When Natalie Sullivan’s son Will arrived she had to make a tough decision – stay at home or face a ten-hour day (including commuting) to work as a PA and office manager. The prospect of leaving Will in a nursery for that long filled her with dread, but local part-time work was poorly paid. Her dilemma provided the idea for The Bizniz, based in Great Braxted, Essex, which she founded in April 2005.

What makes 29-year-old Natalie’s company unique is the concept of sending PAs, secretaries and event managers on part-time assignments throughout London, Essex, Hertfordshire and Kent. Last year she won the Essex Countywide Business to Business Award.

Natalie employs four PAs. Three are mothers who gave up their careers in the City to enjoy family life, but still want challenging work. Her employees can choose the hours they work and are often assigned to more than one client.

Anne-Louise Harbutt, 37, has been working for Natalie since April last year. She has been a PA for 16 years, working in industry at senior levels. Although she loved working in London, she didn’t want to bring up her two small children there. She now works 15 hours a week over three days, helping Natalie and up to three clients a month.

“I’m lucky to have found an opportunity where I can do what I love doing but don’t have to commute or work five days a week,” she says.

Natalie’s clients are mainly small to medium-sized entrepreneurs who don’t want to employ a full-time PA but need support for a few hours a month. They are allocated the same PA, whose skills match their needs. If that PA is ill or goes on holiday, The Bizniz provides a replacement.

“Most of our clients are supported for 15-20 hours a month, and pay by standing order,” Natalie explains.

One client is Chelmsford-based Julie Clements, the managing director and personal development coach of Faith Performance. Julie, 42, has been using The Bizniz for two-and-a-half years and likes it because it provides flexibility. She currently hires a PA for 15 hours a month, which gives her enough time to concentrate on her business.

“Their support has been invaluable to me and I couldn’t rate them highly enough,” she says. “They are absolutely first-class.”

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