become a freelancer Archives - The Passionate PA

Is now a good time to become a freelancer?

By Kate Chastey on June 2020 in Kate Chastey

This is a question I’m being asked a lot right now by people interested in becoming a Passionate PA, but also by skilled individuals who have toyed with the idea of “going freelance” for many years and are just looking for some advice. I’ve also had a few calls recently with people who have already embarked on their freelance journey but are finding it tough.

I have a few friends who are facing redundancy at this time too, and having shared my personal journey to some extent, they are wondering whether the freelance lifestyle is for them. They’ve seen me enjoying all the advantages of being my own boss, of working with great clients and of building the business of my dreams – something I never thought possible ten years ago!

So, when is the perfect time?

When I embarked on my freelance journey, I was 26, newly married with a wealth of skills and bucketloads of hope.

However, the UK was in recession, I had a massive mortgage and very fragile self-confidence due to countless bosses who had no idea what great people management really was. I was also dealing with the grief of losing the woman who set up The Passionate PA; my anchor, mentor and friend. (Read that story here).

My timing was NOT perfect.

But when would it have been? When my husband and I had six months’ money in the bank? When the economy had recovered? When I’d got over my grief? When I’d found my professional confidence?

Ha… the irony here is that my journey to becoming a successful freelancer ‘fixed’ all of this (except of course the economy – I cannot take credit for that!). Becoming a Passionate PA gave me choices like never before, developed my self-confidence, helped me recover from losing Sarah and paid really well. The recession was actually a good thing too because as my client-base recovered from the recession, they preferred to outsource rather than employ.

So, Top Tip Number 1 is to understand there is no such thing as perfect timing – it’s more about YOU and the commitment you have to yourself. When that is ‘perfect’, then the timing is right.

The rest of my Top Tips for freelance success go a little something like this:

🌟 Top Tip Number 2: Identify your personal goals and be crystal clear with what success REALLY looks like to you.

🌟 Top Tip Number 3: Be prepared to work hard – really hard. You may have great skills, but it takes real dedication to find the people who want to buy those skills. I urge all new freelancers to plan for the long haul and understand it takes time, effort and energy to build a successful business.

🌟 Top Tip Number 4: Define what your ideal client looks like and try to connect with them, and only them. Now, I know this is a bit radical, but no one else actually matters. You can have 500 followers on your business Facebook page, but it means absolutely nothing if they are just your family and friends… sure they might refer business to you, but your efforts are far better spent on targeted marketing approaches.

🌟 Top Tip Number 5: Know your value proposition (that’s what you offer, why and who to), and talk about it with total confidence! Know your personal USP too.

🌟 Top Tip Number 6: Do not work for free, ever. Don’t barter, pimp yourself out or sell your soul to the devil no matter how hard it gets. The minute you start doing this, you undervalue yourself, your skill set and everyone else trying to make a decent living from freelancing. If there’s a problem getting clients, I’d wager it’s not price holding them back…

🌟 Top Tip Number 7: Distinguish yourself from your competition; keep an eye on them but don’t emulate them. While imitation can be flattering, in business, it is just plain rude to copy.

🌟 Top Tip Number 8: Get to grips with the legals, finances and marketing on day one, particularly cashflow forecasting, insurances and GDPR.

🌟 Top Tip Number 9: Find a mentor that has been there and done it successfully for years (and years, and years, and years!). Momentary success is easy, sustaining a profitable, fulfilling business in the long-term is the real artform. Plus, try not to take business advice from your mum, partner, best friend etc unless they really are an accomplished business owner themselves.

🌟 Top Tip Number 10: Don’t have a plan B. Go all in like your life depends on it. If you have a plan B, you’ll waste valuable time thinking and planning for that and inevitably, your plan B will become Your Plan.

You know what, I could keep writing… There’s so much to say about how to manage your own mental health and keep a positive mindset as a freelancer. There are whole blogs I could write about how a successful freelancer must transition from an employee mindset to a business owner’s one.

