Meet Elisabeth Vezzani | Co-Founder and CEO, Sugarwish

We had the good fortune of connecting with Elisabeth Vezzani and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Elisabeth, Let’s talk about principles and values – what matters to you most?
Kindness Matters. Kindness and caring runs strong and deep at Sugarwish.

Being authentic, enthusiastic and transparent is something that is super important to me, my Co-Founder (Leslie Lyon) and our leadership team. It is the heart and soul of what makes Sugarwish a special place to be. We encourage our team to adopt a forward momentum philosophy. We both take our Company motto “Happiness Delivered” to the next level and we are laser-focused on delighting our customers. We know that attention to all the details makes Sugarwish something special.

One example we’ve implemented is a kindness-forward idea where all Departmental teams can share/acknowledge and call out team members who have illustrated one of the Sugarwish Core Values during the previous week.
Each week, teams are encouraged to recognize colleagues who have exemplified one of our core values. It’s a way to acknowledge the exceptional contributions that help create a positive, collaborative workplace.
The act of acknowledging a team/person is really tangible and it’s a moment where we hear the invaluable and exceptional ways employees are committed to bring the best they can to the workplace. This has proven extremely positive to share kudos (big and small). Now our entire organization adopts this philosophy and it’s woven into all leadership and department meetings. Paying it forward is not just part of a Sugarwish gift experience, it’s part of the experience of working at the Company. It is truly what makes Sugarwish a special place to be.

One of Sugarwish Values is Deliver Happiness. It’s the core of what we do everyday.

In September of 2021, we formalized our partnership with Make-A-Wish Foundation. This has always been a dream partnership due to all the natural synergies between Make-A-Wish and Sugarwish. It is a fantastic alignment that supports our shared values of kindness, granting wishes, and delivering happiness.

Being able to attend a very special Make-A-Wish/Wish Reveal for a child that was battling a critical illness was a remarkable and unforgettable experience. It was touching and heart-warming in so many ways and we were honored to be included in the special time with Michael and his family.

Our partnership with Make-A-Wish America adds a pay-it-forward opportunity for Sugarwish customers that allows gift recipients the option to donate their gifts to Make-A-Wish.

Earlier this year, 2024 we were able to host a ‘sweet senoff’ and our first Wish Reveal at Sugarwish headquarters for Bella and her darling sister as they embarked on a wish-come-true to their favorite Florida theme park! To date, Sugarwish has donated over $1.4 MM to Make-A-Wish. We could not be more proud of the partnership and opportunity to make a real impact.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I was working in business development and often sent corporate gifts to connect with customers and prospects. I couldn’t find anything that delivered a unique or memorable experience and would usually end up sending gift cards which felt lackluster and impersonal. When my Co-Founder, who had previously worked in NYC, was reminiscing about how she used to love going to a big candy store during her lunch hour, it sparked an idea. She described how the fun was really in choosing “a little bit of this and a little bit of that”.

That conversation sparked our “a-ha” moment. We realized that we could replicate this experience online by creating an interactive candy shop where recipients could choose their favorite treats – instantly!

We worked with a developer to build a site that allowed a gift to be sent via ecard linking the recipient to our candy shoppe where they could choose their favorites – i.e. that ‘kid in a candy store’ feeling. It was the perfect way to send personalized gifts that were customized for the recipient each and every time.

Being authentic, enthusiastic and transparent is something that is super important to me, our leadership team and the heart and soul of what makes Sugarwish a special place to be. My co-founder (Leslie Lyon) encourages our team to adopt a forward momentum philosophy. We both take our Company motto “Happiness Delivered” to the next level and we are laser-focused on delighting our customers. We know that attention to all the details makes Sugarwish stand out.

Innovation is the driving force behind Sugarwish. We’re always striving to improve, whether that’s in the products we offer, the ways we connect with customers, or the technology that supports our platform.

We constantly challenge ourselves to find new ways to surprise and delight our customers.
We pride ourselves on anticipating our customer’s needs–so we can offer solutions before they ask. We’re inspired by customers who re-imagine different ways to utilize Sugarwish, as they have come to rely on us as a partner they can count on for our creativity and individualized service to deliver as much happiness as possible!

The goal is for Sugarwish to offer the best gift experience in the world. We are looking to bring Sugarwish to new parts of the globe and for Sugarwish-ing to become a verb.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend were visiting I’d plan to explore some of my favorite food, culture and scenic areas:

Morning: Start with a walk around Washington Park (Wash Park)—it’s perfect for an easy walk or a bike ride around the scenic lakes and gardens. We’d stop for coffee at one of the cute cafes nearby to soak in the vibes.
Afternoon: Head over to Sushi Den for lunch. The sushi here is absolutely phenomenal, with fresh, high-quality fish flown in from Japan daily. It’s a Denver institution, so no better way to kick off the food experience.
Evening: After settling in, we’d head to Little Man Ice Cream to indulge in some of the city’s best ice cream. Whether it’s the Salted Oreo or other rotating flavors, it’s a must-try, and the iconic milk can building is worth the visit.

If we had extra time I’d head downtown to explore some of my favorites:
Morning: Take a trip to Union Station and grab breakfast at Snooze, an A.M. Eatery. Their pancakes and breakfast cocktails are fantastic. Afterward, we’d checkout LoDo (Lower Downtown) and the surrounding historic streets.
Afternoon: We’d visit the Denver Art Museum or the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) to soak up the vibrant art scene. Lunch at Mercantile Dining & Provision—their farm-to-table menu never disappoints.
Evening: We’d head to Larimer Square for some boutique shopping and cocktails at Green Russell, a speakeasy with a fun atmosphere.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Make-A-WIsh Colorado Chapter.

We began with a grassroots effort, allowing customers to donate to causes like our local Make-A-Wish Colorado Chapter. In September 2021, we officially partnered with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, a dream collaboration thanks to our shared values of kindness, granting wishes, and spreading happiness.

Attending a special Make-A-Wish event for a child battling a critical illness was an unforgettable and heartwarming experience. We were deeply honored to be part of Michael’s Wish Reveal alongside his family.

Through our partnership with Make-A-Wish America, Sugarwish now offers customers the chance to pay it forward by donating their gifts to Make-A-Wish. Earlier this year, we had the joy of hosting a “sweet send-off” at our headquarters for Bella and her sister, who were off to their favorite Florida theme park for a wish-come-true.

To date, Sugarwish has donated over $1.4 million to Make-A-Wish, and we couldn’t be prouder of this meaningful partnership and the impact we’ve made together.

Website: https://www.sugarwish.com

Instagram: @sugarwishgirl

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/sugarwish

Twitter: @sugarwishgirl

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sugarwishgirl

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVDzPKChcjY1LeYvVv4bh_Q/videos

Other: Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/sugarwishpins/

Image Credits
Sugarwish
Blue Print Society