How to Get the Most Out of Your Relationship with Your Personal Assistant

Assistants love helping you and making a difference in your life.

Having a personal assistant doesn't always come naturally. Busy individuals know they need support, but they don't always know how to ask for help. I have seen it time and time again — people think they are the only ones who can do a specific task, or they say, "It will be faster if I just do it myself." Let me be the first to say that neither of those things are true.

And I say it because I have said the same thing. When I first started Friday, it was just me. I was the assistant, the boss, the bookkeeper, the web designer. I wore all the hats. When you don't have funding and you're starting a new business, that's just how it goes. But I knew that in order to grow, I had to relinquish tasks — even tasks that I actually liked doing.

The first thing I let go of was bookkeeping. I was good at it, but I knew it was time. It took about three months for my bookkeeper to completely understand how we operate, but I invested that time — and now I have so much more space to focus on the things only I can do.

One of the hardest things I did was pass my clients along to other personal assistants I had hired. And immediately, I caught myself saying the exact words I tell everyone else not to say: "No one can do these tasks as well as me." I was wrong. They did the tasks even better than I did, because they weren't being pulled in a hundred different directions. Their sole focus was being the best personal assistant they could be. They weren't worrying about website development, hiring, or onboarding. Their focus was the client.

Here are my top three tips for forming the best possible relationship with your personal assistant and getting the most out of your time together.

Spend one hour to save a thousand.

I haven't done the exact math, but I can tell you this: the time you invest upfront training your personal assistant will save you countless hours down the road. It also means fewer things need to be redone due to miscommunication. I always say, "I am only as good as the information I'm given." If you don't tell me what you like or don't like, I'm going to guess — and I might get it right, or I might not. No personal assistant wants to get it wrong.

Give the relationship 90 days.

When I first started offloading tasks, I hired a bookkeeper. We met over Zoom, clicked immediately, and I felt good about it. But 30 days in, when our first round of invoices went out, I wasn't thrilled. I felt like I was correcting a lot. We met, talked through the issues, and the next round was better. By day 90, she was a lifesaver. It just took time — time for her to learn how we operate, and time for me to understand how she works best. I'm so glad I gave it that runway, because I genuinely love how she works. By sticking it out, I was able to buy back my time and invest it where it mattered most.

Trust immediately.

I cannot stress this enough. You have to trust your personal assistant fully and right away. If you don't, you'll spend an exhausting amount of energy trying to protect information that your assistant genuinely has no interest in sharing. I have come across some pretty sensitive stuff over the years — and not once would I ever say a word to anyone. That is trust. At Friday, we run background checks, require signed NDAs, and conduct thorough interviews to make sure every assistant in our network is someone you can count on. We do the hard work upfront so you don't have to.

I hope this helps you on your way to a long, successful relationship with your personal assistant. My goal is for everyone to be happy — the right assistant matched with the right client. When that happens, everyone wins.

If you're interested in becoming a personal assistant, click here. If you're interested in hiring a personal assistant, click here. Want to learn more about how Friday got started? Read this blog.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know what to delegate to my personal assistant? Start with the tasks that drain your energy or eat up time you could spend elsewhere. If something feels tedious, repetitive, or simply outside your zone of genius, it's a great candidate to hand off. Not sure where to start? Your assistant can help you figure that out.

What if my assistant doesn't do something the way I would? That's completely normal, especially in the first few weeks. The key is communication — share your preferences early and specifically. Most things can be adjusted quickly once your assistant understands your standards. Remember, different doesn't always mean wrong.

How long does it take to get into a good rhythm? Give it 90 days. The first month is about learning. The second month is about refining. By the third month, most client-assistant relationships hit their stride. Stick with it — the payoff is worth it.

Is my personal information safe? Yes. Every Friday assistant signs a non-disclosure agreement, passes a background check, and goes through a thorough interview process. Discretion is a core part of the job, and it's something we take seriously.

How many hours a week do I need to get started? You don't need to commit to a lot of hours to see real impact. Even a few hours a week can meaningfully reduce your mental load. Friday offers flexible support, so you can start small and scale up as your needs grow.

What if it's not a good fit? It happens, and that's okay. Finding the right match matters more than making something work that isn't working. Friday's goal is to pair the right assistant with the right client — and if an adjustment needs to be made, we'll work with you to find a better fit.