Passionate about sustainability and the environment, Michelle Cianci wanted to create a business that supported Australian brands as well as the planet. At Everybody Loves Hampers, they curate gorgeous, ethical gift hampers that contain eco-friendly, local and sustainable products. They are gifts that spread environmental awareness and support sustainable and ethical Australian businesses, while reducing the impact we have on the Earth. Every eco gift that goes into their hampers is personally sourced, tried, tested and loved. Here Michelle talks about the inspiration behind her business and her hopes and dreams for the future.
The passion: What inspired you to set up your business?
After I had my daughter, I really I wanted to start my own business; I just didn’t know what. But over time, I realised that I just absolutely loved searching for the perfect gifts. I really loved the idea of a gift hamper because it could be filled with a collection of things the person would love. For me, the thrill of giving someone a gift is even better than getting a gift – I just get so excited. Because I prefer things to be organic, natural and non-toxic, I brought this concept into my business, which soon evolved into eco-friendly Aussie brands. I felt proud to be supporting other Australian businesses that also cared about choosing better for us and our planet.
The launch: How did you start out in the beginning?
I started out by searching high and low for brands that fit my concept. Then I curated a range of gift hampers and built a website. I juggled building my business with part-time work as a self-managed superannuation accountant (which I still do), so it took me a good year to get to launch stage.
The innovation: What was the biggest breakthrough for you with your business?
I would say the biggest breakthrough was realising there was never going to be a perfect time to launch and to just let my website go live! As time goes on, I just focus on providing a great service and product, tweak it when I need to and learn from my mistakes.
