The Present...

Lots of things have happened in the last few years & as we come up to our 4th anniversary, it’s time for a recap & some which have been visible on social media. It seems there’s never enough time to sit, write & pour out what we’ve been up to in this time... but I can try & summarise: A rebrand; a place in the final of Entrepreneur of the Year category at the Aber First Awards; several weddings, corporate events, loads of cocktail workshops, weird & wacky events, charity gigs, private festivals & making strong ties in South Wales & the West Country. 

I disappeared to New Zealand for 7 months. Call it a quarter-life crisis (perhaps a bit generous there...), but it was something I’d been planning on doing for many years. It gave me huge perspective on life & the drive to continue my passion into making The Wonder Bar a success. It can be really hard to be motivated & accountable when you run a small business, especially as a solopreneur, but what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger & sometimes you’ve just got to run off to the other side of the world to realise what you have on your doorstep.

Making Mojitos in Te Kaha - no electricity, no lights,
no phone signal for 70km...There is Bacardi though!

Since returning from NZ, I moved back to the south of Wales & decided to plunge myself into self-employment full time. A scary & daunting prospect, but one that I couldn’t achieve without the never-waning support from my family. There are so many connections, opportunities & events to be a part of in the area & I’ve loved being closer to the people that mean the most. 

In the last few months, I have been the ‘yes woman,’ connecting at networking events, taking any course that might be deemed useful & attending every meeting I’ve been invited to (mostly relevant, sometimes not!) I’ve since joined a lovely networking group called Uno (formerly Action Business Club) which meet weekly in the Tiny Rebel Brewery in Rogerstone - a lovely bunch of business people I instantly connected with. (And I guess I feel at home meeting in a brewery, even if it is at 7am on a Thursday!) Business Wales also set me up with a couple of business mentors, one of which, who has been super enthusiastic & helpful is David Pell who runs Defy: marketing & business consultancy. His background in hospitality & growing SME’s is invaluable & I’m excited to be working on a new project with him at the moment (watch this space!)

David also introduced me to a fantastic community, based in Caerphilly. Welsh ICE (Innovation Centre for Enterprise) is - not just a co-working or office space - but a friendly, inviting & brilliant outlet for those who want to start or grow their own business. Hosting workshops; courses; weekly ‘meet the expert’ days & regular social events, it’s a great place to be welcomed into & I highly recommend it to anyone looking to set up their own business.

All in all, I’m still settling into the role of being my own boss, whilst being a part-time carer; chief dog-sitter & battling with a work-life balance. There are days where it’s a struggle to be inspired by a never ending to-do list. But ultimately, I love the work I do, my passion is in hospitality & I can’t wait to share with you all what the future has in store! Prepare for the introduction of videos, more blogs & a showcase of some fabulous products of ours & other outstanding Welsh suppliers.