Virtual Assistant Case Study
“It’s a mental process as well as a practical one. We’re working together to create better.”
THE CHALLENGE
Being a Property Manager means to act as a crucial ‘bridge’ between tenants and landlords. Handling the day-to-day operations of growing rental portfolios means significant responsibility for tenant communications and management, financial planning and reporting, property maintenance and repairs as well as complex compliance and due diligence.
The property industry can easily be viewed as a cold, transactional and sales orientated environment. But to Luna Fakude, she sees putting a roof over someone’s head as a sacred duty. Her work firmly puts people at its heart. But that ethos in itself can easily take its toll.
When Luna was given the opportunity to take on sole responsibility for The Property Saints, she already had significant responsibilities on her plate and a demanding workload. She knew that it wasn’t sustainable for her to run the business solo for the long term.
Something had to evolve.
In property, you need know how and ‘boots on the ground’. It is strenuous and mentally challenging. It can also easily become emotional and then there is all the practical burdens of compliance and regulatory changes to keep informed of.
To Luna, engaging with Alchemy VA was primarily an act of nervous system regulation. She kept coming back to the quiet question, ‘how can I balance myself to keep going in the direction I choose?’
Sometime later, things had reached a peak. Luna couldn’t give anymore to her work – physically, mentally, emotionally or energetically. When seeking support from a Virtual Assistant, her wellbeing was firmly the priority.
Luna was exploring a full-time employee to provide cover during office hours and to ensure service levels didn’t waiver when the two previous Directors stepped away as planned. But the capital simply wasn’t there, and Luna couldn’t see how it was a good use of resources when the flow of the business needs was ever changing. Some days there was little to do, other days there was too much...
At a time when her personal outputs were dangerously high, and not having considered a Virtual Assistant prior, Luna first came into contact with Alchemy VA when she met our Managing Director Paul Sanders at a networking event in Northamptonshire.
Luna recognises that there are a lot of Virtual Assistants out there, but she instantly saw a big difference with how Alchemy Virtual Assistance presented themselves. She explains that there was something instantly refreshing, assuring and appealing about the very intentional way that Paul conducted himself…. an elevated tone was blended with a genuine curiosity, natural creativity and spirited humour.
Further conversations with Alchemy VA’s original Founding Franchise Partner Sarah Damani, left Luna feeling inspired and confident she was in safe hands. Crediting both Sarah’s ‘spark’ and technical mind along with the strength and flexibility in her systematic approach. A firm believer in business owners not having to become the experts in everything, Luna knew she could start to lean into the consultative and tailored Alchemy approach to ensure the next season of her business was led by success not shaped under stress.
THE IMPACT
After a period of calibration, acceptance, trust building and flow finding. Luna gracefully declares that her Virtual Assistant Rachel has changed every area her life. This statement is easily validated with countless examples of what has changed. Most significantly to Luna are the positive shifts in her personal relationships. These days, with help from Rachel and Sarah, Luna is able to be truly present when and where it matters. She has the capacity for all the important people in her life and business. Including herself!
During a lonely, painful, isolating and dark time – with a quiet confidence and steady skill Rachel made the space.
Firstly, through taking on repetitive tasks which where small but by no means insignificant. Tasks such as invoicing, Luna found incredibly draining each month. Collating, tracking, checking, issuing, chasing. Now all carefully handled with minimum input.
Luna laughs saying the relief was so huge, she doesn’t know what took her so long to let go of these types of tasks!
Getting Rachel introduced to tenants so she could be the first line of communication was a nervous but conscious move to positively contribute to better working boundaries. Luna now has an efficient, friendly and professional ‘gate keeper’ in Rachel who not only gets things done but actively helps protect Luna’s peace and keep momentum intentional. Having a dedicated first point for communication has also meant that there is now noticeably less negotiation, challenges raised and issues surfacing. Luna affectionately dubs Rachel a compassionate ‘defence’ from the day to day - both practically and mentally.
A new compliance system has also been built to ensure that there is control over key documentation, such as safety and deposit certificates. Reminders and communications are now proactively managed centrally. Rachel is not only a great source of working wisdom, but a helpful and sincere sounding board too. Lending herself to brainstorming, scoping and planning new projects and being invaluable with the process of tendering for new business from a very holistic perspective.
Luna also expresses how Virtual Assistant support has allowed her to pursue much more lucrative and niche tenders.
So much dedication and work on Luna’s part has gone into finding and maintaining a more sustainable balance, but Alchemy VA has been a significant part. Luna now has the ability to be in control of how she spends her time as well as being able to continue to deliver a high-quality experience to the people she serves. Luna also stresses the positive impact a Virtual Assistant has had on tenants – they benefit from the personal, caring and professional approach which drives loyalty, giving Luna a strong commercial advantage.
THE RECOMMENDATION
When questioned on what makes things with Alchemy VA work so well for her, Luna states that Rachel and Sarah simply aren’t ‘yes’ people. Rachel’s work and demeanour has helped Luna become more discerning and in control.
Both parties are flexible to evolution, open to change and highly adaptable.
Luna wants people around her to feel what she means – it’s important to her that any professional relationship is cohesive, honest and supportive. Rachel has the understanding, emotional intelligence and skills to gently pull Luna back to centre and ground her when needed. Put simply, there is alignment.
Luna already advocates for Alchemy Virtual Assistance and regularly refers her trusted contacts to us. She offers you the same words she shares with them…
“If you really want to and are ready to make a difference in your life, rather than talking about it, then I would recommend Alchemy VA because they do make you look at your objectives longer term as well as the immediate bottle necks.”
“It’s a mental process as well as a practical one. We’re working together to create better.”
It’s very much like Alchemy.
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