Today we’d like to introduce you to Emma Jo Wassink.
Hi Emma Jo, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve always been drawn to small businesses. I grew up surrounded by entrepreneurs, so conversations about building something from scratch were just part of everyday life. When I started my own career, I noticed how many business owners struggled with client gifting. They wanted to send something thoughtful, personal, and elevated, but ended up defaulting to flowers, wine, or something off Amazon because the time and energy it took to curate a meaningful gift just felt impossible.
I knew there had to be a better way.
So I started Emma Jo & Co. with a simple idea: make gifting personal, memorable, and completely stress-free.
In the beginning, I was working from my basement during nap times with a baby monitor on the counter and packing tape in my hand. I sourced products from small businesses I admired, built relationships with makers, tested layouts on the kitchen table, and slowly built a process that made gifting easy for my clients.
Over time, the business grew mostly through word-of-mouth and Instagram. Creative entrepreneurs like photographers, realtors, designers, and wellness coaches started coming to me because they wanted their gifts to feel like an extension of their brand, not an afterthought. And that became our signature: custom gifts that actually feel personal, sourced from small businesses, packaged beautifully, and shipped directly to their clients.
Today, we ship gifts all over the country and partner with both small businesses and larger companies. I still run the business from home while raising my three kids, coffee in hand, hair in a baseball cap. It is very real life over here.
It has been a scrappy, heart-led journey, and I wouldn’t trade a minute of it.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Has it been a smooth road? Definitely not, but I don’t think I would trust a business story that was.
There have been seasons where I’ve had a newborn on my hip, a toddler at my feet, and a stack of gift orders waiting to be packed. There have been times where sourcing the right products took weeks longer than expected, where inventory arrived damaged, where shipping costs changed overnight, and where I had to rebuild systems on the fly simply because the business outgrew the old ones.
The biggest challenge has been learning how to grow without burning out. I started Emma Jo & Co. at the same time I was growing my family, so I’ve had to get very clear on my priorities. I didn’t want to create a business that required me to sacrifice being present at home, so I’ve learned to streamline, outsource where I can, and build processes that allow the business to run smoothly even on the days when life is a little chaotic.
There were also early moments of doubt. When you’re doing something different, there isn’t always a roadmap. It took time to trust that there was a real need for custom, meaningful gifting and that I could build a business around it.
But the challenges have shaped the business in the best way. They forced me to get creative, stay flexible, and build something that doesn’t depend on constant hustle. And now, I get to run a business I genuinely love, that supports other small businesses, and that fits my real life.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
At Emma Jo & Co., I design custom client gifts for businesses who want to make their people feel genuinely appreciated. I work with realtors, creatives, corporate teams… really anyone who values thoughtful connection but doesn’t have the time to figure out all the details.
My focus is on gifts that feel personal, usable, and actually enjoyed…not something that ends up shoved in a drawer. I source from small businesses as often as possible and build each gift around my client’s style and brand vibe, so the experience feels like it came directly from them.
What I’m most proud of is that I’ve built this business while raising three kids at home. It’s been a journey of doing things differently, adapting as life changes, and finding ways to run a business that fits my real everyday life. I think my clients feel that. The heart, the care, and the intentionality… and that’s what sets us apart.
What’s next?
Looking ahead, I’m really excited to continue expanding the custom gifting side of the business. That’s where the magic happens for me: getting to know a brand, understanding their personality, and creating gifts that truly feel like them. I’d love to partner with more companies on long-term gifting programs where we handle everything from sourcing to sending so they can focus on what they do best.
I’m also looking forward to refining our process even more, building out a stronger vendor network, and continuing to support small businesses through the products we source. And personally, I’m excited to keep growing this business in a way that still allows me to be present with my family. My hope is always that my work supports my life, not the other way around.
No massive dramatic changes. Just building intentionally, staying flexible, and letting the business grow alongside the season of life I’m in.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.emmajoco.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emmajoandcompany
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emmajoandcompany
