A few days ago, I came across this viral video. It’s a compilation of people on TikTok calling out small businesses.
They called out:
Businesses blatantly lying about products being “handmade” when they are actually from China or Vietnam.
Vendors buying inventory in bulk at WalMart and then re-selling at “artisan” markets.
Businesses charging premium prices for non-premium products.
Small businesses underpaying and overworking staff.
I watched with a lot of a cringe.
Because if all of this is true, small businesses are down… bad.
And then I felt relief. Because, thankfully, BGLH doesn’t do any of those things.
We make our products from scratch.
Our raw materials come as 50-pound boxes of shea butter, cocoa butter, mango butter, and coconut oil — and pails of almond and sunflower oil. We have to break everything down, weigh our formulas, melt, chill, and whip (for a few hours), before we jar, label, and ship.
All done in-house.
The only product we don’t make from scratch is our African black soap. We import it in bulk directly from Ghana and mold it ourselves into the cute heart shapes.
Our butters are priced at a premium because they are concentrated. Water-free. Highly whipped. Designed to last for months. A little truly goes a long way.
If you’ve ever run out of BGLH and had to substitute something else, you’ve definitely felt the difference.
And then there’s labor.
We have always paid above minimum wage. Always.
Here in Colorado we pay 30% above the minimum wage.
Because even though I graduated from a top liberal arts college, a good chunk of my work history is physical. During and after college I cleaned houses, worked construction, and babysat. I know how demanding physical jobs can be. And that has always informed how I pay the people who help me run this business.
This business has been operating for over 11 years. We’ve served more than 56,000 customers. We’ve grown not by cutting corners — but by doing the work.
If you’re going to spend money with a small business, do it with one that’s transparent about how it operates.
Shop knowing exactly what you’re supporting.
~Leila
P.S. — We recently passed 820 subscriptions, and I’m grateful for every single one. Our big goal is 3,000. Subscriptions help stabilize our business, so we can plan better, keep prices steady, and continue making everything fresh and by hand.
If BGLH is already part of your routine, getting a Subscription Box is one of the most meaningful ways to support what we’re building.
