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Notonthehighstreet.com is on the hunt for it’s next million-pound-partner

Notonthehighstreet.com, the UK’s leading curated online marketplace, is on the hunt for it’s next million-pound-partner. The platform was founded in 2006 by co-founders who recognised a market opportunity to connect customers directly with small creative retail businesses, through a curated online marketplace. For the first time, shoppers were able to browse and buy from the UK’s most innovative independent businesses, accessing unique, quality products, while entrepreneurs finally had a route to market that solved their fundamental marketing and distribution challenges. From there, the marketplace has injected over £600 million into the UK economy.

Following the appointment of Simon Belsham as CEO and a £21m of investment from Hubert Burda Media in the summer, the retailer has exciting plans for building its core gifting businesses in 2017. Expanding categories, bringing in more innovative products and broadening its visibility in the gifting market by investing in more marketing and brand partnerships is a key focus.

The business will also continue to invest in growing new talent through Pitch Up - notonthehighstreet.com’s flagship programme for start-ups who are looking to follow in the footsteps of it’s 5,000 successful Partners, 20 of which became million-pound businesses in 2016.

Now in its third year, Pitch Up provides creative businesses and entrepreneurs with the opportunity to pitch their innovative products and unique gift ideas to notonthehighstreet.com’s experts in the hope of joining the site as a new Partner (seller). Following the success of previous Pitch Ups held in Richmond, Bristol, Leicester and Manchester, the highly anticipated event will kick off at its headquarters in London on 25th February and Edinburgh on 9th March 2017 - with more expected to follow later in the year

Open to everyone and across all categories (Food and Drink, Jewellery and Fashion, Health and Beauty, Home and Garden), potential candidates are given a ten-minute window to pitch their products to a team of specialists who not only assess what’s being presented but also provide expert advice on how to develop their range and successfully sell online. The event is free and attendees can book their place through the website.

One small business who was successfully signed up through Pitch Up is Daventry-based creative, Hannah Clarkstone, and her handmade decorations and gifts company Paper and Wool. Hannah joined notonthehighstreet.com from Pitch Up London in 2015 having only launched the business earlier that year. She thought Paper and Wool would be a side project she could work on alongside her permanent job, never imagining it would turn into a fully fledged career. The success of Paper and Wool on notonthehighstreet.com has allowed her to not only quit her job and fulfil her passion but has also enabled her to buy her very own home. If you or someone you know has a small business and are interested in attending notonthehighstreet.com’s Pitch Up then book your place now for the 2017 events.

Pitch Up locations and dates (from 9am to 5pm)

Sat 25 February: London - NOTHS HQ, 63 Kew Road

Thu 9 March: Edinburgh - Dovecot Studios Ltd, EH1 1LT

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Not on the High Street .