This is not just a new name.
It is a clear statement of who we are, who we serve, and where we are headed.
For years, our work has been evolving.
- We started small and scrappy as a resume writing side gig.
- Six months later we shifted into virtual assistant work so we could support business owners directly.
- From there we moved into hiring and HR admin support. What began as practical help quickly deepened into something bigger.
Our clients did not need more inbox management from us - there are plenty of amazing supports out there for that. What they needed from us was clarity, structure, and leadership they could stand behind. They needed teams that could run without them carrying everything on their shoulders.
Career Pursuit was a solid starting point. It made sense for a season where many of our conversations were about individual careers. As our work focused on businesses and on the women leading them, the name stopped fitting. Emerald HQ is the first name that holds the true scope of what we do now. It reflects our focus on clarity, growth, and sustainable leadership. It also names the place leaders operate from. Headquarters. Direction. Decisions. Standards. That is where our work lives.
How we got here
The earliest version of this business was practical and personal. We wrote resumes. We coached people through their next step. It was honest work and it mattered to the people we served. It also taught us something important. Clarity changes everything. When people had language for their value, they made better choices and took better opportunities.
Moving into virtual assistant support let us bring that clarity into the day to day. We were inside systems, calendars, files, and processes. We saw exactly where small businesses were losing time and momentum. Hiring requests began to land in our inbox. Could we write the advert. Could we screen applications. Could we help with onboarding. Soon we were shaping roles, not just formatting job posts. Then the pattern became impossible to miss. The real problems were not solved by a tidy job description. The real problems sat inside structure and leadership.
We saw founders who could not step away because everything lived in their head. We saw teams that were unsure about expectations and priorities. We saw hires made in a rush that never stood a chance because there was no role clarity. We saw good people fail in messy systems. At every turn the fix was the same. Clarity first. Structure that people can follow. Values that are lived, not laminated. Decisions that match the vision rather than the panic of the week.
We did not wake up one morning with a brand new business. We kept leaning toward the work that created the most useful change. That path brought us here.
What Emerald HQ means
Emerald is a symbol for growth, wisdom, and renewal. It is also a reminder that leadership can be steady and grounded. Not loud for the sake of it. Not corporate for the sake of looking serious. Clear. Confident. Human. HQ signals the centre of direction. It is where choices are made and where standards are set. Put together, Emerald HQ is both the quality of leadership we back and the place we help you lead from.
Our work is unchanged at its core. We help leaders make decisions that match their values and their goals. We help them build teams that can deliver without constant handholding. We help them set up the structures that protect their time and energy. The name finally says that out loud.
Who we serve
We work with two groups.
1️⃣We support small and medium sized businesses with hiring, culture, and HR admin that is values-led and practical. These clients want more than a quick fill. They want the right people hired into the right roles with clear expectations and confident onboarding. They want compliance that does not become bureaucracy for the sake of it. They want to operate with calm, not constant scramble. They want an engaged and aligned team that feels valued.
2️⃣We also support women in business who are ready to stop being the employee of their own business and start leading it. These clients are capable and driven. They have built something that works. They also know it could work better if they were not carrying every decision and every task. They want to set standards, build trust, and share ownership with a team that understands the plan.
We are not a fit for leaders who want a magic fix or a band-aid hire. We are not the right choice if you want a warm body in a chair by Friday, no questions asked. Our work creates long term impact. It requires alignment, clear choices, and follow through. If you are willing to do that work, you will get the benefit of it for years.
What has changed and what has not
What has not changed is our stance.
Clarity over noise.
People over posturing.
Practical support over performative advice.
We still tell the truth kindly and directly. We still make things simpler rather than more complicated. We still design for real life rather than an imaginary perfect week.
What has changed is our structure and how clearly we describe it. We have organised our support into three levels so leaders can choose what they actually need.
1️⃣DIY is for the business owner who wants the tools and the structure and is ready to implement. You get the templates, guidance, and roadmaps to do it well without reinventing every wheel.
2️⃣DWY, or Done With You, is for the leader who wants a partner. We plan together, build together, and make decisions together. You get movement and accountability while staying fully in the loop. We’re there to hold your hand while you step into your leadership role and drive your business forward.
3️⃣DFY, or Done For You, is where we take the weight and deliver. You get a recruiting function that operates like an internal partner. You get HR admin that is tidy, compliant, and human. You get culture support that people can actually use.
These levels are not theory. They are how we have been working for a long time. Now they are clear, intentional, and easy to navigate.
How we work
Clarity first.
We begin by naming the outcome you want and the constraints you have. Then we map the structure that will support that outcome. We do not default to shiny tactics or busywork.
Values in action.
Your values are not a poster or a paragraph on a page. They inform hiring criteria, interview questions, onboarding, performance expectations, and feedback rhythms. When values are embedded in the way you hire and lead, your team knows what good looks like and how to meet it.
Role clarity.
We write roles that are real. What is the purpose of the role. What outputs matter. What decisions belong to this seat and what decisions belong to someone else. Where collaboration is essential and where autonomy is expected. When people know the shape of the work, they can own it.
Candidate experience.
We treat candidates like humans with choices. Fast communication. Clear steps. Honest expectations. That approach strengthens your reputation and attracts aligned people who care about doing good work.
Leadership habits.
We help you design simple rhythms that keep the team moving. Weekly priorities. One to ones that matter. Feedback that is specific and timely. Boundaries that protect deep work. Meetings that serve a purpose and finish on time. Habits like these remove friction so results can compound.
