Creating Superfans

How Sugarwish Reinvented Corporate Gifting | Elisabeth Vezzani

• Season 4 • Episode 402

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0:00 | 40:32

What if gifting could be as easy as sending a gift card—but infinitely more joyful and personal?

In this episode, I'm joined by Elisabeth Vezzani, co-founder of Sugarwish, to talk about how a conversation on the sidelines of a youth soccer game turned into a business that's delivered millions of moments of joy. Elisabeth shares how Sugarwish combines technology and personalization to create gifting experiences that feel thoughtful, memorable, and genuinely human.

We also discuss why the little details matter, how customer feedback has shaped Sugarwish's growth, and what it really takes to create superfans in a world full of transactional experiences.

In this episode, you'll learn:

  • The origin story behind Sugarwish and the problem it was created to solve
  • How to balance high-tech convenience with high-touch personalization
  • Why the smallest details often have the biggest impact on customer experience
  • How Sugarwish has expanded from candy to wine, candles, spa products, pet gifts, and more
  • The role customer feedback plays in innovation and product development
  • Why Elisabeth does not delegate this one task
  • How Sugarwish's partnership with Make-A-Wish aligns with its mission of spreading joy


Special Offer for Listeners

Try Sugarwish for yourself and save $10 on your first order with code SUPERFANS.

Connect with Elisabeth & Sugarwish

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About Brittany 

Brittany Hodak is an award-winning entrepreneur, author, and customer experience speaker who helps businesses turn customers into superfans. She’s delivered keynotes to hundreds of organizations around the world, including American Express, Benihana, and Keller Williams. Her trademark SUPER Model™ framework has empowered teams in every industry to transform customer apathy into advocacy. 

Enjoying the show? Subscribe, leave a rating and review, and share this episode with someone who wants to create more superfans.

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Brittany Hodak

What if I told you one of the most powerful customer experience tools isn't a loyalty program, a discount, or even a great product? It's a gift. But not just any gift, one that's personal, unexpected, and designed to make someone feel seen and special. My guest today has built an entire business around that insight Elisabeth Vezzani is the co-founder and CEO of Sugar Wish, the company that reinvented corporate gifting by letting recipients choose exactly what they want, from candies and cookies to coffees, cocktail, candles, and so much more. What started as a simple idea has grown into a huge business that's helped organizations create millions and millions of memorable touchpoints, and also given back in some pretty incredible ways that you'll hear about. In this conversation, we're talking about entrepreneurship, customer experience, employee experience, creating emotional connections at scale, and why giving people choice can be one of the most powerful tools in your tool set to create more superfans. You're also gonna get a pretty sweet offer that, trust me, you don't wanna miss. I'm Brittany Hodak. This is the Creating Superfans Podcast. Let's jump in Elisabeth, thank you so much for joining me today.

Elisabeth Vezzani

Oh, thank you for having me. I'm excited. I'm excited for this conversation.

Brittany Hodak

Yes, I have been looking forward to it as well because I have sent dozens of sugar wish gifts over the past few months. I always love sending them, I always love receiving them. And I'm curious it, it seems like such a simple but powerful idea behind the company. What was the aha moment that led to Sugar Wish that that led to sort of reimagining the way that people do gifting?

Elisabeth Vezzani

I mean, there are a couple moments that, um, came together. My. Co-founder Leslie Lyon and I were on the sideline of a soccer game that our sons were playing in. um, I was complaining at the time I was sending business gifts and, I was kind of complaining like, I can't send another gift card. Like, it just doesn't help you stand out. Nobody really is interested. It just doesn't do. What you're trying to do, you're trying to spread joy, you know, or have a connection and just, although the ease was there and I liked how easy it was, it just was not, wasn't what I was looking for. And, so I was just. Kinda complaining about that. And then Leslie had been talking about a story where she lived in New York City one of her favorite parts of the workday was going down there are candy stores all over. And, going in, just picking, you know her favorite candy? Putting it in a little bag. And the anticipation of having it later of some childhood nostalgic favorites So we were like, God, what if we could create something that gave people that feeling that like kid in the candy store feeling, not to be cliche, but really that feeling like, I want Oh, Swedish fish. Oh, bit of honeys. Oh, you know, the little. The little joy you get, and we could bring that to people's work or their phone or where they're, um, you know, getting things done. So, uh, so we. Decided, let's create it. So we worked for about a year while we were both working elsewhere and at nights and weekends and just making this come true., And we called it Sugar Wish because it would be your wish, your what you want when you send it to someone. So we created where you could send it as easy, as easy as buying a gift card. But personal and fun and stand out and really provide that joy. So you pick a size and then you send it and they go in the candy store. It started as a candy store, and they go in and pick their favorites. So you say how many choices they get. So they have two choices, four, eight, you know, 24, and they go in and pick their favorites, enter their email, and then we put it in beautiful packaging. And send it right to their door. Um, so that was kind of the aha moment that it could, you could create something that seems so simple, but, Did deliver on, no pun intended, on why you're sending a gift in the first place, is to have that feeling to create joy. And that's, that's the story. That's how it was 13, 14 years ago, uh, that we were working out of, Leslie's pantry and that we've. You know, been doing it ever since. And now we have popcorn cookies, wine candles. we, we try to find anything that is fun to pick, that you don't necessarily know what people, what it's their favorites and really, um, does give that feeling that you're trying to send.

