A BLOSSOMING business has received enquiries from across the globe since being recognised by a former Dragons’ Den judge.

Selena’s Chest, a small online jewellery business, was highlighted by Theo Paphitis as part of his Small Business Sunday (SBS) initiative.

The business, which was formed in 2013 by Selena Agcaer, specialises in “joyous jewellery handmade with love”.

Selena, 30, said: “We never imagined for a moment that our wee shop would attract the attention of someone like Theo.

“It’s been tough trying to keep things going in light of the pandemic and so receiving this boost has been beyond our wildest dreams.”

As well as appearing on the popular BBC programme, Mr Paphitis is the owner of stationery chain Ryman, as well as lingerie specialist Boux Avenue and homeware retailer Robert Dyas.

He has encouraged small businesses to get in touch with him on Twitter on a Sunday evening between 5pm and 7.30pm and include the hashtag #SBS.

Six lucky businesses are then retweeted the following day, opening them up to an audience of nearly 500,000 people, who follow the former Millwall Football Club chairman.

Selena, whose business is based out of her home in Tranent and Bologna, in Italy, where she works in business consultancy, had been encouraged to start up the business by friends and family.

Her fiancé David Gray, who works for a solicitors’ firm, described Selena as “arty”, with the jewellery collection featuring necklaces, bracelets and earrings.

He was pleased to say the reaction since the retweet at the beginning of the month had been incredible.

The 37-year-old said: “It has been superb, it really has.

“The last seven days have seen so much interaction with the shop.

“We have had loads of interest from all over the place – the United States, the UK and Australia – the reach has been far beyond what we expected it was going to be.

“It came as a complete shock and it was only the third time we had tried and joined in with the hashtag on Twitter.

“That was on the urging of the few other small businesses we are in contact with, who said ‘why don’t you have a go?’

“We thought ‘what’s the harm?’ and it took us three weeks to be retweeted, which caught us off guard. Most of the people said to keep persevering at it and it took them three years.”

For more information, go to www.selenaschest.com