Calibre VA Services

Sometimes things don't go to plan. And that's ok - after all, that's life.

This morning, a few series of small, unexpected events meant that I was not able to start the morning working on my business. My early morning routine is crucial to the success of my business - it's when I get the bulk of my day's work done.

But that's one of the reasons why I love having a VA! In just one phone call or in just one email, the day is back on track. Having a VA you can trust to be reliable, quick-thinking and ready to support you is such a relief, especially when things don't go to plan.

So if you are a business coach, mindset coach, leadership coach... .. who wants to stop playing catch-up with business tasks..... who wants to have a team member you can rely on, without the stress that comes with employing someone..... who wants to start acting as the Future Self you know you are inside...
and who wants to focus on the aspects of your role that brings you the most meaning...
.. then reach out via email or DM to learn how all this can be achieved from just £320/month.

And if you do so by Friday 19 July, you will qualify to receive my Business Owner's Holiday Checklist before anyone else, together with a free session on how to prepare yourself and your business to welcome a VA.

Happy Friday! Here's hoping the sun shines today!

[email protected]

Random fact about me: I love garden centres.

(Have you ever been to the one in Burford? If not, I definitely recommend a visit!)

Yesterday I popped to my local Webbs Garden Centre and look what I found! A card that spoke to my soul.

Since starting my own business over 18 months ago now, I have been positively overwhelmed by the constant support, encouragement and referrals received by so many successful women in business.

Whilst I've found running a business to be a journey of self-discovery, I have also been so grateful to "stand on the shoulders of giants", soaking up their kindness and expertise. After all, together, we all go further.

How exciting! Our 3rd award nomination so far this year! Thank you ! It's such an honour to be shortlisted and we can't wait for the results in a couple of weeks' time 🎉

About last Saturday...
.. we had an absolute blast at Business Success Network and Magazine awards! And maybe a little too much fun with the Everybody Smile Photography photo booth (thanks for bearing with us Darren Powell!)

Whilst building a business, it's so important to also enjoy fun, special moments. And when I looked around the room last Saturday, I was so grateful for the amazing community around me.

And guess what? On October 16, I am organising my very charity event in aid of Acorn's Children's Hospice. Together with Dawn Owen as Headline Sponsor, we are looking to bring the same kind of energy to the room!

October may seem a little while away still, but if you book now and secure your spot, you will benefit from our Early Bird Pricing. So come join us for an evening of networking and celebration. We can't wait to see you there!

Booking link is in the comments. Happy Friday!

"What a great idea! The whole thing of knackering yourself out before your holiday, and then having to double down when you're back can make you feel even worse than if you never went away in the first place. Your Holiday Package would be so helpful for so many people!"

This is one of the many positive replies I received when I announced the Calibre Holiday Package on Tuesday. If you missed the offer, go check it out!

With only 3 spots available, this package is for any business owner who needs temporary admin support/holiday cover, throughout the months of July and/or August. The package is personalised to your exact business needs.

I also have a Business Owner's Holiday Checklist that I am excited to share with you next week, that will also help guide you strategically during the holiday period.

If you'd like to learn more, contact me via DM or email at [email protected]. Let's make these next two months a roaring success!

July! What runs through your mind when you read that word?

Summer weather?
Summer holidays?

I was speaking with a business coach the other day and she made the interesting remark that for many business owners, going away on holiday involves more than simply taking a week or two off. A good 2 weeks before the holiday, you probably raise your game to get through all of your work in time. Your schedule becomes even more heavy, as you pace through your tasks. Then after your holiday, you ramp things up for a further 2 weeks to get back into the swing of things and to generate revenue again. So before you know it, that 2-week holiday impacts 6 weeks of your year.

Does that scenario sound familiar?

If you find yourself dreading a similar experience, then have no fear - Calibre is here! We offer holiday support packages, exclusive to July & August, to help you manage your time and outsource the tasks that don't really need to be done by you.

We also have a Business Owner's Checklist we follow, to help guide you strategically during this time (more info to follow).

With 3 Holiday Package spots available, contact me via DM or email at [email protected] and let's make these next 2 months an amazing success!

What an amazing event!

This was my very first time attending the and what a night it was! I was thrilled to be one of the finalists and to enjoy an evening of inspiration and celebration. It was so nice to also catch up with Karen Heap , Emma Hewitt and Shelley Wilson ✍️

Stacey Calder 's opening address was incredibly moving and Dave Sharpe🎤 brought absolutely amazing energy to the room.

