The Founder & The Force Multiplier Clara Ma on the Common Threads of a Good Chief of Staff, Being a Generalist, and Building Trust
This conversation is a MUST listen for aspiring Chiefs of Staff or current Chiefs of Staff looking to further define their role!
Clara Ma is the Founder and CEO of Ask a Chief of Staff and has years of experience helping Chiefs of Staff and other Force Multipliers with career development, career planning, matching with the right leader, finding their next role, and much more.
Clara spent the first years of her career at a technical recruiting firm, placing engineer talent at early-stage startups like Warby Parker, Dollar Shave Club, and Bonobos. She then worked at AngelList helping startups hire technical talent and placing over 50+ candidates at other early-stage companies. Most recently, Clara has been cultivating a community of over 500 aspiring and current Chiefs of Staff through mentoring, providing resources, and finding their next opportunities for them.
During our conversation, Clara shared how she fell into the Chief of Staff role, what distinguishes the COS role from that of the EA or COO, and gives advice to anyone who may be considering the position or looking to grow in their role as Chief of Staff.