What Winning Theo Paphitis’ Small Business Sunday Means to Us
This week, something extraordinary happened. Weebert’s World, the small business Andy and I built from scratch, was chosen as one of this week’s winners of Theo Paphitis’ Small Business Sunday (#SBS).
I’d written our entry on Sunday evening with my usual mix of hope and nerves. I’ve seen other winners over the months and always felt inspired, but never imagined we might be one of them. So when I saw our name in Theo’s post on Monday evening, I was stunned.
I had to read it more than once to let it land. Then I cried. Then I did a little dance around the kitchen (which made Andy laugh).
Then I sat down quietly, put the kettle on, and let it all sink in.
Because this isn’t just a nice bit of news. It means something deep and personal. It means we’ve been seen. It means someone, someone with a huge presence in the business world, thinks what we’re building is worth noticing. That’s a moment we’ll remember for a very long time.
What Is Small Business Sunday?
If you’ve never heard of it, Theo Paphitis, retail entrepreneur and former “Dragon” from Dragons’ Den, started Small Business Sunday in 2010. Every Sunday, small businesses across the UK share a tweet with him using the hashtag #SBS. Then, each Monday evening at 8pm, Theo picks six winners to retweet to his large following.
For the businesses chosen, it offers a chance to be seen by thousands of people, join an active and supportive community of fellow winners, and attend the annual SBS event. But more than that, it’s an incredible morale boost. And I think that’s what touched me most.
Building Something from Scrap
Andy and I didn’t set out to become entrepreneurs. We were approaching 60 and had spent our lives working hard, Andy in aviation for over 40 years, including 27 years in the army; me in the public sector.
Then Andy began creating robot sculptures out of scrap to help support his mental health. From that, I started writing children’s stories inspired by the robots. That little robot no bigger than a can of beans made from a Cold War spy camera, some opera glasses and a tangle of copper wire became Weebert, and slowly, Weebert’s World was born.
Now, we’re building a children’s brand centred around stop-motion animation, storytelling, STEM outreach, and creativity. We want to show children that imagination matters, that scrap can become something magical, and that there’s space for fun, play, and wonder in how they learn about the world.
We’re trying to do all this without a big team behind us. It’s just the two of us, working from our home in Shropshire, telling stories from the kitchen table, and believing with everything we have that this world we’re building can one day sit proudly on children’s TV.
Why This Win Matters
Being one of this week’s #SBS winners means we get to carry that belief a little further. It’s a signal to investors, potential partners, animation studios, and the public that our idea has value. That someone like Theo Paphitis sees potential in what we’re doing.
We now have a digital badge we’ll display proudly on our website. But more than that, we feel connected, to a brilliant community of small business owners, creatives, and makers who know what it’s like to pour your heart into something and hope the world sees it.
Thank You, Theo
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you, Theo. This win has given us a boost just when we needed it, and reminded us that all the early mornings, long hours, and kitchen-table courage are worth it.
We’ll keep showing up, keep building, and keep telling stories that give children permission to play, explore, imagine and create.
Because Weebert’s World isn’t just our business. It’s our dream.
Lotty x
