Welcome to the FLOURYSH 5 - where we introduce shoppers to new and blooming black-owned brands! Today we interviewed the CEO of Greentop Gifts, Jacquelyn Rodgers!
FLOURYSH sat down with the CEO of Greentop Gifts, Jacquelyn Rodgers, to talk about how her company is filling a major void in the celebration and gift wrap industry with diversity, fun and color!
Enter The #FLO:
Letisha: What a beautiful background it showcases what you guys are all about. So let's start there. Tell us about your brand.
Jacquelyn: Greentop gifts is a gift wrap, home decor and apparel company. And we bring a diversity of celebrations with unique home decor and apparel and gift wrap. I started in 2016. I wanted my son to see diverse images. There weren't any in retail and we started with holiday products and we've expanded into birthday and baby showers and all other moments.
Letisha: Yes. And I can relate to that. There have been many years where we looked specifically for wrapping paper, especially around Christmas time that represented us. And it's just so crazy how few there are. Like we don't even exist in that world. And I know you felt the same way when you were looking for your family.
Jacquelyn: Yes, it is crazy. I now have two children and it is an $8.5 billion industry that completely lacks representation. And so we're filling that void online in retail stores to bring that diversity to children of color and all children.
Letisha: What's been your favorite part about this adventure of entrepreneurship and taking nothing and making it into something?
Jacquelyn: I would say two things, one hearing from parents who have adopted children of color and from grandmas and aunts and uncles to say, I have been looking for a product like this. And when my children saw it, they said “that it looks like me!” And hearing that it's reaffirming, that we are filling that void and our products are needed. And I know you said one, but two, the second would definitely be my kids, their excitement, and understanding that seeing mommy's idea turned into a product and a company, and they have so much excitement about it and building a legacy of entrepreneurship is super important in our household.
Letisha: That's beautiful. And when it comes to your products, what has been super successful flying off the shelves in the last maybe year or so for you?
Jacquelyn: Definitely our gift bags. That was probably the newest item that customers really wanted. And so we started with gift wrap, everybody doesn't wrap gifts. We understand that. So launching our gift bags has definitely been the products that people are so excited for. It makes it easy for parents or people that are attending parties to just drop their gift in the bag and go!
Letisha: What attracted you to joining the FLOURYSH community?
Jacquelyn: For me, it was the total package of how easy and seamless it was to link to our backend of our website, the traffic, the press, and the products that were on the site and how FLOURYSH has been bringing attention and awareness of Black owned businesses in a very special way and we wanted to be a part of that.
Letisha: What should people do to get into your ecosystem, even if they don't have something coming up? How can they choose a product to keep in their home or where should begin their shopping journey with you?
Jacquelyn: I think the best way is if you're a parent you're going to parties all the time, one every weekend, I feel like. So for that option, I really love to recommend our “celebration for all” which is up top. It's a purple paper and it doesn't say happy birthday on it. It can be used for any occasion, any special moment, any holiday.
And it has children of all different diversities: skin tones, hair, texture, gaps, freckles in the teeth, fades, locks and curl. And so that I think is the perfect place to start. If it can be used for any moment, any celebration.
Letisha: So thank you, Jacqueline, for all that you do and welcome to FLOURYSH