Brittany Hodak

Yeah, that's been one of my favorite things is. So for anybody who hasn't sent a sugar wish, you can choose different categories for the recipient to make their choice from. So, as you said, you know, popcorn Pantry, uh, a spa one that's, uh, for, for dogs. And it's fun because you don't, they don't always choose what you expect them to choose. And so it's been a really fun way to get to know people. We'll get to the categories in a minute 'cause I wanna know what some of your favorites are and what that evolution has been. But first, one of the things that I really appreciate about Sugar Wish is. In my keynotes, I talk about the need to balance high tech and high touch, and sugar Wish is genuinely one of the best examples I can think of, of a company doing that because from the sender side, it's just as easy to send in bulk as it is to send to a girlfriend. And so to be able to, like on Valentine's Day, I think I sent like 35 out and I didn't upload a spreadsheet. But you can, and it's, it's so simple on the backend, but on the front end. Feels so personal. So I want you to talk about some of those intentional touches that you've engineered into the process, both for the sender and the recipient. Um, because there, there are things that are so thoughtful and so well curated that honestly, I'm shocked other people like haven't started copying.

Elisabeth Vezzani

So, I mean, people have, they're just missing kind of the heart. so

Brittany Hodak

Yeah.

Elisabeth Vezzani

yeah, so we've seen copycats and they do where you can send it and you pick. it, back to the whole point of sending a gift is you want people to feel seen. you want them to be excited about what they got. That it's not just stuff, you know, in a world where everybody can get, that can go on Amazon. You can have something show up at your door, you can, you know, the gifting has, it's not really, although you, whatever you send, you want it to be wonderful. So, you know, we make sure the cookies are fantastic and the brownies are delicious, and the coffee and tea we choose, it's really that they, um, feel like you are doing this and you see them. so everything we do, we start with the purpose like. Why are they sending this? It's to delight their employees or have them feel recognized or as a reward or what are they trying to, accomplish. And then we build it from there so that it still feels like you could send a thousand and it really does take. Like, I always like to say like if you, if you went through it start to finish, you really could get out of there in like two minutes. But, um, it doesn't, we make sure it never feels that way. And even though it's used, uh, as corporate gifts, don't want it to feel like a corporate gift.

Brittany Hodak

Yeah.

Elisabeth Vezzani

we make sure every single thing we do, we start with like, is this delightful? Is it delightful for the person who's sending it? Even, even is the process delightful? And then when the receiver comes to pick their gifts. Oh, we want all of that to feel fun. So, you know, we always, we always talk about like the fun part of shopping, where the fun part of shopping is like looking through the choices the parts that aren't fun of shopping are, the, how much shipping is this, how much does it cost? Someone sent me $50. I can spend 28 on this, and then, but I have to do shipping and taxes, and we took all of that away. Like you're only just giving them choices. And they don't see a dollar amount. It just, they know they have two choices or four choices or you know, or what, or they can pick from candles or whatever you've given them choices, wine. So we always try to keep that easy as it is for the buyer and delightful for them to send. But just fun, like with experience is part of the gift and it's, it's the gift and the experience and we make sure we take that to heart and, and we do all the little things like we make sure the boxes are, you know, like I'll just grab the boxes are exquisite so that you know, when you're sending a gift, it's showing up and it's. Wow. Like right out of the box, every single thing and their choices, every packaging we do, we agonize over to make sure it's beautiful and delivers on the promise. So yeah,.

