A note from our founders

Before &Open, Jonathan had founded a small, design-led online retailer called Makers & Brothers with his brother Mark, a side hustle that looked to offer objects of use, the simple, beautiful and nicely odd. A retail project that grew organically, and at pace. Over time, as we started to analyze our success, we realized corporate gifting (just one of many areas we were thinking of exploring) had become over 35% of our revenue.

We knew it was an industry in dire need of change, and our grand ambition was to lead this, to fight against an increasingly depressing statistic: gifting is a powerful business tool, but 78% of swag ends up in landfill, doing nobody any good. Failed attempts at connection, meaningful gestures lost in the noise, thwarted by logistical difficulties and a lack of expertise. We wanted to fix this mess, and in doing so make it better for all.

This ambition is woven into everything we do, from design to dispatch, and we’re proud to have achieved B Corp status as a result. But when we started, we were a long way off, and it took a lot of late nights and hard work just to get our idea off the ground.

Turning forgettable freebies into meaningful gifts, things people want and actually use — that’s the way to turn these statistics around. Any company that sends out merch is already gifting, whether they call it that or not, but these items often lack the context and thought to really resonate with their recipients. Each one is a wasted opportunity: a waste of time, money and the planet’s resources.

It’s not just what you give, it’s how — or to put it another way, it’s the thought that counts. Less, but better. A strong curation, so you can gift with confidence. A thriving Marketplace that makes local gifting a global possibility. The option to donate to the causes that matter most, and the power to choose the gift you really want. All of these ideas were there at the start, but it took time to put them into practice.

The first version of our platform was built for Airbnb, a user-friendly interface that made it easy to select and send a choice of gifts in just a few steps. It was tailored to the specifics of how they gift, and we learned so much along the way about logistics, sourcing and the difficulties of building a global gifting program that still felt personal.

We brought together everything we’d learned to create our very own &Open platform — a beautiful swan powered by madly paddling legs. And how many legs it has! Every team, every individual employee, has helped shape our product and get it to where it is now.

Putting the power of gifting directly into our customers’ hands: that has become our obsession. How can we make it easier, how can we give exactly the right amount of control — too little and it feels limited, too much and it feels overwhelming. It’s power, yes, but with guidance: it’s our job to make sure that with &Open, there’s no bad gift, ever. And that guidance goes both ways: our work has always been informed by our clients’ evolving needs.

Just as our team works closely with our customers, our platform is designed to integrate seamlessly with the tech they already use. That’s the future of corporate gifting: easy, but never thoughtless. Targeted, but not transactional. Everyday, but always special.

Thought, care and personality are embedded in our platform: a smart tool for creating custom themes that put your brand front and center; the ability to add personal video messages so every recipient feels truly seen; a self-serve catalog that allows for the easy customization and ordering of branded gifts; and a “Thank You Button” that encourages recipients to easily show their appreciation. A screen filled with smiles — that’s what our gifting is all about.

It’s when gifting feels human that it is most successful; that’s when our customers can really make connections, nurture relationships and ultimately grow revenue. Protecting and amplifying that human touch is an important part of what we do, because without it a gift is just a thing in a box.

Airbnb once described gifting as their “secret sauce”, a phrase that has stayed with us and only seems to get more and more apt. A secret sauce is no good on its own: it’s there to enhance the main event. That’s what we do, because we’re a partner, not just a product.

We see &Open as a fundamental part of the ecosystem that powers any relationship, and we want to become the default for anyone looking to augment their relationships through gifting. That’s why integration, automation and the responsible use of AI are crucial: they allow us to remove the obstacles that get in the way of this simple, human act.

We’re excited about the dynamic future of this ever-changing industry, and we’re looking forward to being a force for change within it, moving forward with purpose, insight and care.

Ciara + Jonathan