First 30 Business Days: Virtual Executive Assistant Onboarding

A rigorous 6-week plan (Mon–Fri). Clear objectives, guardrails, and proof of done—so your EA adds value from day one.

Start the Working Style Guide Schedule a 30‑min call
Built from 100+ EA onboardings
Outcome-first: clarity, guardrails, proof
Designed for busy owners and teams

Who this is for: Founders/CEOs of 10–150 person teams who need calendar control, inbox relief, and predictable prep—without adding meetings.

Week 1: FoundationWeek 2: Operational ControlWeek 3: LeverageWeek 4: Systems RunningWeek 5: Scale ReadinessWeek 6: Fully Operational

Optional pre‑work (20–40 min) to make Day 1 fly

Not required. If you prefer, we collect all of this together on Day 1.

Business Day 1

Day 1 — Kickoff, Charter, and Cadence

Exec 30m; VEA 2–3h ≈3 min read
1. Objective

Establish goals, norms, and ownership.

2. Deliverables
  • Engagement Charter (purpose, top 3 outcomes for 90 days, comms tools/hours, response SLAs, authority boundaries).
  • Daily Brief start tomorrow. 15-min daily standup set.
Templates (one-click)
Engagement Charter – inputs (Working Style Guide)
3. Definition of Done

Charter signed in writing; standup on calendar; Daily Brief template approved.

4. Guardrails

Create "Decision Log" doc (date, decision, rationale, owner).

Executive note

Why this matters: Establish goals, norms, and ownership. Your job is to approve, not build.

VEA tip

Use the DoD as your quality bar: Charter signed in writing; standup on calendar; Daily Brief template approved.

5. Close-out
Charter signed, cadence live.
Business Day 2

Day 2 — Access & Security Baseline

Exec 30m; VEA 3–4h ≈3 min read
1. Objective

Give the assistant the ability to execute safely.

2. Deliverables
  • Access Inventory (email, calendar, conferencing, Drive, CRM, PM tool, finance portals, travel accounts).
  • Password manager entries, 2FA enabled, recovery codes stored.
Templates (one-click)
Access Inventory – guide
3. Definition of Done

Assistant confirms login to each essential tool; security log updated.

4. Guardrails

Least-privilege permissions; share groups instead of individuals when possible.

Executive note

Why this matters: Give the assistant the ability to execute safely. Your job is to approve, not build.

VEA tip

Use the DoD as your quality bar: Assistant confirms login to each essential tool; security log updated.

5. Close-out
All essential access granted and validated.
Business Day 3

Day 3 — Calendar Audit & Control Rules

Exec 30m; VEA 2–3h ≈4 min read
1. Objective

Understand reality; define buffers and rules.

2. Deliverables
  • 30-day calendar audit (tags: Strategic / Ops / Personal; color-coded).
  • Buffer rules (min 15m between context switches; focus blocks).
  • Reschedule heuristics + no-fly times.
Templates (one-click)
Calendar Rules – worksheet
3. Definition of Done

Exec approves rule sheet; assistant applies to next 2 weeks.

4. Guardrails

"Emergency override" number for last-minute changes.

Executive note

Why this matters: Understand reality; define buffers and rules. Your job is to approve, not build.

VEA tip

Use the DoD as your quality bar: Exec approves rule sheet; assistant applies to next 2 weeks.

5. Close-out
Calendar rules approved and applied.
Business Day 4

Day 4 — Inbox Intake & Tone Guide

Exec 30m; VEA 3–4h ≈4 min read
1. Objective

Bring order; set writing voice.

2. Deliverables
  • Inbox taxonomy (P1/P2/P3) + sample labels/folders.
  • 5 canned responses (acknowledge, schedule, defer, decline, info request).
  • Signature standardization.
Templates (one-click)
Inbox Taxonomy – starterMorning Communication SOP (Notion)
3. Definition of Done

Assistant drafts 5 replies; exec edits 1-round max; tone guide captured.

4. Guardrails

"Do-not-send without review" list for sensitive threads.

Executive note

Why this matters: Bring order; set writing voice. Your job is to approve, not build.

VEA tip

Use the DoD as your quality bar: Assistant drafts 5 replies; exec edits 1-round max; tone guide captured.

5. Close-out
Inbox rules tested; tone locked.
Related
Morning Communication SOP
Milestone 5

Day 5 — Milestone #1: Foundation

Exec 15–30m; VEA 2h ≈3 min read
1. Objective

Operational loop running.

2. Deliverables
  • First Daily Brief sent; first Daily Close logged.
  • Standup agenda: Yesterday/Wins/Blockers/Today/Decisions.
Templates (one-click)
Daily Brief – example/guide
3. Definition of Done

Exec confirms brief helpfulness; adjusts format once.

4. Guardrails

If brief not received by agreed time, assistant triggers "missing brief" alert.

Executive note

Why this matters: Operational loop running. Your job is to approve, not build.

VEA tip

Use the DoD as your quality bar: Exec confirms brief helpfulness; adjusts format once.

5. Close-out
Brief cadence validated.

If this looks right, let's start your onboarding

We'll run this plan with you and source candidates. Included in Do it with me and Do it for me.

Schedule a free 30‑min callSee onboarding options

Note: Our fee covers sourcing, evaluation, training, and handoff. It does not include the monthly salary for your assistant or any employer-of-record / contractor payment fees for international hires. If needed, we can set you up with an agency-of-record option for $100/month.