Emily Joyce and Claudia Meller launched Lofty Box, a London based subscription and gifting club to help introduce people to sustainable, innovative and emerging businesses, when they couldn’t find any subscription box offering sustainable products. Here we chat to Emily about her entrepreneurial journey that led her to co-founding her subscription box brand.
What led you to become an entrepreneur?
I’ve always wanted to have my own business and I’ve been on the lookout for an idea for a long time. In the background I’ve been working in business and developing the skills I need to make it on my own. Lofty Box’s Co-Founder, Claudia Meller has her own luxury, sustainable fashion brand, Claudia Meller England. She and I used to discuss her plans for her business and one day we spoke about getting her scrunchies into sustainable subscription boxes. When Claudia looked into doing this, subscription boxes with sustainability at their heart didn’t exist. And thus our idea to start Lofty Box, a sustainable product box supporting new ethical brands, was born.
Tell us more about Lofty Box Subscription. What is it all about?
Lofty Box is a box of products delivered to your door which introduces customers to brands which are aligned with their ethical expectations. Each box varies and we pride ourselves on the surprise element of our boxes. Lofty Box seeks to help customers to explore premium sustainable products from the most innovative wellness and lifestyle brands, our moto is to Explore, Support and Evolve. Support emerging ethical businesses and those paving the way and to evolve as a more conscious consumer, help eliminate waste and make more sustainable choices.
What does being a female entrepreneur mean to you?
Could it get better than co-founding a company with your best friend? Claudia is an incredible friend and business partner and it is wonderful that we have managed to launch a business which we are truly passionate about.
To me, being a female entrepreneur means having the power to choose your own path and to make difficult decisions. It means being able to explore ideas and be creative and to step up to the challenge of responsibility.
How do you handle being an entrepreneur as well as full time work?
I still work full time as a corporate / commercial lawyer and have been temporarily relocated for work. This means Claudia and I are in different time zones. Juggling a full time job and the launch of a business plus moving country is keeping me very busy, but when you’re doing something you love and looking to being able to devote your full attention to your new business in the future, it is easy to keep motivated!
What challenges or obstacles have you faced as a result of being an entrepreneur?
Everything happens so quickly, it is all real, no rehearsals, and you have to keep up!
What has been your success story so far?
Selling out of our Discovery Boxes in week one and the fantastic support we’ve had from people in our networks. We are so proud of how far we’ve come in just a few months.
Which other business entrepreneur would you recommend?
Ooo lots of the brands we work with are founded by females, Beckie Howie, makeup artist cum lip balm maker and by Castlewood, founded by Kristina.
What tips or advice would you give to any female considering becoming an entrepreneur?
Go for it, take the plunge, don’t wait until it’s perfect as it never will be.
To shop or learn more about Loft Box head over to their website at https://loftybox.co.uk/ or their social pages at https://www.facebook.com/loftyboxuk/ and https://www.instagram.com/loftyboxuk/