The One With Ina Jeffrey

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:00:32]:
Well, hello there. Hello. Lovely to see you again. Thank you so much for for coming back. Whether you’re catching us on video or whether you’re catching this on, your favourite podcast platform, however you’re catching it, or direct on the website, Whatever way you’re doing it, it’s great to have you with us. Thank you so much. As always, please do remember to like, comment, share, subscribe, leave a review. It all helps to spread word of the podcast far and wide.

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:00:56]:
I have a fantastic guest this week. My guest, for this episode, is Ina. Now Ina is the BEO of BeelieVA Business Support. Ina helps and connects neurodivergent business owners and helps them to find the perfect team to grow and scale their business. Now Ina is on a mission to find the right fit for you, well, from worker bees to business partners, because Ina passionately believes the right people can make the biggest difference to you and your business. Ina’s had an interesting journey as well, which we are going to explore. So sit tight as I bring my fabulous guest in. Here’s Ina.

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:01:41]:
Hello, Ina. How are you?

Ina Jeffrey [00:01:44]:
I’m really good. Thank you for having me.

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:01:47]:
My pleasure. Thank you for thank you for for for coming on, you and your gorgeous plants. If you’re listening to this rather than seeing it on on video, you’re missing the gorgeous plants that that Ina’s got in the in the background. It’s wonderful. So, Ina, we’ve we’ve heard your bio, but who is Ina? Who is the person behind the bio?

Ina Jeffrey [00:02:07]:
Well, that’s a good question. I’m still trying to figure that one out. But, well, I’m very colourful as you can see from my background. I do love plants a lot. And, yeah, I think I’m still on a journey of discovery for myself, after spending the majority of my career and life in corporate and at some point decided I really, really had enough of that and, something had to give. Starting my my employment my self employment, not my employment. I left employment to become self employed. Well, I suppose I’m employing myself.

Ina Jeffrey [00:02:50]:
So, you know,

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:02:51]:
it kinda works. It it still counts. It still counts. Oh, brilliant. So so yeah. I mean, as you say, you you, you you now are self employed. You have you have your own business. You weren’t always self employed.

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:03:05]:
How did you start? Take take us through your journey.

Ina Jeffrey [00:03:09]:
Okay. Let me take you back. Let me take you back to, 2020 2019 when I was still still employed. Obviously, 2020 came along and with that COVID, as we all know. I was not one of those people that decided to quit their jobs during COVID and kind of become self employed. I was a bit of a late starter due to a variety of reasons, I think. I lost my mom in 2020, which obviously had a huge impact Mhmm. On on me.

Ina Jeffrey [00:03:44]:
And 2021 was not any better because, I lost 3 of my pets. 2 of my cats died. 1 of my dog died. I lost 2 of my friends during that period. So as you can imagine, things were not great in 2021. No. No. Not a different one.

Ina Jeffrey [00:04:04]:
And I went into a really dark place. Hence, I think I’m now kinda compensating with all the colour around me. But, yeah, I went into therapy, you know, because, yeah, something something had to happen. And I clawed myself out of that black hole. And by the beginning of 2022, I was finally in a place where I thought, right, what’s next? You know, I don’t wanna go back into the office 5 days a week because, obviously, everybody started going back to normal at that point. And I was just unhappy being in this hamster wheel of corporate. And, yeah, it was nice. So I started looking at what I could do.

Ina Jeffrey [00:04:44]:
And I’ve been in administration all of my life. Probably even before I was working, I was in administration. My mom was the OG of, all secretaries as they were called then. And we had this old typewriter, you know, one of those old ones where you literally imagine the school ones. Yes. So we had one of those at home, and I was always upstairs where it was sitting there typing very important letters. Of course, it was

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:05:13]:
just a

Ina Jeffrey [00:05:14]:
bunch of nonsense. But I I felt very important and, you know, very accomplished at the the ripe age of 7. So yeah. So and somebody at this point, obviously, we all were on TikTok, and a a well known virtual assistant coach popped on my feed for don’t know where how or the universe must have had something in store for me. So I was like, I can do that. I can do admin for people. I’m really good at it. It’s my jam.

Ina Jeffrey [00:05:47]:
You know? So, so I did a bit of exploring, did a lot of research, and then just decided to start setting up. I built my website myself twice because I deleted it once, but I couldn’t. That wasn’t well, it wasn’t pretty. That was really bad. But, yeah. And then I think in April, started promoting myself of 2022. And Okay. Yeah.

Ina Jeffrey [00:06:16]:
By September, went into full existential crisis mode because I didn’t have any clients.

