A journey from the classroom to the cutting edge of technology has marked the remarkable career shift of former high school teacher turned tech entrepreneur, Nicki Capewell.

The founder of Pedddle.com, the UK’s premier artisan market directory, Nicki expanded her vision by creating Eventaly at the end of 2024, and this year the company is really set to thrive.

In 2019, after leaving her teaching job in the Staffordshire Moorlands to concentrate full time on Pedddle, Nicki has seen her business expand to create two further businesses, all within the same niche - revolving around artisans and creative markets.

Nicki’s story first began by spotting a gap in the market. Seeking a way to easily find creative events and stallholders that sold at them, she was initially inspired by a passion for connecting small businesses with their audiences, and Nicki set up Pedddle.com. Pedddle is a nationwide directory of artisan markets and their stallholders, and quickly became a trusted platform for discovering artisan markets and supporting independent makers and creatives across Britain. Her experience as a teacher gave her the skills to organise, communicate, and inspire; qualities that have driven Pedddle's success.

Nicki explains, “Teaching part time with a young family, and I was having to run the business alongside working, which is a difficult and consuming profession outside of school hours too. I decided to take the plunge into the business as I could see the positive impact that building such a creative community was having, and connecting people interested in local markets and their stallholders and making them more easily discoverable was so necessary. Markets have deep roots as community hubs throughout Britain, and we need to ensure they stay alive and thrive”.

During the Covid pandemic, artisan markets inevitably ceased trading and the nature of the business had to pivot. Nicki decided that rather than admit defeat, she would build on Pedddle’s prior success, and created Tresstle. Tresstle.com is a platform to run online markets, which was ideal during the pandemic. It meant that market organisers could still reach an audience, as could their stallholders. Reaching audiences beyond physical event spaces was critical due to lockdown, and Tresstle helped to transform how small businesses operated during those times, especially in a time when digital and online engagement is more critical than ever.

Do we see a movement into operating both physical and digital markets alongside one another to increase accessibility? We certainly do! Tresstle remains a useful resource to run online markets, and has far outlasted the pandemic. Offering a way for those with accessibility needs to still access local stallholders, it also means markets can run regardless of weather patterns - something especially effects outdoor events. Nicki hopes that more event organisers will continue to use the platform, running physical events alongside online ones so that, regardless or whether attendees can physically attend, creative events will be available to all.

And now we arrive in the present day, with Nicki’s ambitions for the year ahead. Her latest venture is Eventaly, an innovative event management platform which was awarded grant funding from Innovate UK in 2024, Britain’s national innovation agency. Such recognition and support has boosted the teams behind all of these companies exponentially, and not least Nicki herself.

Nicki comments, “gaining the Innovate UK funding last year was not just a win for me personally, but a win for everyone involved in our industry. It means my business can help so many other businesses in return, it’s something that will benefit the entire creative community. With each of the business I’ve created, Pedddle, Tresstle and Eventaly, I focus on the community aspect and an integral part of each platform is how it can best serve others in the creative community”.

"As a former teacher, I’ve always believed in the power of community and creativity. Transitioning into tech entrepreneurship has allowed me to channel that passion into creating tools that genuinely help people thrive. With Innovate UK's support, Eventaly is set to make a real difference for event organisers and artisans alike.”

The entrepreneur’s latest venture, Eventaly, takes her vision to a new level. Designed to revolutionise the events industry, Eventaly provides a seamless way for organisers to manage their events, and keep a track of the stallholders selling at them and the finances involved. This innovative platform recently secured funding from Innovate UK, a prestigious recognition of its potential to make a significant impact.

Nicki’s three businesses form a trio of solutions for the creative community, which are designed to uplift artisans in every way. Each of them connect physical and online marketplaces, creating further opportunities for growth and exposure for the artistic community. Her prior career as a high school teacher and now a tech entrepreneur is an inspiring testament to resilience, creativity, and the importance of embracing new challenges, no matter your age or career background. With Eventaly, Pedddle and Tresstle, Nicki is paving the way for a more connected and empowered artisan economy - and long may it continue!