Today we’d like to introduce you to Kamille Guidote.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My passion for giving gifts started at a very young age when my mother would work overtime in New York to provide for our family and “quality time” was unreachable. My mother would give gifts to everyone we knew for every reason and every season. Although she was hardly home, when I received gifts from time to time, I felt loved. My brother always gave me the gift of experiences growing up, making sure I enjoy the ride of life. I guess I never really thought much into how I received love until I moved away from it.
In September 2012, I packed a few items into a suitcase and bought a one-way ticket from New Jersey to California. In the first six months, I started learning what “quality time” as a love language felt like when I was living with my dad. I learned how the simple things can bring so much value to life. I then moved out of his home and decided to figure things out on my own.
Although inspired by the unknown path ahead of me, I became lost and struggled quite a bit the first few years. It was a lonely and dark time, where I missed my family and friends back home and couldn’t afford to fly back as often as I would have liked. I missed a lot of moments, big and small, and the only thing that kept me connected to everyone was sending gifts when I could. To me, it was the only way to show that although I could not be there physically, that the love, appreciation, care, and thoughts are always with and of them.
During this time, I joined a dance team as a way to escape everything, but unknowingly found myself with a new family that really enjoyed spending “quality time.” With their shoulders to lean on, I was able to get through that part of my life. I lived in a total of 6 addresses, three of which were sofas, worked three jobs (or gigs) at a time and got my car repossessed.
It was then when I knew I had to do better for myself and to not accept the life that I was currently in. I moved from Los Angeles to San Diego decided to finally finish school and find a stable job. I met my life partner and since then, I’ve felt balance through my life’s chaos. It was him who continued to push his beliefs in me that I can and should pursue the entrepreneurial road. So here we are, back on the path of unknown but ready to take on everything this business throws at me!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I feel the biggest (and on-going) challenge is my own mental conversation to stay positive and to keep going. Every aspect of figuring out what to do next is an obstacle in itself but can be managed once I take the emotional part out. Emotionally, I am connected to my work, as I want everyone to feel loved and thought of and find myself discouraged when I am not able to reach certain goals that would allow me to do so.
Through this entrepreneurial journey, I’ve learned (and am still learning) to think more strategically and make more conscious decisions based on the needs of the business.
By first planning out the bigger picture (how I see myself and what I envision in the next five years, 2.5 years, one year), then working my way backwards into smaller obtainable goals (quarterly, monthly, weekly, then daily), I am able to tackle those “obstacles.”
Other than that, working a nine-to-five that requires a lot of my energy throughout the day and sometimes after-hours can definitely lead me to days of feeling burnt out. It is during those times that I have to constantly remind myself of what is most important and why I started this business in the first place. I go back to my to-do list for the week and tell myself daily, “just start with one.” That way, I am able to tackle at least one thing off that list that will help my business move forward without feeling so overwhelmed.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Gifts Wrapped with Love creates curated gift boxes for every occasion, event, and life’s simple moments. We work with everyone individually to ensure the person or persons receiving the gift feels special, seen, loved, and cared for. We first gather critical information about the person(s) such as their likes and interests and the purpose of the gift (birthday, housewarming, new baby, etc.). We then scour high and low for the finest products and/or experiences that would best fit this specific person(s), event, and/or moment while helping the gifter stay on budget. We gather everything together and wrap it up pretty in a box and bow. We also offer to gift wrap the box to add another ounce of excitement for the recipient. We then hand write your message in a card for that personalized touch. We offer delivery services for those local to San Diego and shipping anywhere in the United States!
What separates us from other gifting businesses is the intention of giving first. Our mission is to create a community of kind people who continue to give to others, no matter what life throws at them. Not only do we want to be sure that your objective from giving was met, but we also want to know that each gift continues the cycle of giving. To achieve this, we donate a portion of each order to a charity of your choice.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
As a result from the COVID-19 pandemic, we are noticing that more customers are purchasing online, seeking out small businesses rather than large companies, and are making more conscious-buying decisions.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@giftswrappedwithlove.com
- Website: giftswrappedwithlove.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/giftswrappedwithlove
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/giftswrappedwithlove
