Callisto Associates provide business support to a wide variety of small businesses and entrepreneurs - but they themselves had to start somewhere.

When founder Sophia was made redundant whilst pregnant with her daughter, she knew that she’d soon have to find work that combined her areas of expertise with the flexibility required to raise a baby.

“It wasn't until I went networking on behalf of a friend's business that I started talking to some of the other entrepreneurs there about my work as a business support professional. The following morning, two people from the networking event rang and hired me, and I was off! That was ten years ago and one of them still works with me.”

Over the years, Sophia grew her business to manage a team of six, and provide a wider range of services to include marketing and social media.

“Eventually I realised that I actually just love working on a 1:1 basis with a few handpicked clients, which is what I do today. I'm truly lucky to be able to work with some incredible clients and I'm fully invested in their success. One day I can be drafting a shareholder update, the next writing an awards submission or event planning; I absolutely love what I do and no two days are the same.”

Managing finances is seldom a new business owner’s favourite part of their day. While Sophia admits she absolutely loathes anything to do with accounts “to the point where I will ignore deadlines, forget to send invoices and leave reconciling transactions until the last moment”, she has found the perfect solution to her problem.

_“Crunch take all this burden off my shoulders and do everything for me, they're amazing! This leaves me free to concentrate on the work I love and making my clients happy. _

_ Everyone on the team is super friendly and beyond patient with me; I feel really well looked after which I never felt anywhere else and Crunch offers exceptional value for money. I also think the Community Forum is an incredibly powerful resource and look forward to making the most of it.”_

When asked what the best advice she had for someone just starting out in self-employment, Sophia had this to say:

“Stick to what you love, don't feel pressured by anyone to do something you don't enjoy. If you do what you love, you'll never work a day in your life. Someone very special told me that and it's true!”