Meet our Shout out for Small Businesses Winners

Meet the winners of our Shout Out for Small Businesses competition

Shout Out for Small Businesses returned in November, and this time our competition searched for inspiring small businesses thriving online. From unique jewellery designs to coding classes for kids, we received so many nominations for innovative small businesses that have excelled in the digital landscape, despite the challenges posed by Covid-19.

With hundreds of entries, picking which businesses should win a social media marketing boost was a no easy task for our judges, but we are thrilled to announce the 10 businesses which really stood out across a diverse array of industries and markets.
One winner will receive a one-on-one mentoring session with Social Chain founder and Vodafone Business Ambassador Steven Bartlett. The BBC’s newest dragon will be working with the winning business on a bespoke mentoring session.

Our winner and runners up will also receive a social media marketing boost from Vodafone, giving each business exposure to a national audience. Additionally, each business will receive dedicated expert guidance from Vodafone UK’s V-Hub advisers to support their future online plans.

Meet our Shout Out for Small Businesses champions and discover their inspirational stories.

Thred Media

‘Shaped by Youth Culture, Powered by Social Change’ is Thred Media’s motto, a social enterprise focused on publishing, media, consultation and production aimed at Generation Z. The central tenet of the publishing side is Thred.com, a positive and unifying digital space dedicated to daily news and insights focused on global social change. The website reaches youth across 180 countries and is available in 17 languages. On the consulting side, the Thred team specialises in cross sector Gen Z research, media engagement strategies and futurecasting. They connect global brands with insightful young activists, entrepreneurs, and cultural leaders, enabling them to create collaborative content that best reflects the interests and experiences of this demographic. Thred Media also has a Change Maker Network, which enables young people to gain valuable work experience across a variety of social change focused projects, including journalism.

We were particularly impressed at the scale of the business achieved by such a young team, in addition to their positive ethos. Thred already employs 10 full time employees, 10 remote writers, 100 ambassadors, a community of over 200,000 followers and built a strong online identity. Thred hopes to continually galvanise social spirit by supporting and integrating Gen Z movements globally.

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Cypher Coders

Cypher Coders offers kids fun and engaging coding lessons, and their business scaled dramatically when they made their courses available online, attracting a global audience. Cypher believes that the computational thinking at the heart of coding makes a great foundation for problem solving skills, which kids can use when dealing with real-world problems too. Through creative camps, clubs and lessons, both in-person and online, Cypher is ensuring kids are #futureready by helping them understand the role that technology plays in so many subjects, from science to art, whatever their experience level.

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Nae Limits

Celebrating their 23^rd birthday in 2022, Nae Limits are one of Scotland’s largest outdoor adventure centres. Offering thrill-seekers everything from white water rafting and bungee jumping, to paintballing and quad biking, Nae Limits is a family run company that prides itself on its exemplary customer experience across central Scotland. With a host of 5* online reviews and a Visit Scotland award, Nae Limits works to stay digitally innovative and further hone their customer journey. This dedication to customer service has helped the business thrive online, with stag and hen parties, corporate team building and school groups all benefiting from their years of experience.

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Just Like Me Stories

Just like Me Stories are introducing innovative new reading resources to champion diversity and inclusivity in children’s books. Founder Pamela Aculey struggled to find any books that reflected her son Walter, who is bi-racial and autistic. Seeing a need for this in the market, Pamela created picture books using Augmented Reality technology to bring real children’s stories to life and represent the underrepresented in children's stories. With strong messages that allow children to express themselves honestly and openly, the technology used in Just Like Me Stories also creates a fun learning experience for young people.

Find out more

Cypher Coders

Cypher Coders offers kids fun and engaging coding lessons, and their business scaled dramatically when they made their courses available online, attracting a global audience. Cypher believes that the computational thinking at the heart of coding makes a great foundation for problem solving skills, which kids can use when dealing with real-world problems too. Through creative camps, clubs and lessons, both in-person and online, Cypher is ensuring kids are #futureready by helping them understand the role that technology plays in so many subjects, from science to art, whatever their experience level.

