Rachel Watkyn walked into the BBC studio in 2008 with no packaging industry experience, no patents, and a business partner who told her to "blag it." She had applied without her knowledge, her partner seeking investors before returning to broadcasting. The investors were brutal. Peter Jones and Theo Paphitis called the idea "pathetic," yet they still wired her £60,000 in exchange for a 40% equity stake.
That deal, struck after Watkyn struggled to find ethical packaging for her own jewellery line, launched Tiny Box Company. She didn't know what she was doing, and the growth outpaced her ability to manage it. For years, Watkyn paid herself a minimal salary, frantically learning operations while the company scaled. She admits she didn't fully grasp the value of the ownership she surrendered, but the television exposure provided a credibility boost that no amount of marketing could have bought.
The company has since morphed into the UK’s largest online gift packaging e-commerce platform. Watkyn now commands a £10 million annual turnover, a stark contrast to the small-batch supplier headaches that started the venture. Competition remains fierce, and customer tastes are shifting toward simpler, less luxurious designs. Watkyn continues to adapt, introducing new product ranges while navigating the complex landscape of sustainable manufacturing.
The next phase involves expanding product lines to meet evolving market demands. Watkyn plans to introduce new procurement strategies to maintain margins against rising costs. The board will review the Q3 performance metrics next month to assess readiness for further international expansion.