In this episode, I’m joined by Microsoft Office maestro Shelley Fishel, founder of Tomorrow’s VA. Shelley has spent decades training assistants to get brilliant results with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and now, of course, Microsoft Copilot. We dig into what’s genuinely useful right now, what’s coming next, and how EAs can lead the conversation on AI without losing sight of the fundamentals.
Shelley shares how she uses Copilot daily (from redrafting tricky emails to prioritising the inbox and summarising meetings), why core skills like slide masters and brand-safe templates still matter, and how to make the most of lesser-known gems across Microsoft 365. We also talk mindset—staying curious, learning out loud, and saying “yes” then figuring it out—plus the big question: Will AI replace EAs? (Short answer: no. Nuance, judgment, and calendar strategy still need a human.)
What you’ll learn:
- Practical ways EAs can use Copilot today in Outlook, Teams, Word and beyond
- Why knowing the basics (formatting, slide masters, rules/quick steps) saves hours every week
- How to make a case for Copilot licences—and the security benefits of using it inside your tenant
- Mindset shifts to keep pace with fast-moving tech (without chasing every shiny thing)
- Where Microsoft 365 is quietly evolving—and the features most assistants overlook
Tools, features & terms mentioned:
- Microsoft Copilot across Outlook, Word, Teams (meeting summaries), and forthcoming Excel capabilities (including =COPILOT)
- Outlook: Quick Steps, Rules, prioritising the inbox
- PowerPoint: Slide Master, custom layouts, brand-safe decks
- Microsoft Loop (pages & live components), Copilot Pages
- Microsoft Sway (lightweight, web-style internal newsletters)
- Microsoft Forms, Microsoft Lists, Microsoft Bookings
- Security/Tenant awareness (enterprise data protection vs. pasting data into public AI tools)
- Other AI tools touched on: ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity
Perfect for: Executive Assistants who want clear, real-world ways to work smarter with Microsoft 365 and lead on AI - without the hype.
🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts or on The EA Campus website.
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