SBS London Regional Business Bootcamp
13th May 2024 250 Bishopsgate
On the 13th of May we attended the SBS Regional Business Bootcamp in London organised by Theo and the SBS team. We enjoyed hearing presentations from Natwest on understanding your customer, Google Digital Garage on understanding Google analytics and SBS winner Fran on Instagram and influencers.
The SBS team had organised a special guest appearance from #SBS creator Theo Paphitiis who was interviewed by James Holian, Natwest's Managing Director of Business Banking. They spoke about SBS and how it started, how to grow your business and mental health.
This was a great opportunity for the SBS community to meet and network. We really enjoyed it and look forward to attending future events.
Access My Events At The Small Business Sunday Event 2024
23rd February 2024
Access My Events attends their first Small Business Sunday #SBS event, organised by Theo and his team. This is an amazing opportunity for businesses in the #SBS community to network and meet with former and new winners. We share our journey from how it all started and what it meant to us to be in attendance among other amazing businesses, including hearing and meeting with #SBS creator himself, Theo Paphitis.
About Small Business Sunday
On the 24th of July 2023, we entered the Small Business Sunday, #SBS, weekly competition on Twitter. This is one of the UK’s leading business networks, founded by Dragons Den star, Theo Paphitis. We didn’t expect to win and when it was announced that Access My Events was a winner of #SBS, we couldn’t believe it. As a winner of #SBS you get a boost on social media through Theo’s large social media following and you get to join a large community of small business owners with the opportunity to attend an annual event organised by Theo and his team.
Planning Our Journey
When the event date was announced for the 23rd of February, we were very excited and couldn’t wait to attend, being our first #SBS event. We started to plan our travel and book accommodation in advance. While doing this, the excitement was building to the day of the event. We decided to travel a day before so that we could take it easy and be there on time because it was a full day from 9.00am until 5.30pm. For the first time we booked passenger assistance for our journey from London Euston to Birmingham by train and both ways Zubee had the assistance with no problems.
When we arrived in Birmingham, we took an Uber to the hotel and the Uber had dropped us off at the wrong hotel because there were two hotels with the same name. When we eventually got to the right hotel we checked in and went to have a bit of a walk around to explore the area. For Zubee, it felt like a mini holiday because she has not had the opportunity to go out of London much and to see some of the well-known shopping centres and restaurants in Birmingham. Event day had arrived, we took an Uber to the event venue, which was not very far and went straight to the reception area located on the 4th floor to get our name badge and were then taken into the hall to our reserved seats towards the front of the stage.
Event Day Highlights And What Went On
It was a real privilege to be among so many amazing businesses in the network from former and new winners. The event was opened on the main stage by guest speaker, Kypros Kyprianou, CEO of Theo Paphitis Group, followed by the creator of SBS himself, Theo Paphitis. It was amazing to hear him speak and how he started SBS, to it becoming a large community supporting small businesses. He said it’s all about planning for the week ahead and it was on a Sunday that he was sitting in Mrs Paphitis’s kitchen thinking how he could help entrepreneurs and small businesses because he knows how lonely the entrepreneurial journey can be. It was back in October 2010, that he created SBS, this being the 11th event, which has since grown with 4000 plus Small Business Sunday winners.
It was interesting to hear some of the stats from Theo, on the winners with 80% being female and 53% sole traders. It was a very motivating and inspiring event with a lot to take away from the day with expert advice sessions from the SBS partners and sponsors with breakout presentations throughout the day. The room was full of so much positive energy. There were many highlights from the event some of which were, hearing from Theo himself, a former SBS winner who turned an idea into a £1 million business, the Natwest panel of entrepreneurs talking about their journeys into entrepreneurship and business success to meeting with Theo and having our photo taken while being presented with our award.
Special Fireside Chat Guest Stacey Solomon
Finally, Theo welcomed Stacey Solomon to the stage for a fireside chat, followed by a Q&A. It was wonderful to hear about her journey from X Factor, presenting on TV, becoming an influencer with 6 million followers, to investing in her very first business, and what it means to her to support small businesses. It was the first time that the winners were so touched by a guest that Theo had to try and take control as she was getting side tracked during the Q&A, and some of the winners were getting very emotional while speaking to Stacey, and even giving her presents. She got off the stage and allowed the winners to take photos with her. It just showed how much Stacey's words meant to the winners.
