About Me

Martin Schmalenbach, founder of MRS Bookkeeping

This page explains who is behind MRS Bookkeeping, why the business exists, and what kind of help is currently available.

On this page:

1. Hello, I’m Martin

I’m Martin Richard Schmalenbach, founder of MRS Bookkeeping.

MRS Bookkeeping is the trading name of Martin Richard Schmalenbach, operating as a sole trader.

The business is based in North Devon, at:

Muffins, West Lane, Dolton, Devon, EX19 8QU

MRS Bookkeeping exists to help sole traders, small businesses, landlords and community organisations know where they stand, what needs attention, and what to do next with their financial records and paperwork.

2. Why I started MRS Bookkeeping

Many small business owners do not struggle because they are careless or incapable.

They struggle because financial admin competes with everything else: customers, suppliers, family, deadlines, cash flow, the actual work of the business, and the constant pressure of keeping going.

Paperwork gets delayed. Receipts end up in different places. Bank statements are downloaded but not sorted. Emails, apps, folders, bags and boxes all hold pieces of the story.

Eventually the problem stops being “bookkeeping” and starts becoming fog.

MRS Bookkeeping was created to help clear that fog.

The aim is to help people move from confusion and avoidance towards a clearer understanding of:

  • what records appear to exist;
  • what may be missing;
  • what feels unclear;
  • what needs to be found, requested or recreated;
  • what the next sensible step may be.

3. Why records get messy

Messy records are common.

They do not necessarily mean someone has done anything wrong.

Often, they simply mean the business owner has been focused on serving customers, doing the work, keeping money coming in, and dealing with the most urgent thing in front of them.

Financial admin can be especially difficult when it is:

  • boring but important;
  • easy to postpone;
  • spread across several places;
  • full of unfamiliar language;
  • connected to tax, HMRC or deadlines;
  • something the owner feels embarrassed about;
  • something that has already built up into a backlog.

MRS Bookkeeping is designed for people who are not starting from a tidy place.

You do not need to have everything organised before asking for help.

4. My background

My background is built around structure, process, training, clarity and helping people work through situations that feel messy or under pressure.

I served as an officer in the Royal Air Force and later worked in training, process improvement, sales enablement and business support roles across different organisations and sectors.

That experience matters because MRS Bookkeeping is not only about records.

It is about helping people understand the situation they are in, create a clearer structure, and take the next practical step.

The same habits matter here:

  • organise what exists;
  • identify what is missing;
  • make the process easier to follow;
  • explain things in plain English;
  • avoid unnecessary jargon;
  • focus on what needs to happen next.

5. My professional status

I am currently an AAT student member. MRS Bookkeeping is not currently an AAT licensed practice.

I am continuing my bookkeeping and accountancy training and expect the professional status of the business to develop over time.

This page will be updated as my professional status changes.

6. Current AML status

HMRC AML registration has been submitted and paid for and is currently awaiting confirmation.

MRS Bookkeeping is not a money service business, or a trust or company service provider, so HMRC’s own guidance confirms it can trade while that application is being processed.

Alongside records organisation, bookkeeping readiness, practical admin support, education and clarity work, MRS Bookkeeping now also offers bookkeeping for client use, accounts preparation, VAT return preparation, MTD submissions and tax return preparation.

Formal tax advice and payroll services will be added once AML supervision is confirmed.

For more detail, please see the AML / Service Scope page.

7. What I can help with now

MRS Bookkeeping can help with:

  • records organisation;
  • document sorting;
  • financial paperwork structure;
  • bookkeeping readiness;
  • identifying obvious gaps;
  • preparing records for a better accountant conversation;
  • practical admin support;
  • education around good record-keeping habits;
  • general clarity and next-step planning;
  • bookkeeping for client use;
  • accounts preparation;
  • VAT return preparation;
  • MTD submissions;
  • tax return preparation.

This support is intended to help you understand where you stand, what needs attention, and what the sensible next step may be.

8. What I cannot currently provide

MRS Bookkeeping does not currently provide:

  • payroll services;
  • formal tax advice;
  • formal accountancy advice.

If your enquiry needs one of those services now, I may suggest that you speak to an accountant, tax adviser or other appropriately supervised professional.

9. Why clarity comes before compliance

For many people, the first useful step is not software, a spreadsheet, or a new system.

The first useful step is finding out what is actually there.

That means asking simple questions:

  • Where are the records?
  • What form are they in?
  • Which period do they relate to?
  • What appears to be missing?
  • What is unclear?
  • What would an accountant need next?
  • What can be organised now?

Once those questions are answered, the next step becomes much easier to see.

That is why MRS Bookkeeping focuses on clarity before compliance.

10. Who MRS Bookkeeping is for

MRS Bookkeeping may be a good fit if you are:

  • a sole trader;
  • a small business owner;
  • a landlord;
  • self-employed;
  • a community organisation;
  • a small local group;
  • someone with mixed paper and digital records;
  • someone worried about MTD;
  • someone who already has an accountant but feels unprepared;
  • someone who wants to get records under better control before the next deadline.

It may also be useful if you feel embarrassed, overwhelmed or unsure where to start.

You will not be expected to arrive perfectly organised.

11. If you already have an accountant

MRS Bookkeeping does not replace your accountant.

If you already have an accountant, current support may still help you get your records into a clearer and more usable state before speaking with them.

This can help you understand:

  • what records appear to exist;
  • what may be missing;
  • what questions you may need to ask;
  • what your accountant may need from you;
  • what the next step may be.

MRS Bookkeeping will not provide formal tax or accountancy advice while AML supervision is pending.

12. How I try to communicate

I aim to keep communication practical and clear.

That means:

  • plain English where possible;
  • clear next steps;
  • no unnecessary jargon;
  • no judgement about messy records;
  • simple explanations;
  • honest boundaries about what I can and cannot do;
  • written scope before paid work begins.

If something is not within my current scope, I will try to say so clearly.

13. Before sending documents

Please do not send bank statements, ID documents, tax records, payroll information or other confidential documents until I have confirmed the appropriate secure handover method.

A short description of the situation is enough to begin.

If documents are needed, I will explain how they should be provided.

14. What happens next

If you want to make a general enquiry:

  1. You send a short message.
  2. I usually reply within 2 business days.
  3. If appropriate, we arrange a short call.
  4. I confirm whether I can help and what the next step would be.
  5. No paid work starts without a clear written scope and agreed terms.

If your records are messy, incomplete or difficult to understand, the Financial Record Rescue enquiry page may be the best place to start.

15. Not sure where to start?

If your records feel messy, scattered, incomplete or difficult to understand, Financial Record Rescue may be a suitable first step.

You do not need to have everything organised before making an enquiry.

A short description is enough to begin.

Start a Financial Record Rescue enquiry

You may also find these pages useful:

17. Last updated

July 2026