Tag: Virtual assistant

Virtually Sorted – Life as a Mum and a VA

What’s your business called?

Virtually Sorted

Can you describe it in one sentence?

We provide admin to small businesses – everything from typing reports to updating your website.

When did you start it and what inspired you?

I had the idea when my dad had some office space to let and was planning on opening an internet cafe… I said that most people had the internet but that what would really make money was having access to someone who could really get the most out of a computer. And so the seed was sown!
The idea wouldn’t go away, so I went along to a start up event and launched the business in December 2004.

How did you fund your start up?

Being under 30 I got a grant from Business Gateway of £1,000 and a soft loan from what is now The Princes Trust of £5,000. This seems a phenomenal amount now, but bear in mind that VOIP phones did not exist (my first phone system cost £2,500 – it could be replicated now for £120) and that websites were hand coded so that cost £3,000 (the equivalent now could be done DIY via WordPress for about £100 in hosting fees). I had no option but to earn from Day 1, as being a singleton I needed to pay my mortgage. That was 10 years ago, if I did it today I would do things very differently – the technology has evolved so much, the whole world has changed.

How do you manage working around your children?

Logistically working from home makes a lot of sense, I have a tiny cupboard office which I lock myself away inside. My husband also works from home so we tend to play tag team when we are both busy and the kids are at home.
I have phone cover so no one ever hears the kids in the background. I also have a smartphone which can deal with most things on the move, so I’m not tied to my desk.
We do luckily have a lot of help from family – my mum in particular. Being 3, Cassius has a funded place at nursery which has really helped. And we have a part time nanny/cleaner a couple of afternoons a week – she is a godsend.
We’re hoping to get a place at a local nursery for my baby daughter Cameron, but they are fully booked – our area has diabolical provision of nursery places. If the government want women to work, they have to sort out the mess of nursery provision.
Having two children now, I decided that it made most sense to outsource some of my own tasks, and I have a wonderful VA, Emma, who “manages the desk” Tuesday and Wednesday for me. That means I get to spend some time with them uninterrupted by work, which is nice!

Can you describe a typical day?

I try to get all the household stuff done and be sitting at my desk for 9am. We have a turnaround of 10am next working day for all work sent before 5pm so, as each piece gets checked personally before going back to the client, it can mean an early start or a late night to make sure everything hits deadline and is perfect. I’ll also allocate work that has come in overnight and check on progress of regular tasks – my job is in a lot of ways like being The Fat Controller from Thomas the Tank Engine – I make sure everything gets where it is supposed to be on time.

The best thing about it is that we get such a variety of clients – from beauty therapists, to surveyors, to bloggers and HR specialists. If you need the boring admin done, we’re your first call. Because we work on a freelance hourly basis, it’s much more cost effective than hiring an employee and doesn’t wrap you up in red tape. So I really never know what is coming in next.

I also run the largest organisation for UK VAs (http://www.societyofvirtualassistants.co.uk) and I spend a good chunk of each week sorting out the blog, setting up new members and making sure everything is running smoothly.

I work with a team of VAs so a lot of the day is spent assigning work, making sure they have all the right information to complete tasks, and marketing my own business. I knock off at 5pm to go pick up the kids, invariably someone will sneak a few extra things in just afterwards and I usually try to get them done for the following morning. I spend a lot of time hanging around outside nursery sending emails from my smartphone!

What have you found hardest?

Not getting a proper maternity leave is hard. It’s especially hard because everyone else gets such generous allowances and the self-employed seem to get hit with the double whammy of not getting paid much Maternity Allowance and only being allowed to work 10 days throughout it. It means you struggle with being able to enjoy the time off and also with being able to go back to the job you left. No one will ever care as much about your business as you do.
Added to that, you do get some very careless comments from other mums about how “I couldn’t leave my baby that early” or how they couldn’t do a routine as it’s cruel. Often self-employed mums don’t have any choice in the matter because it’s the only way they can have children and still keep their business.
I did feel a bit smug as the kids have got older and they’ve had to go back to full-time work… It’s just a question of getting through the hard bits!

What’s the best thing about being self employed?

This:

It’s a Tuesday morning in October, and if I was working a “proper job” I should definitely not have been enjoying my toddler’s wonder at the frosty Autumn park in the bright sunshine. These moments make it worthwhile.

What are your plans for the future?

I’m continuing to build on the Virtually Sorted team – we’re going to be launching a new media product in a few months designed to cater to the blogging/PR market.
There are also some ace plans in place for the VA industry in 2016, so I’m really looking forward to being part of it via Society of Virtual Assistants.

