What is Gossip Box?
Gossip Box is a business you would utilise when you would like to send a gift with a difference. Instead of the typical wicker gift basket hampers the majority of us are used to sending, this is a box with a range of gifts exclusively supporting local business. The goal is to make you gossip about it to people you don’t even know.
What are some of the products that are in your Gossip Boxes?
They’re predominately edible items. We do stock some candles but that’s a minimal part of our business and it’s all long shelf-life stuff so chocolates, lollies, nuts, crackers, coffee, nougats, those kinds of things.
Why did you decide to start doing this?
The idea stemmed because I was the person in my old job handing out clients’ gifts that the company had organised. The majority of the time they were either corporate badged coffee cups or umbrellas, or a thoughtless bottle of wine that literally got handed straight from the carton. Or there were the massive wicker baskets that had nothing in them essentially so all of those things annoyed me. I thought one day I might start a business making it all a bit more personal and when it came time to have a family I decided to go for it.
What’s your biggest challenge right now?
Cash flow. No sooner do you make a sale, you have to replenish the stock and you’re forever chasing your tail with regards to making sure you’re got enough available so that when the orders come in you can fill them comfortably.
So there’s no rest?
No! But I wouldn’t change it for anything!
How did you get the first supplier on board?
I did a lot of research because I specifically wanted to support local business. I needed to find suppliers that had products that would fit inside a closed box, that were South Australian businesses and also that the products were long shelf-life. It was a lot of talking and meeting and catching up and finding out what they do and getting samples sent to me.
How do you stand out from your competitors?
Word of mouth is what helps us sell our products and I think the person buying the gift is happy with what they’re spending and on the other end, the receiver is pleasantly surprised that it’s a nice looking box, plus you don’t feel ripped off because we’ve jam-packed it full. Everyone’s happy and I get lots of calls from happy buyers which is great.
Is that what keeps you going?
Absolutely. I’m a firm believer that we have to look out for each other in business here in Adelaide because you know, our children need a future. If we can manufacture and make things locally that can keep jobs here in Australia and our kids can have something to look forward to as they develop and grow in years to come.
Do you have a favourite product or a favourite box?
Oh that’s so hard! There are so many awesome products. It really depends on what kind of a tooth you have and for me what mood I’m in! Sometimes I want to chew through a hard nougat, other times I’m stuffing myself with berry jelly, then you have a coffee and feel like having a biscuit! I do get a lot of great feedback about the berry jelly, so that’s nice!
What’s your advice for success?
Whatever you’re doing have a passion for it. Don’t let it become a job that you despise doing.
Every day, KBB’s Dannie Doughan chats with an entrepreneur and features their story on our website. If your business wants a ‘Date with Dannie’, email us a quick bit about your biz!
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All pics: Supplied
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