Guest Post: 14 Questions To Help You Launch Your Own Subscription Box!

I post about subscription boxes quite a bit here, but today I have a guest post from Katherine Raz about how you can start your own subscription box service!  I won't lie, I've definitely toyed with the idea myself.  Read on for all of Katherine's tips!

Photo credit: Brown paper packages tied up with strings via photopin (license)

If you've been subscribing to monthly boxes for a while, chances are you might have considered starting one yourself. The marketplace is so saturated now, though, it seems like there's a subscription box for pretty much everything already. While this is great for shoppers, it doesn't feel awesome if you want to start a business in a niche that hasn't already been dominated by one of the major subscription box players.

But there are still great subscription box ideas out there! Your answers to these questions might uncover an idea that'll work for you.

Successful subscription box companies share one thing in common: they make people feel awesome about themselves. You can launch a similar subscription box company to one that already exists if you can master the art of making your subscribers feel like they're getting more value by subscribing to your box. To do that, you need to brainstorm subscription box ideas that add a unique value to people's lives.

Here are 14 questions to help get you thinking about what type of subscription company can do that:

1. What wears out quickly? What do you grow out of quickly? What gets old or obsolete that you can replace with a subscription?
2. What’s a regular hassle for you?
3. What do you wish you never had to leave the house to buy again?
4. What are you frequently out of?
5. What would impress people in your social circle if you had it and no one else did? What if you had a new one of these each month?
6. What can be bundled to create a unique surprise each month?
7. What are some seasonal needs that could be satisfied by a subscription?
8. What could a subscription offer access to that is otherwise hard to come by? Are there products that you don’t have access to (think: geographical area, industry connections, etc.) that you would like to have access to on a regular basis? Or vice versa: do you have access to something others would like access to?
9. What do you have in-depth knowledge of that you could bring to a wider audience?
10. What is a little luxury that you would like to indulge in on a regular basis, but that you don’t usually allow yourself?
11. What life experiences do you have, from being a parent to being a patient, that have given you insight into small inconveniences that could be made better with a regular shipment of something?
12. Is there something you regularly rent or borrow that could be made more convenient if it came in the mail as a subscription you could send back?

Katherine is the author of of the e-book How to Start and Run a Successful Subscription Box Company and runs the blog Hey Little Engine.

Do Good While You Look Good: Companies That Give Back

Today's post was written by my very first guest blogger, Morgan Gray!  Morgan owns the blog Gray & Gabbana and contacted me to see if I would be interested in partnering with her to highlight ways in which fashion can help less-fortunate individuals.  I was more than happy to have her on as a guest contributor because her blog is a lot of fun and I really liked what she had to say about this topic.  Check it out below!

Every generation finds a way to make its mark on the world. For the millennial generation, philanthropy is everywhere, in the work we do, the music we love and even when we go shopping. Here are a few companies that empower their customers to look good and do good at the same time.

Photo courtesy of Warby Parker

Warby Parker sells great-looking eyewear at a fraction of the cost of many leading brands. Their vintage-inspired eyeglasses are popular, and they have a Buy-A-Pair-Give-A-Pair program that donates a pair of eyeglasses to someone in need for every pair of eyeglasses or sunglasses you purchase. They have given out more than half a million pairs of glasses so far!

OmniPeace has created a fashion brand with a humanitarian message. They support peace and education projects that are designed to help break the world’s poverty cycle. Every purchase of one of their products helps support their movement. A number of celebrities wear OmniPeace products, including Courtney Cox and Jennifer Aniston. The company supports education initiatives and has built several schools in Africa, helps support the City of Joy center for victims of rape and violence in Congo, and feeds Somalian refugees through The Global Enrichment Foundation.

Photo courtesy of Project (RED)

By now, most people have heard of Project (RED). The organization has partnered with a variety of companies to sell branded (RED) products. When you buy a (RED) product, the partner company donates some of its profits to organizations fighting AIDS around the world. It’s a simple way to give back while purchasing things you want. (RED) partner companies include Starbucks, Head Tennis, Belvedere Vodka, Tourneau watches, Bugaboo baby products, Apple and many more. So far the company has contributed $200 million to the fight against AIDS.

These are just a few of the many ways you can use your shopping dollars to do good in the world. These companies, and many others, are using their profits to help in the fight against disease, poverty and war around the world. If it’s important to you, you can find many ways to give your money to companies that do good.