SendGift: Ivan Alsina SendGift is an online eCard service that arose as a result of the pandemic. It aims to bring customers together wherever they are located, reinventing the way we share gifts and experiences. Written by Helena Young Published on 10 August 2021 Our experts We are a team of writers, experimenters and researchers providing you with the best advice with zero bias or partiality. Written and reviewed by: Helena Young Lead Writer Name of founder(s): Ivan AlsinaAge(s) of the founder(s): 24Location: LondonDate launched: 01 January 2021Number of employees: 3WebsiteWhich university, if any, did you attend?Universitat Politècnica de CatalunyaWhat does your business do?With SendGift, you can create amazing group cards and share them online with everyone who wants to participate, adding personalized messages, images, GIFs and videos to make something unforgettable. We have plans for both individuals and companies, and aim to make the work environment more positive and improve business productivity.Where did the idea for your business come from?The idea arose from the Covid-19 pandemic, in which we unfortunately had to maintain social distance with our loved ones. Because of this, we could not celebrate any special occasion together. We thought of something that would allow us to celebrate online from anywhere in the world at any time, that’s where SendGift came from.How did you know there was a market for it?We saw that the ecard market was something that already existed and had been in operation for a long time but, until today, there were no platforms that allowed the creation of group cards. We saw that there was a considerable volume of searches for our product from internet users, and we started to build SendGift.What were you doing before launching your business?Before launching the business, I was working in a strategic technology consultancy. I am passionate about technology, and being able to create my own product is something that fills me with satisfaction and pride.Have you always dreamed of starting a business?Yes. Since I was a child, I have dreamed of being able to have an idea, create a product or a company from scratch, and carry it out following all its creation phases. Right now I am fulfilling a dream!How did you finance your business?Initially, we financed SendGift with our own funds. We have been reinvesting all the profits we have achieved so far.Explain your business model and how you make money.We have two pricing plans for our clients: a premium one plan and a premium max. In the first plan, you pay for each card individually, whereas in the premium max you have a monthly subscription that allows you to create and send unlimited cards. Soon we will have a plan available for companies to use.What are the main challenges you have faced? And how did you overcome them?The main challenge we are facing is SEO positioning. To this day, the majority of our visitors come from social networks or paid advertisements. We are working daily to improve our SEO, as it will help us to grow and establish ourselves in the market.What has your experience been of starting a business during a pandemic?The experience has been really good. The idea arose during the pandemic and it allows us to communicate and celebrate something special online. Today it is still difficult to travel to see our relatives, or it is common to work remotely from home, and in that sense SendGift is a solution that provides a lot of value.Describe your first breakthrough.A really important moment for us was, after seeing our first client pay, receiving new registers from people who received that group card. That is, our first client sent a group card and whoever collaborated in its creation liked it and decided to sign up in SendGift. This was amazing and very good news!How has Brexit impacted your business? Do you think it will in the future?For now, Brexit has not affected the business and I do not believe that it will do so in the future.What advice would you give to other aspiring business owners?My advice is always that you should not give up and that if you have an idea or a purpose in life you should fight for it until the end. Starting a business is not an easy path but it is something very beautiful that you are going to enjoy a lot.What is one resolution you have for your business this year?This year we intend to continue as before, trying to reduce our CPA on ads and growing 10-15% each month. We are a young company and metrics are very important from the beginning, so we must take advantage of that and grow as much as we can.How do you see your business developing in the next three years?We believe that in three years we will have greatly improved our SEO positioning, allowing us to be the benchmark platform for group cards in many more countries than we are today.If you’re a business owner with a startup that’s less than six months old, apply now to feature as one of our Just Started business profiles. Share this post facebook twitter linkedin Written by: Helena Young Lead Writer Helena is Lead Writer at Startups. As resident people and premises expert, she's an authority on topics such as business energy, office and coworking spaces, and project management software. With a background in PR and marketing, Helena also manages the Startups 100 Index and is passionate about giving early-stage startups a platform to boost their brands. From interviewing Wetherspoon's boss Tim Martin to spotting data-led working from home trends, her insight has been featured by major trade publications including the ICAEW, and news outlets like the BBC, ITV News, Daily Express, and HuffPost UK.