The one that got away...
A few months ago, I found out that I was nominated for an award (VA of the Year in the East Midlands) and subsequently, was a finalist – yay me! I went through the interview process to decide the winner and attended the awards evening not very long ago. Long story short, I didn’t win. I did look amazing though and several people stopped me to compliment me on my dress (bright yellowy-orange because I like to stand out), one lovely lady even chose to sit next to me at dinner because I looked like fun!
On the evening there is an initial disappointment, the only things I’ve ever won are a coaster for a drawing when I was six or something (I still have it, it’s got a hedgehog on it) and tickets to Longleat Safari Park for a poem I wrote when I was twelve (only one verse of which I can remember but I’ll put it at the end in case you’re dying of curiosity about whether I’m really a secret poet Laurette). So, the idea of winning something had been really quite intoxicating – I’d get a trophy, some photos, something to put on my website and a whacking great big sense of achievement. In the end I got a very nice, framed certificate, mini bottle of champagne and slightly intoxicated.
Oh, and I met some lovely new people. The men and women I met were amazing, they were passionate, dedicated and very very good at what they did. I spoke to several of them and it’s obvious how hard they work and the amazing roles they’ve carved out for themselves. However (it’s like a but, but gentler). However, the more people I talked to, the more I realised that something didn’t feel right for me and that took me some time to process.
In fact, it took me 24 hours and one strategy day in a spa in Cumbria. I don’t want to win VA of the Year, I don’t actually even want to be known as an stellar VA. I want to be a kick a** business owner running a business that supports SMEs and Entrepreneurs to develop and grow their own businesses. I want to offer a full package of support to these people – VA support, OBM support, training, strategy, PR, tech… and I realised that I already have the star of the set up to do this. One day I want to pay for a table at the awards and take my team because at least one of my amazing staff are a finalist in VA of the year and I want to celebrate their achievements and that of the whole team.
I still want to support businesses, I’m still ridiculously passionate about what I do and who I help but I want to do that in a more comprehensive way, offering more, supporting more and giving more. And I want to win something like ‘Small Business Owner of the Year’ or ‘All Round Amazing Person’. I’ve got work to do so I’m going to sip my mini champagne and plan my pivot… I’ll see you on the other side!
And, that poem verse, in case you’re curious:
The gun is raised, the sights are set,
The victim approaches, it’s fate it met,
This for the tigers in never rare,
Although many are saved by our love and our care.
(Yes, I know, but I was 12!)