Kate founded A Year of Dates in 2016, inspired by a thoughtful gift from her husband, John. For Christmas 2014, John created a date jar filled with sealed envelopes, each containing an idea for a weekly date. This simple yet meaningful gift encouraged them to prioritise time together and try new activities they might not have considered otherwise. The experience sparked the idea for a gifting business designed to help others rekindle romance and connection through thoughtfully curated date boxes.