What advice would you give for someone just starting out?

Research – especially in the Work At Home industries, there are loads of charlatans posing as “experts” except when you dig down they aren’t giving the right information out at all. Digging around a bit online can often save you thousands of pounds. We have a checklist for VAs looking for the right course, but a lot of the information provided applies to other jobs too.

Save money by being frugal, but also spend money where it concerns your reputation or professionalism. If you are charging clients for using you on a professional basis, you should be working on a professional basis too.

You need time to build your business. You can work evenings and weekends, but realistically you need that time to recharge your batteries, so working 5-9pm is an emergency and temporary measure if you are serious about starting your own business. Get childcare in place. Take time off work one day a week for 10 weeks and do without a holiday to get it started. Designate Saturday mornings as your business time which shall not be interrupted. But create that space to think and work.

If becoming a VA – join www.societyofvirtualassistants.co.uk – I wish it had been around when I was starting out!

Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?

It’s really important to have a supportive partner. My husband has often endured evenings with me with headphones on typing reports. He fends for himself making dinner a lot. As I’m busy 5-6pm with getting work sorted for the evening, he usually does bath time with the kids and gets them into their PJs. But a big part of why he helps with the house is because I pay half the bills. However, I do appreciate that it’s a bit “chicken or egg” if you’re a SAHM and he’s the breadwinner. Sit him down and talk to him about what having this business means. It isn’t just a nice family holiday or something fun to occupy you. It’s a serious business proposition and he needs to remember the sacrifices that you have made for the family by giving up work and the thousands he’s saved in childcare payments.

http://www.virtuallysorted.com – Virtually Sorted, Caroline’s Virtual Assistant business
http://www.societyofvirtualassistants.co.uk – Society of Virtual Assistants
http://www.societyofvirtualassistants.co.uk/2013/05/13/how-to-choose-the-best-virtual-assistant-course/ – How to choose the best virtual assistant course

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Louise Mackie virtual assistant

Mumpreneur Story – Louise Mackie Virtual Assistant

Tell us your name and a bit about your family? When did you become a Mum and to whom?

I’m Louise Mackie, I am married to Andrew and we live in North Wales. We have two children age 7 and 3 – Alex was born in September 2009 and Hannah came along in September 2013.

What’s your business called?

My business is a Virtual Assistant (VA) business and is, quite simply, Louise Mackie Virtual Assistant.

Can you describe it in one sentence?

I provide hourly admin / customer service / social media support to small and medium sized businesses on a self employed basis.

When did you become a Mumpreneur and what inspired you?

After a tough period in work last year I found myself looking for a career change. I wanted something that would completely fit in around my children, something that allowed me to be at the school gates every day, be able to spend most of the school holidays with them, to always be there for them when they are sick without feeling guilty about work and for every school play and sports day. I got introduced to the VA world by a friend and found that not only did it do everything that I needed to do, I also knew that because of my past work experience and skills it was something that I would really enjoy doing and be quite good at it too!

How did you fund your start up?

Starting a VA business doesn’t really involve a lot of start up costs – a laptop and internet are all that is needed to start a VA business. I did however invest in a training course with the Virtual Assistant Coaching and Training Company which I have recently graduated from. I funded this myself, it was such a great investment to help me plan and develop my business.

How do you manage working around your children?

The clients that I work with are all flexible (a priority to me when taking on new clients) and the work that I do means that it doesn’t have to be done at a certain time of day and therefore I generally work when the children are in school / childcare and in the evenings when they are in bed. Emails can be sent at any time and social media posts can be scheduled in advance. There will be exceptions when clients need phone calls making on their behalf but this can be pre-arranged and isn’t something I generally have to worry about on a daily basis.

Can you describe a typical day, what tasks do you have to get done, how do you manage your time?

A typical ‘VA day’ involves checking clients inboxes, keeping track of the tasks I am required to do for each client and actioning them and new ones and responding to customer queries on behalf of the client. Once the client work is complete I spend time on my own business – writing blogs and sharing articles that are useful to my clients. Being ‘present’ on social media and building relationships. It’s important that potential clients ‘know, like and trust’ me so developing relationships is an important part of my business.

What challenges have you faced in your business and how have you overcome them?