You can read our article in the latest issue of Business Connect Magazine, which also features an interview with Theo about #SBS in the Press and Media section of our website. It was great to meet with the Business Connect team in person and to see our article in print at the event.
We would like to thank Theo for choosing and awarding Access My Events, to be part of this amazing network and we look forward to attending again next year.😊
If you are a business that would like to be in with a chance of winning, follow the link to our SBS Winners Blog to find out what it meant to us to be chosen as a winner and how you can enter for free. To see images from the event, go to the gallery page of our website.
Small Business Sunday Event 2024
23rd February 2024 ICC Birmingham
All Small Business Sunday winners get an invite to an annual event that is organised by Theo Paphitis and his team. It's an amazing opportunity to meet and network with like-minded business owners and get expert advice from the SBS partners and sponsors.
It was a real privilege for us to attend our very first #SBS event at the ICC in Birmingham on the 23rd of February. As a winner of SBS, we got the opportunity to meet with Theo and have a professional photo taken while being presented with our award. Below are some photos from the event.
Have a read of our blog about our SBS win and what it meant to us when it was announced that we were a winner, and how you can enter for free.
Lilac Review UK Launch Event
1st February 2024 at Lloyds Banking Group
We were excited to be invited to the launch of the Lilac Review by Small Business Britain and hosted by Lloyds Banking Group. This is a 2 year programme, which aims to break down barriers for disabled entrepreneurs in business. We heard a presentation about the review by Lloyds Banking Group and then from the Minister, followed by a panel discussion with 3 disabled founders led by, Michelle Ovens, Founder of Small Business Britain.
To learn more and get involved, follow the link The Lilac Review
National Asian Wedding Show Featured Disabled Model On The Catwalk For The First Time
1st December 2023
The Platinum Group, part of the National Asian Wedding Show made history by featuring a disabled model on the catwalk for the first time, and for our founder, Zubee it was a real privilege to be a part of that.
Zubee shares what the National Asian Wedding is about and what it meant to her to be part of the show. As someone who hasn't modelled before, Zubee was excited to be involved, representing disability on the catwalk and raising awareness in the fashion industry.
Zubee hopes her participation will encourage other event companies to consider making their events accessible and inclusive to deaf and disabled people and lead the way in making a change in the fashion world. We would love to see other event companies follow them and have disability represented in their shows.
The National Asian Wedding Show is Europe’s largest Asian wedding exhibition that takes place every year at different locations, held nationally. The show returned for it’s 18th year on Sunday the 26th of November 2023, at the Novotel London West, Hammersmith. This was an event not to be missed!
The show had a large number of wedding exhibitors and suppliers showcasing their products and services with inspirational ideas, to help you make your special day memorable. Alongside that, the event hosted a stunning catwalk show that featured the latest in Asian fashion trends.
It was a real privilege for Zubee to be the first disabled person to model in an Asian Wedding catwalk show, to represent disability in the fashion industry and to raise awareness. This was a huge step for the organisers to include a disabled model. To prepare for the big day, we attended rehearsals and outfit fittings on Friday 24th November. It was great for us to meet with the team and to see the work that goes on in front and behind the scenes.
For Zubee the fit and length of a garment can be tricky when looking for something to wear, whether that’s in Western or Asian clothes and she knows sourcing a suitable outfit was going to be a challenge for Manny's team as it was their first time having a disabled person model. With bridal wear especially, garments tend to be very long and a lot of designers don't cater for disabled people but Zubee was excited to see what the team had come up with for her specific needs and requirements. When she heard that they had managed to source her an outfit she couldn’t wait to see it and try it on. Zubee said, "I have always wanted to wear a bridal outfit just to see what it would look like and I never thought it would be possible because of how long and big they are."