Anybody who knows me well will know that one of my favourite words in the whole world is CONSISTENCY. I genuinely believe that my ability to remain consistent with clients, my business and the external world has been pivotal to my success.

There are so many more lessons I could share. I’m truly passionate about helping skilled individuals create rewarding and sustainable businesses as freelance PAs. That’s my role at The Passionate PA; franchisor, mentor, marketeer, rainmaker, a shoulder to cry on… a problem shared and all that! With my franchisees, I go through it all with them, right by their side and make sure they don’t fall over at any of the hurdles. If you are thinking about becoming a freelance PA and would love the support on offer here, book a call today.

If what you’ve read here has spurred you on to go it alone as a freelancer with your unique skills, then awesome! I wish you all the luck in the world for the next chapter of your career. Keep positive and remain consistent.

Kate x

Kate Chastey is ‘chief’ Passionate PA; a truly experienced and successful freelancer. Having run The Passionate PA since 2010 and been through all the highs and lows, it’s fair to say there’s not much she doesn’t know about building a small business in the UK. She is also franchisor of The Passionate PA brand. More information about Kate can be found here, or joining our franchise, here.

Further blogs from The Passionate PA:

Sharing the secrets to our success…

By The Passionate PA on February 2020 in Our Team

Countless people dream of leaving employment to become their own boss, yet few have the courage. For those that do take the leap, becoming a business owner is no mean feat. It’s a path fraught with challenges and the statistics are not in their favour – a high proportion of start-ups fail within their first 3 years.

Whether it’s issues with funding or financial control, a lack of business planning or an unclear value proposition, or simply poor marketing or an overreliance on one or two customers – it’s so easy to ‘fail’ when it comes to running a business.

It isn’t easy, particularly in the freelance world, building a resilient, valuable business that makes a profit and fulfils an individual’s potential. As any freelancer or sole trader will tell you – it’s oh so easy to work 70 hours a week, never see your family, or do the things you love, and end up not making a great living from it anyway.

Three of our Passionate PAs are celebrating a very different story! Having each decided they wanted to embrace the challenge of becoming self-employed, they chose to invest in a franchise opportunity with The Passionate PA. For them, this was the peace of mind needed to ensure their gamble paid off.

Debbie is celebrating the start of her 5^th year in business, and Jenni and Claire are each celebrating the start of their 3^rd. As they reach these important milestones, they are reflecting on the secrets to their own success and sharing some valuable advice for all business owners at the beginning of their journey.

Debbie Frith

I’ve always loved helping businesses to grow, it’s been my job for 28 years in various guises. I love the cut and thrust of business. I love the highs and the lows that make us work harder and push ourselves further. I love the learning and development that comes with a growing healthy business.

The new challenges faced daily provide opportunity for both personal and business growth. As a Passionate PA, I get to support not just one business, but many businesses in varying sectors. This makes for a diverse and engaging schedule, I can tell you!

My personal strategy is to focus on using my strengths when partnering with clients; to do what I enjoy doing and what I know I’m good at so I can deliver tangible value to their businesses. This is the ‘not very secret’ to my success. Spending time wading through tasks that don’t float my boat, makes for a very dull and unhappy me. As a Passionate PA, I get to choose who I work with, what I do with them and when, giving me the balance I need in life.

There’s always a challenge, but then that is what drives and motivates me. Knowing The Passionate PA team are there to celebrate the highs and support me with the lows makes all the difference and why I know for certain that choosing a franchise for my self-employment was the right thing to do.

Jenni Bowman

There have been many highs and lows for me over the last two years – and many lessons learnt! It’s definitely not all been plain sailing. However, there is one piece of advice that I try REALLY hard to adopt and it is something that I tell my clients all the time; “Just Be You”.

