Its March 2020 and I cant believe the growth I have seen in the business and myself over the last 12 months. I bought my first sewing machine 18 months ago with no clue how to sew and certainly no intention of making this into a waterproof bib business and yet here I am now with a sewing studio, a website and a following on Instagram of 2.5k!

I am literally filled with deep gratitude and amazement at how encouraging and supportive a community of strangers have been to me through social media! You have helped me to grow through your positivity and amazing feedback about my product. I love seeing photos of your baby’s wearing a bibbilyboo dribble bib (#bibbilyboobaby) and I feel like I have been on journeys with you, getting to know your little ones as they grow into and out of their bibs as they pass through their teething journey.

This post is just a little summary of the things I have worked on and achieved in year one of Bibbilyboo and to show that anything can be achieved with a bit of hard work and passion!

• Apr 2019 - Launched my business and website on my return to working in the NHS after maternity leave (I still work in the NHS as well as running Bibbilyboo and looking after my family and squeeze my business in where I can).

• Oct-Dec 2019 - Began selling at in person events (family fairs, baby events, Christmas shopping centre markets).  It's been so good to meet my customers in person!

• Feb 2020 - Appeared in Tatler magazine - when I heard that magazine drop through my front door it hit me that I was really achieving things.

• Mar 2020 - Won an Indy Best Buy Award from the Independent online - now this really did make me feel amazing, that something I made could be deemed a best buy!

                      - attended first baby trade event (Baby & Toddler Show, Manchester). I made 1600 bibs in 2.5 weeks (I still cant believe I managed this even now).

                      - featured in the Curated Makers #madelocalpopup in John Lewis at the Trafford Centre

                      - appeared in Tatler magazine again

So what have I learnt in this first year and where am I heading now?

I have learnt that I am far more determined than I ever realised and that my hard work ethic is really strong; but that it only works when you really believe in what you are doing and that is reinforced by all of the wonderful support I receive from my customers and the images you tag me in. I have achieved a lot in a matter of a short time and most of it was achieved in the early hours of the morning as I tend to work once my children go to bed, from around 8pm and sometimes until 2.30am if I am busy!

For year 2 I have some exciting plans which I can hint will include several new product lines and much more social media and PR engagement.  I am also about to start wholesaling and have created a section on the website for easy ordering for potential partners to apply to work with me.  I have 3 businesses who have already made enquiries and I am working with Therese from the Small Business Collaborative to learn the ropes and launch my wholesale catalogue in the coming weeks. It's a really exciting adventure to be starting!

It goes without saying that I hope you are all staying well at this very strange time in our lives but I encourage you to stay positive and maybe reflect back on what has been a success for you and look forward to more of those times as we move towards the end of 2020.  I cant wait to see how we all pull together to tackle these challenges and grow from it. Katie xx