Inside the World of Gift Business Startups: A Candid Conversation with the Founder of Gift Owls
Laying the foundations of a startup can be challenging, especially in these times of rising inflation and augmented insecurities. Anyone who finds the courage to put their ideas into reality and start a small business surely deserves a pat on the back. This is especially true when the business idea covers two different territories, like that of the Gift Owls. This startup idea, conceived by a vibrant Pakistani couple in Canada, involves sending and receiving gifts between Pakistan and Canada (and within Canada) and helping loved ones subtract the distance between them during special occasions.
This feature walks you through the inside world of gift business startups with a special conversation with the founder of Gift Owls, who spills the beans on the startup challenges for beginners.
From Idea to Launch: Building Successful Business from Scratch
The post-Covid World is grappling with insecurities, self-doubt, and apprehensions, especially when starting a new business. Even the idea of converting dreams into reality is clouded with vulnerabilities. However, this young and vibrant couple, currently residing in Canada, pushed back the hesitation and initiated a gift business in the post-Covid World.
The idea of starting a business arose during the pandemic, and the owners had all the time in the world to do some work around it. As everything was shut down and there was nothing to keep them occupied, the founders used this period to benefit them. The couple who had just had a baby sat together and finalized the conceptualization of this entrepreneurship idea. It was more of an overnight idea, which was then developed by the founders step by step!
Implications of Leading a Small Business as a Women
There is no denying the fact that women have it more challenging than men when it comes to entering a business market that is already well established. This gets even more arduous when they have babies to rear alongside. The founders of Gift Owls had just given birth to a baby when they decided to initiate the business.
Brimming with positivity and confidence, Hira, the co-founder, says she didn’t find it particularly tough in the Canadian business industry as she had all the support from her business partner and family. However, she admitted that starting a business means some days are more demanding than others, making it challenging to manage the work-life balance. But, the passion for serving the clients and helping them stay connected to their loved ones who are so far away from them re-energizes her every time she slows down a bit!
Legal Considerations: Preventing Litigation Troubles
As going through the legalities is relatively quicker in Canada than in Pakistan for a small business, things got smooth when the idea of Gift Owls was realized.
So does Hira think the legal aspect of initiating a business is smoother compared to what it is in Pakistan, and what are the major startup challenges? She said they only “needed a business license to begin the process, and things fell into place later”. Moreover, the government is keen on approving business ideas, especially from youngsters, so Canada is a great place to initiate a startup.
Lessons Learnt: Current Economic Climate for Small Startup
Did the current economic climate affect business growth? Hira says that as they started small, they tried to grow with time and not at once, which definitely helped. Catering to people with varied needs and demands led to them expanding their business. Starting from low-cost and common gifts, they soon shifted to premium gifts.
However, the biggest hurdle they faced was the constantly changing exchange rate. As people from Pakistan would be eager to send gifts to Canadian recipients, there would always be currency conversion, which would depend upon the fluctuating currency value.
Complicated Business Plans: A Common Mistake Made By Many Entrepreneurs
The startup targets a local space, which is 60 kilometers outside of Brampton. It covers the entire Greater Toronto Area, and the clients opt for this gift delivery option because there is a personal touch to it. The founders still use the local delivery system; everything is handled with utmost love and care!
Planning Logistics of Time-Sensitive Gift Deliveries
Deliveries are contingent on the availability of the stock. Hira says that to avoid any hindrance that may delay the delivery of time-sensitive gifts, the team always asks to place an order 48 hours before delivery. This gives the team enough time to source the product, even if it’s low on stock.
Another thing that has helped the startup be efficient in deliveries is that it still covers a limited area and ensures every customer is given equal importance and significance. This also means offering customized services to the clients.
Collaborations With Small Scale Businesses
The business model is pretty simple. Ever since it started, Gift Owls has been working exclusively with small-scale businesses that are mostly home-based. Be it a personalized cake for a special occasion or a customized gift, these business owners add an element of personal effort to each and every article they deliver.
Unlike most business owners grappling with startup challenges, the founders of this company didn’t have to worry about capital during the initial phases. As Gift Owls started on digital platforms, it was unnecessary to bring about heavy finances to make it work.
Recurring Customers Who Trust Gift Owls
And what about the customers? Do they return? Hira is proud that she has created a solid customer base in a very short period! There are loads of recurring clients who trust no one but Gift Owls when it comes to sending a special gift to someone from Pakistan to Canada. This further makes customer acquisition easier.
The founders of the startup attribute this to the exclusiveness this business offers clients. As each gift delivered to the recipients is hand-picked and handed over with utmost love and care, the experience is highly satisfactory and valued!
Marketing; The Challenging Part
Regarding marketing the services on social media platforms, Hira admits she is still learning. As she doesn’t have a huge team to help her, she often forgets to take pictures and make videos of the products’ sourcing, packaging, and delivery, and a great marketing opportunity is lost! She says it’s a lifelong learning process, but currently, most clients are coming through Facebook and Instagram-related digital marketing strategies.
The small team of this startup really believes in improving, which ensures getting back to the clients and having honest feedback. A QR code on the gift helps the receiver scan it and give a rating to the company according to its services. Also, Facebook and Instagram are filled with numerous reviews, aiding the startup to get better with time.
The founders of Gift Owls currently don’t have plans to expand globally and are happy to collaborate with small/local businesses and provide exceptional value for money to the clients. By hand-picking each gift and ensuring to take care of the logistics themselves, they are able to retain the customers and have a solid base of loyal clients who keep coming back to them. With time, however, Gift Owls will also be expanded to other parts of Canada.
