Christine Trinh started Beeja May in 2019 because she wanted to provide an easy and accessible way for parents to shop secondhand for their families.
Get to know her story.
Tell us a bit about your business:
We're an e-commerce business dedicated to making sustainable shopping easier for families. We offer a curated collection of resale and "Rescued" children's apparel, toys & accessories. Our Rescues Collection is where we partner with other like-minded companies to offer their overstock and imperfect inventory at amazing discounted prices! This way, all products end up in the loving homes they deserve!
What inspired you to start your business?
When I was on maternity leave in 2018, I had every intention of choosing used first for my daughter, but as a new mom, I found it very intimidating to leave the house with my newborn, let alone spend hours sifting through a thrift shop. I quickly understood why many well-intentioned parents ended up resorting to big-box fast fashion retailers. It was simply faster and easier, especially for new parents. I wanted to create an easy and fun way for families to shop sustainably and to make slow fashion fast and convenient.
What has been your proudest moment thus far?
Building something out of nothing and knowing that our business is leaving a positive impact on the lives of thousands of families, and on our planet.
Entrepreneurship often comes with a boatload of challenges; what has been your biggest challenge thus far?
There are so many! I think the hardest one for me is the financial instability that comes with being a full-time entrepreneur (especially when your partner is your co-founder!) Especially in these early days, there's no guarantee that there will be a paycheck next month. It's very stressful, especially as a parent with the responsibility of caring for a little one.
If you could give any piece of advice to a new entrepreneur, what would it be?
There will be so many ups and downs. There's no guarantee that next month will be good simply because the last three months have been, but trust that if you keep showing up, tweaking and learning along the way, it will all work out.
Visit her online store here.