After nearly 30 years in social work, Donna McKenna wasn’t looking to slow down. If anything, turning 50 became the moment she realised she still wanted to challenge herself, keep learning and build something that worked better around her life. 

 

Like many people considering a career change, Donna knew she had years of experience behind her, but she wasn’t entirely sure what that could look like outside the career she’d always known. 

 

Now, five years on from joining Pink Spaghetti, Donna has built a thriving Virtual Assistant business, become an employer, won multiple awards and created a flexible career that fits around both family life and the work she loves. 

 

Her story is a brilliant example of how transferable skills, the right support and a proven business model can help you confidently step into business ownership. A career built around supporting people 

 

Donna began her social work career in the early 1990s while studying for a science degree, moving into management at just 23 years old. Over the years, she led large teams, managed complex integrated services and became highly experienced in operations, service development and implementing change. 

 

Much of her later career focused on improving systems and processes, writing policies, mapping workflows and introducing new ways of working. Along the way, she rediscovered something she’d always loved, problem-solving. 

 

Looking back now, many of the skills Donna used every day in social work are exactly the same skills that make her successful as a business owner today. Organisation, communication, leadership, managing people, improving processes and building relationships. 

 

That’s something many people underestimate when they think about starting a Virtual Assistant business. You don’t need to have worked as a VA before. In many cases, you already have the skills, you just haven’t realised how transferable they are. 

 

Alongside her career, Donna was also raising young children and supporting her mum, who has dementia. 

 

Like so many people, she found herself juggling increasing responsibilities at home alongside a demanding role. She wanted more flexibility, more control over her time and the ability to shape her work around life rather than constantly fitting life around work. 

 

But she also knew she still wanted meaningful work. Supporting people remained incredibly important to her. 

 

That combination of experience, family, ambition and a desire for flexibility was what first led Donna to start exploring different business opportunities. 

 

During her research, Donna came across the idea of becoming a Virtual Assistant. What surprised her was how varied the role actually was. “It wasn’t just admin,” she explains. “It brought together project management, operations, systems, marketing and problem-solving.” The more she explored, the more it felt like a natural fit for her experience and strengths. 

 

That search eventually led her to Pink Spaghetti. 

 

Donna spent time following the business on social media and reading reviews before arranging a discovery call with co-founders Caroline and Vicky. 

 

“What you see is what you get,” Donna says. “The values aligned with my own and it felt approachable, supportive and relationship-led rather than overly corporate.” 

 

Another major factor in Donna’s decision was seeing that Pink Spaghetti was a multi-award-winning franchise. 

 

“Quality standards have always been important to me,” she says. “Seeing the recognition the franchise had received gave me confidence in the business model and support behind it.” 

 

Donna launched her Pink Spaghetti franchise in February 2021, during lockdown and just one month before her 50th birthday. 

 

Just a week after Donna’s 50th birthday, and shortly after launching her business, life took an unexpected turn. Her auntie was diagnosed with cancer and given only weeks to live. 

 

With her cousin living in Spain during lockdown restrictions and unable to travel, Donna suddenly found herself stepping in as next of kin on the ground, coordinating appointments, care and everything that needed managing during an incredibly emotional and difficult time. 

 

It was a huge responsibility to carry alongside starting a brand new business. 

 

Looking back, Donna says having the flexibility of running her own business, alongside the support of the Pink Spaghetti network, made that period far more manageable than it otherwise could have been. 

 

“Life throws curveballs at everyone,” Donna says. “What made such a difference was knowing I wasn’t doing this alone. The support from Pink Spaghetti gave me the space and understanding I needed at a really difficult time.” 

 

It’s something Donna feels is often underestimated when people compare joining a franchise to going it alone as a solo Virtual Assistant. Beyond the training and systems, there’s also a network of people around you who genuinely understand, support and want you to succeed, both professionally and personally. 

 

One of the things Donna valued most about joining a franchise rather than starting completely alone was the structure and support already in place. 

 

Starting a business from scratch can feel overwhelming. Branding, systems, pricing, marketing, processes, technology, networking, it’s a huge amount to figure out on your own. 

 

For Donna, the Pink Spaghetti franchise model offered a genuine “business in a box”. 

 

The foundations were already there: 

 

 

That meant Donna could focus on building her business with confidence, rather than spending months trying to work everything out alone. 

 

And importantly, it still allowed her to make the business her own. 

 

Today, Donna has built a flexible, sustainable business that brings together everything she loved from her previous career, supporting people, solving problems and making a real difference. 

 

She now works with clients across a range of industries and supports both strategic projects and day-to-day business operations. She’s also built a team around her business and become an employer herself. 

 

Her success within the network has also been recognised through multiple awards, including winning the People’s Choice Award twice and being named Franchisee of the Month twice. 

 

But for Donna, the biggest achievement is creating a business that genuinely fits her life. 

 

She has the flexibility to support her family, manage her own schedule and continue learning and growing in a way that feels fulfilling and sustainable. 

 

Donna’s journey is such an important reminder that starting a business doesn’t have to mean starting from zero. 

 

Many people already have the skills needed to run a successful Virtual Assistant business. The challenge is often having the confidence, structure and support to take that first step. 

 

That’s where a franchise model can make such a difference. 

 

With Pink Spaghetti, you’re building your own business, but with training, guidance, systems and a supportive network around you from day one. 

 

For Donna, joining Pink Spaghetti has been genuinely life changing. 

 

And for anyone considering a more flexible future, becoming their own boss or exploring whether a Virtual Assistant business could work for them, her story shows what’s possible. 

 

If you’d like to find out more about building your own Virtual Assistant business with Pink Spaghetti, we’d love to have a conversation. 

 

You can take a look and request a prospectus here. 

 

Or simply get in touch and ask any questions. 

 

If you’re ready to learn more about becoming a Pink Spaghetti virtual assistant, simply request a prospectus here.