So far I have been very lucky and have worked with some lovely clients and haven’t faced any real challenges as yet. I think this is down to two things, firstly, completing my training course as it has prepared me for all sorts of situations and I have been able to put action plans in place for potential issues – for example when my IT or internet fails or dealing with and managing difficult clients. Secondly I put this down to building relationships with my clients before they become clients. This means that we really understand each other and are on the same level when we embark on a working relationship.

What’s the best thing about being Mumpreneur?

Being able to plan my working hours around the needs of my children and showing my children that they can achieve anything that they set their minds too.

What are your plans for the future?

My immediate plans are to grow my business as I only launched in January. My aim for my business is to grow it to a point that I am at capacity and I will then tak on another VA as an associate. Associate roles are really useful to new VA’s so I would love to be able to support a new VA in the same way that I have been supported.

What advice would you give for someone just starting out in business?

Plan plan plan! Really take time to sit down and think exactly what you want for your business and your ideal clients / customers. Set yourself goals that are realistic and achievable – 90 day goals, annual goals, 5 year goals and 10 year goals.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?

If you are starting out in business and looking to grow your client / customer base – don’t underestimate the power of social media!!! It is amazing how many people you can reach with a post telling people about your business and even more so if it contains an image or a video!

www.lm-va.co.uk
Facebook – louisemackieva
Twitter – @LMVirtualAssist
LinkedIn – louisemackievirtualassistant

Invaluable

Virtual Assistant Story: Invaluable Ltd

Tell us your name and a bit about your family? When did you become a Mum and to whom?

My name is Carla (Fallows), I’m married to Marcus and I became Mum to Thomas & Benjamin in September 2013 and 2 Boxer dogs, Cassie & Mollie, complete our crazy Noah’s Ark family (we seem to have 2 of everything!)

What’s your business called?

Invaluable Ltd

Can you describe it in one sentence?

Virtual Assistant service providing admin and bookkeeping support to entrepreneurs and small businesses

When did you become a Mumpreneur and what inspired you?

January 2016 – I went back to work when the boys were 9 months old but it just didn’t fit in with family life anymore, I needed flexibility and the ability to look after my children if they were poorly without feeling guilty about my job

How did you fund your start up?

I didn’t! I had a laptop and a mobile phone and I just started from there

How do you manage working around your children?

I can only work when they are either in nursery or in bed, it is extremely difficult to do anything while they’re around – just can’t concentrate. Having said that I have been on client calls whilst rescuing one of the boys from a fight in their house in the garden! I am really lucky with the clients that I have – they are all so supportive around the fact that I have a family – they are all either there or have been there, really makes me appreciate that they’re all such lovely people, not sure what I’ve done to deserve them

Can you describe a typical day, what tasks do you have to get done, how do you manage your time?

I don’t really have a “typical” day – I guess they’re typical in the fact that I sit at my desk and work for the few hours I have available, but what I do is never the same – I could be helping clients with their social media, doing their bookkeeping, managing their diary, designing them an e-shot on MailChimp, formatting documents, producing reports and spreadsheets, designing a presentation, sending out a “physical” mailshot, research etc etc etc. I manage my time through various apps and websites like Trello, Buffer – currently deciding between Clockodo and Adminja for logging time (instead of a spreadsheet), Evernote as well as always being on the lookout for new time saving apps

What challenges have you faced in your business and how have you overcome them?

Initially it was finding clients – now that side of things is sorted (thanks to LinkedIn) my challenge now is time because the boys aren’t in nursery for very long, living for the new 30 hours coming in in September

What’s the best thing about being Mumpreneur?

The whole reason that I did it in the beginning – the flexibility and being around for my family

What are your plans for the future?

I’m hoping to bring on quite a few more clients and eventually start sub-contracting to other Virtual Assistant’s too

What advice would you give for someone just starting out in business?

Make sure it’s something that you enjoy doing and just keep going – don’t listen to the naysayers and as corny as it sounds follow your heart, if it feels right it is

http://www.invaluableva.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlafallows/
https://twitter.com/InvaluableCarla
https://www.facebook.com/InvaluableCarla/

Invaluable VA

Mums Business Story: Pink Diamonds Office Support

Tell us your name and a bit about your family? When did you become a Mum and to whom?

My name is Suzanne Evans, I am married to Gareth and I am a mummy to two sons. Celfyn (2 years) and Ellis (14 weeks). Celfyn was born in January 2015 and Ellis in October 2016.

What’s your business called?

My business is called Pink Diamonds Office Support

Can you describe it in one sentence?

I am a Virtual PA who provides admin and bookkeeping support to local small business owners and Consultants.

When did you become a Mumpreneur and what inspired you?

