Easemakers

[Easemakers Podcast E11] Why private service professionals need better backup

Why is burnout such a problem in private service? How do we stop it from happening? In the latest episode of the Easemakers Podcast, Bonnie Low-Kramen shares her thoughts on why private service professionals need better backup — and how we can make it happen.

By Kristin Twiford

When Bonnie Low-Kramen looks back on her 25 years working as the Personal Assistant to Oscar-winning actress Olympia Dukakis, she wishes she had advocated for better backup. She rarely took a vacation, always waiting for a “right time” that never came. When she did, she was still “on” — and once had to be rushed to the hospital with double pneumonia on a family road trip.

When the pandemic struck, she realized that private service professionals need backup now more than ever before.

“The burnout and the stress levels seem to be off the charts right now — and so it seems to me that something needs to give,” says Bonnie.

In the latest episode of the Easemakers Podcast, Bonnie shares her thoughts on why private service professionals need better backup, the conversations PSPs need to have with their principals, and how the structure of household management needs to change to ensure continuity and support for everyone involved.

Tune in to hear:

  • Why Bonnie is a big fan of household manuals and user manuals for people 
  • Who’s responsible for fixing burnout and creating systems for backup
  • What Bonnie thinks every principal needs to hear

Plus, in the lightning round, don’t miss Bonnie’s hidden talents, and her favorite stories from her career in show business.

The Easemakers Podcast is also available on Apple PodcastsSpotifyStitcher and anywhere you listen to your favorite shows.

Check out Bonnie’s training opportunities and her bestselling book, Be the Ultimate Assistant Today, and be on the lookout for her new book later this year. She’s on the Board of the Private Service Alliance (PSA), and she’s a founding member of New York Celebrity Assistants. Plus, don’t miss Bonnie’s article, You’ve Got Their Back, Who’s Got Yours?, and her TEDx talk, The Real Reasons People Quit.

Want to connect with other estate managers and PSPs to share experiences and get the backup you need? Join the conversation in the Easemakers community.

And, to find more insights from leading private service professionals, catch up on past episodes of the Easemakers Podcast. You’ll hear stories from a career in Hollywood, tips for managing construction projects, advice for landing the right role, and more.

The Easemakers Podcast is presented by Nines, household management software and services built for discerning households and the private service professionals who support them.

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