Balancing work and life – a guide to flexible working

Melissa Gauge is the award-winning Founder & CEO of SpareMyTime, a fractional business support agency offering admin, bookkeeping and marketing services to help start-up and scale up businesses scale.  After a successful career in finance and investment banking, Melissa left the corporate world in 2016 to find a better work-life balance. She soon realised two pressing challenges: SMEs struggled to access flexible, high-quality support, while many skilled professionals - especially parents and neurodiverse individuals - are unable to return to work due to rigid employment models. Determined to create a scalable, sustainable solution, Melissa launched SpareMyTime in 2020 with no external funding, taking significant personal financial risk. Despite the challenges of entering a crowded virtual support market, her innovative, people-first approach has led to 325% business growth, a 72% client retention rate, and 82% of clients increasing their service mandates. SpareMyTime is more than a business - it’s a movement. Unlike gig-based models, all team members are employed, ensuring job security and professional growth. 95% of the workforce is female, 85% are parents, and 25% are neurodiverse, reflecting Melissa’s commitment to diversity, inclusion and flexible employment. Recognised as an industry leader, Melissa was named Inspirational Wom#n of Industry at the Hustle Awards 2024 and Service Provider of the Year at the EVA Awards 2024. Through her leadership, SpareMyTime continues to redefine modern employment, drive innovation through fractional support, tech-enabled efficiencies, and empower businesses with high-quality, flexible support. “Our success comes from flexibility, inclusion and empowering hidden talent. By redefining work, we create opportunities for businesses to thrive and professionals to build meaningful, balanced careers”  Melissa Gauge