For a PA, there are only so many options to climb the career ladder. What do you do when you have reached the top? Start your own business, many would say.

Sarah Bleadon always enjoyed working as a PA, and starting exec:secs, her own secretarial business, in 2004 was a natural progression. She had ten years’ experience as a PA and had also worked in PR and marketing.

“I had absolutely no clients set up already and no financial support,” says Sarah, 33. “It was personally funded. I got some business advice from Business Link, but that was all.” She became a member of the Federation of Small Businesses and Business Networking International. Networking helped her to find clients and to get advice and support from other members.

“I love the fact that I’m totally in control of what I do each day,” Sarah says. “Obviously you have lots of clients to please rather than just one or two bosses. But it still doesn’t feel as stressful as working for someone else.”

Her advice to those starting their own business is to concentrate on networking instead of spending money on mail shots, and she recommends that they invest in letterheads, business cards and their own website.

“My experience as a PA has helped massively,” says Debbie Burke, managing director of ROC Recruitment. “You need to plan, organise and structure. A good knowledge of business administration, time management and being able to type at 90wpm helps to get e-mails out quickly.”

Debbie, 49, had worked as a PA for six years before she went into recruitment. When she was made redundant, she set up her own company in 1991. Her knowledge of the industry and existing clients helped. Today she employs 60 staff and has an annual turnover of £13.5 million.

Knowing the market, your main competitors and whether your idea is profitable is the key to a successful business. When Debbie Farebrother, 34, started her online lingerie business www.debbiewinters.co.uk three years ago she had thoroughly researched the market.

Debbie had worked as a PA in insurance and finance. Her two brothers helped to fund the business and gave her rent-free office and warehouse space for the first year.

She took evening classes to study computer programs, got support from Business Link and went on a website marketing course. Debbie now employs two people and earns £10,000 more a year than she did when she was employed.

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