With International Women’s Week in full swing, we thought it was time to sit down with our very own!

Starting out small, Byron Bay Gifts was a home-run business and fast forward ten years is now the renowned hamper business we know it as. 

This week we caught up with Byron Bay Gifts’ founder and role model, Zoe, and discussed what it’s like being a successful businesswoman in 2022, and why she feels it’s important to celebrate other like-minded women in the industry. 

How does it feel to be a businesswoman in 2022?

I love being in business and feel very supported. We’re lucky to work with local businesses who have become friends of ours. They are great to work with and we love knowing we represent their brands around Australia.

Decision making is a large part of my day and I sometimes question whether I have made the right choices, but you have to think quickly. And I feel, as a woman, making decisions quickly is something I am good at. I’m also quite tech-savvy, so I solve a lot of the small, daily computer issues in our office!

You have to find what you are good at - and enjoy doing - and find other people to fill the gaps where you feel you need help. Fortunately, I have great people around me who fill those gaps!

Why is it important to celebrate Byron-based brands?

 When I visited the Northern Rivers area back in 2010 and went to the markets, I could just see so much potential in the products that people were making. Supporting local businesses invests in your community and helps other people outside that community get a taste of local flavours. For instance, Byron Bay is a big macadamia growing community, so you get to support the farmers who grow the produce and then the businesses who turn it into something special.

Supporting local businesses stimulates the local economy, provides employment in your local area and shares this spirit with the wider community.

Do you feel empowered when supporting other businesses run by women?

Absolutely. It’s great to support local businesswomen as they bring a whole different element to the table. Women offer a viewpoint in business that is crucial to creating a rounded and thoughtful business environment, and I love working with and supporting other women in business.

Any advice to up and coming business owners?

It often doesn’t happen overnight. Start small and work with what you know. 

A small business is a beautiful thing if you can support it at the start when there aren't so many eyes on it. This is where you can make your mistakes, learn from them and improve your offering. As your business grows and more people start seeing it, you’ve already implemented improvements from that starting point. The important thing is to get started!