SmartPA

Lorraine Kneebone – SmartPA Interview

Becoming a SmartPA doesn’t just offer important flexibility like being your own boss and choosing your working hours, it also offers you the opportunity to play to your skills and the work experiences you enjoy most to increase your self-satisfaction at work ..with our SmartPA professional network there to support your success.

Before starting as a SmartPA Partner, Lorraine was what’s known as a ‘lifer’ at Royal Bank of Scotland, having worked there for 34 years before launching her own SmartPA business in March 2020.

We caught up with her to learn more about her career, becoming a business owner and her advice for anyone looking to become a SmartPA partner and launch their own virtual assistant venture.

What did you do before working as a SmartPA?

“I worked for Royal Bank of Scotland for 34 years before joining SmartPA. I had a few ‘mini-careers’ within that time. I spent around five years as an Executive Assistant which I really enjoyed and that is what inspired me to think about this role.

“The last 15 years of my time with the Royal Bank I was involved in the HR function, which has allowed me to offer HR services as well as being a virtual assistant.”

How did you find out about SmartPA?

“I reached a point in my last company where I felt that I wanted to try something different. I wasn’t getting any younger and I knew there was potentially an opportunity for redundancy coming along.

“I assessed what I had done to date and what parts of my career I had enjoyed. The experience that stood out to me and that I got the biggest kick out of was my time as an executive assistant. I really enjoyed my time doing that and being in the thick of it; being very reactive, very operational, solving problems.

“I enjoyed the HR side as well and I thought ‘how can I use these skills and parts of the job that I enjoyed most’.

“I started doing research and came across SmartPA. I realised there was a franchise opportunity, and it just went from there.”

How did you find starting a business during COVID-19?

“The world was crazy at the start of the pandemic and this made it a much bigger decision in terms of whether to continue or not. Nobody knew what was going to happen and I was asking questions of the head office and they reassured me that services were still in demand. They were confident that this was going to mean more remote working and that it was going to be accepted more quickly.

“For me, the timing was perfect because when I signed up, I had three months of training to complete. By the time I got my training completed I found that things had picked up again – I have found no shortage of available work out there. I have been incredibly busy and at the last count I have five retained clients and two that I do ad-hoc business with fairly frequently.

“It was really positive for me because at a time when it felt like the whole world had come to a stop, having my SmartPA business has really lifted me and reminded me that there’s lots of busy people out there that are desperate for support.”

Why did you choose SmartPA?

“I liked the idea of being my own boss and having flexibility and variety, but I didn’t have the confidence to step out there and do it alone. That was the initial attraction for me of starting a SmartPA franchise, that there was a way to be my own boss but have the support of the head office when I needed it.

“Once I started speaking to the team there and did my initial research the draw was that they were great like-minded people that seemed to fit with me and my values.

“Something that I have gone on to find that I didn’t appreciate was the support and connections that you make with the other partners. I think I would have found it isolating being completely on my own and I like that I am part of a team, whilst still working for myself.”

How did you find the onboarding process?

“It couldn’t have been any easier. I raised an enquiry online, filled out a questionnaire and at that stage SmartPA reached out and offered a call. It is important to talk about that part, because if the communication hadn’t gone so well and felt so friendly and welcoming, I probably wouldn’t have reached the onboarding process. There was someone on the end of a phone I could speak to, it wasn’t just a website or emails – the line was there for me to ask any questions or voice concerns.

“From that point it was really straightforward, there were a few forms to fill in and there’s an opportunity to take a business loan if you want to do that. For someone who has never started their business before, it was made easy and the team at SmartPA really kept me right.

“I visited SmartPA HQ in Edinburgh and I was overwhelmed by how welcoming they were and the time that they took to meet with me.”

Sarah Mann

5 Questions with Sarah Mann

A lifechanging event led Sarah to the SmartPA partnership, to build on her varied career and create stability for herself and her children.

Fast forward a year and Sarah is a successful business owner, enjoying all of the benefits of owning a SmartPA franchise. Read on to find out more about Sarah and her business journey so far.

What has your career been like so far and what brought you to SmartPA?

I’ve had a really varied and mixed career so far! I’ve worked in recruitment, construction and technology all within different roles. My reason for coming to SmartPA was to get stability for myself and my children following the separation from my husband.

