Women Who Count, a bookkeeping and payroll service is the brainchild of Sarah Palmer, mum to Thomas, 9 and William, 7. Her background is actually in horses and she had a successful race-horse training yard which she ran with her husband from 1999 to 2005. However on their divorce in 2005 the yard had to fold. As she had no financial or emotional backing after the event, in an attempt to give the boys the upbringing she felt they deserved, she decided to go back to the drawing board and go to Greenwich University (William was still in nappies when she started!).

During this time she also took on the role of bookkeeper in the family business (to put this into context the company turns over 2m annually and employs 30 people!). Sarah graduated with a first class honour’s degree in business and in addition won one of two scholarships on offer to the UK for an entrepreneurship scholarship to the states for a 6 week residential course to Leigh High University one of the top ten American universities for business. This was an amazing experience, which on return prompted her father to offer her the role of running the family business on his imminent retirement, a role which she took him up on. Within the first 18 months she had increased turnover by 10% whilst maintaining profit margins.

However juggling the demands of two growing boys and an expanding business she recognised the necessity, first hand, for the need of a solution for the age old argument of the work/life balance and the trade off of between the financial needs verses the emotional needs of the family. It was then that Women Who Count was born. Women Who Count Ltd is a bookkeeping and payroll service dedicated to empowering women to find the work/life balance so profoundly needed in the business world. The business currently enjoys the full backing of Barclay’s Bank and is the only bookkeeping service/ business consultancy Barclay’s will recommend in Kent and Sussex. The ideals behind the business are to deliver an affordable, professional and supported service to local businesses by intelligent women with a desire and need to work around their children. All businesses need bookkeeping services but what is missing in the market is a company that can supply a cost effective service that is of a uniform standard. Predominately most small businesses rely on a mother, girlfriend or wife that takes on the often daunting task of dotting the i’s and crossing the assumed t’s before handing over to expensive accountants who can charge extortionate fees for doing a job that we all are fooled into believing is out of our league.

In an attempt to right this situation Sarah has joined forces with Clarity accountants. WWC process the day to day bookkeeping duties and then, if the client wishes, pass over to Clarity which is headed by Suzie, to produce final accounts or deal with the legal issues specific to accountants. Clarity offers discounted rates to WWC clients as they can be sure of the level of work they receive. Thus making essential services affordable and adding tremendous value to your business.

Sarah also has a relationship with Sage which means that her clients have the added advantage of not needing to spend in excess of £500 to acquire the latest up to date software as Women Who Count will provide this for them.

In 2010 all vat and end of year paye submissions are, by law, due to be paid online. WWC can also do this for you, saving you the daunting task and expense of doing this yourself. Within a couple of months of setting up WWC Sarah was nominated for student of the year and new business of the year at the ICB awards (ICB is the Independent Certified Bookkeeper awards) she attained distinction in the ICB exams qualifying her to give valid and appropriate advice to all new clients.

A true Mum in Control I think you’ll agree and an inspiration to all single mums out there!

As a great bonus for Mums in Control Sarah has agreed to answer some of your questions on setting up in business. Please email her your questions via the contact page, she will answer individually and the best ones will be picked to be published in each issue of Mums in Control.

Sarah is also offering free online submissions to all MiC readers subscribing to WWC’s services before April 2010. Contact Sarah and quote Mums in Control.