I always knew I wanted to be in business. My parents owned a company business for 30 years and this was a huge part of our lives. We were open all hours, and I was regularly recruited to help out. In 2005 I followed in my mam and dad’s footsteps, and founded Crafter’s Companion while I was studying at University.

Today, Crafter’s Companion designs and sells creative products to customers all around the world from our global distribution hub in the North East of England. 

In the last 15 years of new ideas and product launches, there’s never been a dull moment. To date, I have proudly collected more than 25 awards on behalf of the company, and my personal achievements. These awards are a true reflection of the power of teamwork - if you surround yourself with good people, then good things will happen.

Achievements:
- Chief Inspiration Officer with Avon (2024)
• MBE, 2016 - Outstanding Contributions to the Craft Industry
• Dragons’ Den (2020 and 2021)
• The 10 Most Admired Business Women to Watch - CIO Views
• Outstanding Entrepreneur at the Northern Power Women Awards
• Queen's Award for Enterprise for international trade 
• Outstanding Achievement in Business Award Lloyds Bank National Business Awards  
• Management Today's 35 under 35
• Ernst & Young UK Emerging Entrepreneur
• Shell Livewire Young Entrepreneur
• Entreprepreneur of the year Women of the Future Awards
• Stevie Women in Business award for Young Entrepreneur
• Who’s Who of Britain’s Business Elite 
• CNBC’s UK’s ‘Top Ten Brilliant Entrepreneurs’
• Creative Entrepreneur of the Year at the Great British Entrepreneur Awards
• Listed in the Sunday Times BT Business SME Export Track 100 rankings. (2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020)
• Sunday Times International Track 200 (2021)

I’m incredibly lucky that my career in business has opened all sorts of unexpected and exciting doors. I’m currently an investor on BBC One's Dragons' Den, working with a variety of dynamic and exciting businesses. I’m a product gal at heart – that’s not to say I wouldn’t invest in a service business but growing up in the FMCG world has given me the exposure to real innovation!

Reach my team 👇🏽
https://sara-davies.com/contact/

I really wanted to get out running this morning but it was -2 degrees and terribly icy around the village, so I fished out my walking boots instead and wrapped up warm and went out for a 5k power walk instead. 

Blew the cobwebs away and set me up for the day good and proper! Bring it on!

Sara Davies MBE 

Founder of Crafter's Companion, Dragon on BBC's Dragons' Den, The 6 Minute Entrepreneur

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And just like that and we're all back into the swing of it like the Christmas break never even happened!

Anyone else struggle yesterday? First day back at work, first day back into the routine...? I didn't think that alarm would hurt quite as much as it did yesterday (or that it would take me just as long as it has to re-engage my brain again!) but today was a bit easier again!

This is just a reminder (to myself as much as you all too!) that we don't need to take on the whole world this first week... it's fine to ease ourselves back in, it's normal not to quite be firing on all cylinders on day 1 and that's ok. It's good to be back up and running but this is the year we're gonna look after ourselves too remember and not burn out!

So here's to a week of evenings in your PJ's on the couch and looking after ourselves - 2026 is gonna be a big year but we're all gonna take it one day at a time!

Tons of love xxx

It's a year to the day since I took back the helm at Crafter's Companion, and my word what a whirlwind year it's been!

They say turnaround isn't for the faint-hearted. They're not wrong. 🤪🫠

It's been an emotional rollercoaster these last
365 days, and I've worked harder than I ever have in my life, but I'm so pleased I made the decision to buy the company back.

Business is all about the people. And by that I mean my wonderful team and our incredible customers. Those people rely on Crafter’s Companion every bit as much as I do (in some cases even more), and that's what pushed me to make the call I did.

There's still a lot of hard work ahead. Business is bloody tough right now and nobody has it plain sailing, but l've got an amazing team who put their heart and soul into making what we do special, and that's what keeps me focused, passionate, and my cup filled up every day.

Here's to another year of crafting madness! 🥳

#crafterscompanion #craftingcommunity #smallbusiness #womeninbusiness #entrepreneurlife

There's no such thing as bad weather... just bad clothes!

That's what the say over in Scandinavia and I had to remind myself of that this morning when I had every excuse under the sun for why not to get out and do some exercise - but I realised they were just that - excuses - so I layered up, got my thick wooly hat and my windproof jacket out and put the walking boots on and powered through a 6 mile power walk round the village!

I feel great for it. I'm determined to move more, and the kids' football was off this morning so it was either lie on the couch in my PJ's or get off my ass and do something. So I went and did the walk, and now I'm relaxing my tired muscles in the bath and then I intend to spend the afternoon on the couch in my PJ's instead! PERFECT!

Happy Sunday folks!

It’s so important as a female founder to surround yourself with other inspirational women - people who challenge you, inspire you, and remind you what’s possible.

Running a business can be lonely at times. When you’re the one making the decisions, carrying the responsibility, and constantly thinking three steps ahead, having your people around you makes all the difference. The women who get it. Who share the highs, the doubts, the lessons, and the wins.

