Name: Christabel Charles
Company: Sidesparkz
Position: CEO and Founder
Website: https://www.sidesparkz.co.uk/waitlist
About Christabel Charles and SideSparkz
SideSparkz is the UK’s first on-demand Virtual Assistant (VA) talent marketplace, designed to empower highly skilled parents and professionals seeking flexible, meaningful work opportunities. Founded by Christabel Charles in 2021, SideSparkz connects businesses with pre-vetted, expert assistants for scalable support without the complexities of traditional hiring.
Recognising the untapped potential of highly skilled parents who prefer not to return to traditional office settings, Christabel strategically pivoted SideSparkz to focus on this talent pool. Driven by this vision, SideSparkz has created flexible work options that benefit not only businesses but empowers women, primarily mothers, to generate income and balance family life with professional growth and development. SideSparkz provides a platform for these individuals to leverage their expertise and contribute meaningfully to the workforce.
Beyond matching talent with businesses, Christabel is dedicated to mentorship. She regularly speaks at schools, encouraging young women to pursue ambitious goals, and her guidance has inspired a former mentee to launch a tech startup that raised pre-seed funding. Additionally, Christabel is developing a training program to help 50 mothers on Universal Credit start remote assistant businesses, aiming to generate a combined income of £250,000 in the program’s first year, empowering financial independence.
Christabel’s impact has led SideSparkz to secure contracts with major banks and one of the world’s largest fintech companies. The platform also provides fractional C-suite professionals, giving businesses access to experienced leaders on a part-time basis tailored to their needs.
SideSparkz’s success has been recognised through awards, including Best New Startup 2023 (SME London Business Awards), TechRound SaaS66 2022, and Virtual Assistant Recruitment Platform of the Year 2023/2024. SideSparkz was shortlisted for the Enfield Awards of the Year for Best Online Business and Best Service, competing with industry giants including Metro Bank and Barclays Bank. Christabel herself has been honoured as the Most Influential Virtual Assistant Marketplace CEO 2023 – England by CEO Monthly and in 2024, she was nominated for Speaker of the Year by the Women in Business Awards with SideSparkz being named among Emerging London-based Freelance Industry Startups Shaping the UK Market.
Christabel plans to expand the platform’s offerings beyond Virtual Assistants and fractional C-suite professionals to include Social Media Managers, Online Business Managers, content creators, digital marketers, and bookkeepers. This strategic expansion aims to provide a comprehensive, one-stop shop for business owners worldwide, further solidifying SideSparkz’s position in the market. Christabel’s vision continues to drive SideSparkz’s growth, creating meaningful opportunities for skilled women and transforming how businesses access talent.
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