Gifting beautifully with BOXFOX
BOXFOX is a beautiful company that curates gift boxes out of their little studio in El Segundo. The company is run by three young women (Chelsea, Sabena, and Jenni), and thanks to their playful design and useful, tasteful gifts, it is growing rapidly. We hosted one of our Work Seshes in their studio only months after they'd moved in, and we were eager to learn more about how the idea for BOXFOX came about and what these three women have on the horizon.
What was your inspiration to create a gift box business?
We were all working insane hours when a friend of ours got sick. All we wanted to do was be there for her, but we weren't able to physically be there for her. Our options for gifts to send were really limited. The typical choices didn't represent our relationship or provide any real support. There was no way to beautifully represent a relationship in a personal and purposeful way! That's the event that started it all.
Where did you all meet, and how did you partner up to create BOXFOX together?
Jenni & Chelsea went to college together and met through their sorority, Kappa Kappa Gamma. Their friendship was solidified when they went abroad together. Sabena and Chelsea met at their first job after graduation at Ogilvy & Mather LA when Sabena (who had been there for a year) was assigned to take Chelsea to lunch on her first day. We clicked immediately. When the three of us met, we all felt really similarly about this need in the marketplace and brought unique strengths to the table. You need people who want to roll up their sleeves and get to work on something they believe in, and I think we found that in each other.
What are the different ways people can purchase a box?
On our website we have precurated gift boxes and Build a BOXFOX, which is a platform that allows customers to pick their own product, totally custom to the person and purpose. People can also reach out via email and work with our Concierge team for special events (weddings, bachelorette parties, etc) and large-scale corporate gifting. There are so many ways we can make things custom, and we pride ourselves on great customer service with a personal touch to make things easy.
How do you decide which items you'd like to offer for the boxes?
This is everyone's favorite question to ask! We came up with our initial products after some intense consumer research and based on our personal taste (and combined love of shopping / trendspotting / travel). Beyond that, we research based on the core tenants of good design and usefulness. We're anti-fluff. We want everything inside a BOXFOX to be pretty and purposeful -- something we'd both want to get and give.
I know you guys recently moved into a beautiful new space in El Segundo. Do you guys have any fun plans for your studio?
We're currently sprucing up the place room by room, but we're excited to have the space to host some fun events soon! It's an amazing space that we're really fortunate to be in. Part fulfillment warehouse, part office space, part photo studio and lounge, it truly feels like we were destined to move in here.
What was your biggest professional highlight of the past year?
Last year was busy in the best way. In February, we were the first brand in the Grove's new popup space, where we held our LOVE YOU, MEAN IT Valentine's Day popup. It was our first foray into retail, and it was exciting and scary all at the same time. Then in March, we had a beautiful write-up in Tech Crunch, which really catapulted awareness about us and sparked some new opportunities, including speaking at Twitter on International Women's Day. As an all-female team, that was so empowering. In the summer, we began a partnership with Drybar, which was a dream come true. We've all been huge fans of the brand, of Alli, and of course the amazing products (that hairspray!), so it was very special to get to work with them and curate their amazing products.
What new projects currently hold your focus?
Strengthening and expanding our current partnerships, sourcing rare, exclusive, and unique products, creating meaningful content for our consumers, and developing new and exciting web offerings by refining our site. We're so ready for what 2017 will bring!
Jenni, Sabena, & Chelsea are the founders of BOXFOX, a gifting company that creates personalized boxes to send to your friends and loved ones, handling the entire process from order to delivery.
Find them on Instagram at @shopboxfox.
photos: by Marisa Vitale and BOXFOX