Operation Save Gifted

Hi, my name is Esther Miller and I own a small gift and lifestyle shop in Fort Worth, Texas called Gifted.

At Gifted, our goal is to change the way people shop. We’re committed to bringing in products from independent brands and makers, and introducing them to our community.

We go through a rigorous curation process that includes validation of the ethical practices in which a product is created, checking a prospective brand’s commitment to sustainability, and finally, making sure all brands we carry align with our core beliefs.

We know… it’s a lot.

But we do it because we believe that consumerism doesn’t always need to be careless. That good can come from supporting someone’s dream and their small business. That thoughtful gifting can make a meaningful impact to someone you care about. And that small businesses like ours are what create community for our city.

Today, I’m here to ask for your help.

Covid has taken a serious toll on our business. Not only have sales significantly dropped, but our ability to operate as a brick and mortar retail shop is on the line.

In fact, 2021 has proven to be a worse year in sales than 2020.

For those of you who don’t know, we are a completely self-funded woman-owned business. And though I have never taken on investors before, I am coming before you today to ask if you will invest in me.

By investing in me, you are investing in the survival of this small business, you are investing in our community, and you are investing in my team...

My incredible team has stuck with me and our shop through cut hours, changes of plans, cancelled projects, and the constant pivoting Covid has made us do. We still have so many exciting projects dreamed up and we hope you will give us a chance to bring them to life for you.

Please know that this campaign is a last resort for us, and we definitely aren’t asking for your investment to pad our own pockets. Your investments will go straight towards paying rent, payroll, and utilities. Our deadline to raise this money is the end of September.

But I hope that you know how meaningful every contribution is to me personally, to my family, to my employees, and to our wider Gifted community. If you can’t invest in us today, I completely understand….I know how precious your time is….so I thank you for taking a few minutes to hear me out. And maybe the next time you need to give a gift, I hope you will consider stopping by our shop in Fort Worth, or our store online: www.giftedftw.com.

I hope you and your loved ones stay safe during this pandemic, and I hope that no matter who you are and where you are in life that you remember how truly loved and Gifted you are.