Business Award Finalists

I'm sure that you'll have heard us talk before about Analogue Wonderland being an independent family business, and how that allows us to operate and manage our company different to 'major' retail chains 🙃 From the way we approach customer service, how we treat (and pay) our staff, to the things we do to try and help the community.

And while Mary and I are pretty self-critical by nature - and therefore spend a lot of time worrying about how well we're doing on all those measures! - it's very difficult to see what it looks like from the 'outside'.

So we were thrilled to be listed as finalists in the 2021 Buckinghamshire Business Awards for two separate categories: Small Business of the Year and Growth Business of the Year 🥰

As part of the judging process we were interviewed for over an hour (twice!) - the panel reviewed our financial documents, our independent customer reviews, they critiqued our plans for the future and what makes Analogue Wonderland different to bigger retailers - they really looked under every stone!

And then they went away for a couple of months to weigh it up against all the other businesses in the mix...

So while we didn't end up as the Winner for either category (huge congrats to UKSol and Care&Carers) it has made us extremely proud to be one of the two runners-up, as we know that those spots are highly competitive and the judges made the decision based on a truly in-depth evaluation of what we're doing.

It has also been a wonderful reminder of how far the film photography industry has come from the doldrums of the 2000's.

We are definitely not the only people working hard for this community (here's a non-exhaustive list of folks who came before us and are truly leading the way!) and for any analogue photography business to be recognised at this level is a testament to the strength of the total group. Who would have thought to see a film retailer up with care homes, solar panel producers, and IT providers in 2021?! It promises good things for everyone who cares about the future of analogue photography...

I can't finish this short reflection without a huge THANK YOU to you and all our customers and suppliers who choose to trust us with their hard-earned cash, who give feedback and support and send us lovely messages, who help with new ideas and get involved with our competitions and social media and birthday parties 🎉 and so much more. Analogue Wonderland couldn't exist without your passion and your enthusiasm.

Here's to the future! #BelieveInFilm and Happy Shooting
- Paul and Mary