My journey: From corporate to self-employed

Have you ever felt like your career was missing something, despite its successes?

I’ve been searching for the right way to tell the story of how I started Virtual Solutions by Linda. It’s the story about how I unexpectedly fell into freelancing after feeling unfulfilled in a career I thought would see me into my old age... but, I don’t know where I should start, what parts I should include, and what parts I should leave out!

I’ve heard it said many times that the beginning is always the best place to start. I wonder why!! It’s the part you remember the least about. So, I am going to try and tell my story backwards. I’ll start by telling you what I do now and what I love about it, and then I’ll try and paint the picture of how I ended up here. 

So here goes!

As a Virtual Solutions Partner, I specialize in providing flexible support services to busy entrepreneurs and solopreneurs in various aspects of their business, thus creating more time and flexibility for my clients to focus on doing the things they love and expanding their reach. My core services are General virtual assistance, Project Management, Social Media Management and Business Development. There are so many things I cherish about the work I do now, such as:

• Collaborating with inspiring clients: I am grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with and learn from truly inspiring clients. Partnering with my clients not only enriches my professional experience, but also allows me to gain valuable insights and perspectives that continually fuel my own growth and development.
• Making a positive impact: The satisfaction of making a significant difference in the lives of my clients is immeasurable. By creating more time for my clients and streamlining their business processes and operations, I witness firsthand the positive impact my efforts have on their daily lives and overall success. Having more personal time can result in increased motivation, improved mental well-being, and better overall job satisfaction.
• Contributing to business growth: Being a part of a business's growth journey and witnessing its transformation is genuinely rewarding. It's exhilarating to see the ideas and strategies I help implement come to life, propelling the business forward and ushering in positive change.
• Harnessing virtual collaboration: One of the most rewarding aspects of my journey has been the opportunity to collaborate virtually with clients from diverse industries across the globe. Leveraging technology and effective communication tools, I've bridged distances and nurtured strong partnerships.

Shifting from a rigid corporate structure to self-employment has given me the freedom and flexibility I longed for: I have the freedom to choose the projects I work on, the clients I collaborate with, and the methods I employ to deliver exceptional results for my clients. But the road that led me here, was quite different.

Before starting Virtual Solutions by Linda, my path was firmly rooted in the world of Corporate Finance. Armed with a Finance degree from a university in London, I embarked on a journey as a qualified accountant, which eventually led to an almost 8-year long stint in various Big Four Corporate Finance teams. I worked on high-profile projects for esteemed clients, including government entities and large financial institutions, consistently delivering exceptional results and playing a pivotal role in ensuring the success of the projects I worked on. Progress seemed assured! However, I always felt like I was in the wrong place and there was a lingering sense of unfulfillment.

Even now, I can’t quite pinpoint what I felt was missing from my previous work experiences, but I yearned for something different – a deeper connection to my work, a sense of purpose beyond the numbers, and the freedom to explore new horizons. Maybe, in part, I was lured by the idea that the grass is greener elsewhere, because I can definitely see how this was the driving force behind many a job change, but I think it was something else... What? I don’t know. What I do know, is that I am glad I took the leap of faith one fateful afternoon. Fuelled by curiosity and a deep desire for change, I mustered up the courage to set up a profile on Upwork, stepping into an unknown world of freelance opportunities. Little did I know that this leap of faith would lead me to an entirely new career. In my upcoming blog posts, I intend to share more about this transformative journey, hoping to inspire and support others contemplating a similar leap of faith. I also hope to hear from (and learn from) others who have done the same. So, please do comment... and keep coming back! 

As I reflect on the journey I took to get here, I have a deep sense of gratitude for all I have learned and all the remarkable people I have met along the way.

If you've ever felt unfulfilled in your career or longed for a sense of purpose, know that you're not alone. Sometimes, it takes a leap of faith to discover the path that truly ignites your passion.

I hope you enjoyed reading my very first blog post! Now, I want to hear from you... I would love to hear stories about changes you have made in your life. How did they come about, and what did you learn along the way? Please share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below!