My working week..

Dec 7 2007

Sarra Bejaoui, founder of Cherry Lifestyle and Smart PA

Whether it's a weekly cleaner, travel tickets or someone to wait at your home to let the plumber in, Sarra Bejaoui can help.

The founder of Cherry Lifestyle and Smart PA has staff on call 24 hours a day to cater for her clients' every whim.

"We deal with everything from the mundane, to the ordinary to the obscure," says Bejaoui.

"Although Cherry Lifestyle certainly is very practical the most unusual request we've had was being asked to find a client an island.

"Also, perhaps not weird but certainly unusual was finding a full pedigree chinchilla dog, for a pet for a daughter. Another thing we may do is help clients organise an electrocardiogram."

Bejaoui initially launched Cherry Lifestyle in 2005 and then Smart PA earlier this year. A client who had worked for Cherry Lifestyle and who runs a global business was its guinea pig for the virtual PA service, and the concept worked. Since then her cash rich, time poor client list keeps growing steadily.

"We deliberately grow the business in baby steps," she explains.

"It is all about not running before you can walk. We are customer service focused and we need to make sure what we are delivering is spot on."

When Bejaoui isn't dealing with clients changing their travel plans to re-route through New York, setting up international five-way conference calls, or organising meetings for new business development, Bejaoui stays fit.

It's the gym in the morning and then running - when she gets the chance.

"Nothing beats getting out of the city for some fresh air with my iPod and running gear," says Bejaoui, who also claims "an active social life" in Edinburgh.