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Devin: What do you see as your superpower?
Jean: My superpowers. I really love this term. Probably many superpowers are required to build a company. So I would say that one, which I've experienced a lot, is probably resilience.
Jean Gregoire, founder and CEO of LoveBox, joined me for this conversation about his purpose-oriented tech company, its product and purpose and its current crowdfunding campaign.
“What is a LoveBox?” I ask.
Jean explains:
So it's a it's a it's a box that has two main functions. First of all, connecting you to your loved ones so you can connect your whole family to the LoveBox. It's a box that you have at your home. There is a mobile app pairing with the box to let all your loved ones send you messages through this box.
The heart in front of the love box beats whenever you have a message until you read it. So it's a bit like sending a postcard or a greeting card but from a distance. It brings a great source of joy to the person who receives messages.
The second function of the box is more in a self-care way. Basically, you can subscribe to content that you can receive on your box every single day, like positive affirmations or any kind of content that makes you feel, feel better and have a better life.
Jean made an important observation about technology and its role in our lives. “With technology, we tend to be a bit too focused on the technical functions of a product. ‘Oh, this product allows me to receive a message.’ But I think we should be much more aware of the role of the purpose.”
The purpose of the LoveBox is to deliver joy and happiness.
Jean launched the company after creating a single device for his girlfriend when they were separated by the Atlantic Ocean. In 2017, after the duo found joy in the device, they decided to offer it to others via Kickstarter.
Today, the company is raising money via Wefunder.
Over the past six years, to build the company, Jean has leveraged his superpower: resilience.
AI Episode Summary
Jean Gregoire is the CEO and co-founder of Lovebox, a technology company focused on spreading love and joy.
Lovebox is a physical box connected to a mobile app that allows loved ones to send messages to each other.
The Lovebox serves as a source of happiness and connection for users.
Users can also subscribe to receive daily content that improves their lives and promotes positivity.
Lovebox has sold over a quarter of a million units and generated $25 million in revenue.
Jean's superpower is resilience, which he developed through his personal experiences and deep connection to his work.
Resilience is essential for entrepreneurs, especially when facing challenges in funding and other aspects of running a business.
Jean advises others to be deeply connected to their work and to have something else in their lives outside of their projects.
Surrounding yourself with people who believe in your mission and support your goals is crucial for maintaining resilience.
To learn more about Lovebox and to support its mission, visit its website and its Wefunder campaign.
How to Develop Resilience As a Superpower
Jean explains how building the company required resilience:
We had a few times during the course of the company where we were struggling with money and raising capital. At the beginning of the company, I thought that we would raise money with VCs and get to $2 million in the bank and then develop the product and then sell the product. The truth is that I quickly failed at raising these two million to develop the product.
There could be a lot of entrepreneurs who start trying to raise money for a project, and then they fail at raising the money. They just cancel the project and move on to a new project. Instead of that, I just decided to raise money with the community and find customers first and then get some investors coming.
Every time a door shuts, or every time something fails, you just say, “Okay, well, let's find a way to go around it.”
Having demonstrated his resilience, Jean offers some tips for developing this ability.
First, he suggests, you need a deep connection to what you do. If you don’t feel that, look for something new to do. That connection is required to be genuinely resilient.
Next, he says, you need balance. You have to have something in your life outside work. He learned that when he focused too much on the business, he quickly became less resilient to the stresses the business creates. You have to be happy to be resilient.
Finally, he says, it’s best to surround yourself with people who share your sense of purpose and connection to the work.
You can increase your resilience by following Jean’s example and advice. By focusing on it over time, you may be able to make this a superpower that enables you to do more good in the world.
Guest-Provided Profile
Jean Gregoire (he/him):
Founder & CEO, Lovebox
About Lovebox: We're on a mission to spread happiness. Our tangible boxes radiate endless love and joy, delivering daily doses of positivity. Through technology and content, we empower people to strengthen bonds with their loved ones and reconnect with their inner selves. Our products drive positive changes in the lives of our users, all while bringing heartfelt smiles to the faces of their loved ones.
Website: www.lovebox.love
Twitter Handle: @lovebox_love
Company Facebook Page: facebook.com/lovelovebox
Other URL: wefunder.com/lovebox
Biographical Information: Jean has been coding and building tech since the age of 12. With a degree in engineering, a master's in innovation & entrepreneurship, a PhD in robotics, followed by a postdoctoral research position at MIT (Boston, USA), his expertise is truly multidisciplinary. In 2016, he invented the Lovebox as a heartfelt gift for his long-distance girlfriend. Recognizing the potential to bring daily happiness to billions, he founded the eponymous company in 2017.
Twitter Handle: @jmmgreg
Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/jean-gregoire-blissify/
Instagram Handle: @jmmgreg
For the September SuperCrowdHour, I’m going to share some of the lessons I’ve learned from making dozens of crowdfunding investments and talking to hundreds of entrepreneurs and investors. You’ll learn not just how to make investments via crowdfunding but how to make money doing it.
Many impact crowdfunding investors focus on impact first. I admire the approach but note that a goal for maximizing impact is best accomplished by making money. It works two ways. A company that goes out of business has no impact after it dies. One that grows profitably can do unlimited amounts of good. Furthermore, if the investment delivers financial results to you, you can reinvest and do more good as an investor!
If you’re focused primarily on making money, you’ll find this session helpful, too. We’ll discuss maximizing financial returns. Don’t miss it!
Join us at the Kinect WeROC® Conference 2023 on Sep 5-6! Empower female CEOs, entrepreneurs, and founders as they scale their visions into reality. Be inspired, support, and invest in the Power of Her. Let's drive success together! Get your tickets now. #WeROC2023 #WomenInBusiness 💪🌟
This Social Entrepreneur May Have Found a Way to Package Happiness - s11 ep10