A publicity expert from Bishopsteignton is urging local entrepreneurs to ‘be bold’ after seizing the moment to plug her business and book with former Dragons Den star Theo Phaphitis.

Natalie Trice, who runs Natalie Trice Publicity, was attending the annual Small Business Sunday (SBS) event at the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Birmingham last week when she spotted her moment and handed Theo a copy of her book ‘PR School: Your Time to Shine’. He quickly retorted, ‘Let’s PR your book then,’ gaining Natalie her very own moment in the spotlight as the cameras snapped away.

Natalie, an award-winning PR consultant, author and media commentator, said: ‘My mantra in PR is go big or go home and this event was no exception. I took my own advice, stepped into the spotlight and proved that when you embrace opportunity, great things happen. I hope others will do the same.’

SBS was set up by Theo in 2010 to give small business owners the chance to pitch their ‘sell’ direct to the former dragon. Entrepreneurs are invited to tweet @TheoPaphitis using the SBS hashtag every Sunday between 5pm and 7:30pm and Theo selects six winners that he shares to his followers on a Monday. All SBS winners become part of the SBS network and are invited to the annual SBS conference where Theo presents winners with a certificate. The SBS network boasts over 4000 winners and provides mentorship, networking and business support at every stage of the entrepreneurial journey.

‘SBS isn’t just about a certificate,’ said Natalie. ‘It’s about putting yourself forward, making connections and showing up where it matters so that incredible things can happen.’

While the event featured inspiring speakers, success stories and invaluable insights, the key message for Natalie was that gaining recognition is about being bold and taking the opportunities that come your way, however audacious they may seem. Handing Theo her book reflected that.