SARA DAVIES

By becoming an MBE, I hope it helps raise the profile of our sector and what a thriving industry it is. I also hope it inspires others entrepreneurs in craft to believe, innovate and put our industry firmly on the map.

I came up with the Enveloper when I was 20 and it took my dad and me several months to develop the initial concept into a working model.

I just want the business to continue to grow and for our brand to become one of the most respected household names in craft, both in the U.K. and around the world.

Just because I'm a lot wealthier now doesn't mean I want my kids to grow up differently to how I did.

When I go to the U.S., the flights are long, and they do affect the body clock, but they are worth it.

I get people coming up to me and telling me that they are proud of me for what I've achieved. That is lovely.

A good 60 per cent of my time I spend travelling, mostly to the U.S., Canada and Germany.

It's always good when you prove people wrong.

We've had to be innovative, in terms of reaching the customer, and that's all been about making it an experiential shopping environment.

When we opened our office in Santa Ana, California, in 2016, I could not have envisioned this level of growth, although I always knew our products would be well received by customers in North America.

I've always been very passionate about investing time in and sharing my expertise with other entrepreneurs.

It's a myth that you need thousands of pounds to start a business.

I grew up in a little pit village on the outskirts of Durham.

There's all these stores all over the country and a lot of them are small but they're like little Aladdin's caves full of exciting nooks and crannies filled to the brim with products. Then you've got Hobbycraft, which is like a supermarket for crafts. What we want to be is a hybrid between the two.

I'm proud to say all our products are made in the U.K.

I know exactly what it feels like to be an entrepreneur with everything riding on a sale.

I am incredibly passionate about craft but am just as passionate about supporting local craft companies.

That's what us northern people do don't we? Don't mince our words, just say it how it is.

Both my parents ran small businesses and it undoubtedly made me the person I am today because I've only ever known them work incredibly hard.

In the U.K., we have a lot of independent traders, as well as the Hobbycraft chain, but the U.S. has four of five big chains, which makes crafting very accessible for people and makes it a totally different proposition.

I was the kid at school who wore clothes from charity shops.

I was surprised to hear that I would receive an MBE and have no idea where the nomination originated but I'm incredibly grateful.

I understand the highs and lows of building a global business from the ground and taking that initial product idea all the way to the market.

For all we are a manufacturer, we've always had a lot of communication with the consumer.

There are lots of people at our company who dedicate their time and effort to make sure that the journey from product design to hitting the screen is as seamless as possible.