Until recently, the business world was typically reserved for men. Thankfully, it has been infiltrated by some fearless, strong, and intelligent women in the past few years. Robin Kovitz is one of such exemplary women entrepreneurs who is the owner of one of Canada’s fastest-growing businesses, Baskits Inc. The company designs manufacture, and ships uniquely crafted luxurious gift baskets across Canada and the US. With more than 50,000 customers worldwide, Baskits aims at making the art of thoughtful gifting better, quicker and affordable through its online and offline stores. Robin follows the African proverb whole-heartedly, ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. And this is the reason that she relies on her diverse team to help her with ideas and new perspectives towards her company.
How did it start?
Before acquiring Baskits in 2014, Robin worked in a private equity firm and as a Summer Consultant at the Boston Consulting Group. There, she was involved in a large-scale cost reduction project for a Canadian bank. She was also an active participant in the selling of her family’s western Canadian food manufacturing & distribution companies.
Since her childhood, she saw her father and grandfather take care of their family business and treat their employees like family. It was then that she realized the value of working together towards the growth of a business. While growing up, she worked for her family business during the weekends. However, after completing her graduation, her father inspired her to move to Toronto to gain financial education. She soon started working but even though she was financially stable, she thought she did not fit in. She wanted to do more for people and wished to own a company where everyone would be equal. She wanted her employees to be diverse and also was keen on recruiting more women. Soon after, she acquired Baskits Inc. and faced a lot of difficulties in the first few years. She was termed as a successful, young, first-time CEO in Canada, and today, she is a passionate entrepreneur, taking her company to the next level of success.
About Baskits Inc.
Baskits Inc. has been a trusted gifting company in Canada for more than 30 years. It has been the top choice for professionals, corporations, and individuals in the country for delivering sought-after gift baskets to their dear ones. In 1985, the company was founded by two women in their garage with a dream of making gifting better. In 1995, they launched their online e-commerce store which was a huge success. In 2000, Baskits Inc. launched its first retail store in Canada, and by 2011, it had 3 different stores in three different locations in the country. Robin Kovitz acquired Baskits Inc. in 2014, which was not really a small business but needed some financial backing. She revamped the baby collection and launched an in-house brand, Jake & Jill. In 2017, the company launched 3 more brands – Mimi & Liloo, Dabble & Drizzle, and Crackle & Pop. In 2018, the company opened its fourth store in Midtown Toronto, acquired The Basket Company and Adelaide Fruits & Gifts. In 2019, it launched the Slice of Canada and in 2020, Baskits Inc. was named as one of Canada’s top Growing Companies by the Report on Business by The Globe and Mail. Today, it has a 50,000 square foot head office and operating facility.
To Wrap it Up,
Robin Kovitz acquired Baskits Inc. in 2014 and never looked back. With her passion to do good for her employees and her customers, she has made Baskits Inc. a household name in Canada and the US. All throughout her life, she was surrounded by people who kept motivating her to do business, and to do it the right way. The fact that she is not only a boss but a great friend to her employees, makes her what she is – one of the leading women entrepreneurs in Canada.
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Robin Kovitz has more than 5 years of experience as a working professional and around 7 years of being a successful woman entrepreneur in Canada.
She has also been a sought-after commentator and speaker on “Entrepreneurship through Acquisition” and “Mompreneurship”. Robin often serves as a guest lecturer at both the Harvard Business School and the Yale School of Management. She and her company, Baskits Inc., have also been featured in some of the major magazines like Forbes, Elle Canada, House & Home, Huffington Post, Canadian Business, and the likes.
Presently, she serves as a consultant to the Admissions Marketing wing at the Harvard Business School. She is also a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization there. In 2017, she won the Top 100 award and got recognized as one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women. Overall these years, she has been one of the most loved and coveted women in business in Canada. She is currently residing in Toronto with her husband and two children.
