You might not know that The Systems Link founder, Sandy Domingos-Shipley, set up the business to prove to her son that dyslexia need not hold him back.
Now we’re celebrating winning two national awards, having grown the business by 20% each year since it was established in 2016.
On 10 October, Sandy was presented with a silver award for Most Inspiring Businesswoman and a silver for Best Businesswoman (Business Services) at the Best Businesswomen Awards 2025 gala dinner in Daventry.
During her son Luis’ assessment for dyslexia, Sandy recognised many of his struggles in herself, leading them both to be diagnosed in 2015. While the diagnosis was a relief to Sandy, Luis saw dyslexia as a disability which would stop him from succeeding in life.
A conversation with a stranger at a networking event introduced Sandy to ISO standards. The man she was talking to said the way Sandy explained how she set up systems and processes from her previous jobs aligned to the ISO quality framework and the idea for The Systems Link was born.
“I realised that the way my neurodivergent mind works aligns with ISO best practice and saw an opportunity to both create a business that plays to my strengths but also become the real example my son needed that having a brain that works in a different way can be a huge advantage,” explains Sandy.
“Being dyslexic helps me think differently, explain things visually, and come up with creative ways to help ISO processes make sense like the Lego analogy I use. Clients often tell me it’s the first time they’ve actually understood how it all connects.”
Fast forward almost 10 years, and Sandy is now a qualified ISO lead assessor, a Chartered Quality Professional and member of the Chartered Quality Institute, and acknowledged as a leading management system consultant.
We work with companies all over the UK and Europe, supporting them to create structured systems and processes to achieve ISO accreditation and to provide relatable training to many companies. Sandy believes that, when done properly, ISO systems don’t add complexity, they strip it away. They give people clarity, improve processes, and make day-to-day work easier.
Her book, How to build a world class business one brick at a time, was published in 2024 to make her advice accessible to small businesses as SMEs are what drive many global economies – including the UK.
Sandy adds: “I didn’t get into business to win awards, but winning these is more validation that my decision to set up a business was the right one.
“I’m proud that my brain works differently and that I have used this advantage to help clients make sense of something that can seem hugely complex and overwhelming.
“Being dyslexic can also be frustrating and I’m still learning how to make the most of my skills and to adapt to my various clients and their needs. But I’m pleased that my son now believes in himself more and sees my business as an example of how being dyslexic doesn’t need to hold you back. In fact, it can be the thing that creates success.”
