Today we’d like to introduce you to Clara Ma

Clara, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?

My journey as an entrepreneur into the executive search and talent sector began with my own career experience. I took on a Chief of Staff position in February 2020. I had never previously served in the role and I was supporting a CEO who had never had a Chief of Staff. The Chief of Staff role was an emerging feature of the startup ecosystem at that time. Therefore, my executive principal and I didn’t have much to rely on when it came to defining what a successful Chief of Staff/CEO dynamic looked like. I found myself reaching out to other Chiefs of Staff on LinkedIn, sending cold emails asking them for 15 minutes, or buying them virtual coffees so I could benchmark myself against a new set of peers.

After starting to find the rhythm, I saw a unique opportunity to build scalable mechanisms for this otherwise disaggregated knowledge. I put together my experience of relying on a networked community as a career accelerator with the opportunity to build a shared well of knowledge around the role, and Ask A Chief of Staff was born.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?

Ask any entrepreneur if their journey has been a smooth one and I would be shocked if anyone said yes.

My journey as an entrepreneur has been full of ups and downs. After the initial success of my first job placement, the ensuing slow season brought significant self-doubt. Recruiting is, after all, quite seasonal. But even as I struggled through that very anxious phase, I knew that I could not afford to languish in negative thinking. To navigate these feelings, I’ve found a few strategies particularly effective.

I connected with a network of fellow female founders who have been invaluable in sharing their own experiences and insights. This has not only helped in feeling less isolated, but it’s also provided practical advice and emotional support during challenging times.

Shifting my focus away from the cliched and impractical milestone of building a billion-dollar business and toward making a positive impact on a smaller scale has also alleviated undue pressure. By aiming to improve the lives of a few individuals in meaningful ways, I’ve been able to see more immediate and tangible results of my efforts, which reinforces the value of my work.

Regular reflection on progress made, not just in terms of financial success but also in terms of personal growth and the development of the business, helps put temporary setbacks into perspective.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?

Ask a Chief of Staff’s mission is to be the premier resource for Chiefs of Staff looking to secure high-impact roles and drive results.

For many Chiefs of Staff, the role is the first time they step into this relatively nascent corporate title and many are expected to “show up and figure it out.” There is a lack of conventional wisdom and quality knowledge available for this role because of the role’s recent evolution into the corporate space. This was a challenge I faced when serving as Chief of Staff at an early-stage startup and I founded Ask a Chief of Staff to help others more easily navigate this role.

When members join our community, they receive access to biweekly online workshops taught by industry leaders, a mentorship directory of vetted former Chiefs of Staff, a network of similarly ambitious Chief of Staff peers, and personalized job search services.

In addition to our Chief of Staff community, we also specialize in Chief of Staff executive search and placement. We help high powered executives find their right hand person so that they can focus on their Zone of Genius and be the most effective and impactful version of themselves.

Any big plans?

We’re excited to continue growing our membership in the community, connecting more aspiring and current Chiefs of Staff to share their working knowledge and diverse personal experiences that inform their roles. So far, we’ve built out interest groups by industry and geography and for Chiefs of Staff who are parents, women, non-binary, and LGBTQ+ leaders. We’re also introducing new content such as small group executive coaching and more career support so members can feel even more successful in their roles.

We’re also excited to continue our recruiting and placement services in the Chief of Staff realm. We’re one of few firms that specialize in placing Chiefs of Staff and we’ve recently expanded into searching for Chief Operating Officers as well, placing our first one just a few months ago.

As we continue to pave our path forward in this niche, but high impact space, we aim to continue to be the premier resource for all things Chief of Staff.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://askachiefofstaff.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clarama/
• Twitter: https://x.com/askaCoS
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@askachiefofstaff