When you started how did you find the process of securing clients?

I’ve been really lucky in securing my clients and I haven’t really done a lot of marketing as far as social media and email campaigns. I secured clients predominantly through networking, building rapport and all my clients have come to me kind of organically.

How did you use in-sourcing at smart pa for your business?

I use the in-sourcing model for supporting clients who have specialist requirements such as social media. For example, I currently have a partner who supports four of my clients for social media. I also use insourcing to support any big clients who I am unable to support myself solely I have partners who support me.

What is your work life balance now that you own your own SmartPA business?

Six months down the line there is a better work-life balance and I definitely have days during the week where I don’t need to work, or I’m not missed by my clients – I’ve got that balance which is nice.

What are your growth plans for the next year?

I’ve officially been with SmartPA a year, but I only launched my business in September, so it’s not quite a full year of trading. I definitely want to grow the business; I’ve reached capacity myself and I’ve got three partners who are currently supporting me so I am looking at bringing someone into my business so that I can grow further and take on more work.

SmartPA Partnership testimonial – Fiona Ward

We recently spoke to Fiona Ward, a dedicated SmartPA Partner for 8 years, about her remarkable journey with SmartPA and her invaluable advice for new SmartPAs entering the field. Let’s dive in!

How did you first hear about SmartPA?

When I returned from a career break to do some ocean sailing, I realised I didn’t want to go back into the office presenteeism and commuting lifestyle, and instead I wanted the flexibility to be completely remote and choose my working hours so I could have the freedom to live and travel anywhere. I undertook some market research for starting a business that was both flexible and suited my experience and SmartPA came top of the search results.

Why did you choose to join SmartPA?

The breadth of SmartPA’s model allowed me to draw on my wide range skills and experience in business support, operations management, law and publishing so that my working days could be infinitely varied. As someone without any sales or marketing experience, I was particularly drawn to SmartPA’s established brand, web and social media presence and advertising strategy: I didn’t have to be a small fish desperately trying to be visible in a big pond and I had the support of an in-house team to help me close my own sales. With SmartPA’s strong presence in the market, drawing in new clients with its marketing strategy, I knew there would be a steady stream of potential clients I could take advantage of if I wasn’t generating enough clients by myself. This safety net was extremely attractive given I needed to make a full time income and ensure my mortgage and other bills would always be taken care of.

Could you briefly describe your journey since becoming a SmartPA?

SmartPA got me off the ground with my bonus client and helped me build my marketing list and initial approach to my contacts. Straight away I picked up a large contract from previous colleagues of mine starting their own business and I haven’t looked back since! Eight years later and many contracts later, I still work with those first clients and have built amazing business and personal relationships with them.

When the pandemic started to hit business, I was extraordinarily grateful to be able to turn to the Business Support team, who were able to connect me with a new client and reduce the impact on my income. The SmartPA safety net really came good at a time when I saw freelancers’ businesses failing all around me.

How has SmartPA changed your life? Do you feel empowered, and has this improved your work/life balance?

I feel like I’ve been truly liberated with my SmartPA business. I choose the working hours that suit me and can arrange my work around my personal life rather than the other way around. I’ve made not just business contacts but genuine friendships through networking and client relationships. Most importantly, I was able to fulfil my plans to buy my own home and move to the countryside by the age of 40. This has offered me the freedom to have rescue dogs and ultimately study my passion, becoming a qualified canine behaviourist. Now I have the flexibility to manage two separate businesses alongside each other and none of it would have been possible in a 9 to 5 office job.

I never have to say no when someone asks if I can help, because even if I don’t have the skills required for the job, I know another SmartPA partner will. It has helped to build my reputation as a comprehensive and reliable resource that saves clients time, energy and money sourcing multiple suppliers. My clients all have the peace of mind of knowing that I can take care of anything they may need.

What piece of advice would you give to a SmartPA joining today?

My two biggest pieces of advice are: 1) Leverage your existing network. Tell friends, family and ex-colleagues about your business. You’d be surprised how many of them either need the support you’re offering or know someone who does; and 2) Have fun! Not only does it give you more enthusiasm for life, it gives clients and prospective clients more enthusiasm for you!

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