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:06:21]:
Yeah. Have

Ina Jeffrey [00:06:22]:
you been doing wrong? Why is this happening to me? But, a month later, I had my first client, and it it just kinda I built from there. I had another and another. And then in January 2023, I fell out with my manager. Walked out of a meeting, passed my very stunned team because I was a team manager then, into the toilet, had a good cry because I was so angry. Went back into the meeting just, you know, obviously. I didn’t feel brave enough just to walk out, walk out. But, yeah, that was last time I went into the office until I went to pick up my stuff. So, yeah.

Ina Jeffrey [00:07:05]:
And since then I’ve been self employed. So January 2023, I’ve been fully self employed and then started, I started out as a general VA, you know, just helping anybody, that kinda came along even though people were saying, you need to niche down, and you need to, have your ideal client. And at that point, I was like, well, anybody that can pay my bill is my ideal client. You know? It it it was so hard because I was really giving myself a hard time in the beginning. It’s like, oh, I don’t have an ideal client persona. I don’t know. I’m gonna fail. Yeah.

Ina Jeffrey [00:07:44]:
It’s a lot of hoo has. It’s fun. I I get it, you know, and now I have my ideal client because, I obviously started working with my first, neurodivergent client, officially diagnosed neurodivergent client. I mean, a lot of my neurotypical clients, I’m pretty convinced, they are on the spectrum at some point. So, yeah. And, yeah, it kinda snowballed from there. I was working with 1, and I got referred to another and another and another, and it yeah. It became a bit of a magnet.

Ina Jeffrey [00:08:19]:
And, it became a journey of self discovery, really. Because, I mean, I always knew that my brain was a little bit spicy and a bit funky and a bit different, but I never knew, you know, what it was. Yeah. It was just like, yeah, I’m just different, you know, whatever. But once I started working with my with my clients, I was like, Yeah. I do that.

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:08:49]:
And Yeah.

Ina Jeffrey [00:08:50]:
I always do that. And, oh my god, that actually has a name. Mhmm. You know? There were so many things that that I was just like, oh my god. Yeah. Okay. So, you know and now when somebody asked me, are you neurodivergent yourself? I’m like, yep. I’m not I don’t have a diagnosis yet.

Ina Jeffrey [00:09:09]:
I’m in the process of getting one because I always thought, you know, yeah, I I don’t need a label. You know? I’m just me. You know? But I think it’s kinda nice to know and and to get that confirmation, so to speak. Not that there’s anything wrong with me. I know I’m pretty awesome. It’s like you wanna know.

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:09:33]:
Yeah. I I know what you mean. I mean, people do sometimes have this big thing about labels. They’re against labelling anything, but Mhmm. Labels do have do serve a purpose. It’s very nice to be able to go, oh, that’s what that’s what is what that’s what I am. Makes sense now. Now I can understand why I see things differently from others.

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:09:55]:
I know what it is. I can now own it and use it. Exactly. Yeah. Labels serve a purpose. So

Ina Jeffrey [00:10:02]:
Yeah. Yeah. Somebody told me that once a few a few months or years ago. I can’t even remember. Somebody said, you know, having the neurodivergent or having ADHD is like somebody giving you a really, really cool complicated game, right, that you’re trying to figure out. But somebody giving you a diagnosis is like somebody handing you the manual to it. Yes. Yes.

Ina Jeffrey [00:10:26]:
And you’re like, ah, now this makes sense. So and now I now I know. I mean, we all I’m of the generation, you know, we just got stuff done. We just got through it. We put our own little little ways of doing things into place until we kinda got through it. You know? But having some tools and being giving some tools to manage it better, hey. We’re winning.

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:10:52]:
Absolutely. It it really does make a big difference. I mean, it’s it’s not about hiding behind labels, or it’s not about judging people for the for the label. It’s simply I mean, it’s it’s like, oh, you’re you’re a tall person, so you need those sorts of clothes. Your your you’ve got you’ve got, pale skin. You’re gonna need sun cream when it gets sunny. You’ve got ADHD. You’re gonna need this to be able to to get through things better.

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:11:16]:
Yeah. Absolutely.

Ina Jeffrey [00:11:19]:
Exactly. Yeah.

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:11:20]:
But there’s an interesting thing you touched on, if we can just go back to it, when you first started, you were almost beating yourself up because people kept telling you, you have to have your ideal client. You have to niche down. And how how did you handle that? Because I’ve I I know when I got started, a number of people were saying the same. I was like, but I don’t know what my ideal client like you, it’s my ideal client. The person wants to give me money right now, when you start. I mean, now you have your ideal client because they’ve cut you and they have kind of found each other, and

Ina Jeffrey [00:11:56]:
it Yes.