Zubee loved the experience of being able to model for the first time even though she was nervous because she didn’t know how the audience would react but once she was out on the runway, the sound of the audience applause, the lighting and the cameras down the catwalk just made Zubee feel amazing and she couldn’t believe she was modelling in a designer’s wedding outfit. Zubee would like to thank Reena, the designer of the outfit she wore and giving her the opportunity to walk for Pannaz Boutique.
We feel the show has led the way to making a change in the fashion industry and getting conversations going as we’ve seen by the reactions and comments across our social media. Zubee would like to say a huge thank you to Manny and his wonderful team for giving us this amazing opportunity and for their help and support in making her look and feel amazing. Zubee said, "I don't usually like to put makeup on unless it's necessary and going down the catwalk with my hair and make-up done was out of my comfort zone because I'm very self-conscious, but doing this gave me a boost in my confidence."
Zubee wore a beautifully styled red blouse and skirt (Lengha) with golden embroidery and a matching scarf (dupatta). The skirt Zubee wore had to be pinned up quite a lot from the bottom so she was able to walk in it comfortably and not trip over as it was a bit heavy and she was worried it wouldn’t work. The dupatta also had to be pinned up in a way to make it easy for her. The team did a really good job in making sure it worked for Zubee on her crutches.
Outfit by Pannaz Botique
Hair and Makeup by Geet Soni Academy
Jewellery by Aartist Jewellery
Styled by Mirza Miah & Shiv Rura
Photography by ELREM Foundation
As organisers of one of the most anticipated Asian wedding shows in the UK, Platinum Group took a ground-breaking step towards inclusivity in the fashion world. In a move that underscores our commitment to celebrating diversity, we are thrilled to have had the opportunity to work with Access My Events founder, Zubee Kibria who walked the catwalk at The National Asian Wedding Show on Sunday 26th November at Novotel London West, Hammersmith.
The fashion industry has long been associated with conventional standards of beauty, but we believe it’s time for a change. By featuring disabled models, we are making a statement that beauty transcends physical abilities and that everyone deserves to feel glamorous and confident. We want to redefine beauty standards and challenge preconceived notions.
Our decision to include a disabled model on the catwalk is not merely about making a statement; it’s about genuine representation. We firmly believe that everyone should be able to see themselves in the fashion world, and this move is a step towards making that vision a reality, Manny, Founder of the Platinum Group.
After the show, it was lovely to hear a compliment from a member of the public and to see so many more lovely comments on social media, which Zubee has been really touched by, with some making her a bit emotional just reading them. We have included a few of them below.
We were super proud to be a part of history being created. A huge congratulations to Manny and the team at Platinum Group for pushing the boundaries by showcasing a disabled model on the fashion runway. We are proud sponsors of Europe's largest Asian Wedding Show.
Game changing moment for the industry – well done for leading the way.
Love this! Amazing work and also such a beautiful model
What is the name of the model? She’s gorgeous and should be tagged and celebrated!
Wow! What a heartwarming moment to witness she’s beautiful from the inside and out, giving a chance to all women to showcase their beauty on the runway, is truly inspiring.
My eyes filled up as she was passing the stage.
Amazing motivation for a lot of us. Thank you for breaking these barriers and giving people like us hope and not to give up.
Love this. We need more of it!
Love this. Thank you for breaking down norms and bringing in diversity in this industry which has been neglected for the longest time ever.
Zubee said, "I can't help but feel like a celebrity after all the attention the posts shared have been getting on social media and the level of engagement and awareness getting out there." 😃
If you are a company interested in making your events accessible, please get in touch with us to find out more!
To see some more photos and videos from the show, please go to the gallery section of our website and visit our Instagram page.
We are already looking forward to next year’s show. To find out more about their upcoming events, please visit the National Asian Wedding Show Website.
National Asian Wedding Show 2023
26th November 2023 Novotel London West Hammersmith
The National Asian Wedding Show is Europe’s largest Asian wedding exhibition that takes place every year at different locations, held nationally. The show returned for it’s 18th year on Sunday the 26th of November 2023, at the Novotel London, Hammersmith. This was an event not to be missed!
The show had a large number of wedding exhibitors and suppliers showcasing their products and services with inspirational ideas, to help you make your special day memorable. The event hosted a stunning catwalk show that featured the latest in Asian fashion trends.
