A Note From Our Founder

Greetings BBB Crew, 

This year was one for the books. Before it comes to a close, I wanted to share the biggest lessons. Whether you’re a dreamer (like me!) that wants to start a company and change the world, or looking for inspiration — this year has taught me a ton.  Here is what I have learned from 2020 as a human being, and a small business owner:

1. No one but yourself can give you permission to dream big(ger)

This year, BBB pulled off a 500 store launch at Whole Foods Market in less than 60 days. Yes, it was totally crazy. And yes, it was totally worth it. Did I earn a few gray hairs? Yes. But it also meant that  Bim Bam Boo became the first tree-free paper brand to launch nationwide at their stores! 

Honestly, I can’t wait to share the full behind-the-scenes story on How I Built This one day.  It required an insane amount of work and strategy to pull it off especially amidst lockdowns and riots. I am so proud of this work. It is a HUGE win for reforestation and alleviating the pressure on our forests. What started as a humble Kickstarter campaign (big love to all our backers reading this!!) has now grown into a national brand on the shelves of America’s largest, natural grocery store. WOW! Every time I go to Whole Foods Market, I go out of my way to walk down the paper aisle (and pinch myself). It is an important reminder to me that we achieved it because we believed we could. Rather than focus on our limitations, our team focused on our potential. In other words, our capabilities grew to fit our dreams — not the other way around. And that, makes all the difference.

2. Forget “normal”

 A...toilet paper shortage? In 2020, toilet paper was (quite literally) flying off the shelves of grocery stores across the U.S. The cause? A global pandemic. 
This year we have all felt scarcity. Whether that be the scarcity of touch or toilet paper — it has become a universally relatable feeling. But I also think it’s also made us all feel a greater sense of appreciation. 

The abnormality of 2020  was especially felt in our industry. Overnight, stable supply chains saw reduced manufacturing outputs from factories, increased demand, and global disruption of supply chains. Despite the hardships, this caused amongst stores and households across the country, the great toilet paper shortage created a unique opportunity for Bim Bam Boo to grow. If you’ve relied on BBB to get you through 2020, we are grateful for the trust YOU have put in us. Your support allowed us to be there for more bottoms than we ever imagined. 2020 both opened doors and closed them for so many people. We were lucky. It opened many for us. But that came from leaning into the abnormality and embracing it.

3. Dance with your imposter syndrome

All of us experience moments of self-doubt. Usually, it creeps up when we’re doing something for the very first time. And this year was a lot of firsts for me personally, and Bim Bam Boo. Most notably, this was my first year as CEO, and naturally, my pesky little friend named ‘imposter syndrome’ visited me just before each big win. 

I believe imposter syndrome is a sign you’re doing it right. Every entrepreneur, every thought leader, every person doing  anything for the first time has experienced this feeling of doubt and insecurity. This is your gentle reminder, you are not a fraud. You’re a pioneer. AND you’re a human!  

When it comes to changing the world or inventing something new, there is no handbook except the one you are writing. That leaves lots of room for feelings of self-doubt to enter. And when they do, invite them to dance. Engage with them and ask  ‘what are you trying to tell me?’ And most importantly, what are you going to say back? Every first step in the next direction presents an opportunity for a conversation with yourself. 

I have to admit, sometimes I realized my conversations with self-doubt actually brought up some good points. And they helped me better understand how to live a life that inspires self-confidence. A lot of that came down to embracing my leadership style and making extremely intentional and selective hires. 

During this growth stage, Bim Bam Boo went from a team of one to a team of eight awesomely diverse humans. Our team looks and feels like the progressive company I always dreamed of building. And when any of us experience those moments of doubt, now there’s always someone there to give you the much-needed pep talk to get you to the next level.

4. Do Anything to Keep Your Customers Delighted

At the very core of everything single roll, we design is your happiness. I’ve seen the team do summersaults, flips, and pirouettes to assure you always get the very best customer service possible. There are no chatbots or .AI behind what makes us great, instead, we have our customer happiness squad staffed with really fabulous human beings. One of our shining moments was when we saw the first and deepest great toilet paper shortage hit. Something happened we never saw coming: a ton of our customers reporting that their TP had been stolen off their porches. We hopped into action and immediately resent their orders. There is literally no worse feeling than running out of toilet paper and not having any other options.  But we also made sure to send each customer a roll that very same day to tide them over until their order arrived. Though I can’t imagine what the next year will bring, I can’t wait to see how we continue to deliver happiness to our customers in 2021.

This past year would not have been possible without the support of our loyal customers. If you’re new here, welcome to the party! If you’re an OG, thanks for sticking with us through it all. Bim Bam Boo is so darn proud to have a loyal and committed following, and we are so excited to continue to welcome new friends along the way. Thank you for choosing to support this diverse, minority-run startup.

We can’t wait to share what we have in store for 2021 for you. If you haven’t yet, give us a follow on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter. If you need more toilet paper, well what are you waiting for?! Head to our shop to secure your next package of BBB.

Let the good times unroll,

Zoe Levin
Founder & CEO
Bim Bam Boo