GottaHaveExcitement.com, a child-focused business created this year, provides various custom packages, as well as a delivery service. Packages can include letters from Santa, Rudolph the reindeer or even a magic elf. Cookies, candies and other items are also available for order and delivery.

The business began when Selma native Chad Woodruff, Josh Wilkerson, a senior majoring in biology, and a silent partner began looking for business ideas.

“We were kicking around some ideas for business ventures and we came up with this, just basically saying it’d be nice to do something for the kids, and then it just started escalating,” Woodruff said.

The group decided early on that the business would give back to the community and children, Wilkerson said. The silent partner spent time in college working with a children’s hospital, Woodruff said, and the experience stuck with him. The company donates 5 percent of all sales profits to Children’s Health System.

“If we give a percentage of our profits back, and get other business to do the same thing … it doesn’t take much from us to really affect people,” Wilkerson said.

Wilkerson said he believes their concept of focusing the business on giving back is revolutionary among businesses. Businesses such as 1-800-Flowers deliver custom gifts like GottaHaveExcitement.com does, he said, but they aren’t built on the focus of earning money to give back to the community.

Another focus of their business, Wilkerson and Woodruff said, is using suppliers and associates who share their focus on charity. Selma Goods Company supplies cookies for the business and has a similar charity stance, Woodruff said. They also provide food for YogurtLab in Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Woodruff said the company has met slow business leading up to Thanksgiving but expects a busy season between now and Christmas.

“It’s working pretty good,” he said. “A lot of people, I don’t think, start doing anything for Christmas until after Thanksgiving. We’re just trying to get the word out there.”

Wilkerson and Woodruff said they plan to expand to other holidays and eventually day-to-day celebrations, after the Christmas rush ends.

“Valentine’s is going to be right around the corner,” Woodruff said. “Our cut-off date for ordering for Christmas is Dec. 17 and we’ll start [Dec. 20] for how we’ll get geared up for Valentine’s Day.”

Wilkerson said he hopes the idea catches on with businesses everywhere.

“We’re hoping that people will see the reason behind it is not just a business idea but a whole different form of economics,” he said.