Local PA Breaks Stereotypical Mould and is Shortlisted for Regional Award
Leeds based former PA turned Business-owner, Marion Lowrence of The PA Hub Leeds, has set about using her entrepreneurial skills to launch a business in 2 northern cities – Leeds and York, which helps PAs across the north to harness their confidence and develop their roles within middle-management, which more often than not, go unrecognised.
Marion Lowrence has been shortlisted for this year’s ‘SME Business of the Year’ category, in Forward Ladies’ Women in Business Awards, of which regional finalists for Yorkshire and the North East, will be announced this coming Tuesday 29th September.
Founder of the first Yorkshire PA Awards, which held its prestigious ceremony at Leeds United Football Club back in July, Marion is keen to develop her network of PAs across the North, and provide training, mentoring, networking and development to a sector which has for many years been over-looked.
Sarah Caswell, winner of ‘Yorkshire PA of the Year’ commented: “Marion has always gone above and beyond to support the profession, not just here in the North, but also giving us a voice across business and National events, where we otherwise may not have had representation. There are many businesses that employ only one PA who can often feel isolated. What Marion has created for us, is a network where we can share solutions with our peers, build a network of contacts that is really key to our roles, and help to develop our careers.”
Marion commented: “What’s often forgotten in businesses up and down the country, is that PAs are really filling in all of the gaps that the recession created. The workloads from departments which have had both resource and budgets cut, still need to maintain their work-levels, and it is often PAs that pick up work, sometimes with little information and nothing more than a ‘can-do’ attitude, which is really a pre-requisite of the role.
“Businesses really do need to change, and adapt themselves to working with their administrative departments. Training is as crucial as updating the software on your PC, we need to make sure businesses and their administrative teams are moving with the times, and that is what The PA Hub does for its members.”
Marion has also recently been selected on the new ‘entrepreneurial spark’ programme powered by Nat West, which selects budding entrepreneurs and assists them in refining their business acumen and honing their skills in order to run commercially successful businesses – Marion is part of the first group of this scheme in Leeds.
Marion added: “There are so many opportunities being created across Yorkshire, to support business owners and entrepreneurs, but it’s often hard knowing when the right time is to take the leap and create your own future. I have been so lucky to have been supported by a number of Yorkshire based businesses, and I’m proof that networking really does work.”
For more information on working with The PA Hub, or becoming a member, please visit: www.thepahub.co.uk
