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When Katia Beauchamp and Hayley Barna met as twentysomethings on their first day atHarvard Business School they had no plans to create a global beauty business. They had morepressing concerns as they had almost immediately to co-ordinate a spring holiday to Mexico for 50 of their classmates.

當凱蒂婭·比徹姆(Katia Beauchamp)和海利·巴爾納(Hayley Barna)在進入哈佛商學院(Harvard BusinessSchool)的第一天碰面時，她們還只是二十幾歲的年輕人，從沒想過要創(chuàng)辦一家國際化妝品公司。當時她們手頭有更急迫的任務(wù)——兩人幾乎必須馬上為50位同學協(xié)調(diào)安排一次赴墨西哥的春游。

Organising the holiday served a purpose. It helped the women to realise they worked welltogether as a team, “but we didn’t necessarily want to start a business together”, says MsBarna, now 29, a management consultant before going to HBS.

籌備這次假期旅行產(chǎn)生了一個成果。這兩位年輕女性意識到倆人作為一個團隊工作起來非常合拍。巴爾納表示：“但我們并沒有因此想要共同創(chuàng)立一個公司?！卑蜖柤{現(xiàn)年29歲，在進入哈佛商學院之前是一位管理咨詢師。

That all changed less than a year later, when Ms Beauchamp and Ms Barna became the co-founders of Birchbox. Each month the New York-based company sends a box filled with beautysamples to subscribers in the US, the UK, Spain and France.

但不到一年之后就發(fā)生了巨大的變化，比徹姆和巴爾納成為了Birchbox公司的聯(lián)合創(chuàng)始人。這家總部位于紐約的公司每個月都會向美國、英國、西班牙和法國的訂購客戶們寄送一個裝滿化妝品小樣的盒子。

From a tiny venture in 2010, Birchbox has now grown to 300,000 worldwide subscribers whoreceive a box for ·13, ?13 or $10 depending on location. One box includes four to fivecosmetics samples such as mascara or hand lotion, some in larger sizes.

2010年時還只是一家小型企業(yè)的Birchbox現(xiàn)已在全球范圍內(nèi)擁有30萬名訂購客戶。這些訂購客戶根據(jù)所在地區(qū)的不同分別交納13英鎊、13歐元或者10美元的費用，即可收到一盒產(chǎn)品。盒中裝有四至五樣化妝品小樣，例如睫毛膏或護手霜等，部分產(chǎn)品則可能為較大容量包裝。

On the Birchbox website users can see how to incorporate the beauty products into a dailyroutine, as well as buy regular sizes of the samples. To date the company has secured $11.9min venture-capital investment.

在Birchbox的網(wǎng)站上，用戶們可以學到如何把美妝產(chǎn)品融合到自己的日常生活中，以及購買與小樣對應(yīng)的正規(guī)包裝產(chǎn)品。到目前為止該公司已經(jīng)獲得了1190萬美元的風險投資。

Rather than starting a business in parallel to their studies, Ms Beauchamp and Ms Barnaintegrated their beauty business idea into their courses in their last semester.

比徹姆和巴爾納沒有選擇成立一個與自己研究方向一致的公司，而是將自己經(jīng)營化妝品業(yè)務(wù)的想法融入到了最后一學期的課程學習中。

“We would negotiate with the professors where the final project would always be aboutBirchbox,” says Ms Beauchamp, 30, who worked in commercial real-estate investmentbanking before going to HBS.

比徹姆表示：“我們會與教授們協(xié)商，使課程的終期項目總是與Birchbox有關(guān)?！北葟啬方衲?0歲，在進入哈佛商學院以前曾從事與商業(yè)地產(chǎn)有關(guān)的投資銀行業(yè)務(wù)。

One class really stood out. Harvard professor Clay Christensen’s course on disruptiveinnovation encouraged the two founders to think of a big idea that is an industry game-changer. “One of our first insights was that the beauty industry – in terms of marketing andretail – had not experienced significant innovation for many years,” says Ms Beauchamp.