I actually started the business before my sons were born. My husband and I started up our IT Company (Cloud46 Limited) in February 2012. My husband worked full time in the business from the beginning but I worked as a full time, permanent employee in a school and did the admin for our business in the evenings. A few months after starting our business I was in a car accident and as a result of the injuries, I was off work sick for a few months, which I hated. I was desperate to get back to work but needed a role that was flexible as I was still recovering, so I decided to hand in my notice and began building up my own Virtual PA business.

How did you fund your start up?

Luckily there were very few start-up costs as we already had the computers and office equipment. As my husband works in IT he was able to create my website and set up my email account, so I was spoilt really! The main costs to begin with was for business cards and marketing materials.

How do you manage working around your children?

It took a good few months to build up a client base and once established, I was working full time on the business, which was great. Once I had my eldest son I realised that the workload wouldn’t be sustainable as I would need to take some maternity leave, so I took on an Associate who was able to cover my workload whilst I took a few months off.

Whilst on maternity leave I worked a keep in touch day per month and returned once my son was 9 months old. My eldest son now goes to nursery one day per week so a Monday is my dedicated office day. It took time to establish new ways of working with a child but I was able to fit the rest of my workload in around nap times and in the evenings, once he was in bed and I could work undisturbed.

I am currently on maternity leave with my second child but once he is 6 months old he will go into nursery on a Monday as well. I will then do as much as I can in the evenings once both boys are in bed.

Being a mum of two and running two businesses is definitely a challenge but I am able to work flexibly and use technology to help make life easier. All of our work files are securely stored in the ‘cloud’ so can be accessed from anywhere, at any time. My smartphone also allows me to get a lot done on the go, from accessing and responding to emails to checking and updating social media. My smartphone also enables me to be responsive to any emails that come in, even when I am out and about with the boys.

Can you describe a typical day, what tasks do you have to get done, how do you manage your time?

On an office day I get the little ones off to nursery and am at my desk for 8:30am. I check my emails and then plan my workload for the day. I usually get the Invoicing done first for our IT Company and I then move onto my client tasks that need to be completed. I am a great lover of ‘To Do’ lists and always prioritise tasks by their urgency. I tend to work until 4:30pm and then go to collect the boys from nursery. Once they are in bed for the evening I will then get back on the computer and carry on with my work. I tend to work between 7pm – 9pm and then wind down for the evening.

On a non-office day, I regularly check my emails, respond to them as and when I can and once the boys are in bed, I carry out any urgent tasks that need completing. I am always contactable to my clients 5 days a week during office hours.

What challenges have you faced in your business and how have you overcome them?

One of the main challenges I face is lack of time but then I imagine most business owners would say that anyway! To manage this, I always try to work as smartly as I can and being organised is a great help. I couldn’t live without my smartphone – I have a variety of apps which I can access on the go, for example: Xero for checking and working on our accounts, LinkedIn for connecting with potential new clients and HSBC Banking for paying invoices. It is amazing how much you can get done without being at your computer.

When the children are poorly can also be a challenge – luckily I have a very supportive family who are able to help out if I have an urgent deadline to meet.

Having a baby to care for again is definitely a challenge but I am still able to get things done – a stretchy wrap is a business lifesaver at the moment. I am typing this with my 14 week old fast asleep on my chest!

What’s the best thing about being Mumpreneur?

I love the flexibility that it brings and feel so fortunate that I can combine running our businesses with raising my two boys. If they are poorly I can usually work flexibly and make up the hours on another day. When my first son was born I made a conscious decision to scale down my workload during the early years of his life, so I could enjoy being a mum and seeing him develop. I am fortunate that I am able to do the same with my youngest.

I find running my own business extremely rewarding and am so proud of what we have achieved so far.

What are your plans for the future?

I recently passed my Institute of Certified Bookkeepers Level 2 Bookkeeping exam and I am hoping to start studying for the Level 3 soon. Once I am back from maternity leave and my Level 3 exams are completed, I am aiming to build up the Bookkeeping side of the business and increase my client base. I am also hoping to get back to networking as I haven’t been since my first son was born.

I aim to work part-time hours until the boys are of school age and I will then increase my client base again in a few years’ time, once I have more time available during the day.

What advice would you give for someone just starting out in business?

Be organised – plan your time well each day and start to get into routines, so you know exactly when certain tasks will get done each week. Make good use of your calendar and diary and write everything down so nothing gets forgotten!

