Blog
Working from Home and How to Prioritise Self Care – Part 4
Part 4 in our series 'Taking the leap from PA to VA' is all about self care. One of my biggest learning curves when becoming a virtual personal assistant, was how to properly look after myself. Gone were the days of going to the gym on the way to the office, a long...
The Easiest Way to Avoid Work Stress and Focus on Work that Matters
According to Personnel Today Six in 10 employees experience workplace stress. And it’s no different for an Entrepreneur. Being an Entrepreneur is not the easy, flexible, anxiety free career that many believe it to be; in fact, it's quite the opposite. If you are a...
VA mindset – hone your outlook for career success – Part 3
Christina Reilly talks about VA Mindset in part 3 of our series "Leaping from PA to VA". One of the principal elements that a successful Virtual Assistant can credit to their career success is their mindset. Challenge your VA mindset Sometimes, fear, negativity or...
How do I get clients and market my business? - Part 2
The second in our series 'Making the leap from PA to VA' talks about how to get clients and market your business. So how do I market my business? You’ve done the research and planning and now it's time to start your VA business. This is the most exciting part but...
Making Tax Digital – All you need to know!
HMRC are introducing Making Tax Digital. Part of the government’s plans to make it easier for individuals and businesses to get their tax right. From 1st April 2019 this will apply to VAT registered businesses with a taxable turnover above the VAT threshold. ...
How to set up as a Virtual PA – Part 1
When I decided to become a Virtual Assistant 2 years ago there wasn’t a lot of information out there on what to do or how to start. The idea of leaving a comfortable and secure job role was daunting and to leave that for the new and predominately unknown world of...
International Women’s Day March 8 – #BalanceforBetter
Meet Jane Braithwaite, Managing Director, Designated Group What does #BalanceforBetter mean to you personally? Personally, #BalanceforBetter means balancing my work and personal lives to achieve a better life overall. My three teenage daughters are my highest priority...
Fiona Hathorn talks #BalanceforBetter this International Women’s Day
Meet Fiona Hathorn Managing Director, WOB UK Ltd What steps do you and your own organisation take to achieve gender balance? We are an enabling network that supports women get the information they need to get onto boards. Transparent access to information is key if...
Taking the Leap from PA to VA – Part 1
Designated were delighted to be invited to present at this years Birmingham PA Forum Learning and Development conference in February. Myself and Jane Braithwaite MD, discussed the topic of making the transition from Personal Assistant (PA) to Virtual Assistant (VA)...
Designated PA, Hannah Smith Wins Inspirational Award! – Leading by Example
Last month I was thrilled to win the #Inspiration - Lead by Example category at the 2018 Birmingham PA Awards. This was the first award ceremony to recognise and celebrate the work of assistants in the Birmingham area, and I was delighted to be a part of it. The...
What Do PAs Actually Do? 4 Common Myths, Busted!
Most people think they have a good idea of what a PA (or EA or VA) does, but how accurate are they? To appreciate the ways in which a good PA can change someone’s life, we must ensure they have an accurate understanding of what PAs actually do (and don’t do). This...
Designated PA Hannah Smith is a FINALIST in the Birmingham PA Awards 2018!
We are delighted to announce that Designated PA's Hannah Smith is a FINALIST in the #Inspiration category of the 2018 Birmingham PA Awards 25 personal, executive and virtual assistants from across Birmingham have been announced as finalists in the region’s inaugural...
The Designated Group has reached the finals of the Working Families’ Best Practice Awards 2018!
The Designated Group has been named as a finalist in the Best for Embedded Flexibility category of the Working Families’ Best Practice Awards. Employers large and small from many sectors compete annually to reach the shortlist for the unique business awards for...
Client Spotlight – Victoria Tryon
Here at the Designated Group we are on our clients' journeys with them, so we get excited when they get excited! Victoria Tryon is excited... and very busy, creating extraordinary bespoke jewellery for a discerning clientele. We caught up with Victoria to talk about...
