Our Team

Nicola’s Story 

Hi there! I’m the founder of Dyslexia Desk Business Hub, and I’m thrilled to share a bit about my journey with you. My story began in March 2023 when I was formally diagnosed with dyslexia. This revelation was both a challenge and a gift, illuminating the unique ways my mind works and fueling my passion for helping others navigate similar paths.

Growing up, undiagnosed dyslexia made school a tough place, but it also forged my resilience and determination. My mission became clear: I wanted to ensure my children would never face the same barriers. This led me to become deeply involved in their early education, and eventually, into a fulfilling career as a teaching assistant, where I discovered a natural affinity for supporting children with learning challenges.

Transitioning into the world of bookkeeping and business management, I thrived in optimizing operations and nurturing team culture. Yet, the challenges of my undiagnosed dyslexia eventually led to burnout, underscoring the need for better understanding and support for neurodiversity in the workplace.

With my diagnosis, I found renewed vigour and clarity. Embracing my dyslexic superpowers, I saw my strengths in envisioning business improvements and fostering collaboration as unique assets. Dyslexia Desk was born from this journey, a platform to empower neurodivergent entrepreneurs by leveraging our shared experiences and strengths.

When I’m not working, I love spending time with my dogs, who are my world and provide me with therapeutic joy. I also enjoy eating out and travelling, always eager for new experiences and flavours. The most rewarding part of my work is giving others confidence and helping them follow their business aspirations and dreams. My goal is to create an environment where neurodiversity is celebrated, transforming the narrative around dyslexia and ensuring everyone can thrive.

Jade’s Story

Hi everyone! I’m Jade, a 24-year-old with a few passions that make life exciting for me. I’m really interested in neurodiversity, especially ADHD, as I have lived with undiagnosed ADHD for most of my life. Learning about ADHD helps me appreciate the unique strengths and challenges that come with it, and it’s important to me to support and understand people better.

I’ve always felt a little different – even back in primary school. My mum, Nicola, was a teaching assistant, and she spotted it too. I remember going through test after test – hearing checks, reading assessments, eye tests, all sorts – just trying to find out why things felt harder for me. But nothing really explained it.

When I attended high school, things got tougher. I became an expert at masking – copying social norms, mimicking how others behaved, and trying to squeeze into groups that never quite felt like the right fit. It was exhausting. I knew I was working twice as hard just to appear “normal”, and still felt like I wasn’t quite getting it.

University was another challenge. I pushed through, but I struggled in silence. Working without 1-1 help (and covid) really sent me into a identity crisis, “why am I so different” would be a regular thought racing through my mind. Then one day, I met someone who completely changed my life. They told me they had ADD (that’s ADHD without the hyperactivity), and something just clicked. Everything they described felt like me. For the first time, I felt like I wasn’t broken and that there are people out there who understand me for me!

I spoke to my mum, and we both had this moment of relief – like the pieces finally fit. Not long after that, I paid for an official diagnosis and started on Elvanse. Since then, I’ve genuinely felt like I’ve been thriving. Getting that clarity gave me the confidence to stop masking, lean into who I really am, and finally start building a life that works for me. As I continue to learn more about myself, I’m now also exploring whether I might be autistic. A lot of things make sense in hindsight, and I’m gently unpicking years of trying to fit into systems that weren’t made for brains like mine. Whether I get a formal diagnosis or not, this self-discovery journey is helping me show up more authentically in all areas of my life.

Outside of work I have an undying love for dogs – they never judge, they don’t expect you to be anyone but yourself, and they love you unconditionally. Honestly, we could all do with being a bit more like dogs. Their loyalty and acceptance have always been a comfort to me, especially on the harder days.

Here’s What Our Clients Say

We are delighted to share our experience with Bookkeeping Certainty, who have significantly enhanced the financial operations of our charity. From the outset, Nicola demonstrated a deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by charities and has facilitated the seamless transition from complex Excel spreadsheets to Xero accounting software . This migration streamlined our processes, reduced manual errors, and enhanced our financial reporting capabilities. We wholeheartedly recommend Nicola's services to any charity seeking reliable and professional bookkeeping support.

 

Chris Gostick Trustee, Adult Dyslexia Centre

Working with Nicola is a dream. She is helpful, caring and compassionate to all those around her. She continuously goes above and beyond to achieve the results she desires to benefit all parties. What’s more, she’s become a loyal and true friend. You’re in safe hands with Nicola.

 

Heidi

Nicola gave the time to ensure I understood all the processes I needed to go through when becoming self-employed, she explained things in simple terms. Answered all the questions I had and more. Easy to speak with someone you feel straight away you can trust. Totally Professional!

Tracey – Believe and Achieve

Nicola Ashdown has been our bookkeeper at the Kernos Centre since October 2022. Her work has always been accurate, timely and of the highest standard throughout. She has also been sympathetic to the confidential nature of the charity’s work and has been extremely diligent in protecting that security at all times. Just as important to us, her approach has always been friendly and helpful to others and she has quickly built good relationships with both management and staff. I would have no hesitation in recommending Nicola’s bookkeeping services to others.

Peter Brown- Trustee and Finance Director Kernos Centre. 32-34 Friars St., Sudbury, CO10 2AG

I recently set up my own small business. Nicola has been patient and invaluable in her assistance with help setting up Freeagent and my business bank account. We have worked together face to face and online. At no time did I feel afraid to ask questions. I was left with some tutorial videos to watch in case the information I had learnt in our sessions had not been retained. She is an inspirational successful businesswoman. I am dyslexic and I much appreciated her calm professional approach.

Mary Brown BA (Hons) MBACP, Integrative Counsellor.

I can’t thank Nicola enough! From day one, she made everything feel so much easier. I was completely overwhelmed with admin and bookkeeping, but she listened, understood exactly what I needed, and set me up with systems that actually work for me. Im so happy i took the courage to ask for help, and thanks to her support, I feel organised, confident, and in control of my business again. I’d recommend Nicola and Dyslexia Desk to anyone who needs a help or support! Thanks again!

Sara

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