Celebrating Our Woman-Owned Partners
Happy Women’s History Month!
At Vellabox, we have so many reasons to celebrate.
Continue reading to meet some of the amazing women, not only on our own team but also those who we’ve been so lucky to work with!
Vellabox is not woman-owned; however, we are a majority female team full of passionate entrepreneurial spirits.
Working at a young & progressive company like Vellabox, we all get the opportunity to be leaders & have a strong impact on everything we do.
“I enjoy working closely with a group of like-minded, young and innovative individuals and bouncing ideas off each other!” Lauren
“Working with a team that can communicate effectively and be transparent about needing help makes me feel comfortable going to my teammates for support!” Caroline
As curators of candles and other lifestyle products, we get the fortunate opportunity to work with so many brands of all sizes, many of which are women-owned.
Did you know,
According to an American Express study, between 2014 and 2019, the growth rate of the number of women-owned companies was 3.9% annually.
This percentage is more than 2% higher than the growth rate of all businesses during the same time frame.
With this, it’s fantastic to discover that,
42% of all US businesses are women owned and 50% of women-owned businesses are women of color.
American Express
In the past year, every candle brand featured in Vellabox was woman-owned!! Also, the majority of other brands we partnered with to bring you the fun surprise items in Vellabox were also women-owned!
We celebrate these women for their leadership, artisanal craftsmanship, and the example that they lead for those of all different backgrounds.
Let’s learn more about some of these amazing brands and don’t forget to scroll to the bottom to shop from the rest of our wonderful partners!
Meet some of our women-owned makers:
Ferzan, Kin & Care
January 2022
Kin & Care was born when founder Ferzan Jaeger shared the challenges of building a new life in the US with another immigrant woman.
As a way to empower women going through the same experience, Ferzan chose to hire refugee women from the Middle East who are looking to build a new life here in the USA.
Ferzan gives her team more than just a job, but rather a career with security & scalable opportunities for growth with the business.
Her values are centered on family & kinship with products made to brighten your home and bring family together.
“A Woman’s success is her kin’s success.”
Lauren, Essence One
February 2022
Lauren’s brand grew from aiding in her own mental health journey to inspiring others to live their best less stressed life. With a certification in aromatherapy, her products are guaranteed to smell amazing, uplift mood, and literally, melt away tension.
Not only does her brand serve as an advocate for breaking the stigma around mental health, but a portion of the profits are also donated to mental health organizations.
“Smell good.Feel good. Do good.”
Mariana, Earthside
December 2021
Marianna started her Latina-owned candle business with the intent to create something that brings a sense of comfort and helps create memories.
As of 2019, 18% of all women-owned businesses in the U.S. were owned by Latinx women.
(American Express)
Her non-toxic products and aesthetic label design are meant to complement the uniqueness of our homes and embrace our individuality.
Earthside Co. is also a partner with One Tree Planted to plant a tree in Mexico with each sale!
Chinonye Akunne, Ilera Apothecary
December 2021
Born to Nigerian immigrants, Chinonye centered Ilera Apothecary around the pride in her culture, striving to keep West African practices and philosophies alive by delivering sustainable ingredients found in the natural world.
In December, we featured Nostalgia Body Butter, one of their Okwuma products, the Igbo term for shea butter.
With the help of hand-picked ingredients (such as lavender, chamomile, coconut oil, and cocoa butter) from Africa, their mission is to smooth healthy skin, eliminate scars, and prevent stretch marks.
Global Giving: ILERA partners with the Global Shea Alliance that works to improve the livelihoods of rural African women.
Women of color make up 50% of all women-owned businesses as of 2019.
Megan, Elevated Scentz
September 2021
Megan always had an innate talent for knowing how to utilize scents as a way to express her mood, change the energy in the room, and set the tone for the day.
As a professional makeup artist, she always enhanced the experience for her clients with a calming aroma, and after getting so many compliments and requests for scent details, she decided to develop her own signature line of candles.
As a black and woman-owned online candle artisan shop, Megan not only is a role model to aspiring black female entrepreneurs but also shares her creativity through her 100% soy wax home perfume candles.
Janet, Janet Gwen Design
August 2021
In 2018, Janet Gwen Design expanded her viral marble tech accessory collection to offer candles, home goods, drinkware, and more!
This Asian-female-owned business aims to elevate your everyday essentials, combining aesthetics without sacrificing purpose.
The young 20 something entrepreneur started Janet Gwen Designs in high school. She centers the brand around the mission to encourage and support other young entrepreneurs.
“Every one of our products is made to motivate you to get to work and go after your wildest dreams — because we really believe you can!”
Tae, Tea with Tae
October 2021
This woman-owned tea company sources from some of the most exquisite and finest tea farms in the world. Tea with Tae’s tea sachets aren’t just delicious…they’re also eco-friendly!
The biodegradable sachets preserve the high-quality flavor profiles and sophisticated aromas of each tea while maintaining the convenience of a teabag!
Ashlyn, Bare Candle Co
April 2021
Bare Candle Co. is 100% soy wax candles, free from prop 65 chemicals, phthalates, parabens, paraffin, and dyes.
“I began to see that not all candles are created equal–I couldn’t find a candle in the market that I felt was safe enough to burn around my family, friends and pets. I found myself with an idea that I wanted to share with the world. And this is the attitude that really began the story of Bare.”
Founder, Ashlyn, balances running a successful candle business with being a college student! Her team is also entirely college students.
She says that her team is more of a second family. They motivate each other and are proud to create a workspace where people are excited to come to the studio.
Stef and Chels, Tosi Snacks
September 2021
This mother and daughter duo started where else than their family’s kitchen! Stef and Chels noticed there was a need for clean, nutrient-dense snacks that supported holistic health.
The Tosi Snacks superbites and superpops are packed with plant protein, organic ingredients and delicious flavors.
“Dreams Really Come Tosi”
Tosi means “true” in Finnish, and this team certainly sticks to what they know to be tosi – stress-free snacking that’s simply satisfying.
Big shoutout to the rest of our female-owned partners from the past year:
Other Women-Owned Candle Partners:
- Kendall, Hardeman Home
- Gabrielle, Forget Me Not
- Beverly, Beverly & 3rd Co.
- Rachel, Luna + Rae (website under construction)
- Affton, Broken Top Candle Co
- Hannah, Wax & Wane
Other Women-Owned Gift Partners:
- Mariya Nurislamova, Scentbird
- Emma Kim, Paper Panduh
- Kathy Mark, Woolzies
We also want to celebrate and thank YOU! With you, we can support our partners.
With you, we can support small, growing businesses like these who more than deserve the hype! We can’t wait for all the wonderful connections this year will bring 🙂
If you or someone you know is a small woman-owned business & wants to work with Vellabox, feel free to reach out to partnerships@vellabox.com
