Yolandi Laurence from The Gift Box

Tell us a bit about YOU and your family (where you are based, single / married, number of kids, etc)

I’ve been married for 11 years to Andrew and we have a very busy 6 year old boy, Joshua, who is the love of my life and miracle child.  We live in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Naal

What is the name of your company and when did you start your business?

Gift Box an online gift store where you can find that special something for baby, toddler, teenager and adult.  I’ve started in June 2013

What inspired you to start your own business?

I must say my son Joshua, he was always looking for something to play with, well still is, then I thought by myself hey let me start a business selling popular products not just for kids but for adults as well.

What are the challenges you face or have faced being a working Mom and how have you overcome them?

Being a working mom for 8am to 4pm and then come home and run a household, isn’t easy, don’t think it will ever be easy.  But I love it, wouldn’t change it for the world.  Challenges can always be overcome.  From having so much response about a product then getting the stock in and then you sit with the stock, wasn’t nice spending all that money and now nobody wants it to having no sales in a month is very challenging.  But I never gave up and pushed through and today I have a great business.

What is the hardest part or have been some of your struggles starting your own business?

I would say getting the word out there on what I have to offer and building my own client base.  And most of all getting my own website up and running, this so far has been my biggest struggle as everything is so expensive, but I’ll get there I always do!!!

How do you balance your business and your family?

It’s not easy, somedays I still struggle.  But I manage to get a balance, take care of my family, who is after all my first priority then after hours here from 7pm until my eyes shut I focus on my business.

What or whom has been the greatest support for you and your business?

My husband, Andrew and son, Joshua.  They have been great and getting me back on my feet when I think of giving up.

If you had to do it all over again, what would you do differently?

I’m not quite sure, but what I know now, I would focus first on advertising and getting my name out there.

What advice can you give other Moms out there who are starting a new business?

Don’t give up, keep on going, you will get there!!!

Is there anything else you’d like to share with us that I may have missed?

When I was 23 years old I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I thought my whole world was ending, but with the love of Andrew I got through it.  You never think it will happen to you again, but it did, with me, I was diagnosed with throat cancer in March 2015, been a difficult time, but I never gave up fighting, after all I have so much to live for.

If other Moms would like to keep in touch, how can they contact you?

• Facebook:  www.facebook.com/giftboxkzn
• Website: http://giftboxkzn.weebly.com
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/GiftBoxKZN
• E-mail:  giftboxkzn (at) gmail.com