Shocked to learn that only 7 percent of the Brazilian rainforest was left intact, mother-of-two Irene Krasniansky decided it was time to lay down the law: no more paper towels. Prompted by the pledge, her entrepreneurial husband, Noam Krasniansky, set out to develop a product that not only replaced disposable paper towels but was also composed of a sustainable and renewable resource.
Please tell us a little bit about your company – what is Bambooee all about?
Bambooee is a caused based company run by tree-loving dorks. We started Bambooee in 2009, with the goal of planting trees and changing paper towel use in America. In 2013, we appeared on Shark Tank and swam away with $200,000 dollars in our pockets and a deal with Lori Greiner. Since then, we have sold to retailers all over the country, Noam also appeared on QVC with Lori countless times, and with Lori’s help, we launched two more products on QVC the next few years.
Tell us a little bit about your background and how you started your company?
I married Noam very young just as I graduated from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. I did some freelance work out of college while Noam sold products that he developed by demonstration at shows and fairs all over the country. After Noam and his business partner inamicably, split ways, Noam later convinced me to go into business with him. With Noam’s strong background in sales and with my product design background, we could do anything. But we didn’t want to just do ANYTHING. We had a passion to change the world.
What are your plans, how do you plan to grow this company?
Bambooee’s ultimate goal is to plant one million trees. We are at the quarter mark now. As more and more people understand the importance we should be placing on the environment, Bambooee has the job to help the environment while still making life convenient for our customers. Our main tree planting partner is a non-profit org called, Trees for the Future. They have made special inroads with African farmers. They teach people how to live more in harmony with their lands, planting trees instead of cutting them down. Farmers that participate in the program are able to get out of poverty, feed their families, and send their children to school. It’s quite amazing.
What was the biggest problem you encountered with your business and how did you overcome it?
Problems always come about, ALL THE TIME. It’s a balancing act. Problems are what make business interesting. And a business owner needs to have the ability to solve problems and overcome obstacles. I think our biggest problems have always been about the expansion of our business. How do we acquire customers that care about the environment? Where do we find customers that care about the environment?
How do you separate yourself from your competitors?
Bambooee was an innovative idea. It took us years to convince people to use our product. Then it took years to convince retailers to carry our product. Once we got Bambooee off the ground, we definitely got knocked off left and right. All I can say is we know what our towels are made of and I’m sure other knockoffs do not. We are truly experts. We make a quality product. I can’t say that about the knockoffs.
What is one thing that you do daily to grow as an entrepreneur?
Planning, observing what worked and do that again. Over and over again. There is not much more to say about that. We do this on a daily, monthly and yearly scale. We see what works and do that. We ignore what doesn’t work.
What is the one thing you wish you knew before starting your business?
I don’t think anyone really needs to know anything specifically before one starts a business. Business changes and grows. We have had to shift our business model many times over the years. When you find someone who is doing it right, ask them what they are doing. A lot of times other business owners love sharing and helping. It’s impossible to be expert about every single task it takes to run a business. But it is possible to find people that do their jobs well.
If you only had $1000 dollars to start a new business, knowing everything you know now, how would you spend it?
I would make sure I had some product and I would use the money for promotion. You can have the best product in the world, but if no one knows about it you won’t have a business.
What’s your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?
Take the Plunge, don’t think, just do. If you think about it you will find a million reasons that will convince you to not start. If you persist on a path long enough eventually your idea will come to fruition.
What is your favorite quote?
“He that plants trees loves others beside himself.”
– Thomas Fuller
How can we get in touch with you?
Connect with us via email: irene@bambooee.com
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