Background of Sanders Gifts

Sanders Gifts started out as a dream of mine. I am Mary Sanders, CEO. I live in West Salem, Wisconsin with my husband, my 19 year old son and my 25 year old step son--oh and of course the 2 cats Sadie and Tabatha and my dog, Joey.

First I want to give you a little explanation of why I decided to start my own business.

In 1998 at the age of 32, I started having extreme medical problems that caused me to quit a wonderful job that I was advancing in my position every year. At that time, I loved my job--I was a screen printer for a local company creating stickers, emblems, signs, labels, etc. To be a little more specific about my medical problem, which wasn't diagnosed until 2004, I have BPPV=Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo. This condition caused me to lose my balance, my focus(vision), concentration, equilibrium, light headed, dizzy, scared--it sometimes gets to the point where I feel like I'm having a stroke. When things are at their worst I can't walk with out having someone hold my hand, use a cane or hang on to the wall, I shouldn't get behind the wheel of my truck, etc. I was a danger to myself when this would happen.
Since then, 1998, I have not been able to hold down any type of job. I tried to go back to screen printing, but the constant head movements, up and down and side to side and constantly bending over, caused the BPPV to come back. Everytime I tried a new type of job, even housekeeping in a hotel, the same thing would happen and I would have to quit or get told they were going to let me go because I wasnt able to do my job and I was missing work. Well, you can't raise a 5 year old with no salary. In 2000, my son and I moved into low-income housing with the only money coming in was child support and that was hard to live on, as well, considering the "amount" we received. I also worked in other positions over the past decade that have provoked the BPPV: daycare, sales associate, people greeter, dishwasher. This is the main reason I decided to start my own business. The other reason is because I have not had good luck with my past supervisors--NOT the employers, but the staff/management. We always had issues with each other which made coming to work difficult.

The one thing that makes me passionate about my business is "gifts" always make people smile. I love to see people happy, smile, laugh or cry happy tears. There is enough stress and unhappiness in the world and I want to be someone that can bring some joy to others. In addition, the gifts that are available in my online store are very unique and very inexpensive compared to the competition. I want everyone to be able to find something for that person they are shopping for and be able to afford it. The economy has been hard enough on all of us and again--I want to change that thought in people when they go shopping online. Eventually, my husband and I will be opening an on-site store so people in the area can come and get the item they want instead of waiting for it to be shipped to them.

In closing, I would just like to say that this dream of mine is a means to an end. I will no longer have to worry about missing work or what will happen when my position vertigo "strikes again" or anything like that. But most of all, I will be able to provide for my family.

Go ahead and take a look at my dream come true. www.sandersgifts.com

Have a wonderful and glorious day! Don't forget to make someone smile--it's the best feeling. :)