Her Big Idea: Pamper With a Hamper

The year was 2017 and I was a rising junior in High School. It was then when I truly believed I had a wave of genius. Looking back now it really wasn’t (but that’s fine). I decided my high school boyfriend and I should start a company. It would obviously look great on my college resume but also would let me nurture the entrepreneurial part of my personality that was always eager to shine. Also, making money sounded great, and how cute would it be to be the business ‘power couple’ of school. 

My idea was not profound. You see, I always liked giving gifts to people and didn’t only use birthdays as a way to treat the people I cared about. If I was coming over to watch a movie, I would quite possibly bring a cute bag with artisan flavored popcorn-probably guava chilly flavored- and a Pinterest popcorn tub with a bow around it and if I was really feeling extra, flowers for your room. Ya, I’m a really good friend). So the idea came easy: a gifting service where I would curate personalized hampers for any and every occasion: Pamper With a Hamper. (did you cringe at the name?) My boyfriend didn’t really have a say in its ideation, rather he was given the official title of being the errand boy and IT head. 

I felt powerful as I made social media pages, printed out business cards, and constantly jotted ideas in my pink notebook overflowing with sticky notes. Suddenly, the summer before 11th grade began to have such a strong purpose. I loved having work. It had humble beginnings with orders from family and friends, and I wouldn’t say it was the most professional set up. I borrowed money from my parents to start and never really paid it back. And there was my mum's stockpile of unopened gifts that came in handy when I didn’t have the budget, but as it turned out, a candle addition was all the hamper needed.

In the middle of the summer, a friend of a friend saw one of my Hampers and contacted me. I was shocked! I didn’t know the person and they were willing to pay me for hampers as prizes for the national baking convention in my city. I didn’t feel qualified but at the moment but I was mainly excited. It went well and then before I knew it, a really big law firm contacted me for corporate gifting. 

And so there I was, setting pricing fixtures, unearthing wholesalers, and coordinating deliveries. I advised the firm about Ose Baskets, negotiated prices, and reassured them that I had lined up the best bakers and florists in town. In three months, I had built relationships with grown people and their real business. When I first showed up at their office for our initial meeting in my jeans and tee-shirt, they were confused, unable to see beyond my age (they didn’t know I was 16 on our phone call). It took me a good while to convince the receptionist to send me up for my scheduled meeting! Though daunting at first, the meeting taught me that confidence backed with research and hard work was the way to get my voice heard. 

In the end, it was a success and I was thrilled. I felt all mighty. My boyfriend now claims I iced him out of the business two months in. This could be true, I was just too engrossed in doing the work (do not try at your real job). I still shared profits so please don’t feel too bad for him. 

Though the company technically stopped mid 12th grade after getting caught up with life and senior year,  what I learned from my experience was invaluable. I learned about my passion for entrepreneurship and leadership.