Nov 2024 | Written By Lisa Mackerness
Businesses in the UK have experienced significant changes as a result of the 2024 budget. Increasing employment costs have prompted many small businesses to evaluate their staffing needs and look for alternative solutions that will reduce costs while still enabling growth. Virtual Assistants (VAs) are now a smart, cost-effective option for businesses looking to expand […]
Jul 2021 | Written By Lisa Mackerness
Do you regularly attend networking meetings and find, once home, your pockets are full of business cards and they just end up in a container with last week’s cards? If yes, then you need to ask the following question: how do I manage them more effectively? Do you keep them all in a little […]
Mar 2021 | Written By Lisa Mackerness
The Internet is a wonderful way to pass the time, stay in touch with family and friends, shop, bank, plan vacations and find entertainment. There is a lot of material on the Internet now – there are literally billions of websites available. This knowledge is more easily accessible thanks to search engines. Keep in mind […]
Dec 2020 | Written By Lisa Mackerness
With conferences and big events getting cancelled, and travel restrictions making it harder for sales reps to get to their meetings, many organisations are turning to online options to get their content out there. But how can you make sure your presentations are just as effective when you and your audience are not in the […]
Nov 2020 | Written By Lisa Mackerness
Milestones had the pleasure of being invited to be a guest on BBC Essex Radio with Ian Wyatt. It was a fantastic experience to be part of the show and an opportunity to discuss how lock down has affected local businesses and myself. If you would like to listen to myself (Lisa Mackerness) on how […]
Sep 2020 | Written By Lisa Mackerness
When hiring a Virtual Assistant (VA), you need to find the right person for the job. As you may know, choosing the wrong VA for the role will be a big headache, not to mention a huge waste of time. Therefore, it makes perfect sense to ask the right interview questions, so you can identify […]
Jul 2020 | Written By Lisa Mackerness
BY MATT PINNOCK – Isthmus Consulting (https://isthmusconsulting.co.uk/) Whenever you’re going to put something written into the public domain, or hand it over for assessment, it’s essential to make use of a proofreader. But there’s more to it than that. There’s the timing. Last month I commented on the frustrations of being asked to do copywriting […]
May 2020 | Written By Lisa Mackerness
The current climate has changed how we are working which means, chances are, you are probably using Zoom for the first time, or more than usual, to keep in touch with clients and business colleagues. Here are ten of my favourite tips to get more out of your Zoom meeting: Background noise! If you are […]
Apr 2020 | Written By Lisa Mackerness
Let’s be honest: work-life balance is probably not your top priority right now. Everyone’s normal routine has been completely overturned. There are many companies and individuals that are dealing with different scenarios, from small businesses and freelancers trying to survive compared to online businesses so busy they are struggling to keep up with demand. Let’s […]
Mar 2020 | Written By Lisa Mackerness
Be specific with deadlines. ‘As soon as possible’ or ‘urgent’ is NOT a deadline. You can only prioritise effectively with dates. Be realistic when accepting deadlines. ‘First thing tomorrow morning’ is probably not an option. Be confident to provide a deadline that is feasible. Understand the reason for the deadline and the consequences of missing […]
Jan 2020 | Written By Lisa Mackerness
If you have decided to host a seminar or workshop, your main aim is to ensure the content for the day is beneficial and interesting to your delegates attending. To make it a success, with maximum attendance, the planning of your seminar should be at least four to six months before the event. I would […]
Nov 2019 | Written By Lisa Mackerness
Clients I meet already understand the benefits of outsourcing to free up time. Either to spend more time with family members or to grow their business. But if you haven’t yet understood the benefits, then my advice is to write a list of the tasks you feel someone else could do for you. Chris Ducker, […]
Oct 2019 | Written By Lisa Mackerness
This is a question most people ask, but the real question for business owners is: do you value the growth of your business ? With a VA, you’re paying for an experienced individual that can help save you time, and potentially, perform tasks quicker than yourself. So, another thought for you to think about is: […]
Sep 2019 | Written By Lisa Mackerness
What’s the difference you ASK? I get asked regularly, what’s the difference between a PA, EA and VA. Most people are unclear of the lines between them all, just like personality, skill sets and strengths these can all vary considerably. My career started as a PA through to EA and now resides as a […]
Aug 2019 | Written By Lisa Mackerness
As an experienced Executive Assistant for over 20 years, I’ve come across quite a few techniques for staying on top of everything. Through trial and error, I’ve determined what strategies work for me. I’d like to share my favourite tips for time management and how to improve your working environment. Email Management Checking your […]
Jul 2019 | Written By Lisa Mackerness
Business owners would do anything for their company, but the real question is, at what cost? Is your work-life balance tipped too heavily towards work? As a business owner you understand the importance of making your company a success. The extra hours needed, the motivation required to keep going every day but are these qualities […]
Jun 2019 | Written By Lisa Mackerness
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Between 2012 and 2016, flexitime has risen by 12.35 per cent; and data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) In 2015, 4.2 million people across a range of sectors worked from home, and businesses both small and large are increasingly adopted the remote working strategy into their model. A recent YouGov survey has […]
May 2019 | Written By Lisa Mackerness
With tickets selling for only £10-£15, FSB have teamed up with Facebook and are touring the country offering training sessions to small businesses to help develop their digital skills. According to Facebook, 45% of small businesses who use the social media platform in the UK say they have increased sales, with 78% confirming it has […]
May 2019 | Written By Lisa Mackerness
You’ve seen the websites and adverts to know that a VA helps you with your admin. But as a new business owner what can a VA do for you? You have decided to start your new business and have loads of ideas but need to bounce these off someone with experience. Your VA can research […]
Kevin Igoe CTA
Managing Director, PFP
“Lisa is a well organised and committed individual. She takes great pride in her work and is very self-motivated. Her flexibility enables us to use her as a VA and her experience means we can use her for a variety of different tasks. She has a particular strength in event organising. She has proven herself to be able to take responsibility for all aspects of an event far above any other VA I have come across. She is able to work with our internal staff as well as liaise and indeed negotiate with third parties. I wold challenge anyone to come up with a better organiser.”
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