Quite simply, StartHQ makes every day easier. They lift the admin load off our shoulders so we can focus on growing the business. Invaluable.
How Tide Insurance Scaled Operational Capacity Without Expanding Headcount
Tide Insurance partnered with StartHQ to strengthen its operational and administrative capacity during a period of growth, without the need to hire a Chief of Staff or expand permanent headcount. As a small but fast-moving insurance business, Tide needed flexible, high-quality support that could integrate seamlessly into its existing team and processes.
StartHQ provided experienced Virtual Assistant support with deep insurance sector knowledge, enabling the Tide team to delegate time-consuming non-underwriting responsibilities. This allowed senior team members to remain focused on brokers, clients and strategic priorities rather than day-to-day administration.
The result was a more streamlined, efficient operating model where key business functions continued to run smoothly in the background. StartHQ is now a trusted operational partner, supporting Tide across a broad range of business-critical activities.
About Tide Insurance
Tide Insurance is a specialist insurance business focused on providing tailored yacht insurance coverage and protection and indemnity. The company operates in a fast-paced, regulated environment where accuracy, responsiveness, and strong client relationships are essential. As a growing organisation, Tide places a strong emphasis on service quality and operational excellence while continuing to scale its offering.
The Problem
As Tide continued to grow, the leadership team recognised the need for additional operational and administrative support to sustain their momentum. However, the nature and size of the business meant that hiring a Chief of Staff or full-time administrative resource was not a viable or cost-effective option.
The team required a more flexible solution that could provide high-quality support on demand, without adding fixed overheads. They also needed a partner who understood the pressures of a regulated insurance environment and could integrate quickly into their way of working.
Working with StartHQ
Tide considered several options for operational support before selecting StartHQ. A key differentiator was that StartHQ team had extensive experience within the insurance sector, having supported Underwriters, Boards of Directors and CEOs for over 20 years. This made them ideally positioned to understand the pace, precision and compliance demands of Tide’s business.
StartHQ stepped in as a flexible operational partner, taking ownership of non-underwriting tasks, including:
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Diary management and complex scheduling
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Board preparation and meeting coordination
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Travel arrangements, away days and event management
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Compliance support, including peer review processes, gifts and hospitality tracking and training administration
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Registration, user agreement management and operational support for Tide’s new software product, VesselVerse
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Social media, LinkedIn and website management
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Merchandise coordination and brand support
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Company secretarial duties
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Finance support, including reconciliation of accounts and expenses
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HR support, including payroll, annual leave management, meeting and document preparation, joiners/leavers administration and support for the Graduate Programme
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Audit coordination and preparation support
By embedding into Tide’s operations in this way, StartHQ acted as an extension of the internal team, providing consistent, reliable support across multiple business functions.
The Results
With StartHQ in place, Tide was able to significantly reduce the administrative burden on its internal team. This created more capacity for senior staff to focus on core business activities such as client engagement, broker relationships and strategic growth initiatives.
Operations became more streamlined and efficient, with key administrative and coordination tasks handled proactively and consistently. StartHQ’s support ensured that critical business processes continued to run smoothly, even during periods of increased workload and growth.
Overall, StartHQ delivers invaluable operational support that enables Tide to scale effectively without the need to expand permanent headcount, while maintaining high standards of service and operational control.