Get networking – without networking I wouldn’t have a business as I got the majority of my clients via word of mouth referrals. Networking can seem daunting at first but practice makes perfect. I found that with networking it is more important to focus on building relationships with other business owners, rather than just winning new clients. If trust and good relationships are established, referrals tend to occur naturally. Hard selling and networking is not a good combination!

Set goals – I found it really useful to have clear goals from the very beginning and wrote them down. A vision board is also a great way of keeping your goals in focus as you can put it on your office wall and see exactly what it is you are working towards. I tend to have long term goals of how I want the business to look a few years down the line, medium term goals and also general day to day goals. It is a great feeling once you start achieving them!

Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?

Always remember the reasons why you started your business in the first place. You are in the driving seat, so make it exactly how you want it to be. A happy, organised and in control business owner usually equals happy clients.

Website: http://www.pinkdiamondsoffice.co.uk/
Twitter: @PinkDiamondsOS
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PinkDiamondsOS

Pink spaghetti franchisers

Creating a Franchise: Pink Spaghetti PA Services

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Becoming franchisers is something that many small businesses consider as a method for growth, Caroline and Vicky from Pink Spaghetti PA Services have done just that.

Tell us your name and a bit about your family? When did you become a Mum and to whom?
Caroline Gowing, 44, Mum to Charlotte, 12 and Imogen, 9, wife to Pete
Vicky Matthews, 44, Mum to Holly, 12 and Tom, 7, wife to Chris.
We both live in Cheshire

What’s your business called?
Pink Spaghetti PA Services

Can you describe it in one sentence?
We offer small business owners the elusive 25th hour in the day for their business and domestic tasks.

When did you become a Mumpreneur and what inspired you?
We started Pink Spaghetti in 2009. We were inspired by the need for flexibility in our working life, where children and long hours simply did not mix.

How did you fund your start up?
We funded our start up from savings, and budgeted very wisely!

How do you manage working around your children?
Our business is based on flexible working. Our phone systems allow us to only answer a call if we are free from screaming or giggling children, we use technology so we can work from play bars or a home office, our work can be done mainly in the hours we choose, so during school hours, or very early/late during the holidays. We are at every school run, assembly and sports day and we are proud of that.

Can you describe a typical day, what tasks do you have to get done, how do you manage your time?
Every day is a varied one! For customers we may be doing book keeping, writing social media posts or researching a holiday. To build the business we will be doing marketing, lots of networking and social media. As we run a franchise we also have lots of contact with our franchisees, training and supporting. Every day is varied, without a doubt!

What challenges have you faced in your business and how have you overcome them?
Growth has been a challenge for us, trying to balance bringing on staff but only when we are sure. We are both risk averse, so we use a lot of talking, reporting and planning to make sure this is done at the correct time, supporting the growth but making sure we will still get paid after the staff do!

What’s the best thing about being Mumpreneur?
Flexibility! All our franchisees have this flexibility too. Every hour you work is for yourself not for someone else – that is so valuable. Neither of us would ever go back to corporate life.

What are your plans for the future?
We are building our franchise offering steadily. We currently have 24 franchise areas across the UK, and we aim to grow that next year – we have another three going live in January 2017.

What advice would you give for someone just starting out in business?
Go for it! Take advice, don’t plan too much but deal with everything as it comes in, and be prepared to take your business in a direction you don’t expect, if customers want something slightly different to what you thought they would want.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?
We have this year won Working Mums Most Supportive Franchisor award, and the Smith & Henderson best new entry award to franchising. In 2014 we won the EWIF (encouraging women into franchising) award for best new franchise, sponsored by McDonalds. We have been finalists in many more awards.

www.pink-spaghetti.co.uk
www.facebook.com/pinkspaghetti
www.twitter.com/pink_spaghetti

Image of Virtual assistant Jo Phillips

Managed Virtual Assistant & PA Service – A Business Mum’s Story

Tell us your name and a bit about your family? When did you become a Mum and to whom?

My name is Jo Phillips, and I have two girls. Elise is 17, and Jessica is 3.5. I became a mum in 1999 and 2013.

What’s your business called?

Managed Virtual Assistant & PA Service

Can you describe it in one sentence?

As a virtual assistant I offer business support to sole traders, small businesses and individuals both virtually and on-site.

When did you become a Virtual Assistant and what inspired you?

I was working for a big company here in Coventry when I restudied to become a hypnotherapist. I handed in my notice and during the last week of my notice we found out we were having a baby ( it was a shock, to say the least). I had to rethink my plan and so I decided to become a Virtual Assistant. I have over ten years administrative experience having managed a Commercial Director and an Investment Director for nearly six years.

