Month: July 2016

Here at Get Ahead VA we are delighted to announce our expansion in Surrey and Greater London with the appointment of two new virtual assistants Audrey Lenihan and Jo Haley. 

Audrey joins the Get Ahead VA team to represent the business in Croydon.  Croydon is a major economic centre in London.  It is also a major contributor of labour and skills to the London economy and is recognised as an important strategic location for business activity.  Audrey brings with her over twenty years of experience in business to consumer and business to business marketing, both client and agency side.  Specialising in digital marketing and particularly social media marketing, she is passionate about helping businesses grow and achieve their potential.  

Jo joins the team to represent the business in the busy Surrey area of Redhill and Reigate.  She brings with her fourteen years of experience in marketing, events and administration, including nine years working for Toyota GB.

Our Founder and Director Rebecca Newenham said: “Croydon, Reigate and Redhill are important economic hubs in Surrey and Greater London, packed with businesses both large and small.  We felt that as our business grew there was a real opportunity to extend our presence on the ground there by appointing Audrey and Jo.  Their face to face networking will work in tandem with our online marketing to raise awareness of the excellent range of virtual assistant services that we can offer to businesses in this area.” 

At Get Ahead VA we provide a nationwide virtual assistant service with the flexibility, value and performance that small businesses need in the 21st century, digital economy.  We love to take on the tasks our clients don’t have time to do, don’t have the skills to do, or simply don’t want to do.

To find out more about how we can help please get in touch on 01483 332220 or visit www.getaheadva.com.  We pride ourselves on being the staff our clients don’t see, but the difference they do.  

Many entrepreneurs start their businesses from home.  From a laptop on a kitchen table, after the day job has been done or kids are in bed, budding business owners are starting out on their business journeys. But when is it time to move out of your home office? 

The home office can be a great way to run your business cost effectively.  Yes you may need to invest in a proper desk, chair and basic office equipment, but you don’t have to worry about covering the cost of rent each month.  You can even claim tax relief on the expenses of working from home.

But as your business grows there can be a number of reasons why you may need to consider branching out into the outside world.  If you need to take on staff, you might not want them coming into your home.  You might be unsure about the health and safety and insurance implications.  You may be finding it difficult to manage the boundaries between business and family life, if your business is taking up more and more space in your home, or time in your life.  You may feel that you need to have a ‘shop front’ or meeting space to entertain clients, but your home just doesn’t portray the image you are aiming to deliver.

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For many working parents this Friday is a critical day as it marks the start of the school holidays.  Some parents will be looking forward to taking time off work and spending it with their children, whilst others may be busy organising summer camps and childcare. 

Particularly for those who are self-employed or small business owners, managing the summer holidays can be a real juggling act.  Your business and your clients depend on you, yet your family need you too.  

We have put together our 5 top tips on managing the summer holidays. We hope to strike the right balance and look after your business as well as spend time with your family this year:

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The past week has been one of the most uncertain in recent history.  The referendum was meant to answer the question of whether the UK should remain in the EU or leave it. 

Whilst this question may have been answered by the British public with a narrow Leave result, there have been more and more questions raised since about what happens next.

These questions affect every aspect of our society.  What is the Leave plan?  When will Article 50 be triggered?  Will we remain part of the single market?  Can we really control immigration or not?  What will happen to financial markets in the long term?  Are we really entering a period of recession as predicted or were the ‘scare mongers’ doing exactly that?

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