Going Global: A Winning Week at Reza Wood Designs

We’ve just had the most amazing week at Reza Wood Designs with an award, media coverage and a high profile ministerial visit! Here’s how we got there.

During the long hot summer, spurred on by a successful business trip to Japan earlier in the year, we entered an exporting competition, World of Opportunity run by Heathrow Airport. The programme is a partnership between Heathrow Airport and the Department of International Trade, Exporting is Great Campaign and awards grants of £2000 to enable small businesses to realise their exporting dreams by taking part in trade missions and exhibitions overseas.

We never dreamed we would win….but we did.

When we got the news that we were the only Scottish winners it took a while to sink in, we would be taking our whisky barrel gifts to Japan. A market we’ve been working on entering for a while.

The week we received our award was action packed but we enjoyed every minute.

Monday: Receiving our exporting award from John Holland-Kaye, CEO at Heathrow Airport

We were invited to collect our award at the Heathrow Business Summit held in Glasgow on 10th September and were delighted to be presented with our cheque by the CEO of Heathrow Airport and the good folks at the Scottish Chamber of Commerce.   Following the presentation we had wee celebratory lunch and cocktail at Glasgow’s Anchor Line restaurant where Jenifer had the aptly named Eyes East cocktail!

Wednesday: Media coverage in our local paper

 Both our local newspapers, The Kirkintilloch Herald and The Milngavie and Bearsden Herald ran a story on our exporting plans. It’s always a bit surprising turning the pages of a newspaper and seeing yourself!

Friday: Lord Duncan visits our woodworking studio

Following our win, we received a request from the UK Government, Lord Duncan of Springbank , the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Scotland wished to visit our woodworking studio and discuss our exporting plans. 

We were delighted to show Lord Duncan around and explain how our products are made from recycled barrels. Ali explained all the processes involved.   He was particularly impressed with our finished items and especially our brand new whisky barrel bowties with Harris Tweed which he kindly modelled for us. 

All too soon the visit and a very interesting week in our business was over and now the hard work begins!

There are so many people who have played a part in getting us this far with our exporting dreams and each and everyone of them has enabled us to achieve this recognition. 

Special thanks must go to Business Gateway in East Dunbartonshire, Scottish Enterprise, Scottish Development International in Tokyo, The BCCJ, The British Chambers of Commerce in Japan and finally our family and friends without whom none of this would be possible.

We are so excited about the next steps and look forward to sharing them with you.