The Shifting Profession

Reflections from The PA Show Summer Summit

Attending The PA Show Summer Summit at the Honourable Artillery Company in London has been a highlight of my year so far. A whole event on how the business support profession is being impacted by the advances in tech. Something that the industry needs to embrace and be aware of.?

This summit provided invaluable insights and networking opportunities, showcasing the heart and soul behind the profession that often goes unnoticed.

And I managed to bring my passion on tech and enjoy every second.

Embracing the Evolution of Business Support

As the landscape of business support transforms, it’s evident that technology is both an ally and a challenge for us admin folk. Despite the occasional hiccup (like ChatGPT having its off days), the integration of AI and Automation and no/low code software is reshaping the roles we take on. Tech isn’t about to replace our human touch but enhance what we are already doing and focus more on strategic support. Although our roles are changing it doesn’t mean we can get away with not learning the tech. Because we all know we are going to be the ones who train others on it and help our clients/executives and teams to get on board with it.

So what better way to kick off the day than talking about AI. Fiona Young from Carve kick-started the day with brilliant insights on streamlining administrative tasks using AI tools, making it clear that embracing technology is essential. Alicia Navarro from Flown emphasised the pillars of successful remote work: trust, accountability, flexibility, and well-being. Something that I fully get behind and know the impact of having the right community to thrive in and keep you accountable.?

Kati Holloway Noakes from KN Comms taught us how to maximise our social media presence, a skill increasingly important for personal and professional branding. I love Katie’s energetic sessions and for all employed/self-employed business professionals it is essential to build a personal brand and digital presence.?

Franco de la Croix-Vaubois from Frog Events shared his expertise in event management, highlighting the importance of meticulous planning and execution. It was great to hear about how hybrid events are possible and has given me a bit of a rabbit hole to discover and possibly implement into my events.

I had the pleasure of diving into the tech side, and discussing tools like Airtable , OnceHub , Zapier , and of course my love of email trees on ActiveCampaign . Total geek fest and obviously I ran over time. These platforms are game-changers, enabling us to automate routine tasks and focus on strategic initiatives. And of course, I learnt something from the audience tool, because you can not know every tool, you can not explore every option and that is why it is so useful to have a room of your peers to discuss different options.

??♀? Rosie Anderson from Strategic Solutions brought cybersecurity to the forefront, reminding us that awareness is crucial in protecting our digital landscapes. With some amazing videos, eye opening stats and some simple things that we can implement like MFA (please if you aren’t doing this as a VA make it your mission to get it sorted asap) to help secure our online presence more.

Felicia Asiedu from Cvent simplified venue sourcing gave us a bit of a song on stage and really lit up the afternoon. Jodie Mears FInstAM from The Crodie Files Podcast wrapped up the sessions with career insights and actionable tips for professional growth, inspiring us to leverage the knowledge gained throughout the day.

Community and Collaboration: The Heart of Success

The day concluded with cocktails on the terrace courtesy of The Drunken Jockey. I’m one for a cocktail especially if it is thinking outside the box. Those who came to Lounge By the Sea this year know about The Hudson Hurricane and The Yolo. After speaking to Zak I’ve got ideas on future merch and some bespoke bar ideas! They aren’t on LinkedIn (the fools!) but you can go and check them out on Instagram. Suppliers awards and then some more networking. It was great to meet some of the team from ISON Travel . Who were very keen to learn more about the VA world. And that was quite a common trend throughout the day. A lot of people wanted to know how the whole VA business worked. I think we as VAs are sometimes baffled by people not knowing how or why we do what we do because we are so immersed in it, but it was brilliant to see so many VAs that I know really connect and talk with passion about what they do.?

And I can’t forget the amazing goodie bags from Molton Brown , which was heavy (in a good way)? and amazing. The day was a great mixture of social,? learning and celebration for the Business Support Community.?

Immense credit

The PA Show Team deserves immense credit for their flawless execution. From the attentive Jack Belcher , who handled multiple emails as speaker liaison, mainly from me, to the return of the wonderful Charlotte Fewlass . The experienced Lisa Farnfield (so nice to finally meet in person) and Liz Agostini shone through and The PA Show really stepped up their game on this one. The HAC team was friendly and attentive, making everyone feel welcome. A special shout-out to Immersive AV , whose technical support was impeccable, ensuring that every presentation went off without a hitch and nice to see some familiar faces returning to The PA Show from previous years. And of course, what is a day without your hosts? Sarah Howson and Marianne Whitlock from PA Strategic Network welcomed everyone and really kept the energy alive during the day and our evening award host Paul J Rose - Sales Manager at DP Business Events gave us the extra whoops when we needed!

Loungers Unite: Celebrating Our Community

Networking within the admin community is one of my favourite things to do. I didn’t know it existed in employment and how many people were championing us.? The PA Show Summer Summit reminded us how collaborative and supportive we all can be. Sharing stories, tips, and learning from each other's experiences.?

And obviously, it was amazing to meet up with some of The VA Lounge ? members. Pauline Chan , Debbie Smith , Hayley Davies - VA , Amy Goss , Ruby Conroy and Yolanda Earl - a pleasure as always.?

Thank you to The PA Show Team for an unforgettable day and to all the unsung heroes who make our profession shine. Here’s to the future of business support—bright, innovative, and full of possibilities.

Are you embracing tech in your business support role?

If not what is holding you back?