Caroline has launched a time (and sanity) saving website site for office professionals and Anna runs a high end fashion boutique. Meet our New Kids on the Block…
Business name: Pa Assist.com.au
The Lady in Charge: Caroline Mulcahy
Location: National site, based in Sydney
Launched: November 2009
Website: www.paassist.com.au
Hit us with your elevator pitch:
It’s simple! It’s a website created and designed by a Personal Assistant for all Personal Assistants, Executive Assistants, Office Managers, Secretaries, Administrators – all busy office professionals from all industries.
A website with everything a busy professional needs on a daily basis. A place that houses information about businesses, services, ideas, dates to remember, charity events, corporate tools, government links and much, much more.
Pa Assist.com.au is brand new. We don’t have any fancy glossy flyers or traffic statistics to show off, but what we do have is a very unique, targeted audience which is why advertising with us is FREE for 6 months for Australian online businesses.
What drove you to go it alone?
I have been a PA for over 15 years and got sick of searching for new venues, catering, government departments, photographers, corporate cars, office tools, travel visa’s… oh the list goes on.
I would spend so much time searching to find businesses and tools; it would take up too much of my time. I wanted everything at my finger tips! So after many late nights and a year of research, I have taken the plunge and bought it to life.
Give us five words that best describe you, since becoming your own boss?
Passionate, excited, driven, empathic and persistent.
What have you had to give up since becoming your own boss – and what’s one thing you’ve acquired that makes up for it?
The hardest sacrifice has been giving up my time. I still work full-time to fund my new business so I work every night till late and all weekend. But now that my hard work is resulting in businesses wanting to be on board, and my marketing campaign is working so it’s all worth it.
Business name: The Palms Boutique
The Lady in Charge: Anna Lutkajtis
Location: 6/17 Gerrale Street Cronulla, SYD
Launched: March 2009
Website: www.thepalmsboutique.com
Hit us with your elevator pitch:
The Palms Boutique offers high end Australian and international designer fashion to women in the Sutherland Shire area. Our aim is to provide the most beautiful, stylish and – most importantly – wearable designs on the market. We are expanding our business with an online store this year so our product will be available to women all over Australia.
What drove you to go it alone?
After 3 years working in HR in large professional service firms, I realised that the corporate life was not for me. I left corporate to go back to university and start a PhD in psychology, which was also not quite right, but made me realise that I loved working independently and on my own projects.
Starting a PhD taught me that the things I value most in my career are autonomy, creativity and being able to move ahead at my own pace, and starting my own business has given me all of those things.
Give us five words that best describe you, since becoming your own boss?
Driven, passionate, inspired, optimistic, busy!
What do you find the most difficult, and most rewarding, aspects of running your own business?
The most difficult aspect for me has been learning when to switch off and have some down time. There are so many rewarding aspects, but the first ones that come to mind are the wonderful relationships I have built with clients and suppliers, becoming part of a local business community, and the thrill you get when you find a winning product that your clients love!
Want to see your new business featured here?
New Kids on the Block is a SNOBS’ initiative to help promote women business owners who are still in their first year of trade. If that describes you, write to us via the contact page and we’ll let you know if you’re eligible.
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