Our founder, Zubee was excited to be part of this amazing show and to model for the first time. Through Access My Events, the aim is to make events accessible and inclusive as possible to disabled people, and being part of this show was a groundbreaking step forward in breaking down barriers in the fashion industry. It was the first that an Asian wedding show featured a disabled person as one of their models.
It was great for us to see all the work that goes on in front and behind the scenes to put on a show of this scale. We would like to thank Manny and his wonderful team for giving us the opportunity to raise awareness of disability and to show that disabled people can look and feel as glamorous as non-disabled people. Zubee would like to thank everyone behind the scenes for their help and support in making her look and feel amazing!
We hope that our participation will encourage other event companies to consider using our services to make their events accessible and inclusive to the disabled community and use disabled people to model in their shows.
Head over to our Instagram page to see some videos and behind the scenes footage.
We are looking forward to next year's show. For upcoming shows, please visit the National Asian Wedding Show Website.
National Asian Wedding Show Backstage
26th November 2023
This video shows the incredible work that went on behind the scenes with back-to-back changes for the models, done with precision and urgency as the transformations happened from one outfit to another. Wardrobe assistants, stylists and makeup artists worked in synchronised chaos to execute flawless transitions with meticulous timings as each model took to the runway. We really hope other event organisers see this and consider using disabled people in their fashion shows.
Asian Wedding Show To Feature Disabled Model On The Catwalk For The First Time
26th November 2023
The National Asian Wedding Show is Europe’s largest Asian wedding exhibition that takes place every year at different locations, held locally and nationally. The show returns for it’s 18th year on Sunday the 26th of November 2023, at the Novotel London, Hammersmith. This is an event not to be missed!
The show will have a large number of wedding exhibitors and suppliers showcasing their products and services with inspirational ideas, to help you make your special day memorable. The event will host a stunning catwalk show that will feature the latest in Asian fashion trends.
Our founder Zubee is excited to share that she will be taking to the catwalk and modelling for the first time. Zubee says, "This is totally out of my comfort zone, being the centre of attention but I just couldn't miss an opportunity as big as this to represent disability in the Asian community."
This is an amazing opportunity to raise awareness of disability in the Asian community and to change people’s perceptions of how disability is perceived because there is a stigma around disability due to unnecessary barriers Asian disabled people face in different areas of life, one of which is that disabled people can’t get married and we hope this show will lead to changing that mindset and get conversations going.
As organisers of one of the most anticipated Asian wedding shows in the UK, Platinum Group are proud to announce a groundbreaking step towards inclusivity in the fashion world. In a move that underscores our commitment to celebrating diversity, we are thrilled to be working with Access My Events to feature disabled individuals on the catwalk at our upcoming wedding show on Sunday 26th November at Novotel London West, Hammersmith.
The fashion industry has long been associated with conventional standards of beauty, but we believe it's time for a change. By featuring disabled models, we are making a statement that beauty transcends physical abilities and that everyone deserves to feel glamorous and confident. We want to redefine beauty standards and challenge preconceived notions.
Our decision to include disabled models on the catwalk is not merely about making a statement; it's about genuine representation. We firmly believe that everyone should be able to see themselves in the fashion world, and this move is a step towards making that vision a reality. Manny CEO, The Platinum Group.
Access My Events aims to make events accessible and inclusive as possible for deaf and disabled people, and for us being part of the show is a huge step forward in helping to make a difference, not just in the disabled Asian community, but in the fashion industry too. Zubee attended the National Asian wedding show in previous years as a visitor and now she can’t believe that she’s going to model on a big stage in a wedding outfit.😀
For Zubee the fit and length of a garment can be tricky when looking for something to wear, whether that be Western or Asian clothes and she knows sourcing a suitable outfit is going to be a challenge for Manny's team as it's the first time that they will be using a disabled person to model. With bridal wear especially, garments tend to be very long and a lot of designers don't cater for disabled people but Zubee is excited to see what the team comes up with for her specific needs and requirements. Zubee says, "I hope the show will get designers to think more about disabled people when designing garments."
