Gwynedd business owner wins prestigious award

A local business owner is enjoying a double whammy of success this year. As well as marking 15 years of trading in November, Angharad Gwyn of Adra is also celebrating her April win of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) Wales award for Digital Business/E-Commerce of the Year.

Adra was established in November 2007 and the business has since then championed Welsh makers and producers, selling their uniquely Welsh products through Angharad’s website, www.adrahome.com  and in her physical shop at Parc Glynllifon.

Formerly a senior BBC website producer, Angharad left Cardiff in 2007 to return to her home region of north Wales. She then decided to start her business, driven by a passion for Welsh creative talent and the potential of e-commerce to boost the economy.

But applying for business awards is not something Angharad makes a habit of, as she explains:

“I tried for the award because I joined the FSB last year, and because Adra survived a challenging period very successfully. I rarely apply for awards, but as business owners we work very hard to keep our businesses prosperous – we do deserve recognition from time to time!”

Adra’s FSB win was announced at a ceremony at the St David’s Hotel in Cardiff on 8th April. Awards were presented to Welsh businesses in twelve categories, with organisers saying record numbers of entries had been received this year – demonstrating the perseverance, creativity, and innovation of Welsh small businesses.

The judges said Adra’s success could be attributed to Angharad’s continued investment in e-commerce developments, including the decision in 2020 to adopt a multi-channel approach to sales – resulting in a 68% increase in turnover.

Online performance and optimisation across the Adra website and social media have led to remarkable revenue growth, and meant Adra stood out in the competition.

Angharad’s plans for Adra in 2022 include celebrating the company’s 15th birthday. “We are pleased to return to our stand at the National Eisteddfod,” she says, adding that a special discount will be offered to customers as well as a special gift later in the year.