Tell us briefly about your professional background.

In 2015, I started my professional career as a virtual assistant for a company based in Cape Town, South Africa – a start-up offering VAs to the UK market. I had several clients, allowing me to learn about various topics. I worked in social media, basic marketing, email management, calendar management, travel, data capture, recruitment, and other roles when required.

In 2020, I went freelance, gaining two incredible clients who kept me on full-time hours. With these clients, I had various roles in basic virtual assistant tasks such as calendar and email management, in addition to a full-time Marketing Coordinator and Sales Assistant role. I have gained a deeper knowledge of marketing, sales, and associated business practices.

Where are you based, and what do you currently do?

I reside in Cape Town, South Africa. I currently work as a freelancer for two full-time clients. One client works in the finance/ NED/ consultant space, requiring calendar management, travel, invoicing, and data capture.

I have an almost full-time role as a Marketing Coordinator and Sales Assistant for my other client. This position requires coordinating several marketing tasks, event management and planning, sales support, data capture, and systems and process coordination.

What made you decide to change your career and work for VPA?

The first company I worked for taught me a lot, but they didn’t care about their staff. Working with VPA has been such a different experience. The communication is easy and seamless, the team is always friendly, and the VAs employed are always of the highest quality. As a freelancer, I recommend VPA to everyone and anyone who will benefit hugely from their service and incredible professionalism.

Can you share a few highlights in your journey thus far?

Two notable highlights for me have been traveling to meet my clients in the UK and working with them in person for a few weeks. Secondly, I can work across several spheres as a virtual assistant.

Did you experience any challenges?

The exit from my first company was difficult, and it was scary to start out on my own. But it turned out to be very worth it.

What is trending now regarding virtual assistance in your area of expertise?

Marketing as a field has evolved hugely and continues to do so daily. The company I support also loves to change the way they run the company as they grow, so I feel like I learn a new way of working or a new programme just about every day!

Why should start-ups, small businesses, or large companies use VPA services?

Having the flexibility of a part-time virtual assistant when you are starting is so valuable. When you are on a budget, it does make all the difference to acquire the skilled resource without having all the add-ons such as full-time payroll, benefits, etc. You might only require a few hours of a VAs time when starting. VPA has highly skilled and highly trained VAs who can support you for an hour or eight hours, depending on your requirements, and have the flexibility to meet your requirements.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself that not many people know!

Hmm, tough one! One of my favourite things I do… is to put on my wellies and walk in the wetland puddles!