Virtual Assist by Nicola
Building a Business with Purpose and Peer Support
Nicola Coulson, founder of ‘Virtual Assist by Nicola’ transformed the setback of redundancy into the realisation of a dream and the launchpad for her own business. Through help from peer network programme Group2Grow she has found reassurance and renewed confidence to achieve her business growth ambitions.
In April 2023, with a baby under one year old and years of recruitment and PA experience behind her, she founded Virtual Assist by Nicola, a Colchester-based virtual assistant business. More than just an admin service, Nicola offers tailored operational support that helps small business owners reclaim their time, streamline their processes, and grow sustainably.
As her business began to take shape, Nicola turned to the Group2Grow Peer Networking Programme, facilitated by Backing Essex Business, to strengthen her marketing strategies, connect with other business owners, and grow with confidence.
About Virtual Assist by Nicola
Virtual Assist by Nicola offers bespoke virtual assistant services to small business owners who need flexible, efficient, and proactive support but not necessarily a full-time employee.
What is a Virtual Assistant (VA)?
A virtual assistant provides remote administrative, operational, and business support to clients. This can include anything from email management and scheduling to market research and streamlining business processes.
Nicola’s services go beyond traditional admin. She becomes an integrated part of her clients’ businesses, offering:
Inbox and diary management
Social media support
Research tasks
System and operations set-up
Ongoing business operations and development support
Her clients are typically sole traders or small teams, many juggling multiple businesses. These business owners often reach a point where they can no longer “do it all” and need someone they can trust to handle the behind-the-scenes work so they can focus on what generates revenue or simply reclaim their weekends.
“I've got a lot of clients that say to me, I spent my weekend doing my admin or I just don’t have enough hours to do everything. Giving some of those admin tasks or operational tasks to me means a business owner can get their weekends back or focus on more important aspects of the business”
Nicola Coulson, founder of ‘Virtual Assist by Nicola
With an increase in the cost of recruitment and ongoing employee costs, many small businesses suffer in silence, unable to justify a full-time employee to lighten the load, but also desperate for the extra pair of hands and support.
With years of experience as a PA and recruiter in both London and local settings, Nicola recognised a need among small businesses: support that was flexible, affordable, and trustworthy.
“Where I am locally, some businesses needed support, but not someone 9–5. They might need 5 to 10 hours a month, and that’s where I come in.”
Her recruitment background gives her a competitive edge, especially with clients in fast-paced industries like recruitment themselves. More than a task-ticker, Nicola sees herself as an embedded part of her clients’ teams.
“I love seeing my clients’ businesses grow and move forward, and I love being a part of that.”
““Where I am locally, some businesses needed support, but not someone 9–5. They might need 5 to 10 hours a month, and that’s where I come in.” ”
Her recruitment background gives her a competitive edge, especially with clients in fast-paced industries like recruitment themselves. More than a task-ticker, Nicola sees herself as an embedded part of her clients’ teams.
““I love seeing my clients’ businesses grow and move forward, and I love being a part of that.””
The Challenge: Finding Clients and Confidence
Like many new business owners, Nicola faced the typical hurdles—visibility, confidence, and consistency. Despite her skills and network, the biggest challenge was cutting through the outside noise of “You should be doing this” and building trust.
“You’ll always see people on social media saying they went from zero to £10K a month in three months. If you’re not doing that, you think, ‘Where am I going wrong?’ But the truth is you’re not, it just takes time.”
Nicola also quickly found that business development is non-stop, especially at the start when she was spending 50–75% of her time building relationships, networking, and marketing.
How Group2Grow helped Virtual Assist by Nicola Move Forward
Nicola joined the Group2Grow Peer Networking Programme, from Backing Essex Business. Her Cohort was led by Business Consultant Sarah Brockwell, who Nicola had met after attending one of Sarah’s marketing workshops. Drawn to the peer-based approach of the programme and opportunity to learn from other business owners, Nicola enrolled and was allocated into a female-only cohort.
““What I loved was that It wasn’t just someone telling us how to run our business. It was us learning from each other. Different industries, different business stages—but so much valuable advice.””
Key Benefits for Nicola
Reinforced confidence: Hearing that others shared her challenges validated her journey.
Targeted advice: Sarah helped Nicola better define her marketing focus, suggesting she leverage her existing client stories to attract similar businesses.
Useful tools and connections: Nicola gained access to research resources and was introduced to new contacts through her 1:1 session.
Expanded network: Simply being in a room with like-minded business owners created natural referral and collaboration opportunities.
“Even if I hadn’t learned anything in the session—which I did—I connected with 10 to 15 other business owners who might one day use me or recommend me.”
Group2Grow is a dynamic peer group programme from Backing Essex Business and funded by Essex County Council that is designed to help business professionals tackle their most pressing challenges through shared knowledge, guided discovery, and expert mentoring. Bringing together small cohorts of up to 10 business owners or leaders, Group2Grow blends structured group sessions with personalised 1:1 coaching. Through open, non-competitive discussion and support, participants gain practical insights, fresh perspectives, and tailored solutions that drive real business results.
Looking Ahead: What’s Next for Virtual Assist by Nicola
With a growing client base and a clearer marketing focus, Nicola is now concentrating on two main goals. First, she is deepening relationships with existing clients—many of whom begin by assigning small tasks that gradually expand as trust develops. Second, she is working to position herself beyond traditional administrative roles, emphasising her value as an operational partner who helps businesses streamline their operations, scale effectively, and implement smarter systems, including AI-enabled processes.
“AI won’t take over if it’s used properly. You still need people to implement it. That’s where I can come in,” she explains.
In addition, Nicola is passionate about raising awareness of the broader value that virtual assistants can offer, not just as administrative support but as strategic partners in business growth.
Nicola’s story is a reminder that success in business rarely comes overnight—but with clarity, consistency, and community, it does come. Through the Group2Grow programme, she found not just knowledge, but affirmation, connection, and practical tools to move forward.
Virtual Assist by Nicola stands out not just for the services it offers, but for the care, flexibility, and partnership it provides. Nicola’s approach is not about ticking boxes—it’s about growing alongside her clients, one task (and win) at a time.
To find out more visit https://www.vabynicola.com/