Brittany Hodak

You guys have done such a great job, and two of the pain points that I always struggled with with corporate gifting that you have eliminated, one is with flowers. I mean, there's entire TikTok channels. Subreddits dedicated to like what I ordered, what they got, right? Like it's just so unpredictable. You are spending money on something. You are trusting like a local delivery partner or maybe a big company that who does then outsourcing it to a local delivery partner in maybe a place you've never even been. And then, you know, your heart sinks a little bit when you see that what you ordered is like nowhere close.

Elisabeth Vezzani

that was not what you showed me.

Brittany Hodak

Exactly. Exactly. And sometimes you're like, well, okay, I spent like $150 and they got something that looks worse than like a $20 grocery store bouquet. Right? Like that's so that sort of disconnect. And then the other thing that. Honestly, I can't believe so many companies still get this wrong and haven't solved for it is the note. And oftentimes companies either are charging you way more money to put a card or a note inside. They're capping it at like 50 characters. So you can't even, you know, like for me, sometimes I can't even say like from Brittany, Jeff, Cato and Jones, like, I can't even sign all of our names is right. I'm saying like hoax.

Elisabeth Vezzani

Good luck

Brittany Hodak

Exactly

Elisabeth Vezzani

who it.

Brittany Hodak

like from from an admirer, right? We don't even have enough characters to say secret admirer. Um, or that gift message is just printed on the packing slip or the actual label, the shipping label outside of the box where people miss it. Like, I can't tell you the number of times I've followed up with somebody usually who's a family member or a friend. 'cause it's always awkward in a corporate. Situation. You don't wanna follow up with a client and be like, Hey, did you get that gift I sent? But you wanna know if they got it. And I can't tell you the number of times I followed up with somebody who said, oh yeah, like we had no idea who it was from. Or then they go and they look at the box and the recyclables and they're like, oh, I never would've seen that thing. So one of the packaging. Components of sugar. Wish the boxes are gorgeous, as you said, but I appreciate how easy it is for the sender to choose a card design. You can either upload your own or you can choose one of the great ones that you guys have, and then the message is there and that is front and center. When the recipient opens it, so it feels like, okay, you're loving on them. When they get the email that, or the text message that says, choose your sugar Wish. Then when they redeem it, they get another great message, and then when it arrives. So there's so many opportunities for that recipient to feel special and appreciated and loved on, versus people who, to your point, it's like a total afterthought. Like they were like, oh, why? Why would we need someone to know who this gift that was sent to from.

Elisabeth Vezzani

Right. No, I mean, those are just, I always try to think like, if I'm sending this, how do I want it to show up? Um, so we create, like, we create all cards. Like this is one of our cards.

Brittany Hodak

It's very cute.

Elisabeth Vezzani

they, you know. you're picking that and it comes with it. There's no extra and there's so many to choose from, and you can upload your own with logos. Um, we know it's important for you to represent your business so you know, you can do this and put your logo on it. Um, you know, and so everyone, when you open it up, that notes there, you can also put your logo on the note and then your message. And it's also when they do open their email or their text or however you've sent it, that note's there too. So that's, that's the little things that matter and making sure they see the sentiment again, we know why you're sending gifts and we're making sure that's run and center. So, um, we are, we're constantly coming up with like ways to make our. Customers look good. Like if we can help with the design we have now, like a design suite, you can put it through and you can mess with the colors, you can move your logo, you can move the wording. So it really represents you and what you're trying, whether it's an event and you're thanking them for being there or it's employee's birthday, you know, we know it matters why you're sending it. And so we try to provide things that, um, make sure your message really comes through.

Brittany Hodak

I.

Elisabeth Vezzani

always included so that there's no extra cost for that ever.

Brittany Hodak

Yeah. I love that. It's one of those things that,

Elisabeth Vezzani

Yeah.

Brittany Hodak

again, you, you, once you experience it as part of it, you notice it more elsewhere when you're like, wait, why? It's, you know, it's like when you feel nicked and dimed with, you know, ticket master fees or airlines

Elisabeth Vezzani

Right, right. the other is some companies have where you can deliver, uh, an like an email notification, it doesn't let you choose what date. So I was just sending something the other day to my mother. So, you know, I usually, I also sent her a bottle of sugar Wish wine for her to pick, uh, which bottle she wants. but I was another company a shirts she wanted and it had an email. Delivery, but it said it, like sent it instantly and I was like, I don't want, I don't want the note to come before the gift that ruins the surprise of the gift. So it, it just like, people do different components but they're not quite coming all together. Um, and so we agonize over making sure everything done the way that makes sense for, for gifting.