Find out more

Nae Limits

Celebrating their 23^rd birthday in 2022, Nae Limits are one of Scotland’s largest outdoor adventure centres. Offering thrill-seekers everything from white water rafting and bungee jumping, to paintballing and quad biking, Nae Limits is a family run company that prides itself on its exemplary customer experience across central Scotland. With a host of 5* online reviews and a Visit Scotland award, Nae Limits works to stay digitally innovative and further hone their customer journey. This dedication to customer service has helped the business thrive online, with stag and hen parties, corporate team building and school groups all benefiting from their years of experience.

Find out more

Just Like Me Stories

Just like Me Stories are introducing innovative new reading resources to champion diversity and inclusivity in children’s books. Founder Pamela Aculey struggled to find any books that reflected her son Walter, who is bi-racial and autistic. Seeing a need for this in the market, Pamela created picture books using Augmented Reality technology to bring real children’s stories to life and represent the underrepresented in children's stories. With strong messages that allow children to express themselves honestly and openly, the technology used in Just Like Me Stories also creates a fun learning experience for young people.

Find out more

Doorstep Gardener

When the world went into lockdown in March 2020, Doorstep Gardener was born. With garden centres closed, the team used their expertise to launch a garden delivery service based on themed plant collections. Demand was exceptional, and in their first season they delivered over 900 orders, firmly disrupting the marketplace. Doorstep Gardener are focused on helping customers transform their gardens, helping anyone, no matter their level of gardening knowledge (or lack of!), know which plants look good together; how many to buy, how to plant & what conditions they need to survive. The company aims to make it easier and more enjoyable to makeover gardens utilising technology to personalise them to reflect customers' style and space.

Find out more
Pedddle

Pedddle is an online directory of creative, independent markets and their stallholders. As an online platform, they unite event organisers, stallholders and market loving customers, offering a unique experience. Pedddle enable shoppers to easily discover local events, follow their favourite markets and stallholders, and shop more consciously. When visiting events, customers can scan the QR codes on Pedddle boards displayed on stalls to log the stallholders they've visited and access discounts along the way. Reimagining the market scene, Pedddle are excited to be bringing it into the digital world.
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The Snug Bookshop

From being an independent bookshop and café based in Somerset, the pandemic saw The Snug dive headfirst into all things digital to become the fully functioning ecommerce proposition it is today. Owner Samantha Carr upgraded the shop’s website single-handedly, uploading thousands of products and promoting The Snug’s offerings to audiences across social media. Now offering virtual events in addition to their in-person services, The Snug Bookshop and Café has focused on digital skills to take their business to a whole new audience online.

Find out more

Doorstep Gardener

When the world went into lockdown in March 2020, Doorstep Gardener was born. With garden centres closed, the team used their expertise to launch a garden delivery service based on themed plant collections. Demand was exceptional, and in their first season they delivered over 900 orders, firmly disrupting the marketplace. Doorstep Gardener are focused on helping customers transform their gardens, helping anyone, no matter their level of gardening knowledge (or lack of!), know which plants look good together; how many to buy, how to plant & what conditions they need to survive. The company aims to make it easier and more enjoyable to makeover gardens utilising technology to personalise them to reflect customers' style and space.

Find out more

Pedddle

Pedddle is an online directory of creative, independent markets and their stallholders. As an online platform, they unite event organisers, stallholders and market loving customers, offering a unique experience. Pedddle enable shoppers to easily discover local events, follow their favourite markets and stallholders, and shop more consciously. When visiting events, customers can scan the QR codes on Pedddle boards displayed on stalls to log the stallholders they've visited and access discounts along the way. Reimagining the market scene, Pedddle are excited to be bringing it into the digital world.
Find out more

The Snug Bookshop

From being an independent bookshop and café based in Somerset, the pandemic saw The Snug dive headfirst into all things digital to become the fully functioning ecommerce proposition it is today. Owner Samantha Carr upgraded the shop’s website single-handedly, uploading thousands of products and promoting The Snug’s offerings to audiences across social media. Now offering virtual events in addition to their in-person services, The Snug Bookshop and Café has focused on digital skills to take their business to a whole new audience online.

