Monika Shah, Small Packages — Turning Thoughtful Gifting into a Relationship Engine
Monika Shah is the CEO and co-founder of Small Packages, a curated gifting company built to help people connect when they can’t be together in person. She joined co-founder Julie at the start of COVID, fell in love with the mission, and now leads the build of Present, an app designed to help you remember important moments, nudge consistent check-ins, and make it effortless to show up for the people who matter.
From negotiating sweat-equity partnerships to shipping nationwide (and into the UK), Monika shares the playbook for growing a modern gifting brand that’s really about relationship health and retention—not one-and-done transactions.
5 Key Takeaways from this Episode:
Sweat equity done right: If you join as a partner, negotiate a clear vesting/milestone schedule up front—trust plus structure protects everyone.
From CPG to startup exits: Monika was the first hire at a startup that later sold to SC Johnson, giving her end-to-end perspective on building, scaling, and exiting.
Gifting as strategy, not swag: Small Packages pairs curated boxes with handwritten notes and corporate-friendly workflows to open doors and deepen relationships.
Present app = retention engine: In beta, Present reminds you about birthdays, anniversaries, and “it’s been a while” check-ins, offers call prompts, and logs touchpoints—plus a gift marketplace beyond boxes.
Fast growth, smart expansion: Small Packages ships across the U.S. and has opened gifting to the UK; the business crossed $1M revenue in ~3 years by pairing physical product with tech-driven service.
Watch the full interview now on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpR9iIvDltE
Memorable Quote:
“We want you to be present in your relationships.” — Monika Shah