The Astute VA - Virtual Assistant Services

03/09/2026

Good things definitely do come in threes! This landed in my inbox literally hours after my shortlisting for the National PA Awards. Absolutely delighted to have been selected as a Finalist for the Service Excellence category at the Women's Enterprise Scotland Awards 2026.

The competition looks fierce but I will nonetheless enjoy celebrating with the other amazing women finalists, including those from BAWE Scotland at the finals in Glasgow this October!

Many congratulations to Gillian Crawford of LILY BLANCHE Mairead Hume Harris Tweed Golf Collection and Lesley Landels of Love Scottish who've also reached the finals - very well deserved.

02/09/2026

They say things come in threes... well this is good thing #2 this week!

Delighted to have made it through the first round to make shortlisting for the National PA Awards. These UK-wide awards have an interview round (in Manchester, no less!) for the next stage, so getting to the final will be a challenge. But for nor now, I plan to soak up the excitement (and nerves) that come with preparing for round two and celebrate five strong years of The Astute VA.

01/09/2026

Big business birthday! Today I'm celebrating The Astute VA turning a whole five years old.

If I sit down to reflect on some key headlines over the last half decade I'm proud to say that my first client is still with me, I have an excellent Associate on my team (Yes, you, Susan Anderson!) and am working hard to build the business even further.

Cheers to the next five years!

14/07/2026

✨So yesterday I returned from a fortnight's leave only to spot this email at the top of my inbox confirming I've been nominated for a National PA Award.✨

Unsure of which category I'm in yet (possibly Support Professional of the Year?!) but suffice to say to be recognised alongside so many talented, hardworking, and inspiring professionals is a privilege.

A huge thank you to everyone who has supported, encouraged, and challenged me throughout my career. I've been fortunate to work with some amazing people who have helped me grow both professionally and personally and I've zero regrets of stepping into the world of self employment!

Thank you to those who took the time to nominate me – I truly appreciate it. ❤️

17/06/2026

What's the best conference lunch you've ever had?

I can say, hands down, that this ricotta spinach lasagne from GCU was the best ever lunch, and yes I did ask for seconds 🫢

It was a busy start to the week with the organising of this year's Scottish Confederation of University and Research Libraries (SCURL) Conference in Glasgow. Here's my video of the day. Some really inspiring and informative speakers which definitely made me consider retraining as a Librarian!

18/05/2026

✨Award Nominations ✨VA Awards 2026 ✨

Susan was the first Associate I recruited into my business and has been a joy to work with since day one! She absolutely deserves the recognition of being nominated for Associate VA of the Year at this year's UK VA Awards and the success is most certainly all hers!

Congratulations Susan Anderson!! Proud to have you on the team!

06/05/2026

✨Award Nominations🥳VA Awards 2026 🥳

A wee bit of a 'pinch yourself' moment. This time last year it was just me on my lonesome but this year, The Astute VA has not one, but two nominations. First up - ✨Lead VA of the Year with a Small Team✨

Can you guess what the other award category is?! 🧐

26/04/2026

13/04/2026

As The Astute VA approaches its five year anniversary on August 26, it feels an appropriate moment to reflect on a journey shaped by dedication, hard work, and a genuine love of supporting people.

With a background in human geography, Thea has always been interested in how people and organisations function — something that now feeds directly into the business.

At home, she’s a mum to three wildlings, having met her Dutch husband at the age of 19 whilst travelling in Eastern Europe. This year she’s especially looking forward to visiting the Outer Hebrides with her family this summer.

09/04/2026

Celebrating five incredible years this August 26, The Astute VA has grown from a one‑woman venture into a thriving support partner trusted across the charity and HE sector. Still proudly working with our very first client, we’ve recently welcomed our first associate as we scale to meet demand—fuelled in part by becoming a semi‑finalist in the 2025 VA Awards. Alongside client work, I’ve spent the past three years as a committed member of BAWE, serving as Events Secretary and organising every BAWE women’s dinner. Next steps- Scaling the business further, and expanding my team of associates.