📺 Watch now on Substack or YouTube | 🎧 Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts

— Millennial Masters is sponsored by Jolt ⚡️ Reliable hosting for modern builders

This week’s Millennial Master is Emma Mills, founder of MiPA.

Emma started out answering calls and managing inboxes. Seventeen years later, she built MiPA into a seven-figure executive assistant business serving more than 500 clients. Along the way, she’s learned how to protect her own time, escape the bottlenecks, and build a culture that scales.

In this episode, Emma shares the systems, mindset shifts, and non-negotiables that help founders focus on the work they actually enjoy. From default diaries and “winning the week” to delegating outcomes instead of tasks, she’s all about reclaiming your calendar and growing without burning out.

🔗 Find Emma on LinkedIn and YouTube

Takeaways from Emma’s episode

1️⃣ Delegate outcomes, not just tasks

An executive assistant isn’t there to tick boxes, they should drive results. Give them ownership of outcomes, whether that’s launching a project, chasing overdue actions, or clearing bottlenecks, and free yourself to focus on high-value work.

2️⃣ Design your default diary

Map out your ideal week in advance and protect it. Emma keeps three days completely meeting-free, with set slots for calls and internal meetings, so she can focus on creative, strategic work that actually moves the business forward.

3️⃣ Your inbox is the best place to start

For most founders, the inbox is a time sink and a window into their priorities. Hand it over early, with a clear system, so someone else can triage, respond, and keep the important things moving while you’re doing higher-value work.

4️⃣ Clarity kills distraction

The biggest “time thief” (no, not social media) is not knowing exactly what you’re trying to achieve. Set quarterly goals, break them down into weekly priorities, and make sure they’re visible to your team so everyone’s aligned.

5️⃣ Protect your energy with boundaries

Emma builds in recharging rituals throughout the day, keeps personal time in her calendar, and routes most requests through her EA. Boundaries are about ensuring the work you do is energising and sustainable.

In this episode we cover:

00:00 Introduction To Emma Mills

01:55 From Assistant to Entrepreneur

07:24 The Importance of Delegation

12:33 Mastering Time Management

18:04 The Art of Effective Delegation

23:36 Learning from Delegation Mistakes

32:29 Radical Honesty & The Cost of Mistakes

37:27 Hiring: Spotting Red Flags

41:58 AI's Role in Business Efficiency

46:45 Balancing Business & Personal Life

53:07 Lessons from Leadership: Insights from Ralph

54:58 Sacrifices For Success

01:00:06 Advice To Younger Self

Get full access to Millennial Masters at millennialmasters.net/subscribe