Let’s start at the very beginning…
Are you sitting comfortably? Then I shall begin…
I shall keep this brief; I would much rather share my story over a coffee and conversation for those that are interested. That said, I think everyone’s story is important. To quote Simon Sinek - you should always start with why, and I believe that my story dictates who I am each and every day.
Who is Juggling Octopus
Juggling Octopus is me - Sarah Moore. I have had what is apparently termed a squiggly career, and since graduating with my law degree I’m lucky enough to have spent time working in large corporate organisations involved in banking, mortgages and foreign exchange, as well as much less corporate and much smaller businesses both in the UK and abroad that have focused on selling, golf, buttons (don’t ask!) and other crazy things.
I’ve spent many days picking up the phone and cold calling; doing the doing and getting stuck in, but I’ve also spent days sitting back, being thoughtful and creating meaningful strategies for others to implement. And I’ve loved it all - well, most of it anyway.
The one thing that I love above all, and that defines the common thread that weaves together the path that I’ve taken - I love people; their stories, their passions and the opportunity to be involved in some way in their successes.
And so now I spend my time doing what is most important to me - spending time with people - both my customers and the virtual assistants that support me. Enabling them all to fulfill their potential and to reach their goals makes it just that bit easier to jump out of bed with a spring in my step each morning.
What does Juggling Octopus do
This is the big question, and the list is endless - but the key is that we do the tasks that will give you back time to do what you want or should be doing.
Want to go home on time this evening and spend precious hours with the family, then the meeting notes you were going to spend an hour typing up (or were you even going to bother?) could be passed to Juggling Octopus. Want to get that golf handicap down and really have a stab at a medal this year (pun intended), then the invoices that need checking and putting on the system or chasing for payment could be passed to Juggling Octopus to give you that time on the range. Want to focus on the parts of the business that you are passionate about - and good at - but also need to grow your business and do some sales and marketing ‘stuff’, pass it to Juggling Octopus and you get the best of both worlds.
Where does Juggling Octopus work
Since Covid it’s much easier just to say that we work remotely and for people to nod along and recognise the value in this. But it’s a conscious decision, and one that was made before our hands were forced in 2020. By working remotely, Juggling Octopus achieves a number of things.
Firstly, costs are kept to a minimum - with minimal overheads then the amount we charge can be kept to the right level to make sure that we are accessible to those customers we want to support.
Secondly, we can support customers from the tip of Cornwall to the top of Scotland - and everywhere in between. I am passionate about supporting Derby - where I live and Juggling Octopus was born - but the focus is on small business and the location isn’t important.
Thirdly, and possibly most importantly, the virtual assistants who make up Juggling Octopus aren’t just based in Derby but are based across the UK. This means that we have the right people doing the right work, and I can proudly say that I have an incredible team that comes together from all corners to do what we do and to do it well.
When was Juggling Octopus born
Originally formed in 2018, Juggling Octopus spent time before Covid working out who it was, why it was and learning lots of lessons. With an amazing team and business partner we supported numerous clients across the country - from small 1 man bands involved in ecommerce to larger organisations with 7-figure turnovers. We gave back more than 6,000 hours to our customers, but Covid was tough and the decision was made not to continue at that time.
But everything happens for a reason, and the end of 2022 / the start of 2023 feels like the right time to bring back Juggling Octopus. The same values and commitment to the highest standard of customer service, the same desire to help small businesses and the same passion to drive the business forward, but all done in a slightly different way to ensure that we are here to help our customers for the long term.
Why use Juggling Octopus?
Juggling Octopus v2.0 is here to support those businesses who want to do something differently, and to get different results.
We are here to be the virtual assistant for your business and to provide the outsourcing that you need to give you time back and to elevate your business to the next level, helping you to fulfill your goals.
We could wax lyrical about the benefits of Juggling Octopus - and will do so in more detail at another time - but the key lies in our mantra;
“Just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should.”
How to work with Juggling Octopus
And lastly, if you’ve read this and think that what we do could be helpful to you, then this is the bit to take note of. And the good news - this is the easy bit! Get in touch and let’s have a chat about what you do at the moment and what you’d like to achieve. Once we understand your business then we can provide a proposal specific to you that outlines the activities we think Juggling Octopus could do to help you reach your goals.
We can be reached through the website - contact us [LINK] - or you can reach me directly by WhatsApp - 077911 736181 / email - sarah@jugglingoctopus.co.uk - or on my social media; LinkedIn - linkedin.com/sarahmoore or twitter - @jugglingsarah
I wouldn’t be an Octopus if I hadn’t split this into 8 questions, so in the spirit of doing things in 8 there are 2 final questions that I wish to pose back to you as the reader…
What would you do with an extra 2 hours a day?
It’s easy to think that working harder is the answer and that more hours spent at our desks marks out those who are successful. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Working smarter and having the opportunity to focus on what you are good at not only provides an opportunity to move forward more quickly, but also opens the door to a better work life balance.
So what have you actually done today?
If clients aren’t sure what to delegate to Juggling Octopus then we can help. We ask prospective clients to keep a note of the tasks that they’ve done over a day (or ideally a week) and to look at which tasks needed to be completed by them, but more importantly which tasks could have been delegated to free up time. It surprises people just what they actually do, and the opportunity that can be uncovered in this process.
Is Juggling Octopus for you?
Let’s be honest - Juggling Octopus, and outsourcing in general, won’t be for everyone.
There are those tasks that are best suited to completion in the office or factory and we don’t dispute that. As someone said to me this week in conversation; “but at the moment we just need warm bodies in the house.”
However, even in these circumstances, the clever bit is working out what can be delegated to enable those that are “in the house” to focus on what they are good at and to make the overall business as effective as possible.
I’m biased without doubt, but the opportunity to outsource is a huge opportunity for businesses in 2023. It’s going to be a great year for us, and we would love to help make it a great year for you too.
If you aren’t sure if Juggling Octopus is for you then let’s have a chat!
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Juggling Octopus is a virtual assistant agency based in Derby, UK and is run by Sarah Moore. Always happy to talk about all things Octopus and outsourcing and to learn more about other businesses, get in touch if you’d like to chat.