Wendy on working with multiple VAs

Can you tell us a bit about Hands4Grants?

We’re a consultancy that supports grant applications in the scientific sector, and we also help with the implementation once funding has been secured. My philosophy—or rather, the philosophy behind Hands4Grants—is entirely team-driven. I truly believe that a well-composed team can achieve much more than what was envisioned in the original plan.

So the team is central, with a strong focus on motivation and people’s energy. I look for ways to empower individuals, to support them from within their own drive, so they can contribute fully to the project goals. It’s about understanding each other’s perspectives. I believe that bringing people together can often initiate the kind of change they’re actually looking for—so in many ways, it’s change management driven by positive energy. And yes, preferably positive energy, because change can also come from negativity, but I’d much rather start from people’s intrinsic, positive motivation.

What does a typical day look like for you?

I always start the day with the intention to get at least two or three things done. And more often than not, I end the day with the same list untouched. I’m not naturally a planner or a checklist person. There are always unexpected things that pop up and need to be handled first.

What I do have is a kind of feel for a project’s “breathing rhythm.” I can sense what a project needs at any given moment and when to jump in. That means I prioritize differently—not based on the order things come in, but on what’s most urgent or valuable in that moment. I also react to people who put something on my plate and I think, “Oh, that’s actually really urgent.” So yes, my days are highly unpredictable.

What made you decide to start working with Virtual Assistants?

The first big reason was needing to get my calendar under control. Since no two days are the same, I can’t work with a standard schedule. I needed someone who could think along with me and help make the calendar manageable—someone who could move flexibly with my rhythm.

I was incredibly lucky to be referred to Moneypenny. What’s great about a VA is that you can hire support by the hour. That’s ideal for me because managing my workload isn’t a full-time job. And it takes away the pressure of having to constantly keep someone busy—something I find really hard. I like being able to hand something off and trust that it’ll be handled independently.

You now work with two VAs who each have their own role. How does that division work?

They each have a very different role—and that combination is what makes it so valuable.

Suzanne is my “PA-VA.” She manages my calendar and has strong organizational skills. She’s been an executive assistant and ran her own business, so her skill set really complements the way I work. She’s supported me in growing from working solo to working with a team. She’s helped me let go of tasks and given me the confidence that they’ll be in good hands.

Lisette is my “Tech VA.” As a project manager, I often run into communication tasks—both internal and external—which require a lot of hands-on work. It’s incredibly helpful to be able to share that load, so tasks don’t bottleneck each other. I can hand things off knowing she understands where they belong in the process—and that she can even handle direct client contact. That makes a huge difference because then I’m no longer the bottleneck. I’ve had to realize that I shouldn’t be the cork in the bottle for so many processes.

How does remote collaboration work in practice?

The flow of work doesn’t just go from me to them—it goes both ways.

Keeping oversight is always a challenge, especially when working with people who are only available one day a week, or who have a different rhythm than others. But that’s exactly where a VA’s flexibility is so valuable. Sometimes a lot of work suddenly comes in—and I can simply pass it on. And it’s totally fine if a VA focuses more on other clients during quiet periods with me. When things pick up again, they’re able to jump back in. That kind of flexibility is priceless.

Of course, we use tools like Teams for communication, but I’ve noticed I’m moving back toward just having real conversations. Especially now that there are more and more tools—it’s in those conversations that you really get a feel for someone’s thoughts and input. You get a better sense of whether someone’s comfortable with a task or has their own ideas to contribute. You don’t pick that up from a tool nearly as well.

Suzanne, for example, always goes through my calendar with me at the start of the week. You might think, “Can’t you just check it yourself?”—but that’s not the point. What she does is get me to consciously engage with my schedule. We go through each day, and often we notice little things that don’t quite fit. Her approach isn’t just top-down—it’s reciprocal.

Lisette inspires me in a completely different way—through the things she says or the visuals she shares. That sparks new ideas for me. It creates real collaboration. And that’s what I value most. I could just say, “Here’s a task for you,” but what really excites me is the inspiration, the interaction, and the 1+1=3 element. That can be tricky when working remotely, so I’m very grateful my VAs bring that energy.

How has your experience with Moneypenny been so far?

It’s an open, clear, and genuinely supportive collaboration—with well-defined agreements.

I really enjoy the support from Moneypenny. They stay in the background in a very good way. There are familiar touchpoints, like check-ins on how things are going. The agreements are clearly documented in a contract, and you hardly need to revisit it after that. No annoying surveys or red tape—they simply focus on conversation, which I really appreciate.

I also don’t have to check the hours every month. The agreements on what you’re working on are clear. And what I find really valuable is that neither Moneypenny nor the VAs treat the relationship as parasitic. There’s no tension. We simply have a mutual agreement, and we keep it honest on both sides. The VAs are transparent when they work extra hours or when the scope changes in a way that affects the budget. That openness is something I deeply value.

It’s an open, clear, and genuinely supportive way of working together, with solid agreements. I would absolutely recommend Moneypenny to entrepreneurs looking for a VA who truly prioritizes the client’s needs. You can feel it in everything they do. They take the pre-selection seriously and really think through the personality and skill match needed for each role.

What would you like to share with other entrepreneurs considering working with VAs?

For me, the key insight has been that I don’t need to micromanage in order to collaborate effectively. In fact, letting go is what creates space.

I think the most important thing is that you can work together based on trust. That can feel risky at first, but it’s also a learning experience as an entrepreneur. It forces you to think about how to structure your processes so you don’t have to be involved in every little detail—so you can be “blind” to some of it without things going wrong.

That kind of trust contributes to your growth as a business owner. For me, realizing that I don’t need to micromanage to work well with others has been a real breakthrough. On the contrary—letting go is what creates space.

The COVID period also played a role in this shift. Remote work has become much more normalized, and it’s proven that physical presence isn’t a prerequisite for effective collaboration. Letting go is essential.

Want to learn more about Hands4Grants? Check out their website.

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