How did 100% Design go for you?

It was good, I made some good contacts. It was a really good experience. I learnt a lot. For instance, I realised that the best way to make contact is to get the contact details of the person who is interested. They will be so busy after the show that it is best if you can follow it up yourself, or they just won't have the time to get around to it.

How was Oob the Doorstop received?

It was really good. I had a lot of interest from a lot of different parties. Some of these leads have been followed up. There were some bigger names at the show too. There were quite a few interested parties in the doorstop. Habitat liked my Oh Llyod lampshade. I am going to pay the cheque next week to get the tooling made for the lampshade, it will take six weeks for the tooling and then I will get my first sample. If that is fine then it will be the end of first quarter 2007 that the product will be available. As you can imagine, my finances are going to be very stretched bringing these products in in big loads.

What will you be showing for the rest of the year?

I am showing with Jon Lane-Smith (who displayed the Shed Hook at 100% design) at the East London Design Show. Aside from that it will be the marketing of Oob and getting Oh Lloyd made.

What were the audiences like at 100%?

They were very receptive. I realised early on that people were initially hesitant in those situations, but once I invited them to touch the object they opened up and it made it much easier to talk to them. It opens a dialogue that otherwise is awkward to initiate. It also increases their curiosity about the product. It is quite heavy, so it already gives people an idea of what it is that just looking at it could never give. I also had a door set up so people could see it functioning as it was intended. It attracted a lot of different types of people. Students, journalists and people looking for products to produce and sell were all inquisitive. My contacts book was quite full by the end of it, so it was a good exercise in keeping organised. Otherwise you can let potential contacts and suppliers slip away. The Hidden Art stand definitely attracted potential buyers, people recognise it as a launch place for new design and new designer-makers.

How else has Hidden Art helped?

They bring people together who share similar interests but have different experience. So you can learn a lot just from fellow members, it is always good to catch up with people after an event and reflect on how it went. You can pick up tips and learn from other people's mistakes, while they learn from yours. The monthly networking sessions are good as well, as they offer specialised information organised especially to help designers. It also provides more opportunity to meet your contemporaries.