More room for strategy and creativity at Opmerkzaam

How would you describe Opmerkzaam in your own words and what your agency stands for?

Opmerkzaam is a creative design and communication agency. We focus on brand development: positioning, branding and design. In many ways, we operate as a network agency. We work with a fixed circle of freelancers—copywriters, online marketers, videographers and web developers—whom we bring in depending on the project. No one is on our payroll, which allows us to stay flexible and scale up whenever needed for our clients.

The name Opmerkzaam (“attentive” or “observant”) actually says exactly how we view communication. While many organisations focus mainly on visibility, we first look at what’s happening within and around a brand. From there, we help brands make conscious communication choices. You can even see that reflected in our logo. The figure isn’t just looking at the brand, but also at the surroundings—almost pointing and saying: pay attention, this is what’s happening. That’s exactly what we aim to do for our clients.

We particularly enjoy working with organisations that genuinely contribute something meaningful. Organisations like Sanquin or the Dutch College of General Practitioners, for example. These are organisations with social impact, and that’s where we feel most at home as an agency.

Can you name a project you’re particularly proud of and why?

One project I’m especially proud of was for the secondary school group De Nieuwe Veste. Initially, they were looking for a new website and had launched a pitch for it.

But when I looked at the request, I immediately thought: this isn’t just about a website—there’s also a positioning challenge underneath. The school offers a very broad range of education, from vocational training to grammar school level, and they were struggling somewhat with their image.

That led to the concept “You bring us colour”. The idea was that every student adds something unique to the school. We won the pitch, and the concept eventually became the foundation of their identity and communication. Those are the projects I enjoy most: uncovering the question behind the question.

What made you decide to start working with a Virtual Assistant through Moneypenny?

At a certain point, I realised I simply couldn’t keep juggling everything myself.

When you do everything alone, you’re constantly keeping all the balls in the air: projects, administration, planning, communication.

At the same time, I had made another strategic decision. I no longer wanted to position myself as a freelancer, but as an agency. Our clients are looking for continuity, and when you work completely solo, you’re often taken less seriously.

But I also knew: I didn’t want employees on payroll. In the past, I’d seen how illness or staffing issues could put serious pressure on a business. So I was looking for a way to operate professionally as an agency, without the risks that come with permanent staff. I was already working with freelancers on projects, and a VA through Moneypenny fitted perfectly into that model.

What drained the most energy before working with a VA?

Trying to continue doing everything myself.

There are always things on your list—updating the website, creating case studies—but they constantly get pushed aside because client work takes priority.

Then there are all the smaller tasks: emails, calls, scheduling, administration. Individually they seem minor, but together they consume a huge amount of time and focus. Eventually, I realised it simply wasn’t sustainable. Something had to change.

Which tasks handled by your VA create the most immediate space for you?

Dorenda now handles a large part of the operational side. She manages my inboxes and calendar, oversees planning and ensures everything stays organised.

She also takes care of traffic and project coordination. For example, for projects like programme booklets for medical conferences, she maintains contact with the client and freelance professionals, coordinates information and ensures everything ends up in the right place. Those kinds of tasks keep projects moving without me needing to oversee every detail.

What does your type of organisation specifically require from a VA?

I need someone who can stand their ground with me. Not a yes-person, but someone who dares to push back.

I tend to have lots of ideas at once, so it’s helpful when someone else safeguards the structure and follows things through. Dorenda keeps track of the planning and ensures commitments don’t disappear into the background.

We’ve even agreed that she’s effectively “the boss” of the planning. That might sound odd, but it works. If you know someone is better at something than you are, you should simply hand it over.

What would happen if you suddenly no longer had a VA?

I already notice it when Dorenda is away for a few days. I have to dive back into everything myself to regain oversight, and that alone quickly costs half a day.

On top of that, all the emails, calls and admin come back to me. Individually they’re not major tasks, but together they take up a lot of time. More importantly: the sense of calm disappears. A VA also acts as a mirror and helps you maintain perspective.

For longer absences, such as holidays of more than a week, Moneypenny arranges replacement support so the work continues uninterrupted. You can read more about how that works in this blog: What happens if my Virtual Assistant is ill or on leave?

How do you experience the role of Moneypenny as the organisation behind the VA?

I see Moneypenny as a very professional organisation.

There was a period where a particular match wasn’t quite right. They responded quickly and actively looked for a solution. They genuinely thought along with us, which I appreciated. You can tell there’s a solid organisation behind it that takes continuity seriously.

What would you say to other creative agencies that are hesitant about working with a VA?

Just start small.

Take eight or fourteen hours per month and see how it works. At first, it may feel different because someone isn’t physically in the office, but for me that actually works really well. A VA brings structure and takes a lot of operational work off your plate.

As a creative professional, you need a calm foundation from which to work. Knowing things are properly organised gives you an enormous sense of peace.

Curious about Opmerkzaam? Visit their website here.

Interested in what a Virtual Assistant could mean for your organisation or creative agency? We’d be happy to tell you more.