Self-care isn’t selfish, it’s necessary.  That the philosophy of Love, Boxed., for those who give their best to others but not to themselves!  Jessica McMillan started her business when she was down on herself and was treating herself the worst but gave everyone the best, not believing she deserved the ‘best things’ in life and her self-esteem was low. She noticed how much enjoyment from journaling and face masks she got and quickly became obsessed!  Then starting to buy premium quality skincare and stationary over the bargain stuff and slowly becoming accustomed to having these ‘nice things’ within reach every day inspired Love, Boxed. to say ‘it’s okay to like yourself, and to want the nice things. You are worth every cent.’

Hi Jessica, thank you for sharing your business journey with us…

What inspired you to start your business?
I was inspired to start my business for a few reasons. I wanted to tell women that luxury isn’t expensive. It’s not the expensive spa treatment or the Gucci handbag. There’s nothing wrong with them, but real luxury to most people is time. Time spent reconnecting with yourself. Love, Boxed. helps you do just that with little luxuries.  I’m a nurturer, the mum-friend, the cheerleader, and help people out of a bad place when they were feeling down. I love taking care of people. I still do, even if they’re strangers at a party I just met. It’s not much different from strangers on social media these days.

What has been the best part of your journey so far?
The best part is seeing how far I can actually go. How much I can push and move forward just by sheer determination. A lot of times I’ve wanted a break, but I’ve never wanted to quit.

Key advice/what you have learned along the way for our aspiring boss babes?
Don’t have your own business just to make money. Be passionate about what you are doing. You won’t mind working late nights if you know it’s to create something you’ve dreamed of. I worked late for so many nights but felt good because it meant I got important stuff done. 

How are you balancing your full time career with your side hustle? 

Want to hear something funny?

I was let go from my job the day after I moved in with my boyfriend. I had a month until launch. But that was a blessing because it gave me the time to focus on Love, Boxed. 24/7. I never stopped looking for work, but when I do get a job it will be a flexible one. My business is my focus. Anything outside of that is white noise.

Biggest challenge and how you overcame it/learnt from it?
Oh…. where do I begin!  I wasn’t very good at backing myself, but in life and in business you need a strong backbone. People were going to judge me for what I was doing, and sticking to my guns in the face of that judgement was difficult (because I’m a recovering people pleaser!). People will say “Are you really sure you want to do that? Do you really need to spend that money?”

I learned that me telling them was another way of asking for permission. So I keep stuff to myself now. Not everyone needs to know what I’m doing. I will ask for an opinion but even when I get one, my gut will win out 90% of the time.

What did your business planning process look like before launch?
My business planning process didn’t involve any advanced profit forecasting or other fancy calculations. I had my vision, a budget and an iron will to make it all work. I also had two years of digital marketing know-how to help me.  There’s a lot of free tools and calculators on the web and yes they were helpful. But I knew I needed help from a real person who had been through the same process and made it work. I asked for recommendations for a business coach and found one who suited me and my needs. She helped me develop as a person AND as a business owner.

I also stumbled across The Six Figure Chick on Instagram, a woman in America who sells digital products to help with your Instagram and Facebook Marketing. Her products really helped with my business strategy. She also gives out really good tips for business owners on her page, daily.  There is no one-size fits all in terms of a business plan. It’s important to have one, absolutely, but don’t feel the need to copy someone else’s unless it works for you.