Never Too Late
This is an excerpt from a recent media interview:
Top Hampers Began After Receiving A Gift That Didn’t Match The Thought Behind It. What Made You Say, ‘This Is A Gap I Can Fill’?
It was the realisation that gifting is not just about the item itself; it’s about what it represents. I received something that clearly came from a good place, but it didn’t reflect the effort or meaning behind it. That made me think there was a gap in the market for gifts that feel personal, well presented, and genuinely aligned with the recipient.
Top Hampers was born from wanting to create gifts that people are proud to send, and that recipients truly love.
What Did You Do In The First 30 To 90 Days That Made The Biggest Difference From Idea To Launch?
I focused on execution rather than overthinking. In those early weeks, it was about building the foundations quickly: sourcing the right products, experimenting with packaging and presentation, creating the website and establishing the brand look and feel. I am the opposite of a procrastinator and if I decide on something I must start implementing immediately. This can sometimes be a fault, so I have learned to listen to my daughters and slow down sometimes.
In A Crowded Gifting Market, What Makes Top Hampers Different, And What Do Customers Consistently Love Most?
The difference is that we are not a standard gifting or hamper company. We hold thousands of products in house and create gifts that are branded and thoughtful beyond any others on the market.
Customers consistently tell us they love the presentation, the attention to detail, and the feeling that the gift genuinely reflects well on them as the sender. We were also named Best Personalised Hamper Company by The Telegraph, which acknowledges that focus on quality and care.
As we grow and introduce more features, these are becoming increasingly popular such as a ‘Build Your Own’ hamper, more personalisation options, the ability to choose just one or two gifts and have them ready wrapped and personalised, the drop down option in themed hampers so you can swap certain items, for example a bottle of wine for a bottle of vodka, or biscuits for a gluten free variety. There are just so many features we have that our competitors don’t.
We are awash with ideas and can barely implement them as quickly as we would like to, alongside the growing business. First and foremost, our customer service is second to none and will always remain so.
What’s A Business Decision You’re Proud Of, And What’s Something You’d Do Differently If You Could Rewind?
I’m proud that we spotted a real gap in the market and became first movers.
If I could rewind, I would have thought more carefully about who we used to develop the website. Due to my sometimes hasty decision making, we went through 3 website developer companies in the first 18 months. They were just not up to it, despite wild promises. It is only now that our site is really shaping up, and I wish I had done a more comprehensive assessment of where we were heading and who could work with us to take us there.
What Have Been The Best Parts Of Building A Family Business With Your Children?
The best part has been the shared sense of purpose. Building something together creates a different kind of connection, and it’s incredibly rewarding to see my children bringing their own strengths, ideas and energy into the business. There is no way I could have done this without them. We all have completely different strengths, and these complement each other perfectly. I get to see so much more of them which I love, although often on Zoom.
It also gives us a long term perspective. We are building something that matters to us as a family, not just a short term project.
What Boundaries Or ‘Rules’ Help You Keep Relationships Healthy While Working Together?
Clear roles help enormously. We respect each other’s responsibilities, and we try not to blur family time and work time too much; although because we all love our work we do find we want to talk about it when we are together out of choice not necessity. However, we all love to have fun and so we do know how to switch off too. We also recognise that we are allowed to freely disagree on a business decision without it becoming personal; that mindset is very important.
How Do You Show Up As The Face Of A Brand While Also Keeping The Business Professional And Scalable?
I am not a huge fan of individual brand building for a company that plans to be globally large, although I know that flies in the face of what most are advocating. I try to represent the values of the brand; quality, detail, and genuine care, without making it about me. The goal is always to build something that stands on its own.
Being visible does help build trust, but scalability comes from having a strong team, clear processes, and a consistent standard that customers can rely on.
What Are Your Self Care Non Negotiables That Keep You Energised When Business And Family Life Gets Busy?
Exercise, social interactions and meals with family and friends. I swim, walk, play Padel and do Pilates every week. I also have a heavenly massage once a week.
I am a bit of a workaholic as I love my work, but I just fit the non negotiables around that and dispense with the usual 9 to 5 routine.
What Message Would You Like To Share, Especially For Women Thinking Of Starting Something But Feeling It’s ‘Too Late’ Or ‘Too Risky’?
My message would be that it is rarely too late. I can’t imagine the day when I will not want to be involved in business at some level. It is my creative output, and with years of lessons and experience behind you, the chances of succeeding are so much greater than when younger, if you have the appetite. I would like to caveat that with the fact that it does help to go into something with someone else, as that spurs you on when challenges arise and it is so much more rewarding to share the journey.
There is always risk in building something, but there is more risk to your engagement with life and its opportunities, to your personal development and sense of participation and contribution given your limited time on earth, if you don’t try. We are here to grow and grasp the opportunities, not watch from the sidelines. Obviously, that can be done in a myriad of ways not just through entrepreneurship, but it is a pretty good route in my books. And if you get knocked down, you get up again. It builds resilience. If you have an idea you believe in, take the first step. Momentum comes from action.
