By Sarah Black - SB Business Support

S B Business Services is all about providing advice and solutions to ensure possible or potential issues and bottlenecks are quickly identified My career began as a Personal Assistant for a group of Accountants and Auditors. I studied Sales and Marketing whilst working as a Care Worker in the Community, seeing the other side of life which most of us either avoid or deny. Later, I started a family. As my children were growing up, I decided to establish my consultancy business, consulting for a local independent newspaper, a local pallet company as well as, Admiral Commercial Cleaning, a valued client to this day. In addition, I branched out into Health and Safety Management then Management in Construction and qualified as a trainer, assessor and IQA. I continued consulting part-time for small businesses and worked in the local community piloting community projects, in mentoring. Following a successful pilot project for the Local Authority, I was “head-hunted” by the HMPS to create a mentoring scheme for “Lifer prisoners.” This project was a success, reducing re-offending in young adults by 40% across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Due to the prison closure in March 2013, the project continues in-house today. In 2015 I was awarded "Outstanding for contribution to the Business” achieving a growth of 1mm in 12 months, Leading the training provision for government contracts (SFA and ESF) with Department of Work & Pensions - Southeast, Hampshire, Isle of Wight. I continued the journey of life-long learning and completed studies in Teaching, Assessing and Internal Quality Assurance, consulting for local colleges South Downs & Havant College, Basingstoke, and Fareham. I serve on the IAP (Independent Advice Panel) for the DSPG (Defence College of Logistics, Policing and Administration). Volunteering as a committee member of the Southwick D-Day Revival - a pioneering, independent community group who focus on raising money for SSAFA.