The £100,000 Decision: I Was About to Hire Full-Time - Then This Changed Everything

A dramatic moment of decision: a business owner nearly locked themselves into a costly full-time hire but found a smarter, leaner alternative just in time.

I Thought Full-Time Was the Only Way

I sat at my desk, staring at the numbers again. I was about to hire someone full-time. The role was essential. The workload was mounting. The budget was tight. But I knew something had to give.

I calculated the total cost. Salary, taxes, pension, equipment, onboarding—it was close to £100,000 a year. I paused. Something felt off. I didn’t feel confident. I wasn’t even sure if we needed someone full-time. Yet, I kept pushing forward.

The Pressure Was Real

My inbox overflowed. My team looked burnt out. I missed meetings. I forgot follow-ups. Clients noticed. I knew we needed help. But I wasn’t sure if adding someone to payroll was the smartest move.

I spoke to a recruiter. They sent CVs. I spoke to candidates. They were good, some even great. But none seemed perfect. Every one of them came with overhead. I wasn’t just hiring a skill. I was committing to a process, a structure, and a long-term cost.

The Lightbulb Moment

One evening, I met a friend for dinner. She ran a fast-growing tech startup. She told me something that stuck. “You don’t need to hire full-time. You need to rethink your structure.”

I asked her what she meant. She said, “We use virtual assistants services, executive support, and a part-time HR advisor. It saves us a fortune.”

That night, I couldn’t sleep. I searched for options. I looked into virtual PA solutions. I read case studies. I found testimonials. Business owners just like me were using flexible support instead of hiring full-time. They scaled smarter. They scaled leaner.

Exploring Virtual Solutions

The next day, I listed every task I needed help with. Emails, scheduling, travel, recruitment admin, reporting. Most didn’t require 40 hours a week. Some only needed five.

I spoke to a company offering virtual assistants services. Their consultant asked me the right questions. They understood my pain points. They didn’t push. They guided me. They said, “Let’s build a support structure that grows with you.”

They introduced me to a virtual PA. She had ten years of experience in executive support. She understood business. She was sharp, fast, and proactive.

We trialled the setup for two weeks. The results shocked me.

More Than Just Cost-Saving

Yes, we saved money. A lot. But that wasn’t the only win. I noticed other benefits. We moved faster. I felt lighter. I didn’t worry about paperwork. I didn’t stress about employee retention. I could finally breathe.

My virtual PA took control of my schedule. She flagged priorities. She chased late replies. She coordinated projects. Within days, I felt more organised than I had in months.

We later added an HR advisor through the same company. She reviewed our policies. She cleaned up our onboarding. She guided us through a performance review cycle. All on a part-time basis.

The Team Behind the Team

This wasn’t outsourcing. This was strategic support. I worked with real people. I built trust. I saw results. My virtual assistant became part of my rhythm. My HR advisor became part of my leadership. All without bloated costs or long-term risks.

We didn’t sacrifice quality. In fact, we raised the bar. Our client comms improved. Our reporting became tighter. Our hiring pipeline became cleaner. I wasn’t just saving money—I was buying back time and clarity.

The Ripple Effect

My internal team noticed the shift. They had fewer admin tasks. They focused on growth. They hit deadlines. We spent less time fixing mistakes. We spent more time building solutions.

Clients noticed the difference too. We responded faster. We handled requests better. We sounded sharper.

That £100,000 I almost spent? We reinvested it in marketing and product. That move brought us new leads and higher conversion. That single decision became a turning point.

The Flexibility Advantage

We don’t know what every quarter will bring. That’s the truth of business. So why tie ourselves to rigid roles? With flexible support, we adapt. When things grow, we scale up. When things slow, we scale down. There’s no guilt. There’s no loss.

Our virtual PA now handles more than we expected. She prepares reports. She manages meeting prep. She books events. She even helps with social media coordination. And she does it with ownership and consistency.

Our part-time HR advisor still supports us. She’s helped us stay compliant. She’s helped with DEI initiatives. She advised us on difficult conversations. All without locking in a full-time contract.

Why I Didn’t Do This Sooner

Looking back, I realise I was stuck in an old way of thinking. I thought full-time meant committed. I thought part-time meant less valuable. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Virtual assistants services today are not just about admin work. They bring expertise, efficiency, and flexibility. They work with you, not just for you.

My virtual PA is not a luxury. She is a necessity. She is the glue that holds many moving parts together. My HR advisor is not a temporary fix. She is a strategic partner.

The Real Cost of Doing Things the Old Way

Had I gone ahead with the full-time hire, we would have faced constraints. We would have spent time managing instead of building. We would have lost agility. Traditional hiring has its place. But in today’s world, it’s not always the answer. Sometimes, the smart move is to find the right support in the right shape.

Virtual support gives you access to high-level skills without the high-level risk. It lets you scale without stress. It gives you space to breathe.

Would I Go Back?

No. I wouldn’t change a thing. This move transformed how I lead. It changed how we work. It saved us time, energy, and money. More importantly, it reminded me to question old assumptions. Just because everyone does it one way doesn’t mean you should too.

Conclusion

The £100,000 decision changed everything. I didn’t hire full-time. I hired smarter people. I chose flexibility. I chose support that fits.

If you're at a similar crossroads, pause before you commit. Ask yourself: do you really need someone full-time? Or do you need the right support system?

VPA London specialises in connecting top-tier talent into leading and scaling companies across the UK, Netherlands, and KSA. We handle all things HR, Executive Office, Business Support, and Virtual Assistants. We support clients with both permanent and flexible solutions across their back-office functions—Human Resources, Executive Support, Business Support, and Virtual Assistant.

When you need to scale without stress, we’re here to help you do it right.