Databird Business Journal
10/21/2020
How to Start a Company from Scratch: 100+ Stories from Female Founders [Part 8/15]
Excerpt:
Q: WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO FOUND BEYOND WORDS AND WHAT WERE THE MAIN CHALLENGES YOU FACED?
As a new mom, I went through a long grief journey upon discovering infidelity in my marriage and embarking on a divorce process. I was fortunate to have the support of my friends and family and they got me through the hardest of times. Our care packages at Beyond Words Co. were born from the idea that visibly and practically supporting others through grief is important, despite many people shy away from supporting others through difficult times because they don't know how to help. Beyond traditional flowers or greeting cards, I wanted to make it easier for people to show they care, and I knew we could do it in a way that was helpful to the healing process.
I started the business not only in the midst of learning how to be a single mom to a 9-month old, but also through divorce process, a move, and the start of a new full-time job. I got through those challenges by leaning on my mission and setting my sights on what I wanted to accomplish with Beyond Words Co., that no one feels alone through life's hardest times. I had to depend on my "lived experience" of pulling from other areas in my life (motherhood, former professional roles, homeownership) instead of formal entrepreneurship training or expertise. That lived experience carried me through the operational challenges of learning how to set up the business, set pricing and organize finances, and conduct marketing outreach. As I did in my personal grief journey, I relied on advice and help from those around me to get the business up and running, especially for things not in my wheelhouse.
Q: DID YOU START THE VENTURE ALONE?
I did start it and fund it alone, but with plenty of outreach to family and friends for advice along the way.
Q: WHAT'S YOUR BUSINESS MODEL, AND HOW HAVE YOU GROWN YOUR REVENUE?
Beyond Words Co. runs almost exclusively online through e-commerce. We offer both pre-designed and custom care packages at various price points. While the majority of our sales are "friends and family" orders, we are seeing a significant increase in workplace and corporate giving as organizations seek new ways to better support employees and clients through hard and uncertain times. We've been in business since 2018 and have grown sales nearly 200% year over year.