2024 Finalists- Dotty About Braille
The Gift of the Year team spoke to Hayley from Dotty about Braille about her incredibly Innovative Braille Christmas Cards for the visually impaired, her journey to where she is now and why she entered the awards for her growing business
Company Name Dotty About Braille
Name Hayley Kellard
Product(s) in the Finalist
Braille Christmas Cards
Can you tell me a bit about your business and the inspiration behind your products?
I'm visually impaired, as are different members of my family, in early 2023 I found myself between business ideas, and was struggling with my mental health as I hated not contributing and due to a health condition called POTS, I'm not able to go out and get a regular job. I didn't realise remote working was a thing until somebody suggested it to me, so I started looking and I found one with the RNIB, but you needed to know braille.
I vaguely knew braille, they'd tried to teach me the alphabet at school but I wasn't really interested and didn't see the point. I decided, seeing as I had so much time on my hands, I would teach myself braille all over again but all of it this time, in case I was offered an interview, I was, I didn't get the job, but no matter because learning braille showed me that I had a passion for it.
I started to think how I could turn this into a business, and I thought of braille greetings cards. My mum gifted me a Perkins brailler that had belonged to my late uncle, I bought some card blanks, and I opened my Etsy shop. Within a couple of weeks, I got my first order, then I got another and before I knew it orders were coming in most days.
In what ways has being a finalist of Gift of the Year affected your business?
It's been fantastic to receive recognition from a well-known and well-respected organisation like Gift of the Year. I haven't seen a boost in sales from it but I wasn't expecting it to, my goal when entering awards is to raise awareness, so that in the future when somebody does find they need braille greetings cards, they know I exist.
Which are your favorite products throughout the rest of the awards?
I love the Choccy Cards that are also finalists in one of the categories I am in, I also really like the Bird Nesters from Wildlife World.
Would you recommend a business to enter the GOTY awards and why?
Yes definitely, I think the exposure and opportunities it presents are great for boosting your business profile.
Would you be able to provide us with a brief testimonial about the awards and why it's important for businesses to enter?
The Gift of the Year Awards showcase a range of unique and innovative products, providing a fantastic platform for businesses to gain recognition. I think it's important for businesses to enter these awards because winning or being shortlisted boosts brand visibility, improves credibility and provides various opportunities for your business.
Find out more about Dotty About Braille here - https://www.dottyaboutbraille.com/
