I’m so excited to bring you the first online businesswoman profile. Bianca Kristallis is the owner and director of Pamper Hamper Gifts, a successful Internet business founded in 2004.

Based on her own gift experiences, Bianca knew that there were many time poor consumers who she could help.  She created Pamper Hamper Gifts to counter the tedium of going out to the shops, to combat the stress of shopping and to help make people’s lives easier.

Bianca’s wish was for the frazzled mums, time poor businesspeople and clueless men to turn to her site and have all their gift-giving woes solved in one stylish place. As a mum of twins, Bianca loves the flexibility that working for herself online has given her.

Q) What was your personal motivation behind starting Pamper Hamper Gifts?

I had noticed the lack of luxurious hampers on the Internet and was mortified by the dated and daggy options available.

I wanted to get away from cane baskets, shrink wrap and curling bows and bring the ‘wow factor’ and style back into gift giving. I have always looked up to people like “Martha Stuart” for her creativity and flair. She makes me think outside the box.

When it comes to giving gifts to family and friends I love that I can make a pair of socks look amazing, simply by the way I box and wrap.

I had also received many hampers over the years at work, for birthday presents etc and always mocked the presentation and quality, hoping that one day I could learn from other people’s mistakes.

I have made an effort to support Australian wholesalers like MOR Cosmetics, Simon Johnson, Maggie Beer and Urban Rituelle just to name a few. These companies offer quality and have a great reputation in the market place.

I have made a point not to go offshore and mass produce products, I let the experts handle that, and it is why I love being a retailer.

I can choose the direction the business goes in and concentrate on important things like my shop front “the site”, database management, packaging, customer service, buying from the wholesalers and loads more.

Q) What’s the number one piece of advice you could give other women thinking of starting an online business?

Don’t think for a second that you will succeed overnight, it’s hard work – very hard work.

Before starting you must:

• Have an idea to play with
• You need to research
• Ask questions
• Network
• Don’t tell too many close friends your ideas
• Register a business name
• Register a web address that will be remembered
• Understand Google and
• Find an amazing web developer that does not offer template websites (an original website is best as there are too many sites that keep popping up that look the same).

Q) What was the toughest part about getting your website online?

Everything was tough about getting the site online as there are many things that need to be organised.

You need to plan ahead and take your time. Although I like to be thrown in the deep end as I work better. It was all fun and challenging really, I loved every minute of it and still do.

Q) Do you have any advice about how to get visitors to your website?

• Have an amazing site that is different to others in the same field
• Network
• Learn to optimize
• Learn about Google

Q) In your wildest dreams, what do you see as the future for Pamper Hamper Gifts?

In my wildest dreams I see Pamper Hamper Gifts as the most talked about hamper company on the net. I would love to expand and perhaps have a shop front. That depends on many factors – first I have to find a business partner who has the same drive and tenacity! I have many dreams; I’m approaching them slowly and at the right pace day by day to achieve each one.

Visit Pamper Hamper Gifts.

Related posts:

1. Alicia Rozenblum Founder of Alegorie Boutique
2. Kath Purkis Founder of Le Black Book

Filed under: Inspiration, Interviews, Tips