Leonie Park, The Contemporary PA

After school, I was fortunate enough to work for JP Morgan. I entered through their 18 month #apprenticeship and was part of their second cohort of intakes. I remember the whole concept of Investment Operation apprenticeships being very new and exciting then. I worked solidly in their Cash Management department covering the Broker Dealer funding desk. Our team spanned across Bournemouth & Tampa FL and we worked with 43 currencies on a daily basis. For a young professional just starting a career, this pace and insight into banking/business was invaluable. However after four years and a few roles, I started to learn that perhaps the Corporate life wasn’t for me. As much as I loved it and am truly grateful for the opportunities, I felt I wasn’t making a real impact.

I wanted to work on a much smaller scale, with businesses needing initial assistance in order to realise their full reach and potential. Fast forward to 2018 and I’m reading up on business startups, really interested in Crowdfunding and the desire in rural areas for community. I didn’t have a product or an idea to launch so I’m wondering how to get involved as perhaps an advisor. It wasn’t much of a reach from there to discover Virtual Assistants.

For many, the function of a VA is still somewhat unclear. Especially in Dorset with all its black 4g zones and struggling signals, it's difficult to imagine a concept so new and forward-thinking however it's already fast becoming the future of business.

To me, working remotely and independently seemed like the perfect way of finding that balanced lifestyle. I’d read about Virtual Assistants based in cities and noted that many of my skill sets matched theirs. It was a dream job though, not something I truly believed could happen. Then I stumbled across Gemma, founder of The Contemporary PA on the Wessex FM website and everything seemed to fall into place! She had already done the impossible task of bringing the 21st Century into Dorset and was spreading the word around the Dorchester area.

My aim is to meet like minded people. Those who share the same qualities, passion for independent businesses, who are creative, who take an interest in the next generation of workers, who are ethically minded & focused! I want to work hard and create valuable pieces for clients, to really show a VA’s worth. Also I wish to prove that you can be a successful self-employed business person in the countryside.

To find out how Leonie can help you business, email her leonie@thecontemoporarypa.co.uk