Proudly supporting Leaman Crellin
Every growing business hits a critical point – where operational complexity starts to compete with strategic ambition. For Leaman Crellin, a trusted regulatory compliance partner with over 120 years of combined expertise, a period of rapid growth unlocked exciting opportunities, but also introduced new administrative pressures.
Known for helping clients navigate complex regulatory landscapes with confidence, Leaman Crellin’s team of regulatory and financial experts are well-versed in handling the technical detail, so their clients can focus on core business goals. As demand increased, they recognised an opportunity to improve how their own internal operations were managed, ensuring their team could continue delivering exceptional value without being tied up in time-consuming admin.
That’s where SmartPA came in. A flexible, proactive partner who helped streamline operations across the business – refocusing their time, strengthening team capacity and keeping Leaman Crellin firmly focused on growth.
“SmartPA didn’t just handle admin, they unlocked hours we didn’t realise we’d lost.”
Katharine Leaman, CEO of Leaman Crellin
The Challenge
As Leaman Crellin’s portfolio expanded, so did the volume of internal tasks. Shared inboxes were becoming crowded with client queries and invoice requests, and time-consuming formatting and CRM updates began to mount. Senior leaders – especially the CEO – were pulled into admin-heavy tasks like copy-typing, preparing sales decks, and chasing actions, often outside core hours.
Weekends and late nights were being spent on admin rather than strategy. While the business was thriving externally, it was clear that something had to shift internally to maintain momentum and support the team’s wellbeing.
Why SmartPA?
Leaman Crellin wasn’t just looking for a virtual assistant – they needed someone who could integrate seamlessly with their team and contribute with initiative. SmartPA’s blend of executive-level expertise, responsive service, and ability to scale quickly made them the obvious choice.
What started as a trial with a few support hours soon made a noticeable difference. SmartPA didn’t just deliver tasks – they proactively identified where they could add value, and brought clarity, consistency and quality to everyday operations.
What stood out about SmartPA:
- True Integration – Their dedicated SmartPA became part of the team’s workflow, pre-empting tasks and ensuring nothing slipped through the cracks.
- Immediate Impact – From inbox triage to polishing pitch decks, the team saw a rapid improvement in output quality and speed.
- Scalable Support – As business demand increased, SmartPA scaled support seamlessly – no recruitment delays, no onboarding headaches.
How does Leaman Crellin use SmartPA?
SmartPA’s support touches multiple parts of Leaman Crellin’s day-to-day operations. From triaging the shared inbox each morning and managing admin requests, to updating CRM records and turning rough slide notes into polished decks or formatting documents – SmartPA has become a trusted constant in the background.
This isn’t just about supporting the CEO. SmartPA is now available to the wider team, enabling everyone to offload routine admin and focus on work that creates more value. And thanks to SmartPA’s Pod structure, even when their main PA is away, there’s always a fully briefed backup ready to step in.
The Results
The impact was felt quickly. With SmartPA in place, Leaman Crellin saw tangible improvements across the board:
- Time Reclaimed – Leadership was freed from the admin burden, able to spend more time with clients and on business development.
- Sharper Output – Documents and decks are now sent to prospects faster and with higher polish.
- Efficiency Gains – Tasks that once took hours – like formatting or document prep – are now completed seamlessly in the background.
- Team Morale Boosted – With access to support across the team, people felt more valued and less burdened by non-core tasks.
And while it’s too early to quote specific sales figures, but the internal shift is clear: faster follow-ups, higher quality interactions, and more headspace to drive growth.
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