2025 Ausmumpreneur Awards Winner – Tali Stow

I’m Tali, owner and director of The VA Circle and a mum of three, living in the beautiful Adelaide Hills. The VA Circle is all about making life easier for small business owners by stepping in as their go-to support team. From admin and websites to social media and everything in between, we take care of the details so our clients can focus on the big picture. Think of us as the “small business buddy” who wears all the hats, lightens the load, and helps turn everyday chaos into calm, organised progress that actually feels achievable.

When did you start your business?

I started my business in September 2022.

What was the inspiration behind starting this business?

The VA Circle began when my firstborn (now almost three) was just eight weeks old. Before having her, I was certain I’d be back in my Real Estate role (which I LOVED) and was making great strides in) within a few months. But, as everyone says (and they were right), everything changed. I quickly realised I wasn’t ready to return as soon as I thought I would.
I began fanatically brainstorming side hustle ideas. Discussing this with a friend one day (who is a Psychologist), she mentioned she was looking for someone to help with admin in her private practice. I didn’t think too much of it, I just saw it as an option to keep myself home with my daughter for an extra few weeks and help a friend out, and so I began learning everything I could about the psych industry and what it takes to run a private practice behind the scenes.

What are you most excited about in your business?

What excites me most is the growth! I never imagined this business would become more than just me doing admin, but now with a team of six and plans to expand further, the opportunities feel huge. I’m also excited to explore new avenues and introduce alternative service offerings we have in the works – creating even more ways to support small businesses and keep evolving alongside our clients.

What has been the most challenging thing about starting your business?

The biggest challenge has been starting and growing a business while raising young children at the same time. Balancing the demands of clients, a team, and a young family often feels like giving my all to everything and everyone – while constantly fighting the guilt of not doing enough in either role.

What advice would you give to other women thinking about starting a business?

Take the risk and reap the rewards – you’ll never know how it could turn out if you don’t give it a shot. Don’t wait for things to be perfect before starting. There’s something beautiful in the imperfect, messy beginnings that you’ll look back on and appreciate. I almost didn’t launch because I wasn’t happy with my business name, logo, or colours. The truth is, you don’t need the perfect brand to begin; you just need to deliver the service (or product). The rest can evolve as you grow.

Why did you enter the AusMumpreneur Awards?

I entered the AusMumpreneur Awards as a personal challenge – to see how my work measured up alongside so many inspiring women. For me, it wasn’t just about recognition, but about taking a step back to reflect on what I’ve built and truly appreciate how far this business has come.

What did you enjoy the most about being part of the awards?

The speakers. The hype. The talent. Seeing some real power house woment out there doing it for themselves, their families and their lives. It was moving. It was emotional. It was energising!

What surprised you most about the awards?

Winning! Certainly didn’t expect that. Also the calibre of women I was surrounded by and the business ideas that so many people had and their stories of why they did it and how they got there.

How did the awards help you in your business?

Great exposure! Our websites views increased lots over the month of being announced a finalist and the awards.

What advice would you give to other mums thinking about entering the awards?

Go for it! You never know how you’ll stack up. Win or no win, the experience is incredible and it’s a great networking event.

What has been the best thing about starting your own business?

Not working for someone else and putting money in their pocket!!!

What’s happening next in your business?

We’ve got multiple new service offerings that we’re working on and getting excited to launch over the coming months which we can’t wait to release.

What are your big plans for the future?

To continue to build a really strong, really reliable team to create some more freedom for me to grow the business in other avenues, rather than being stuck in the heavy day to day running of it. Once we have enough man power behind us, there’ll be some many more things to come for The VA Circle!

What is your website and/or social media links?