Archives for September 2017

New Virtual Assistant Franchises Launched This Month

24 September 2017 by admin

Four new franchisees went through training and launched their business this month.
From left to right: Michelle Kaberry, Peterborough & Surrounds, Caroline Gowing Co-founder, Debbie Tilley, Crystal Palace, Croydon & Caterham, Vicky Matthews, Co-founder, Nicola Case, Milton Keynes & Surrounds and Lisa Cox, Mid Staffordshire.

Two of the new franchisees were featured in their local news, following press releases that are prepared. Inside Croydon featured Debbie, click here to read the full article, and Lisa Cox was featured by her local press, click here to read the full article.

Pink Spaghetti’s First Franchise Reaches its 5th Birthday

21 September 2017 by Vicky

It’s quite a milestone when your first baby turns 5, and after initially offering UK wide franchises in 2012, Pink Spaghetti’s very first franchise in South Hampshire has now celebrated its 5^th birthday.

To mark the special occasion, we’ve asked Andrea, our first franchisee, about her business and her plans for the future.

What did you do in corporate life before Pink Spaghetti?

I worked in Financial Services for 12 years and as an Internal Auditor for 8 of those years.

Did you always want to run your own business or did circumstances dictate a change in direction?

I always liked the idea of having the freedom to be my own boss, but it was falling pregnant with my third child whilst also having a 2 and 4 year old and needing that flexibility that really pushed me to look into the possibility of doing it.

Why did you decide to buy a franchise rather than setting up from scratch on your own? What attracted you to Pink Spaghetti?

I was so keen to be a Pink Spaghetti franchisee I stalked them online for a year before they even started franchising! I found them online when I was searching for ideas to bring more flexibility into my working life, and I really fell in love with the Pink Spaghetti branding and offering, and felt that I could take huge advantage from learning from Caroline and Vicky who had been through the process already.

Read Full Article

Small Business Saturday Recognise Michelle from our Chester Office

13 September 2017 by admin

We are proud that our franchisee covering Chester & North Wales, Michelle, has been announced as one of the 100 UK businesses to be featured in their Small Business Saturday campaign. She will have a whole day with her business being promoted across the UK, in the run-up to Small Business Saturday in early December. Read the full press release from The Guardian.

Networking Not Working?

4 September 2017 by Vicky

Love it or loathe it?

Do you think of it as a welcome opportunity or just an uncomfortable get-together with strangers over breakfast?

In reality, networking is nothing to be scared of. Many of the people you meet at networking events will feel the same way you do, and like all such things, it gets easier with practice. Just remember that everyone is there for the same reason as you are.

But what if it’s not working? Spending time going to networking events can seem like a waste if business is not being generated, so what might be the problem? Here are some things to think about:

• Are you at the right networking group? Do some research before you attend, for example at an industry conference you may be able to contact last year’s attendees – was it worth it for them? For local events, will you be the only representative from your field or is it open to all?