Sustainability. Body butter. Self-care. You must be wondering what these words all have in common. I would like to introduce you to Koree’s Kare. This company sells body butter, lip balms and candles to help you take care of your body in a clean and natural way. In fact, the body butter is completely made in Jaylah’s own house. Now that you have a better idea about the organization, let me introduce you to the fabulous female entrepreneur who is responsible for this entire vision: Jaylah Webb.
Jaylah is currently a 2nd year student at the University of Virginia. So this means that she started her own business in college? Yes, that is just how amazing this young lady is. As a global sustainability major and social entrepreneurship minor, Jaylah was on the path to creating a business that combined both of her passions. During her senior year of high school, Jaylah became vegan and suddenly got eczema, so she began using products that would make her feel her best. However, as we can all relate, she was unable to pronounce any of the ingredients on the back of the tubes. These feelings were the inspiration behind the creation of Koree’s Kare.
There are many special and unique aspects about Jaylah’s business. However, after chatting with her, I would like to highlight an area of extreme interest to our readers: the idea of sustainability. Koree’s Kare includes a container return program that stops materials from going to the landfill. Instead, her company reuses these containers for future orders, helping to protect our environment. In fact, if you return five containers, you can receive a discount of $5 on your next order. Along the same lines of sustainable materials, Koree’s Kare also ships materials from Ecoenclose, a company that helps produce the most sustainable materials on the market. As I mentioned earlier in the article, everything is made in-house to minimize shipping costs as well as the accompanying spread of fossil fuels. Since everything is made by hand and made to order, Jaylah is also able to omit product waste.
What distinguishes Koree’s Kare from the competition? After speaking with Jaylah, I can assure you that she really cares about what she is doing and is on a mission to only sell items that she herself would actually use. All of Koree’s Kare products are used daily by their fabulous founder, Jaylah. We love a founder who actually uses their own products!
Meghana: What was the first step you took to officially start your business?
Jaylah: It didn’t happen the way I had planned. I was taking an entrepreneurship class in the first semester of my freshman year and decided to showcase Koree’s Kare at a pop-up shop in one of UVA’s dining halls. On the first day of the pop-up, we completely sold out, and this showed me that people were really interested. When the second pop-up shop came around, the pandemic happened, and I had to rush to selling online. The product was going to spoil and go to waste, so I knew I needed to make an instagram, and get all the other social media accounts up. We decided to set up shop through shopify, as shopify offered the most benefits for the cheapest price.
Meghana: How did you create the name Koree’s Kare for your business?
Jaylah: It all started with my father. My dad is a retired military warrant officer, but when my mother was pregnant, he was deployed to Korea. So, he took the word ‘Korea,’ and decided to add an ‘e’ to it. And, that’s how my middle name, Koree, was created. ‘Kare’ came from the word ‘care,’ but I decided to add the ‘K.’
Meghana: What type of manufacturing do you use for your products?
Jaylah: Although all my products are homemade, we source from Ecoenclose, and other small businesses to get our ingredients.
Meghana: How did you establish those relationships with your manufacturers?
Jaylah: I would say to not disclose too much information when getting in contact with the manufacturers if you are young like me. Always be passionate, and know what you are looking for. And, finally, carry yourself professionally.
Meghana: How did you establish the colors/font/design of your products?
Jaylah: Through etsy, we found a designer to help us create a bright, but minimalistic, brand. I would suggest sourcing to designers, since you always want to let somebody else with design experience help handle the brand.
Meghana: What is one piece of advice you would give to other young women entrepreneurs?
Jaylah: It is a learning experience, so don’t be too hard on yourself. In society, women always have to be one step ahead or the best at their craft to receive recognition, especially if you are a woman of color. So, let yourself grow with your business. Everything does not have to be perfect to start, but, at the same time, don’t create a business, if you are not passionate about it.
As you have probably figured out by now, Jaylah is a superstar, and a role model for all young women. After college, she plans to go to law school for environmental policy or help big businesses and their work on sustainability. She is also looking forward to seeing where entrepreneurship takes her. As for Koree’s Kare, she hopes to branch out to haircare and she is currently working on launching a new spring collection with soaps.
Meghana: Who is your female role model?
Jaylah: Viola Davis or Madame CJ Walker. Madame CJ Walker had to overcome a lot of adversities with her business, but ended up becoming nextdoor neighbors with the Rockefellers.
Meghana: And, last question, what is your favorite TV show?
Jaylah: Right now, Anne with an E. But, all time, has to be Grey’s Anatomy.
I bet you’re wondering how you can buy these products. I personally cannot wait to order the body butter. If you’re interested in supporting a small business focused on sustainability, inclusivity and one that is female-owned, click this link to scour through all these fabulous products, all hand-crafted and made with love. Plus, give Koree’s Kare a follow on Instagram to keep up with all of their latest products. You’ll want to get your hands on these products before they quickly sell out!