Mesi Balog, Founder of Treat Your Staff, a wellbeing consultancy, draws from her own

experiences on how you, as an EA or PA, can build confidence to make your dream a reality, be it as an EA, in leadership or even entrepreneurship…

Confidence is built, not found

Building confidence that will win you the future you want doesn't happen overnight. But it can absolutely be done. Here are some key steps that helped me and can help you too:

1. Start with exploration

Instead of waiting for the “perfect moment,” start trying new things. Get involved in cross-

functional projects. Take on side tasks outside your job scope, event planning, marketing,

internal comms, project coordination. The more you explore, the more you'll uncover what lights you up and where your strengths and weaknesses lie.

2. Say YES to stretch assignments

Volunteer for roles and tasks that scare you a little. Leading an initiative, managing a

budget, or running a team offsite can build your confidence and your CV - faster than

waiting for permission.

3. Want to run your own business? Start building your entrepreneurial muscle in your job

Every business owner needs to understand operations, customer service, problem-solving,

and leadership. EAs and PAs already do all of this. Reframe your mindset from supporting a leader to being one in training.

4. Don’t wait for the push - create the pull

Many PAs and EAs who start something of their own move into the virtual assistant space.

That’s a great option, but it's not the only one. You can run a consultancy, create a product, start an agency, coach others, become a speaker, or launch a platform around your passion. The skills you’ve built are transferable to almost anything.

5. Surround yourself with confidence builders

Whether it’s attending events, joining business communities, or networking with people you admire- proximity is powerful. Confidence is contagious.

What helped me to take the leap

Before I became a founder, I spent years trying different roles in events, marketing,

employee engagement, internal communications - searching for my best fit. But I often felt like something was missing. It wasn’t until I faced redundancy that I realised I had a choice: go find another job… or finally bet on myself.

Within two months, I launched my company. I wasn’t “ready, but I took action anyway.

That’s what confidence really is - the willingness to try. It’s not knowing whether you’ll

succeed, but believing you’ll figure it out. Finally: The sky’s the limit

Being an EA or PA gives you an incredible runway to anything you want to be. Your

experience is not a limitation, it’s your superpower.

You’ve seen how businesses run from the inside. You’ve supported high-level decision-makers. You already are the glue that holds everything together.

You already have the skills. Now build the confidence to match. Say yes to what excites you.

And trust that you are more capable than you think. You don’t have to have it all figured

out. You just have to start.