Sep 11, 2026

From Apprentice to Business Owner: Meet Jade Raymond on the Made In Ely Podcast

What does it really take to build a successful business from the ground up?

For Jade Raymond, owner and director of PA Answer, the journey began with an apprenticeship and has grown into an award-winning business supporting companies with professional call answering, diary management, email management and administrative support.

Now, Jade is sharing more of that journey on the Made In Ely podcast, in a conversation that explores the highs, challenges and lessons that come with building a business.

Listen to Jade's story on Made In Ely

In Episode 15 of the podcast, host Cathrine sits down with Jade to talk about how she went from apprentice to business owner and the experiences that have shaped PA Answer along the way.

It's an honest conversation about business growth, people, trusting your instincts and knowing when it's time to ask for help.

Jade talks about what it has taken to build PA Answer and why having the right people around you has been such an important part of that journey.

She also shares practical advice for other entrepreneurs, including the importance of recognising when you can't do everything yourself and the benefits of outsourcing specialist tasks.

Growing a business without doing everything yourself

One of the biggest challenges for any growing business is knowing where to focus your time.

As your business develops, there are more customers to look after, more enquiries to respond to and more administration to manage.

Jade knows this first hand.

PA Answer was created to help businesses take some of those tasks off their hands, providing a professional extension of their team through services including call answering, diary and email management and administration.

In the podcast, Jade discusses why outsourcing can be such a valuable tool for entrepreneurs who want to grow efficiently without trying to handle every task themselves.

Trusting your intuition

Running a business doesn't always come with a clear roadmap.

Sometimes, you have to make decisions based on experience, instinct and a belief that you're heading in the right direction.

Jade talks openly about trusting that intuition and making the decisions needed to continue moving PA Answer forward.

It's a particularly relatable part of the conversation for anyone who has ever wondered whether they're making the "right" decision in their business.

It's about people, too

Behind every successful business is a team of people.

Jade discusses the importance of building the right team and creating a positive culture as PA Answer continues to grow.

For a business that provides such a personal service, having people who understand the importance of professionalism, communication and excellent customer service is essential.

The conversation also looks at Jade's life in Ely, recruitment, the future plans for PA Answer and the ambition to continue developing specialist teams and expanding the business.

A conversation for business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs

Whether you're already running your own business, thinking about taking the leap or simply interested in hearing how a local business has grown, Jade's episode of Made In Ely is well worth a listen.

It's not just a conversation about PA Answer.

It's a conversation about starting somewhere, learning as you go, surrounding yourself with the right people and having the confidence to keep growing.

Listen to Jade on Made In Ely

You can listen to Made In Ely – Episode 15: Jade Raymond at PA Answer on your favourite podcast platform.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4ACYirZL2lEljeq2ndM99U?si=c39aedc0182a4348

The episode is approximately 46 minutes long and is part of the Made In Ely series from Ely Work Collective, which shares conversations with the people behind Ely's businesses, creative projects and local ventures.

Need a little more time to focus on growing your business?

One of the things Jade discusses in the podcast is the value of outsourcing the tasks that take you away from running and growing your business.

That's exactly where PA Answer can help.

From answering your calls and managing your diary to handling emails and everyday administration, our team can become an extension of your business — giving you back valuable time while ensuring your customers continue to receive a professional, personal service.

Want to find out what PA Answer could take off your plate? 

Get in touch with the team today by calling 0333 800 0085 or emailing mycalls@paanswer.com