A Day I Thought Would Never Come!
When I became an SBS winner back in January 2021 (which you can read more about here) the thought of actually attending a Small Business Sunday event seemed like a pipe dream. In the midst of the pandemic I could only ever dream of meeting the other winners and Theo Paphitis himself!
At the time of my Small Business Sunday win I’d been feeling much anxiety and overwhelm for the year ahead of me as a freelance artist.
Id been made redundant from my day job in October of the previous year, which opened up an exhilarating and terrifying opportunity. If I wanted to be a full time artist this was going to be my best shot. I was going to grab it with both hands.
Ths was also one of the reasons that I perserved with my weekly Small Business Sunday Twitter entries. What a fabulous opportunity it could be to actually win!
A Gobsmacking Tweet.
On the evening of Monday 18th January 2021 I discovered Theo Paphitis had chosen me as one of his weekly Small Business Sunday winners. I was absolutely gobsmacked!
I’m a small fish in a gigantic pond but Theo had spotted something special in my enthusiasm for my business. My tweet to him had described the joy that I’d discovered that my work can bring to people. I was suddenly seeing what others had been seeing in me.
One of the greatest gifts that my SBS win from Theo gave me was the belief in what I could achieve.
An Inspirational SBS Event
On Friday 25th February 2022 the big day came that I’d been waiting so long for. The Small Business Sunday winners event 2022 at the Birmingham ICC.
I’d prepared for the event by panning a special outift. I had my own custom skirt and handbag created, using some of my latest fabric print designs. A great way, I’d hoped, to help me get spotted in the crowd. Handy also for instantly showing examples of the colourful work I create.
I also hoped it would make for a great photo opportunity later with Theo, as I couldn’t wait to actually meet him to receive my SBS certificate. Of course, I’m absolutely over the moon with the resulting photo.
The SBS event allowed me to meet amazing SBS winners, past and present. There were also incredibly inspirational talks from a whole host of speakers and a wealth of advice from the event sponsors.
The highlights of the event had to be Theo Paphitis’ opening talk to the event. Also later his ‘fireside chat’ with fellow Dragon’s Den star Touka Suleyman. Both provided such invaluable insights into running a business, along with leaving guests buzzing with future plans.
I feel truly honoured for the opportunity to attend such an event. Plus, it has helped my business plans grow bigger!
If you’ve been considering entering a Tweet for Small Business Sunday I’d definitely encourage you to persevere.
Also if you’d like to find out more about SBS you can do so at their website here.
To find out more about my artwork please visit my Portfolio or feel free to contact me regarding commissions or collaborations.