I’ve been working in admin for almost 30 years, and over that time I’ve realised something important: the things I genuinely enjoy are often the exact things other small business owners hate, avoid, or simply don’t have time for.
That’s why I started R.eal Small Business Support.
Small businesses often need something much simpler: real, practical help from someone who can explain things clearly and help them take the next step.
That’s where R.eal Small Business Support comes in.
I started working in customer service when I was 14, on a reception desk at Butlins, back when most records were still kept on paper. Since then, I’ve worked across customer service, administration, franchise operations, local government, digital systems and data.
After a brief (and not particularly successful) stint as a croupier, I returned to customer service in my early twenties and worked in two major call centres in Southampton: British Gas and Carnival Cruises.
I later moved into a local Dyno Plumbing franchise, where I worked on the franchisee side of the business. That gave me a practical understanding of the day-to-day pressures local service businesses face, especially when you’re dealing with customers, jobs, admin, systems and communication all at once.
I then joined Hampshire County Council, where I worked my way up from temporary admin support to a senior member of a specialist team.
Over the years, my work has included negotiations, presentations, risk assessments, staff training, interviews, chaired meetings, investigations, written reports and correspondence with members of the public, councillors and MPs.
That experience shaped the way I work now: clearly, carefully and with a focus on understanding the actual problem before jumping to a solution.
Alongside my public sector work, I also supported another franchise business, The Seasons Art Class, from the franchisor side.
This involved helping to streamline operations and improve the way information was managed across the business. I introduced SharePoint as an intranet system, replacing a Dropbox-based set-up, facilitated the move to electronic franchise agreements, created a franchisee database, built invoice tracking systems and templates, and helped introduce a CRM system and Mailchimp updates for franchisee communication.
This is the kind of work I enjoy most: taking messy, scattered or time-consuming processes and turning them into something clearer, easier and more useful.
I hold Level 3 qualifications in Business Administration and Customer Service, and I’m currently working towards a Level 4 qualification in Data Analytics.
I’m particularly interested in helping small businesses recognise the value of their own data. Even simple information can help you understand what’s working, where time is being lost, and where there may be opportunities to grow.
My reporting skills include Excel, Power BI, Python and Google Looker Studio. I use these tools to turn business information into clearer reports, summaries and insights.
I also have experience with databases, process improvement, process recording and digital systems, helping businesses organise information and make their day-to-day work easier to manage.
The idea for R.eal Small Business Support came from a conversation with a tradesman friend.
He needed help improving his Google Business Profile and wanted a simple website, but the support he found felt too expensive, too complicated, or aimed at businesses much bigger than his. One company even suggested the work was a bit too small for what they did.
I offered to take a look, because I knew the information was out there. Google provides a huge amount of guidance about its own tools, including documentation and video tutorials. What started as a simple favour quickly turned into a deep dive into Google Business Profiles, websites, search visibility and local SEO.
I then helped another friend with a different type of business. She was more than capable of learning the tools herself, but she simply didn’t have the time to research everything, make the changes and keep on top of it.
That showed me something important: small business owners need different types of support. Some need things explained from the very beginning. Others understand the basics but don’t have time to do it all themselves.
My goal is simple: I want to fill the gap between small business owners and specialist companies.
I’m not here to sell expensive packages people don’t need. I’m not a designer charging designer prices, but I can help create an attractive, functional website. I’m not selling myself as a high-level SEO agency, but I can help with the practical foundations that many small businesses need first.
That might include checking whether your pages are indexed, improving your Google Business Profile, reviewing your website structure, helping with basic SEO, sorting digital records, creating reports, improving spreadsheets, or helping you understand a technical problem.
For many small businesses, the first step is not a big agency package. It’s clear, practical support from someone who can explain what is happening and help you take the next step.
When I was setting up this business, I ran into email problems caused by using a domain, Google Workspace email and website hosting through different providers.
I fixed it, but it reminded me how stressful that situation could be for someone who doesn’t work with digital systems regularly. As soon as words like DNS, CNAME, SSL, SPF, DKIM and DMARC appear, it can feel overwhelming.
That experience helped shape part of the business. R.eal Small Business Support is not just about websites or admin. It’s also about helping people work out what has gone wrong, what needs fixing and what the next sensible step is.
Over the years, I’ve noticed that business owners often know what they want to achieve, but they don’t always know what tool, system or process will get them there.
At The Seasons Art Class, the owner wanted to be able to send visually attractive emails, similar to the polished marketing emails she received from other businesses. She didn’t know about HTML emails or email marketing platforms, and didn’t have the time or skills to find the information for herself. She just knew the end result she wanted and needed someone to ‘make it happen’.
Another service business owner once told me he wanted to be able to ‘click items from a list’ and use them to create a quote. He didn’t know in what context that list could exist, or that specialist software for trades and service businesses already existed to do exactly that.
That is one of the reasons I decided to offer research and problem-solving support. You don’t need to know the name of the software, the right technical term, or even where to start. You can simply tell me what you’re trying to achieve, and I can either show you how to do it or find out what options are available.
I’m not a virtual assistant, and I’m not trying to replace specialist agencies where specialist support is genuinely needed.
What I offer is practical help for small businesses that need clearer systems, better digital foundations, useful information and someone who can explain things without making them feel silly for asking.
I can help you spot opportunities, understand your options and take practical steps towards growth, while you get on with running your business.
R.eal started as a long-running joke with my colleague and friend, Neal.
For years, we’ve said we should start a business together. We never got much further than the name: R.eal, a mix of Rowan and Neal.
Although I’ve started R.eal Small Business Support myself, the name still reflects where the idea began: practical people using real experience to help businesses solve real problems.
I would love to expand R.eal in the future. Neal is a very experienced manager with a Level 5 qualification in Management and Leadership, along with a wide range of skills that would be genuinely useful to small businesses – so watch this space!
While R.eal began as a bit of a joke, the name has come to mean something much more fitting: real support, real experience and real solutions for small businesses.
R.eal Small Business Support is based in Southampton, Hampshire, and works with small business owners who need practical help with admin, websites, Google Business Profiles, digital tools, reporting and troubleshooting.
I can support businesses locally in Southampton and across Hampshire, as well as remotely across the UK.
Organised and stress-free
Insights to aid decision making
Finding the information you need
Profiles, listings, and tools
Website creation and support