4 winners particularly stood out to me on the night:

- Huge congratulations to Michaela Cusack Start.Biz for winning the Product of the Year award!

- The winner of my category was Mikayla from Zap Kids Club, a SEN holiday club with the mission to provide a safe and inclusive environment for children with complex needs. Her personal story was such an inspiration and as a mother, I could feel the determination in her words. Such a worthy winner.

- Amanda Harris won the Against all Odds award and I can't wait to read her book "She will never". From doctors saying that she will never thread a needle due to her visual impairment, to her running a successful business, her story is one of determination and achievement.

- 12-year old Isaac Winfield set up Friends of Isaac's Food Bank CIC when he was only 9 years old and won the Rising Star of the Year award. So well deserved!!

I could go on but needless to say my husband and I left feeling totally inspired by all the moving stories and business success.

- what an amazing event!

This was my very first time attending the and what a night it was! I was thrilled to be one of the finalists and to enjoy an evening of inspiration and celebration. It was so nice to also catch up with Karen Heap , Emma Hewitt and Shelley Wilson.

Stacey Calder 's opening address was incredibly moving and Dave Sharpe brought absolutely amazing energy to the room.

4 winners particularly stood out to me on the night:

- Huge congratulations to Michaela Cusack for winning the Product of the Year award!

- The winner of my category was Mikayla from Zap Kids Club, a SEN holiday club with the mission to provide a safe and inclusive environment for children with complex needs. Her personal story was such an inspiration and as a mother, I could feel the determination in her words. Such a worthy winner.

- Amanda Harris won the Against all Odds award and I can't wait to read her book "She will never". From doctors saying that she will never thread a needle due to her visual impairment, to her running a successful business, her story is one of determination and achievement.

- 12-year old Isaac Winfield set up Friends of Isaac's Food Bank CIC when he was only 9 years old and won the Rising Star of the Year award. So well deserved!!

I could go on but needless to say my husband and I left feeling totally inspired by all the moving stories and business success.

"Naomi... I'm really annoyed at myself because I AM an organised person but I've just got so much to do that I don't have the time to be organised anymore."

Can you relate to what my above client told me when we first met?

If you are a coach or consultant who's been running a business for over 2 years and no longer wants to feel like you are constantly playing catch up, then I can help.

I have just what you need. And the best part is? It doesn't add anything more to your day.

Reach out via email or DM to learn more about my Scale Package. Clients have felt a positive difference within just 2 weeks. And that could be you too.

[email protected]

One thing.

Before you decide to have a VA or any other contractor within your business, you need one thing. A vision. A vision for how you want your business to be.

It has been said that few things are more powerful than having a vision. I was reflecting on this statement the other day and from personal experience, I do agree that having a vision makes business life a lot easier. For example, when decisions need to be made and opportunities arise, a vision lets you know what to say yes to and what to refuse.

Last week, I was asked to speak at a business event in August. My initial reaction was one of hesitation. But the vision that I have for my business is so clear that I knew instinctively that refusing his fantastic opportunity was not an option.

Do you find yourself at times struggling to make pivotal business decisions? Then ask yourself: "How clear is my vision to me?". Oftentimes all it takes is clarity. The moment you have clarity on your vision for the future, decisions become a lot easier to make.

In your vision for the future, are you working long hours within your business, doing everything yourself? Or have you outsourced tasks to make better use of your time? A commentator once said that there are few things more beautiful than being restricted by one's vision. Do you agree? I would love to hear your thoughts!

Today I'm excited to shine a spotlight on multi-business owner, mental health advocate & mindful DJ.

From spearheading mindful music to connecting and introducing calm in everyday chaos, Kareen uses a variety of tools that have proven to be effective across both the corporate world and on an individual level. 

Kareen also specialises in guiding leaders and teams towards effective, composed and thoughtful decision-making. By integrating mindfulness practices, Kareen helps businesses enhance their self-awareness, manage stress and navigate challenges with a clear mindset.

Kareen will be playing a Mindbeats sounds session throughout our Charity Evening in October, the perfect backdrop for our event.

If you'd like to be part of our evening of celebration and inspiration, then check out the booking link in the comments.

We can't wait for you to discover and enjoy Kareen's musical artistry!

