Today we’d like to introduce you to Tayler Jones.
Hi Tayler, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Ever since I could remember my love languages have been quality time and gift-giving. Gifting to me is about connection. As a child, I was my mama’s shopping buddy, meaning wherever she went, I would go. So shopping was about spending time with her doing something that we both loved, like finding meaningful and eclectic products for our family members or ourselves. I also noticed that my mama had a way of connecting with people, wherever we went people would always end up having a conversation with us. This showed me that we were all connected by our interests and were able to build a relationship with the store owners and repeat customers. We got to know them as people. In March, I created Beauty of Detroit Box as a way to discover and connect with small businesses, as well as to indulge in self-care.
Through the Beauty of Detroit Box, I empower busy women and men to activate the me-time they need right now to live fuller lives. Being transported out of the overwhelm of daily life for just a moment, hour or longer. A bit of beauty, indulgence, affirmation, practicality and self-care can go a long way in helping us be more present and discover what makes us full first before serving others.
As an educator and trained actress, like so many during the pandemic, I had to pivot. At the beginning of 2021, I graduated with a Masters of Fine Arts in Applied Drama/Theatre for the Young and began teaching virtually, as well as working as a theatre consultant. To supplement the income I would be making from performing professionally and lecturing, I was inspired to channel that creativity into new avenues. After virtual graduation, many of my family and friends complained about the time it took to receive goods and gifts because of the delays and scarcity of certain items due to the pandemic. Be it that small businesses in metro Detroit were struggling, I wanted to be part of a solution to a big problem that isn’t just one person’s responsibility but that of the community. My purpose is to illuminate, create and give back to my community because now more than ever small businesses need our support.
I also began to realize that there was no work-life balance for me while working from home. I experienced major burnout and had to reevaluate my boundaries and assess my support system. Typically, as a teacher and artist/actor, the work that I do can be physically and emotionally exhausting, and even more so online. On top of that, I had a hard time admitting that I was not in a great space mentally because who was I to complain when so many in my field and in the world were experiencing the same thing. It wasn’t until I met myself where I was and knew that I needed to implement self-care practices into my schedule. When I began to journal, share my reality with those that I trusted, and made time to nurture my body, mind and spirit, my overall outlook improved. I had more time to reconnect with myself and be there for my students and family that needed me most.
To me, self-care and self-love is the foundation to show up for ourselves first in order for us to care for those around us. Ultimately, there are so many misconceptions around self-care and I don’t want it to be a buzzword or something unattainable. So, in order to make self-care more accessible and help overworked women and men gain balance and community, Beauty of Detroit Box was born in March 2021. We all deserve to treat ourselves and what better way to do that than to support small businesses in the process. From numerous pop-ups, vendor markets, events, five limited-edition boxes, features and custom novelty gifts, we have grown to be where we are today.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, not exactly, there are so many moving parts to running a business…especially in a pandemic. Whenever I feel discouraged, it doesn’t take long for the universe to inundate me with so much encouragement, positive feedback and inspiration. I have learned to accept the highs with the lows and trust that a way is going to be made regardless. You have to be willing to take risks, check your mindset, be flexible, ask questions, ask for help, follow through and learn all areas of your business. The growth I experience both personally and professionally directly impact the quality of my business.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I love thoughtfully curating gift boxes that create an experience! I am drawn to artisan made goods that are unique, useful and handmade. I love to include items for self-care that you want to use right away, that are aesthetically pleasing, that indulges the senses, filled with natural ingredients and a variety of goods that span from bath and body to home goods and edible products. There is a lot of time and care that goes into finding the right products and businesses that meet our criteria of beauty and excellence, often inspired by a theme for the season. We make it easier for our customers to let a loved one know that they are thinking of them without spending hours trying to find the best gifts, but without losing the connection (you can also add a gift message with your package and our boxes are ready to ship next business day). We’ve also extended our product line to include novelty items in our shop that inspire joy and promote self-care.
Beauty of Detroit Box has featured over twenty local artisans and small businesses in metro Detroit! Each self-care gift box is a unique opportunity to discover the best in local, artisan and organic handmade goods, handpicked from four to six new to you local businesses (majority women owned and amazing quality!). We’ve experienced over 100 customers making a difference in their community by shopping small (we also ship domestically). Our gift boxes are the perfect treat to add some beauty into your busy day, as a way to gift me-time to a friend that gives so much of themselves or a unique and thoughtful way to remind a Detroit native of home when they are far away. We are so excited to begin our quarterly subscription in the Spring and hope you join us on this journey!
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
When speaking with new customers, I don’t typically lead with I am an actor, but it is something that I have grown to embrace speaking about more as it is a huge part of who I am. I am extremely proud of the success I have had in theatre, where I have two degrees under my belt, numerous professional performances, am in a published script and enjoy working with children and seniors. It also afforded me the opportunity to study in Moscow, Russia. Being a theatre artist and educator led me to create Beauty of Detroit Box. Essentially, through theatre I teach people of all ages how to live in the moment/be present with themselves and each other, and my boxes are a convenient and cost-effective way for my customers to experience self-care and self-discovery while connecting with their community. Surprisingly enough I have had a customer (a new one at that) give me a gift while doing a local delivery. It was so unexpected, as I am mainly the one doing the gift giving. It felt great to feel appreciated and to know that other people are just as excited about my business as I am!
Pricing:
- $60 You Are Magic Box
- $65 You Are Magic Box (with book add-on)
- $25 Designer flasks (shipping included)
Contact Info:
- Email: beautyofdetroitbox@gmail.com
- Website: https://www.mybeautyofdetroitbox.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mybeautyofdetroitbox/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeautyofDetroitBox/
