Three days left to grab an earlybird ticket for 2025 Dragons Speed Dating
Waterstones, Oliver Bonas, Lark, Postmark, House of Cards, Utility, Jumping Bean, Red Card, Highworth Emporium, George’s, Mantons and Chirpy are among the retailers who will be turning into Dragons in a few weeks’ time.
They have committed to participate in the Dragons Speed Dating event which takes place on Thursday, 27 February – and publishers who fancy slaying those dragons at a lower price, there’s just three days left to grab an earlybird ticket to the GCA’s 2025 edition of this popular pitching event.
The special deal of £175 plus vat ends on Monday, 16 December, after which the price increases to £195 plus VAT, with a colleague able to attend to meet the buyers together for an additional charge of £30.
At the event up to 72 publishers have the chance of a 10-minute pitch with at least three of the 18 different retailers taking part, with card samples given to all the retailing dragons to take away and check out at their leisure.
The event, which has sponsors Loxleys, Enveco and G.F Smith on board, is taking place at London’s Business Design Centre from 12.45pm to 5.30pm with networking likely to continue at a local pub afterwards – and there’s a bonus this year where each retailer Dragon gets to choose one card company they definitely want to see, meaning those picked will be able to present their designs to four shops.
There’s also a special free Prepare To Slay The Dragons hour-long Zoom meeting on 7 January, starting at 9.30am, where essential information will be shared to help publishers prepare so they can get the maximum benefit from the Dragons Speed Dating.
GCA membership coordinator Adriana Lovesy is hosting the session offering guidance on the samples for the goodie bags and two of the dragons will join in with insights and top tips, as well as expertise from Loxleys’ Tony Lorriman, Lucy Glover from Enveco and G.F Smith’s Gareth Davies.
Continuing the successful formula since DSD began back in 2017, the publisher participants will be divided into two groups, with one half first going in to face the retailer Dragons in the den while the other half will be treated to a GCA panel seminar, led by some of the association council members, all experienced business leaders in the industry, then they swap over.
attending will be asked to submit questions ahead of the event to set the agenda for the relaxed discussion, and an added incentive is the social drinks and networking session afterwards – the morning will see the PG Live team hosting an event for newbie exhibitors so signing up to DSD is a really good way to make the best of the day in London.
All details about DSD, how to book a place, and booking the free 7 January online preparatory meeting are available on the dedicated blog on the GCA’s website – and any retailer who’d like enter the den should email adriana@gca.cards.
