Sending happiness, one box at a time.
Hello Boxes began with my love for making family and friends happy little boxes filled treats - for birthdays, Christmas or just when I thought someone was in need of cheering up. I would send them through the post or leave them on their doorstep and hope that it brought a smile to their face as much as it did mine. Then one day I imagined what it would be like if I could help others do the same....
At the time, I was a full time teacher with very little time for myself, let alone time to start a business! After much thought, I made the decision to reduce my hours and see where it took me. After all, if you don’t try you’ll never know! It was at this point when the Hug in a Box was born. It was my very first creation and I decided to test it out on a friend of mine who was in desperate need of a hug. I’m very happy to say - it worked.
Soon after, I created the Smile in a Box, and of course, a Best Teacher Box. The more boxes I created, the more excited I became. I could see my dream becoming a reality. However, I knew there was a lot more to it than simply creating boxes, and the thought of trying to build a small business filled me with fear and doubt. So much so, that I almost gave up on the idea, until a very close friend of mine gave me the encouragement I needed to keep going. In her words, ‘You’ve got this Em! You can do it - I believe in you’. I will always owe her for waving my flag and cheering me on.
In 2021 I decided it was time to stop doubting myself, to stop thinking about what might happen if it goes wrong and start thinking about what might happen if it goes right. In the words of Sylvia Plath, ‘The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.’ She couldn’t have been more right.
With the help of Etsy, my family and friends, and my very good friend still waving my flag and cheering me on...Hello Boxes was born. I continued creating more boxes and soon my customers were appearing one by one. It was hard work juggling teaching and the business, but I loved every moment of seeing Hello Boxes growing into the dream I imagined.
Around a year later, I decided it was time to leave teaching after my 13 year career. It was time to focus on this new chapter in my life and for me to start believing in myself for once. It was time to focus all my energy into helping others feel happy and nothing brings me more joy than knowing where my boxes are going and who they might be helping.
