John Dowler, owner of Cumbria-based Advent Gift Boxes. explains why the business should win the innovation in funding category of the Guardian Small Business Showcase competition.
I retired early in 2012, after teaching for 35 years and took as much of my pension as a lump sum as I was allowed. With some help, I designed an Advent Gift Box – basically a 3D advent calendar – and filled them with conserves, sweets, chocolates and dried fruit, marketing them initially at adults.
I hauled them around food festivals and Christmas fairs and contacted all the schools in the area to see if they would put samples in the staff room for people to purchase. I’d taught in lots of the schools, so received a good response.
I then met a former student who was now the seasonal buyer at Hayes Garden Centre in Ambleside, and she agreed to sell them in their renowned Christmas department.
She also recommended that we went to the Harrogate Christmas and Gift Fair the following January and, as a result, we had more than 70 retailers selling our gift boxes.
For 2014, most of the lump sum had been invested, but at the end of 2014 we developed three new designs with children and families in mind. We funded it with a £10,000 endowment, which had matured. We also bought some non-edible fillers and produced a ‘Ladies Advent Gift Box’ with soaps, bath melts and scented candles. It’s been tight at times but we’ve managed so far without taking a loan. We’re hoping that continues.
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.