HR admin that helps.
Contracts, policies, records, and compliance exist to support people, not trip them up. We set them up to be clear, accessible, and easy to follow. We keep an eye on changes so you do not have to.
What this means for the people we support
If you are an owner who has been holding your business together through willpower, Emerald HQ will feel like a deep exhale. You will have fewer decisions that only you can make. You will know what to prioritise and what can wait. You will be able to step away without the whole operation stalling. Your team will take ownership because they know what ownership looks like.
If you are a leader who wants to hire with confidence, you will stop guessing. You will define the role properly, choose sensible channels, and assess people against the behaviours that matter. You will move quickly without rushing. You will make offers you can stand behind. You will onboard people in a way that sets them up to succeed.
If you are committed to building a healthy culture, you will have simple tools that make culture visible. You will have shared language for values in practice. You will have consistent expectations across the team. You will know how to address misalignment early and fairly. You will see the difference in retention, trust, and outcomes.
What this means for us
Emerald HQ is a commitment to lead the way we teach. It means protecting focus so we can do great work. It means choosing clients we can genuinely support rather than trying to be everything to everyone. It means staying human. School runs. Real weekends. Professional development that keeps our skills sharp. We believe sustainable business is built by people who are allowed to have a life. We intend to model that.
It also means collaboration. We love building alongside smart specialists and internal teams. We share knowledge rather than hoard it. We design handovers that stick. We aim to leave every engagement with the client more capable than when we arrived.
The model behind Emerald HQ
Across hundreds of conversations and many hiring cycles, three themes show up again and again. We call them:
✨Know Where You’re Going
✨Say Yes Like You Mean It
✨Stop Doing It All.
These themes are simple on purpose. They are also powerful when you let them lead your decisions.
Know Where You’re Going is about direction. Decide what you want to be known for, what you’re working towards and how you’re going to get there. Decide which offers belong in your current season and which offers can wait. Decide how you want clients and team members to describe the experience of working with you.
Say Yes Like You Mean It is about discernment. Every yes costs time, attention, and energy. You do not say yes to a misaligned role because someone seems lovely. You do not say yes to a last minute hire because you are tired. You do not say yes to being available at all hours because you are afraid of disappointing people. You choose yes when it builds the business you actually want.
Stop Doing It All is about support and systems. If the plan relies on you being superhuman, it is not a plan. It is a risk. Build automations that take care of repeatable work. Document processes so the knowledge is not trapped in your head. Delegate outcomes, not just tasks. Trust your team to grow into their roles. This is how you protect your energy and create room to think.
When you combine direction, discernment, and support, you stop operating in crisis mode. You start operating like a leader.
What has already been true and will remain true
We tell the truth with care. We do not sugar coat issues that need addressing. We also do not perform harshness for effect.
We prefer plain language. You will not find corporate jargon or inspirational filler in our work. You will find clear steps and decisions that move you forward.
We keep standards high and human. We aim for excellence without pretending people are machines. We design for real life and real businesses, not perfect conditions.
We measure success by outcomes that matter. Better hires. Clearer roles. A team that stays. Fewer bottlenecks. More headspace. Leaders who are not running on adrenaline.
A clearer way to choose support
Many leaders delay getting help because they are unsure which kind of help they need. This is why we use the three level structure.
✨Choose DIY if you need tools that are tested and you are ready to use them. You want to move at your pace and you have the capacity to implement. You value guidance that is clear and you are happy to do the work.
✨Choose DWY if you want a partner at your shoulder. You want to think out loud with someone who knows the terrain. You want a cadence that keeps the work moving and you want to be part of every key decision.
✨Choose DFY if you want the outcome without carrying the execution. You want a recruiting function that behaves like an internal partner. You want HR admin that is clean and consistent. You want culture embedded in the way things are done every day.
There is no bravado in choosing the most involved option. The right choice is the one that matches your goals, timeline, and resources. Clarity beats ego every time.
Where we are going
Our vision is straightforward. We want to support as many women in business as possible to build businesses they enjoy leading and lives they actually love living. Inside Emerald HQ that means a team that works sustainably and takes pride in the craft. Outside Emerald HQ that means clients who are less overwhelmed, more decisive, and backed by teams that want to be there.
In the next three to five years we plan to deepen our impact rather than scatter it. That looks like stronger learning resources for DIY leaders. It looks like a tighter community space for women who are stepping fully into leadership. It looks like more DFY partnerships where we are embedded enough to create lasting change. It looks like continuing to hire for values alignment inside our own team so that every client interaction reflects what Emerald HQ stands for.
We will keep choosing clarity over noise. We will keep choosing long term alignment over short term optics. We will keep doing the unglamorous work that makes a business dependable.
What to expect from us now
You will see a cleaner message across everything we share. You will see fewer offerings presented more clearly. You will see practical leadership guidance that respects your time. You will see hiring and HR insights that are grounded in real operations rather than trends.
You will also see us take our own medicine. We are designing our weeks around deep work and client impact. We are setting boundaries that protect quality. We are making space for growth and learning so we can keep bringing our best.
Welcome in
Career Pursuit got us moving. Emerald HQ is home.
If you have been with us from the beginning, thank you. If you are new here, you are in the right place. We are building for leaders who care about people and results in equal measure. We are building for women who are ready to stop carrying the entire load and start leading a team that can carry it with them. We are building for small and medium businesses that want to grow with standards and with heart.
This is who we are. This is what we do. This is where we are going.
Welcome to Emerald HQ.
Ash + Emerald HQ 💎
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