Mariska Joe

What does your company do?

We offer our clients the opportunity to show up with unique and sincere gifts to every event. They choose from our ready-made themed sets for last-minute gifting emergencies, or we can find unique gems that celebrate the person through our concierge gifting service. We also offer customisation options to our clients, adding personal touches to items that can make the recipient feel seen and appreciated. Our curated offer is an unbranded option. This means clients can take all the credit if they choose to. Picture a husband who has no idea what to get his wife for their anniversary. Well, he will send us to the shops to buy something that speaks to her habits, hobbies, or interests, and he can take all the credit for these efforts. He can show up proud, watch his wife unwrap the gift, and receive all the love and appreciation. Our philosophy is simple: Every recipient deserves a good gift, and no giver should break out in hives when thinking of finding something special. We understand that life is complicated and fast-paced as we try to juggle our responsibilities, and we want to ensure that we offer options that make clients' lives easier and less stressful in the moments of celebration.

What is your biggest success?

So far, we’ve helped a boyfriend who was travelling internationally for work. He needed to send his girlfriend a gift. He was in the dog box (not sure why), but she loved the gift — and they made up. Another client, also away on a work trip, wanted to get something special for his partner for Valentine’s Day. She had sent him pictures of things she liked over time, and he had saved them all. We went on a hunt and found those little gems. She was thrilled when he came back in time to celebrate Valentine's Day, with a big box of treats. He told us she loved it. We have a few more stories like these — and honestly, they’re the reason we keep going. We’ve helped clients who bought our gift sets and were so grateful because they didn’t have the time or didn’t know where to start. Our “Dog Mom” items are especially popular — turns out pets have a big say in gift-giving, too.

What has been your biggest hurdle?

Social media, by far, is the hardest part for me. I’m an introverted person and not a big fan of posting online. I have great sets, but I struggle to remember to take a video or snap a picture in good lighting. And when I do remember, the photo or video just looks... sad. I still end up posting it (because I have to), but I’m not happy with it, and it doesn’t do the gifts justice. I’m also struggling with content. I want what I share to be educational — something useful even for people who can’t afford the offers right now, so they can go out and put together thoughtful gifts themselves. Plus, the history of gifting is fascinating. We show up with gifts at events, but we often don’t know where that tradition comes from or what it really means. Gifting culture around the world is so diverse, and as the world gets smaller, we need to understand the dos and don’ts of gifting across different cultures. I don’t just want to post pretty boxes and cute sets. I have ideas, but I struggle to put them forward. I’ve been making a bigger effort lately, and I’m going to see how it goes. Also, I’m sorry for the rough writing, but when I polish things too much and run them through AI detectors or grammar checkers, they say it’s AI-generated. So right now, I’m just writing as it comes to mind.