Interview with: The Blue Top Hat

Meet the Mom Behind "The Blue Top Hat!"

Who is The Blue Top Hat? Where are you located?
The Blue Top Hat®, Experts in the Art of Gift Giving, is a mother-daughter owned company. We create amazing interactive gift experiences that celebrate one special occasion 12 times over the course of one year. We are based in Richmond, Virginia with a second office in San Diego, California.


How did you come up with your business name?
We came up with the name for our company by first thinking of a symbol for our overall brand. The Bluebird of Happiness was a perfect fit because it represents happiness and good fortune. We then began tossing options back and forth and considering such things as whether the name would be easy for people to spell, visualize, remember and of course whether or not it was available as a domain name. When we came up with the idea of the jaunty top hat for our bluebird, it all came together! The bluebird represents all that we wish for both the recipients and the presenters of our gifts.


When and why did you decide to start your own business?
We gave our first gift as a wedding gift to a close friend and it received such a huge response that our friends encouraged us to go into business with the concept. It took another 2 years, 2 new product lines, and many gifts to family and friends for us to take the plunge. We began our business in 2005 because we found that there truly was an interest in what we had created.

Shopping for "The Blue Top Hat" items in Spain!

How did you get started?
Probably the way many small businesses get started- in small steps, giant leaps and sometimes a stumble along the way. It has always been our desire that our families come first. We love this business and work hard to make it a success, but will never sacrifice our responsibilities to those we love and cherish.

What motivates you to keep your business going?
The more we do with our business, the more inspired we become. I really love what we are doing in creating something that actively engages people in the celebration of their lives. I love getting notes six or eight months after a gift has been given because it is still being opened and enjoyed each month.

I am personally motivated because I have finally found something that I am good at, love to do and am challenged with every day. Creating gifts is my passion, but running a business is something I really have to learn about every day and I find that thrilling!

Do you have a particular Gift Basket that's a best seller on your site?
Our best selling gifts are our Classic Wedding Gift and our Classic Baby Gift because they create opportunities for personal connections each month with memories that will last a lifetime. These gifts create a “Wow” factor at any shower or reception and people are very curious to see what they are all about. Each gift includes one Celebration Book + 12 Inspiring Gifts for A Year of Moments to Celebrate!

Our Wedding Gift offers a “Themed Date” for each monthly anniversary in the first year of marriage. The couple follows the directions for the themed date, opens a wrapped gift that coordinates with the theme for the date, and adds special memories and photos to the Celebration book. At the end of the year they have a keepsake book to remind them of all their special moments in their first year of marriage.

Our Baby Gift is developmentally based each month to celebrate when baby has their first bath, the first time they crawl, walk and talk. Each month the parents open a gift appropriate to the theme of the month and have an opportunity to bond with their baby. They add thoughts and pictures to their Celebration Book to record their special moments in baby’s first year.


How do you advertise your business? Which methods proved successful/effective?
Initially our advertising was strictly word-of-mouth. Now that our website is up and running, we’re finding that while our Signature Gift Lines are great sellers, there is an increasing demand for custom gifts as well.

How do you juggle family and work at home?
My mother and I are co-owners of our business but I’ll answer here since she has gotten me out of her hair, at least at home!

I love being a WAHM because it offers me the flexibility I crave to be here for my kids and husband when they need me. A perfect day for me is getting to enjoy breakfast with my kids and see them off to school, meeting with clients, creating gifts, getting out for a “Me Moment”, and being home to greet everyone after school. Generally, I get my eldest onto the bus, put in about 1 1/2 hours on the computer, then take the other two kids to preschool and use the preschool hours for any phone calls and appointments. After preschool, I will spend time with the kids and about one more hour working. Once my eldest comes home at 2:30, I stop working until after the kids are in bed. Generally, I get most of my work done between 8pm-1am. It is a juggling act but it works for me because I don’t feel like I am missing out on anything important.


What advice would you give to moms seeking to become a WAHM?
Just do it! Don’t allow yourself to be paralyzed by “What If’s”. Just jump in and get started. Look at it as a learning experience and allow yourself room to make mistakes and be imperfect. When we began our business I had just given birth to my third child and I had a 3-year-old, 18-month-old, and an infant. I had no idea where the time would come from but I thought to myself that I didn’t have anything to lose by trying. We figured anything we accomplished in the first year would be better than where we were currently. We agreed to approach our business in a fun way with a very manageable time-line. Our goal when we began the business was that when my youngest child entered Kindergarten, we would have reached a level of success that would enable me to continue working with this business without needing to seek out other employment.


Current promotions/specials at The Blue Top Hat:
10% Discount on any purchase when you mention WAHM SPOT. Promotion from May 19-June 30. Be sure to mention this interview when placing an order.


Visit The Blue Top Hat at: www.thebluetophat.com


(Note: All images courtesy of The Blue Top Hat. Please respect their work and do not copy and/or alter their images. Thank you! )