15/07/2026
The biggest lesson from Marbella had nothing to do with business.
John and I have spent the past few days surrounded by ambitious business owners, learning from people building incredible multi-million-pound companies and sharing the reality of growing our own.
One of the proudest moments for me was watching John lead a room full of ambitious leaders through some of the incredible things we are doing to drive our businesses forward. Anyone who knows John knows he is usually happiest behind the scenes, solving problems, improving systems and finding a better way to do things, so seeing him confidently share that knowledge was a real moment.
As business owners, garment printers and creators, we can become so focused on the next order, the next deadline and the next problem that needs fixing that we forget to recognise how much we have already overcome. We see the wasted garments, machinery issues, late nights and mistakes far more clearly than we see the courage it took to keep going.
Then something happened neither of us expected. We were awarded the iPlayer Award, voted for by a room full of business owners operating at a level we deeply admire.
For a moment, it made us see our story differently. Not as something finished or perfectly polished, but as proof that the difficult seasons, constant problem-solving and days where we simply refused to give up have all meant something.
This trip was unforgettable, but not because of the location. It reminded us that growth is not always loud. Sometimes it looks like solving the same problem for the tenth time, getting another order out despite everything going wrong, or continuing to believe in what you are building before anyone else can see it.
We are coming home grateful, inspired and ready to keep pushing Ink Magic forward, but with a much greater appreciation for everything it has already taken to get here. 🧡💙
