Theo Heads to Autumn Fair

On Tuesday 3rd September Theo headed to Birmingham to the annual Autumn Fair. For the second year running, Theo organised for 12 of his #SBS Small Business Sunday winners to have a free stand at the season’s largest trade show.

Competition had been very high with the Autumn Fair panel of judges having the tricky decision of picking the final winners. The 12 winners were: 

  • The Bottled Baking Company 

  • When Lulu Met Weasel 

  • Beuutiful Bees

  • The Smokey Carter

  • Little Beau Sheep

  • A Year of Dates

  • Ascent Body and Bath 

  • Sandwick Bay Candles 

  • Whispers of Wood

  • Kate Chesters Art

  • Our Little Globe

  • Angels’ Share Glass

Theo visited all the stands, finding out more about the businesses and their products. He even managed to cut the birthday cake for A Year of Dates who had been 3 years in business! 

Later, Theo took to the Inspiring Retail Stage where he did an in-conversation with Retail Week’s Head of Content, Grace Bowden. They covered the retail environment, small businesses, potential growth areas and even sneaked in a bit of Brexit chat.

Three #SBS winners who had won a stand at last year’s Autumn Fair, Zoe Elsdon from Z-O-E, Medina King from MK Kids Interiors and Sarah Hardy from The Edible Museum, joined Theo on stage to talk about their experience. Each of them touched on what they had learnt from having a stand at such a large trade show and how they have had to manage larger or more frequent orders. 

Questions were then opened up to the floor where the panel and Theo were asked questions about how they started out, when the right time to take the leap into business is and what their next steps are.

Autumn Fair was a fantastic experience for the 12 businesses who all received prospective orders, gained contacts and networked with retail industry leaders. 


News, FeaturedGuest UserComment