Last week, we were lucky enough to have been invited to attend and sponsor the #BossMums event organised and hosted by the beautiful Jessica Cunningham of The Apprentice, CBB’s and ITV This Morning fame, and of The Prodigal Fox clothing brand.
As a small brand, marketing is a constant challenge. When you first start out, and in the early days, for some mad reason, everyone assumes that if your product is picked up by a celebrity/seen with it/quoted talking about it/photographed with it etc, it will lead to mega sales and stardom.
Lot’s of celebrities have bought/been gifted with Gummee products over the years, and it never leads to a huge spike in sales. However, the ultimate benefits have been huge. It is amazing content to share, it adds credibility to the brand, and more eyes see the brand, it builds trust in the brand, which ultimately does lead to more sales in time.
So naturally, when Kate from Zipusin, who is also a lovely industry friend, offered to introduce me to organiser of the event, I obviously jumped at the chance! Pretty soon, we decided we wanted to sponsor the event. OMG I was going to mingle with some highly influential bloggers/influencers and celebrities, as well as spend time with some lovely friends I have made in the nursery industry. I was seriously farting glitter with the excitement of it all. When I get that excited, IBS kicks in BIG TIME. (Does anyone else get that? Anytime that something really exciting is happening, or going to happen, I get so excited that my whole body tingles and I need the loo. Its the only down side to some of the most exciting and incredible things that have happened during the Gummee years)
I also struggle A LOT lately with Imposter Syndrome. I feel like a big fake, like I have been winging it this whole time, and someone is about to catch me out. I feel like, if I can do what we have done with Gummee, then ANYONE can do it. And therefore, it isn’t special. I’m working on it, but I have never had a lot of confidence.
On the Saturday before we left, I went to get my hair done. All proper like, in an actual salon. It was my birthday gift from Gummee Daddee (also known as Worlds best husband. Or stinky sphincter siren, it depends on whether he’s had dairy) YAY! I was going to be at the event with lovely brown hair, and NO roots! I looked more ex-convict than gorgeous tussled and styled ombre goddess, so I couldn’t wait to look more natural.
Our coach was departing for London at 07:05am from Plymouth on the day of the event. Lucy and I climbed aboard the fairly packed coach and O M G!! You know when someone eats A LOT of garlic, their breath the next day feels like it could literally melt your eye brows clean off your face? Well it was WORSE than that. My eyes started watering, and I felt really sick.
I’d sprayed my self with perfume before leaving the house, thankfully, so I covered my face with my t-shirt whenever I needed to properly breathe. Lucy thinks that someone must have had a real fear of the coach being attacked by vampires. Well, this coach was protected from vampires. It had a three mile garlic protection shield around it.
We arrived in London (EEEK, I LOVE LONDON!) and quickly found our apartment that we were sharing with the lovely Kate and Katie from Zipusin. The beautiful and inspirational Sara, Babycup founder came to join us and we spent a couple of hours chatting and getting ready (isn’t this always one of the best parts of a night out?) and then headed off on the 6 minute walk to the Beaufort Hotel in Chelsea.
We got our table ready with all our Gummee goodies on display, and excitedly ran around, taking photo’s and meeting people I’d been chatting to on Instagram for months. I loved meeting so many amazing and inspiring people, all in one room!
Stacey Solomon came in, and was quickly surrounded and hounded by the pap. I don’t want to sound too cliche, but she was absolutely the loveliest!! She was being time managed by her team, but bless her, she didn’t want to ignore anyone. You could tell she was happy to talk to anyone who wanted to chat to her, and she was just so accommodating, warm, polite and humble. I gave her a very brief back story of Gummee and why I invented the Gummee glove, and she was genuinely interested. I gave her a Gummee glove, and a copy of my book, which she may never find the time to read but……hey, I gave my book to Stacey Solomon. 😀
I was introduced to Jacqueline Jossa, who played Lauren in Eastenders, and by this point I was so star struck I could hardly get my words out. Jacqueline is in the press a lot lately, with the media speculating about her relationship constantly. She was unbelievably down to earth, and you can absolutely tell that what ever the media thinks, there are absolutely no fks given by her.
It was awesome to meet the lovely Luke from The Woodhouse Life and the hilarious, gorgeous Jess from The Fat Funny One. I feel like I have made some new friends, and I’m loving getting to know everyone more through Instagram stories – my god, its addictive!!
At the end of the event, I got to say hello and do a boomerang video with Jessica. I keep watching it back, and I just think it is hilarious. Jessica is 8 months pregnant, and theres me dancing a little seductively…..which looks so wrong, but it was funny! You can see it on my personal Instagram account, here: GummeeMummee
We (me, Lucy, Kate and Katie from Zipusin, and Sara from Babycup) piled back to our apartment and bonded over huge bowls of pasta, Wine and life stories!
Right, it’s my birthday, so I’m off to put my face on and let Gummee Daddee take me out for lunch, whoop!
Ciao! Xx
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