A bit more about who Lisa is:
I was born in Zimbabwe in 1985, the daughter of a farmer and a nurse, and had the privilege of growing up in one of the most beautiful countries in the world. I didn’t know what I wanted to be when I grew up, but I was certain of one thing: I wanted to learn everything I could. I earned a Secretarial Diploma while completing my A Levels and began gaining experience right away, working in a nearby town for the Commercial Farmers’ Union.
That role became more than just a job. During a time of deep unrest, our family farm — like many others — was affected by land invasions. As the Executive Regional Secretary, I became the first point of contact for farmers receiving Section 7 notices and those facing the threat of displacement. It was intense, human, and meaningful. It also marked the beginning of my passion for making things run as smoothly as possible — especially during uncertain times.
After our own farm was forcibly taken, our family made the difficult decision to relocate to the UK. Still eager to learn, I completed courses in everything from private childcare to professional cookery. By the age of 21, I was working across the UK in a range of roles — receptionist, personal assistant, hospitality — learning, adapting, and growing with every experience.
During that time, I met and married my husband. As we started our family, I gained experience in private households and supported his career as an estate manager for a private residence in Radlett for seven years. We had three beautiful children, and while I took time to focus on raising them, I never stopped working. I started a small business, simply because I can never sit still for long.
Eventually, we heard Africa calling once more. We returned to Zimbabwe for a few years so our children could meet their family and experience where we’d come from. It was a special time — we lived on the grounds of an independent school where my husband was an estate manager. During that time, a group of students approached me with a dream to build an equestrian centre. The school couldn’t fund it, but I couldn’t resist the challenge.
I began cold-calling businesses in the capital and successfully raised the funds. We started with four horses, and by the time we left, the centre housed forty. We built a full-size polocrosse field, paddocks, and a program that became so successful it was adopted into the school’s marketing materials and national competition schedule.
Eventually, Zimbabwe’s economic situation prompted us to return to the UK again — this time for good. We settled in the rolling hills of Shropshire, where my husband transitioned into dairy farming and I turned my focus back to business. I began freelancing in marketing, managing social media and building websites for local businesses, and eventually launched a small product business geared toward the UK’s South African community. I handled everything — branding, logistics, orders, events, even deliveries. It grew fast, and within two years I was faced with scaling or stepping away. I chose the latter.
Feeling burnt out, I made a decision: to step into the corporate world and pursue the kind of career I’d been quietly building toward all along. I took on a role as an Event Coordinator, then moved into the Marketing Department — eventually becoming a hybrid lead across events, marketing, and executive support. I liaised with clients, managed logistics, supported multiple directors, led post-event analysis, managed budgets, coordinated meetings, and built operational workflows and SOPs.
In my most recent role, I served as Marketing & Events Executive Lead and Executive Assistant. I oversaw task management across departments, maintained the company website, and organised digital file systems for both the marketing and events teams. My responsibilities included planning and delivering exhibitions, roadshows, and conferences, managing supplier relationships, and ensuring key customers had a seamless experience from enquiry to follow-up. I coordinated executive diaries, maintained our CRM system, and handled all post-event analysis and reporting. It was a dynamic role that demanded both strategic thinking and an eye for detail — and I genuinely thrived in both.
Through every chapter of my career, there’s been one constant: I care deeply about the quality of my work. I bring structure to chaos, finish what I start, and never shy away from rolling up my sleeves to make sure the job gets done — and done well. Whether it’s staying late to troubleshoot an issue, teaching myself a new system, or finding solutions when others can’t, I pride myself on going the extra mile.
Today, through Ivory Desk, I bring all of that with me. I specialise in business support with a focus on executive, personal, and virtual assistance — delivered with professionalism, calm, and care. I believe that great support doesn’t just take tasks off your list — it makes space, brings clarity, and helps you move forward with confidence.