Jackie Van Baren, 33, is both an entrepreneur and a mum to an energetic 18-month-old. She started JVB Connect, a virtual assistant business in August 2014, and as well as attending Meet a Mentor Cardiff, has also become an area co-ordinator for Biz Mums so that she can host her own meetings. We caught up with Jackie to talk about her expectations of mentoring and how she’s tackled the tricky issue of mixing entrepreneurial ambition with motherhood.
First of all Jackie, that accent tells us you’re not Welsh!
I’m South African. My Dad was born here in Britain but my parents are South African. I went to school for a couple of years in Wales, university in Exeter, and then I worked in London, before going to Australia for a working holiday year out that turned into three years. I came back to Wales in April last year with an Australian husband and son so it’s very confusing!
So, what was the impetus behind starting JVB Connect?
I needed to find something I could do with my current skill set that would fit around my son. In Australia, I was in media buying but before that I was in IT sales, selling encryption software and virtualisation software. I’d been finding it quite hard to get a job here that was just a few days a week so I started working for a friend and then I thought, ‘this is something I could do for other people.’ I provide admin support, email and diary management. I also do some social media and marketing.
You’re home-based then?
Yes, but I can go to clients’ offices and get the chance to speak to other people, so I don’t get too lonely!
How did you hear about the Meet a Mentor Cardiff event?
I saw it on a friend’s Facebook page and I’ve always wanted a mentor. I thought it would be wonderful to go and meet business women and I also saw it as a good networking opportunity. It was really well organised.
It’s interesting that you’ve always wanted a mentor. Why’s that?
Most of my career I’ve kind of just fallen into jobs by chance so I felt some guidance from women in business would be helpful. I have a lot of men in my life who’ve owned their own businesses and my mum’s been very influential but I just felt I needed someone from outside my family who would advise me, give me honest opinions and show me how enterprise works. That’s especially important now because I am new to Wales.
So you want a local mentor who knows which connections to make?
Yes, exactly and just to get some insight into what it takes to run a business in Wales. I met three potential mentors at Meet a Mentor and I‘m in the process of setting up a date to meet with one of them. They’re all in completely different fields to me.
Is there any specific part of your business where you think mentoring will help?
I’d like to firm up my long-term business plan. At the moment it’s just been a kind of ‘suck it and see’ type of approach so I would like to look at strategy with a mentor. A couple of those people that I spoke to did mention that they’d be able to help in that area.
Tell us about the Meet a Mentor event.
It was very nice and relaxed. The speakers were very inspiring, very honest and very real. It was pretty full on because there was lots to learn!
You’re obviously someone who believes in networking as you’ve set up your own group.
Yes, I have embarked on a networking for mums group. I found it very difficult to commit regularly to the usual networking groups with the demands of my little one so Biz Mums is the perfect means for me to manage networking and looking after my son. He comes with me to every event! We meet at Bijou Cafe, in Cowbridge on the fourth Wednesday of every month. We get together near the softplay area and network while the children are playing. That’s one way I’m making more business for JVB Connect!