An ambitious Washington based former executive marketer, has set up business offering Virtual Assistant services and has won three contracts despite only being launched a few weeks.
Victoria McDonald has launched as a Smart PA partner to offer clients the full range of business support services including, PA services, event organisation, market research, accounts administration and general admin at board level.
She set up her business after taking redundancy from the nuclear services company Studsvik which relocated to Preston from the Team Valley, and has already won three retained clients and carried out a variety project work for other north east based businesses.
At part of her company’s plans she has joined the North East England Chamber of Commerce. She said: “I am delighted to have won more work than I had anticipated so early in my business. As part of my growth plans I joined the Chamber with the aim of taking advantage of the networking opportunities and I have found the events great for expanding my contacts.”
Julie Digman, Chamber Essentials portfolio manager said: “Victoria’s services will be invaluable to companies who need support but not necessarily on a full time basis. She has done incredibly well from a standing start and on behalf of the Chamber I wish her even more success in the future.”
Victoria has found her clients from a variety of sources including networking and businesses that have already benefited from Victoria’s services include a PLC asset management firm, a property company, a training company and a will writing organisation to name a few.
She said: “It has been really important to have the support of my family as being self-employed takes up a great deal of time as well as undertaking the day job. My husband Paul and son Ben are a great support and have really encouraged me to develop and grow the business. Looking to the future I am really aiming to grow my business so in time I can create a job for someone else and help them in their career.”