The Uptown GiftBox Company
- From little luxuries to grand indulgences, our passion for design, exclusive gifts and presentation sets us apart.
- From functional design pieces to limited edition art and custom items, we work with a wide range of organizations and individuals.
What do Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ben Affleck, and Richard Dreyfuss have in common? Your first thought might be they are actors, but in this case, you would be wrong. The correct answer is they each received a gift box from the Uptown GiftBox Company. So impressed with his gift box, Mr. Schwarzenegger personally wrote SEEDS graduate and owner of the company Ms. Gabrielle Durning, to thank her.
The Uptown GiftBox Company is an original idea that grew from a very different inspiration. Originally, Gabrielle took the SEEDS program to develop an event planning business. Her varied background in event management had been an amazing journey that led her all over the world. She managed events close to her backyard and as far away as Greece, where she participated in the cultural Olympiad associated with the 2004 Olympics. Because of these experiences and a well-developed client-network, she felt an event planning business made sense.
However, it was a call from an existing client looking for a special way to thank his customers that became the catalyst for a change in focus. Although, a gift basket idea had been in her business plan, she did not intend to move in that direction until year three, but she saw a need and seized the opportunity. Overnight, Gabrielle went from a client service business to a retail business. Today, she gladly states “that is was so rewarding when the light went on and I realized that this job incorporated all my strengths, my passions and everything I am good at.”
The Uptown GiftBox Company offers high-end gift boxes for all occasions ranging from weddings to corporate recognition. Gabrielle spends innumerable hours researching and scouring the globe looking for items that most people just cannot find, making her gift boxes personal, unique and interesting. She adds signature items that people notice for example exclusive chocolates from New York.
Gabrielle’s talents as an entrepreneur and a successful business owner have not gone un-rewarded. On January 24, 2008, she won the White Rock South Surrey Chamber of Commerce business excellence award in the new businesses category. Gabrielle was astounded at receiving this award and honored that her peers judged her so highly.
Ms. Durning learned about the SEEDS program while on maternity leave and in 2006 she completed the ten-week course. “It was a bit of magical time because as an adult I had not been in school for a long period and I was surprised that when I started I did not know how much I actually knew! The SEEDS program gave me clarity and the ability to distill my goals. We were a group of ten and the environment was supportive and encouraging. Strong bonds were created amongst everyone, teachers and students alike. I am still in contact with my classmates”, reflects Gabrielle.
“The staff at SEEDS are amazing,” says Gabrielle. When she opened for business a year and a half ago Ms. Grace Valador, a SEEDS Business Consultant was her first client. So pleased by this, Gabrielle saved her check and keeps it as symbol of the support she received from SEEDS.
The Uptown GiftBox Company now has two part time employees that work through out the year and full time during the latter part. She is happy to be in control of a business and is happy to create a work environment for others.
Business is booming for Gabrielle and she knows that a lot of this is because of her SEEDS experience. Garbrielle offers these words of advice to others pursuing the SEEDS program “Make sure you use all aspects of the resources shamelessly. It will be hard for you to find this caliber again”.
Gabrielle is still in contact with her advisors regularly and she finds it very reassuring to know that there is someone to call should she need advice.
Expressing the sentiment of the sender is the key to her success. Gabrielle is passionate about her business and is most proud of the unsolicited testimonials that she has received. It does not matter who they come from.
