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ONE-STOP SHOP: Entrepreneur and mum Zelica Jones turned her own redundancy into an opportunity for innovation when she set up VASS, a company that provides back office support to small businesses, effectively giving them the design, accounts and HR departments they need to hold their own against big competitors

ENTREPRENEUR AND mother of two Zelica Jones is the owner of VASS, a virtual support company that offers assistance to small businesses.

After being made redundant from her bookkeeping and operations management job four years ago, Zelica decided she wanted a greater work-life balance.

Taking things into her own hands, Jones plucked up the courage to go it alone and set up her business. We interviewed Zelica to find out the services they provide and her future plans.

The Voice: How long has VASS (Virtual Business Support Services) been established and what services do you provide?
Zelica Jones: It’ll be four years in May. We provide back office support, so virtual PAs – organising diaries, travel, answering inboxes, etc. We also provide bookkeeping, tax returns, accounts, HR support, graphic design, event management and we’re hoping to start with IT support. I have three employees and every - body else is a freelancer.

TV: How has the company grown?
ZJ: I started it from my dining room table and it was just me and I was happy for it to be that way. But very quickly I became a go-to person for my clients who would recom - mend me, and I just thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if I could provide a one-stop shop where they could come and have all of those services?’ Bigger companies have de - partments, a marketing depart - ment and IT department and I wanted smaller businesses to feel as though they had that kind of support as well. And to be able to dip in as and when they needed, where they could get that same level of support.

TV: What do you look for in an employee?
ZJ: CVs are great and I want to make sure you have the skills to be able to do the job but I also need to like them as well. I’m not saying we need to be best friends but we are going to be spending a lot of time together so we need to be able to click. I don’t employ the same type of person because all my clients are going to be different so I always try to get a feel of the client and then place who I feel would be best for them. It’s all about personality, who I feel can hit the ground running, can gel with everyone and someone with a very can-do attitude.

TV: What advice would you give someone starting a new company?
ZJ: I think the most important thing is, don’t skip over the system and the processes. I know most people don’t start a business to do the admin, they just want to design websites or be a stylist but it’s so important to have your processes and systems in place. How are you going to invoice? How are you keeping your records? That's a legal requirement – it’s not a joke. Even if you have a shoebox which you can throw all your receipts in, just have it all in place. You should definitely invest in marketing and admin, it will save you money in the long run. Also, get a mentor – most of us don’t know how to run businesses so get someone who can hold your hand and introduce you to people.

TV: There are a lot more black-owned businesses popping up at the moment, do you think we do enough as a community to support black businesses?
ZJ: When I first started my business I didn’t want my picture on the website, I didn’t want people to know it was a black business because I thought it would put people off.

I feel like we as a community don’t do enough to support each other, but on the flip-side we can sometimes not be as professional as we could be.

I think we have a bad reputation amongst ourselves anyway. I’ve started buying my hair products from a black business, all my employees are black women.

I didn’t pick them because they were black, I’m trying to pull a lot of black women because it’s not easy.

All the places I’ve worked I’ve been the only black person and I spent years trying to fit in and show them I’m not like the stereotypes and it’s almost like you spend the majority of time with a mask on.

It’s not my responsibility to make them feel better about who I am.

TV: What are your future hopes for VASS?
ZJ: I would like to start a charity version of VASS because I feel like there are so many amazing people who, if they get the right help, could be the next Oprah or Richard Branson but they just don’t know where to begin, or the money to get the help just isn’t there so they’re stuck, it’s a spiral. If they’re nurtured and sup - ported they’re more likely to grow.

For more information, visit Zelica’s website at wearevass.com, follow @zelicajones and @wearevass on Instagram and Twitter. You can also tune into Zelica’s podcast, Lunch With Zelica Jones.

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