In honour of my second business anniversary, I am thrilled to invite you to my very first Charity Evening this October!

This will be an evening of celebration, with our Acorns Children's Hospice representative Mel Hall, Mindful Beats DJ Kareen Griffiths and our sponsors Dawn Owen from Dawn Owen Coaching and Gareth Keyte from Oak Tree Shutters.

With networking opportunities, prize draws and fabulous food and drink at our slick venue Piston Distillery, this is sure to be a fantastic evening!

Entry is limited to be sure to book your ticket to secure your spot.

Booking link is in the comments. I hope to see you there!

We are so proud to announce that our Calibre Charity Evening, in aid of Acorns Children's Hospice, will take place at Piston Distillery in Worcester!

Quirky, elegant and slick, this venue is ideal for our evening of entertainment and inspiration.

Each ticket includes a welcome drink, a fabulous cold buffet and a £5 donation to Acorns.

Tickets are limited and you won't want to miss out on this evening of networking and celebration!

Booking link is in the comments. We hope to see you there!

Date: Wednesday October 16th
Time: 5.30pm - 8.30pm
Ticket price: £20.50

Congratulations Emma EBM Brand Photography on your 10-year business anniversary!

It was such an honour to be invited to celebrate Emma's 10 years in business today. I met Emma almost 18 months ago, when I won a brand shoot with her! If I'm not mistaken, it wasn't long after Emma had moved to the area and we've been business besties ever since. Thanks so much Emma for such a wonderful afternoon 🎊

I also loved finally meeting the lovely Kayla Cusack in person and catching up with the amazing Dawn Owen Coaching Narinder Sheena Katie Kehoe Tosin Ajayi, amongst many others.

A perfect way to end the week! 🎊

Did you know that this week is Loneliness Awareness week?

Whilst helping solopreneurs build their brands, here are 3 tips I came across which you may find helpful in overcoming loneliness as a business coach/consultant:

1. Try out a friendly co-working space or networking group.

The flexibility our self-employed position provides is that we can join local co-working and/or networking groups whenever we feel we need that added support. These new environments bring together professionals from different industries and backgrounds and can lead to collaborations, partnerships or simply to much-needed conversations throughout your day.

2. Join a fellow association/community

Professional bodies provide many opportunities to stay up to date with events and networking opportunities, both online and in your local area. It can encourage you to try some place new and hopefully, find a tribe of people who share your values and professional experiences.

3. When possible, invest in a business coach

From personal experience, I can attest to how brilliantly coaches help with our mindset and building a fresh perspective. A friend of mine always says: every coach needs a coach too! So even if you are a coach yourself, investing in having your own mentor may just be the thing you need. They may provide you with helpful insights on how to overcome loneliness whilst building your business.

If you are a solopreneur, what are your tips to overcoming loneliness? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

I am thrilled to share another sneak peek of the event I have been busy organising this past month.

On Wednesday October 16, I will be hosting my very first Charity Evening, in aid of Acorns Children's Hospice and with the support of Mel Hall.

As a mother myself, shining a spotlight on children's charities is something that is very close to my heart. When speaking with Mel about the services Acorns provides, my heart was moved after learning more about the many incredible things they do for families and I can't wait for you to hear the story of a local family who personally benefitted from this amazing charity.

More exciting details about this ticketed event will be revealed soon! In the meantime, please save the date and enjoy a fantastic end to the week.

I came across this piece of art/advice whilst away in Bruges last week: when nothing goes right, go left.

What would going left mean for you and your business? I think for me, it would mean doing something out of my comfort zone when facing a crisis, be it a crisis of confidence or perhaps even a financial crisis (business-wise).

I've been told so many times that it's only by doing something outside of our comfort zone that we grow. Waiting for the perfect circumstances to take the next step may just keep our future goals out of reach.

If we want to continue to fuel our professional development, from personal experience I can say that these 3 things are a must:

- Taking risks
- Accepting challenges
- Leveraging our skills

The best things in life require hard work, perseverance and dedication. And if you need a helping hand on that journey, please don't hesitate to reach out.



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SAVE THE DATE: Are you local to Worcestershire? Then make sure you keep the evening of Wednesday October 16th free... something very exciting is coming soon! If you are a local business owner, you won't want to miss this.

Guess what? On Monday, I had the opportunity to be interviewed on a video podcast!

What an experience that was! I had been very kindly invited by Bob Cartwright from Three Counties Live and he immediately put me at ease with a much-needed coffee and some delicious homemade carrot cake.

