A boost from Dragons’ Den star Theo Paphitis
Kidvelo Bikes gets a Boost from Dragon’s Den Star Theo Paphitis
We are delighted to receive a business boost from Retail Entrepreneur Theo Paphitis, within months of opening. Back in March 2022, Karen Wood, Founder of a new kids’ bike brand Kidvelo Bikes, tweeted Theo about her business during ‘Small Business Sunday’. Kidvelo was one of six weekly winners to gain a retweet by Theo to his nearly half a million Twitter followers. The weekly initiative, set up by Theo in 2010, now has over 3,000 #SBS winners and supports small businesses in the UK.
Business and retail entrepreneur and self-confessed Shopkeeper, Theo re‐tweeted Kidvelo’s message to his almost 500,000 followers. As a result, Kidvelobikes.co.uk has thousands of new followers and extra orders for their balance bikes. They are also profiled on the #SBS website (www.theopaphitissbs.com), exclusive to all Small Business Sunday winners.
Kidvelo is a new brand specialising in children’s bikes. Using my years of expertise in the kids’ bike industry we set out in 2020 to design a new range of lightweight balance bikes. We’ve only been trading for three months so it is great to have support from Theo. It is always tough trying to raise awareness of a new start-up and Theo has recognised our hard work and helped spread the word about what we do to his following. – Karen Wood
Small business champion and Ryman Stationery, Robert Dyas and Boux Avenue Chairman, Theo Paphitis, said: “We are thrilled to welcome new #SBS members every week and highlight just how important it is to support our small businesses here in the UK. I envision everyone who has ever won an #SBS re-tweet from me becoming part of a friendly club; of like-minded individuals who can share successes and learnings. The website will also give a valuable profile to the winners chosen and I wish Kidvelo Bikes every success.”
And for Kidvelo the awards keep on coming!
Kidvelo Bikes won Start-Up of the Year with the British Business Awards in 2022. The Rookie 12 Balance Bike won Made for Mums Gold Best Balance Bike, Gold in the Organic Baby Awards and took home the Overall Best Buy and Best Balance Bike in the Loved By Parents Awards and Winner in the Right Start Toy Awards in 2022.
Karen was a finalist in the prestigious Woman Who Start-Up Awards, and selected as a Finalist for Business Woman of the Year with the Ladies First Network. (winners announced March 2023).