Find out more

Rùn Dog Food

Rùn Dog Food had been a year in planning before Covid-19 derailed their original launch plans. Launching almost entirely online in April 2020 after a complete change to their original, retail-focused, business model, Rùn offers a unique range of cold pressed, natural dog food in eco-friendly paper packaging, and the company plants trees with every online order. With a loyal fanbase of repeat customers, Rùn's recipes have been designed by a top canine nutritionist, who is pioneering the science behind cold pressed pet food. Rùn also supports a zero-waste philosophy and has a focus on establishing retailer refill stations.

Find out more
The Canny Chocolate Company

Founded in South Shields, The Canny Chocolate Company prides itself in creating hand crafted artisan chocolate. During lockdown, Kevin Reay studied to become a chocolatier. Having travelled extensively with work in destinations renowned for their cocoa plantations, farms and the inspiring communities behind these, Kevin took the opportunity to match his new skills with sustainability and exceptional flavours. Continuously experimenting with new flavours and recipes while being 100% ethical and sustainable, The Canny Chocolate Company offers a variety of speciality chocolate options to suit every occasion; from gifts and wedding favours, to the addition of chocolate making workshops for 2022.

Find out more
Kooky Bloom

Born out of Sophie Mitchell’s love of everything floral, unusual and fashion, Kooky Bloom creates beautiful and unique jewellery and accessories full of meaning. Designed by Sophie, inspired by her children and run with the help of her husband, Kooky Bloom creates handcrafted items full of love while also giving back; ‘Plant a bloom’ bee friendly wildflower seed cards are sent out with every order while also raising money for mental health charities; a cause close to Sophie’s heart and an instrumental factor in deciding to start the business. Offering “the kookiest of blooms” the business has allowed the family to rebalance both financially and mentally after the pandemic, while also amassing a strong following on social media, as well as several celebrity fans.

Find out more

Rùn Dog Food

Rùn Dog Food had been a year in planning before Covid-19 derailed their original launch plans. Launching almost entirely online in April 2020 after a complete change to their original, retail-focused, business model, Rùn offers a unique range of cold pressed, natural dog food in eco-friendly paper packaging, and the company plants trees with every online order. With a loyal fanbase of repeat customers, Rùn's recipes have been designed by a top canine nutritionist, who is pioneering the science behind cold pressed pet food. Rùn also supports a zero-waste philosophy and has a focus on establishing retailer refill stations.

Find out more

The Canny Chocolate Company

Founded in South Shields, The Canny Chocolate Company prides itself in creating hand crafted artisan chocolate. During lockdown, Kevin Reay studied to become a chocolatier. Having travelled extensively with work in destinations renowned for their cocoa plantations, farms and the inspiring communities behind these, Kevin took the opportunity to match his new skills with sustainability and exceptional flavours. Continuously experimenting with new flavours and recipes while being 100% ethical and sustainable, The Canny Chocolate Company offers a variety of speciality chocolate options to suit every occasion; from gifts and wedding favours, to the addition of chocolate making workshops for 2022.

Find out more

Kooky Bloom

Born out of Sophie Mitchell’s love of everything floral, unusual and fashion, Kooky Bloom creates beautiful and unique jewellery and accessories full of meaning. Designed by Sophie, inspired by her children and run with the help of her husband, Kooky Bloom creates handcrafted items full of love while also giving back; ‘Plant a bloom’ bee friendly wildflower seed cards are sent out with every order while also raising money for mental health charities; a cause close to Sophie’s heart and an instrumental factor in deciding to start the business. Offering “the kookiest of blooms” the business has allowed the family to rebalance both financially and mentally after the pandemic, while also amassing a strong following on social media, as well as several celebrity fans.

Find out more

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Meet our Shout out for Small Businesses Winners