Life as a Passionate PA means that I am very fortunate to garner close working relationships with my clients. I get to see the best and the worst of them, and this is one of the many aspects of my work that I love! A common theme I have found amongst all the business owners I create relationships with, whether they be networking contacts, my clients, my friends or my colleagues, is that we all feel vulnerable at times. It can be really hard trying to sell yourself and your service in the big wide world – hence why being You is just so important.

The secret to my success has been personality! People buy people. I may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but that is ok. In business, I want to form relationships with people who understand me and who I can understand too – that goes way deeper than just getting things off their To Do List! There is simply no point trying to be liked by everyone or appeal to everyone – and even less point trying to tell everyone how you can help them ‘do everything’ which is so common in our line of work. That’s what I love most about my business as The Passionate PA; I am allowed to be me and play to my strengths. My clients love that too.

Claire Bartlett

My first two years as a business owner have been a huge learning curve. Coming from a corporate background, it took some very strong determination to carve my own path. The secret to the successful growth of my business, and myself as a businesswoman, has been complete clarity and confidence in my own USP. It’s been so important to me from the outset that my clients understand the skills and expertise I bring to their business, and the value that creates for them.

Having a strategic marketing plan is critical too – and this really is why a franchise was right for me. I knew nothing about marketing when I started, but now, I am confident I have the skills to drive my business from strength to strength. Knowing what to do, and when, particularly at the beginning, was mind blowing! My advice for anyone launching a business would be to have really clear goals and a routine approach to Business Development, try different networking events in your area until you find those that fit with you and your business. Grow your circle of trusted resources and confidants, and don’t be afraid to ask for feedback, in fact, insist upon it (both good and bad) as this is the only way any of us grow.

As a parent with a crazy busy home life, I would also say it’s important to know your personal limits and created positive boundaries. Be known for being reliable, trustworthy and honest – but never over promise. Integrity is everything in our business but so is passion. I love what I do, and I believe it shows. Do what lights you up inside as this keeps your own motivation levels high but also inspires others to be the best they can be too.

Collectively, Debbie, Claire and Jenni provide freelance PA support to 18 ambitious business owners across Dorset and West Hampshire, clocking up over 300 hours a month of support to the region’s finest entrepreneurs, directors and business owners. With their expertise in Business Development, Operations, Process Management, Marketing, Project Planning, Event Management, EA support and so much more being shared on a daily basis – these three women are valued additions to the management teams within their clients’ businesses.

If you’d like to learn more about having a Passionate PA in your business, please visit our Team Page or call 03 3000 20 200.

Further blogs from The Passionate PA:

Why I chose franchising…

By Kate Chastey on November 2019 in Kate Chastey

Recently, The Times newspaper did a double page spread on the strength of the franchising industry in the UK, with a lead story about how women are thriving in this arena.

Kate Chastey is the lady behind the growth of The Passionate PA. In this blog she shares why franchising is right for us.

Well, I guess myself and The Passionate PA are proof of that!

But, unlike the huge brands The Times talked about, such as TaxAssist Accountants, ActionCoachUK, Subway and Wiltshire Farm Foods, my journey into franchising, along with my vision for the future, is quite unique.

The Passionate PA is a labour of love for me. If you’ve taken a peek at Our Story on our website you’ll know this was not really how it was meant to be. Our founder, Sarah Howells, started The Passionate PA over 12 years ago after realising she wanted to be her own boss. She set out to change her own career because she could see small businesses would buy pockets of time and skills from her. She was well ahead of the current Virtual Assistant trend, and definitely one of the first to recognise that branding and networking really matter!

I met Sarah in 2009 when she had developed the business to a ‘busy’ point. She wanted another Passionate PA with complementary skills to hers, and so together our plan was to take Dorset by storm (that’s where I lived back then). She was the career PA, I was the marketing PA; we believed clients would love the double act.