Designated PA are GDPR ready!
Our commitment to GDPR Introduction The European Union has taken a monumental step in protecting the fundamental right to privacy for every EU resident with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which will be effective from May 25, 2018. Simply put, EU...
GDPR – is your business ready for 25 May 2018?
May 25th sees the implementation of a new piece of EU regulation – the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Any business should currently be working in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998, where any personal data is used or collected. There are...
The Perfect Storm – Making the Decision to Hire an Assistant
As a business owner you’ve burnt the midnight oil, shed the blood, sweat and tears. You’ve hustled, you’re seeing the fruits of your labour but, most notably, you’ve been chief cook and bottle washer, a Jack-of-all-trades… and that’s enough clichés for one blog post....
There’s No Place Like Home(working)
Dare to dream, says Hilary Stoddart, Designated PA's client development manager and former office-based senior PA... If you're considering taking the leap from office-based employment to the world of flexible, home based, virtual work and feel (understandably)...
Must Read! Key Tax Dates for SMBs and Sole Traders
The Designated Group has a small but mighty team of experienced finance and tax professionals, who support a range of clients with various invoicing, tax, credit control, payroll, management accounts, cash flow, VAT returns and bookkeeping tasks - these guys really...
Client Spotlight – Nikki De Marchi
Here at the Designated we consider ourselves privileged to work with some fantastic clients. Nikki De Marchi is one such client - a talented businesswoman who, with the help of her Designated PA, Alannah is making waves in the luxury swimwear market. We caught up with...
Honouring Our Heroes #IWD2018
In celebration of International Women’s Day today, we wanted to pay tribute to the phenomenal women who inspire us here at The Designated Group. Read on for some fantastic, and moving, personal stories! Jane Braithwaite - Managing Director “This year International...
PAs – The Unsung Heroes of Business
A few nights ago I went to see the film The Darkest Hour, where Gary Oldman portrays Winston Churchill in the weeks leading up to the Second World War. His performance was truly awe-inspiring. As I left the cinema I found myself thinking more about the unsung heroes...
My first month as a Designated social media manager
I have to admit, the winter months are not the ideal time to start homeworking. Two days into my new role as a social media manager with Designated PA, the heating in our home office broke. I could have retreated into the house (from the garden) and turned up the...
The Christmas Juggle
When I first became a Virtual PA, my work life balance instantly took a turn for the better. Working from home in a #flexibleworking role meant that I could easily juggle the kids around my workload without any need for childcare. I sailed through June half term on...
How to Organise a Remote Meeting
The internet and cloud-based applications mean more business are moving towards a flexible way of working. From remote workers to flexible hours, it is not uncommon to have part ( or all ) of the team working offsite from the business. This has many benefits, but how...
The Dossier December 2017
The Dossier December 2017 is out now… This month read about how Designated PA supports Rebecca Morley of Rebecca Morley Coaching. Learn how we helped her with flexible business support options. This month DPA Recommends Paragon's Monaco Grand Prix 2018 Super Yacht...
Client Spotlight – Rebecca Morley
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your company? I’m Rebecca Morley, Founder at Rebecca Morley Coaching. I started my company 2 years ago at the same time as I had my little boy Alfred. I decided to use my many years of experience improving businesses...
DPA Recommends – Paragon
Designated PA recommends Paragon - they have a very exciting and exclusive opportunity for the Monaco Grand Prix 2018 - which you can watch with a glass of champagne in hand in your very own cabin on board a Super Yacht!! Paragon's Monaco Grand Prix Super Yacht...
Business Support A-Team
They say it takes a village to raise a child. Running a successful small business doesn’t quite take that many people. But with a team of dedicated experts on board, your business can grow faster and more efficiently. Through delegating tasks to experts and freeing up...
Creating a Successful Small Business
Small business is now a big business. There were 5.4 million SMEs in the UK in 2016, which was over 99% of all businesses. At Designated PA, we are business support experts and love to see small businesses thrive. Here are our top five tips for creating a successful...
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