René runs a side hustle with heart. I surprised two girlfriends with the cutest personalised coffee mugs last year and I was blown away! (Also, she's so lovely to interact with).
Join us in Part Three of our black female entrepreneur interview series as we get to learn more about her and her business.
Tell us a little about yourself and what you do.
My name is René Stevens and I'm the owner of Everyday René Gifting.
How old is your business now?
I started my business in December 2018.
How did the idea for your business come about?
I always knew I wanted to start a business but never knew what. I literally just sat in bed one night and told my husband of 2 months I think I'm going to start a gifting service and he said okay and that's how it started. It was also inspired by planning our wedding and I couldn't find Gifting to fit my need.
How did you come up with the name of your company?
It was inspired by what I like and everyday things. And I thought everyday should be special. Also I make a big thing about every occasion so it developed from there.
What has been your greatest highlight/achievement as an entrepreneur?
Seeing how happy my gifts make people! They are actually delighted by my creations and that dulls the mistakes I've made.
What is unique about your business?
My gifting is personalised to my clients needs and I add MY touch to it.
How do you market your business, and which methods have been most successful for you?
Social media and word of mouth. They have both been quite successful. I was also part of the first CTICC gift fair in December and that helped a lot. I did lots of collaborations in my first year of business.
What does a typical day look like for you? And how many hours, on average, do you work daily?
I work full time, so Everyday René Gifting admin takes place after hours from 5pm until about 8 or 9pm. So, on average 3 hours a day.
How has being an entrepreneur affected your life?
I've definitely been busier and coupled with working full time it's really been busy. I've also realised I need my own studio to develop my business further. So that's something I'm working on.
If you could go back in time and start up your business all over again, what would you do differently?
I would have started it earlier and with more capital. But I'm learning as I'm going.
What is one piece of advice you’d like give to someone just starting out?
Do it! Whatever it is that you want to do, do it! Take the leap. You'll realise that you should have done it sooner. Even though it's scary, it's worth it.
Where can we find your business on social media?
Facebook page link: https://www.facebook.com/Everyday-Rene-Gifting
Instagram handle: @everdayrenegifting