Case Study: Stephanie Hudson, Director of Pro-Torque
Stephanie Hudson, Director of Pro-Torque, has skillfully engaged Virtual Assistants (VAs) to support her engineering and project management company’s growth and success. With a team of three to four VAs, Stephanie has transformed her mindset and business operations, with VAs tackling various business functions such as travel coordination, HR, and social media management. This move has been pivotal in managing Pro-Torque’s growth and evolving business needs.
Background
Pro-Torque, co-founded by Stephanie and her husband Travis, experienced rapid growth over the past decade, particularly in the last four to five years. Stephanie lived and breathed her business merging into her personal life even more so as she was working with her partner.
Stephanie had a real mental hurdle to get over by thinking about seeking external support to manage the increasing demands of her business.
“It’s worth getting over the mental hurdle because on the other side, you get time back, you get perspective back, and you get a really great person that becomes part of your team in a way that you want”.
The Challenge
Stephanie started facing difficulties balancing her growing workload as her business grew, especially in areas of HR and administration. Delegating tasks and trusting others to manage parts of the business were major hurdles and Stephanie wanted an alternative to hiring casual staff.
The Solution
Stephanie’s familiarity with her local business community led her to know Adrienne Donnelly, one of the founders of the Newcastle Virtual Assistants. Stephanie was inspired by Adrienne’s career and her collaboration with Jane Ekholm in building a community of Virtual Assistants that other businesses could benefit from. This initiative was not only admirable but also exactly what Stephanie needed at that point in her business journey.
Stephanie engaged with the Newcastle Virtual Assistants in 2022 and integrated a Virtual Assistant into her team. Stephanie initially didn't know what specific help she needed and adopted a generalist approach in engaging a generalist Virtual Assistant. This role evolved into a more specialised position which then turned into a permanent employee for Pro-Torque as their business needs grew
Since that time Pro-Torque has engaged a further three Virtual Assistants to handle various areas of her business providing targeted support as needed.
Benefits of engaging a Virtual Assistant for Stephanie:
Regaining valuable time and perspective which was crucial for strategic decision-making in her business.
The Virtual Assistants engaged were professional, organised, and ready to work from day one, eliminating the need for extensive onboarding.
The Virtual Assistants offered flexible engagement terms, adapting to the demands of her business.
Using Virtual Assistants is cost-effective compared to hiring full-time employees, optimising resource utilisation.
The Outcome
Stephanie's experience with the Newcastle Virtual Assistants transformed Pro-Torque’s operations. The VAs became integral, handling tasks efficiently and allowing Stephanie and her husband to focus on core business activities. This strategy has improved operational efficiency and contributed to Pro-Torque continued growth and success. Engaging Virtual Assistants has been such a worthwhile investment for Pro-Torque, enabling better workload management and access to professional expertise.
“For business owners considering engaging a Virtual Assistant, it’s crucial to assess your needs and your budget, and embrace flexible working arrangements. The trust and confidentiality maintained by Virtual Assistants make them a reliable extension of any business team”. - Stephanie Hudson