Today we’d like to introduce you to Denise & Kala.
Hi Denise & Kala, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
We are two perfectionist-recovering sorority sisters that met in college over a decade ago, we met as juniors at San Diego State University while becoming members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. As California natives, we found overlapping interests with our passion to support and inspire others in reaching their full potential. Out of a burning desire to create an authentic space for radical growth and empowerment for women, BetternessBox was born.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Any entrepreneur knows that the road to success is not smooth and we’re still on the journey! One of our most impactful challenges has been spreading awareness to new audiences. We have an extremely low churn rate; that is to say, we retain almost every new subscriber that experiences our box over time. The challenge of introducing our service to more of our target audience: Black women, can be solved by additional funding which in itself is an obstacle. Very little funding goes to Black women-owned businesses but we’re hopeful that we’ll receive funding to meet our expansion needs soon. On a positive note, one challenge we had after our first year was sustaining a monthly subscription model. We were burnt out and received feedback from our customers about being overwhelmed from monthly shipments as well. We adjusted accordingly, including our pricing structure, to deliver a quarterly box with even more value. One of the major reasons we’ve been successful is being flexible when the obstacles and the challenges come.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about BetternessBox?
Founded in 2018, BetternessBox was created with the intention to inspire women to live a life entrenched in better wellness—one day at a time. When it comes to being a corporate queen, entrepreneur, or even a new mom, Black women are making moves and thriving through a worldwide pandemic, protests, and politics.
Each quarter of the year, this thoughtfully curated box features a wellness book and up to six premium, handpicked wellness, fitness, or beauty items from predominantly Black-owned and women-owned businesses. Items include the newest and most in-demand beauty and body care products, candles, affirmation cards, tea, fitness gear, and MORE! Along with the curated box, subscribers also get access to a #BetterVibes playlist, a monthly book club, Sister Circle, a supportive community of other sisters on the same path, and enhanced programming that really taps into the essence of each BetternessBox
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
“Black women already face long-standing problems, including difficulty finding childcare, as well as shorter life expectancies and higher rates of maternal mortality. Taken together, the coronavirus proved to be a double whammy for Black women, robbing them of their jobs as well as threatening their health.” – US News, April 2021
The lesson we learned as a business was that our service was not simply a box of products for Black women to enjoy “Self-Care Sunday”, but a crucial need for Black women to change the trajectory of their well-being and health. In addition, the importance of community amongst like-minded women as the Black women’s experience in America is unique. Not only did our programming throughout each 3-month season change to meet Black women where they were, we’ve leaned even more on our core values of amplifying mental health and physical wellness.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@betternessbox.com
- Website: www.betternessbox.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/betternessbox
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/betternessbox
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/betternessbox
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCItbg56LS6FU0pTf1xQOunw/featured
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/user/fv0f4mi1wdhe6rseunh7k84lu?si=6f2304d45c514c9c
Image Credits:
@jcicreatives
@ishagainesphoto
