As we start to reach the end of and reflect on busy but fun packed year here at Little Beau sheep, and one in which I celebrated the big 40! I thought that it felt like a good time to reflect on what a fabulous year it has been. As we head towards Christmas and the last of the orders make their way to our lovely customers, I feel very grateful to have had such warmth and support from other local business, friends, family and every single person who has ever bought from Little Beau Sheep, no matter how small…
…so, let’s see what we did in 2019!!
The year started on a high with what is known in the twitter world as a‘re-tweet’, from the one and only former Dragon, Theo Paphitis!! The Small Business Sunday (SBS) initiative was set up around 8 years ago, and since then there have been over 370,000 applications, and over 2,500 winners. Meaning around 1% win, so it’s a pretty special feeling if you’re picked.
February continued to be a busy time with valentines orders, and the business continuing to grow! Support from Theo Patitis continued with The SBS Live event, this was an amazing opportunity to meet with the man himself and officially receive my award!
As hints of spring were on the horizon, in March, we launched our Mother’s Day gift set which proved a popular choice with our customers, and with those who received this luxurious gift. These completely sold out but will be coming back this Spring so watch this space!
We also made the decision to become a Limited Company, therefore allowing the business to move forward and continue to grow in such a way that would allow us to more effectively meet the needs of our customers. And with a new direction, came to the launch of a new product… our Orange Scented Vinegar. Capturing the essence of the warmer months to come, this fresh fragrant twist on a cleaning classic proved a popular addition to our collection!
Did I mention I was on Countryfile???
Things hotted up in June as Little Beau Sheep appeared on BBC Countryfile! In case you missed it I was interviewed by Anita Rani about our Laundry Balls and she had a go at felting her very own Hebridean sheep! The support I received after being on the show was incredible. I would like to take a moment to thank everyone for their messages and orders – and for their patience as it did take a little bit longer to get orders out than normal for those few weeks!
Part of the Countryfile story was using wool from the sheep at Crowkeld Farm to make Limited Edition Laundry Balls to fundraise and raise awareness for rare breed sheep. In 2019 we raised £375 for the Rare Breed Survival Trust. This is wholly down to the generosity of our customers- so thank you! You can read the full story here.
Every July brings the much anticipated Great Yorkshire Show in Harrogate. This is the perfect place to mix with farmers, local business (the odd celebrity) and of course sheep!
In August, I shared the stage at a Countryfile Live event at the stunning Castle Howard with Baa Stool’s Shepherdess Michelle and the renowned Jules Hudson! The brand new travel sized products also entered the flock, just in time for those summer holiday adventures!
With Autumn here and the new school term underway, it was time to put my thoughts into the festive season. From 1-4 September 2019 I was one of the 12 lucky winners of a stand at the Autumn Fair sponsored by (you guessed it!) Theo Paphitis. Held at the NEC Arena in Birmingham, and with over 20,000 visitors, it is one of the biggest home and gift trade events for suppliers and retailers – thanks to this event you will now find my products stocked far more widely across the whole country. I also had the chance to meet Theo again and chat to him about my business and how the event had gone. This was an overwhelming experience (especially with film cameras, photographers and lotos of people watching!). Theo Paphitis is lovely though, put me at ease, and took a genuine interest in my little flock of sheep. Not sure I will be applying to Dragon’s Den any time soon though!
Being part of the SBS initiative has had a massive impact on my business this year and I would thoroughly recommend it to any aspiring entrepreneurs out there. One of the most valuable aspects is being part of the supportive group of previous winners on Facebook. I’ve learnt so much from being part of it and offered advice to others in return. It’s such a supportive community of people helping each other to succeed in business.
To both my surprise and delight, October saw me achieve the position of finalist in The Rural Business awards and The Great British Entrepreneur Awards.
Little Beau Sheep was also the proud winner of the prestigious Wool innovation Prize 2019 received from The Worshipful Company of Woolmen and The Company of Merchants of The Staple of England.
“The goal of the Wool Innovation Prize is to drive innovation in the UK and support British craft. Sarah’s business really impressed us. It combines the use of wool in every day products whilst allowing consumers to be more eco-friendly”, noted Peter Ackroyd, member of the Woolmen and COO of HRH The Prince of Wales’ Campaign for Wool.
Crafts in the Pen began to get us all into the Christmas spirit, and offered us a brilliant opportunity to meet more people to engage with, in the New Year.
And here we are in December! Mince pies made, fires lit, (laundry on) and the warm glow of the chance to win an exclusive Rudolph laundry ball in the 12 days of Christmas competition! We knew you would love that!
And so, it is the time to thank you each and every one of you for your love and support this year.
Both myself and the team at Little Beau Sheep, wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and prosperous 2020
P.S. I have just found out that Little Beau Sheep has been nominated for Independent Business of the Year 2020 in The Yorkshire Choice Awards. You can vote for us here (and please feel free to share) – it really would get 2020 off to a great start!
