What the patch is saying

Chris at Spiky Carrot has been a great support to me with O&S, helping promote our business and always being generous with his time, advice and ideas.

What I particularly appreciate is the personal attention he gives. He takes an interest in what we’re doing and is always happy to help, including with things beyond the advertising itself. Having someone approachable and supportive to turn to makes a real difference when you’re busy looking after customers and running projects.

I’m grateful for everything Chris does and would happily recommend him and Spiky Carrot to other business owners looking for help getting their business seen.

A genuinely nourishing space for small businesses

I’m so glad to be one of the Spiky Carrot members. Chris is creating something really special for small businesses, uncovering hidden gems across Cheshire and bringing them together through both online and offline opportunities.

Since joining, the visibility of my business has been growing rapidly. What I really appreciate is that it's not a case of getting your business listed and then leaving it to do whatever it does.

Chris puts an incredible amount of energy into making sure each business gets the best possible value, is visible in the right places and is being seen by the right people. There is so much work happening behind the scenes, and it really shows.

His communication, approach and genuine care for every business he brings into his directories are wonderful. He is constantly discovering new opportunities, connecting people and creating spaces for businesses to grow, both online and through his networking events.

What Chris is building goes far beyond business visibility. It's a genuinely supportive, nourishing space where small businesses are seen, valued and connected.

It's all built with incredible care.

I'm delighted to be part of it and can't wait to see how it continues to grow!

I joined Spiky Carrot with a membership covering the Sandbach patch, and I’ve genuinely seen an increase in visibility since becoming a member.

I currently have a poster displayed in Kiki’s in Sandbach, my profile has already been viewed over 900 times, and the additional local exposure has been fantastic.

Spiky Carrot isn’t your typical marketing platform. Chris really understands how to connect businesses, use technology intelligently and create opportunities for members to reach a much wider audience.

The meetups are another huge benefit. They’re unique, personal and full of brilliant local business owners who genuinely want to support one another, build relationships and help each other grow.

You’re also supporting a growing independent business, which I personally love. The magazine reach is fantastic, the social media exposure is excellent, and the whole concept continues to grow.

I would highly recommend Spiky Carrot to any business owner looking to increase their local presence. If there’s a patch available in your area, have a chat with Chris. It’s definitely worth exploring.

In terms of feedback, I had a really good time at the networking event.

Made some really good connections, had some interesting conversations and got to explore something completely new for me, podcasting!

It was also really nice hearing everyone else’s stories and finding out about what they’re doing. I always think it’s inspiring hearing the different journeys people have been on.

Really relaxed, no pressure, just a lovely, easy going event where you could chat, connect and have a go at something new.

Definitely came away feeling inspired!

The three main things I loved about yesterday:

1. The venue - Share Your Story is right up my street as I have a love of all things sentimental, all things creative and hearing people's stories! It was so fascinating to hear Simon's story and about all the activities that go on in the shop and the facilities that are provided for podcasting, meetings, photos etc.
2. The company - I met some lovely business owners - with a variety of backgrounds but all incredibly friendly and welcoming 🙂 and they were keen to learn about my business as well as talk passionately about their own.
3. The opportunity to try something out - although the "taking part in a podcast" was sprung on us a little (!) I really loved having a go and it definitely made me lose some of my fear of talking on a podcast in the future 😄

Carrot Club is definitely on my radar and I'll keep an eye on events coming up.

This was my first Spiky Carrot meet-up, and it was also at a venue I'd never visited before. I'm so glad I went!

Chris was a fantastic host and made sure everybody felt welcome and had someone to talk to, which created a really friendly and inclusive atmosphere.

Share Your Story was an amazing place to hold a networking event. Not only did we get to get to know one another, but we also had the opportunity to record a short podcast. It was great to have an activity alongside the networking because it gave us some common ground and made starting conversations feel much easier.

I'm really glad I attended. I've discovered a real gem in the heart of Altrincham, met some lovely people, and I'm already looking forward to the next one.

Thanks again for a great afternoon!