Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Alex Gill, Founder of Sweet Hamper Company, located in Essex, England.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
The Sweet Hamper Company creates unique, high-quality sweet hampers and boxes, chock-a-block with delicious sweets and chocolates. Our range includes quirky retro and decade hampers containing goodies from times gone by. Our customer base ranges from large corporates to individual purchasers looking for the perfect gift for any occasion.
Tell us about yourself
I have always had an entrepreneurial spark since my teenage years, and this passion for building businesses has grown over the years. My bread and butter is digital marketing, and I’m co-director of a successful small digital marketing business; however, when the pandemic struck in 2020, I quickly realised that there was a gap in the market for an online sweet business.
I turned my attention to creating the Sweet Hamper Company, originally just offering a small selection of products on a purpose build website – throughout the first lockdown, I worked hard to build the business's online presence, and it wasn’t long before the orders started rolling in.
Fast forward to Christmas 2020, and orders were coming through thick and fast – my front room became a makeshift warehouse, and boxes of hampers were stacked from floor to ceiling, ready to be dispatched. It was at this point that I decided to continue to focus on the Sweet Hamper Company and grow it into what it is today. I now have four employees and work alongside my brother to continue to grow the business.
I’m motivated every day to achieve the best and exceed my own expectations. There is nothing better than seeing the orders get packaged up and sent off to my customers!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Launching and growing a successful business during a pandemic – a completely unprecedented time – and seeing it continue to flourish as life returned to normal. Covid-19 had a huge impact on many businesses; however, we managed to weather the storm and focused on innovative ways to grow. We’ve since gone from 0-6 figure revenue within two years.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Finding the right people with the right attitude to help grow your business. As a small, family-run business, it's important that everyone involved is committed to our success – everyone has a role to play!
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- As mentioned above, find the right people to support your business and support you. Being a business owner can be lonely at times, so you need to ensure that you have the right individuals you can trust and who back you every step of the way.
- Don’t let self-doubt get in the way – if you have the drive and if you have a dream, it needs to be your focus.
- Spend as much time learning about digital marketing as possible. Digital is the future, and all businesses need an online presence. SEO, PPC, and Social Media are the most important tools in your tool kit – make sure that you’re maximising them in order to reach your full potential.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.sweethampercompany.co.uk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sweethampercompany
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sweethampercompany/
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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