The Art of Gift-Giving

Someone recently asked about my earliest memory of receiving gifts, and it took me straight down memory lane. At around 4 years old, during visits to my grandparents, we'd always find surprises waiting for us on our trundle beds—a tradition that's stayed close to my heart.

My grandma, knowing my love for croutons, always kept a jar handy on the counter. A simple act that left a lasting impression.

Whenever my dad traveled for work, he'd return with little gifts. One time, he even recorded an entire book on tape so my sister and I wouldn't miss bedtime stories! Hearing his voice made us cry inconsolably and remains a gift that we cherish to this day.

And my Mom? She was the queen of throwing fun birthday parties. These moments taught us the value of thoughtful gestures, a tradition we carry on with our own loved ones.

KOYA was a family venture that I had the opportunity to be a part of for five incredible years—a truly remarkable experience! Recently, we made the decision to put KOYA on hold as we ventured into different pursuits, which brings me to my day job. I provide marketing and operational support to a select group of clients.

After experiencing burnout, I took a step back from the startup scene, unsure if I'd ever return. However, after a few months of recharging, my perspective shifted. 

Suddenly, the timing felt right, and my partner, Jordan, and I began developing prototypes for Gift N’ Stick. While it draws from my past experiences, it's a completely new journey. I'm thoroughly enjoying moonlighting on this project and immersing myself in the world of e-commerce, a field where Jordan has extensive expertise. It's been an enriching journey to learn as we go.

The vision for KOYA was simple: to facilitate deeper, more meaningful connections—a cause I’m genuinely passionate about.

It's one of the few initiatives I can fully support and invest in.

Naturally, this new company, Gift N' Stick, is rooted in a similar ethos.

I've always embraced challenges rather than steer away from them. Interestingly, I've never had what you'd call a "typical" job—never even sat for a formal interview. My jobs have always come through referrals, which I love because it's allowed me to dive into roles that stretch beyond my existing skills. It feels like I've been paid to learn throughout my early career years, and that's a mindset I carry with me: always learning, always growing. I fear not trying far more than I fear failing. To me, failure is just the fertilizer for future successes.

You really don't need everything figured out to start. My approach? Launch a simple landing page, whip up a basic prototype—even if it's just a sketch—and test it out. See if it resonates, share it with people face-to-face. A book I recommend is The Mom Test—it's all about learning from real feedback, iterating quickly, and finding what sticks.

My partner often reminds me that scaling problems are good problems to have. There's no need to stress over them until they're in front of you. Just begin where you are, gather lots of feedback—more than you think you might need—and keep pushing forward. Starting isn't as daunting as many people believe. You can learn as you go.

Jordan whipped up the first version of Gift N' Stick in just a couple of weekends. Since then, we’ve only had to make minor tweaks based on customer feedback.

To be candid, we're still in the early stages of validating our idea and identifying our ideal customer base. It's tempting to perceive businesses as more advanced than they truly are, especially when viewing them on social media.

Fortunately, we’ve had some small but promising wins in retail that are helping spread the word about what we're doing.

When we first started looking for a prototype, we reached out to a friend in the printing industry. Unfortunately, our project was too small for him, so he referred us to someone else who could only offer large black and white stickers. Seeing those simple stickers was a bit disheartening since they were so far from what I had envisioned.

After some searching, we found another supplier who could produce stickers based on our colorful designs, but only in small batches. This was actually a printer I had used almost a decade earlier for a personal sticker project. As our needs have grown, we're now in search of a new printer who can handle larger volumes. It’s a good challenge to have—it shows that our project is expanding!

Currently, it’s just Jordan and me behind Gift N’ Stick. Jordan built the entire platform, while I handle daily operations and major decision-making.

The web aspect of our business has remained relatively simple because Jordan engineered the product for scalability from the start.

The real challenge lies in mastering everything else: learning Shopify, managing ads, handling shipping, reaching out to retailers, navigating the wholesale side of physical products, connecting with potential partners, discussing licensing, and managing social media.

It's exciting to engage with new customers and retailers, but the challenging part is effective follow-up. I’m still exploring the best methods to keep on top of this. If you have any suggestions, I’d love to hear them!

Working with family can be unexpectedly complex, but not always for the reasons you might think. The toughest part for me was the blurry line between work and personal life. For instance, it's challenging to shift from being 'Dad' to 'Boss' or from 'Sister' to 'Colleague' in an instant. We could be out having a good time, and suddenly the conversation turns to work matters.

