Becoming B Corp certified takes lot of work, but for Bella Tunno founder Michelle Buelow, the long-term result will be worth the effort.
Buelow joined Charlotte Inno to kick off a new virtual event series, Bytes with the Beat, on Wednesday afternoon. In a conversation with Charlotte Inno Staff Writer Elise Franco, Buelow discussed what it took to get Bella Tunno B Corp certified and described the personal story behind why the company's mission is close to her heart.
The baby accessory company earned B Corp status last month, making it one of three companies in Charlotte to hold the designation. To become a B Corp, a company’s purpose and profit must be of equal importance.
For Buelow, Bella Tunno's purpose is everything. She launched the company in 2005 to honor her late brother Matt Tunno, who died from drug addiction.
"I started Bella Tunno with the sole purpose of honoring him," she said. "I wanted to celebrate all those good things about him, and I think too often when people die from something like addiction or suicide, this dark cloud just hovers over every single mention of their name, and that's just not what defines him."
Years later, Bella Tunno's mission has evolved. Though the company still does work to fight against the stigma of addiction, its main focus is feeding hungry children around the world. Buelow said earning B Corp status was one more way to elevate the company and its mission.
"It says that you can trust who we are, and you can trust that we do what we say we're going to do," she said. "When you apply to be a B Corp... it is vulnerable. You're pulling back the curtains on everything in your business in terms of transparency."
As for what's next, Buelow said the Bella Tunno team is working with other business leaders and nonprofits to gather supplies like swaddles, onesies, diapers, wipes and formula for 14 expectant mothers who are homeless and living in Charlotte's tent city.
"I cannot imagine being pregnant and being homeless, being pregnant and living in a tent... in a pandemic, in time of racial tension, in a time of unprecedented unemployment," she said. "We're going to make sure we can take the one small stress of preparing for a baby off of them."
Couldn't tune in to Bytes with the Beat live? Check out the full conversation below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pt6zasRtimc