I am both excited and pretty nervous to see the final product! My mind has since gone blank and I'm not quite sure I remember what in fact I actually said 😅

With years working within the media industry, Bob has an amazing studio where he has recently been inviting different business owners to answer very topical questions.

Why not catch up on a few of the latest YouTube videos? Esther Partridge-Warner recently spoke about the importance of business coaching. Shaquilla Steer dove into the world of social media and Alice Violet shed light on cybersecurity. The link is in the comments!

One thing we love about working with Leadership Coaches, Mindset Coaches and Business Coaches on a regular basis is that their clients are their main focus. Seeing how they inspire confidence, encourage growth, and keep their clients focused on their goals, is so empowering to watch.

Here at Calibre, we don't want your administrative, financial, logistic, scheduling, and marketing responsibilities to divert your attention from your primary role of being a coach, that of helping clients to the best of your abilities.

As such, we are thrilled to help coaching businesses - every single week - who have identified that their time, energy and resources are being stretched in different directions. We have the experience and expertise to help.

Feel free to comment with the words "I want to learn more" and I will happily provide you with the information you are looking for.

Happy Tuesday!

After enjoying such a positive day connecting with like-minded business owners on Friday at the Women Who Awards, I was happy to finally be able to join Enterprise Nation's monthly online networking group, hosted by the lovely Victoria Brown.

It was the first time in a long time that I showed up to an event knowing no-one there - and I loved it! We were each given the opportunity to introduce ourselves and we all had to include the why behind our business journey. I loved hearing how individuals overcame hardships thanks to their tenacity and passion for what they do. Very inspiring!

We were also treated to a live session from Sarah Taylor-Robinson who kindly demonstrated how we can use our smartphones to create video content for our businesses. I particularly enjoyed learning about which lighting equipment is affordable and useful to use.

These monthly meetings are free, one-hour long and open to everyone so why not join me for the next one on Tuesday 11th June at 10am!

Did you know? Each Calibre VA has experience working with business coaches and consultants. As such, we not only know your pain points but we also know how to solve them.

Worried about needing to prepare a brief first or being "VA-ready"? No need! That's why Calibre is here! During your first chat with your VA, you can sit back and let their expertise shine through. They will help you come up with an actionable plan on how to best work together.

Do you know anyone who would benefit from the above? If so, here's a summary of what we offer:

Our offer: Daily, remote PA support.

For whom: Established coaching and consultancy businesses, ready to scale and increase profitability.

Cost: From £650 a month

How to get it: Reach out to me via email or DM with the words "I want to learn more".

Benefits: As shown in the below testimonial, we help you work smarter.

Do yourself a favour, reach out today and experience for yourself the difference Calibre brings to businesses like yours.

[email protected]

It's finally here!! The Live & Achieves Awards, hosted by the lovely Sandra Garlick MBE 🎉

I am so thrilled and honoured to be one of the finalists and regardless of the outcome, I am so excited to be able to share in such a heartwarming and inspiring day. I'll let you know how it goes!

P.S.: Bearing in mind my outfit for the day was planned whilst we were still experiencing colder temperatures, with the sunshine now here, this shall be fun 😅

It's finally here!! The Woman Who Live & Achieves Awards, hosted by the lovely Sandra Garlick MBE 🎉

I am so thrilled and honoured to be one of the finalists and regardless of the outcome, I am so excited to be able to share in such a heartwarming and inspiring day. I'll let you know how it goes!

P.S.: Bearing in mind my outfit for the day was planned whilst we were still experiencing colder temperatures, with the sunshine now here, this shall be fun 😅

To niche or not to niche? What are your thoughts?

During Calibre's first 18 months in business, my team has had the pleasure of working with businesses from a variety of industries. Whilst looking in more detail at our past and current clients however, it became very apparent that there are two types of service-based businesses that we have continued to work with on a very regular basis: Coaches & Consultants.

As such, I am so proud to be able to announce the following statement:

Here at Calibre, we help ambitious and established coaches and consultants scale their businesses and grow their revenue through the provision of expert-level admin support.

We know your pain points.

We know how to solve them.

We know how to achieve the best results.

I offer a free 30mn consultation so you can decide for yourself if we are the missing piece in your business journey.

Please don't hesitate to reach out. I'd love to hear from you: [email protected].