Today we’d like to introduce you to Ellen Cooper.
Hi Ellen , thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I spent the first 15 years of my career in the retail and consumer products industries working with high-end brands & top retailers in the U.S. When my two daughters were in early elementary school, I made the decision to step away from my career for a while to spend more time with my family and honestly take some time to reset personally. What came next was not expected in any way. At age 40, God called me to seminary. This was something I never saw coming but turned out to be life transforming. I earned my Master of Arts in Christian Leadership in 2019 from Dallas Theological Seminary.
As the mom of two girls, now teenagers, I have always felt called to pour into teen + tweens girls which I have been blessed to do throughout the years through leading bibles studies and small groups. It’s given me a front row seat to the joys and struggles of girls these days. I am passionate about coming along side to encourage them, laugh with them and help them grow in their relationship with Jesus. The idea for Simply Be Box came from a desire to bring something fun and positive into the lives of teen + tween girls and seeing an opportunity to do that within the subscription box market. While the box full of goodies may get their attention, I really want to reach their heart, help them know how much they are loved by God and that with Him anything is possible. It’s not just a box, but a community!
Our mission at Simply Be Box is to share the Gospel & encourage teen + tween girls to Simply Be who God created them to be by meeting them where they are through a subscription box, podcast, events, and an online community.
We believe Simply Be Box is a fun & effective way to disciple the next generation! A gift Girls will LOVE & Moms can TRUST!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Starting a business from scratch has not been a smooth road in my personal experience. The to do list, the learning curve and figuring out what I don’t know seems to never end, so there’s always a ton that needs to get done. The biggest struggle I think I’ve faced though is overcoming fear & self-doubt. It’s very vulnerable bringing an idea to life, it feels extremely personal. So, with that has come some insecurities that are hard to admit and even harder to overcome. Will people like what I’m doing, am I even qualified to do this, is anyone going to buy it…questions that have kept me up at night. Over the last year, there have been many days when I felt like quitting because I was letting what other people might think, the fear of failure and possibly looking completely stupid get in the way of the purpose and motivation behind the mission of my business which was so much bigger than any of that. I have a very strong faith, so in those moments I have leaned on God & He has reminded me that I’m not alone in this and that ultimately, it’s not about me which is completely true and a total relief. The reality is…I will fail along the way, some people won’t like it, not everyone will buy it, it’s likely I’ll get some negative feedback and that fear & self-doubt will definitely creep back in but when I keep God and the mission the priority it makes it way easier to keep moving forward.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Simply Be Box?
Simply Be Box is a faith-based subscription box for teen + tween girls filled with fun, positive, on-trend items and encouragement to Simply Be who God created her to be.
Boxes ship Quarterly – Spring (March), Summer (June), Fall (September), Winter (December)
What’s Inside Simply Be Box
Each box is focused around one of The Be Attitudes. These are reminders of who God created her to be and how He wants her to live. Each Be Attitude is connected to a Bible verse(s) or Bible story.
Be You – Be Strong – Be Kind – Be Grateful – Be Compassionate – Be Humble – Be Wise – Be a Leader
Each box has both a seasonal & inspirational themes and will include something to…
• Read – Faith-based devotion, book, bible study + insert
• Do – Craft, game, puzzle, activity
• Wear – Clothing, jewelry, accessory
• Eat – Healthy snacks & treats
• Display – Candle, cross, sticker, sign, magnet
• Use – Health & beauty product, accessory, gadget
Simply Be Book Club
• Quarterly 4-6 Week Virtual Book Club
• Subscriber Exclusive
Simply Be Podcast
• Weekly devotional style podcast for teen girls to encourage them to Simply Be who God created her to be
• Available anywhere you listen to podcasts – Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts & more…
We offer Tween + Teen Boxes – Same great items with a book perfect for her age!
Tween Box – Perfect for ages 9-11 (late elementary school)
Teen Box – Perfect for ages 12-18 (middle/high school)
Why Simply Be Box?
There are a lot of subscription boxes out there offering amazing products so you may be wondering, what makes Simply Be Box different. We know getting a box in the mail full of fun items is what will create excitement and get the girls’ attention but once we have it, we’ve got something bigger in mind!
Our goal at Simply Be Box, through our subscription box & community, is to help teen + tween girls grow in their relationship with Jesus, know & love how they are uniquely created and encourage her to live out their faith & be a light in this world.
We believe Simply Be Box is a fun & effective way to disciple the next generation! A gift Girls will LOVE & Moms can TRUST!
3 Ways to Give
Annual Subscription
Pre-Pay for 4 boxes & Save $20 (Annual Total $250)
$62.50 per season (includes shipping)
Seasonal Subscription
Subscription Renews Quarterly
$67.50 per season (includes shipping)
One-Time Box
Single Box, Perfect one-time gift
$74.00 (includes shipping)
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I don’t really believe in luck. I believe in a lot of faith and a lot of hard-work.
Pricing:
- Annual Subscription Pre-Pay for 4 boxes & Save $20 (Annual Total $250) $62.50 per season (includes shipping)
- Seasonal Subscription Subscription Renews Quarterly $67.50 per season (includes shipping)
- One-Time Box Single Box, Perfect one-time gift $74.00 (includes shipping)
Contact Info:
- Email: info@simplybebox.com
- Website: www.simplybebox.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/simplybebox
- Facebook: facebook.com/simplybebox
