Back in 2013, The Edwards Company was born. Lisa took a (calculated and very well planned) leap of faith and decided to channel all her skills into building her own business.
Eight years later, we’re a team of 12 offering Virtual Assistant services in credit control, content creation, general admin and data entry to a wide range of clients all across the country. Thanks to Lisa, our business has continued to go from strength to strength over the last few years and it looks like we’re set for more growth in 2022!
To find out how Lisa built a company from scratch and to get some insights into what it’s like to manage a company, we sat down for a quick chat:
An Interview with Lisa
What is your work history?
I left school at 16 and got my first job as a receptionist. After gaining experience in general admin and customer service I moved on to Mitchells and Butlers and was there for around 9 years, working my way up from an Accounts Clerk who assisted with processing of all food and drinks purchase invoices to an Analyst of the company’s water spend in the Utilities Department.
From there I moved to the Management Accounts team for a secondment role and helped the company stay within budget. It was a very proud moment for me (although I often felt a little out of place!) as the only person on the team without a university degree. I’d gotten there on hard work and my ability alone.
After leaving my role as a Financial Analyst, I had a number of roles including Accounts Manager before deciding to go it alone!
What inspired you to follow the career path you’re currently on?
The fact that I had been successful in my other roles inspired me to start my own business, providing similar services to the ones I already felt comfortable with because of my experience. Someone I worked for mentioned I cared too much about my work to work for someone else. They encouraged me to take my high service levels and sell them to businesses looking for quality support. I continued to work for them even after I set up my company.
As a child what did you want to be when you grew up?
Some kind of athlete – I did gymnastics and long distance running and was very competitive so definitely something sporty.
What skills do you think you bring to the table?
I’m an excellent problem solver. I don’t think there’s a problem in the world that can’t be solved eventually and with the right thought processes!
What is your favourite thing about being in a management role?
Watching people that you’ve taken on develop and grow – like our Office Manager, Sarah for example! It’s brilliant to see people achieve things that they may not have thought possible a few years ago.
What is your least favourite thing about being in a management role?
All the red tape! The rules and regulations, the Government stuff – there’s a lot of hoops to jump through!
Which of your skills do you think have best allowed you to succeed in your current role?
Definitely my problem-solving skills.
What is the most valuable lesson you’ve learnt about your role so far?
Not to take anything personally!
Sum up managing The Edwards Company in three words:
Challenging, rewarding, fun.
An incredibly inspiring chat from a brilliant Managing Director! To find out more about The Edwards Company and the rest of our wonderful team, feel free to browse our website – you never know what you might discover!