100'S OF LOCAL SMALL BUSINESS SUPERSTARS
At the Heart of It!
While Cornwall Shop Small is a one woman small biz it represents a huge team of 100's of local small business superstars and you... you're an essential part of the shop small crew. Without you we wouldn't be able to celebrate the joy and value of shopping small. Thanks for being a local hero!
You can meet lots of the amazing Cornwall Shop Small makers, producers, creators, curators & small businesses at our Truro, Newquay or Festival Markets or hop across to our Online Directory to meet the whole team right now.
The Story
MEET THE FOUNDER, SARAH CURLEY
Hi, I'm Sarah, and I'm lucky enough to be the female founder of Cornwall Shop Small. It's such a joy to work with small businesses and indie traders who constantly inspire me with their hard work, creativity and kindness. They are genuinely dedicated to what they do and I share their passion. I love that Cornwall Shop Small shouts about how amazing they are and gives you the opportunity to connect with them at Markets and through our Online Directory.
My career began in London working on tv, online and event sponsorship & promo campaigns. I worked on global ad campaigns, launched products onto supermarket shelves and organised international competitions. All amazing experiences but over time I became bored and frustrated. Did I really want to be part of a machine that was promoting mass throwaway consumption? Hmmm, no. Was I fed up of corporate red tape hampering creativity? Most definitely.
I left the bright lights of London for the big skies of Cornwall to start a new challenge and a new way of life. I wasn't sure exactly what I was going to do... I kept up with some freelance marketing work to keep some pennies coming in, had my own small creative biz selling upcycled vintage lighting & decor at markets, online & for commercial commissions and started a vintage event hire company with a friend that led to us having a little vintage shop for a few years and hosting local vintage fairs. These fairs grew into a series of events and for a few years I co-curated these, part time, under the name of Duchy Fairs, until, in 2022, my friend and business partner took a step back and we closed the partnership.
But it wasn't the end for me. I loved being part of the small biz community, I found Market days joyful, I was passionate about the benefits of shopping small and I felt that my experience could support the shop small mission! In early 2023 Cornwall Shop Small launched along with the Online Directory, Markets in Truro and Newquay, at Festivals across the county and other Pop Up specials. AND 2024 is set to be our biggest (and bestest) shop small year yet!
So, rather than scheduling a multi million pound TV ad campaign you'll find me popping up posters, instead of promoting a global product launch I'll be chatting to a micro maker about how their wonderful biz can thrive, and the 4am starts are not to fly to a meeting but to head to Market day to get prepped for the wonderful shop small superstars and supporters. And do you know what? I am so very lucky to be doing what I do.
Thanks for joining the shop small adventure, you're a local hero! Want to find out why that's such an amazing thing? Hit the link below!