Our mission is simple
To connect small businesses with real, local advertising opportunities that are accessible, targeted, and human. Whether you’re looking for a new way to be seen or you’ve got the perfect space to promote others, Spiky Carrot helps bring businesses together to grow side by side.
How It All Began
You might be wondering — how did Spiky Carrot come to life?
It all started in 2021. As a full-stack web developer with over 18 years of experience, I was working on a platform called Small Market — an online marketplace designed to help independent makers and sellers showcase their artisan products. It was a passion project, born out of a desire to support the independent business community.
But while building Small Market, life threw a curveball. I was diagnosed with bowel cancer. Balancing treatment and development wasn't easy, but it gave me a new perspective and even more determination to make something that mattered.
Through that experience, I realised something important: it’s incredibly difficult — and expensive — for small businesses to get visibility online. Many business owners don’t have the time, budget, or marketing know-how to make digital channels work, and often the return on investment just doesn’t add up. I saw brilliant businesses struggling to be seen.
That’s when a simple idea struck me — What if we could advertise inside other small businesses?
Places where the right people are already spending time — like a local café or shop.
This simple yet powerful idea led to the creation of Spiky Carrot, which was officially born in 2024. A platform built to make advertising more affordable, more targeted, and more human.
Our Evolution
Spiky Carrot started out as a platform where small business owners could list ad space they had available — whether that was a poster board, a digital screen, or even sponsorship opportunities. Other businesses could browse, connect, and advertise directly.
But like any good start-up journey, we learned and evolved.
We discovered that while the idea was strong, communication between businesses was a barrier. That’s when Spiky Carrot transformed again. We began to manage the ad spaces ourselves, curating print and framed ads inside carefully selected small businesses — cafés, shops, and spaces where footfall was relevant and local.
Now, Spiky Carrot is a managed network of advertising opportunities inside other independent businesses. It’s advertising that feels more like a collaboration. We handle everything — from design and print to placement — so that businesses can focus on what they do best, while still getting seen by the right people.
Why the Name Spiky Carrot?
We knew we wanted to be different — to stand out and spark curiosity.
We wanted a name that made people stop and ask, “What’s that all about?”
After bouncing around ideas, we had a real ‘carrot on a stick’ moment.
It was quirky, unexpected, and just made sense. A spiky carrot isn’t your average vegetable — it’s grown its own way, a bit wild, full of character, and completely unapologetic about it.
That’s exactly what we believe small businesses should be like.
You don’t have to follow the same tired marketing paths. You can do things differently — and still thrive.
Spiky Carrot is about being seen, being bold, and growing on your own terms — together.
Join the Movement
Spiky Carrot is more than an ad platform. It’s a growing community of small businesses who believe in helping each other get seen, supported, and celebrated.
If you're ready to try a different way of promoting your business — one that’s affordable, personal, and made for indies — we’d love to welcome you to the Spiky Carrot family.