the foundation of great relationships. The problem is most people go about how to offer help in the worst way possible and, as a result, end up not helping as effectively as they could (if at all). If you really want to know how to offer help that provides true value to the other person, it’s time for a new approach; and that starts by recognizing the faults in using the “front door” “How can I help you? ” tactic most people use. Why “How Can I Help You? ” Just Doesn’t Work What is the “front...