SBS Small Business Sunday, the online business community founded by entrepreneur Theo Paphitis, has announced that 12 members of its community will be awarded free exhibition slots at this year’s Autumn Fair, after being selected from a shortlist of 36 businesses.
The lucky winners are: A Year of Dates, Angels’ Share Glass Ltd, Ascent Bath & Body, Beeutiful, Bottled Baking Co, Kate Chesters Art (pictured), Little Beau Sheep, Our Little Globe, Sandwick Bay Candles, The Smokey Carter, When Lulu met Weasel and Whispers of Wood.
The winners will take centre stage at the Fair, which runs 1-4 September at Birmingham NEC, and will gain access to tens of thousands of visitors and buyers ready to order products ahead of the busiest retail period of the year – the Golden Quarter and into 2020.
SBS began in 2010 and each week hundreds of small businesses tweet Theo to secure his endorsement. Every Monday, six of these businesses are then invited to become part of the now 2,500 strong #SBS community, benefiting from boosted publicity and attendance at a yearly conference with access to motivational speakers and workshops.
Theo Paphitis, founder of #SBS, said: “This year’s winners represent the very brightest and boldest of the UK retail sector. Their free space at Autumn Fair will provide an invaluable opportunity, offering them access and exposure to some of the retail sector’s most important and influential buyers. Presence at the show can have a significant impact on sales and leads – it’s an opportunity that can’t be wasted. Hopefully they’ll also be able to inspire visitors with their abundant entrepreneurial spirit!”
Julie Driscoll, ITE Regional Director, said: “Whittling the original 36 down to just twelve has been no easy task. Each of the shortlisted businesses should be incredibly proud of what they’ve achieved. They’re an exceptional cohort of businesses that reflect the current state of incredible entrepreneurialism in the retail sector. We’ve selected the absolute crème de la crème of the shortlisted to come to Autumn Fair this September. On behalf of Autumn Fair I’d like to extend my congratulations to each of the winners.
“We thank Theo for helping to organise the competition and providing us with a brilliant shortlist. We’re very pleased to be able to welcome #SBS back to Autumn Fair and thoroughly look forward to opening up new opportunities for the 12 winners who’ll be exhibiting at the show.”
Images include (from the top) Kate Chesters Art, Sandwick Bay Candles, Angels’ Share Glass and A Year of Dates
