What is your love language? Many of us have showering with gifts at the top of our lists! However, we’re not just speaking of any random gift. We’re referring to thoughtful gifts, the ones that will have our hearts fill with warmth every time we take a glance at it. Sarangly was created with this in mind.
Founded by a young entrepreneur, Ellie, Sarangly offers personalised gifts with countless hours and thoughts put into designing every single product to ensure that your loved ones receives only the best. With the main goals of spreading love, encouraging people through words, and providing meaningful gifts and surprises, they offer personalised gifts with countless hours and thoughts put into designing every single product to ensure that your recipient receives only the best. Ellie and her crew feel that there are many ways to communicate that you care or love someone, but nothing surpasses gifting. Every present at Sarangly is created with the recipient in mind, with customised notes to express the giver’s gratitude. It is the sincerity that is important.
With that said, we were stoked to sit down with Ellie and find out more about the mind behind the unique brand that blends love, gift giving, and technology together. Read on to read our interview with the young founder. Prepare to be inspired!
Interview With Ellie
1. Who is Ellie?
A designer at heart, creative thinker by nature with a passion-driven soul, I love looking for opportunities to gain skills and experiences that can bring me to greater heights as a creative designer. I am currently the founder of an online personalisedgift business Sarangly, a full-time student in BA(HONS) DESIGN COMMUNICATION in Lasalle, and a freelance graphic designer who has worked with brands across FMCG and F&B industries. I am experienced in creating and executing creative projects from graphic design, product design, branding, to social media marketing, and is proficient in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Premier Pro, After Effects, Cinema 4D, Rhino and Key Shot.
2. What is the inspiration or moment that made you decide to build Sarangly?
I started Sarangly hoping to earn enough money to fund myself for my university fees. My parents wanted me to find a stable job, but it has always been my dream as a designer to have my own brand and become an entrepreneur. As such, I decided to take a leap of faith to launch Sarangly just before starting university.
3. What part of Sarangly that shows your personality and passions the most?
I have always been a person who loves expressing my appreciation to friends and family through handcrafting gifts that are specially created for my giftees.
Just like my personality and passions, Sarangly is a brand that embodies spreading love and appreciation through personalisedand meaningful gifting.
4. Have you always been interested in business? How did it begin?
My interest in business started after graduating from polytechnic. I joined a creative agency as a full-time creative designer, working with brands mainly across the FMCG industry. One of my career highlights was designing the packaging for a feminine hygiene product that was sold across health and beauty retailers across Singapore!
This achievement gave me more confidence in my design skills, and made me eager to deepen my knowledge and skills related to business and design. After working at the agency for over a year, I decided to further pursue my studies at LASALLE College of the Arts while launching my own brand Sarangly.
5. What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned so far as an entrepreneur?
The biggest lesson I’ve learnt is how to overcome difficulties and manage my emotions. When I first started Sarangly, we faced challenges such as logistical issues resulting in delayed launch and getting support from those around me. While these issues gradually got better when Sarangly grew and sales started to pick up, it was difficult to juggle between my full-time studies and Sarangly, and I found myself feeling overwhelmed and stressed often.
However, seeing how my products put a smile on my customers and their giftees’ faces, it reminded me of why I started this business – to spread love and appreciation through gifting. This gave me the strength to persevere and try my best to overcome the challenges faced.
Since starting Sarangly, I’ve learnt to do better business planning and patience when seeing results. Personally, I’ve also learnt to better my time and emotions through prioritising my to-do list.
6. Is there a person that inspired or supported you throughout your venture? How?
My mum is one of my greatest inspirations. Since young, she taught me to be an independent and strong woman who is self-reliant and not just rely on others. I’m thankful for my family as even though it took some time for them to understand my dream, they are now very supportive of my business and actively trying to help me whenever they can. My parents are even planning on how we can work together for future products.
7. What do you think makes Sarangly unique?
Sarangly offers personalised gifts with a touch of technology to show love and appreciation to your loved ones.
8. What do you enjoy most about running Sarangly?
I enjoy feeling a sense of accomplishment when I’m able to create new products that put a smile on people’s faces. I love handcrafting and customised products for my customers and it warms my heart knowing that my customers’ giftees feel loved and appreciated when receiving a gift specially made for them.
9. Where do you see Sarangly heading in the future and how do you intend to make that come true?
We will continue to focus on coming up with products that blend gifts and technology together. We’re also intending to expand our reach to customers beyond Singapore, as well as creating workshops to provide our customers an interactive and memorable experience with their loved ones.
Upon graduation, I will focus on Sarangly full-time and expand my team to focus on our goals mentioned above.
10. What is next for Sarangly? Anything new you’re working on for the brand you’d like to give us a sneak peek of?
This Mothers’ Day, we’ll be launching a personalised floral product, so stay tuned!