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:11:57]:
That niche then naturally develops. And I think that’s I think people focus maybe perhaps too much on from the outset, I need my ideal client. No. Let’s so, presumably, you you just kinda were a bit more generalist until, ah, it’s interesting. These are the sorts of people who I seem to get on with, I resonate with. Right. That’s my that’s my niche.

Ina Jeffrey [00:12:20]:
Yes. And and, you know, in the beginning, again, you know, I thought, oh, anybody pays my bill is my ideal client. And then I had a couple of clients I still have a couple of clients that both, are in the hospitality industry, so they own guest house, B and Bs, and things like that. So and I really enjoy that work because it’s versatile. There’s a little bit of customer service involved, which I enjoy. You know? So I thought, maybe that’s my ideal client. That was I think I started to kind of focus on that about 2 months before my first Virgin client came along. I was like, yay.

Ina Jeffrey [00:12:55]:
I found my ideal client. I know. Things change. The important thing is that things change. Your ideal client when you start out might not be your ideal client a year later. I know a few virtual assistants that, you know, they came out of a certain industry, like property or, you know, quality assurance and things like that. So they started in their niche. You know? This is what they know.

Ina Jeffrey [00:13:24]:
I know property development. This is where I’m gonna focus my my energy, and then these are the people I’m gonna target. I didn’t have that. You know? I mean, I was working for an insurance company before. Okay. You know, I was like, nah. Not that’s not really my dream career. So, so, yeah, it is just adapting.

Ina Jeffrey [00:13:47]:
It’s just kinda don’t I mean, yes, listen to marketing people and and, your mentors. They know what they’re talking about, but you need to find your own path. Yes. That’s what it comes down to. Follow your gut. Tell don’t don’t ignore your gut ever. Yeah. Right? Because I’ve done that for way too long, and I’m like, yeah.

Ina Jeffrey [00:14:09]:
No. If she tells me something, I’m I’m here for

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:14:12]:
it. Yeah.

Ina Jeffrey [00:14:16]:
But, yeah, just adapt, really. Just change if if you need to and, yeah, go from there.

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:14:24]:
Yeah. Yeah. I I think that’s a that’s a really great insight that that you have. There’s some people when they start up will have a niche because, as you say, they’re coming from they are basically doing the same as they’ve they’ve always done. They’re now doing it self employed. Naturally, they have a niche. They can focus on it. And there are gonna be people starting their own business who don’t have a niche because they’re fresh to the business.

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:14:45]:
And it’s okay not to. And as you say, just listen the if you listen to it, the market will tell you what your niche should probably be. It may take a bit of time, but it will present itself as long as you listen. So it’s

Ina Jeffrey [00:14:57]:
Oh, yeah.

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:14:58]:
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So so your niche these days very much is working with, neurodivergent business owners. That’s not to say you wouldn’t work with somebody who wasn’t. You

Ina Jeffrey [00:15:09]:
Oh, no. Absolutely not.

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:15:10]:
Yeah. But neurodivergence is is kinda – it’s your niche. It’s your people.

Ina Jeffrey [00:15:16]:
I think.

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:15:16]:
Yeah. Yeah. So, I mean, I I know new, people I mean, neurodivergence covers a a wide, a wide range of things. It is

Ina Jeffrey [00:15:26]:
not one

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:15:27]:
one single position. There’s lots of different, facets within it. I mean, do you sub niche? Do you specialise within particular neurodivergence, or are you able to kind of support, a more broader

Ina Jeffrey [00:15:41]:
Well, I do I think the majority of my clients have ADHD as their main their main neurodivergence. Yeah. However, every aspect of neurodivergence usually comes with some fun side quests. So, you know, a lot of people that can’t have you know, so they could they could be that dyslexic as well or autistic or have PTSD, CPTSD. You know, I have a client that has all 3 of them. He’s autistic, has ADHD, and has CPTSD. So that’s interesting. The whole thing.

Ina Jeffrey [00:16:18]:
You know? And and and a few of my clients have both sides, the autistic side and and the ADHD side, which which makes it really interesting. One of my clients told me the other day, she said, yeah. My my autistic side was asleep. So my ADHD side booked me into I think it was High Rocks. You know, one of these, really really tough fitness challenges

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:16:42]:
Oh, yeah.