And that’s exactly what I’ve been doing today.

I took an earlier train to London than I needed to so I could meet up with my friend Maxine Laceby  
who I only met a few months ago through a female business owners network (BUY WOMEN BUILT). We hit it off straight away, and every coffee or lunch we’ve had since has left me feeling like I’ve found my people.

We’re in completely different industries and at very different stages of our business journeys… but that’s actually the magic. We both walked away from today feeling energised, inspired, and like we’d learnt so much from each other - and those are the most powerful connections of all.

So here’s your reminder today: surround yourself with brilliant people. The ones who lift you up, expand your thinking, celebrate your wins, and aren’t afraid to have honest conversations when you need them most!

Well what a 48h that’s been! This is me at Philadelphia airport (randomly in some little cabin room at the airport lounge!) having a catnap before my flight back to the UK because I’m struggling to stay awake long enough to make it onto the flight. What a whirlwind it’s been!

Those of you who’ve been following me a while will know about my regular crazy jaunts to the US for shopping telly, but for anyone new here, a few times a year I fly out to the States for a big show on HSN, the shopping TV company I’ve worked with for almost two decades. We deliver a big 24h craft day on the channel, kicking off at midnight.

Because of storms on the east coast, one of my flights was cancelled and I ended up being driven for nine hours from Toronto to the studios, arriving just a few hours before my first live airing Monday evening. It was manic and I was exhausted, but I had a massive new product launch and there was no way on earth I was letting my crafty ladies down, so I motored on.

After a phenomenal launch and a couple of hours kip, Tuesday was just as busy, back on live TV every couple of hours with some of my favourite hosts and showcasing what I genuinely think is the best product Crafter's Companion has to offer. We wrapped at midnight with a huge two hour finale alongside my absolute favourite host Adam Freeman. I was utterly exhausted but riding a massive adrenaline high, and when I made it back to my hotel room I crashed hard.

Post show days are just as tiring and today was back to back meetings from 8am until it was time to head to the airport. Which brings us to this, waiting to board and hoping I can sleep until touchdown.

I’ve been doing this for 20 years, and back in the day, when I was a young whippersnapper in my 20s, I used to do this once a month! Now, as a very tired 41 year old, I can just about manage a handful of trips a year and I’m counting down to getting home to my boys who’ve missed their mammy loads 😍

Yes it’s exhausting, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. When you love what you do it doesn’t feel like work, and I bloody love doing these shows, even if this fibrous being is completely knackered and ready for sleep!

#HSN #TVshopping #USA #WorkTrips #LoveWhatYouDo #ExhaustedButHappy

Every small business has a story to tell and celebrate, that's why I’m thrilled to be supporting the Small Business Growth Awards, brought to you by HSBC UK and the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB)
 
These awards recognise the ambition, creativity, and resilience of small businesses across the UK and with 8 award categories, there’s something for everyone!
 
I'll be at the National final in June to celebrate with all the winners and finalists and for the National winning business across each category, we’ve got something special in store as I’ll be arranging a 60 minute 1:1 mentioning session so we can discuss your ambitions and I’ll be sharing some of my top tips and insights.
 
Entries close at 23:59 on 9 February 2026 so don’t miss your chance to shine!! https://lnkd.in/eJZSR82s
 
Awards T&Cs apply
 
#SupportingUKSMEs #Entrepreneurship #SmallBusiness #HSBCUK #FSB

I absolutely love seeing women step into their power when it comes to money, confidence, and backing each other and this is exactly why I’m so excited to let you know about the Lifted Women Angels Conference 2026!

Now in its second year, this fantastic event is taking place on 30th January 2026 at Aspire in Leeds, and it’s officially the UK’s largest women angel investor conference outside of London. 

Lifted Ventures is on a mission to help women across the UK take charge of their wealth, build confidence around investing, and unlock opportunities by investing in other women. Whether you’re already an angel investor or you’re just starting to get curious about how investing works, this conference is all about learning, connection, and taking action.

After a sold-out debut in 2025, the team are going even bigger this year! A larger city centre venue, deeper conversations, stronger networking, and even more impact. I love their bold ambition too: activating 75 new women angel investors by 2027 by breaking down barriers and normalising investing as a wealth-building strategy. That’s how real change happens.

You can expect inspiring keynote speakers, powerful panel discussions on the future of female-led innovation, meaningful networking, and the Angel Investor Awards, celebrating women who are actively lifting others, including those who’ve helped leverage over £13m into female-founded businesses in the regions which is just brilliant!

If you’ve ever wanted to learn more about investing have thought how about how you can support women building amazing businesses then this is your sign...

Tickets are available here:
https://lnkd.in/dPQwaSnG

Jordan Dargue 
Helen Oldham 

#WomenInBusiness #FemaleFounders #WomenInvesting #AngelInvesting #InvestInWomen

How many times have you told yourself you'll get serious about marketing once you've got a bit more budget?

When I started Crafter's Companion, I had no money for advertising, no PR agency, and no marketing team. All I had was a product I believed in and a determination to get it in front of the right people!

