Everyday organisation
Bookkeeping, administration and project management skills help me turn a pile of tasks into a more organised way of working.
Small business. Big support.
About Sarah Ingleby
Hello, I’m Sarah, founder of Smallbizbod. From my base in Derby, I help UK sole traders and small businesses make sense of the work behind the scenes, and get more out of their time.
Experience I bring to your business
30+
years in operational and business support
10+
years helping businesses win bids
Practical, personal support
One-off projects or ongoing help, shaped around your business.
A sleeves-rolled-up approach, with a self-confessed Excel geek on your side.
My background
Making the complicated feel manageable
I’ve spent over 30 years in operational and business support roles across a wide range of industries. I founded Smallbizbod to help small business owners get the very best out of their time, and their business.
I naturally gravitate towards untangling complexity, solving problems and creating order out of chaos. For me, it’s not just about completing tasks. It’s about spotting what needs doing, putting the right structure in place and keeping things moving.
That support can include bookkeeping, operations and admin, compliance support or interim cover. I also offer training to help you build confidence in the work you want to handle yourself.
Explore my business support servicesKnowledge put to work
A broad toolkit for small business life
My qualifications cover Business Administration, Bookkeeping & Accounts, Project Management, Bid Writing and Environmental Sustainability. I bring those skills together to look at how your business works as a whole.
Bids with purpose
Over 10 years of winning bids led me to develop The Bid Zone®, a Smallbizbod® brand, focused on helping businesses win work through effective bidding.
Explore Bids and TendersConfidence to grow
Sometimes the most useful support is learning how to tackle something yourself. My training gives you space to build practical skills.
Explore training coursesProfessional reassurance
Your business deserves careful hands
Handing over parts of your business takes trust. Alongside my experience, I hold the following certifications, memberships and professional safeguards.
- Sage Business Cloud Accounting Certified Application Specialist
- Xero Certified Associate
- SVA approved and FSB member
- ICO registered, HMRC AML supervised and fully insured
In my clients’ words
Support that feels like part of the team
Here’s what clients have said about working with me.
“You are genuinely one of the most efficient people I have ever worked with - and you are incredible at making me feel comfortable about the stuff in my business that I feel most uncomfortable with!”
“Sarah is hard-working, professional, organised and has a keen eye for detail. Any projects she has supported and worked on with us have always been a success.”
“Sarah is organised, efficient, thorough and technically very competent. She established robust financial systems and procedures, unravelling numerous problems that had arisen before her arrival.”
“Sarah has done our book keeping for numerous years and during that time we have found her to be trustworthy, knowledgeable and has a natural ability to find solutions that others struggle to see!”
“Sarah has supported us in the smooth running and management of our office for many years. Knowledgeable and super organised she feels like one of the team.”
Awards and achievements
Recognition I’m proud of
It’s lovely to have my work recognised alongside other small businesses and independent professionals.
UK Small Business Awards 2026
Finalist, Best Home Based Business.
UK Small Business Awards 2025
Finalist, Top 10 Best Home Based Business, and Highly Recommended Best Small Business.
LoveBiz Awards 2025
Nominee, Business to Business Impact.
East Midlands PA Awards 2024
Finalist, Independent Virtual Assistant of the Year.
How I approach your business
Understand it. Organise it. Keep it moving.
You don’t need to arrive with everything neatly worked out. I’m here to help you make sense of what needs attention.
Start with what matters
I want to understand what’s taking up your time, what feels difficult and what you’d like to work better.
Find a practical way
I focus on useful structure and clear priorities, with support that fits your business rather than adding unnecessary complexity.
Choose the right support
That might be a one-off project, ongoing help or training. For focused support on a particular challenge, explore my Power Hours.
A little more about me
Beyond the spreadsheets
When I’m not helping clients streamline their operations, you’ll find me in Derby with my husband, children, cats and snake.
I enjoy reading, walking and swimming. I’m also deep into three decades’ worth of family history research. Clearly, my interest in digging into details doesn’t stop when I close the laptop!
If you’d like to start with something practical for your own business, you can browse my free downloads at your own pace.
Let’s make things simpler
Tell me what’s on your plate
Whether you need a little help or a regular pair of hands, let’s have a friendly, no-pressure chat about what would make a difference to your business.