Turning a creative hobby into a sustainable business is a path many women in the UK are now taking. UK government figures value the creative industries at around £116 billion a year, and the latest Alison Rose Review of Female Entrepreneurship estimates that women-led businesses contribute roughly £184 billion to the UK economy. For founders like Szimonetta Zombori, the journey from carving artist to ecommerce entrepreneur shows what is possible when craft, packaging and digital marketing come together.

In this founder start-up Q&A, Szimonetta — founder of Rosegold & Grey, a UK-based artisan gifting brand — explains how she moved from food carving and bespoke gift boxes to handmade chocolate bars, the marketing channels that drive sales, and the mindset lessons she has learned along the way.

Tell us about how you got started with your business

After leaving high school, Szimonetta spent several years experimenting with different materials to find a creative outlet. She carved everything from cheese and avocado to melon and broccoli, and more recently discovered a love of soap carving. Her background as a chef meant she was able to keep practising food carving while working in professional kitchens.

The business began in her living room. She started making bespoke gift boxes so her carvings could be presented properly to customers. As orders grew, she spotted an opportunity to offer more personalised gifts and began creating artisan, handmade chocolate bars. “I have always had a passion for gift boxes and love giving a personal touch to each one,” she says. “As enquiries increased, the brand was born.”

Did you always want to start your own business?

Szimonetta says she has worked hard from a young age and has always had ambitious plans. Early on, that meant taking jobs in hotels and restaurants that were not always enjoyable but were necessary at the time. “I always wanted to be my own boss and do what I love,” she explains. “Reading or hearing successful stories from businesswomen and female founders gives me the power to keep going when I feel tired or cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

Is it just you or do you employ others?

For most of the year Szimonetta works alone, although her husband provides advice and helps with service and product development. Busy periods such as Halloween and Christmas mean bringing in temporary staff for a few days. “I can feel that soon I will not be able to handle everything by myself, so I will have to think seriously about hiring people,” she says.

What has been the greatest challenge so far?

When the gifting business idea took shape, the biggest challenge was making it visible online. With no previous webshop experience, she had to teach herself how to build an ecommerce site, watching tutorials and reading widely. “I checked so many tutorials and read so much about the subject,” she recalls. “In the end, I put together everything the business needed.”

For founders in a similar position, choosing the right ecommerce platform and understanding the basics of search visibility can make the early stages far less daunting.

Marketing — tell us about a marketing tactic that works for your business

Szimonetta focuses on social media because that is where her customers are most active. She posts regularly on Instagram and Facebook and is now exploring Pinterest as a way to reach people planning weddings, birthdays and other gift-giving occasions. “I learned so many good things about Pinterest, so being active there is one of my goals,” she says.

Visual platforms can be especially powerful for product-based businesses: high-quality photography, consistent branding and a clear social media marketing strategy help turn browsers into buyers.

What are your main sales channels?

Social media is currently the main sales driver. Customers discover her photos and posts, then decide to purchase. While she is still learning about paid advertising, she sees paid search as a future tool to increase sales and brand awareness. Many UK micro-businesses follow a similar path, starting with organic social reach before testing paid channels once margins and customer lifetime value are clear.

What are your future plans or goals?

Szimonetta’s ambition is to open a physical chocolate and gift shop — one that doubles as a meeting place for women in business. “I want to create a place where women in business can meet, with atmosphere, coffee and chocolate,” she says. She also plans to add more value to her gift boxes and support fellow female entrepreneurs as they develop their own businesses.

Three things you have learned?

• I can count only on myself. “I cannot assume that someone else will do what they promise, because people often come up with excuses. If you rely on others without a back-up plan, you can be left with nothing. My first rule is: I can only count on myself.”
• Do it today. “There are so many things that need to be done and it can feel overwhelming. But if you make a to-do list and complete important, valuable tasks every day, you keep growing. It is easy to say, ‘I will do it tomorrow,’ and then tomorrow never comes. I force myself to do the things I might not want to do but know I have to do.”
• Do not wait for the right time, because it will never come. “You will always find excuses for why you do not feel ready or good enough. You have to start in order to get better. I remember the first time I stood up to hold a workshop in front of people — I was terrified, but afterwards I was so proud of myself. Do not wait for the right time; just do it.”

Your best piece of advice?

“Find out what you are really good at and do not be afraid to start working on your goals,” she says. “It will be hard — really hard — but it will be worth it.”

You can visit Szimonetta’s shop at Rosegold & Grey and follow her on Instagram.