Belinda Hall, founder of London-based Home of Artisans, explains why the business should win the innovation in funding category of the Guardian Small Business Showcase competition.
The money I have raised so far to fund my business has come from a variety of sources.
I had a previous business where I re-created the granny shopping trolley and made a posh version. I launched this and associated accessories into London and sold them to Harvey Nichols Knightsbridge, Fenwick of Bond Street and via my own online e-commerce boutique.
It’s from this business that I got the idea for my current venture: Home of Artisans.
The sales I made from that previous business, as well as selling my London house, allowed me to take time out from my advertising career in London to move to a remote village in Tuscany and focus on building my website (with my developers), work on my investment plans and grow my base of makers in order to get my business up and running.
I am now back in London, we are live, have a team in place and are now in the process of looking for further finance in order to fully launch Home of Artisans and really bring our proposition to life online.
All entries which meet the competition criteria are published and our judging panel select a shortlist of the three for each category. Winners are announced at an awards ceremony in summer 2016.