How did you fund your start up?

I just threw myself into it. Luckily there was not a lot outgoing, and I have a very supportive husband!

How do you manage to work with your children?

Jessica goes to nursery thee days a week, and on the Tuesday and Thursday, I concentrate on tasks that can be completed with her around. I like to spend a little time in the evenings when hubby is home to get on or catch up.

Can you describe a typical day, what tasks do you have to get done, how do you manage your time?

I currently manage seven clients on an ongoing basis. Each client is different, and their workload is also varied. Many of the tasks that I complete can be auto-scheduled or have a particular time frame to complete. I normally start my day by checking emails, both mine and clients. I then delegate the priority management tasks. I use Asana to organise tasks and schedule social media for the day. I then contact a client’s customers to set appointments and handle his diary. I normally have a blog or e-book to write, and then I wait to see how the rest of the day will pan out. Most of my clients have their workload scheduled in advance which leaves me with time to tackle anything that drops in throughout the day.

What challenges have you faced in your business and how have you overcome them?

Initially, my first concern was how to find clients. Once the first one came on board, it was relatively easy forward. The main challenge earlier this year was an unpaid bill, that is not a nice process to go through, but it was dealt with. Being self-employed can be difficult because you don’t know some months where the next client is coming from but if you can forecast ahead, you can cover the quiet periods.

What’s the best thing about being virtual assistant?

Spending time with my family and knowing that I am in control of my day. If I want to take a morning off or pop ou somewhere, then I can. I love being flexible and available for my three-year-old.

What are your plans for the future?

I am hoping to expand in the next two years and offer a training system for school leavers thaare less academic than usual. I would like to take on a small office and train them into someone they can be proud of and where they can eventually set up their own business, confidently.

What advice would you give for someone just starting out in business?

Keep at it. It is so easy just to throw the towel in and when you think it is all bleak the next opportunity will come along. Make sure you have a plan in place and forecast for the tough times.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?

If you are thinking about becoming self-employed then why not try it, make sure that you have your finances in place to cover for the first few months and go for it. What’s the worst that could happen? You’d have to go back to work. Be prepared and have a plan and take the leap.

 

Wondering if a Virtual Assistant business might be right for you? Our course Business for Mums: Finding the right idea for you, could help.

Mums Business Story: How to be a Virtual Assistant

Tell us your name and a bit about your family? When did you become a Mum and to whom?
My name’s Tanya Kuhrt and I live in Loughton, Essex. I have a daughter, Lydia who is now 14. I also have two stepsons who are now grown up and in their twenties.

What’s your business called?
How to be a Virtual Assistant

Can you describe it in one sentence?
Award-winning Virtual Assistant, now training PAs to be VAs!

When did you become a Mumpreneur and what inspired you?
I became a Mumpreneur in 2012. What inspired me was not being able to get a job! Previous to 2012, the last time I’d been applying for jobs was 2001 and things had changed A LOT! I wanted something well-paid and part-time but I wasn’t getting anywhere so essentially I was forced into the position of finding freelance work – and it grew from there.

How did you fund your start up?
I didn’t really – it was on a shoestring! As I made money bit by bit I invested in things like networking and a website. Luckily I’m not on my own though – I did have help and support from my partner and father to my children, Jason for day to day living costs.

How do you manage working around your children?
Now that Lydia is at “big school” I’m not needed as much as before and she wants a certain amount of independence – but because I work from home I still stop work in the afternoons so we can spend time together, chat about whats happened at school and I can make sure she’s doing her homework! Its great that I’m also around in the morning so we can have breakfast together and I can to take her to the orthodontist or for doctors appointments easily. No more asking for time off because I’m my own boss.

Can you describe a typical day, what tasks do you have to get done, how do you manage your time?
I get up at 7.30, have breakfast with Lydia and then get a wash on before starting work. I’ll try to get at least a couple of hours client work plus a bit of my own admin or marketing in before lunch. Then I’ll often go for a walk or go swimming before heading back home for sandwich and to get on with the rest of the client work I need to do. Some days I’ll have a networking meeting at lunchtime, and sometimes I’ll do a lunchtime live coaching webinar for my students. It’s important to me to get out of the house every day in some form or other. I’ll usually stop for a tea break and a chat with Lydia when she gets back from school and then I’ll usually carry on for a bit before Jason gets home from work around 6. Then that’s it – because I work from home I’m quite strict with drawing a line under work each evening. The exception to this is that once a week I do an evening group coaching webinar for the students on my How to be a Virtual Assistant course.