Brittany Hodak

Yeah. I love that. I, I read or watched in an interview you had done somewhere before where you said, you know, in entrepreneurship there's so much talk and thought around like, think big, think big, think big. And you're constantly saying to your team. Think little, think little, think little because that detail, that level of execution, that intentionality is what has been such a catalyst for your growth and also for the fact that you legit have Superfans, like you have customers who just rave about you because you're not just thinking big. You're also thinking little.

Elisabeth Vezzani

I'd say internally, you know. It can come off that, um, Leslie and I are kind of pains in the butt because like agonizing over every picture and emails and social media and, and, and we just wanna make sure it's delightful in every touch. And then people are like, really? You care about like what it says right here on the box? You know, do, and I'm like, yes. We, the, the little things are the big things. Like that's what makes us different. And um, you know, people care about. Making sure that everything is thought of. And so that's as gift experts we're, you're trusting us to do something very important for you, and we take it very seriously. Yeah.

Brittany Hodak

outsider and as a customer, you, I'll go on the record for anybody on your team that you need to play this clip for. Thank you. We.

Elisabeth Vezzani

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And our team is all that way too. So I, I'm making a joke. Like our team is almost like they'll do it even more than, than us. Uh, you know, we just have fantastic people who, who, who know that. What we do makes a difference and changes people's days and months and, you know, the way they feel. So they take it to heart that, um, it matters to them that such an important part to be involved in people's lives.

Brittany Hodak

Do. Does anybody on your team, is there anybody that works for you now that found out about the company because they were the recipient of a sugar wish and then said, what's this I need?

Elisabeth Vezzani

Yes, we. have people reach out all the time. Like, I would love to be a part of this. Like you gave joy, to my sister in a hard time or, um, uh, we just be the Superfans aspect. What, what is fans have built sugar Wish, like we, we have. for advertising. We have done Google Ads, we've boosted our social, but almost all of our customers come from, they were receivers and then, or they start sending trigger wishes and then they tell other people, or you know, and so. We, we know that's the most important thing is to keep our fans, Superfans. Our customers, our all very happy because they've made us what we are today and they continue. And we're really thankful, you know, this is like our dream and, you know, our customers have, have been the reason we've grown. so it feels amazing. we wanna do everything we can to make sure they consistently feel that way,

Brittany Hodak

That's incredible. So now that you are over a decade in, you've got a team, what are some of the things that you do to make sure you're staying close to that customer experience?

Elisabeth Vezzani

I run our social, you know, like, um, I'm involved with our emails and the website like, and so, and Leslie as well. Um. like to, the reason I like to do socials, I like to hear what people are saying and see it, and feel it and interact with customers. It's important to me, um, the good and the bad. Especially with AI right now, um, it's important to me that, we are who we are and it's real and you can feel a person behind it. Like I was doing it from day one and I still do it and it's kind of crazy that I am involved with like, some of the stuff I am, but I, I enjoy it and it makes me feel like I have a. Relationship with our customers and then I can hear their, what they want firsthand. I love that aspect, like truly this, the social aspect of it.

Brittany Hodak

Well, I, I love that answer and I love that it gives permission to everybody listening to hold onto the things that they love. And I know, you know, as a founder, you start a company and then all of a sudden you're like, oh, I have all of these responsibilities that I. Never would've thought of, never would've been a million years signed up for, but that's what happens as companies grow and scale. I had a similar experience when I scaled the agency that I had built to, we were probably at like 12, 15 people at the time. It was to the point where it was. Insane that I was holding onto some of the things that I was holding onto, in particular writing. And I'm a writer. I love to write, and so I did. Was it the logical thing for me to be the one who was interviewing bands and writing sometimes like 30, 35,000 words for these giant coffee table books or collectible things? No, it was totally crazy, but. I loved it and I didn't mind working on it from 11:00 PM to 4:00 AM after everything else was done. And so, you know, there's so many people out there who say. You know, you gotta buy back all your time and you know, don't, don't pay more than your hourly rate for the things that you can outsource and blah, blah, blah. And while I think that is good advice sometimes, I also think that one of the brilliant things about growing and founding a company is you get to decide what you want your job to be. And you get to create a model that works for you. And so I hope some people out here, uh, that are listening right now heard that as permission of, even if people tell you you shouldn't be doing this or you should let go of that, if it's something that. Keeps you connected to your customer base, gives you the research that you need, like you're the boss. You get to decide what you wanna hand off and what is more valuable for you to keep close.

