Brighton-based bespoke lighting business Spark & Bell has grown from a kitchen table side hustle to a thriving B Corp accredited company with 10 employees and customers in over 20 countries across the world, thanks to support from the Help to Grow: Management Course.
Known for its sustainable and ethically crafted lighting products, Spark & Bell’s journey began when founder Emer Gillespie started designing lights for her daughter’s bedroom, a project that soon grew into a full-time business.
After experiencing significant growth during the Covid-19 pandemic, when many people chose to invest in their homes, Emer recognised the need to strengthen the company’s foundations for long-term success.
Early in 2023, she enrolled in the Help to Grow: Management Course at the University of Brighton School of Business and Law, designed to equip SMEs with the skills to drive growth.
Working with the business school team and an experienced mentor, Emer honed her approach to strategic leadership, identified gaps in the team structure and developed new systems to improve operational efficiency and stock management.
A transformative decision for Spark & Bell during this period was to hire a stock manager to address operational gaps identified in the course. Emer made the hire while still completing the programme – a testament to how positively the course affected the business.
However, perhaps the most significant achievement following completion of the course was Emer’s decision to push forward with Spark & Bell’s B Corp certification, a complex process that requires businesses to meet high social and environmental performance standards. The company achieved this milestone in April 2024, making it one of just 2,300 B Corp businesses in the UK.
With an operationally sound and ethically committed business model, Spark & Bell has been able to reach new markets. While most of its revenue is generated in the UK, the company ships to over 20 markets, including the US, Australia and Europe, using platforms such as Etsy to reach a growing international customer base.
Emer’s work has also been featured in top design publications such as House & Garden, Ideal Home and Livingetc.
Emer said: “The course really opened my eyes to areas I hadn’t thought about before, especially around team dynamics and the need for me to step back from the day-to-day operations of the business and take a more leadership-focused role.
“There was a real light bulb moment when I realised how gaps in our team structure were holding us back. After that, I felt much more confident in our strategy, including our ability to reach new customers overseas, and had a clearer sense of how to make the business more sustainable, both in terms of operations and impact.
“The course also gave me the push I needed to finally go for B Corp certification, something I’d dreamed of but always put off. The mentorship and business school support helped me see where we needed to improve, and within months, those changes had a real impact.
“Achieving the certification was a huge moment for us and felt like a direct result of everything I learned during the course.”
Flora Hamilton, executive director, Small Business Charter, added: “Emer’s journey exemplifies the transformative power of expert support and mentoring in empowering small businesses to reach their potential.
“Her ability to identify operational gaps, pursue B Corp certification and expand Spark & Bell’s reach internationally illustrates the real-world impact of our programme and showcases how small businesses can integrate sustainability into their core practices while positively affecting their communities.
“The Help to Grow: Management Course equips small and medium enterprises with the fundamental business skills required to drive growth, resilience and long-term sustainability.
“Through our network of experts at Small Business Charter business schools, we are able to help small business leaders from a huge variety of different sectors build the confidence and strategic mindset needed for lasting success.
“We’re proud to support entrepreneurs like Emer as they navigate the complexities of running a business and making a meaningful difference.”
Since completing the course, Emer continues to prioritise sustainability across all facets of Spark & Bell’s operations, from sourcing eco-friendly materials to minimising waste in production.
With a renewed focus on ethical growth and an expanded team, the business is well-positioned to keep innovating within the lighting industry while remaining committed to positive environmental impact.
