A MOTHER-OF-TWO is helping to organised local businesses from the comfort of her own home after becoming a virtual PA.

Zoe Oakley's company, Oakley VPA Services, was set up in October last year as she pursued a dream of being her own boss after years working as a PA at a finance company.

Having started from her home in Langton Close, Fernhurst Farm, Blackburn, with three customers and a website - www.oakleyvpa.com - she has now doubled her client base and said the decision to set-up her own business had been a positive one.

She said: "I wanted to work for myself and got people coming to me saying they had work for me if I wanted it.

"I do the whole range of book keeping, which everyone hates doing, and all the things that any normal PA would do, except that I'm based from home."

To work remotely, Zoe utilises up-to-date technology in order to work for customers via a system of remote desktops. This allows her to access their PC desktop and relevant files while working from home.

This is also countered with the ability to meet face to face if the customers wants to do so.

She added: "Small businesses some times don't want some one to work for them 10 hours a week and just want that help when they need it.

"Yes, I'm remote based but they can talk to me if they need to.

"It gives me a great flexibility. I can put the children to bed and then crack on with any work I have to do.

"When the kids are on their holidays from school I can take them to my mum's in Wales and I can work from her office, that's the balance this job gives me."

And Zoe's aspirations are not just confined to working on her own.

She said: "The intention is to have an office full of people doing what I do, offering the services that I offer.

"New mums would be ideal, especially if they have the skills that I require."

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