ibLE Expert, Grace Harrison, discusses what it’s like working with IbLE as a Virtual Assistant and explains what a typical day as an Ible Expert entails for her.
ibLE: Tell our readers why you became one of our Experts…
Grace: I came from a background of working in the legal profession and wanted to do something that offered a lot more flexibility, allowing me to work on different projects and to be able do so remotely. After I relocated outside of London, I had been doing various bits and bobs as a Virtual Assistant and then I came across ibLE!
ibLE: What did you think of the on-boarding process?
Grace: I love that I had to be tested! It proved to me exactly why ibLE was the right choice for me, detail and quality is so important when working remotely. The process from sending my CV was slick and informative and made me excited about joining the team!
ibLE: What does a typical day entail for you?
Grace: Well, as I’m based on the Dorset coast now, I love to start my day with a run or walking the dog along the beach (after checking my emails, of course!). I tend to be in regular contact with some of my clients, so I’ll sit down and do anything urgent first and then begin working my way through my to-do list. My tasks are extremely varied – anything from planning and preparing social media content, helping with marketing and business development, doing research and reporting, proofreading and editing, or taking care of diary and expenses management etc. It’s nice to have a bit of a variety to keep me on my toes! In fact, as the platform takes care of all of the administrative aspects of the role, I am free to focus on my clients.
I like to have weekly catch ups with most of my clients in order to update them on various matters, and generally to keep in touch, so I’ll work those calls around my daily tasks and ongoing to-do list. It’s great to be able to build up that rapport with clients, and it helps you quickly get used to their different businesses and working styles.
I find that, if you are organised enough, then there can be plenty of flexibility in your day to work on personal projects too!
ibLE: What about the platform stands out to you?
Grace: As there are lots of Experts each offering their own particular skills and expertise, there is a great support network on hand for us all. We often reach out to one another to seek recommendations, tips or advice on resolving matters for our clients. It’s an invaluable resource to be able to tap into whenever needed. Indeed, even with us all working virtually, there is a great sense of community amongst the Experts too!
ibLE: Lastly, tell us your favourite things about being an ibLE Expert…
Grace: I love the variation that the role provides, as well as being able to work with a diverse range of businesses and individuals. For me though, the key factor is the flexibility! Taking my laptop with me everywhere means that I never have to worry about being chained to a desk again. So far this year (before Covid-19 struck), I had been lucky enough to work from the beach as well as the mountains! As I said, if you are organised and responsive enough, then the role really does give you the autonomy to undertake your work at times that suit you.
I would also say that the role has provided me with many opportunities to learn new skills, such as social media content creation or pitch preparations – neither of which I had really done before! Now is also the perfect time to be upskilling, so it’s great to have my clients’ encouragement in that regard.
If you’re interested in becoming an ibLE Expert contact us to find out more or to start working with one our Experts register here.