Elisabeth Vezzani

Uh, 100%. And that would be really advice. I would give people that like, there's so much. So many hard things and so many things. You, you know, what gave you joy in the beginning? So you have this, you have this great idea. So fun. You're so passionate. You're just you. It's you. You're designing things. You're working on your website, you're packaging, you know, whatever you're doing. And then it does become, oh, uh. All the stuff that wasn't why you started in the first place or what, what that aha moment was. And you do get bogged down doing all of that for majority of the time. And if you let go of the thing that gave you joy in the first place and kind of like, you know, you can talk about your genius. but if, if, if marketing is something that's, that, that you more fire or, or the socials or talking to customers, like, I love talking to customers and like I get off the phone. When I'm done here, I have a, a call. I, we try to, have meetings with our, Superfans, our customers, and really get what they want, and hear from them. Um, and that gives me. Fire and energy and why this many years later, I still love every, not every part of what I do, overall love it much more than if I gave away those things that gave me joy

Brittany Hodak

Yeah.

Elisabeth Vezzani

I love 'em too much and they do give me the energy to be good at everything. Like Leslie and I will joke sometimes when we do a social post or we, have an email idea and then sometimes we're like, that one's, may or may not get that, but that one's for us, that made us laugh, that made us smile. It just keeps it fun and I, I think that's so important.

Brittany Hodak

I love that. I know one of the other things that you get a lot of joy from that, that brings a lot of purpose, not just to you, but everyone on your team is your partnership with Make-A-Wish. Can you talk a little bit more about how that came about and how meaningful that's been to you as you've grown the company?

Elisabeth Vezzani

For sure. Um. Make-A-Wish

Brittany Hodak

I.

Elisabeth Vezzani

when we started and we know the whole point is like sending a smile, making someone happy. That's what we constantly talk about, like the whole point of sending a gift. And we always say, we started off thinking we were a gifting company, but as we saw. Why people send gifts and kind of getting to see, like, I love hearing, I love, I kind of stalk every day the the people's responses and thank you notes like with sugar, which you get to send a thank you note back to the person who sent it to you. We call that our gratitude board. They can check the board. So we get to see all this goodness and people spreading kindness and happiness. So we always say, we started off thinking we were a gifting company and ended up in the happiness business. And that's really what we're about. And so for us, like if, if we close down tomorrow, what was, what was the whole point that we did all of this? And it was to kind of change people's life. One smile at a time and the world a little bit. Just add more kindness and goodness and make a wish. They're doing such amazing things and they change, you know, children's lives, which just granting wishes and it just so aligned with what we do. And so we, it was always our dream partnership to um, be able to donate to and be a partner with Make-A-Wish. So now, five years ago, we grew big enough where we could be a national partner and really make a difference and gift. You know, so, so many gifts to change children's lives. Um, and so we're really proud of that and, um, it means everything to us that we can help make a difference.

Brittany Hodak

You should be very proud. Thank you for, for all the great work that you do with them.

Elisabeth Vezzani

we, we love and what the great work they're doing that we just get to be a part of. But so often they'll, they'll let children know that they, um, their wish is being granted with a sugar wish. And then we get to it just, I mean, there's nothing better than that, that we get to see the joy

Brittany Hodak

That is so cool and it, it

Elisabeth Vezzani

Yeah.

Brittany Hodak

that experience and stretches that magic of, is it already the best thing to find out that your wish is granted? Yes. But if it's happening and then you've got, you know, something fun

Elisabeth Vezzani

Yeah, exactly. It just, it's that anticipation, you know, like the anticipation and then waiting for it to come to your door and then seeing again what you picked and, uh, just fun.

Brittany Hodak

Exactly.

