A-List Assistants’ Secrets to Gifting Ultra-Wealthy Bosses for Mother’s Day

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Finding an ideal Mother’s Day present for high-profile assistants‘ bosses’ mothers might be quite a difficult task. If conventional gifts like flowers or luxury spa treatments fail to impress, then what could possibly delight someone with an extravagant gifting allowance?

Professionals like assistants can tackle monumental tasks daily, yet there are situations that can’t be resolved with wealth,” Brian Daniel, founder and director of Celebrity PA Network, shared with The Hollywood Reporter. His agency connects wealthy families, often royalties or celebrities, with skilled staff, also managing a private concierge for elite clients. “If it were merely a matter of money, then everyone could effortlessly solve problems; however, matters are never as straightforward, especially in the intricate world of Hollywood.

Instead of merely igniting the creative ideas in other PAs, Meghan Grimm, founder of Clyde Staffing (previously Jennifer Lawrence’s personal assistant), describes her role as one of brainstorming. As for Mother’s Day gifts, Meghan suggests items that most people adore receiving but wouldn’t typically buy for themselves, such as a comfortable pajama set, slippers, or a bathrobe – all things that bring joy when they are gifted rather than purchased.

In this post, Grimm and other helpers discuss their preferred gifts for mothers, while Daniel unveils the intricate steps involved in orchestrating an extraordinary Mother’s Day surprise (with certain specifics left undisclosed) to inspire creative planning for a luxurious experience tailored for your dear ones.

Meghan Grimm, Clyde Staffing

2020 saw me, Meghan Grimm, break free to establish Clyde Staffing – a service that’s been connecting A-list celebrities like Anne Hathaway, Uma Thurman, Mandy Moore, and Finneas O’Connell with top-tier personal assistants.

According to Grimm, their creativity blossomed over time due to professional requirements. On occasions like their boss’ birthdays, he believes in presenting something extraordinary because these individuals provide opportunities for employment. He often emphasizes that offering a unique and memorable gift is something that people cherish forever.

Regarding the most cherished presents she’s given? “On one occasion for my supervisor’s birthday, I crafted a personalized gold necklace with charms featuring photos of each of her children and their birthstones… she has worn it daily. Similarly, for another boss, I designed a custom guitar strap that she utilized during her tour.”

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Talking about the most valued gifts she’s given? “Once, for my manager’s birthday, I created a unique gold necklace with charms showcasing pictures of each of her children and their birthstones… she wears it regularly. Another time, for another manager, I made a custom guitar strap that she used during her tour.”

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Discussing some special gifts she’s given? “For one of my supervisors’ birthdays, I designed a personalized gold necklace incorporating photos and birthstones of each child… she wears it daily. Similarly, for another boss, I made a custom guitar strap that was used during her tour.”

All these options convey the original message in a natural and easy-to-read manner.

I absolutely love sharing Grimm’s favorite gift ideas that never fail to impress for birthdays, Mother’s Day, or any special occasion!

Kyle Ursin, Celebrity Assistant

Brian Daniel, Founder and Director, Celebrity PA Network

The director of Celebrity PA Network once concocted an intricate plan reminiscent of the Ocean’s Eleven movie, during his time as a personal assistant, to arrange a private Mother’s Day meeting with a legendary figure in the music industry for his former boss’ mother. This icon had been a long-time dream celebrity encounter for her. However, it proved challenging as this high-profile individual seldom participates in private events, not even for payment.

For a period of two weeks, I managed to maneuver around her representatives to gain access, which I referred to as finding an ‘in.’ It turned out that the gatekeeper had a particular fondness for vintage typewriters and was quite the collector. This detail reminded me of a friend from acting class who owned a storage unit filled with various items, among them props from The Wizard of Oz, old books, phonographs, and an exceptionally rare antique typewriter.

He seemed reluctant to let go of it, as he didn’t require rental money at the time. To persuade him, I suggested an autographed David Bowie album, knowing it would appeal to him greatly. I wasn’t keen on the album myself and had it due to a previous loan transaction with another acting classmate who needed the funds for rent. Since I didn’t receive my money back, I held onto the record. That person eventually moved back to Arkansas or their hometown.

Daniel came up with a cunning strategy to inadvertently disrupt a coffee meeting between his pal and the gatekeeper. During our departure, as we were strolling towards the parking lot, he nonchalantly opened his car’s trunk and said to his friend, “Check out this old trinket I bought at a garage sale, I wonder if it’s worth anything.” This caught the ‘gatekeeper’ off guard, causing him to pale.

Daniel remembers that we visited the star’s massive mansion since she preferred privacy over public outings. Initially, our stay was meant to last just five minutes, but the arrangement changed drastically. To our surprise, the star’s mother and she bonded like old school friends, causing an unexpected extension of our visit. The star offered us tea and we ended up staying for more than an hour. Not only did the celebrity show us around, but her house was a treasure trove of rock n roll history. Her walls were adorned with numerous awards and pictures of her with other legendary figures in the industry. She shared many fascinating stories with us, making for some unforgettable memories – truly priceless moments.

More recently, Daniel helped an assistant in his network fulfill an A-list meeting-and-greet.

I offer an exclusive VIP concierge service exclusively for clients who’ve secured placements through my agency. Recently, the assistant’s manager’s wife, who is a mother herself, expressed a desire to meet an unnamed celebrity A-lister. The manager was making efforts to arrange this meeting as a special surprise for Mother’s Day.

In this situation, the celebrity makes exclusive, high-priced appearances, priced at an astronomical $1 million. Clearly, such an expense was far beyond our means, he explains. However, it’s important to note that the person I was assisting does have wealth, but not the extravagant, unrealistic type where one could casually spend a million dollars impulsively.

Daniel shared, “Funny enough, I’m acquainted with the vocal coach of that celebrity. I reached out to ask if it was possible to arrange a meet-and-greet. He hesitated since connections with high-profile stars are often delicate, and there can be severe consequences if it appears you’re exploiting your professional ties – particularly in this case as the star requests an appearance fee of $1 million for any engagement.

Here’s my attempt: “I came up with an ingenious idea – I proposed that his wife could serve as my ‘assistant’ during my vocal coaching sessions, coincidentally appearing just as I arrived. After a day of contemplation, he agreed and the plan worked like a charm the very next week.

Daniel parked a short distance from the studio alongside his boss and his spouse, carefully scanning for the distinctive vehicle belonging to the celeb. Typically, the star shows up around five minutes early, stays in their car until they observe the previous student exit the studio. When I spotted the celebrity arrive, I called the wife (who was pretending to be an assistant), instructing her to stay ready on the phone. She remained connected with me in real-time, waiting for further instructions.

As the famous figure began striding towards the studio exit, I signaled to his wife, ‘GO NOW!’. In sync with our earlier practice, she exited the studio promptly, holding the car key, opened the truck, plucked a backpack, spun around, and BAM – the encounter transpired immediately.

Despite the stipulation that there would be no autographs or photos during the informal gathering, Daniel managed to capture the entire event on video from afar, under the agreement that it was exclusively for his family’s private viewing and never to be made public or uploaded online.

According to Daniel, the client compensated them with an unspecified amount as a “success fee,” whereas the voice coach received a rare bottle of Dom Perignon champagne in return for their assistance.

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2025-05-06 19:55