Toying Around: A Trip to London's Toy Fair

Embarking on the journey of setting up a new business from my island home has been an adventure filled with unexpected challenges and invaluable lessons. Among these, participating in trade shows like London's Toy Fair has been a momentous experience. Despite the daunting prospect of long travel times, my determination saw me setting off at 5am, eager to navigate the bustling energy of London and the pouring rain to reach Kensington Olympia.

Navigating the crowded aisles of the Toy Fair, I couldn't help but reflect on the personal journey that brought me here. From the hustle and bustle of London's rush hour to the familiar faces in unexpected places, every moment was a step on the path to building my new venture.

Here are five personal lessons I've learnt along the way:

1.Embrace the Early Start: The early morning journey, while exhausting, set the tone for the day. It reminded me that in business, as in life, the early bird often does catch the worm. Being among the first to arrive gave me a quiet moment to gather my thoughts and plan my approach.

2.Value of Familiar Faces: Seeing an old colleague, Mat Thorpe, amidst the sea of strangers was a reminder of the importance of maintaining connections. It's comforting and empowering to have allies in your corner, especially when stepping into the unknown.

3.The Power of Presence: Simply being at the trade show, presenting myself and my new business to the world, was a bold step out of my comfort zone. Each interaction, whether it ended in a potential lead or not, built my confidence and honed my pitch.

4.Patience and Persistence: Handing out business cards and engaging with both large and small companies reinforced the lesson that success doesn't come overnight. It's about planting seeds and nurturing those connections over time.

5.The Waiting Game: The anticipation of waiting for responses post-event taught me the value of patience and the importance of continuing to push forward, even when the results aren't immediate.

I hope that by sharing with you my personal lessons learnt whether you’re a start-up building your business from scratch or are already established I hope that we can connect and support each other on this journey. Have you been met with challenges that you have had to navigate when starting something new? How have you dealt with this? What lessons have you learnt along the way?