When you’re a founder building something from the ground up, every hire counts. Your time is stretched thin, your to-do list feels endless, and you’re constantly switching between big-picture strategy and nitty-gritty tasks. It’s tempting to think, I just need someone—anyone—to help lighten the load.

However, not all support roles are created equal.

You’ve probably heard that executive assistants (EAs) and administrative assistants (AAs) can be lifesavers for founders and business owners. While both can provide valuable support, there are significant differences between these roles that will play a big part in how well they meet your needs.

To help you navigate these distinctions and make the best hiring choice for your business, we’ve created this guide to break it all down.

What is an executive assistant?

An executive assistant is a dedicated professional who works closely with founders, business owners, and C-suite executives to make sure they have everything they need to perform their high-stakes role. Often referred to as a founder’s "right-hand person," EAs focus on high-level support and act as a bridge between them and the rest of the company.

Their responsibilities typically include:

• Calendar management, with a focus on strategic priorities.
• Handling correspondence, particularly high-value or sensitive communications.
• Preparing reports, presentations, and briefs for critical decisions.
• Coordinating key meetings and making sure follow-ups are actioned.
• Acting as a liaison between the founder and stakeholders, clients, or team members.
• Supporting long-term planning and project execution.
• Arranging travel and accommodation for the founder’s business trips.
• In some cases, an EA will make decisions on behalf of the founder, especially during urgent situations.

What is an administrative assistant?

An administrative assistant specializes in managing routine, back-office tasks that keep any business running smoothly. While they don’t typically handle strategic responsibilities, their support gives you the breathing room you need to handle those big-picture tasks with focus and clarity, without getting bogged down by day-to-day details.

Typical AA tasks include:

• Organizing calendars, scheduling meetings, and taking minutes.
• Handling emails, voice mails, and routine correspondence.
• Organizing files, records, and data entry.
• Conducting research.
• Managing office supplies and equipment.
• Assisting with travel arrangements and itineraries.
• Handling invoices, expenses, and other financial tasks.

Why administrative assistants should come first for founders

If you're feeling the weight of all your different responsibilities dragging you down, you might already be dreaming of hiring a trusty executive assistant. After all, who wouldn’t want the luxury of someone expertly managing their calendar, coordinating with high-profile contacts, and making life feel a little more streamlined?

But before you dive in head first, here’s why hiring an administrative assistant first makes the most sense:

1. Administrative support is essential, not a luxury

In business, admin tasks are everywhere—there’s just no avoiding them. But whether you find them tedious or strangely satisfying, the stats don't lie:

• The average entrepreneur spends 36% of their working week on admin tasks.
• Small business owners spend an average of 300 hours per year on admin.
• The average business owner needs an additional four hours every single working day just to complete their admin tasks.

This isn't just frustrating—it’s unsustainable. You have big goals, bold ideas, and a vision for your business, but how much of that can you truly achieve when your energy and resources are constantly being drained by routine admin work?

The truth is, your time is far too valuable to be squandered.

Not only that, but the constant weight of these tasks is a recipe for stress, disorganization, and overwhelm, which can make running your business feel far more punishing than rewarding.

By hiring an admin assistant, you can cut down the time you spend on small, everyday tasks to almost nothing. Taking these routine tasks off your plate is the only way to create the breathing room you need to lead effectively, make better decisions, and focus on the bigger picture.

Why spend another week drowning in admin when you could be focusing on what truly inspires you and paves the way to success?

2. Administrative assistant roles are widely understood and accessible

One of the most valuable yet often overlooked benefits of hiring an administrative assistant is the simplicity of the role.

Let's be honest, most people already have a good sense of what admin support entails. This familiarity makes the process of bringing an assistant on board far less intimidating, especially if it’s your first time working with one.

Clear and easily understood responsibilities make for a much smoother transition. You’re not venturing into unknown territory or trying to explain something overly complex. Instead, you can confidently outline the tasks you need help with, knowing they’re straightforward and achievable. This clarity means you know exactly what to expect from your assistant, and they know precisely how to meet your needs, setting both of you up for success from the start.

3. Admin support offers quick relief

Another advantage of the simplicity of admin tasks is that handing them over to someone else is pretty straightforward. You won't have to spend hours explaining what these responsibilities are, and your assistant can get started pretty much straight away. This means that once these tasks are offloaded, the results are quickly noticeable.

