I’ve mentioned before that I think personal assistants should replace corporate secretaries, which means logistical assistance for both personal and professional efforts of busy executives. This article in today’s NYT affirmed my belief that for even the non mega-rich and famous a personal assistant can be a terrific investment. Some day I will start a business that provides high powered personal assistants for high powered executives or partners in professional services firms.
Time poverty is the new yuppie plague.
But I think that the winner will be a professional firm that operates a service, rather than simply placing assistants.
Someday, when I am wealthy beyond belief, I will want to use my money to eliminate all drudgery from my life. But that calls for an entire organization, not just a single assistant!
The challenge with a firm is that intimate trust is essential for a PA and the boss. One of the things I think a PA can do which could be the biggest time saver is communications – managing emails, phone calls, letters, etc. Before letting anyone talk on my behalf, even for little things like thank you notes, I would need a great deal of trust.
you both may enjoy an esquire article from September 05 that I read while in New Orleans.
http://www.smartmoney.com/esquire/index.cfm?Story=20050909-outsource&pgnum=1