Well. This is a nice thing to be writing while feeling like absolute rubbish with a cold.

I’ve been named Best Virtual Business Support Assistant 2026 (Bristol) at the SME News IT Awards 2026.

Award. Winning. Me.

And here’s the bit I keep coming back to… I didn’t nominate myself.

I didn’t sit there filling in a glowing form about how marvellous I am, hyping myself up over a chucked-back double espresso with cold water. Someone else thought of me. The SME News team reached out, asked me to submit evidence to back it up, and I did. And then… I won.

That’s a very different feeling to entering something yourself and hoping for the best.

Why this one feels different

I’ve been a finalist before. I’ve been highly commended. I’ve sat at the awards-shaped metaphorical table.

But there’s something about being put forward by someone else that hits differently.

It’s not me saying “look at me, I’m good at this.” It’s someone else saying “you should know about her, she’s good at this.”

And for someone who spends most of her working life quietly in the background, making other people’s businesses run smoothly, that means a lot, actually.

What I actually do (in case you’re new here)

I’m a Strategic Virtual Assistant. Which, in plain English, means I help overwhelmed but capable business owners get the spaghetti out of their heads and into something that actually makes sense.

Sometimes that’s ongoing behind-the-scenes support. Sometimes it’s a one-off Waffle & Write session where you talk, I listen, and you walk away with a proper written summary and a quieter brain.

Either way, the job is the same. I take the heavy, messy, swirling stuff and turn it into calm and structure.

Apparently I do it well enough to win an award for it. Who knew.

A quiet thank you

To whoever put me forward… thank you. Genuinely. You’ve made a snotty, run-down week feel a whole lot brighter.

To my clients, who trust me with the inner workings of their businesses every single day… this one’s really yours too. I don’t get to do work I love without you.

And to past-me, the one who wobbled about whether she was even allowed to call herself a ‘proper’ Strategic VA… look at us now. Award winning. Still in slippers. Still slightly in disbelief.

Right, back to it

I’d love to tell you I’m celebrating with champagne and a spa day.

In reality it’s a Lucozade, a very unbothered dog snoring, and a to-do list that didn’t get the memo about my big win.

But I’ll take a moment to feel quietly proud before I crack on. Because that’s the thing about this work… it’s steady, it’s behind the scenes, and just occasionally, someone shines a light on it.

This week, that someone was the SME News IT Awards. And I’m so grateful they did.

If you’re a business owner whose brain feels permanently full and you fancy working with an officially award-winning VA who’ll bring calm to your chaos, here’s how I work.

Or if you just need to get the swirl out of your head, Waffle & Write is right here when you’re ready.