You would be wrong to think a date night has to be formal and require extensive prior planning. Kayla Pickana, the founder of Bonding Bees, created the service to help couples keep their relationships a top priority and experience a fun, creative date night without all of the time and effort that goes into planning it.Each month has a unique theme with activities to go along with it. The activities could include crafts, games, recipes, relationship building & challenge exercises, desserts, etc.With Bonding Bees, you and your partner will help you keep date night what it should always be: a priority. Whether you choose the Curious box (month to month), the Crushing box (3 months prepaid) or the Committed box (6 months prepaid), this is bound to be a new go-to subscription-based service that helps keep the romance alive. We had an opportunity to interview Kayla and asked about her story, how she started her business and the future of Bonding Bees.
Tell us your story. Why did you start your business?
I've seen a pattern with my past relationships where we get into a routine, get too comfortable, and before you know it we're sitting on the couch, each on our phones completely disengaged, drifting farther and farther apart. My current relationship started long distance and we had to put so much extra work into it, but that actually made it much more special. I quickly realized how I could do a business that I'm extremely passionate about (love) and also directly help people at the same time.
How did you come up with your business name?
Everyone seems to be so busy these days, like ‘busy bees', and it can be hard to keep relationships a top priority with a million other things going on. My goal is to help couples ‘bond' and share more quality time together, and that's when the name Bonding Bees was born.
Tell us about your products and services. How do you help clients?
We send date boxes to couples each month, giving them something to look forward to together, a way to share more laughs, connect on a deeper level, and even learn something new about one another. Each month is a different theme, complete with everything needed for a fun date night indoors! Couples no longer have to stress over limited time or the ability to find a babysitter to have fun together.
What makes you unique? What is your unique selling proposition (USP)?
We make sure to have 4 pillars to each box for a complete date night: a game specific to couples that we typically create in house, an activity or project to compete together, some sort of relationship building exercise to help them grow, and some type of unique food or dessert. We also personalize the process as much as possible. For long term customers, we include a personalized gift using their favorite picture. Lastly, we are working to make this a community that couples enjoy learning from, and we currently feature a new couple each month where we share their story and donate to their charity of choice, but we hope to expand that and make Bonding Bees a place that everyone comes to for relationship tips, date night ideas, and more.
Where do you see your business in the next 3-5 years?
We plan to customize the date nights specific to that couple. For example, a couple that is just starting to date and loves drinking will get a different date box than a couple that has been married for 15 years and are vegetarians. We also believe that many types of relationships can use a new experience each month. We plan to eventually expand to other areas such as families, best friends, and even team bonding at work.
Any advice you would give to entrepreneurs and business owners?
Ignore the doubt and just go for it. Once I thought of this idea and told my parents, they thought I was crazy for going all in. It was so scary to stop working a full time job and start a business which I had no clue how to start. Research a lot, work hard, and continue to learn along the way.
What is your favorite business quote and why?
“An entrepreneur is someone who jumps off a cliff and builds a plane on the way down.” -Reid Hoffman. You don't have to have all of the answers before you get started, but the first step is taking the leap, you'll figure the rest out as you go.
What have been some of your achievements that you are most proud of? Why?
The most rewarding moments for me are when customers reach out and share their stories and how Bonding Bees has helped. Two couples recently got engaged and they reached out thanking us, saying that Bonding Bees has helped them grow a stronger bond and take their relationship to the next level. I had one lady who shared the traumas and difficulties that her family faced in the past year and what a blessing Bonding Bees has been for their relationship. I've had couples share their videos and thank us for helping them laugh harder than they have in years. So many more stories that are dear to my heart and the goal behind starting this business.