Hosted by designer and TV personality Jeff Banks CBE, 15 free podcasts feature interviews with 15 industry figureheads. They will be running over a period of 14 weeks from Sunday 20 October
Spring Fair, which takes place on the 2–5 February 2025 at the NEC, has launched a new Retail Insights podcast series for retail and by retail, to celebrate the show’s 75th anniversary, as well as to shine a light on businesses in the industry.
A first of its kind for a retail trade show, Spring Fair has collaborated with legendary designer and TV personality Jeff Banks CBE, to create a series of 15 free podcasts, each lasting 10-20 minutes, featuring interviews with 15 industry figureheads which will run over a period of 14 weeks. The series will launch weekly every Sunday from Sunday 20 October. The podcasts are available through all popular podcasting platforms such as Spotify and Apple Podcast, plus they can be watched through YouTube and at https://www.springfair.com/inside-retail.
The podcast series was designed to give a voice back to the retail community who have been a part of Spring Fair, to celebrate the rich heritage of Spring Fair, and spotlight the people and brands who make up everything that Spring Fair is. Featuring guests with a huge breadth of knowledge of the retail industry across all backgrounds and sectors, the series will benefit retail businesses of all sizes, from inspiring start-ups to 50-year-old staples in the industry.
The Spring Fair team brought together all 15 guests for a special 75th Anniversary media day which was hosted by Jeff Banks and filmed in the Spring Fair studios. Also invited to share in the day was Progressive Gifts & Home/GiftsandHome.net’s editor Sue Marks.
The candid conversations reflect on the past, present and future of retail – the stories that come out of building a retail business or being part of a retail business, stories that will inspire and resonate with many in the industry.
Listeners will be able to enjoy listening to Jeff in conversation with independent retailers – to include Nest, Alligator Pear and Coopers of Stortford, as well as brands such as Enesco, Talking Tables and Candlelight, plus buying group EK Retail, along with The Giftware Association and the Greetings Card Association, (GCA) – as they discuss an array of insightful topics including reinventing your brand, growing a bricks and mortar store, catering for all customer demographics, catalogue and mail orders business development, growing a small business, being a designer/maker and business owner, the power of licensed products, how to sell products to a global buying group, and how retail associations can help a business to be more successful.
The interviews also reflect on what it means to be part of the retail community, how to keep your company relevant for over 30 years, the power of storytelling, and how to stay true to environmental strategies and make a profit.
“In honour of Spring Fair’s 75th anniversary, we’re shining a light on the incredible businesses that continue to make this a successful event for the retail industry,” explains Soraya Gadelrab, event director of Spring Fair. “As we embark on this milestone event, and reflect on the journey we’ve taken together, for the coming 2025 show we’ll be turning our focus outwards. After all, we can’t celebrate Spring Fair’s 75-year history without honouring the people and community who got us here.”
Soraya continues: “We are incredibly excited to launch this anniversary podcast series – which is available for free to retail to help inspire. As a business leader or owner in retail this podcast is for you. For anyone looking to start a retail business this podcast is for you. And for the retail community this podcast is for you. There are also a few tips and tricks on how these businesses have either successfully shopped trade shows or successfully sold their products at trade shows. These are money can’t buy insights on how to be successful for businesses looking to sell products B2B. The series really has the feelgood factor and makes for very interesting listening.”
Adds Jeff Banks: “Spring Fair is still one of the biggest trade exhibitions in Great Britain and I have spent many a productive and inspiring day at the show over the years – it has been integral to the success of my designer collaborations with brands exhibiting there. It has been an absolute pleasure to work with the Spring Fair team to create this thoughtful and stimulating podcast series to celebrate the show’s incredible 75 years and help champion the people and businesses that make up the Spring Fair community.”
The first podcast, on Sunday 20 October, features an interview with exhibitor Nick Ronald, managing partner of Casa Verde, on reinventing your business, how Spring Fair has helped bring Casa Verde to life, and why it is the lifeblood of the industry.
Explains Nick: “Spring Fair was key to getting Casa Verde off the ground. Trade fairs are the lifeblood of our industry for two reasons. One, we are a very personable company. We’ve been blessed with about 1000 trade customers who are all a joy and it’s so important to meet them face to face. Secondly, Spring Fair is really the only place you’re going to meet new customers, and if we’re to grow we have to show our goods and be there. It’s incredibly hard work but we go home as high as a kite.”
The podcast schedule is as follows:
20 October – Nick Ronald, managing partner of lifestyle brand and The Summerhouse exhibitor Casa Verde.
27 October – Maggie Thornton, owner of award-winning gift shop Alligator Pear in Tadworth.
3 November – Kay Hutcheson, head of product marketing & product operations from home, garden and lifestyle store Coopers of Stortford in Bishop Stortford.
10 November – Tim Hollis, retail brand development manager from Talking Tables, a B Corp business that is the go-to for innovative, sustainable and design-led products that add fun and style to every gathering.
17 November – Samantha Gibbs, director of Nest, a trio of gift and card shops in Stoughton Grange, Stoneygate and Thurlaston Garden Centre in Leicestershire.
24 November – Aylish Ellwood, trade marketing manager at Enesco, a gift supplier exclusively offering well-known licences for all-time favourites such as Beatrix Potter, Disney, Willow Tree, Heartwood Creek by Jim Shore, Harry Potter, Scion Living, Lolita and more.
1 December – Daniel Kullmann, head of corporate communications, EK Retail, a large European multi-sector group that supports around 4,000 independent retailers in the living, electrical, toy, baby, fashion, home, DIY, sports and book sectors.
8 December – Stephen Spencer, ambience director, Stephen Spencer + Associates. Chair of Spring Fair’s Advisory Board, Spencer has helped some of the brightest stars and most prestigious brands in the retail, leisure, and tourism sectors.
15 December – A double episode features Sarah Ward, ceo of the Giftware Association (GA) and Adriana Lovesy, membership & marketing manager of the Greetings Card Association (GCA).
22 December – Craig Winsley, co-founder and managing director of DCUK, The Original Wooden Duck Company.
29 December – Evan Lewis, founder of VENT for Change, one of a growing number of conscientious brands that combine beautiful design with impeccable eco credentials and an ethical purchasing alternative.
5 January – Ray Qudos, consultant at Keplin Group, an innovative and agile consumer branding and product business offering design, import, storage, shipping and selling services.
12 January – Amanda Peffer, director of Blade & Rose, a leading British children’s fashion brand that’s instantly recognisable for its original iconic and unique signature leggings, with fun and quirky designs on the bottom
19 January – Mike Winch, founder of Candlelight, a market-leading designer, importer, and wholesale supplier of giftware and home accessories, with a legacy spanning over 50 years.
The Retail Insights podcast is part of the broader Inside Retail thought leadership hub, available on the Spring and Autumn Fair websites. For years, this platform has provided valuable content on sector trends, consumer insights and technological developments, as well as behind-the-scenes stories from brands and event partners, exploring key topics on the future of retail.
Inside Retail offers expert recommendations through video interviews and articles from industry insiders, partners, and guest writers. Covering everything from trends to sustainability, it is designed to help businesses grow and enhance their customer experience.
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