Katia Beauchamp co-founded Birchbox in 2010 with a simple idea: make beauty less overwhelming by delivering curated samples to your door for $10 a month. The idea took off, within a few years, Birchbox had raised nearly $90 million in venture funding, topped a million subscribers, and was valued at almost half a billion dollars.
But behind the big headlines, the business faced deep challenges, skyrocketing customer acquisition costs, copycat competitors, and a customer base that proved harder to serve than anyone expected.
In this episode, we dive into the story: the early skepticism, the explosive growth, the messy middle years, the layoffs, and the eventual sale to FemTec Health and later Retention Brands.
More than a story about a subscription box, this is about resilience, tough choices, and the courage to keep going when both the beginning and the middle are harder than expected.
If you’ve ever wondered what happens when the shine wears off or what it means to build something that matters even when it doesn’t end in a billion dollar exit, this episode is for you.
Sources & Disclaimers
This episode was created using publicly available information from credible sources, including:
Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for informational and storytelling purposes only. All facts shared are based on publicly available sources at the time of recording. Commentary and reflections are my own.