Flexible business support

Virtual Assistance

Flexible business support, tailored to you.

Running a business can mean wearing many hats, but you don't have to do everything yourself. Balenst provides flexible, reliable support designed around you and your business, whether you need occasional help, support with a particular project or an experienced pair of hands working alongside you on an ongoing basis. Working with a Virtual Assistant gives you access to professional support without the costs and commitments associated with employing staff. There's no employee tax, paid annual leave, pension contributions, sick pay, or equipment expenses to cover. You only pay for the support you need, when you need it, giving you greater flexibility, cost efficiency, and more time to focus on growing your business.

Meet the Team

Caroline

With over 30 years of office and executive support experience across a wide range of industries, including project management, purchasing and financial services, I bring a calm, structured and practical approach to everything I do.

I'm highly organised, a natural fixer and someone people instinctively turn to when they need support. I love helping people make sense of the overwhelm, solve problems and create space to focus on what really matters. Bringing clarity and simplicity into busy lives is what motivates me every day.

Over the years, I've built a reputation for being dependable, intuitive and deeply committed to the people I work with. That experience and understanding led me to create Balenst, a service that reflects how I naturally support others and the standards I believe in.

Outside of work, family time is incredibly precious to me. We love skiing, long dog walks, visits to the local pub and travelling whenever we can. Sussex born and bred, I moved to the Midlands in 2007 to be with Mark, and Rutland is very much home, giving me a real sense of belonging.

Dee

I've spent over 18 years working across corporate, startup, and small business environments, specialising in operations, process improvement, reporting, and business support. After years in fast paced corporate roles, I realised how important work life balance really is, which is what led me to doing what I do now.

I love helping business owners get organised, save time, improve efficiencies, and take some of the pressure off so they can focus on growing their business (and actually enjoying life outside of it too).

When I'm not working, you'll usually find me spending time with my rescue greyhound Missy and my partner, or rewatching something from Star Wars, Marvel, or Lord of the Rings for the hundredth time. I like to think of it as commitment to the fandom rather than an obsession.

Selina

I grew up between New Zealand and Bahrain before returning to the UK to pursue motorsport. From there, life shifted into raising a family alongside studying garden and landscape design.

I'm now part of the Balenst team, bringing together strong organisational skills with a creative approach shaped by years of managing both projects and a busy home life.

At home, I'm a mum to three growing daughters and three dogs, with my husband Dom, an engineer, bringing a welcome sense of order to our otherwise slightly chaotic world.

Outside of work, you'll usually find me following Formula 1 and anything car-related, a love I now share with my youngest daughter. When things need to slow down, I head for calm, coastal places, especially the beaches of Bude in Cornwall, which feel like a home from home and a little reminder of New Zealand.

Who we support

Entrepreneur reviewing business data on a tablet

Entrepreneurs

We support busy entrepreneurs by taking care of the tasks that get in the way, so you can focus on your latest venture and the work that matters most.

Small business owners

Ever feel you need more hours in the day? Balenst can be your virtual support team, giving you the time and headspace to focus on growing your business.

Parent working at a desk while child draws alongside them

Busy parents

Do you wish your home life would run more smoothly? We can provide help where it's needed most – from managing diaries to organising events and everything in between.

Caroline Walker at her desk, smiling at the camera

Why work with Balenst?

Working with Balenst means having a trusted, experienced team in your corner. We genuinely enjoy helping people and take great satisfaction in contributing to your bigger picture.

By taking the time-consuming, non-profitable tasks off your plate, we help you build a more focused and rewarding business – while also giving you back time to enjoy life.

If any of the following sounds familiar, let's talk:

Not enough hours in the day
Overworked and not getting anywhere
A never-ending to-do list
Overwhelmed by the volume of non-profitable work
Not spending quality time with friends and family
You need assistance, but don't want the headache or cost of recruiting

How we can help

The list below gives a flavour of how we can help, it is by no means exhaustive. If you have something specific in mind, please get in touch and we can talk through how Balenst can support you.

Back Office Support

Practical, reliable support with the day-to-day administrative tasks that keep your business running smoothly.

Email and diary management
Holding and monitoring emails
CPD monitoring
Booking events
Present buying
Arranging staff training
Mail outs
Online filing
Invoicing
Registering for events
Sanction searches
Front-of-house representation
Appointment booking

Professional woman managing office operations on a computer

Virtual Office Management

Practical, day-to-day operational support for businesses that need someone to help coordinate administration, systems, people, processes and office activity, without employing a full-time office manager.

New business pipeline support
Internal processes
Team monitoring
Training scheduling
Record keeping

Business people collaborating on a project in a modern office

Executive & Operational Support

Professional support for business owners and senior people who need help organising workloads, coordinating projects, managing business activity and keeping operations moving.

Workload organisation and prioritisation
Project coordination
Business activity management
Operational oversight and reporting
Supplier and stakeholder liaison

Business coaching session with whiteboard planning

Business Improvement & Support

Practical support to help clients organise, develop and improve how their business operates.

Business organisation and structure
Process improvement
Goal setting and accountability
Business development support

Content creator working with smartphone and laptop

Content & Social Media Support

Where appropriate, Balenst can provide social media updates and associated content support to help keep your business visible and consistent online.

Social media updates and scheduling
Content drafting and proofreading
Newsletter and mail-out support

Brainstorm sticky notes on whiteboard planning ideas

One-off Tasks & Projects

Whether you need help with a specific project, temporary cover during a busy period, or support with a task that's fallen to the bottom of your to-do list, Balenst can provide dedicated assistance when you need it most.

One-off project support
Temporary cover during busy periods
Ad hoc task completion
Research and information gathering
Deadline-driven task management
Overflow support when your team is stretched

What We Use

The Balenst team has experience working with a wide range of commonly used business systems, software and online platforms. Here are some of the tools we work with regularly.