Derbyshire Sarah nominated for prize in BizMum Awards

This isn’t the case for Sarah Banks, a Derbyshire business woman and mum-of-two who has been named as a finalist in this year’s BizMum Awards.

The nomination comes just three years after launching her virtual assistant business, Banks’ Business Solutions.

Sarah Banks has been nominated for the ‘exceptional service award’, which is for the mum who makes an exceptional effort in her life or business to give a high level of service to her customers.

Sarah started the business after the birth of her second daughter in 2014.

She explained: “I was working as a part-time administrator at the University of Nottingham but after returning to work three days a week following maternity leave it was quickly clear that Sophie was unhappy at nursery and Molly was upset I didn’t take her to and from school.

“A chance conversation with a mum at school who had her own business planted the seed in my head that this was something I could do and I started the business in April 2014.”

Sarah started the business which provides several support services to clients including online customer service, email management, email marketing, organising social media, blogging and WordPress website support, with just three regular clients.

“For other people thinking of setting up on their own I say do it.

“I love what I do and being able to help my clients and knowing that I have helped save them time or given the them the chance to take a much-needed holiday is wonderful.

“Also, having the flexibility to work around my family is fantastic.

“If there is an event at school I can be there and as my work just involves me, my laptop and an internet connection I get to work from anywhere which means we can spend most our summers in our favourite place Aberdaron, Wales.

“To be able to do this is fantastic and getting shortlisted for this award is just the cherry on the cake.”

Winners will be announced on October 8 at a ceremony in Cheshire.