Why I decided to open a branch of Get Ahead VA
Get Ahead VA has regional offices all over the country, dedicated to supporting local businesses through a range of business and marketing services delivered by our team of virtual assistants. In fact, in the 12 months, we’re proud to have added two more branches to the Get Ahead family: Newcastle and Berkshire & North Hampshire.
The Regional Directors who run these branches each decided to go into business with us for their own reasons. Today, we’re looking at exactly why our Regional Directors chose to take the leap, to help you decide if our franchise opportunity is the best next step for your career, too!
Fulfilling a dream
For many of our Regional Directors, opening a branch of Get Ahead VA meant reaching a lifelong goal to run their own business. Fiona, Regional Director for Leeds, says, “I’ve always wanted to run my own business, and after researching a number of options that would utilise my skills, I met Rebecca. The business and the team are a perfect match for me.”
Allison, co-Regional Director for Newcastle, agrees: “Get Ahead has enabled me to fulfil my dream of running my own business, but I have the added support of working closely with Karen and the wider support of the Get Ahead team – it’s the best of both worlds, really!”
Having freedom and flexibility
One of the most rewarding parts of being a Regional Director is having the freedom to manage your own workload and time. You’re in charge of building a team of virtual assistants, finding clients and organising the work that comes in, and this means you can build a business that suits your lifestyle.
Fiona appreciates how her work now fits around her family commitments: “The flexibility for me to work from home and still be able to do the school run is really valuable.” Karen, co-Regional Director for Newcastle, says, “The regional directorship allows me to be part of a great team, whilst managing and controlling the business with Allison to make it exactly how we want and create the perfect work–life balance.”
Helping local businesses
Many of our Regional Directors enjoy being able to support local entrepreneurs and small businesses in their region. Kristy, co-Regional Director for Berkshire & North Hampshire, says, “The opportunity to work with entrepreneurial SMEs, which are prevalent in the region, as well as creating an outlet for skilled professionals to maximise the flexibility that virtual working offers, was an intriguing prospect for me.”
Suzanne, who runs the Berkshire & North Hampshire branch with Kristy, was also inspired by this aspect of the job: “I always aspired to grow this business and support other local VAs, so the opportunity to run an established franchise came at just the right time.”
Joining an established brand
The key to the Get Ahead franchise opportunity is that you are starting your own business with the backing of an established and successful brand. This means that you’re in charge of your region, but you’re also part of a bigger team that can share their experience and provide support if you need it. Kristy says: “Get Ahead VA is an established model that we’d already aspired to, so when the opportunity arose to take on the region, the decision was easy.”
This was also important for Karen: “I decided to join Get Ahead VA because I was impressed with the Get Ahead model, and as soon as I met Rebecca, her positivity and enthusiasm were infectious and I wanted to be a part of that!”
If any of these benefits sound appealing to you, perhaps you’d like to consider becoming a Get Ahead VA Regional Director too? We’re always happy to talk to people who are interested in opening a branch of Get Ahead VA in their area, so if you’d like to know more, visit our franchise website or contact Rebecca Newenham on (01483) 332220.
