I designed and printed my first business cards and flyers and made a list of places where I hoped I could leave them.
To my surprise, every location I approached told me they had no space available for business cards or flyers. I was genuinely quite shocked. I had spent time designing everything, printing it and planning where to introduce my new business, only to find that there was nowhere for them to go.
On the way home, I changed direction and decided to stop at the Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre.
I left some of my business cards there and carried on home, thinking little more of it.
And then there were couple of local independent shops I visited afterwards. Unlike the places I had first approached, they were genuinely welcoming and happy to display my flyers and business cards. Their kindness and encouragement meant a great deal to me, and I am incredibly grateful to them.
Then, not long afterwards, an email arrived.
It was from Sherwood Events, inviting me to take part in their upcoming events. They had found my cards at the Visitor Centre and asked for possibilities of demo and work shops?
They invited me to trade at Wildwood Arts Weekend in June, as well as the 40th Robin Hood Festival in August.
I honestly could not have imagined that when I left those few cards at the Visitor Centre.
A small change of direction on the way home had led to something much bigger.
Looking back, this was one of those moments where you realise that not every closed door is a setback. Sometimes it simply sends you somewhere else.
And in my case, that somewhere else happened to be Sherwood Forest.