Her Story
About Emma
Emma Brin serves as Executive Assistant to the CEO of a manufacturing company based in Middletown, CT. With approximately 8 years in her field, she began her career at age 18 in nightlife sales before developing skills in event planning that proved highly transferable. These experiences enabled her to advance into her current administrative role, where she has tripled her income and gained a strong sense of professional direction. Currently a student maintaining a 3.8 GPA while working full-time, Emma draws motivation from both her professional growth and personal pursuits, including caring for rescued cats, water sports such as swimming and paddle boarding, and writing poetry and fiction. She participates in Relay for Life each year to honor her grandmother, who passed away from lung cancer. Emma emphasizes the importance of clear communication in executive assistant roles and advises young women to prioritize general education and real-world experience over rushing into a specific major. She maintains a deliberate separation between work and personal life, taking clarity breaks during the day and fully disengaging from work at home to focus on her hobbies and sense of self.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Emma
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to the power of transferable skills. I started in nightlife sales at 18, built skills in event planning, and turned what others thought would lead nowhere into a career as executive assistant to the CEO of a manufacturing company, tripling my income and developing a strong sense of self and career direction.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
When it comes to things like education, focus more on the general education. Don't stress yourself out trying to decide what you want for a major or career path, because at that age you're not necessarily going to know. Get world experience even if it feels like it's taking a little longer, because it's the only way to determine who you are.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenges are leadership teams that may not have the clearest idea of what they're looking for when hiring executive assistants, leading to limitations on communication. Being an EA is all about communication and getting to know the person you're reporting to, and having the ability to read that person and know what they need.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Maintaining a good separation between work and personal life. Taking clarity breaks during lunch to step out of the working mindset, get fresh air, and reset so I don't feel burnt out. When at home, disengage from work and focus on hobbies to remember that I'm still Emma regardless of what's going on professionally.
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