Elisabeth Vezzani

we

Brittany Hodak

I'm glad you mentioned the gratitude bowl. That's really, that's something that's really cool. So when somebody receives a sugar wish and they. Make their choices. They have the opportunity to leave essentially a thank you note for the person who sent it and they don't have to. And it's, you know, usually just like a quick message. But then on the giver side you can go in as the sender and see pinned all of these notes and it's so cool 'cause my now is like dozens and dozens and dozens and it really is cool to be able to go in there and see, you know. All of these people that you love are all of these people that are meaningful to you, who've, who've left these, these, these little notes for you, which is really, really cool. Um, I'd love for you to talk a little bit about. I know you said that, that that was sort of an aha moment you guys had as you were building it, something that you added later. I'd love for you to kind of talk about some of the evolution that has surprised you, most of the categories that you've added. So you've gone beyond just the kid in a candy shop and now it's like you said, it's wine, it's candles, it's it's pantry goods. It's, it's so many things. Um, Alex on my team, who many people know 'cause she's on the podcast from time to time, I was making fun of her 'cause her most recent sugar wish for me, she got like. Spices or mustard, all these things. And I was like, you are so healthy. I love this. I did not even know you could order, like, I don't know if it's like preserves or something.

Elisabeth Vezzani

Yeah. Yeah,

Brittany Hodak

so I'd love for you to kind of talk about the evolution of, as you've added these new categories, how you've made the choice of which categories to add and you know, maybe a little, a little bit of like what we can expect in the future.

Elisabeth Vezzani

So candy started with and you'd get eight 80 different choices and you know, the fun of picking. And so when we, but we always knew we wanted more to be able to do this experience that we created with, with more. Items as well. And so we really, we really just listened to our customers and asked them what they wanted to see. So we, we went candy to popcorn. popcorn to cookies. Cookies, then to coffee, wine, I mean, coffee and tea. Um, and then people started to ask us to combine categories. Oh, we have snacks. and a lot of it has come, like, first we had lots of just treats and then we did have people like healthy, you know, health conscious. had one, a hospital that was like, we'd really like to, for our nurses, we'd really love to provide this experience, but just we want, we want all healthy options. So then we did more snacks and then, um. People wanted, um, I'm trying to think what was next. Uh, then we, we went from candles. That was our first like non, um, food item. it is something where you are the kind of the test of what it has to be. It has to be fun to pick. There has to be lot, lots of choices. And it's also like what. What people, what you gift, but you don't necessarily know what they like or don't. So I might wanna gift you a candle, but I don't, I don't know if you hate lavender or you love lavender or you vanilla is like a, oh my god, don't gimme anything. Vanilla, or you're like everything vanilla all the time. So that's, those are the kind of thing, like something that's fun to pick. Something you would like to give people, but you might not know, um, what it is. So we went, we win candles. And then, um, and wine is another one like that. Like you, you don't know, do they hate reds? Are only a white wine drinker? What pinots are their favorite? They hate Cabernets, you know, whatever. So that we did wine tastings too, which are really fun and really popular. they come in these, they're just individual. Um, I'll just grab it. Um, sorry to be off camera. Um, but like they're individual tasting and so we ended up,, working with this company buying box and each one has everything and their little tasting. Tubes of wine that you pour in and get the fun of kind of tasting all different ones. So people love getting to pick what they want there as of everything, like this is how the wine bottles show up, but we make sure it shows up in gorgeous packaging. And then the funniest one, or that we ended up doing was, uh, dog. treats and bandanas and dog swag. But we were like, can we really call ourselves a happy happiness company and not have something with dogs? And we're huge dog lovers. And so, um, you know, that's been one of the more fun categories and people all like to talk about their dogs, so, uh, and again, like you said, we have. Spa items and culinary items. We have, I mean, we're, we're always trying new things and seeing and listening to our customers and what they wanna see, but right now we're combining a lot of categories, so, so people can. Both spa and candles together. And they can pick snacks and, and candy and, uh, cookies, brownies and coffee and tea, you know, so they could pick one coffee and one, um, brownie to make the perfect experience. And thing we just did is like, we do mugs right now. It's called Mug and Treats. And you can just order one mug if you want. You don't have to, you know, usually with swag. Uh, you have to do a thousand. You, you can upload your logo, any image you want, and the mug will show up as a custom mug and they pick like coffee bakery goods with it, and then we deliver it together. So, um, it just another thing that companies were asking for things that said Their name, their things, things they're able to send and expect to see a lot more of that this year of more items that you're able to customize to send with your sugar wishes.

Brittany Hodak

You heard it here first, even more corporate customization on the way.

Elisabeth Vezzani

Yeah.

