The Uber of Gift Wrap - Nifty Package

Team Subkit -

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Michelle Hensley, owner of Nifty Package Co, Inc., located in Orange, CA, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Nifty has been providing a custom corporate gift experience that includes corporate and individual gifts, custom gift-wrap, custom boxes, the first-of-its-kind mobile gift-wrapping service nationally, basically the Uber of gift wrap, promotional items, as well as gift fulfillment for all occasions and in every industry including an Employee Choice custom site for over six years ultimately bringing joy which is our goal! Nifty caters to clients in financial services, healthcare, technology, hospitality, entertainment, and automotive, presenting consumer & promotional products to market, professional sports teams, corporate clients, PR firms, and A-list celebrity clients. Our clients include NCAA, The Clippers, Justin Bieber, KKW, K West, Bridgewater, Acorns, Hoag Hospital, Scan Health, Warner Bros Discovery, and several others.

Tell us about yourself

I am Michelle Hensley, founder/owner of Nifty Package Co, Inc., a business I started after losing my husband to cancer at 51 years old, with three out of seven children still home and no source of income. I started Nifty in 2015 after being out of the workforce for 13 years. I had lost my husband to cancer the year prior and still finished out my last year running a non-profit where we fed over 73,000 people yearly. I had to create an income and had fully depended on my husband, never thinking I would lose him when I was 50. I had no idea what I was doing but what I did know was that as I interviewed, hearing the commitment needed for these roles, I would be fulfilling their mission and had tunnel vision and saw my children still at home and a new grandchild coming. I just thought, is there a way to create a business where I could work when I could and not because I had to and teach other women to do the same? Basically, the Uber of Gifting works remotely. One of my sons said, "Mom, you had a gift business when you were young. Why not do that again?" So, I thought about it, prayed about it, and viola and Nifty started, and I had a wonderful team who supported my idea. I love to give, and it makes both the client and recipient happy; how wonderful is that! What motivates me daily is the ability to help others and bring joy!

What motivates me most to achieve business success are:

  • The ability to worship God in my work, my work is my worship.
  • To bring joy to others, both the client, recipient, and staff who work with me.
  • To provide a source of income to others and to myself, plus a unique opportunity to work where they are and learn business principles.
  • To honor God through my business and finances.
  • Provide meaningful work for those that work alongside me.
  • The challenge of unique clients, gifts, and gift-wrapping ideas.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment is that I launched! I believed in the direction and not giving up when so many times I wanted to. When I hear that others love Nifty who work for Nifty, just our clients, it makes me want to work harder.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

You have to manage the expectations of those that work for you, those who want to work for Nifty and be the CFO, managing and growing finances.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Start, just start. Even if you don't have all the answers, they eventually come through the hard work needed.
  2. Mistakes and problems are normal and natural. If you make a mistake, you will learn and grow through the tenacity of moving forward after picking yourself up.
  3. Motivate yourself from others. I listen to podcasts and read books daily. Learn from those who are where you want to be. Don't be afraid to ask questions, and be wise when taking advice from those who don't have experience in entrepreneurship.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://niftypackage.co/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/niftypackageco/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-hensley/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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