Abraham Otieno

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Certified Virtual Assistant | Executive Support Specialist

Nairobi, Kenya (Available for London Hours)

Executive Assistance

Remote Operations

CRM Management

Strategic Support

Application Questions

Energizing Aspects & Growth
Approaching New Tasks
Anticipating Needs
Supporting Multiple Executives
Quick Learning Experience
Organization Systems
Problem Prevention
Availability
Compensation Expectations

What part of being an EA do you find most energizing, and where do you see yourself learning and growing in a role like this?

What energizes me most about being an Executive Assistant is the feeling of making things run smoothly behind the scenes. I enjoy being the person who helps an executive stay focused on strategy while I handle the details — scheduling, coordination, and communication that keep everything on track.

My Approach

I find satisfaction in bringing order to busy calendars and turning chaos into structure. At the same time, I'm always learning — especially in understanding new systems, refining communication styles, and improving how I anticipate needs.

In this role, I see myself growing even more in strategic thinking, project ownership, and mastering new collaboration tools that make remote teamwork seamless.

Calendar Management

Expert in complex scheduling

Communication

Clear & professional

Tool Mastery

Quick to learn new systems

You're asked to complete a task you've never done before, and no clear instructions are provided. How do you approach it?

When faced with an unfamiliar task, I follow a systematic approach that balances initiative with smart verification.

My 4-Step Process

Clarify the Goal: Understand what success looks like, even if the method isn't clear
Research & Reference: Look for examples and check available resources or past documents
Plan & Test: Outline a quick plan and start with a small test version
Verify & Execute: Confirm I'm on the right track before going all in

I'm not afraid to ask smart questions, but I always take initiative first. I've found that most challenges are solvable once you understand the "why" behind the task.

What's a moment, at work or elsewhere, where you anticipated a need or problem before it happened? Walk me through what you noticed and how you acted.

While supporting the CEO at Pioneer Outsourcing BPO, I noticed a recurring pattern that had the potential to create significant operational issues.

The Problem I Spotted

Multiple meeting conflicts appearing in the CEO's calendar as we expanded international operations. I realized time zone confusion was the root cause.

My Proactive Solution

Before it became a recurring problem, I created a standardized meeting schedule with clear time zone labels and automated reminders. This prevented overlap, saved hours of coordination time, and kept the team aligned globally.

This experience taught me that small process improvements can make a huge difference in productivity and that anticipating needs is a core part of effective executive support.

Imagine you've just joined a new team. You need to support three different people with different working styles and expectations. What's your game plan for building trust and being effective quickly?

When joining a new team with multiple stakeholders, I implement a structured approach to quickly understand individual needs while establishing reliable support systems.

My 3-Phase Integration Plan

Discovery Phase (Week 1): Meet each person individually to understand their priorities, communication style, and preferences
Structure Phase (Week 2): Build a shared system for updates (weekly check-ins, shared task tracker) so everyone stays informed
Optimization Phase (Ongoing): Look for patterns to better anticipate each person's needs and refine support approach

Consistency builds trust, so I focus on reliability early on: meeting deadlines, communicating clearly, and adjusting based on feedback. This approach has helped me quickly integrate into new teams at both Pioneer Outsourcing BPO and MSTRpay.

Describe a time you had to learn something quickly and on your own. How did you approach it, and what did you take away from the experience?

When I joined MSTRpay, I was faced with a significant learning challenge that required rapid skill acquisition.

The Challenge

I had to quickly master a new CRM system that none of the team had used before, with immediate implementation needs.

My Learning Strategy

Watched tutorial videos during off-hours
Read through all available documentation
Practiced extensively with test data
Created visual guides for the team
Conducted training sessions for colleagues

Within just a few days, I went from complete novice to team resource. The experience taught me that self-learning isn't about knowing everything — it's about curiosity, consistency, and being resourceful enough to connect the dots quickly.

What systems, habits, or tools do you personally use to stay on top of follow-ups, moving deadlines, and shifting priorities?

I live by structure and have developed a comprehensive system that keeps me organized and responsive to changing priorities.

My Productivity Toolkit

Google Calendar: For scheduling and color-coding priorities
Asana: For task tracking and project management
Slack Reminders: For daily follow-ups and time-sensitive actions
Note-taking App: For capturing ideas and meeting notes

My Daily Habits

Morning Review: Each day starts with identifying top three priorities
Running List: Maintaining a "next actions" list that's updated throughout the day
Weekly Planning: A dedicated session to review the week ahead and adjust priorities

These small but consistent habits help me stay calm and organized even when things change unexpectedly, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks.

Tell me about a time when something you were working on started to go off track. What did you notice, and what did you do about it?

While preparing a quarterly report for the CPO at MSTRpay, I identified a critical data inconsistency that threatened the accuracy of our reporting.

The Red Flag

I noticed discrepancies between financial data provided by the finance department and headcount numbers from HR while compiling the quarterly report.

My Response

Immediately flagged the issue to stakeholders
Independently verified the numbers from both sources
Arranged a quick sync meeting between both departments
Facilitated resolution of the data conflict
Corrected the report before it reached leadership

This proactive approach prevented misinformation from reaching decision-makers and reinforced my belief that catching small issues early is part of being a dependable assistant — not just reacting to problems, but actively protecting accuracy and trust.

Are you currently working? If so, when would you be available to start?

Availability Status

I'm currently available and ready to begin immediately. I can seamlessly align with London business hours and am excited about the possibility of contributing to your team without any transition delays.

To help us understand your compensation expectations, could you share the salary range you're targeting (in USD per month)?

Compensation Expectations

Based on my 6+ years of experience as a Virtual Assistant and Executive Partner, along with current market standards for remote Executive Assistant roles, I'm targeting:

$800 – $1,200 USD per month

I'm open to discussion based on the specific scope of responsibilities, growth opportunities, and overall compensation package.