有一門課程給比徹姆和巴爾納留下了深刻印象。在哈佛大學教授克雷·克里斯坦森(Clay Christensen)有關(guān)“顛覆性創(chuàng)新”(disruptive innovation)的課程啟發(fā)下，兩位創(chuàng)始人產(chǎn)生了一個可能改變行業(yè)規(guī)則的宏大構(gòu)想。比徹姆表示：“我們最初的一大感悟是，美妝行業(yè)已經(jīng)連續(xù)多年未曾經(jīng)歷過重大創(chuàng)新了——無論是在市場營銷手段還是零售模式方面?！?/p>

“That concept ties directly [to] what we learnt about examples of successful disruption inestablished industries.”

“這個想法與我們所學的成熟行業(yè)中獲得成功的破壞性創(chuàng)新案例有直接關(guān)聯(lián)?！?/p>

The two women were placed second in an HBS business-plan competition, which helped thembuild more confidence in the concept.

比徹姆和巴爾納在哈佛商學院的商業(yè)計劃大賽中取得了第二名，這增強了她們對自身構(gòu)想的信心。

The VCs offered the co-founders money but they turned it down because the company was stillin its infancy, says Ms Barna. Instead, they favoured launching a lean start-up with minimummeans. Going through the process “helped crystallise our approach”, Ms Beauchamp adds.

風險投資基金向這兩位創(chuàng)始人表達了注資意向，但遭到了拒絕。巴爾納解釋稱，這是由于Birchbox仍然處于初創(chuàng)階段。與之相反，她們更傾向于依靠盡可能少的資源發(fā)展一家小型創(chuàng)業(yè)企業(yè)。比徹姆補充稱，經(jīng)歷整個創(chuàng)業(yè)過程“有助于使我們形成一整套的方法”。

They used their student status as a way to get their foot in the door at some of the largestbeauty brands. “We were able to credibly present [the concept] as a test that we wereexploring while in business school to potential partners,” Ms Beauchamp says.

憑借自己的學生身份，她們獲得了向某些大型化妝品品牌展示自身構(gòu)想的機會。比徹姆表示：“我們得以向潛在投資者有說服力地闡述我們的商業(yè)概念，以此檢驗我們在商學院就讀期間所做探索的結(jié)果。”

The winter break of their second year turned into back-to-back appointments as the partnerspresented their idea to beauty companies in New York.

兩人利用商學院第二學年寒假的時間進行了一連串會面，把自己的構(gòu)想展示給紐約的一些化妝品公司。

“We had three very intense days in walking to boardrooms with prototypes,” Ms Beauchampsays. Cosmetics companies including Keihl’s, Nars and Benefit signed, giving Birchboxcredibility with other large beauty companies. Having a tangible box to show companies wasimportant.

比徹姆表示：“我們度過了非常緊張的三天，帶著構(gòu)思趕赴一個又一個會議室?！迸c她們簽約的化妝品公司包括科顏氏(Keihl's)、納斯(Nars)以及貝玲妃(Benefit)等等。這使她們在與其他大型化妝品公司洽談時更具說服力。擁有一盒看得見摸得著的樣品以供展示非常重要。

“We had to come in there with something more than just an idea.”

“我們必須展示出比單純的一個想法更加實際的東西。”

Without waiting until there was a more concrete plan in place, they used the flexibility oftheir last business school semester to dive in and start the company in its test phase. Impromptu strategy sessions took place before class. “We would wake up every morning, emailing each other about how to make it work,” Ms Beauchamp says.

她們沒有等到形成一個更加具體的方案，而是利用了商學院最后一學期空閑較多的條件一頭扎進了項目，成立了公司并進入試運營階段。她們每天在上課之前就公司的經(jīng)營策略展開即興討論。比徹姆表示：“我們每天早晨醒來以后，都會發(fā)郵件和對方討論如何推動公司運轉(zhuǎn)?！?/p>

Taking two years away from the workforce was key in helping the business grow quickly, say theclassmates.

兩人表示，為期兩年的脫產(chǎn)學習對于幫助Birchbox快速成長至關(guān)重要。

“Being on campus was a huge benefit [allowing us] to have the time to start something,” MsBeauchamp adds.

