Think you’ve got what it takes to be the best of the best of Toronto’s executive assistants? Meet your new best friend: Coral Osborne, co-founder of LUXXE Assistant Agency…
Tell us a bit about yourself. What should people know?
I am the co-founder of LUXXE Assistant Agency. We train and recruit executive, personal, administrative, and specialized assistants and fill temp, part-time, and full-time roles. I’m just passing the one year mark of running my own company, which I’m pretty proud of. On a more personal level, I am an avid chef and compulsive baker, mediocre badminton player, and pun aficionado.
What are the biggest challenges and best rewards about what you do?
Biggest Challenges
1. Paying myself last. Or in the early days, going without pay.
2. Being the CFO as well as the CEO. I am not a numbers person.
3. Abiding by a strict work structure every day and meeting your deliverables no matter what. There’s no one that can “sub in” for me.
Best Rewards
1. Seeing that our idea for a company actually worked and watching it come to fruition.
2. Freedom. Working from home when I’m sick, sans guilt. Working remotely from NY, LA, or Miami.
3. Making a placement. The elation I get when I’ve successfully matched a candidate with a client is like no other. Especially when it comes with a handwritten thank you card…
What are three things you can’t live without?
My iPhone, Macbook Air, and bed.
Finish this sentence: I love Toronto because…
…it’s so culturally diverse and undergoes constant gentrification. There is always something to do that you haven’t done before.
What’s your favourite restaurant and why?
So far it’s been Lee. It’s the only place where every single dish was the best dish I’ve ever had. THR&Co. had the same affect, except I overdid it. I went there for our annual Girl’s Christmas Dinner and I gained my holiday 10-lbs in one sitting. Shared plates are the silent assassin… I can never track my share.
What’s one of your favourite go-to designers/brands or accessories lines and why do you sport their fashions?
The Reformation is my favourite clothing brand. Everything they make fits in the most flattering way. This is where I get all my maxi dresses, skirts, and jumpers. Every time I’m sporting a piece I get asked where it’s from. As for work attire, BCBG is my go-to.
What products are always in your beauty bag?
I discovered makeup late in life and may be exploiting it a bit too much now. I am that full face girl. My timeless essentials include Smashbox Photo Finish Primer, Benefit High Beam, and Make Up For Ever Sculpting Kit. I have mastered the art of contouring. Thank you, YouTube. Also, I carry Sephora Express Cleansing Wipes everywhere I go. Here’s a tip: Wait until you have a special occasion to stock up on your makeup/grooming products. If you go to Sephora, you can redeem the $50 fee of getting your makeup professionally done on any products in-store.
What style trends are you obsessed with right now?
Kimonos, prints, maxi everything. And my latest obsession: body chains and hand pieces.
What’s your favourite spa or service?
Body Blitz. The works. I could live there in the winter.
Let’s get social for a mo’. How can people stay up-to-date with your busy life?
Twitter: @CoralOsborne and @LuxxeAgency, Facebook, and blog.