About Me
I ask questions others don’t. I notice what others might miss and I listen differently. I also have a knack for making complicated things feel clearer.
I’m Jen, a Business Consultant and Project Leader. I work with business owners and organisations on a short-term or project basis - helping them make sense of what’s happening, work out what needs to happen next and take ownership of making it happen.
My background
My career has always centred around making things work better – whether that’s people, processes, projects or the way an organisation operates.
Before becoming self-employed, I spent more than 20 years working across HR, people, operations, systems, learning and development, consultancy and project work. That experience gave me a strong understanding of how organisations operate, how people work within them and what it takes to bring structure and direction when things become complicated.
In 2013, after having my second child, I wanted more flexibility and a different way of working. I became self-employed as an independent consultant with a British skincare and spa brand. Over the years, I developed a strong client base, introduced corporate wellbeing services and took on a leadership role mentoring and supporting a large team of self-employed consultants. It also meant experiencing first-hand what it takes to run a business – the strategy, marketing, systems, client experience, delivery, planning and countless decisions that happen behind the scenes.
In 2020, I launched JM Virtual Business Solutions, initially providing hands-on operational support to small businesses. As I worked more closely with clients, my role naturally evolved. I found myself identifying what wasn’t working, improving processes, researching solutions, coordinating projects, helping make decisions and turning ideas into practical plans and action. I realised that was where I added the most value – not simply supporting from the side-lines, but stepping in, understanding what needed to happen and helping make it happen.
That evolution became The Business Edit. Today, I work as a Business Consultant and Project Leader, working with business owners and organisations on a short-term or project basis when they need experienced support or additional capacity without recruiting someone permanently. That might mean helping work out what needs to happen next, improving the way something works, putting better structure or processes in place, navigating a period of growth or change, or taking ownership of an important project and leading it through to delivery. Sometimes you need someone to think alongside you and sometimes you need someone to take ownership and get something over the line - I do both.
And because I’ve spent years working inside organisations as well as running businesses myself, I understand both the bigger picture and the practical reality of what it takes to make things happen.
How I work
Businesses and organisations are ultimately made up of people, so understanding the people involved is an important part of how I work. My background in HR, people and leadership means I naturally look beyond the process or project itself. I want to understand how decisions are made, how people work together, what’s getting in the way and what will realistically work in practice.
I combine that understanding with commercial thinking, operational experience and project leadership. I’m comfortable getting into the detail, asking difficult questions, challenging something when I think there’s a better way and stepping up to lead when something needs to get done.
I’m not standing on the outside handing over a list of recommendations. And I’m not waiting for you to give me a list of tasks either. I work in the space between the two. Experienced enough to see the bigger picture, practical enough to understand the detail and hands-on enough to help make things happen.
Who I work best with
I work with business owners and organisations that value experienced, independent support without necessarily needing to recruit someone permanently. That might be one person running a successful business, a growing business with a small team, or a larger organisation that needs additional capacity or someone experienced to lead a specific piece of work.
The size of the business matters less than the way we work together. My best clients value straight talking advice, trust me to ask questions and challenge where needed, and want someone who can quickly understand what’s happening and take ownership rather than waiting to be managed.
Every piece of work is focused and defined – whether that’s a single consultation, a strategic review, a specific project or a 90-day period of support.
If you need someone who can think alongside you and then help make things happen, we’ll probably work very well together!
Outside of work
I love the good things in life: good food, coffee shops, brunch spots, spa days, luxury hotels, and holidays somewhere warm. A weekend away with my family or the girls, a shopping trip, a boozy lunch - these are the things that recharge me.
I’m also a dedicated Aberdeen FC season ticket holder. My husband supports Watford so when we’re not watching Aberdeen, we’re usually on a really long journey to watch Watford - basically, our weekends are largely dictated by football fixtures.
I am also completely obsessed with chocolate orange, mint Matchmakers, true crime podcasts, quizzes, cherries and peapods (yes, peapods!)
Curiosity is probably my superpower. I’m endlessly interested in people, businesses, why things work the way they do and why people do the things they do. I ask a lot of questions, notice the little things and will happily disappear down a research rabbit hole if something catches my attention. It’s part of who I am – and a big part of how I work too.
But alongside all of that, there's a quieter side to me too. I'm drawn to spirituality and anything that brings a bit of balance and perspective to a busy life - I'm completely open to the woo-woo!
I'm sociable, love good company and deep conversations. But if you're looking for me after 10pm, I'll be in my PJs on the sofa with a takeaway and Come Dine with Me on the TV!
