Ballymena’s Sarah Thompson, founder of Ted & Stitch and The Tedberry Market, reveals how she turn her kitchen table business into a global brand which is now helping other small Northern Ireland businesses succeed
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LifestyleTranscript
00:00Hello everyone, I'm Sarah Thompson, the founder of Ted & Stitch and the Tevry Market.
00:06I'd love to share with you the journey of how my kitchen table business became a brand
00:10and how we're now helping other small businesses in Northern Ireland.
00:15My journey began in February 2021 right at our kitchen table.
00:20After our son entered remission from a brief battle with cancer, I found myself in an emotional struggle,
00:25trying to navigate my worries as a parent.
00:28Counseling helped me realise I needed a goal, a spark and something for myself.
00:32And my husband Paul reminded me of my dream to start an embroidery business.
00:36And that's how Ted & Stitch was born.
00:40I started making personalised items for family and friends and a Christmas jumper I made for my son Nate
00:45generated so much attention on social media that friends began requesting their own.
00:50This momentum led to the creation of Ted & Stitch and four years later we have an amazing online community
00:55and a diverse range of products from custom embroidered jumpers to bags and work wear.
01:01My husband Paul left his job in sales to join me and we haven't looked back.
01:06Through our journey I've been inspired by Northern Ireland's incredible small business community.
01:11This inspiration led to the creation of the Tevry Market in 2022.
01:16During COVID we saw an opportunity to give online businesses a physical presence,
01:21a chance to connect face to face with their customers coming out of COVID.
01:26The Tevry Market has seen incredible success, providing a platform for small businesses
01:31to increase their revenue and visibility as we move from location to location around Northern Ireland.
01:36This weekend we're excited to take over Glenorme Castle with over 100 local businesses showcasing the best of Northern Ireland.
01:43Previous markets have welcomed thousands of customers and generated significant revenue for local retailers.
01:49Join us this weekend, June 29th and 30th from 10am to 5pm for a fantastic line-up of vendors, live music, family entertainment and great food.
01:57Tickets are available online and we'd love to see you there.