Imagine a company that allows you to experience the salon and spa in the comfort of your own home, while simultaneously helping to stop the deforestation of the Amazon Rainforest. Teadora Beauty is that company. Founded by Valeria Cole, Teadora has built a line of skin care products using fruits of the Amazon and believes that companies and customers can partner together to make a positive difference for people, communities, and the environment. Read on to find out more about Valeria and her Bellevue, WA-based B Corp.
The inspiration behind how Teadora Beauty got its start: “Teadora is Brazilian Portuguese and means ‘adores you.’ We wanted to create a line of affordable, effective, safe and unique personal care products that reflect the incredible diversity and power of the Amazon Rainforest. We also believe strongly that there is no path to halting climate change that does not include preservation of the Amazon, which is disappearing at an alarming rate. Every day, plant and animal species disappear forever in the Amazon, and we are only just beginning to understand how this destruction negatively impacts habitat, new medicines, fresh water in the US, and weather patterns. We are here to change the face of the beauty industry. ”
Growing up in Brazil, my mother believed strongly in using natural remedies, and instilled in me from early on that as Brazilians, we have a responsibility to protect the ‘heartbeat of the world.’ After I moved to the US and started working for Apple, I often traveled back and forth to Brazil. Every time I came back, I would bring products that had amazing ingredients like cupuaçu (known to indigenous communities as the food of the gods), acai (fruit that cries), and buriti (tree of life). My friends could not get enough of them. When my husband, a massage therapist, started talking about opening his own spa, an idea was born. What if we were able to create a spa experience for home that introduced these amazing ingredients, their benefits and story, to the public? Thus our line was born, which now includes Amazonian red clay scrubs, shampoos/conditioners, beauty butters, anti-pollution facial mist, a men’s beard oil and more. Customers love the fact that they can have high performance products that are not just good for the environment, but toxin-free, vegan and cruelty-free.”
Why we love being a part of the B Corp community: “There is a very strong community of people using business as a force for good. We are an active part of that community, and get a lot of inspiration from that – people in this community are doing some amazing things! It is a very supportive group of leaders and we have developed some great personal and business relationships through this, and other companies, even competitors, are willing to talk about issues, share stories and give advice. It also helps us hire and attract the right people – they understand our values and purpose from the beginning and there is no confusion about what we are trying to accomplish.”
Our biggest success story (so far!): “We took a proof of concept and developed it into a line of beauty products that our customers love, with some great results – reviews that average nearly 5 stars, enthusiastic repeat buyers, recognition by B Corp as both ‘Best for the World’ and ‘Best for the Community,’ and being the winner of 2017’s Cosmetic Executive Women’s Sustainability Excellence Award. Achieving the balance to create great products, and operationalize a business, while driving a social and environmental impact agenda is something we are super excited about , and looking forward to continuing to increase our impact through partnerships with organizations like The Rainforest Foundation US.”
How our connection with nature (and elephant poop, believe it or not) allows us to “B The Change” every day: “We help our customers plant trees every day. In addition to working closely with indigenous communities to protect existing land in the Amazon, every time someone opens one of our products, they will see the ‘You just planted a tree in the Amazon!’ phrase. We’re on a mission to help our customers conserve more than 75,000 acres, plant more than a million trees, and change habits. We think about this every day – every time we ship something to a customer, pick up a pen made from grass, write notes on paper made from elephant poop or recycled banana fibers. Realistically, to protect the forest, it has to be worth more standing than it is cut, and that requires business, consumers and non-profits to work together every day for the benefit of people and planet.”
If you want to become a B Corp… “We knew from the beginning that we wanted to be a part of the B Corp movement, so we examined the assessment to help guide us in setting up the company. After we had been in business for a while, and it was time to submit our assessment, it was relatively easy to do. We had the paperwork and proof already laid out, knowing that B Labs (B Corp) is stringent about audits, and we had our corporate paperwork that already reflected things like our supplier preferences and pricing, environmental impact, and partner selection criteria.”
Why B Corps matter to the aspirational consumer: “The World Economic Forum recently released it’s ‘Shapers Study’ for 2017, which asks millennials about their top global concerns. The top global concern, above possibility of war, discrimination, government corruption, was the environment –climate change and destruction of nature. This same sentiment is also increasingly reflected in the broader population as well – a new type of consumer is developing across age segments called the aspirational consumer. They want products and services from companies that match their most important values – and there is no better standard than B Corp. Customers are demanding more of the companies they do business with – more transparency, more accountability, more impact – and we are simply at the cusp of this movement, which we believe will continue to see accelerated growth and investment interest over time.”
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About Valeria Cole, Founder of Teadora Beauty
Inspired by her mother – who cared for her skin and hair with natural remedies – and by her grandmother – who taught her the importance of social responsibility, Teadora helps to fund a philanthropic exchange between the U.S. and Brazil to promote rainforest conservation, education and leadership development. At Teadora, we show our love for the world with natural and organic products made with novel rainforest ingredients. Our products let you experience the bounty and magic of the Amazon – while helping to improve the lives of the communities where we live and do business.
This has been a Fantastic B Corps post, MyCorporation’s salute to the entity that gives back to business and society. Join us biweekly for a glimpse at the entrepreneurs using their small business to “B The Change” in this global movement for good.