Brittany Hodak

Um, well, as we get close, closer to wrapping Elisabeth, I'd love to know is there anything that has really surprised you that you've learned about the way people gift or the occasions around which people gift? Anything that's really taken you by surprise.

Elisabeth Vezzani

The most exciting thing to see is when people do it, just to tell people that they're thinking of them or

Brittany Hodak

Just because.

Elisabeth Vezzani

They're great. So we have, yesterday I posted on our social, one of our cards, like our most popular cards. It's a fan and it got hearts and it just says big fan, but it just. It just, people are good. are, and we get to see it every day, that people just want to make people happy. They just wanna put a smile on your face. They just wanna, Hey, you're having a bad day. I'm thinking about you. Those are the things that touch my heart the most, that it's just like, God, everybody's like, like people are just good. Like just, you get to see that people are just doing it for no reason, for no gain other than to, Hey, I thought of you. I, I thought of you today and, you know, thought this would. Make you happy. So

Brittany Hodak

cool.

Elisabeth Vezzani

know, I think we need a lot more of that in everything. So, uh, I, I, I love it. Yeah.

Brittany Hodak

that. I'm glad I'm not the only one who loves that big fan card. I also love to use that one. I thought it was, I was just,

Elisabeth Vezzani

that's my, that's what I, but you know, when you're a big fan, and like you said, like everybody wants a fan club, even

Brittany Hodak

yeah.

Elisabeth Vezzani

member, you know,

Brittany Hodak

I love it. So, Elisabeth, is there a company that you are a super fan or a big fan of right now? What's a product or a company that you are loving right now that more people should know about?

Elisabeth Vezzani

Oh, I don't know if it's obscure like that they don't know about, but, um, I, I do feel I, you, I'm, I, I become Superfans and then I, I do go all in on the companies that consistently live up to what, what they say and kind of if they make a mistake, make it right. Um, and so just, you know, I think does a very nice job. It's all their things are quality, they stand behind it. Returns are easy, you know, some of their competitors. That isn't the case. Um, so, uh, just I feel like standing behind what you do and really making sure everything's quality. I, I think they do a very nice job and there's a reason why they've grown. I mean, at any given day, you know, uh, this shirt. I mean, they, you know, I, it just, I know their stuff will fit. Good, look good. so, and last forever. So, you know, once, once I'm a fan of something, uh, you got me. Um, so how about you? I'd love to know what, brand that stands out for you.

Brittany Hodak

Awesome. I love it. Um, you know, I should have an answer on tap for this and I.

Elisabeth Vezzani

A second.

Brittany Hodak

I know I, well, I'll tell you, um, again, this is not like a company that people don't know about. Um, but one that consistently surprises me in all of the fun stuff that they do is Lego. And I've talked a lot about Lego. I've written a lot about Lego, um, and. So my, I've got two little boys and Lego just did a collab with Crocs and they were like, we have to have the Lego Crocs. 'cause they, my boys also love Crocs. And so I was, you know, we, I I was in like Oregon or Washington, I don't even know. I was like some state last week and I was like, I gotta be there for the drop. 'cause they like sell out so fast. And they were already sold out@crocs.com, but I was able to order them@lego.com, uh, which is fun. 'cause usually at Lego, like if you hit a certain order threshold, there's like a bonus thing that they throw in. Um, and so anyway, I got home last night, gave the boys their Lego crocs this morning, and it was just advertised as like a pair of, you know, Lego branded Crocs. But they opened them up and inside one of the shoes was a little special edition Crocs, Lego mini fig that they got to build. So it was like a little mini fig. And then it came with like, build your own shoes. So it looked like the Lego mini guy was wearing Crocs. And I have probably a hundred examples of. Lego doing things like that, whether it's at Lego land, whether it's

Elisabeth Vezzani

things. The

Brittany Hodak

just

Elisabeth Vezzani

are the big things.

Brittany Hodak

yeah, the little things are the big things,

Elisabeth Vezzani

you're like,

Brittany Hodak

little things like that.

