On Friday 23rd Feb, Nikki and Kate had the incredible opportunity to attend the annual event of #SBS, The Small Business Sunday Winners in Birmingham - and what a hive of activity it was!
For those who aren't in the know, SBS stands for "Small Business Sunday," an initiative launched by the one and only Theo Paphitis from Dragon's Den.
"I admire people who have passion and energy. If you cannot bore your friends to death about your own small business then something is seriously wrong.... Small Business Sunday was born so that people have a specific time slot to pitch their ‘sell’ directly to me.... I have been blown away by the depth and quality of the entrants.” - Theo Paphitis
Being chosen by Theo for this prestigious award a few months back was already a massive honour, but being able to attend the event at the ICC was the bee's knees!
With over 1,200 small business owners, networking, and soaking up new and invaluable knowledge from some amazing and inspiring guest speakers, we knew we were in a privileged place.
The day began with a warm welcome from the CEO of the Theo Paphitis Retail Group (Kypros Kypriano) and this was his quote of the day:
"It ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward; how much you can take and keep moving forward." - Rocky Balboa
There were presentations from Google (sharing insights on how to harness the power of AI in marketing), the Natwest Accelerator scheme success stories from the founders of Absolute Collagen, Naturally Tiwa and the Spice Kitchen, plus break-out sessions on a 1-2-1 basis to discuss topics such as PR and Corporate Social Responsibility.
We even got to enjoy a fireside chat with the energetic, inspiring, TV icon, and small business investor, Stacey Solomon - such an inspiring entrepreneur who is so actively supportive of small businesses, particularly those that match her values. She does not let opportunities pass her by "as you never know when the door will close."
Was there hive-light of the day? Well if there was one, getting our certificate presented to by Theo himself would have been it! Talk about a pinch-me moment. It's a testament to the hard work and dedication we have at Bee More Design, and we couldn't be prouder to be part of a community of over 4,000 small businesses handpicked by Theo - 80% of which are female-owned, and over half are sole-traders.
As we return to our hive, we're filled with gratitude and excitement for what the future holds. Many lists have already been drawn up, we just need some spare time!!
Now this bit is for you - If you have a small business and are interested in joining this community - simply head over to @TheoPaphitis on Instagram or X, and enter your business on a Sunday evening between 5 pm and 7 pm describing your business, and why you should be chosen by him- and who knows - we could be seeing you there next year! (Don't forget to tell us if you win!)
So here's to embracing new opportunities, spreading our wings, and continuing to create buzzworthy designs that make a difference. Forever grateful!