Why Spiky Carrot Exists
Too many great local businesses go unnoticed.
Not because they're not good at what they do, but because getting seen can be expensive, overwhelming and time-consuming.
Spiky Carrot exists to help independent businesses become more visible, connected and recognised through trusted venues, local connections and real-world visibility.
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 20 years of experience, I was working on a platform called Small Market, an online marketplace designed to help independent makers and sellers showcase their products. It was a passion project built around supporting independent businesses.
While building Small Market, I quickly ran into a challenge that many business owners will recognise. Getting noticed online wasn't easy. Social media felt crowded, advertising could be expensive, and reaching the right people often seemed out of reach when you're working with a limited budget.
Then life threw a curveball. I was diagnosed with bowel cancer. Balancing treatment and development wasn't easy, but it gave me time to reflect and a new perspective on what really mattered.
As I spoke with more business owners, I realised I wasn't alone. Many were facing the same challenge. Brilliant businesses doing great work, but struggling to get the visibility they deserved.
That's when a simple idea struck me.
What if businesses could advertise inside other local businesses?
Places where the right people are already spending time, like a local café, shop, salon or community space.
That simple idea became the foundation of Spiky Carrot, which officially launched in 2024. A platform designed to help independent businesses become more visible through trusted venues, local connections and affordable ways to get noticed.
The Journey So Far
A few key moments that helped shape Spiky Carrot.
The Idea Begins
While building Small Market, I experienced first-hand how difficult it could be for independent businesses to get noticed. The idea that would eventually become Spiky Carrot started taking shape.
The First Version of Spiky Carrot
Spiky Carrot officially launched as a platform where business owners could promote advertising opportunities and connect with other local businesses looking to get noticed.
Taking Visibility Into The Real World
Spiky Carrot evolved again. We began installing our own handcrafted frames inside carefully selected independent businesses, helping local businesses get noticed in real places by real people.
Growing Across The Patches
What started as a simple advertising idea has grown into a network of trusted venues, business profiles, Carrot Club meet-ups, magazine features and local connections.
Helping independent businesses become more visible, more connected and more recognised across the local patch.
How Spiky Carrot Evolved
Like many good ideas, Spiky Carrot has grown and changed over time.
When it first launched, the idea was simple. Create a place where businesses could list advertising opportunities and connect directly with other local businesses looking to get noticed.
As more conversations took place and more businesses became involved, something became clear.
Visibility is about more than advertising.
Business owners wanted places where they could tell their story, build their presence, make local connections and become easier to discover, both online and in the real world.
That's when Spiky Carrot began to evolve.
Today, trusted venues remain at the heart of what we do, helping businesses gain real-world visibility through creative poster placements. Around that, we've built business profiles, the Carrot Club Magazine, local meet-ups and a growing network of independent businesses.
What started as an idea to help businesses advertise has become something much bigger. A growing patch where independent businesses can become more visible, more connected and more recognised within their local communities.
A growing patch where independent businesses can become more visible, more connected and more recognised within their local communities.
Why the Name Spiky Carrot?
It's a fair question.
In fact, it's probably one of the things I get asked most often.
After all, there aren't many people sitting around thinking, "You know what this business needs? A spiky carrot."
When I was looking for a name, I knew I wanted something memorable. Something a little different. Something that would make people stop and ask, "What's that all about?"
Then came the carrot.
Not just any carrot, a spiky one.
A spiky carrot isn't perfectly shaped. It doesn't look like every other carrot in the supermarket. It's a bit quirky, full of character and stands out because it's grown its own way.
That felt surprisingly fitting.
The independent businesses I work with aren't trying to be copies of everyone else. They're built on personality, passion and doing things their own way.
So while the name might raise a few eyebrows at first, it represents something I believe in.
You don't have to follow the same path as everyone else to grow.
Sometimes being a little different is exactly what helps people get noticed.
Where We're Heading
Spiky Carrot is still growing.
What started as a simple idea has become a growing network of trusted venues, independent businesses and local connections across the patches.
My goal is simple. To continue creating opportunities that help good businesses become more visible, build genuine connections and grow in a way that feels sustainable and human.
There's still plenty to build, but the mission remains the same.
Help independent businesses get noticed naturally.