Zubee says, “I would like to say a special thank you to Manny and his team for this huge platform, it means so much to me and I’m really looking forward to taking part. I hope that my participation will encourage other event companies and those in the fashion industry to consider making their events accessible and include deaf and disabled people in their shows.
To book your free tickets to gain entry, follow the link https://nationalasianweddingshow.co.uk/events/london-novotel-26th-november-2023/
Entry for the catwalk show is £5.00. Please note that there will be two catwalk shows and Zubee will be in the one at 12.30pm.
We look forward to seeing you there! 😀
Small Business Sunday Winner
24th July 2023
Small Business Sunday is one of the leading business networks in the UK, founded by Dragons Den star, Theo Paphitis in 2010. It’s an amazing opportunity for businesses to gain exposure and connect with other business owners through Theo’s large social media following, including all the winners getting an invite to the SBS annual networking event, which we're really looking forward to next year.
Our founder Zubee shares what the SBS community is about, how you can enter, and what it means for us to be one of the 6 lucky winners chosen by Theo and his team.
Wow! Access My Events is delighted and honoured to be a Small Business Sunday winner. (#SBS). Zubee says, "I couldn't believe I was chosen to be part of this amazing network."🙂
Zubee didn't even know this existed until she saw a post on LinkedIn from one of the previous winners. After reading the post, it sounded like a really exciting opportunity that we had to enter and we were not expecting to win. On the 24th of July, Access My Events put a post out on Twitter and tweeted Theo about our business during Small Business Sunday. It was a huge surprise when we saw that we were one of 6 lucky winners to be chosen and get retweeted by Theo, to over half a million of his Twitter followers.
During the announcement on Monday, our Twitter feed went crazy as our follower numbers went from 187 to 196, and has now reached over 200 followers. We are also profiled on the #SBS website (www.theopaphitissbs.com), which is exclusive to all Small Business Sunday winners.
As the saying goes, we were second time lucky and as Theo says, if you don't get chosen, don't give up, keep entering each week as you never know when your chance will come, and be resilient as that's what entrepreneurship is all about. It has given us such a boost and it will help to raise awareness of our brand even further and expand our network so we can continue making a difference for deaf and disabled people accessing events.
Zubee says, "I would like to say a huge, thank you to Theo and his team for this amazing opportunity. I have had many challenges and setbacks to get my business going. To receive this recognition and have the support from Theo to help spread the word to his followers has really motivated and inspired me to keep perusing my business goals."
If you are a business that would like to be in with a chance of winning, here's how you can enter. It's FREE. Businesses have to write and create a post on Twitter or Instagram, that shows your personality and include a bit about your business, using #SBS and following @TheoPaphitis. It’s run on a weekly basis every Sunday. Entries need to be posted between 5pm and 7.30pm. Theo chooses his favourite 6 businesses and announces the winners on Monday at 8pm. To find out more, follow the link Home | www.theopaphitissbs.com.
Here are some lovely comments we received.
Congrats on your win! Welcome to the #SBS family! Love this idea!
Sounds like a really worthwhile business, Zubee - I used to manage a charity organising social events for adults with disabilities. Everybody wants to go out, mingle and have fun - let's make it easier and possible!
What you do is so incredible! I look forward to learning more!
We look forward to learning more and networking with other businesses and like-minded individuals who are part of this amazing community.
To follow our #SBS journey, please keep an eye on our blog and connect with us across our social media channels for the latest news and updates.
The Disability Expo 2023
6th & 7th July 2023 at Excel London
Access My Events was delighted to be an Access Partner with the Disability Expo, and for giving us the opportunity to exhibit for the first time.
This was a two-day event dedicated to people with lived experience of disability. They had over 200 exhibitors showcasing their products and services to help disabled people live independently, including guest speakers and entertainment.
As a new business, this has given us a great platform to raise our brand awareness and network with other organisations. (As our logo tagline says, bringing businesses and disabled people together, the event did just that). 😊
It was great to finally meet people in person who we had connected with online a while ago. We are looking forward to the Disability Expo 2024.
We would like to thank everyone who has and continues to support Access My Events on our journey and we look forward to working with businesses and making a difference for deaf and disabled people accessing events.
