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How a Bootstrapped Startup Hired a Senior Executive Assistant in Brazil
By Yenne, Headhunter at Retalent · Updated October 2026
A great executive assistant does more than manage a calendar. For a growing founder, the right one becomes an extension of how they think and work.
A fast-growing, bootstrapped consulting company in California wanted exactly that. They set out to hire a remote executive assistant in Latin America with strong AI fluency and the judgment to act as an operating partner to their co-founder. In about ten weeks, they hired a São Paulo–based senior executive assistant with 8+ years supporting founders, for $48,000 a year. The same role costs $80,000 to $110,000 in the US.
Here's how we found a rare profile, and kept the best candidates in the race.
The challenge: an EA role that was really an operator role
The client is a fast-growing, bootstrapped consulting company based in California, led by its co-founder. They came to us through a referral from a well-known CEO coach. They needed a Latin America–based executive assistant to support the co-founder as the business scaled, taking over from his current assistant, who was moving into a new role.
This wasn't a standard EA search:
This wasn't a standard EA search:
- The profile was rare. The team wanted an operator-level partner, closer to an Executive Operations Associate, with strong technical and AI fluency, excellent English and real judgment. In Latin America, that profile sits at the level of a junior Chief of Staff.
- The client was worried about speed. They had been searching on Indeed on their own, felt a 4 to 8 week search was too slow, and planned to bring in a second agency as backup.
- The process had more stages than usual. When the main reviewer was away, feedback slowed and strong candidates risked accepting other offers.
How we hired a remote executive assistant in 5 steps
Our market research showed the role sat at around $25 to $30 an hour, closer to a junior Chief of Staff than a standard EA. We recommended pricing to the market from day one. The client approved $25 an hour, and the role was advertised at $4,000 to $4,500 a month.
We kicked off with a detailed profile form, drafted the job description and a custom assessment for the client to approve, and put a three-person team on the search. A shared hiring hub and weekly Friday reports let the client follow every stage.
The client wanted to add their own paid, in-depth assessment. We recommended running it after interviews rather than before, to avoid candidate drop-off and unnecessary cost. Together we agreed on a clear path: our interview, client review, the paid assessment, then a final call with the co-founder.
When the main reviewer was out, we went straight to the co-founder so two high-caliber finalists weren't lost. We pushed for feedback within days and handled scheduling around shifting founder availability.
After one finalist turned out to have accepted another job, we added a confirmation step before each founder call. We tightened English screening based on interview feedback, and prepared the offer letter and contractor agreement once the co-founder chose his hire.
The results: the first candidate presented got the job
From kickoff to the hire's first day took about ten weeks. We sourced more than 450 candidates, tested 34 and interviewed 14 before presenting seven to the client.
The new senior executive assistant is a São Paulo–based professional with 8+ years supporting founders and a track record of building AI-powered automations. She was the very first candidate presented. She impressed the co-founder so much that he designed a custom final assessment just for her, and she started in August 2026 at $4,000 a month.
The new senior executive assistant is a São Paulo–based professional with 8+ years supporting founders and a track record of building AI-powered automations. She was the very first candidate presented. She impressed the co-founder so much that he designed a custom final assessment just for her, and she started in August 2026 at $4,000 a month.
US Market Rate (Annual Cost)
$80,000 to $110,000
Hired in Brazil (Annual Cost)
$48,000
Savings
40% to 56% ($32,000 to $62,000 a year)
What the client said:
"…the onboarding experience was very detailed and organized. It was also nice to see the feedback given in between interviews taken on board at such great speed and detail. Would highly recommend."
4 lessons for hiring a senior executive assistant remotely
- Price the role for what it really is. An operator-level EA is closer to a junior Chief of Staff. Paying to that level from day one attracts the right people.
- Put paid assessments after interviews. Asking for in-depth work too early drives strong candidates away and adds cost.
- Don't let feedback stall. When a reviewer is away, escalate fast. Top finalists won't wait.
- Turn every miss into a process fix. Availability checks and tighter English screening made each shortlist better than the last.
Read next: LatAm vs Eastern Europe: Where Should You Hire? · What Goes Wrong When Companies Hire Remotely (And How to Avoid It)
Frequently asked questions
In the US, a senior executive assistant typically costs $80,000 to $110,000 a year. A senior, operator-level EA in Latin America typically costs around $25 to $30 an hour. In this search, the client hired one in Brazil for $48,000 a year.
Brazil has a large pool of experienced professionals with strong English, and its time zones overlap well with US working hours, which makes real-time support easy.
A standard EA manages schedules, communication and logistics. An operator-level EA, like the one in this case, also takes on projects, builds automations and uses judgment on the founder's behalf, closer to a junior Chief of Staff.
This search took about ten weeks from kickoff to the hire's first day, including a multi-stage process with a paid assessment and founder interviews.
Yes, but place it after interviews. Running it too early causes drop-off and wasted cost, while running it with a shortlist keeps the rigor and the strong candidates.
Ready to hire an executive assistant who works like a partner?
We find senior, AI-fluent executive assistants in Latin America and beyond. We set the right salary, design the right assessments and keep top candidates engaged until you make your choice.
Book a free call with Retalent and tell us about the support you need.
We find senior, AI-fluent executive assistants in Latin America and beyond. We set the right salary, design the right assessments and keep top candidates engaged until you make your choice.
Book a free call with Retalent and tell us about the support you need.