Ina Jeffrey [00:16:42]:
That are going around the country. So she’s like, yeah. So my my autistic side was just asleep and didn’t hold her back. She said, I just booked in. I was like, as long as you don’t book me in, you’re good. So to answer your question that was a long answer to

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:17:03]:
to

Ina Jeffrey [00:17:03]:
your question. I don’t have a sub niche per se because, you know, everybody’s welcome. And as you said, I have a few new neurotypical clients as well, which I love and adore. So I don’t discriminate. Me and my team, we kinda cover them all. And, you know, the clients that I can’t support myself because there’s only so many hours in a day, and I don’t want my husband to divorce me. I work with a team of, other virtual assistants that, help me with my clients and support me. And all of them either are neurodivergent themselves or definitely know how to support them.

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:17:44]:
Yeah. Got it. That makes sense. And, yeah, know knowing how to support, whatever niche you’re working with, knowing knowing how to support those people is is crucial.

Ina Jeffrey [00:17:54]:
Yes. So Yes.

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:17:56]:
I mean, I know, having your gosh. I wish I could speak. Having, neurodivergence brings its own challenges. Same with with anything in life. It has its own set of advantages and its own set of challenges. What what would you say are the, the the the, I wanna say unique because challenges could face any of it. What what are the more typical, neurodivergent challenges, that that that people would face, for in terms some in terms of business, running a business?

Ina Jeffrey [00:18:30]:
So a lot of my clients are really, really struggling with finance and keeping on top of their finances. You know, there’s a lot of, impulsivity involved on on on these occasions. So, you know, overspending and things like that. Or just generally working with numbers, a lot of my clients really struggle with. You know, just the most simple tasks of invoices, expenses, you know, keeping track of both is is a big struggle. Just admin in general for a lot of them, you know, filling in a form. I support a lot of clients with their access to work application to get support from the government.

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:19:09]:
Oh, yes. Yes.

Ina Jeffrey [00:19:10]:
And it’s a real struggle for them. For me, it’s really easy. I can go through this form in my sleep, you know, standing in my head if I need to. Because for me for my neurodivergence, that’s not an issue. But a lot of my clients really struggle with forms, just simple admin, putting things into folders, just being organised. Usually, their inboxes are an absolute, riot for lack of a word that I probably shouldn’t say on both. That’s what you

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:19:43]:
need to be.

Ina Jeffrey [00:19:46]:
So, you know, so it’s just that. You know? And and for me, it’s really important to find the right tools to help them because Yeah. Each and every one of my client is unique. Yes. They all have the similar traits to each other, but the way they process information and the way that brain takes is hugely different from each other. So a lot some of my clients I sit with in in 3 one to 1 sessions every week to kinda body double, as we call it, and and talk through things through with them, extract things from their brain so I can action it because they’re verbal processors. So Mhmm. For them, that’s a lot easier.

Ina Jeffrey [00:20:30]:
And others, they just like to put stuff on a task management software, and I’ll just crack on with Yeah. It just really, really depends on on the client. And it it also varies for each of the clients on the time of the week, month, year.

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:20:47]:
Yeah.

Ina Jeffrey [00:20:48]:
You know? They have weeks where they’re super hyper focused on things, and they just they fly through. They write a book in the weekend and, you know, things like that. And and then they have weeks where the you know, sometimes I message them, and there’s just nothing back for a few days. And and and I know that it’s not personal. It’s just they’re afraid it’s not the right place to engage. So I just leave it, and when they’re ready, they usually come back.

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:21:13]:
Beautiful. Love it. Love it. And and I love that you and your team are able to to be there to support each of these people in the way that best best, best suits them rather than rather than having a you must all work in this way to work with me. And I do.

Ina Jeffrey [00:21:33]:
And and I think that’s just can be a struggle for a lot of people that start out in in in this kind of field, with these clients because you have your own way of doing things, you know. And but if you’re rigid in that, then you won’t be able to to be successful in that space because you just need to be adaptable. You know, some of clients are really they need to know to the minute what you’re doing, and others are like, yeah. Whatever.

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:22:00]:
Yeah. Exactly. Very true. Very true. Now I know that you are contributing to a book.

Ina Jeffrey [00:22:09]:
Yes.

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:22:10]:
Tell us a little bit more about that. How did that come up? Well, what’s the book about, and how did it how did your involvement come about?

Ina Jeffrey [00:22:16]:
So the book is called Beyond the Ordinary, and it’s by the amazing Mandy Nicholson. She’s written this book. It’s her second book, I believe. So, Mandy, we’ve been in each other’s world for, like, 3 years now. Initially, we met networking as you do. You are. Yeah. And, then she became my client.

Ina Jeffrey [00:22:38]:
And now, now I’m also her client, funnily enough. But The

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:22:43]:
way that that so often works out. Yeah.

