Rebecca Newenham launched Get Ahead VA from her Surrey home to create a home-based virtual assistant business that fitted around her family. More than a decade on, the company is a UK-wide network of virtual assistants — most of them women — offering flexible, home-based business support. She shares her founder journey in our real women in business Q&A.

Home-based businesses remain one of the most accessible routes into entrepreneurship for women in the UK. According to Women in Business: Key UK Facts, women continue to start businesses at a growing rate, with flexible, remote models helping many combine work with caring responsibilities. A home-based virtual assistant business is a practical option for women who want to work for themselves without the overheads of premises.

Despite this growth, women founders still face a funding gap. British Business Bank data from 2024 shows that all-women founder teams receive less than 2% of UK equity investment. This makes low-capital, service-based models such as virtual assistance a practical entry point for many women.

Why did you start a home-based virtual assistant business?

I always knew I wanted to run my own business. My mother ran a tutorial business from home when I was growing up and was a real inspiration to me. I wanted to be there for the school drop-off and pick-up, but I also wanted to contribute financially. As the term “virtual assistant” began to take off, first in the US and then in the UK, I realised there was a real opportunity to build something that combined professional work with family life.

I researched several training courses and found one run by two highly successful UK-based VAs. It covered everything from setting up a home office and creating documentation to the types of services we could offer. With my corporate background and contacts, I had a clear vision: I would build a team of skilled VAs who could service a broad range of client needs, all without anyone needing to commute to an office.

What does the business do?

Get Ahead VA is a team of virtual assistants that supports small businesses, entrepreneurs and professionals remotely. We take on the jobs our clients do not have time to do, cannot do, or simply do not want to do. The big advantage of using a VA is that we do not take up office space, and clients pay only for the work we complete. There are no hidden costs, no holiday pay and no sick pay. It is a genuinely flexible arrangement.

We are not glorified secretaries. Get Ahead VA offers a much broader range of support, from basic administration, diary management and customer service through to email marketing, social media management, PR campaigns, bookkeeping and project support. Remote working is now mainstream in the UK. ONS data from 2024 shows that around one in four workers work from home at least part of the week, and demand for skilled, outsourced business support has grown accordingly.

What did you do before you started your business?

I was a non-food buyer for Sainsbury’s, based at the company’s head office in central London. I ran the first ever supplier auction where suppliers had to bid for business online. I loved the fast pace and the excitement of new product development. I met my husband Martin while I was working in London, and we later decided to move out to Guildford in Surrey, where we live with our three daughters.

What has been the highpoint so far?

One of the real highpoints was our annual team Christmas lunch. Seeing everyone together and hearing them talk passionately about our clients, and about the benefits of being part of a flexible team, made all the hard work worthwhile. The majority of our VAs are mothers, and I know how much they value being able to work from home around their families.

I have also been proud to see the business recognised in the VA industry and to be part of a wider movement supporting women in business. The 2019 Alison Rose Review of Female Entrepreneurship found that advancing women’s entrepreneurship could add up to £250 billion to the UK economy. Flexible, home-based models like ours are helping more women build careers on their own terms.

How have you overcome your toughest challenges?

Running your own business from home is definitely a challenge, but since moving into a garden office I have found it easier to set boundaries. Technology makes it much easier to manage your time, but you still have to be disciplined. At one stage I would wake up and check my emails before even putting the kettle on. That was crazy, but an easy habit to fall into.

Now I protect my mornings, batch my tasks and make sure I switch off properly in the evening. Having a dedicated workspace and clear routines has made a huge difference to both my productivity and my wellbeing.

Where do you get support from?

Definitely my family. My husband Martin is hugely supportive, very proud and a great sounding board. My daughters have grown up with Get Ahead VA and often talk about the business with their friends. I have also benefited enormously from working with a business coach and from networking with other women founders who understand the realities of building a company around family life.

How do you take time out to relax?

By practising what I preach and using a VA myself. During school holidays I always ask one of the team to check my emails so I can have a proper break and spend time with my family. We try to get away together during the summer, and I make sure those breaks are real breaks, not just working from a different location.

I also love my outdoor bootcamp exercise, which I do twice a week come rain or shine. I have a babysitter booked, so there is no excuse not to make it. Looking after yourself is not a luxury when you run a business; it is essential.

What are your plans for the future?

I want to keep growing the team, giving more mothers access to flexible, interesting work and helping small business owners deliver their dreams. We are also looking at extending our geographic coverage and developing area manager roles so we can support clients and VAs even more effectively.

Technology is changing the way virtual assistants work, and we are embracing tools that help us work smarter, from automation and CRM systems to AI-assisted research and content support. The fundamentals remain the same, though: great service, trusted relationships and real flexibility.

What advice would you give to women founders?

Start by really understanding what your customers want, and then deliver it consistently. I pride myself on being a fantastic matchmaker: I listen to our clients’ varied requirements and then connect them with the VA whose skills and personality are the best fit. That human connection is what sets a service business apart.

I would also strongly recommend working with a business coach if you can. My coach constantly challenges me to make sure I am doing the right things to keep developing and growing. Finally, be clear about your boundaries from the start. A flexible, home-based business can be incredibly rewarding, but only if you protect time for yourself and your family as fiercely as you protect your client deadlines.

Start your home-based virtual assistant business

• Check your eligibility for Start Up Loans for women founders if you need seed funding.
• Review Making Tax Digital for self-employed women: from April 2026, self-employed people with turnover above £50,000 must follow MTD for Income Tax Self Assessment rules.
• Claim allowable home working expenses through HMRC to reduce your tax bill legitimately.
• Build a support network of other founders, a coach or a mentor before you need one.
• Set working hours and a dedicated workspace from day one, even if it is just a corner of a room.

Read more real women in business stories for inspiration on starting and growing your own business.