比徹姆補充稱：“身處校園的這段時間使我們受益良多，我們得以有時間去開創(chuàng)一番自己的事業(yè)?！?/p>

“By the time we were [graduating], we were not just an idea on paper.”

“到我們畢業(yè)的時候，我們所擁有的不再僅是停留在紙面上的一個構(gòu)想了?！?/p>

Three years later they have 140 employees and Birchbox is growing quickly. However MsBeauchamp is keen to retain the company’s start-up culture as a means of spurring moreinnovation. One of the biggest challenges Birchbox is facing is “growing up and showing ourteam that we are progressing,” she says.

創(chuàng)業(yè)三年后，Birchbox現(xiàn)已擁有員工140人，并且公司本身正在快速成長。但比徹姆仍然喜歡保留公司的創(chuàng)業(yè)文化，把這作為激發(fā)更多創(chuàng)新的一種方式。她表示，Birchbox目前所面臨的最大挑戰(zhàn)之一是“不斷壯大并使團隊看到自身的進步”。

Since Birchbox’s launch at least half a dozen imitators have come on to the market but itsmonthly box remains one of the most affordable.

自從Birchbox創(chuàng)立以來，市場中至少已經(jīng)出現(xiàn)了6家模仿者，但Birchbox每月提供的禮盒相對而言仍是最價廉物美的。

Global growth is one strategy helping the company stay ahead. Last September Birchboxacquired JolieBox, a Paris-based competitor, allowing the partners to move into the Europeanmarket. Expanding worldwide “is a huge focus right now,” says Ms Beauchamp.

拓展全球市場是幫助該公司保持市場領(lǐng)先地位的策略之一。去年9月，Birchbox收購了一家總部位于巴黎的競爭對手JolieBox，這使比徹姆和巴爾納得以進軍歐洲市場。比徹姆表示，全球化擴張是該公司“目前的關(guān)注重點”。

“Many of our beauty brands are global, so it’s the same thing for the customers.”

“我們代理了很多國際性美妝品牌，因此我們的客戶群體也應(yīng)該是國際性的?！?/p>

They are also expanding the samples. Last year Birchbox started offering Birchbox Man, a $20 box filled with men’s grooming samples and lifestyle products.

比徹姆和巴爾納目前還在擴充產(chǎn)品種類。去年Birchbox開始提供一款名為“Birchbox Man”的禮盒，這款定價為20美元的禮盒內(nèi)含適合男士使用的洗漱用品小樣以及時尚產(chǎn)品。

In December the company also tested a limited edition “home box” for $58 containing productssuch as sea salt, a spatula set and cocktail napkins for the holidays. When it comes toparticipating brands not all make the cut and products are tested in-house before being boxedand posted, the founders say.

去年12月，該公司還嘗試推出了一款名為“home box”的限量禮盒，這款定價58美元的禮盒內(nèi)含海鹽、抹刀組合以及假日使用的餐巾紙等產(chǎn)品。兩位創(chuàng)始人表示，不是所有合作品牌的產(chǎn)品都能達到Birchbox的標準，產(chǎn)品在被裝盒付運以前都先通過了公司的內(nèi)部檢測。

So far Birchbox has been an attractive proposition for brands eager to stretch theirmarketing budgets. Allowing consumers to test samples is a more hands-on approach toacquiring new customers. As a marketing strategy, the company allows brands to offer sampleproducts “rather than paying for expensive print and advertising campaigns”, says MsBeauchamp.

到目前為止，對于急于提高自身市場營銷預算效果的品牌而言，與Birchbox合作一直是一個頗有吸引力的選擇。允許消費者試用樣品是一種更具實效的吸引新顧客的手段。比徹姆指出，Birchbox使品牌能把提供小樣作為營銷手段，“而不是僅僅支付昂貴的印刷以及廣告宣傳費用”。

“It’s a way [brands] can get close to consumers.”

“通過這種方式，品牌能夠貼近客戶。”