Celebrating the Virtual Assistant of the Year Finalists

Jul 1

Virtual Assistant of the Year Finalists 2025

In 2025, the role of the virtual assistant has never been more vital. This year’s finalists have gone above and beyond, demonstrating not only reliability and professionalism, but real innovation in how they support their clients. From streamlining operations to creating space for growth, they are the quiet force behind many successful businesses. Let’s meet the standout VAs who are setting the standard across the industry.

Sharon Barry - Little Gem Virtual Business Services

About:
Sharon is someone who genuinely loves admin and tech. With over 30 years of experience across Secretarial & Business Administration, HR, and HR Information Services, she’s built a reputation for taking on the time-consuming tasks others don’t have the time, resources, knowledge, or desire, to do. She supports solo entrepreneurs and small business owners by handling website updates, content changes, blogs, testimonials, and more.

Reason for Shortlisting:
Sharon has been shortlisted for the practical, thoughtful support she offers across a wide range of digital and technical tasks that many business owners struggle with. She’s helped clients take control of their time and systems – from setting up Calendly to help a therapist maintain boundaries and protect personal time, to configuring Stripe for smoother payments and recurring subscriptions. She’s also built fully branded MailerLite accounts from scratch, complete with lead magnet landing pages, automated welcome emails, and scheduled newsletters across platforms like WordPress, Wix, and SquareSpace. She also offers a WordPress maintenance plan to keep sites running smoothly and securely.

Caroline Marshall - Upsource

About:
Caroline is the founder of Upsource, a Virtual Assistant agency that supports entrepreneurs, startups, scale-ups, and SMEs with executive assistance, operations, HR, finance admin, and content services. With a background in personal assistance, business support, and events, Caroline transitioned into the virtual assistant space in 2016, launching Upsource in July 2020. Caroline is a passionate advocate for female-founded businesses and ethical outsourcing, and her insights have been featured in Metro, Grazia, Stylist, The Guardian, and more.

Reason for Shortlisting:
What began as a solo venture for Caroline quickly grew into a thriving, 35-strong UK-based Virtual Assistant agency that now supports service-led businesses with executive, operational, content, finance, and social media support. Upsource is proudly female-founded, pays above industry average, never offshores cheaply, and supports its largely mum-led team through structured onboarding, mentoring, and a culture of care. Caroline’s bold vision and consistent impact make her a standout leader in the virtual assistant space.

Michelle Newman - Flow Business Support

About:
Michelle is the founder of Flow Business Support, where the goal is simple: to help six-figure founders transform and scale their businesses – without the stress. With a background in corporate operations, including business analysis, project management, and process improvement, and after years working in finance and higher education, she now takes a soul-led approach to growth, helping founders reclaim their leadership roles and rediscover their passion for business.

Reason for Shortlisting:
Michelle was shortlisted for Virtual Assistant of the Year for the way she’s redefined what virtual support can look like. When she launched Flow Business Support six years ago, it began as traditional VA work rooted in her administrative background. But over time, it evolved into a full wraparound operational service for six-figure founders. Michelle has supported award-winning coaches, thought leaders and digital entrepreneurs with everything from launch management and systems builds to Kajabi optimisation and strategic direction.

Lucy Howell - Virtually Lucy

About:
Lucy is a freelance virtual assistant, Pinterest strategist, and podcast manager. With a background in education, admin, and creative project support, Lucy now works with parent-led businesses and purpose-driven brands to simplify systems, grow visibility, and streamline content. Through Pinterest management, podcast production, and behind-the-scenes support, she helps her clients move from overwhelmed to organised.

Reason for Shortlisting:
Lucy built Virtually Lucy from the ground up during lockdown. What started as a way to create income during uncertain times has grown into a thriving VA business supporting purpose-led, parent-run brands. As a virtual assistant, Lucy offers a powerful mix of technical know-how and heartfelt support. She specialises in Pinterest strategy, podcast management, and admin systems that genuinely lighten the load for her clients. From building automated onboarding workflows to producing high-performing podcast content and creating SEO-rich Pinterest funnels, Lucy helps business owners reclaim their time and grow with confidence.

Sarah Szekir-Papasavva - Apt Virtual Assistance

About:
Sarah is the founder of Apt Virtual Assistance (AptVA), a bespoke virtual assistant service supporting small business owners with tailored administrative and creative solutions. With a background in fine art and executive-level support, before launching AptVA, she worked as a qualified Executive Assistant for the Director of a property group in London. Originally from Brazil and now based in London, Sarah draws on her multicultural roots and global perspective to connect with clients from all walks of life. She launched AptVA in 2017 after becoming a mother, seeking a better balance between work and family life.

Reason for Shortlisting:
Sarah was shortlisted for her outstanding commitment to providing high-quality, bespoke support. Drawing on her background, Sarah offers a rare blend of administrative precision and creative skill, supporting small business owners with tailored services across executive admin, design, bilingual support, and online presence. AptVA’s standout service adapts to each client’s industry, goals, and budget – resulting in long-term client retention, increased rates year on year, and involvement in high-impact projects. Sarah is also a visible leader in the VA space, hosting the London VA Network, judging awards, speaking at events, and championing Corporate Social Responsibility.

