Inspiring Conversations with Chelsea Moore Shannon of BOXFOX

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chelsea Moore Shannon.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My name is Chelsea Moore Shannon and I’m the CEO and Co-Founder of BOXFOX. I started BOXFOX alongside Jenni Stern and Sabena Suri one year after graduating from UCLA with a major in Political Science and Minor in English.

In college, I had a ton of opportunities and exposure to all types of businesses but none more formative than my time at Brandy Melville. It was there I worked directly with ownership in marketing, business development, ecommerce, wholesale, and operations. I had a firsthand view of something built from nothing and had a hand in supporting those first years of US growth.

After college, I started working for Ogilvy + Mather in Los Angeles. It was during my time here that Jenni, Sabena and I felt a deep need to, “be there for others, even when you can’t physically be there.” Ideating and brainstorming led us to the idea of elevating the “care package”. Instead of driving around to all your favorite stores, Michael’s Arts & Crafts, and UPS on a Saturday, what if you could create something from the comfort of your own home from all the best brands in one place?

While building BOXFOX, we stayed scrappy. I quit the ad agency but kept up my consulting work with Brandy Melville, spray tanned sorority girls on the weekends and nannied throughout the West Side.

BOXFOX officially launched November 7, 2014 and it was off to the races. I’ve spent the better part of my adult working life building and scaling this business, which led to an acquisition by Sugarfina on October 31, 2024.

This has given us the opportunity to take what we do best and reimagine it for scale and growth. We are committed to helping people maintain and grow their most important relationships through the art of thoughtful, aesthetic, hands on gifting.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
We’ve definitely had our challenges, but each era of growth has been an opportunity for learning.

If it wasn’t for the hard-earned management lessons of 2018 or the operational woes of 2020 or the cash flow crash course of 2023, I wouldn’t have the confidence to keep growing and the clarity of the values that matter to me most.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We started BOXFOX in 2014 with a clear mission: to bring gifting into the 21st century—creating stronger relationships through personal gifts, powered by the simplest user experiences.

After college, a close friend got sick and we realized the lack of options for being “there” for her when we couldn’t be physically. We wanted something that went beyond flowers and the typical overpriced (and wasteful) gift basket. Our standards were high: we wanted something presentable, personal, and with purposeful product that was simple to send. As we explored this need, we discovered that others wanted a modern and seamless gifting experience, too. It didn’t exist, so we built it.

Almost 12 years later, our e-commerce site lets customers either pick a thematic, expertly curated option or build the perfect gift box for any occasion through our proprietary BUILD A BOXFOX platform. Whether personal or corporate, we top each gift with a handwritten note and ship around the world. While modern technology powers our business, it’s also why our world needs companies like ours.

Our approach to business is centered around honoring and maintaining our most important relationships in a tangible way. We’re committed to making elevated gifting an accessible, affordable, and everyday option for our loyal customers and building a business our employees are proud and happy to come to everyday.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://boxfox.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/shopboxfox
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelsea-moore-shannon-b558b92b/

Image Credits
c/o BOXFOX