Guildford Woman Offers Pay As You Go Business Help

Published on: 6 Feb, 2018
Updated on: 6 Feb, 2018

Jo Hayland

A Guildford woman has come up with a novel business idea to help other busy businesses. She hopes it will be a win-win solution for her and for all small businesses where it is felt there are not enough hours in the day.

To answer their prayers Jo Hayland is launching a personal assistant company with a difference. Trading as Pink Spaghetti Guildford & Farnham, Jo will sell her time and experience by the hour to local small business owners, consultants, freelancers and homeowners.

“Basically, it’s pay as you go,” she said. “There is a burgeoning number of micro-businesses across the Guildford and Farnham area, many of which are just run by one person, sometimes operating from home, and they’re not in a position to employ a full time or even part-time assistant.

“That is where I come in. I can take over the tasks that no business owner enjoys or has time for, from managing their social media to decluttering, book-keeping and creating newsletters. Pink Spaghetti exists to take away the legwork from a business owner and give them more time to spend on the parts of their business that they love.

“I believe I am unique in that I offer small businesses as many hours of support as they want, without making them commit to a regular contract.”

Jo comes to Pink Spaghetti from a varied and successful project management career across many different sectors including media, IT, finance and local government. She has organised events, managed projects (including, she says, BBC iPlayer) and worked with local councillors and charities on projects to keep Guildford safe.

She has lived in the Guildford area for 20 years and is ideally placed to solve business problems with her research skills and local knowledge.

Mum to 10- and 8-year-old children, Jo anticipates that some of her Pink Spaghetti clients will also be working mums, juggling business and domestic tasks throughout the day – others may well be long-established local small businesses who need help with the particular 21st-century challenge of marketing via social media.

“Running my own business will be hard work but will give me much greater flexibility. As well as having a better work-life balance I am looking forward to helping other busy people achieve this.”