When it comes to finding a gift for a special occasion Aberdeen mum Laura Henderson has it all wrapped up.
Just A Wee Gift specialises in making and supplying hampers and gifts for all occasions.
She launched the business in 2017 after struggling to find someone local who makes hampers.
Laura has gone from attending local craft fairs to running her own online shop.
She answered our questions on her biggest struggles, achievements and more.
How and why did you start in business?
I was looking for a hamper for a family member for their birthday. I wanted to incorporate things they liked and keep to a budget, but I was unable to source this anywhere locally. I decided to make the hamper myself and realised that I’d found a gap in the market. That’s when I started my business, Just a Wee Gift.
How did you get to where you are today?
I started attending local events in the area, showcasing my products and promoting the business. We built up our social media profile on Facebook and Instagram.
Last year, we rebranded the business with a new logo, and we now run an online retail shop selling a range of gifts from luxury food hampers to licensed merchandise.
Who helped you?
We’re a family run business, and my family have been very supportive. This especially includes my husband and my mother-in-law, who both work alongside me, too.
We have brilliant support from our website agency, LFI Creative. They helped create the logo to rebrand the business and built our website to enable us to sell online.
I continue to get fantastic support from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) and Business Networking International (BNI). I turn to them for guidance and advice, and I attend their local events and networking sessions to help my business grow.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever had?
Always have a plan of where you want to go and where you want to be. Work hard, and believe in your product and yourself to achieve your goals.
What is your biggest mistake?
It took a long time to get the website up and running. Having a strong online presence and selling online through the website has become a very important part of the business.
What is your greatest achievement?
We’re delighted to have been recognised for a number of awards. We’re very proud of what we’ve achieved and the recognition we’ve received.
How are you managing rapidly rising costs, and how could the government help?
I’ve been attending more events to promote my business to improve sales growth, and I’m trying to bulk buy stock wherever possible.
We source the content of our food hampers locally, which helps keep the cost down and supports the community. I tried for as long as I could to keep my prices the same, however like most other places, I will have to increase my prices at some point.
I think the government could help by offering more grant support for small businesses and start-ups. I’d also like to see better incentives for business owners to have their own premises, including reduced businesses rates for shops and office space.
What do you still hope to achieve?
I would like to continue to grow my brand and business online and have my own premises to work from. As the business grows, I’d like to employ local people and continue to support the community.
Conversation