Last Chance to Try Products from Bonjoy Box

I wrote this post back in the Summer of 2016. I just recently heard that this company is closing 😞 The good news is there is still some time to snag some clearnace deals before the close up shop. Check them out now here http://www.bonjoybox.com/

While you are here take a read through my interview here: 

I recently came across an amazing new monthly subscription box service. BonJoy offers a monthly subscription of curated products that are made in a sustainable and conscious way. They work with some fantastic companies that are doing the good. I had a chance to speak with one of the founders Julie Overby to learn a little more about the company and how BonJoy got started.

Julie, tell me a little about yourself, professional background, and interests.

I started off my resume after college at Rue La La -- a dream job (high-style flash sales, a hot concept at the time). I moved to another startup after and transitioned to freelance creative work after getting married and starting our family. I love the startup atmosphere -- there's so much energy, so many ideas, trying on a lot of hats. My husband and I have a daughter and another on the way, and we recently moved to Colorado... it's amazing! Love being in the presence of these mountains & having so many places to play. We love hiking and taking our dog and kiddo to the lake.

2. How did bonJOY get started?

Esther and I jumped into our partnership seeing the subscription box as a way to give direction to our desire to fight trafficking and support fair trade and social enterprise brands... there's an incredible number of brands out there going above and beyond to support the people who work for them, but they can be hard to find. We see bonJOY as a bridge between them and the consumer, using our boxes of goods to introduce people -- in a very hands-on way -- to their work. "Fair trade" is so much better than it used to be... it's not all just-because handicrafts. There's some true artisan-made work built to serve a daily function that goes beyond providing a living salary to reinvesting in local community and programs.

3. How many members are on the bonJOY team?

Mainly Esther & I, but we're supported by various volunteers and interns who come alongside for a while to help us tackle some of the workload. Just creating daily content for social media take so much time, and we're grateful for all the support we get! None of us takes much of a paycheck to speak of... this is pure passion project over here. As sales go up, we may be able to take a cut, but for now, we're trying to give our customers the best possible deal while supporting our brand partners by paying full wholesale prices for the products we feature.

What can someone expect to find in the box?

Ooh, this is the fun part. Almost anything! We've featured your usual items like candles, scarves, and jewelry, but we included nail polish, snack items, pouches, beauty products such as facial wipes, facial mist, eye-shadow, lip gloss, headbands in previous boxes. We try to find products with an original aesthetic that have the potential to replace items you may currently use on a daily basis. If something doesn't quite suit you, we hope you'll give it as a gift and share the joy. You can see everything we've featured in past boxes here! 

What makes the bonJOY box different from other subscription box services?

We are really focused on our cause. Not only do our brand partners invest in and give back to causes related to anti-trafficking and exploited at-risk women, but we also give back $1 per box to whatever anti-trafficking organization we're featuring at the time (we've highlighted A21, International Justice Mission, and will be promoting REST in Seattle next). Plus, we literally lose sleep over coming up with the perfect mix of products to share in each box!

How can a brand work with bonJOY?

Just email us! Esther handles most of our partnerships, and she can be reached at Esther@bonjoybox.com. Our current list of partners can be found under "do-gooders" and there's a form at the bottom where anyone can send along a submission.

A little fun: 

Last book you read?

Oh man, with a crazy three year old (and a baby on the way), a business, and endless house fixer-upper projects, I feel like I haven't read a book in forever!

If you want to talk movies though, we just watched A Hologram for the King (Tom Hanks), which was really nice. Somewhat vague, but it gives a taste of Saudi culture and a glimpse at our longing for relationship and connection. Beautiful, really.

Favorite song this summer?

Stars, by Skillet

Must have item in your bag/purse?

This is way too practical, but... lip butter (I use these sweet compostable tubes from Rooted Beauty!). I live in Colorado and need moisture year-round! Also, baby wipes, a perk of having kids! From cleaning hands to cleaning spills... those things are so useful.

Anything else you would like to share?

I truly believe in the power of the consumer... So much of the world goes around because of how and where we spend our money. Ethical shopping has the potential of making a huge difference in lives around the world. And wouldn't it be awesome if we could look at the items and products in our home and be able to tell the story of how they're made, and even be able to find the name of who made them? I just think that's so beautiful.

Be the way, a great way to get started (besides going through our website and trying our boxes!) is coming up this November when we'll be launching the first-ever ethical flash sale series, bringing you a single item each day at up to 60% off to check off your Christmas list for everyone! I'm super psyched about it. Be sure to get on our email list so you can get announcements of when that will start and what we'll be featuring.