And here's the thing… that's when I learned the most about what actually works. Building communities on social media where customers feel like insiders. Creating stories worth telling so journalists actually want to write about you. 

Turning your happiest customers into advocates through simple referral programmes. None of it cost me a fortune, but it did take focus and consistency!

I'm sharing all of this at Lead Generation Live on January 15th alongside some incredible founders including Daniel Priestley, Nathan Barry, and Eric Partaker. 

My friend Chris Donnelly has put together a free 4-hour event for business owners who want to build systems that generate leads without burning through cash.

It's completely free and online, and I genuinely believe it could change how you approach growth in 2026. Such a good opportunity if you're looking to hit the ground running in the new year! 

Pop the link in my bio to grab your free seat and I hope to see you there!
#LeadGeneration #BusinessGrowth #MarketingTips #Entrepreneur #SmallBusinessTips #FreeEvent #2026Goals

Open article: Lead Generation LIVE by growth.chris-donnelly.co.uk

So last week I had the privilege of being invited to Keynote the Coca-Cola Europacific Partners annual conference, and was interviewed by Karen Yates-Hills and Bruno Misseeuw. Our conversation explored resilience, mindset, feedback, failure, and how we can grow faster by learning from those around us.

Honestly, it was one of the most thoughtful and rigorous interviews I’ve taken part in (and kudos for the team in their planning and preparation to build the foundations for that!). The questions challenged me to go deeper, and I left feeling confident that we had surfaced insights that could genuinely support and inspire their teams. And then just now reading such positive and generous feedback on this post put the BIGGEST smile on my face.

Moments like these never lose their impact. Knowing that your knowledge, experience, and perspective might help positively shape someone else’s journey is what makes the work so meaningful. Being trusted to share that learning with some of the world’s most respected brands, organisations, and teams is easily my favourite part of what I am lucky enough to call my 'extended-job side-hustle speaking hobby' these days! 🤣

VP Field Sales Coca-Cola Europacific Partners

Every January, we bring our entire business together at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners for our annual company conference - a moment to align on our priorities and set the tone for the year ahead. 

The hardest part is rarely defining what we want to achieve, but how we inspire everyone across the organisation to approach the year with the right mindset.

This year, we had the absolute privilege of working with Sara Davies MBE - British businesswoman, entrepreneur and TV personality.

Sara’s straight‑talking, warm and refreshingly honest conversation sparked the most positive feedback we have ever received. Through her personal stories and her unique ability to make you feel like you’ve known her for years, she left us not only inspired but genuinely believing that we can achieve everything we’ve set out to do in 2026.

A few reflections from our colleagues say it all:

“Incredible, she is so authentic!”

“Best guest speaker we have ever had”

“Wow, so relatable and love her energy and passion”

“What a refreshing point of view — I’m stealing that feedback model with pride”

“I literally cannot wait to start the year, so many memorable messages”

“Love how down‑to‑earth she is, I could have listened to her all day!”

“Not our average guest speaker — thank you so much, she is there for us and our agenda”

A huge thank you to Sara from all of us at CCEP. We’re stepping into 2026 ready to make it our boldest year yet - fuelled by curiosity, openness and a true growth mindset.

Bruno Misseeuw
#cocacolaenterprisesltd #saradavies #curiosity #growthmindset

So I’ve had the pleasure of spending the weekend with my very good friend Raman and so I’ve been hearing first hand all about this exciting new venture….. 

It’s going to be EPIC - I’ve literally had him sit this weekend and talk me through the whole concept and I was hanging off hsi every word - I can’t wait for him to get stated with it!

And sounds like we won’t have to wait *too* long…. Watch this space!

Host of Molecule to Market (podcast). Founder of ramarketing. Co-founder of Lead Candidate. Best-selling Author. PEF Toronto Chapter Lead. Invest in cool stuff. Aspiring comedian 😬

So, it’s been a while since I launched anything new... 
In fact, it's been 4 years today since my book The Floundering Founder launched (https://lnkd.in/eCYaw7sf). Mental. 

Writing a book in the pre-AI days was a brutal task. But I’m glad I did it, because… I can’t believe it’s still doing what I hoped it would do. Helping founders feel seen. Giving them a map for the messy bits. Making them feel a little less alone. Every kind note I get still gives me that goosebumps feeling 😊 And I still can’t believe it’s a 4.7 on Amazon. Either it’s really good… or my mum has been very busy 😂 

Since I wrote the book, my own journey has kept evolving. Partnering with PE. Co-founding a second business, Lead Candidate. Coaching. Investing. Even trying stand up comedy 😆  And the thing people keep asking is… when’s the sequel? Plot twist. No book sequel.

But I am creating something else. Same behind the scenes, no BS tone as the book, but a new experiment. Something that starts where the book leaves off. For founders who are starting to get real traction and want guidance for the chapters that come next. Something they can't get from ChatGPT.  Unfiltered, nuanced, genuine wisdom from people who have been there and done the hard yards. Watch this space 👀

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