Whether you’re going to a birthday bash, housewarming party or a wedding anniversary, something as simple as giving housewarming cookies or gifts can be remarkably confusing and stressful! We can all relate to that, all right.
To reduce your gift shopping stress, The Wrapped Heart is here, pulling out a smile on their client’s faces with their greatest gifts and packaging ideas like those blister cards. Shefali, founder of The Wrapped Heart, highlights, “The Wrapped Heart has not only helped me grow but also helped me explore little things around me which I was completely unaware of.”
Shefali started her gifting and packaging business back in 2020, amidst the lockdown. From having zero proficiency in packaging, she went on to hold it as her profession and passion. Dig deeper into this conversation about Shefali Bafna talking about her profession, how it started and much more on Storiyaan.
Shefali Bafna: That's a Wrap!
Interview
Questions and answers
What struck the entrepreneurial streak in you and when did you finally realise it?
Being an entrepreneur never was my goal, it was something that happened suddenly. I designed a gift packaging for my sister which got a loud response from the audience on social media. I was about to start a job, but an idea struck my mind. If people are responding positively then why don’t I give it some time and make it my career, so the journey was undecided but it was one of the best decisions I ever made.
Can you tell us the story behind the foundation of Wrapped Heart and what drew your interest in packaging and gifting?
As mentioned, I designed a gift for my sister which came out to be a hit on social media, people started to like and comment and I gave entrepreneurship a shot. I used to see interesting posts on social media platforms where people would come up with creative designs and I thought why don’t we add emotions to it. My first project was related to this crazy fan of Bollywood, so it was all done according to his favourite scenes and dialogues. To Wrapped Heart, gifts aren’t just boxes but rather an emotion.
Can you share some roadblocks you faced in your life and how you managed to overcome them all?
I faced many roadblocks, especially at the time of lockdown because it was difficult for us to source, the pricing went high and the vendors weren’t working. It got hard to reach out to people but somewhere, social media played a big role to fill that void. The Wrapped Heart was started through social media. I believe everything has pros and cons and these roadblocks were just a part of the process.
Describe your site to our readers and what are its best-selling gifts?
Gifting can’t be under one type, we have 500+ designs so anybody can choose whatever suits them. The best-selling is always the one with the maximum amount of emotions. We have little themed gifts which have always been on top of the list. Partially because they are customizable, the client can add or remove according to their preferences, so the themed based hampers have always been the best-sellers.
What are the major attractions of your packaging that makes it stand among the rest and unique in their own way?
At Wrapped Heart, we have parcels that are very difficult to execute. Making big parcels is a tough chore but brings a lot of happiness to not just one person, but the entire family. We have a category called Jumbo Hampers which are about 4-5 to 6-7 feet in height. So, this is a huge item which has the products in little elements and everything in it is about that person’s selection which is a major attraction of Wrapped Heart.
How do you customize the packaging, keeping the client's needs in mind? What makes the job effortless?
We understand what the client’s requirements are and by hanging on to them, we give them suggestions and recommendations on different types of wrapping packaging. Every small detail is jotted down and worked on so it’s a long process that goes behind. At times, when the client knows exactly what they need us to add, it makes our job much easier. The more the client gives information about the gift they want, the better the outcome is because they will get exactly what they asked for.
Can you share clientele feedback that has boosted up your confidence in the work you are doing and how it has helped you professionally?
Wrapped Heart wants to reach out to clients and customers in such a way that it goes through word of mouth. I’m lucky, some clients trust me blindly with the chore, they tell me the basic information and rely on me to take care of the rest. So, the trust they settle into me and my company gives me a lot of confidence as they let me show my creativity without questioning because they’ve seen my work and loved it. So, it boosts our confidence.
As you started your business suddenly and also amidst the pandemic, how did you manage to gather the capital and make your business big?
We started off with very little, almost negligible capital. The pandemic did cause problems but some vendors played a huge role in my journey, though the capital was gotten by me and nobody else. Some clients who liked our work, paid no matter the price. Social media too benefited us a lot so, it was an episode to remember.
What were some of the trials and errors that you faced in the initial days of your business and the things you learned from it?
We’ve tried doing everything to get new designs on board and so many times we’ve failed at it but never have we given up, we’ve always tried to find an alternative or do it flawlessly. A lot of new strategies were tried; there was dry ice that was used, there were a lot of new concepts that we tried to build but at times, it didn’t work out the way I wanted it to, but I feel it’s a learning process so I wouldn’t call it an error. It is always a lesson that we learn in the process.
Elucidate us the way one needs to know if someone has to connect with you for ordering their gift hampers or packaging.
One can always find us on Instagram under “Wrapped Heart” and personally message us if they want to order a package. A crew member will get in contact and let them know all the categories and one can also customise their hamper. So, it’s a really easy process.
Quick 5
1. Your proudest milestone: Packing 500 hampers in a single day.
2. To you, Gifting and packaging is: Passion, life and a part of me.
3. Your most favourite me-time: Stalking new designs.
4. The person you look up to the most: Everybody is wise to me.
5. One characteristic that most describes you: Patience.