Solutions
Bookkeeping & Accounts for Driving Instructors
Simple, fixed-fee plans that save you time, reduce stress and keep your finances in order – so you can focus on teaching.
The Story Behind Zelah Solutions
My Story: From Passion to Profession
My name is Lisa, and I live in South Wales with my partner and our Mioritic Shepherd dog, Millie. My love for working with numbers began when I was about seven years old, inspired by my Mum.
One day I went into her bedroom and I found her sitting on the bed with a book full of columns and numbers. Next to her was a tin money box with five slots across the top. Curious, I asked her what she was doing.
She explained that she was “doing her books.” Because she was paid weekly in cash, she would write down her income and divide it into different amounts: one for rates (now council tax), another for food, one for electricity and gas, some for an emergency fund, and a little for spending money – although she was quick to point out how little was left for that!
She showed me how the columns of figures in her book matched the money in each section of the tin. Then she pulled out a separate book where she tracked everything she spent – food, petrol, birthday presents, Christmas gifts – everything. Next to each expense, she wrote the amount and kept a running balance.
I was fascinated. At just seven years old, I found the idea of budgeting, tracking money, and saving for goals utterly thrilling. So much so that I asked Santa for a money box with five slots and a columned book to manage my pocket money – 52½ pence a week.
That Christmas, Santa delivered! My mum helped me set up my system, complete with columns for saving, presents, holidays, spending money, and even 2½ pence for the cat’s pocket money. I loved it. The sense of calm and satisfaction it gave me was incredible – a skill my Mum taught me that shaped my life.
Growing a Career in Numbers
My love for budgeting and organisation naturally led me to work with figures and admin. I started in the motor trade, then moved into property – selling homes and managing administration from sale to completion. I also enjoyed working at a company training a small team on desktop publishing where we published manuals for companies such as McDonalds and the RAF and even King Fahad in Kensington Palace!
While raising my children and homeschooling them, I ran a small secretarial business and began helping clients with their bookkeeping and general admin and I especially enjoyed working on the autobiography of a lady who was listed in Burke’s Peerage.
When life threw me a curveball, as it does, I started over in a new place. I went to college alongside my now-teenage children, earning the qualifications I needed to become a professional bookkeeper.
I set up “About Bookkeeping,” with the slogan, Big enough to cope, small enough to care. For 17 years, I ran About Bookkeeping, working with countless self-employed clients across various trades, helping them organise their finances and grow their businesses.
The Birth of Zelah Solutions Ltd
After nearly two decades, I decided it was time to expand. I became a limited company, and Zelah Solutions Ltd was born, specialising in driving instructors.
Why “Zelah”? Let me bring my Mum back into the story. Her name was Hazel, and during a holiday to Cornwall, I spotted a sign for a place called Zelah. I realised it was an anagram of her name, and it became a private joke between us – I often called her Zelah instead of Mum. When I lost her in 2020, I wanted to honour her memory, so I named my new company after her.
To my delight, I discovered that Zelah is a Hebrew name meaning “side.” It conveys the idea of being a companion, loyal and supportive. This encapsulates everything my Mum stood for and everything I want to offer my clients.
By Your Side, Every Step of the Way
At Zelah Solutions, I’m not trying to present myself as a big corporate business where clients are passed from person to person. I run it myself, so when you book a consultation, it’s me you’ll speak to.
“Big enough to cope, small enough to care.”
That’s the promise I made when I started my first bookkeeping business, and one that still guides how I work today.
I’ll be by your side from the start of your business journey – helping you register with HMRC, organise your finances, and grow your business. I’m here to make your life easier and your business a success.
I look forward to getting to know you
Today I look after the bookkeeping, year-end accounts and tax returns for driving instructors. I started out in the motor trade, and after 19 years of working with self-employed people, I know how much worry a good set of books can take off your mind. I’d love to hear about you and your business.
