A quick scroll through almost any social media platform and you can easily find a video, post or advertisement claiming to have the best products for your skin type and the perfect shade of lipstick based on your undertone. There’s even more debate surrounding approaches to hair care–when to use certain products, whether to use a towel or t-shirt to dry your hair and what equipment is best for specific hair types. The search for what’s “right for you” can be overwhelming and exhausting.
At Bee Natural Box, the owners have done the leg work for you. Based on your answers to their personalized hair quiz, they send you a curated subscription box of natural haircare for curly or afro-textured hair and related hair care products.
Founders of the Bee Natural Box subscription plan, Brittney Pescatore, BBA ’19, and Tachianna Griffiths, CST ’19, met as roommates and bonded over haircare and beauty products. They both knew they wanted to change the haircare industry for other women of color who wanted guidance on products and methods, so they worked together to turn their idea into a reality. Combining their majors of marketing and biology, they created a quiz that helped customers find the best products for their hair. They use this quiz to create a personalized subscription box for each customer.
“We make it fun and easy for people to find natural products to style their hair,” says Griffiths.
The quiz asks five simple questions about hair type, current state and hair care goals. They then use this information to curate the box to what customers need and want.
They use the subscription boxes as an opportunity to support and showcase companies that they believe in. In addition to haircare, they showcase other Black-owned brands to give those founders a platform as well. Because they curate the boxes with products and companies that they are able to hand-pick, it gives them the freedom to decide who to support.
“One of the biggest highlights of running this business is the connections we’ve made to other Black-owned businesses,” says Pescatore.
“I love that I can integrate my lifestyle into it and support brands that I feel the most passionate about,” adds Griffiths.
Another Temple alumni and female founder, Lori Bush, MBA ’85, also made it her mission to uplift women-owned businesses. The Lori Hermelin Bush Seed Fund, through the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Institute (IEI), supports ideas, business models or ventures that are scalable, innovative, and further advance women in entrepreneurship (ex: has women founders or co-founders, impacts women in society, health, etc.). The Fund provides seed funding ranging from $500-$10,000 based on defined needs and stage of the business venture. Funds are provided with the purpose of supporting companies in proving their concept, and where the money will have a significant impact on the company’s ability to progress. The IEI gives resources to Temple students, faculty and alumni to start their own entrepreneurial journey in the form of mentoring, networking and educational opportunities.
Bee Natural Box received $7,000 to help fund their venture and continue to grow their customer base and their knowledge of the hair care industry.
“We were at a point of feeling unmotivated and the grant we received from the Lori Hermelin Bush Seed Fund truly made us feel seen,” says Pescatore.
The Bee Natural Box team plans to continue growing its membership base and working with other Black businesses to enhance the product lines offered through subscription boxes.
Find out more on the Bee Natural Box website and take their hair quiz.
For more information on the IEI, please visit our website here.