Former legal professional launches new business to support Swindon SMEs

A former Head of Department with almost 30 years of experience in the legal profession is launching a new business aimed at helping busy SMEs, consultants and sole traders across Swindon and the surrounding areas

Lisa Keefe, who lives in Hungerford on the Berkshire-Wiltshire border, has joined award-winning virtual assistance franchise Alchemy Virtual Assistance (Alchemy VA) and will officially launch her new business in July.

After building a successful career that saw her progress from a receptionist at a magistrates' court to senior leadership roles within law firms, Lisa has decided to channel her extensive administration, client service and document management expertise into supporting businesses that need flexible, professional support without the cost of employing additional staff.

Lisa said: "I've always enjoyed helping people and solving problems, "Throughout my legal career I developed strong organisational, administrative and client management skills, and I realised those skills could make a real difference to business owners who simply need an extra pair of hands.

"There are lots of businesses that need support with tasks such as client onboarding, document preparation, proofreading, research or general administration, but don't necessarily have the workload or budget to justify a full-time employee. That's where a virtual assistant can be invaluable."

Lisa's career journey began at the age of 19 when she secured a role at a magistrates' court in Reading. Determined to progress, she later studied for professional legal qualifications while working full-time, spending almost a decade studying during evenings and weekends to qualify. Her career subsequently spanned residential conveyancing, private client services and legal administration before she progressed into senior management positions.

She said: "I'd always had virtual assistance in the back of my mind, "I wanted more autonomy, more flexibility and the opportunity to build something for myself while still using all the skills and experience I'd spent years developing."

After researching various options, Lisa chose to partner with Alchemy VA, a Northamptonshire-founded virtual assistance franchise network that has grown into a UK-wide business supporting organisations through flexible outsourced support.

Founded in 2016 by entrepreneur Suzy Sanders, Alchemy VA now operates across multiple regions of the UK and is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year. The business has built a reputation for combining the flexibility of independent virtual assistants with the support, training and infrastructure of an established organisation.

Lisa said: "What appealed to me about Alchemy was that it felt like having a business in a box. You're running your own business, but you also have the backing, guidance and support network behind you. From the very beginning, the culture and values just felt right."

From July, Lisa will provide a range of services including document review and formatting, proofreading, report writing, research, client onboarding and general business administration support. She expects her services to be particularly valuable to consultants, surveyors, estate agents, sole practitioners, authors and professional service businesses, although she is keen to work with organisations across a wide range of sectors

Commenting on the launch, Alchemy VA founder Suzy Sanders said:

"Lisa brings a huge amount of experience, professionalism and attention to detail to the Alchemy network. Her legal background has given her exceptional organisational and client management skills, and I know businesses across Swindon and the surrounding areas will benefit enormously from her support. We're delighted to welcome her to the team."

For more information about Alchemy Virtual Assistance, their services, or franchise opportunities, visit www.alchemyva.co.uk or contact Lisa directly at [email protected]