Wendy Roberts
I’ve spent most of my working life figuring out how to make things work better. I’ve worked in the creative arts, corporate and everything inbetween. I started Panda VA as a virtual assistant but it has grown into a much more vast base. I see the need for assistance in everything in basic admin tasks like helping someone set up an email or take baby steps into the world of social media, but I also see the bigger picture.
I naturally see opportunities and ways of making things easier, so Panda VA has grown organically with what businesses actually need and what the people behind the businesses need too.
Sometimes that means sorting out a project that has gone a bit sideways. Sometimes it’s putting proper systems around a business that has grown faster than its processes. Sometimes it’s getting stuck into the work that nobody has had time to deal with.
That’s really where Panda Virtual Assistant comes from.
If you have a project that’s been sitting on the list for far too long, processes that need sorting, or simply need some experienced support to get things moving, let’s have a chat.
I’m not just here to tick things off a to-do list. I look at what needs doing, what isn’t working, what could be simpler and, importantly, what actually needs to happen next.
So, who am I?
I’m Wendy – and I’ve had a slightly unusual career.
My background spans administration, business support, marketing, communications, IT, creative projects, training, events and project management. I’ve worked across sectors including music, tourism, education, financial services, retail, charities and economic development.
I’ve supported more than 500 staff with IT and systems, worked on marketing and branding projects that helped businesses significantly increase sales, supported start-ups and delivered projects from initial idea through to completion.
That mix of practical experience is what I bring to Panda.
I understand that running a business isn’t always neat and tidy. Priorities change. Deadlines move. Good ideas get parked because there isn’t enough time to make them happen.
And sometimes you just need someone who can look at the whole thing and say, “Right. This is what we need to do.”
How I work
- I’m naturally curious, organised and pretty good at working things out.
- Give me a messy project and I’ll want to understand why it’s messy.
- Give me a process that takes twice as long as it should and I’ll probably ask why you’re still doing it that way.
- Give me a list of jobs you’ve been putting off for six months and I’ll happily work my way through it.
- I’m comfortable working independently, getting stuck into detail or stepping back and looking at the bigger picture. I can manage the practical side of a project while also spotting the things that might cause problems further down the line.
- And I’m not precious about job titles. If something needs doing, we work out the best way to get it done.
What I bring
Experience
Years of working across administration, communications, marketing, IT, training and project delivery.
Practical thinking
I’m interested in solutions that work in the real world, not complicated systems for the sake of having a system.
A strategic eye
I’ll look beyond the immediate job and flag opportunities, problems or improvements where I see them.
Getting things done
Every business is different. I can work alongside an existing team, or take ownership of a particular project or piece of work for a period of time.
Common sense
It sounds obvious, but it matters. I ask questions, challenge things when necessary and don’t make work more complicated than it needs to be.
The sectors I’ve worked across
My experience includes:
- Creative and cultural industries
- Music and events
- Tourism and visitor economy
- Business start-up and economic development
- Education and training
- Financial services
- Retail
- IT
- Media and communications
- Charities
- HR
- Change management
- Security and audit
And outside work
I live in the North West and have a lifelong love of North Wales, so I’m usually happiest somewhere between the two.
Outside work, you’ll generally find me with my family, out and about somewhere, listening to music, attempting to be healthier than I actually am, or enjoying a Dairy Milk that I absolutely didn’t need.
I like people, I like getting things done and I like working with businesses where I can make a genuine difference.
That’s probably why I’ve never been particularly good at just doing things “because that’s how we’ve always done them”.
If your business has a project that’s been sitting on the list for far too long, processes that need sorting, or simply needs some experienced support to get things moving, let’s have a chat.
No hard sell. Just a conversation about what you need and whether I can help.
LinkedIn is my social media of choice so why not link with me there and catch all my hints, tips and find out more about me.