Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Daria Luczkowski, co-founder of Mia Bella Company LLC., located in Venice, CT, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Mia Bella is a women-owned and operated custom gift box company that provides unique, hand-selected gifting solutions for individuals and companies.
Tell us about yourself
Mia Bella, whose name was inspired by Daria's witty 7-year-old daughter Mia, is a culmination of our lifelong journey, a journey we always traveled together.
We are a mother-daughter duo who immigrated to the USA from Poland 20 years ago in the pursuit of the American Dream. Little did we know about the challenges, the struggles, the hard work that lay ahead…. And yet, despite all the bumps in the road, our perseverance, work ethic, and always having each other's back helped us prevail and always move forward together.
Daria started her career in the insurance industry as early as high school, continued to work full time while attending college at night and earning her MBA at UCONN. During her days off and summer vacation, if not taking extra classes, she would help mom with work. Ewa started and ran two successful companies – a catering business and a cleaning service – that kept her very busy up until Mia made her a "Babcia," or grandma….[Admittedly, Ewa's schedule became even busier then =] Thanks to mom's dedication and full-time help, Daria was able to continue advancing her career in the insurance industry, elevating her customer service, leadership, marketing, and strategic skills that she has continually applied to philanthropic causes within the community.
Twenty years later, thousands of personal and professional experiences stronger, with family and friends always at the heart and center of everything we do, we decided it was time to leverage our many diverse experiences and turn our passion for crafts and obsession with gifting into Mia Bella.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
For a business owner who has built the venture out of a passion for something they truly cherish (in our case, gifting), there is a no bigger accomplishment than receiving positive reviews and feedback from our clients and even the gift recipients themselves sharing their utmost positive experience from receiving a Mia Belle Box.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
One of the hardest things about being a business owner is equipping yourself with patience and realizing that results will come, but not immediately. When you put in your heart and endless hours into business planning and then executing that plan (for entrepreneurs, that often means initially working a full-time job and then working nights and weekends to get the new venture up and running), you need to remain consistent and not lose confidence in your own self.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Spend ample time doing research. Research competitors, demand, suppliers, etc. Make sure you focus on your target audience's WIIFM (What's in it for me) if your product/service isn't purposeful/valuable, you need to revisit it.
- Have a written business plan that you continue to revisit and refine.
- Be consistent and patient.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Mia Bella's mission is to help others make lasting impressions and create unforgettable experiences while removing the hassle of gifting. We strive to support the community and procure most of our premium products from US-based, women-owned, hand-crafting firms such as ours. We have carefully composed many custom gift box options ideal for all occasions that are ready to ship at the click of a few buttons. We also recognize you know the best and offer the flexibility to Build-Your-Own-Box if you choose. For those larger and corporate needs, we offer corporate gifting concierge service from start to finish. We are happy to partner with you on your special event and promotional needs.
We will meticulously compose your custom gift box, hand-sign a greeting card, and take care of shipping right to your recipient (or you if you like).
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.miabellabox.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MiaBellaCompanyLLC/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miabellabox/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/miabellabox
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miabellabox/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.
