The unfiltered origin story of The Executive Effect—recorded in my car because epiphanies don't wait for recording studios.

After 10+ years killing it as an EA at Blackstone, Morgan Stanley, TD Securities, and now managing a $1.24M event portfolio, I had a breakdown that turned into a breakthrough: Why the hell was I treating my most valuable skill like a backup plan?

In this episode, I'm getting raw about:

• Why I spent a year trying to "level up" out of EA work—only to realize I downgraded myself into doing 3x the work for 40% less pay

  The internalized shame around being "just an assistant" (spoiler: that's bullshit and I'm calling it out)

  • How I kept giving away million-dollar systems for free at work while struggling to pay rent

  • The exact moment I realized executive support isn't my fallback—it's my superpower

  • Why companies will pay you $145K+ to support a C-suite exec but think $85K is "generous" for managing their entire marketing and events strategy

  The truth bomb: Being an EA came so naturally to me that I dismissed it as "easy"—meanwhile, I was building expense management systems with Excel macros, creating 90-day onboarding guides, and training every new hire because no one else could systemize like I could.

  I was literally doing consultant-level work for an employee-level title. And I'm done with that.

The unfiltered origin story of The Executive Effect—recorded in my car because epiphanies don't wait for recording studios.

After 10+ years killing it as an EA at Blackstone, Morgan Stanley, TD Securities, and now managing a $1.24M event portfolio, I had a breakdown that turned into a breakthrough: Why the hell was I treating my most valuable skill like a backup plan?

In this episode, I'm getting raw about:

• Why I spent a year trying to "level up" out of EA work—only to realize I downgraded myself into doing 3x the work for 40% less pay

  The internalized shame around being "just an assistant" (spoiler: that's bullshit and I'm calling it out)

  • How I kept giving away million-dollar systems for free at work while struggling to pay rent

  • The exact moment I realized executive support isn't my fallback—it's my superpower

  • Why companies will pay you $145K+ to support a C-suite exec but think $85K is "generous" for managing their entire marketing and events strategy

  The truth bomb: Being an EA came so naturally to me that I dismissed it as "easy"—meanwhile, I was building expense management systems with Excel macros, creating 90-day onboarding guides, and training every new hire because no one else could systemize like I could.

  I was literally doing consultant-level work for an employee-level title. And I'm done with that.

The unfiltered origin story of The Executive Effect—recorded in my car because epiphanies don't wait for recording studios.

After 10+ years killing it as an EA at Blackstone, Morgan Stanley, TD Securities, and now managing a $1.24M event portfolio, I had a breakdown that turned into a breakthrough: Why the hell was I treating my most valuable skill like a backup plan?

In this episode, I'm getting raw about:

• Why I spent a year trying to "level up" out of EA work—only to realize I downgraded myself into doing 3x the work for 40% less pay

  The internalized shame around being "just an assistant" (spoiler: that's bullshit and I'm calling it out)

  • How I kept giving away million-dollar systems for free at work while struggling to pay rent

  • The exact moment I realized executive support isn't my fallback—it's my superpower

  • Why companies will pay you $145K+ to support a C-suite exec but think $85K is "generous" for managing their entire marketing and events strategy

  The truth bomb: Being an EA came so naturally to me that I dismissed it as "easy"—meanwhile, I was building expense management systems with Excel macros, creating 90-day onboarding guides, and training every new hire because no one else could systemize like I could.

  I was literally doing consultant-level work for an employee-level title. And I'm done with that.

Episode Description: In this candid episode, Christina Torres addresses the reality many entrepreneurs face: the need to return to full-time or part-time employment while maintaining their businesses. Whether you're considering this move due to the economy playing in your face or personal circumstances, this episode offers all the mindset shifts, pros, cons, and things to consider when balancing employment and entrepreneurship.

Key Points:

• The normalcy and benefits of combining employment with business ownership

• Christina's personal journey of balancing jobs and business

• Understanding your needs: time, stability, or decision-making capacity

• Strategies for finding the right job to complement your business

• The importance of setting non-negotiables in your job search

• How employment can actually benefit your business growth

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How to approach job hunting as a business owner

• Ways to leverage your entrepreneurial skills in employment

• Strategies for managing time between a job and your business

• Tips for delegating and building a team to support your business

• The importance of self-trust and adaptability in your career journey

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How to reframe your perspective on marketing

• The difference between marketing, advertising, and content creation

• Ways to use marketing ethically and effectively

• Strategies for building trust with your audience through honest marketing

• Tips for aligning your marketing with your values and your truthimum impact

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The importance of regular website audits and optimization

• How to improve user experience and navigation on your site

• Strategies for optimizing your homepage, about page, and product pages

• The value of user testing and analytics tools like Hotjar and Google Analytics

• How to apply the "so what" test to your website copy for maximum impact

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The importance of regular website audits and optimization

• How to improve user experience and navigation on your site

• Strategies for optimizing your homepage, about page, and product pages

• The value of user testing and analytics tools like Hotjar and Google Analytics

• How to apply the "so what" test to your website copy for maximum impact