Why Heartworks Was Never Just a Business: 5 Years In With Fiona Tan

Heartworks was born out of survival: my own, during the pandemic, while living with a disability and trying to keep going.

I wasn’t setting out to build a social enterprise; I was just trying to sustain myself. Somewhere along the way, I helped a single mother find remote work. That single moment sparked something far bigger than I imagined.

What started as one small act of help grew into a mission: opening up sustainable remote work opportunities for underserved women, while helping companies see that working with Heartworks is a way to create genuine social impact through everyday business decisions.

I don’t use the term social enterprise as a label to sound good. It’s simply the truth of how this began.

Along the way, I’ve grown too. Not just as a founder, but in how I understand impact. One milestone this year was revamping the Heartworks website, five years in. The old site was built before Heartworks existed in its current form, mostly framed around general VA services and admin support. Updating it was a chance to finally tell the real story of why we exist.

Running a social enterprise, though, hasn’t meant stepping away from professionalism. If anything, it’s taught me how much both are needed together. I lead with empathy first. I step in for my VAs, explain their circumstances to clients, and I’m grateful that most clients meet that compassion with understanding of their own. But empathy has to go both ways.

Trust is something I extend generously, and I’ve learned it also has to be honoured in return. I’ve had instances of VAs who have crossed lines and betrayed trust. I won’t lie, that part has been exhausting. Compassion and accountability aren’t opposites, they have to coexist. Boundaries aren’t the opposite of kindness. They protect it.

Still, I’m grateful for those who have shown up consistently and never cease to wonder at the resilience and determination shown by those who value the chance they’ve been given.

Here’s what I’ve learned along the way: providing work is only the first step. I’ve watched talented, dedicated VAs struggle to stay consistent, not from lack of skill or will, but because a laptop broke down, or commuting costs became unmanageable. These “small” hurdles can quietly push someone out of the workforce.

That’s why I’ve been exploring a structured CSR initiative under Heartworks Solution, giving VAs real, tangible support when life gets hard, from transport credits helping our VAs get around safely and reliably, basic household necessities, or tech support to repair or upgrade devices that they depend on to work.

I’ve offered support personally where I could, but to truly scale it, I need partners who believe in this too. Not donors, but success partners. People who understand that easing everyday pressures helps our VAs show up fully, and with dignity.

If this mission speaks to you, I’d love to hear from you.

Interested in becoming a Success Partner, or an impact and solution partner to this cause? Or are you looking for flexible, meaningful remote work? Reach out to Heartworks Solution today: let’s build this safety net together.