I would never have jumped off my own corporate career ladder without Sarah holding my hand (insert “giving me a push!!”). But, she was proof that being a freelance PA could be rewarding, and as I was only 26 at the time, risk was something I still felt pretty comfortable with. With the support of my husband, I quit my well-paid, sensible job in marketing (which I did love to some degree), in order to experience something new. I was to be self-employed but under the wing of someone who’d been doing it for over a year, and could sell ice to Eskimos!

What could possibly go wrong…?

Cancer. Sarah lost her battle with Cancer just 16 days after I officially joined The Passionate PA in Feb 2010. So, in amongst all that grief and sadness, I was left to run, market and build a brilliant business that I felt had only really been brilliant because of Sarah and everything she was.

This was one of the lowest points in my life. I was 26, knew absolutely nothing about running my own business and knew even less about being a freelance PA; in fact, I hadn’t even had ‘PA’ as a proper job title before! Panic set in and a pretty turbulent four years followed. Throughout all the personal doubt though, I managed to find amazing clients, deliver exceptional work for them and make decent money, so something was working, it just took we a while to pin down exactly what!

Throughout those early years, freelance PAs and VAs were be-friending me all the time with the goal of getting to know what it was I was doing so differently. In honesty, I didn’t really know – I was just doing what I thought was right with a keen eye on client happiness and my own profitability. Looking back now, this was a period that shaped me and my life hugely. At the time it just felt like a constant rollercoaster ride of building a business, filling Sarah’s shoes and wondering what the hell the future had in store. But, my knowledge and confidence developed – and so did my vision.

If the early days of being a Passionate PA taught me anything, it’s that every so often, we all need someone to hold our hand. I would never have set up my own business without Sarah’s initial push and a recognised brand to hang my hopes on. I would never have continued that journey without the unwavering support of my husband and the Dorset business community.

And that, in a nutshell, is exactly why I franchised The Passionate PA. I wanted to give other people the opportunity to be brave in setting up their own business, with me holding their hand. I love helping others identify their truly valuable skills and experiences and working with them in a partnership to shape a business that empowers them and delivers financial rewards and personal fulfilment.

Franchising isn’t an easy option. It’s scary at times, can be incredibly lonely as a franchisor without a head office team, and obviously it needs pretty deep pockets to create a business worthy of investment from franchisees. But, there are so many advantages! It suits my life goal, which is not to manage people through employment, but to help them develop themselves to be the best they can be. Franchising enables me to create partnerships with each of my franchisees – and for them, there is complete clarity on what they are investing in and what they will receive in return.

All of my future growth plans revolve very much around my chosen lifestyle on Dartmoor – the house of my dreams with 2.5 acres and a life full of family, fur babies and baking. Unlike the global franchises of this world, I don’t want an empire with a huge head office team and all the associated stress and cost that goes with that. I’m committed to spending my working life helping honest, passionate and skilled individuals create businesses they love under The Passionate PA’s brand. I am building a team of freelance PAs that are unrivalled in terms of skills, outlook and team spirit. It’s that simple.

There are so many ambitious business owners out there that need/want a Passionate PA and relish the fact that we are very different from the option of employing a PA or Project Manager, or in some instances, using an alternative freelancer. The power in The Passionate PA comes from our team – together we can tackle just about ANYTHING a business owner needs, due to the variety of skills, knowledge and experience within our growing team, and our little black book of contacts full of experts in their field. That is added value and clients love it!

Being a freelance PA wasn’t what I dreamed of when I was a child, but running a business certainly was. Franchising wasn’t part of my plan when I left employment, but because it gives me and the franchisees a partnership where both are responsible for our success, it has always felt so right.

Happy clients! Happy Passionate PAs! Profitable businesses! It all makes my heart skip a beat.

Having built a great platform to franchise from, I am now committed to growing the brand and business at a pace that I am comfortable with, together with a clear focus on delivering exceptional value to the team as it grows. I will only grant franchise territories to those that share my passion and vision. It’s incredibly exciting to have finally defined what success looks like to me, and be well on the path to achieving that.

Further blogs from The Passionate PA: