Oh, what a year!
We knew 2018 would be a big one – being the twenty-fifth anniversary of Tambo Teddies, but it ended up bigger than we imagined.
We started the year creating a limited-edition Jubilee bear, singing a little Tambo Teddies tribute.
February, we said goodbye to Kiralee who decided her life was heading in a different direction and she no longer had the time to devote to our little business. Tambo Teddies gets regular visits from Kiralee and Megan and the family’s latest addition, Jacqui.
In March we sadly farewelled one of Teddies originals, Helen Sargood. We also celebrated our 4th birthday (within a 25th birthday).
The Outback was pumping in April with Winton’s Way Out West Festival, and at Tambo Teddies our swaggy bears were ready to hit the road to join the fun.
Our teddy bear seat was installed in May, carved with a chainsaw it is a popular photo spot……..#tamboteddies. During May we celebrated small business week when Alison was selected as one of the Queensland Government’s ‘100 faces of small business’.
In June, a new sheepskin product was developed, and Peter Possum joined the family!
We spent the year reflecting on the business and its beginnings with regular blog posts and applied for the Woolmark symbol- which was unsuccessful.
We got very upmarket (just joined most retailers) and installed a point of sale system in July, partially funded by a State Govt digital grant. It took a bit of ‘learning’ for everyone but is all running smoothly now.
In August the first Tambo Ted bus tour and morning tea for a group of visitors from NSW and the Coast was hosted.
Our bears kept flying out the door and in September we created bear 45,000. With the drought continuing to bite hard we donated this bear, Stirling Downs Stormy, to the Western Queensland Drought Appeal to help raise funds and provide support across the Outback.
October was exciting, because we sent the Australian Wool Innovation bears for testing. And then the Premier of Queensland, Annastacia Palaszczuk, rang to order a bear for the visiting Royals, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
We couldn’t believe our luck! A second royal bear, what an honour and quoting the Premier, ‘There is nothing more Queensland than a Tambo Teddy’.
And then a week or so later we got notification that we had attained the Woolmark symbol!
At the same time, we popped an advert on TV.
Could this year get any better?
Yes – Tambo Teddies is booming- our online orders are taking over and we are keeping busy making our beautiful bears.
As we reflect on the year, it was huge! But just what we want for the business and for Tambo.
You may wonder how we are going to back it up in 2019………but have no fear we have plans to make 2019 great as well. It seems the Premier of Queensland is on our wave length and has declared 2019, ‘The Year of Outback Tourism’.