Jo Williams, owner of gift shop Joco in Nuneaton, is a finalist in the Woman Who Achieves Solopreneur Awards, which is celebrating 10 years of spotlighting and celebrating women in business.
Jo told Gifts Today: “I was in total shock when I opened my emails after a day at Autumn Fair walking around the NEC to find one that read: “Congratulations! You are a finalist in the Woman Who Achieves Solopreneur Awards 2025.” It was sent by the organiser Sandra Garlick MBE to let me know that I’ve reached the finals of this year’s prestigious awards.
“It gave details of the next stage of the awards, which is a panel interview for you to answer questions from the judges, as they work their way through all the finalists. Then on October 10 there’s a glamorous awards ceremony held at Coombe Abbey Hotel in Coventry.
*This is an all-day event with a Woman Who Live session in the morning, inspirational speakers throughout the day, and the awards lunch starting at noon. Sandra hosts the most amazing awards, which are meticulously planned, and all finalists are invited to the stage to collect their finalist certificate. But the winners are announced throughout the event, rather than all at the end. This makes the day full of celebration.
”I honestly never expected to reach the finals, as this year has been incredibly difficult. That said, I’ve made so many changes to my life – both personally and in work – that I think I deserve to be in the finals with all the other inspirational ladies.
“Not only have I faced the closure of one of my businesses, but a complete change within the other one and a relocation of that business. Along with my charity work, and being a business consultant in my local area, life has certainly not gone quiet. And for the first time in what feels like forever, I can see that despite the hurdles I’ve faced, I’ve continued to champion the gifting world.”