Elisabeth Vezzani

thing. If they wouldn't have done it, it's just that little thing that made it that much better. that,

Brittany Hodak

Yeah. The thing that you're like, did I pay $90 for a pair of Crocs? Yes. Is that ridiculous? Yes. But did the like 58 extra cents that they spent to make that little mini phone that my kids were like before school, they were so excited this morning. They were like putting the different little, and it's not even a shoe, it's like, it's like a one by one. Stud and a two by one stud that stacked together and put on the Lego guy foot. But just little things like that. And so like the intention at like Lego, you talk about packaging, uh, I don't, I don't know how much you order from lego.com, but if you order anything,

Elisabeth Vezzani

I, I have a son who's now 23, but,, we'd have a lot more in our savings account if there wasn't for Lego.

Brittany Hodak

Well, and the good news about Lego and Pokemon cards is they retain a lot of value. So I'm sure you see all the posts online that say like, if you have this Lego set or if you bought these Pokemon cards or whatever. So I, I'm like, it seems like a different kind of college fund that we're investing into, but.

Elisabeth Vezzani

now we've gone on Lego, but the little guys, like when he was younger, I was like, save these I I know they're gonna be worth, and they'd be all over. And then when he got older, now he's saved them. He is like, some of these are worth like $400 for one guy.

Brittany Hodak

Yeah. The secondary market around, like the mini figures and, the bricks is just wild. But, so one of the really intentional things that Lego does, like if you order something from lego.com, it comes in just like a. Corrugated brown cardboard box with like nothing on it. And when you open it inside on one of the inside flaps, it says, why are our boxes so plain? This is a choice that we make on purpose because so many people order Legos as gift and a, we don't wanna, they, they don't say, we don't wanna get to get. Stolen from your porch, although that's probably part of it. But they say we don't wanna ruin the surprise. And so that's not just an intentional choice that they made, but one, they then communicate to the customers so that people aren't thinking, oh, Lego was too cheap to make the box look cool. Or, they were,

Elisabeth Vezzani

Yeah. That's interesting.

Brittany Hodak

So it's

Elisabeth Vezzani

That's

Brittany Hodak

there's so many, like dozens and dozens of little things I could point to, to say like, this was an intentional choice.

Elisabeth Vezzani

Cool.

Brittany Hodak

around it is really clear.

Elisabeth Vezzani

Yeah. They're

Brittany Hodak

Alright.

Elisabeth Vezzani

so much, right?

Brittany Hodak

They absolutely are. Yes, definitely creating Superfans across like every age category.

Elisabeth Vezzani

sure, for sure.

Brittany Hodak

Well, Elisabeth, thank you so much for joining us today. Thank you for making the world a sweeter place. And before I let you go, uh, I think you said you were going to, uh, have a special offer for our listeners. Is that correct?

Elisabeth Vezzani

Yes. Yes. So everyone, we want you to go try, even if you send it to yourself, um, you know, send a sugar wish. For no reason or for somebody's birthday or to, uh, you know, a team member who made you smile and use the code Superfans. and it'll give you, on your first order $10 off. All of our pricing includes shipping so anywhere in the United States. And they start at, it starts at $27 all in. So, um, please do use that code and give us a shot. And I, I hope you're wowed with the whole experience and you send a little joy to whoever you send it, whoever you send it to.

Brittany Hodak

Well, I appreciate you making that offer available, and I think if you do try it, you will be wowed and I. Love your idea of sending it to yourself. That's not something I've thought of before, but yeah, you can. I mean, what a great way to test both sides of the experience, right? So for any experimenters in the audience or people who wanna, you know, be the control group. There you go. $10 off with.

Elisabeth Vezzani

know, you need a little Swedish fish in your life. It's, uh,

Brittany Hodak

I, yeah, I love the little, um, the like cherry coke flavored gummies that are like a little bit like sugary sour. I'd forgotten those were a thing until, you know, a couple years ago when I got a sugar wish and I was like, these are so good. And now I always reserve at least one for the little, for the little cherry cokes.

Elisabeth Vezzani

a shout out to these, our strawberry bricks with like cream in them. Oh my God, they're so good. And.

Brittany Hodak

Oh. I try this. Awesome.

Elisabeth Vezzani

So, yes.

Brittany Hodak

Well.

Elisabeth Vezzani

Alright, well thank you so much. Thank you for having me. It's just, I always, I've learned so much, uh, I, I do follow all your socials and see you just making a difference and I've learned so much from your book and tell people about it all the time because I think it's amazing and I think what you're doing is fantastic. So

Brittany Hodak

thank you for saying that. Thank you for coming on show and for all the good you're putting out in the world. And hey guys, thanks for listening to another episode of the Creating Super Podcast. I'll see you next time.