Beyond the Desk: How Veterans Are Redefining Administrative Roles in the Age of AI with Molly Denham

In this episode of "Studio Neon Business," host Neil Darling interviews Molly, a 22-year Air Force veteran turned entrepreneur. Molly shares her journey from military administration to founding her own agency and SaaS business, emphasizing the evolving role of administrative professionals in a tech-driven world. The conversation explores the importance of personality fit in executive support, the challenges of transitioning from military to business, and Molly’s efforts to professionalize the administrative field through education and advocacy. Her story highlights adaptability, continuous learning, and the value of strong support roles in business success.

Molly’s Military Background (00:01:57) Molly shares her upbringing as a military brat, joining the Air Force, and her administrative career.

Early Military Career & Family Life (00:03:13) Molly describes basic training, early assignments, meeting her husband, and starting a family.

Deployments and Career Progression (00:04:33) Molly recounts deployments to Saudi Arabia and Korea, family challenges, and working at Stratcom.

Evolution of Administrative Roles (00:07:02) Discussion on how the admin role has changed over decades, from typewriters to AI.

Technology’s Impact on Admin Work (00:09:02) Molly explains adapting to new tech, IT training, and the emergence of dedicated IT departments.

AI and the Future of Administration (00:11:43) Conversation about AI’s impact, the need for admins to harness new tools, and the irreplaceable human element.

Sacrifice and Service in Military Life (00:14:08) Neil and Molly discuss the personal and family sacrifices of long-term military service.

The True Value of Executive Assistants (00:17:03) Molly explains the strategic role of executive assistants and the importance of understanding the business.

Building Healthy Executive/Admin Relationships (00:19:11) Exploring the importance of personality fit, trust, and dynamics between executives and assistants.

Gender Dynamics in Administration (00:22:28) Discussion on working with male vs. female executives and gender imbalances in the admin field.

Working for General Cartwright (00:24:25) Molly shares experiences working for General Cartwright and his leadership qualities.

Transition to the Pentagon (00:26:07) Molly describes being recruited to the Pentagon, rapid relocation, and family adjustments.

Family Life and Career Balance (00:28:18) Molly discusses managing family moves, dual military careers, and raising children.

Advice on Military Marriages (00:29:37) Reflections on marrying within the military and balancing career and family.

Children and Family Dynamics (00:31:02) Molly talks about her three children, age gaps, and the unique family dynamic.

Retirement and Continued Work with Cartwright (00:32:44) Molly details her retirement, continued work with General Cartwright, and moving to Stafford.

Entrepreneurial Journey: Transition Exec & Vex Services (00:33:14) Molly explains starting her businesses to support retired military leaders and provide admin services.

Boutique Agency Approach (00:36:11) Molly describes her personalized, boutique approach to matching admins with clients.

Software as a Service for Admins (00:37:23) Molly discusses developing specialized software for executive assistants and finding an investor.

Defining the Future of Admin Profession (00:38:51) Molly shares her mission to standardize admin education and career paths through a nonprofit.

Advice for Executives and Entrepreneurs (00:41:25) Discussion on the importance of admin support for business growth and working on vs. in the business.

QUOTES

“You definitely have to have, I think, a servant’s heart to put that kind of effort into something. But it’s something that my family, my husband, and his family believe in. It’s a higher calling. I don’t know how to explain it for folks who haven’t been in the military, but it’s that feeling of contributing to something greater than yourself. I’ve been out of the military now, retired for close to 13 years, and the one thing I miss the most is that feeling of contributing to a greater cause. Maybe that’s what propels me to do what I do now with the admin community.”

 “In our family, what we did when we were in the military—and we still do now—is that one person has to take the primary job role, and one person has to take the primary household role. I’m very blessed to have a wonderful husband, and we’ve been married for over 30 years. We kind of swap those roles. There have been times when his career was the focus and I made sure everything at home was going on, and times when my career was the focus and he made sure things were going on at home.”

 

Connect with Molly Denham

Meet The Team at VEXA Services | Virtual Executive Assistants

Connect with Neil Darling

Coworking & Event Space in Downtown Fredericksburg | RingSpaces

Podcast Produced and edited by the team at ResilientVoiceMedia.com

Contact us for expert podcast production and support.