Craft Focus - December/January 2024/2025 (Issue 106)

12 Speaker line up for CHSI Stitches 2025 announced ICHF Events has confirmed the speaker line up for the UK’s flagship trade show CHSI Stitches at the NEC Birmingham from 23rd to 24th February 2025 with topics including AI and social media marketing at the forefront of discussion. This year’s line up reflects industry trends and opportunities, notably Generative AI, one of the fastest developing topics across the business landscape. The latest speaker line up to date can be found at: www.chsi.co.uk/education/expert-speakers Steve Mitchell, Event Director said: “We want business owners and leaders to leave CHSI Stitches with new ideas and insights to help them grow. As well as enabling visitors to place orders for the year ahead and discover the latest new trends and products, we pride ourselves on our free programme of seminars. We’ve looked at the key industry opportunities and developments, which this year of course includes AI, and sought out speakers that can educate and empower businesses to increase sales.” Speakers include: Daniel Johnson – Digital Marketing Daniel is a growth marketer and has spoken on growth marketing at events for Google Launchpad, Cambridge University, and the UK Space Agency. Daniel has extensive experience helping companies develop systems, infrastructure, and processes to drive growth. Daniel has extensive PPC and paid acquisition experience with major platforms like Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Taboola. He has also generated millions of website hits and revenue for e-commerce stores. Elliot Leavy – Generative AI Elliot Leavy, founder of ACQUAINTED, is an AI expert with over a decade of experience, recognised for empowering brands in Generative AI, contributing to AI publications, mentoring at UCL, lecturing at the London Film School, and playing pivotal roles in Mesh-AI and technoradical journal BOZO. Estelle Keeber – Instagram Marketing Estelle Keeber, a leading UK Instagram expert, Author and Speaker and the brains behind Immortal Monkey, has revolutionised social media for countless entrepreneurs. From founding the world’s fastestgrowing women’s network without any initial investment to inspiring hundreds of thousands worldwide with her infectious passion and savvy strategies, Estelle is a force to be reckoned with. Her interactive training sessions strike the perfect balance between simplicity and effectiveness, catering to Instagram newbies and seasoned pros alike. Pete Durrant – Digital Marketing. An award-winning marketer and digital content leader, Pete specialises in connecting brands with audiences through creating emotional connections. Pete has worked with top agency groups like Omnicom, WPP, and IPG Mediabrands, as well as high-profile brands such as Peaky Blinders, MasterChef, Waitrose, Renault Dacia, Comic Relief, and Specsavers. Passionate about sustainability, animal advocacy, and positive mental health, Pete is driven to create a better world for all. Also sharing insights will be hugely successful social media sewing influencer, Holly Dennett. Holly has more than 126,000 followers across social media and specialises in creating online sewing content and tutorials that inspire and educate the home sewing community on social media. She also has a popular sewing blog and website. Those interested in the potential of licencing can hear insights from Ian Downes. Ian owns and runs Start Licensing, a licensing consultancy. The company celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2023. Ian has extensive experience across the licensing industry. The flagship annual trade event is now open for registration. The show attracts thousands of craft buyers looking for the latest products, new ideas and innovative suppliers. It brings together the creative craft industry for two days of education, networking, procurement and business opportunities. Attendees can expect the biggest line-up of craft products on the market from leading suppliers. Renowned retail experts will be sharing essential insights in the keynote speaker theatre and a range of demonstrations will be available to showcase the latest innovation. Pentel UK to offer plus corporation products Pentel (Stationery) Ltd. has announced a strategic new product launch that will enable the company to extend further its offering in UK and Ireland stationery markets. Founded in 1948 and with a dominant position in its home market in Japan, PLUS Corporation has over 65 years’ experience in the development and supply of innovative products that make daily life a little more comfortable for endusers in the workplace, at home or in school. The company has considerable expertise in the manufacture and sale of office furniture and interior office products including office stationery supplies and PC-related products. PLUS Corporation has 45 subsidiaries around the world and is the parent company of Pentel Co. Ltd., whose headquarters are also based in Japan. The range of products to be offered by Pentel in the UK and Ireland includes high quality, precision scissors that retain their sharpness and cutting angle, environment-friendly staple-free staplers and power-assist models, permanent and repositionable glue tapes, two-way correction tapes and camouflage rollers and folders to help protect personal data. Pentel Marketing Manager Wendy Vickery, commented, “The quality of the PLUS products we’ll be offering our customers is superb. From super-strong titaniumcoated scissors to mini roller head correction tapes, to ‘guard your ID’ camouflage rollers with extensively researched ink patterns, the commitment to designing and producing items that offer superior performance and reliability is immediately evident. I’ve no doubt customers will be impressed when they try these PLUS products offered by Pentel.” Daniel Johnson Elliot Leavy Estelle Keeber Pete Durrant Holly Dennett Ian Downes

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