Mesi Balog, Founder of Treat Your Staff, a wellbeing consultancy, and a brand new Confidence Club, draws from her own experiences of building confidence. Her five key areas can help you, as an EA or PA, to make your dream a reality, be it as an EA, in leadership or even entrepreneurshipโฆ
Confidence is built, not found
Building confidence that will win you the future you want doesnโt 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 โperfect moment,โ 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 youโll 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.
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. Donโt wait for the push – create the pull
Many PAs and EAs who start something of their own move into the virtual assistant space. Thatโs a great option, but itโs 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 youโve built are transferable to almost anything.
5. Surround yourself with confidence builders
Whether itโs attending events, joining business communities, or networking with people you admireโproximity 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 communicationsโsearching for my best fit. But I often felt like something was missing. It wasnโt until I faced redundancy that I realised I had a choice: go find another jobโฆ or finally bet on myself.
Within two months, I launched my company. I wasnโt โready, but I took action anyway. Confidence is really the same as willingness to try. Itโs not knowing whether youโll succeed, but believing youโll figure it out.
Finally: The skyโs the limit
Being an EA or PA gives you an incredible runway to anything you want to be. Your experience is not a limitation, itโs your superpower. Youโve seen how businesses run from the inside. Youโve 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 donโt have to have it all figured out. You just have to start.
The Confidence Club launch event
Book your place at the Confidence Club launch event of the on September 1st.
PA Life’s wellness columns are a great source of advice and ideas for corporate wellbeing initiatives.
For more wellness advice for your staff and, or events, see