What challenges have you faced in your business and how have you overcome them?
The first year was hard. I found it really difficult to get used to selling myself – confidence was a big issue. There were a few times during that year when I felt I was banging my head against a brick wall in terms of sales and finding clients, and I nearly gave up a few times. But I kept on with it. I think throwing yourself in at the deep end is one of the best ways to overcome any fear. I joined a BNI networking group – this was extreme networking, and then some! I quickly got used to talking about myself and my business – because I had to. Any setbacks I had in my business would send me spiralling into despair at first but in the end I just got up and got on with it. The phrase “If at first you don’t succeed…..” is a cliche but it is so true. If I failed at something I tried, tried and tried again and eventually the strategy paid off.

What’s the best thing about being Mumpreneur?
Flexibility. Independence. Being a great role model for Lydia!

What are your plans for the future?
To develop my Virtual Assistant training business further and provide a range of online courses.

What advice would you give for someone just starting out in business?
Don’t try and run before you can walk. And start networking as soon as possible because that is the best way to grow your business quickly. Face to face networking if you can, but if you can’t then start networking online.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?
If any of your readers are thinking of setting up as a freelance Virtual Assistant, I’d love them to join my Facebook group which can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BecomeaVAintheUK/ for tips, advice and chat about becoming a freelance VA in the UK.

Website: http://www.howtobeavirtualassistant.co.uk/
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BecomeaVAintheUK/

check out our course to find the right business idea for you.

Working as a VA – Lighthouse Virtual Assistant

Tell us your name and a bit about your family? When did you become a Mum and to whom?

Hello I’m Rachel (Wall) I’m 38 years old, mummy to Olly (8) and Phoebe (6) and wife to Andy. We live in Kent.

What’s your business called?

Lighthouse Virtual Assistant

Can you describe it in one sentence?

I give small business owners back the hours they lose on those necessary but time consuming daily tasks so they can spend more time with their clients and I specialise in marketing and PR.

When did you become a Mumpreneur and what inspired you?

I had always been extremely focused on my career as a marketing manager for Kent Police/Kent County Council and when I fell pregnant I fully intended to return to work full time after my maternity leave. However, my son was born with a serious long term medical condition and it made me completely revisit my priorities. I returned to work part-time and then had my daughter but felt that I needed to be with my children and so eventually took voluntarily redundancy in 2011. Once the children started school and nursery I felt ready to return to work. I wanted to find something that could give me that work/life balance so I could still be there when my children needed me and especially for when my son needed to attend his hospital appointments in London. I simply couldn’t find the right role that offered such flexibility. It was on the way to one of my son’s appointments that I got chatting to some ladies on the train who worked in PR and I’ told them about my work background and that i wanted to maybe freelance. They said ‘you’d make a great VA’ , I’d never heard of a virtual assistant! After this conversation I spent a long time researching the virtual assistant industry and decided that this was something that I could really do. I took time building the business behind the scenes and launched in 2013.

How did you fund your start up?

Being virtual meant that I didn’t need a huge initial layout. I needed a new laptop, phone line, marketing materials and decorating my own home office. I used some of my savings to fund this.

How do you manage working around your children?

I work during the school hours and make this very clear to my clients from the start. If I get very busy then I catch up in the evenings. Over the school holidays I’ll have child care one day a week so I can attend meetings and then work in the evenings. Again I always make sure my clients are informed about when I’ll be working over the holidays.
Can you describe a typical day, what tasks do you have to get done, how do you manage your time?

My work is extremely varied with quite a few ad-hoc clients as well as long term so I don’t really have a typical day, I do always keep Mondays as my own admin and marketing day. Tasks range from writing and scheduling social media posts, writing press releases, general admin such as invoice management, marketing mentoring, social media tutorials, public speaking and of course networking.

I manage my time by looking at client deadlines and then prioritising. I use an hours tracker app to keep me on course.

What challenges have you faced in your business and how have you overcome them?

I have sadly found that some people expect you to work for free and not charge for certain aspects of work such as meetings. So I quickly made sure that I had terms and conditions and a contract in place for every client so that they know how I work and what they can expect to be charged for.
What’s the best thing about being Mumpreneur?

I absolutely love the varied work, I work for so many different clients from property investors to hypnotherapists. I also love how flexible it can be with family life and I’m always able to attend sports days, assemblies and do the school run. I’ll never regret becoming self-employed.