Ina Jeffrey [00:22:46]:
Yeah. She’s an amazing she’s a business coach, as well as an artist. An amazing one. So one of her pictures is, where is it, right there? Oh. That’s one of hers. And, yeah, she’s been through a lot in her life as well. Her journey was very interesting as well. And she decided to write this book, and when she got to the last chapter, she said, you know what? I want other businesswomen in this book to write their story on how Oh.

Ina Jeffrey [00:23:17]:
They they became what they are, where they are. So my journey, essentially. So she got I think we’re 30 in total, 30 other authors that that have written a chapter in that book. Oh, nice. So, yeah, it’s really, really exciting because all of us are neurodivergent artists. You know, it’s it’s a real good mix of business owners, artists, artists that are neurodivergent, and business owners that are artistic. So, I mean, that picture up there, I painted that last 2 weeks ago when I was, well, at time of recording, 2 weeks ago while I was with Mandy. So because she paints a lot and we did I did a retreat with her.

Ina Jeffrey [00:23:59]:
That’s what we did. And, yeah, I’m really, really looking forward to it. And it gets launched officially on the 11th October. So I think when this recording comes out a week from today. So, keep your ears and eyes teal and buy it.

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:24:18]:
Brilliant. Brilliant. So what what’s what’s your chapter about? What are you focusing on in your chapter? Without without giving too much away. Obviously

Ina Jeffrey [00:24:25]:
The intrigue. I think it’s it’s a little bit more about me and my journey and how I got how I got here. You know? Yeah. I mean, I I touched on it, you know, very high level.

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:24:38]:
Sure. Sure.

Ina Jeffrey [00:24:40]:
But, yeah, this goes much more into depth, you know, kind of from my younger age. Obviously, not when I was just born, but, you know, a little bit younger and and the kind of struggle that I went through and how I built my business and kind of what’s next in my business as well because of many more exciting things happening on my end as well. So yeah.

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:25:03]:
Brilliant. Now that that really does sound sound interesting. So that’s your chapter. And there are 30 of you in there as well in in in the book.

Ina Jeffrey [00:25:12]:
Yes. Remind me I think she’s written I think it’s 38 chapters. She initially wanted 38 people in there, but the book would have gotten crazily big. Yeah.

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:25:23]:
Just a bit. Just a bit. So remind us of the title of the book again?

Ina Jeffrey [00:25:27]:
Beyond the ordinary.

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:25:28]:
Beyond the ordinary. And, you will find links to where you can find that book. The links for that will be in the show notes, so do check that out either for the launch or if you’re catching this episode in at some point in the future. Go check the book out anyway. Don’t worry. Yeah. Ina, time time always flies by far too quickly on these things. I wanna thank you for taking some time out of your of your busy day to to to share with us a little bit of an insight into into your journey and a little bit of an insight into the the sorts of issues that, many neurodivergent business owners face and to help reassure them that, a, they’re not alone, and, b, there is always help available.

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:26:15]:
There are always ways to find people who can work with you and so that you can make the most of your business.

Ina Jeffrey [00:26:21]:
Exactly. Yeah.

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:26:23]:
So, you know, for people who wanna find out a bit more or maybe even get in touch, what’s the best way for them to find out more?

Ina Jeffrey [00:26:30]:
The best way probably is my website, which is “believe” with double “e” and “va” at the end, so beelieva.co.uk. That’s my website. But if you’ll if you type my name in anywhere, you’ll probably find me.

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:26:53]:
Beautiful. That’s believer.co.uk. Go there. Check check out you know, find out a bit more about who she who she is, what she does, how she could possibly help you. There are also other links, social media links, etcetera. They’re all in the show notes. As always, go to KeithBlakemroeNoble.com/show and look for the one with Ina Jeffery. You’ll find, all the links there.

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:27:19]:
You’ll also find the links to, where you can buy the book, and I know you’ll find the details of how to get the book on, Ina’s site as well. Yeah. Alright. Thank you so much for taking, taking the time to join us today. I’ve enjoyed it. I hope I hope you have too.

Ina Jeffrey [00:27:35]:
It was a blast. Thank you so much for having me. I had so much fun.

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:27:39]:
My my absolute pleasure. And and thank you as well, dear viewer, dear listener. Thank you for for joining us on this. Hope you enjoyed it. Do give us a like, comment, share, subscribe, review. It all helps. We’ll catch you in another episode very soon. And for now, I’m gonna leave you with Ina’s favourite quote.

Keith Blakemore-Noble [00:27:57]:
Do what you do best, and I’ll do the rest.