Vol 15: with Ana - From EA to Leader on Her Terms

🌱 Guest: Ana Ferreira Resendes — Media & Tech Professional, Executive Assistant, Ex-Ad Operations manager, Mom of a toddler, Conference Connector

Ana is the first coworker I’ve brought on the show. “Executive Assistant to my skip-level manager” hardly covers what she does: she greets every new hire, remembers our birthdays and work anniversaries, sets up coffee chats with senior leaders, checks in on the rest of us, and asks the questions that sharpen our work. Get to know her and you’ll find a fearless, wise woman steering her own path. I’m excited for you to meet Ana and hear her story.

🎧 What you’ll learn

• Designing a career around the parent you want to be, not vice-versa.
• Turning layoffs & maternity breaks into built-in sabbaticals for learning, skills-refresh, and bonding.
• Conference strategy 101: hear how Anna paid her own way, tripled her network, and unlocked surprise opportunities.
• Boundary-setting scripts that actually stick (“Phone goes dark at 5 p.m.—full stop.”).
• Redefine success at your terms: Measure wins in both KPIs and bedtime hugs so you never lose your seat at either table.

Connect with Ana

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com

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Connect with Bonnie
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com

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Key Timestamps:
00:45 – Quick intro: why Ana’s story matters to us
02:00 – How a high-school TV club sparked her media bug
03:30 – Linear → digital → Executive Assistant: seeing the business end-to-end
05:00 – Motherhood shift: the “present-mom” gut check
08:00 – Layoff + maternity: turning fear into a growth window
10:30 – First post-baby conference (NAB) and finding her groove again
13:40 – Amsterdam IBC: lessons from Europe’s calmer work pace
17:00 – Paying her own way to POSSIBLE Miami & launching Advance Women brunch
20:45 – Bumping into the division president—proof that showing up counts
24:30 – Team culture in action: onboarding rituals & coffee chats
28:10 – Success at work and home: KPIs vs. kid hugs
32:30 – For moms eyeing a comeback: start with the mom question
38:40 – Rapid-fire round
42:30 – Wrap-up: intentional choices → real agency