Tina Lunn - eleVAte Virtual Assistant Services®

About:
Tina is the founder of eleVAte Virtual Assistant Services®. With a background in corporate project governance, portfolio management, and service operations, Tina spent nearly a decade working in Germany before returning to the UK to pursue a more fulfilling path. After a brief role co-running a small independent business, she realised her passion lay in supporting entrepreneurs – especially women – to grow with clarity and confidence. In 2020, she launched eleVAte and since then, Tina has worked with over 30 clients across the UK, Europe and Canada.

Reason for Shortlisting:
Tina was shortlisted for her exceptional blend of strategy, creativity, and care. Over nearly five years, she’s become a trusted, long-term partner to clients across the world. From building sales-generating funnels and sustainable websites to designing custom CRMs and streamlining operations, her work has helped clients increase revenue, grow teams, and even scale internationally. Tina stands out for her proactive, strategic approach, deep technical knowledge, and unwavering commitment to making business better for female founders. She’s a champion of community, a mentor to other VAs, and an advocate for using tech to elevate the industry and the people in it.

Ina Jeffrey - BeelieVA Business Support

About:
Ina is the founder of BeelieVA Business Support, where she helps Neurodivergent business owners build the right support networks to grow and scale. With a mission to connect her clients with worker bees, collaborators, and business partners who truly fit, Ina believes that the right people can make a powerful difference. After years in the corporate world and experiencing burnout, Ina launched her own business in 2021. She’s been a Virtual Assistant for the past three years and has focused her work on supporting Neurodivergent founders ever since.

Reason for Shortlisting:
Ina has built a thriving, 2,500-strong community where neurodivergent entrepreneurs don’t just survive – they excel. Recognising that one-size-fits-all solutions fall short, Ina developed bespoke digital funnels, dynamic membership models, and expert-led masterclasses tailored to neurodivergent needs. Her VA agency launched from zero three years ago, and she’s since authored a guide for new VAs and created a cohort-based course to help others replicate her success. Ina leads with empathy, innovation, and a relentless drive to create spaces where the people most often overlooked can thrive.

Sarah Fletcher - Sarah Fletcher | Virtual Assistant

About:
Sarah is the founder of a thriving Virtual Assistant business, now in its third year. After nearly two decades managing complex projects in the automotive industry, she made the leap to self-employment to gain more balance between work and family life. What began as a part-time venture quickly grew. She now supports nine retainer clients across email marketing, social media, websites and admin, with every client coming via reputation and recommendation.

Reason for Shortlisting:
More than just admin, Sarah is driven real growth – helping clients launch campaigns, grow their presence, and even stepping up to lead business development roles. Her work has led to national media coverage, trade show success, and team expansion for clients. A proud advocate for women in business, Sarah is an active member of female founder networks and gives back by supporting local initiatives and mentoring others in the VA space. Her blend of professionalism, creativity and community spirit makes her a standout in the virtual assistant world.

Karen LeBlond - LeBlond VA

About:
Karen is the founder of LeBlond VA, providing high-level virtual assistant support to business owners, HNWIs, and executives. With 17 years’ experience in EA roles, she specialises in streamlining operations, identifying pain points, and delivering proactive, solutions-focused support. Since launching in 2021, Karen has built a reputation for reliability, discretion, and clarity. As part of the growing, female-led VA industry, Karen is proud to contribute to a sector that empowers flexible working and enables business owners to scale with confidence.

Reason for Shortlisting:
Karen has built a reputation-driven, high-trust VA business offering premium support to entrepreneurs, business owners, and HNWIs. Since launching LeBlond VA in 2021, she has grown year-on-year purely through referrals, with clients staying long-term due to her proactive, discreet and solutions-focused approach. Karen combines a strong corporate background in executive support with a deep understanding of client needs – designing systems, resolving complex issues, and delivering strategic operational support. Her ability to embed herself within businesses and consistently add value sets her apart.

Colette Walls - qVirtual Limited

About:
The founder of qVirtual, Colette leads a high-end virtual assistant business delivering executive support to clients across law, finance, consulting, and investment sectors worldwide. With over 20 years’ experience as a legal EA to top city lawyers in London and the Cayman Islands, she brings an exceptional standard of precision, discretion, and operational expertise to every client.

Reason for Shortlisting:
Colette has built an exceptional VA business that goes far beyond traditional admin support. In just a few years, she has scaled qVirtual into a six-figure agency with a 16-strong team, delivering high-level executive, operational, and strategic support to clients across law, finance, consulting, and more. From building CRMs and automating workflows to delivering data-led business insights, her team helps clients improve efficiency, increase revenue, and reduce overwhelm. Her approach is proactive, strategic, and trusted – with clients staying long-term and referring others.

Vicky Galbraith - Podcast Pathway

About:
Vicky is the founder of Podcast Pathway, a platform designed to help podcasters succeed through tailored coaching, community, and support. With over 20 years of experience in radio and voice work, she brings a wealth of technical and creative knowledge to the podcasting space. Vicky is passionate about simplifying the podcasting process – whether someone is launching their first show or refining an existing one – and she blends this with her background in personal development and mindset coaching.

Reason for Shortlisting:
Through Podcast Pathway, Vicky empowers clients to launch and grow their shows with confidence – combining technical support, personal development, and practical strategy. Her holistic approach helps creators align their voice with their business goals, making podcasting accessible, impactful, and transformative.

The Digital Women Awards are proud to celebrate these extraordinary individuals.