Meet Stacy Cashiola Prinz | Owner, Sorelle Gifts

We had the good fortune of connecting with Stacy Cashiola Prinz and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Stacy, what do you attribute your success to?
Our customers mean a lot to us. In a world of convenience, commodity, and depersonalization, we wanted to stand out. We will never be comparable to the Amazons of the world, but we provide something big box retailers can’t – personalized service. We go beyond simply having a transactional relationship; we try to create a bond that inspires trust, loyalty, and advocacy. Without a large marketing budget or staff, we strive to create a positive and memorable customer experience on a one to one basis. Each of our orders are hand wrapped and include a personal note, because we feel like your order should be handled with care and spark joy upon opening. We’ve had people email us asking for a particular item we don’t carry, or something we are out of stock on, and we’ve researched where they can find something similar or more fitting to their needs. Yes, we want to be profitable, but only with the help of our customers, not to their detriment.

What should our readers know about your business?
I’ve spent the last 20+ years in the marketing world, helping businesses grow, celebrating their wins, and working with them to overcome challenges. Launching Sorelle Gifts gave me the opportunity to build a business to celebrate my own wins and overcome my own challenges, as well connect directly with our supporters and give back when I can. I am so excited to have the opportunity to share a passion for supporting local businesses across the world while building my own. I support local and make it a mission to give back when I can, which is why there is a section on the site of products that support causes that are important to me. I like to consider us small but mighty – we may not have a huge social following or be a household name, but every customer means something to us because they give us the ability to support causes like JDRF, American Diabetes Association, and our newest – Houston Methodist Research Institute and the Translational Research Institute. After surviving a potentially life ending medical incident in September of 2023, I wanted to find a way to support the incredible doctors and hospital that saved my life so they can continue to innovate and save the lives of others. Charity isn’t an afterthought or marketing tactic to us – it’s what drives our business and encourages us to succeed.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m a life-long Houstonian who loves traditional haunts and places that have made this city great. You better believe I’d make sure my best friend ate her way through the city – isn’t that what walking Memorial Park is for – burning those extra calories? From Carrabba’s on Kirby (where my husband and I had our first date!), to Ninfa’s on Navigation for TexMex, Truth BBQ (yes that line is totally worth it!), brunch at Tiny Boxwoods for mimosas in the garden and the best chocolate chip cookies in the city, to true Sicilian cooking like my grandfather used to make at Triola’s Kitchen (the osso buco is life changing). When we weren’t eating there would be trips to Rothko Chapel, The Museum of Fine Art, and my favorite – the butterfly exhibit at the Museum of Natural Science. I love antiquing, so we would definitely wander through some estate sales to see if there are any special treasures to be found. But probably the most unique place we would visit would be Glenwood Cemetery. Its quiet beauty in the middle of the bustling city gives you the opportunity to discover over 150 years of Houston’s history.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Sorelle means sisters in Italian, and without my sister, I wouldn’t be in business. She helped shape the vision for Sorelle Gifts and still works closely with me through the design side of the business. She’s been there to provide encouragement, design advice, and even a bit of tough sisterly love when needed. Oftentimes I feel like she’s my competitive edge – her creative thinking brought Sorelle Gifts some of our top sellers, and I credit her for our unique “Collection” shopping experience – where you can shop themed item collections like Champagne, Chinoiserie, Game Day, and even a little Texas flair.

Website: https://sorellegifts.com/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/shopsorellegifts

Facebook: www.facebook.com/shopsorellegifts

Image Credits
Geralda Baugh (personal photo only)