What’s in the box?
Well, if you're talking about GuestBox, then Shuchi Vyas has an answer to that question.
In May 2017, Vyas founded GuestBox, the startup that puts toiletries, snacks and skincare products all in one convenient box. These days, vacation rental companies and boutique hotels that have partnered with the company regularly order more than 100 GuestBoxes. Other customers order as many as 10 boxes a month. GuestBox’s customers include multi-property Airbnb hosts, and traditional, boutique, concept and chain hotels.
As one can see, this isn’t just any box.
“Our goal is to help hosts minimize the time, effort and money it takes to curate a great guest experience, regardless of where and how they are listing their properties,” Vyas said. “We work with hotels to understand their guests’ preferences and recommend customizations accordingly.”
And Vyas isn’t just any entrepreneur.
Vyas’ varied career includes a stint as a business journalist and years of experience in the nonprofit world. After traveling the world in 2015, Vyas was eager to become an entrepreneur.
As an Indian-American, Vyas drew inspiration from her heritage. As an Airbnb host in New York City, she was inspired by a Sanskrit saying that translates to, “Your guest is a God.” Vyas put that saying into practice by providing unique “welcome kits” to her guests. Vyas’ sense of hospitality gave birth to the idea of GuestBox, which won second place at Startup Weekend Gainesville in February 2017. A few months later, the company was officially born.
So what, exactly, is in a GuestBox?
“The brands that we see through in our box are a mix of innovative brands that are doing something interesting in the amenities space,” Vyas said. “Ones that are female- and minority-run, or ones that are eco-conscious and giving back to society in some way or shape or form.”
One such brand is Poo-Pourri, a toilet bowl spray.
“We’ve seen people…look at our box and take all the items out and look at them, and everybody gets a laugh out of that one,” she said.
Brands aside, snacks are a common favorite among GuestBox customers, many of whom are jet-lagged, tired and travel-weary.
“People love the fact that we have snacks in our box,” she said.
Snacks, skincare products and toiletries make GuestBox a true innovator in the premium hosting space, as it competes with gift baskets, wine bottles and in-house solutions. Individual GuestBoxes cost $49.99, with discounts triggered by bulk orders.
With a fulfillment center in Indiana, shipments to all 50 states and plans to eventually expand to Western Europe and Asia, GuestBox makes its home in Tampa. Vyas chose Tampa not only because of its sense of community among entrepreneurs, but also because of its opportunities for venture capital funding; the company is in the midst of a self-funded seed round. Though she's already secured "a few commitments from investors," Vyas invites interested investors to contact the company.
“This place really supports entrepreneurs and helps investors understand the different startups that are there,” she said. “Tampa really has a way of catering to all those stages [of venture capital funding].”
