Foundation member series: The very first lady to walk through our virtual doors

Freelancing Gems is ONE! We’re going to be celebrating this milestone all month long and we hope you’ll join us on the journey as we stop for a second to celebrate the wins, highlight our foundation members and share some wonderful memories.

In this Foundation Member Series, we’re introducing you to some of the very first women to walk through our virtual doors and discovering what the last year in business and their first year as an FG member has looked like for them. First up, meet Leah Selfe, our very first member.

Leah is a freelance Virtual Assistant and owner of Collectively Assist from the Gold Coast. She has over 15 years of experience in helping businesses grow across a wide variety of industries. She is a mum to a lovely little boy, enjoys red wine, and is a bit of a bookworm. Leah’s background in telecommunications and travel & hospitality, has given her an insight into the type of administration support these businesses really need.

Tell us a little about yourself Leah, and your business Collectively Assist.

I am a 32-year-old Boss Mum to a beautiful 11-year-old boy. I have been working in the corporate world for the last 15 years in a wide variety of industries. These include telecommunications, travel and hospitality. This background has given me an insight into how additional assistance is essential for all business owners.

Collectively Assist was born out of the need to work with business owners and support them in finding ways to reduce the need for repetitive tasks and gain back time to work on parts of the business that fueled their passion.

All business owners start their businesses for a reason – to serve. However, along the way, they lose the ability to be able to do that consistently as they are using their valuable time working on the business as opposed to in the business.

What inspired you to take the leap and go out on your own, and when did you first start working for yourself?

When it hit March 2020 my world was like many others. I was thrown into the unknown when I was stood down from my Conference & Events role at a local resort. Being well aware that this pandemic would have a huge impact on the future of the events industry, I knew that I had a decision to make.

This is where Collectively Assist was born. I knew that in my previous experience in the corporate world that there was a massive gap in the market between the roles that people were expected to fill and their ability to fulfil all of those tasks. There were so many business owners that I knew were trying to wear so many hats and trying to do everything themselves.

Tell us about your experience of working for yourself?

Becoming a Freelancer was a scary moment as I had been so fortunate that I had secured stable work and income. Which was important for me and my son. But I knew that my knowledge was going to allow me to not only find clients, but clients will be wanting to work with me.

Since taking the leap and realising the potential the freelancing world has to offer, I have been able to create a lifestyle for myself and my son.

What’s your best piece of advice for someone wanting to make the leap?

Trust your knowledge and expertise. You only need to be two steps in front of the person you are helping. You don’t need to know everything you just to know how to get them to the next step.

What led you to join Freelancing Gems?

I was looking for a group of women who had ventured into freelancing. Who knew the struggles, triumphs, and guidance I was going to experience on this journey of being self-employed.

What has been part of Freelancing Gems brought to your life?

I have found a tribe of women who are ambitious and driven and know their purpose.

What is one word you would use to describe Freelancing Gems?

Encouraging

What’s next for Leah and Collectively Assist?

I’m looking to grow into an agency where I am working alongside like-minded women to assist businesses with their everyday business needs.

Family and friends are important to Leah that’s why she started Collectively Assist to help her become more flexible with her time. Leah knows what it’s like to be committed to a job that you still don’t forget the most important stuff in your life. She is happy to grow more with lovely women to help businesses with their needs. You can connect with her on the Gem Directory. Not a member? Join now.