Imagine how it would feel if all those back-office tasks that dominate your day were suddenly no longer an issue.

For starters, your day becomes more structured and organized, deadlines stop sneaking up on you, and you no longer have to work late and sacrifice personal time to make sure everything's ticked off your to-do list. It's not just about gaining extra hours; it's about regaining the mental clarity and space you need to thrive personally and professionally.

4. You’ll likely witness better results in someone else’s hands

Just because you can take care of your admin tasks, it doesn't mean you should.

Many founders hold onto these tasks because they struggle to trust others to meet their high standards. Ironically, this often backfires, as a heavy workload makes it much harder to do any task as well as you could. When you’re juggling multiple priorities under pressure, mistakes are bound to happen, and the quality of work can suffer.

And let’s be honest—administrative work might just not be your strong suit!

Admitting that spreadsheets, calendars, and organizing details aren’t your thing doesn’t diminish your abilities as a founder; it highlights your self-awareness. Founders and company leaders are often visionaries, not taskmasters, which makes focusing on big-picture goals more natural than managing minutiae. There are so many things you excel at, administrative work doesn’t have to be one of them—especially when you can entrust it to someone who thrives in that role.

The case for executive assistants (later!)

Executive assistants are undeniably valuable to businesses, but they’re not always the best choice as a founder’s first hire. As tempting as it may be, hiring an EA too early can be premature for several reasons.

Here’s why:

1. They’re non-essential in the early days

Let’s be honest, hiring an executive assistant can feel like a badge of honor, a symbol of success that signals you’ve “made it.” The idea of someone taking complete control of your schedule, fielding all your communications, and handling your high-level priorities can be enticing, not just for the practicality but for the prestige it adds to your professional image.

However, while the idea of having an EA might be appealing and even aspirational, the truth is that the tasks typically handled by an EA—such as strategic calendar management, travel coordination, or managing high-level communications—might not even be on your radar yet. Without this crucial foundation, even the most strategic executive support won’t have the structure to thrive.

As a founder, the last thing you need is to spend money on an employee with almost nothing to do but twiddle their thumbs, and investing in an EA too early could be putting the cart before the horse, diverting valuable resources away from more pressing priorities.

2. Integrating a new EA can be complex

Successfully bringing an executive assistant on board is not a plug-and-play process. It takes a great deal of time and effort, plus a clear understanding of how they can fully integrate into your workflow and deliver the strategic value they’re capable of.

This can be challenging because, as we mentioned, the systems, processes, and tasks needed to make the most of an EA role may not exist yet. Without these essential elements, an EA may struggle to navigate their role effectively or contribute at the level you're expecting.

Not only that, but building and implementing these systems is no small feat—it demands time, resources, and focus, all of which are often in short supply when you're juggling all the different demands of running a business. Adding that extra hassle to an already-full plate can undermine the very support the EA role is meant to provide.

3. Delayed ROI

When you consider the amount of time, effort, and resources needed to onboard an EA effectively, it's also important to bear in mind that the return on investment (ROI) from their work is often delayed.

Not only that, but the very nature of their tasks means that the full benefits of their work often take time to materialize.

As executive assistants' work typically revolves around long-term strategy and high-level activities, the results of these tasks can be less tangible and harder to measure, especially in the early stages.

Unlike roles focused on day-to-day operational tasks, where the impact is quickly felt, this delayed ROI of an EA’s work can feel misaligned with the quick relief or improved efficiency founders often expect when making their first hire.

What's the bottom line?

At this stage in your business journey, it’s not just about getting help—it’s about getting the right help at the right time.

Right now, the biggest challenges you're facing aren’t necessarily complex, executive-level hurdles. Chances are, it all boils down to feeling stressed, disorganized, and out of control.

And the culprit behind all of this? Admin tasks.

What you truly need now is someone who can roll up their sleeves and take on all those routine, day-to-day tasks that keep your business running smoothly.

Hiring an administrative assistant makes sure that your business needs are met, giving you the breathing room to focus on what truly matters: bringing your vision to life. This crucial support allows you to concentrate on your strengths and passions without getting bogged down by administrative bottlenecks that seriously slow your progress.

And as your company scales and your daily demands evolve, you’ll be perfectly positioned to welcome an executive assistant who can support you at a higher level, should you wish.

So, why wait?

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