For those of you who do not know, I set up Lily Shippen in 2016 when I was 22 years old, after working for a global recruitment firm in London on the secretarial and support desk. I feel incredibly lucky to have landed that role, as it taught me so much about how to recruit properly and with purpose. From day one of Lily Shippen, I had a burning desire to do something different and was already passionate about the industry and the people within it.
Looking back over the last nine years, what stands out to me most is how much the business support and executive assistant industry has evolved. It has been a privilege to witness the progression of EA and PA roles into strategic, business-critical positions. I firmly believe that the rise of AI has contributed positively to this change. Rather than replace these roles, technology has enhanced them, enabling assistants to operate at a more strategic level and add even greater value to the organisations they support.
Another exciting shift has been the emergence of Chief of Staff roles, particularly in the UK. While I believe there is still work to be done in educating the market on what makes a successful Chief of Staff, just as we have always done with EA and PA roles, it is encouraging to see more defined career pathways becoming available. The progression does not stop there. We have seen many candidates go on to become Operations Managers, Operations Directors and even Directors. There is no one size fits all route and that is something I truly love about this profession.
What has also changed significantly is how clients understand and value these roles. More and more, clients are coming to us already knowing the impact a strategic EA can have on their business. Often, they have previously worked with a high-performing assistant or have been told by a trusted peer just how transformational the right hire can be. This is very different to nine years ago when a large part of my role was spent consulting clients on what an EA or PA could do and why the hire mattered.
Naturally, over the course of nearly a decade, we have experienced both highs and lows. Like many, the global pandemic was one of the most difficult times for our business. Hiring slowed dramatically and uncertainty was everywhere. But when I look back, I view that period as one of the most defining for us. It gave us clarity and reaffirmed our purpose. We launched free webinars, offered as much advice as we could, started a podcast and most importantly, built a community. That community remains at the heart of what we do today.
One small detail I also wanted to share is that the photo of me on this page was taken in 2016, just before we officially launched. It brings back so many memories of those early days, full of ambition, energy and belief. If you had told 22-year-old me what was to come, I am not sure she would have believed you. At the time, I genuinely thought I was too young to start a business, and I feel incredibly lucky to have had people in my corner who supported and encouraged me. That experience is one of the reasons I am so passionate about mentoring in general. One of the things I am most proud of is our free mentoring programme, launched in 2024, which has supported over 200 PAs and EAs so far.
The next nine years will look different again and I am genuinely excited by that. At Lily Shippen, we do not stand still. My promise to you, whether you are a client, candidate or simply following our journey, is that we will continue to evolve with the market and the needs of the people we serve. This summer, we will be announcing something we have been planning for a long time and I hope it will be a further reflection of our commitment to leading the way in business support recruitment.
Thank you to everyone who has been part of our story so far. I am deeply grateful to our clients, candidates and followers. Most of all, I want to thank the team, both past and present, for helping shape this business into what it is today. I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved and excited about what is still to come.