Inclusive Beauty Made For Life On The Go
BlackTravelBox® is the only brand focused on serving the over $129 billion Black travel industry with clean, luxury hair and skincare products made for life on the go. Our mission is to enable Black travelers to look and feel their best wherever they go, so they can fully embrace the journey.
Lack of Representation in Beauty & Travel
Even though African American leisure travelers spent $109 Billion domestically in 2019, and Black women spend 9X more on hair care and beauty products than all other ethnic groups... we’re still woefully underrepresented In the marketplace.
No one likes hotel shampoo. But the hair and skin care options in the travel aisle and on the road just aren’t made with Black women in mind. Black travelers spend more time pouring products into tiny bottles, paying extra baggage fees, and dealing with the headaches of TSA because of a beauty double-standard that leaves textured hair and darker skin in a lurch when it comes to safety, efficacy, and travel friendliness.
Hotel, airlines, and beauty brands aren’t providing what we need. So when we travel - packing, carrying on, and using our favorite products is a hassle and distraction. This lack of inclusion poses a massive opportunity to build and scale a brand that goes wherever Black travelers go... hotels, big box stores, airports, and more.
Designed for Black women. Made for everyone.
BlackTravelBox® is made for life on the go. Our concentrated balms and bars are designed to last longer, travel better, and are safe to use so the only thing our customers have to worry about is enjoying the destination. Our travel friendly packaging and formulations make packing, carrying (on), and using them simple and easy.
Unlike product normally marketed in the "ethnic" aisle, we’re disrupting the market with clean, cruelty free, and sustainable hair and skin care products specifically for travel and out of home use. And unlike so-called "mainstream" brands, our products are made to include Black consumers by design - working great for a wide variety of hair textures and skin tones.
BlackTravelBox® has not only catered to the often overlooked needs of Black travelers but has also established trust and respect within the broader community. We've won a global award, been featured in major publications like Conde Nast Traveler, and recognized as a top up and coming brand by Beyonce.com.
Changing The Face of Travel Personal Care In Hotels
To take our business to the next level we’re partnering with a boutique hotel group to be the primary in-room amenity provider for five of their hotels and offering our very best-selling BlackTravelBox products as upgrades. But that's not all. We've landed a spot in the boutique of (Oprah's fave!) renowned Miraval Resort and Spa in Tucson Arizona.
Can you imagine hundreds of thousands of guest falling in love with our products every year? It’s a dream come true for us, and we want YOU to be a part of it too. If you haven’t already watched our video, you’re missing out on all the exciting details!
So, check it out and see what’s new. Then grab a reward and join us in bringing diversity and inclusivity to the hospitality industry.
My Founder Journey
As you can see, there’s been a huge movement in the culture of travel over the last decade. More and more people of color are seeking out adventure and traveling the world - and I’m one of them. In spite of over 20+ countries under my belt packing, carrying on, and checking personal care products was still a chore, so I began building BlackTravelBox®.
Creating BlackTravelBox® has been a labor of love and an unexpected passion, full of ups and downs. But nothing is as impactful as hearing from our customers that the brand and products are phenomenal and represent THEM. They feel seen.
Before becoming a full-time entrepreneur, I led brand strategy for Oracle, consumer brand marketing efforts for digital brands at Hasbro, and spent the bulk of my brand career at Kraft Foods. I received my Bachelor of Arts from The University of Chicago (my hometown!) and hold an MBA from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business.
In a nutshell, I’m a career brand and business strategist who’s worked with dozens of fortune 100 companies and beloved brands. Now, I am bringing that experience to a community and culture that deserves to be served and celebrated through the amazing brand that is BlackTravelBox.
You Can Make The Difference
We've all heard seen the newfound interest in supporting and funding Black owned businesses since 2020. While we don't know if the charm will last, the data suggests it may not. As of late, overall VC funding dropped by 36% in 2022 as inflation and interest rates surged, and financing for Black businesses saw a steeper drop of 45%, according to the Crunchbase data. That drop is the largest year-over-year decrease for Black entrepreneurs in the last decade. Angels, banks, and others are likely to follow suit.
BlackTravelBox® is among many minority woman owned businesses challenged with raising capital in a less than ideal environment.
This is why platforms like iFundWomen and your contributions are so important. You will enable us to meet the growing demands of our consumers and amazing opportunities that are opening up in hospitality by expanding our warehouse space, hiring and retaining a support team, stocking inventory, and so much more.
I hope you will join us for the journey.
THANK YOU!
