Chieh Huang, founder of Boxed.com, talks about setting up a 'Costco for millennials', struggles with funding, the challenge of shipping giant boxes, and his unique employee benefits like paying university fees and unlimited maternity leave.
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Quick takeaways
Boxed.com addresses the problem of limited access to wholesale savings by offering an online platform for ordering wholesale products, catering to millennials who lack the luxury of spending hours at warehouse clubs.
Boxed.com values its employees and implements unique policies such as unlimited paternity and maternity leave, as well as providing financial support for employees' children's college education, resulting in a strong company culture and high employee retention rates.
Deep dives
Boxed.com: A Solution for Wholesale Savings
Che Hwang, the founder of Boxed.com, created the company to address the problem of limited access to wholesale savings for individuals who don't have physical means to get to warehouse clubs. Starting with expensive items like Cheerios, Boxed.com offers a platform where people can order wholesale products online and have them delivered to their homes. The focus shifted from physical means to solving the problems of time and patience, catering to millennials who don't have the luxury of spending hours at warehouse clubs. The success of Boxed.com is marked by its immense growth and the expansion of its product range from paper products to including a considerable amount of food as well.
Boxed.com's Potential Expansion
While Boxed.com has experienced significant growth in the United States, the possibility of international expansion is being considered. The company recognizes that wholesale goods are in demand globally, with international locations accounting for most of the growth of companies like Costco. The United Kingdom, in particular, presents an opportunity, although challenges such as smaller store sizes and finding fulfillment center space would need to be addressed. Brexit is also a factor to consider when expanding into Europe. Despite potential difficulties, Boxed.com sees the potential for success in the UK, targeting customers who lack physical access to warehouse clubs.
Che Hwang's Journey: From Humble Beginnings to Entrepreneurship
Che Hwang's upbringing as the child of immigrants in New Jersey influenced his approach to business. Growing up with financial struggles and limited access to resources, he recognized the value of a good education as a path to success. Following his experiences as a fast food cashier and teaching English in Japan, Che ventured into entrepreneurship with his first business of selling candy to kids. This eventually led to the creation of a mobile gaming studio called Astroape, which was acquired by Zynga. Che's background and entrepreneurial drive laid the foundation for his journey with Boxed.com and its growth from a garage startup to a successful company.
Boxed.com's Unique Approach to Employee Relations
Boxed.com values its employees and has implemented unique policies to support them. The company offers unlimited paternity and maternity leave, allowing employees to take the time they need to bond with their newborns and adjust to their new roles as parents. Additionally, Boxed.com provides financial support for employees' children's college education. The funding for tuition is tied to the success of the company, creating an incentive for employees to contribute to the company's growth and success. These employee-centric initiatives have contributed to a strong company culture and high employee retention rates.
The Sunday Times’ tech correspondent brings on Chieh Huang, founder of Boxed.com, to talk about setting up the “Costco for millennials” in a two-car garage (1:30), why Brexit and small houses make coming to the UK hard (3:00), growing up as a son of immigrants (5:30), making his first fortune selling an office-decoration game to Zynga (9:00), the entrepreneurial itch (17:30), taking on the $200bn big-box retail industry (20:30), struggling for funding (23:00), the challenge of shipping giant boxes (26:30), being an “undercorn” (29:00), paying university fees for the children of his workers (30:00), unlimited maternity leave (31:15), the financial calculus behind those benefits (34:15), predictive shopping (37:15), and trying to please a Tiger Mom (39:45).