Initially, this seamless flow felt energizing, like we were always on the move, always productive. But as time passed, this started to wear on me. It became harder to just connect on a personal level, because it always seemed like work was lurking in the background.

If you're thinking about starting a business with family, my advice is to set firm boundaries from the get-go. Make it clear what times are for work and what times are for family. This way, you can better nurture your personal relationships without letting work overshadow everything.

You might not guess it, but I'm quite private by nature.

For me, posting on social media feels more daunting than running the business itself. To avoid it becoming a distraction, I limit my online time to posting only.

This strategy helps me understand what really resonates with people. In interviews like this, having a social media presence serves as a valuable reminder of the journey we've undertaken.

Sharing ideas and business concepts comes naturally because they feel less like they're mine to keep and more like they're mine to pass along.

Ideas are fleeting, and when one lands with you, it's really about handling it with care, not claiming it. I take pride in giving these ideas a chance to flourish.

But putting myself out there, showing my face—that's a whole other ball game. It makes me a bit nervous. To tackle this, I'm taking baby steps to be more visible and trying to understand what makes me feel this way.

I'm also drawing inspiration from people I admire, aiming to match their courage in being seen. I suppose you’ll know I've overcome this when you start seeing me more active online.

The early feedback on Gift N’ Stick has been incredibly positive!

That said, while many people get excited when you talk about your product, the feedback that really counts is seeing who actually buys it.

We've been taking our customers' feedback seriously to enhance the experience and expand our product line.

A customer suggested adding "scan here" stickers to our packs. We worked with our designer to make it happen, and now we include them in every pack. 

You know, I hadn't thought about launching on Product Hunt, but you're making me reconsider that. Typically, Product Hunt is geared towards software, but since Gift N’ Stick has a software component, it could be a good fit. I'm still mapping out the best marketing strategy for Gift N’ Stick, and I’ll be sharing my insights on Twitter. 

Running an eCommerce business is quite different from just selling software. A big focus for me has been getting Gift N’ Stick into retail locations through wholesale, despite them taking a substantial portion of the profits, because it's crucial for scaling up.

Absolutely. I'm naturally more reserved, but choosing to share more openly has helped me find my voice and connect with a supportive community of builders. This makes a huge difference, especially when I feel uncertain about things.

If you have an idea or a dream, go for it.

Watch the universe conspire on your behalf.

I'm still figuring out the best ways to ship our products. Recently, a customer from Canada wanted to buy our stickers, so I had them use our work address for the shipment and personally sent the stickers to Canada. Our profit was significantly cut, but it was a valuable learning experience. With plans to expand our store internationally, understanding the costs and logistics of international shipping is crucial, and this was my first real insight into what that entails. Worth it!

We're also exploring potential partnerships with card companies and makers. These collaborations will help us position our product more contextually. 

Our goal is to secure strategic partners to license our technology. Achieving this would provide the capital I need to quit my day jobs and dedicate myself fully to Gift N’ Stick.

For now, I'm moving toward my goal one retail partnership at a time. If you're interested in these opportunities and want to help make a founder's dream come true, please reach out!

I always have multiple projects swirling around in my mind, but my main focus right now is Gift N’ Stick.

We're exploring a few lines right now, including a magnet line designed for two-way communication, which would be ideal for long-distance relationships.

In addition to this, I'm planning to launch a newsletter for eCommerce businesses, staying connected to the same field. I’m passionate about supporting fellow builders. 

I used to have an art studio in my backyard, but lost that creative space when I moved. By the end of this month, I'll have a new setup—an art studio and an office for my other creative projects.

I’m truly excited about this upcoming season. With my art supplies unpacked, I expect to spend a lot more time painting and diving into my creative work in my free time.

I draw a ton of inspiration from creators like Nick Gray, Harry Dry, Oliver Meakings, and Elizabeth Gilbert.

Each brings something unique to the table, and I’m incredibly thankful for how openly they share their insights, experiences, and journeys online.

Observing how they navigate their paths has taught me so much.

A good pair of sneakers and some comfy workout clothes are my essentials - I do a ton of walking.

Whether I’m stressed, stuck or just buzzing with excitement and need to process - I go for a walk. They’re great for helping me reconnect with my body and clear my mind, ready to dive back into whatever’s next.

I love getting decaf coffee or matcha, and as you guessed, I enjoy walking to get them with my partner and our dog, Goose!