What are your plans for the future?

My business is growing quickly so I would very much like to expand and employ other virtual assistants to build a team and take on further work. I would love to build a business that I can one day hand over to my children.

What advice would you give for someone just starting out in business?

Don’t give up, the first year is always hard as you try to get your name out there and let people know what you do. It will be worth it
Make sure you set out how you work to your clients from the start and have a contract in place. Don’t work for free just to get work, set your rates and be confident at sticking to them
Invest some time and money into your marketing, it’s crucial in making your business successful
Never underestimate the value of free networking, I’ve gained most of my business this way and have also made some lovely friends along the way.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?

I would tell every mum out there that’s thinking of setting up their own business to go for it! When my son was really ill I never thought I’d be able to go back to any type of work again but setting up my own business has given me the freedom to manage my own time and get that all important work/life balance. Good luck if you’re just starting out – you can do it!

Website: www.lighthouseva.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Lighthouseva
Twitter: @RachelLHVA
Instagram: lighthouse_virtual_assistant

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Get ahead Va

Get Ahead VA – Day to Day Life as a Virtual Assistant

Tell us your name and a bit about your family? When did you become a Mum and to whom?
My name is Rebeca Newenham and I live in Guildford with my husband and our three daughters. I first became a mum in 2001 and my girls Isabelle, Aimee and Robyn are now 14,12 and 10.

What’s your business called?
Get Ahead VA

Can you describe it in one sentence?
Get Ahead VA delivers nationwide virtual assistance services for entrepreneurs and small businesses.

When did you become a Mumpreneur and what inspired you?
In 2010, after a corporate career in buying for retail giants such as Superdrug and Sainsburys, I was looking for a flexible work solution that could fit around my lifestyle and my three young daughters. I was inspired by my mother who ran her own tutorial agency when I was a child. Having grown up with a successfully self-employed mother, I saw it was possible to be able to contribute financially to the family and to do school drop off and pick ups too. My mum was a great example and I knew that one day I wanted to run my own business just like she did.

How did you fund your start up?
Having looked at various business options I chose to start a Virtual Assistance (VA) business because I saw a clear gap in the market for it and because it had low start-up costs. All I really needed was a laptop and myself. My corporate buying career had given me so many great contacts and fantastic business experience, and after a few years of looking after my three children I was well accomplished at multitasking!

How do you manage working around your children?
It is always a juggling act but mobile technology really helps as I can be working from any location and I am not tied into being sat at a desk nine till five. As a business we really embrace flexible working – both for our clients and our VAs. There have been some late nights and weekends but I am lucky to have a great team of people working for me now which makes managing it all much easier.

Can you describe a typical day, what tasks do you have to get done, how do you manage your time?
Every day is different. I am often at networking meetings or business events talking to prospective clients. Luckily I have always enjoyed meeting new people. I also have regular meetings with our existing clients and our team of VAs to make sure projects are on track and we are looking after clients’ needs. We often find that clients come to us initially looking for one service (such as social media or telephone answering) but go on to use our wide range of other services including PR, website design and even accounting.

What challenges have you faced in your business and how have you overcome them?
Like any small business owner there have been many challenges along the way. Knowing when to invest and in what has been key. A few years ago we made a major investment in a new website, which proved to be really worthwhile. It made a real difference to our reach online and helped to develop social media as a key referral channel for our business.

What’s the best thing about being Mumpreneur?
I feel so lucky to have found a real balance between work and family life. Being a mumpreneur means I am in charge of my own time – I can work flexibly around school hours and be there for assembly and netball matches. But I also get to use all the skills I gained in my pre-children career and do something I really enjoy. Networking is a huge part of my role and I have always loved meeting new people. The girls are all really proud of what I do which makes it even more worthwhile.

What are your plans for the future?
At the moment we are particularly excited about our expansion in Scotland, as we have recently appointed a dedicated marketing specialist for this area. Based in Glasgow, Beverley will be working on bringing new clients on board over the next few months. The number of SMEs in Scotland is growing strongly and we are well placed to assist in further growth for these businesses.

What advice would you give for someone just starting out in business?
Don’t be afraid to follow your dreams. Do your research up front and then just get on with it. If things don’t turn out quite as you thought first time don’t panic – just think about how you could do it differently. Keep evolving until you get it right.

Get ahead VAWebsite address: www.getaheadva.com
Twitter address: @GetAheadVA
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/get-ahead-va

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