When you hire an in-house executive assistant, you’re not just hiring a person. You’re taking on all the risk that comes with that hire.
What happens when they leave after 18 months? Or call in sick during your biggest week of the year? Or need three weeks to get up to speed on your systems?
That’s time, money, and mental bandwidth you can’t afford to lose.
The average tenure for US executive assistants is about 23 months. Turnover rates show more than 50% turnover annually in many cases, according to industry research.
The replacement costs are between 50% to 200% of their annual salary. That’s $30,000 to $120,000 or more when you factor in recruiting, training, and lost productivity.
Boldly operates differently. We take on the risk so you don’t have to.
The Hidden Costs Of Managing An In-House Executive Assistant
Here’s what most executives don’t account for when they bring on an in-house EA: the ongoing management overhead.
Without proper support, executives spend 20+ hours a week managing administrative tasks themselves.
Scheduling conflicts. Unexpected PTO. Skill gaps. Personality mismatches. These aren’t occasional hiccups. They’re part of the reality of managing any employee.
Last-minute cancellations disrupt your day. Technical issues during critical meetings cost you deals. Skills that looked solid in the interview don’t match what you need.
And when your EA leaves? You’re back to square one. You’ll spend 3 to 4 months recruiting, interviewing, and onboarding someone new. During that time, you’re either drowning in admin work or scrambling to piece together temporary coverage.
Why Boldly’s Model Eliminates Turnover Risk
With Boldly, turnover isn’t your problem.
Our executive assistants are W2 employees of Boldly. They receive competitive pay, a matched 401(k), paid holidays, and continuous training.
This means they stay. Our assistants average 4+ years of tenure. (That’s about double the industry standard!)
When life happens, we handle it. Whether it’s a vacation, illness, or even if an assistant moves on, you don’t lose a beat.
We provide trained backup coverage for vacations and absences. If your assistant transitions off your account for any reason, we match you with a new EA. They’re already vetted, trained, and ready to step in.
This means you never experience a gap in support, absorb replacement costs, or scramble to hire someone new.
Boldly takes on all of that risk and cost.
Turnkey Support: From Signup To First Task In Two Weeks
Here’s what “turnkey” means with Boldly.
From the moment you sign up, you’re matched with a personally selected executive assistant in about two weeks. Not three months. Two weeks.
We handle:
- The vetting process (our multi-step screening includes skills assessments, video interviews, reference checks, and a meeting with our founder)
- The training (ongoing professional development, client-specific protocols, and cross-training on tools and workflows)
- The onboarding (integration with your team, systems access, and clear communication expectations)
- The backup coverage (a network of assistants who know your account if your primary EA is unavailable)
You handle:
- Providing access to your tools (email, calendar, project management systems)
- Defining your priorities and communication preferences
- Introducing your EA to key team members
That’s it!
An in-house hire requires you to manage recruiting, interviewing, background checks, onboarding, training, benefits, payroll, and coverage planning. Boldly handles all of it.
You get the support and we handle the hassles.
How Boldly Hires For This Position
Finding the right executive assistant isn’t easy. That’s why most companies get it wrong.
Boldly’s hiring process is rigorous by design. We don’t publish exact rejection rates, but our multi-step vetting process is competitive and thorough.
Every candidate goes through:
- A skills assessment with real-world tasks
- A preliminary video interview
- A structured interview with our recruitment team
- A meeting with Boldly’s founder, Sandra Lewis
- Professional reference and background checks
All applications are reviewed by actual people, not automated software. We assess for skills, experience, and alignment with our values of kindness, respect, and excellence.
Once hired, our assistants go through comprehensive onboarding that includes live training via Zoom, self-study resources, and deep immersion in Boldly’s culture and best practices.
This isn’t a temp agency throwing warm bodies at open slots. This is a carefully curated team of professionals who are equipped to do the job from day one.
Trained, Reliable, And Always Available
Boldly assistants aren’t learning on the job at your expense.
Our team is top-notch and brings years of experience. Many have C-suite or Fortune 500 backgrounds. They’re trained not just on general EA skills, but on client-specific protocols, communication styles, and workflow preferences.
Training doesn’t stop after onboarding. We provide ongoing professional development so our assistants stay sharp on emerging tools, productivity methods, and executive support best practices.
When your assistant is out for vacation, illness, or any reason, backup coverage kicks in right away. It’s within the same business day or a few hours.
Our assistants are cross-trained on client accounts. Backup support isn’t someone fumbling through your inbox trying to figure out your preferences. It’s a trained professional who already knows your workflows.
You get 25 to 40 hours per week of reliable, high-quality support. No worrying about gaps, turnover, or management overhead.
The Bottom Line: We Take The Risk, You Get The Results
Hiring an in-house executive assistant makes sense in some situations. But it means higher costs, longer timelines, and ongoing management responsibility.
If your assistant leaves after 18 months, you’re absorbing recruiting costs, onboarding time, and productivity loss. If they’re out sick during a critical week, you’re scrambling for coverage.
Boldly is designed to eliminate those risks..
No hiring headaches. No compliance issues. No turnover disruptions. Just consistent, reliable support that frees you up to focus on what matters: running your business.
