Gentle guidance

Adele Basheer is a woman with a lot to contribute. Her experience and passion led her to build a thriving business, and her generosity drove her to find a way to 'give something back', and adopt Emma Codrington as a protégé along the way.

"We started Intrinsic just over 10 years ago," says Adèle of the card and stationery business she and her husband, Jamie, run together. "Our kids, Sam and Olivia, were three and five years old at the time, and Jamie was working in his family’s hospitality and hotel business," remembers Adèle. "In many ways it was a good life, but we were like ships in the night."Despite the demands of small children and a busy husband, Adèle had also returned to work. The crunch of competing demands, during a time that can put pressure on many marriages, led to a turning point in their lives.

"I had to spend eight weeks in London for work," recalls Adèle. On her return home, she discovered during their time apart, she and her husband had shared an epiphany – things needed to change, and whatever the way forward, it had to involve spending more time together.

With nothing more than hope and conviction on their side, the couple started Instrinsic at their kitchen table. "We knew we wanted to do something that would make a difference, and do it together. It was a crazy risk," acknowledges Adèle.

"One of the key things we did very early on, was to go into each shop every few months and tidy up our cards," says Adèle. "We'd count them, chat to stockists and gather as much information as we could. We knew exactly what was selling best and they were the cards with my messages on them."

Adèle had initially sourced well-known quotes by famous and historical figures to grace the majority of cards, and used her own inspirational messages for the remainder. It was the expansion of Adèle's personal range, and the growth of Intrinsic, that brought Emma into Adèle's orbit.

The Basheers expanded their range and moved into an office located in the centre of Adelaide, where they now enjoy the buzz of nearby Central Markets. More staff were hired to help keep up with demand, and a website established; not just to grow the brand, but because Adèle had come to understand that many of their customers felt a real bond with the company and the internet was a new way to connect with them.

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