Sarah Hurley Wins Kalixa Spirit of Small Business Award!

So today I can share some BIG news with you, I'm so excited to announce that a couple of weeks ago I was told I had won the Kalixa Pro Spirit of Small Business Award as the best sole trader! I popped off to London last week to collect my lovely award...

and today, there is a big feature in the Daily Mirror on all of the award winners...

Including me!!

So this is where I'd be SUPER grateful for your help - all of the 12 category finalists now go forward to a public vote to win the overall outstanding Small Business of the Year award and a massive £10,000 prize! I can't tell you how much this would mean to me - it seems bizarre that less than 4 years ago I had just £40 and an idea, a dream, that I could create things that would make people happy, make them want to create things too, that I could make award winning toys that children love and that help them to learn and use their imagination, that I could write stories and books, appear on TV and inspire people to craft and discover things that they are good at. I never imagined I would have over 600 products at this point, sold in lots of lovely places around the world, that I would be on the board of directors for CHA UK helping to build the industry and help other people like me who wanted to make something happen for themselves, that I would be able to employ people (I couldn't even find myself a job back then!!) and mentor other small businesses and watch them flourish and grow and yet just 4 years later here I am! I'm totally thrilled to win this one as it's the first award for me personally (others I've won have been for my products - which of course I love too!!) so I hope you'll spare just a minute to click here and vote for me!

Thank you all so SO much!

Lots of Love

Sarah x

Craft Classes in Loughton, Essex!

Today, Lisa and I met outside the office and went to view a venue in Loughton to hold craft classes (and possibly, creative business sessions!) I'm very excited to say, the venue was perfect, close to the station (on the Central Line), on two major bus routes and with parking nearby. We will be putting together a schedule in the next couple of weeks to start in August / September. 

In the meantime, we'd love your feedback! Tell us what classes (or creative business sessions) you'd love me to teach (I've already had requests for marker colouring and Project Life, how do they sound?), what times and days would be best for you and anything else that helps us make it the best experience we can for you! 

Just leave us your feedback and suggestion in the comments or contact us via email, Facebook or Twitter - I look forward to meeting more of you soon!

Thank you for dropping by today!

Sarah x