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- (Hallease) What does it mean to be a crayon activist?
- (Bellen) "Activist" in my definition is someone who is active in making change. And how I make a
change is I use crayons. But More Than Peach is also more than about just skin color,
crayons and stuff like that. It's also just about inclusion. Including everyone.
Making sure everyone can feel like they're welcome and that they can be who they actually are.
Hello, hello, hello, and welcome back to the series Convos with CEOs, where we take a peek
behind the shelved veil to see what it takes to get a product in Target stores. I'm Hallease,
endeavoring to persevere as always. We've gotten to talk to some amazing women in this series,
each with their own unique stories. If you've missed any of the previous episodes,
you can check them out here. For this last episode of the series ... I know.
Last episode. But, for the last episode of the series, we're talking to Bellen
Woodard: the 10-year-old ... I'm gonna say that again: the 10-year-old
founder of More Than Peach and the world's first crayon activist. I figured it'd be really great to
wrap this series with Bellen, because oftentimes when I hear people talk about starting a business,
they'll give reasons for pause that are based in fear.
Reasons like: I didn't go to business school, or I don't feel like I know enough. Things like that.
Bellen is proof that none of that matters. None of it matters at all. At its core, what you need is
a great idea and the drive to want to make things better. So, we're gonna talk to Bellen and have a
great conversation. And yes, we finna color. Me, a whole adult, a whole adult, I'm gonna be coloring
because self-care is in a full effect, 2K forever. Okay? Yeah, let's get into this conversation.
- (Hallease) Can you tell me a little bit about how you got this idea for
this company, More Than Peach.
- (Bellen) So, when I was in third grade, I heard my classmates call the "peach" crayon
the "skin color crayon." And yeah, peach is a skin color crayon, but it's not the only one.
And so one day I kind of ... I've been hearing it for a long time,
but I kinda noticed it. Actually thought about it. So that day when I went home, I was telling
my mom about the situation and she suggested for next time, for me to hand over the brown crayon.
But I didn't wanna do that. 'Cause if I didn't like being handed over the peach crayon,
no one would like being handed over a brown crayon because it doesn't match them and stuff like that.
And so instead, I told her, "Next time I'm actually gonna ask what color they want,
'cause it could be a number of any different beautiful colors." And that's exactly what I did
next time I went to school. Eventually my teacher started hearing me and noticing me saying that.
And she started saying it, and then my whole class, then eventually my whole school. And
I thought, "Wow, I can change language in my classroom, then I can change the language in
classrooms across the world." And that's when I started my More Than Peach project. In spring
2019, I started donating. But I decided I wanted to make my own crayons, or my own
art supplies because ... For one, I thought it would be a good way to represent myself.
And I also wanted to name all the multicultural art supplies all skin color,
'cause I knew that that was for the message. That they are all skin colors and not just one.
I also thought it was also a great way to inspire kids my age or
younger or older ... whoever, to also make a difference in their schools and communities.
- What were some of the teachers saying to you
about these packets that you were bringing them with the crayons?
- They loved them and I also get a lot of letters from teachers and students and parents.
Some of the kids are saying, "Oh, Bellen you're my hero." Or the teachers are saying,
"I showed my class your crayons, I bought them all my crayons, or I bought my kids
your crayons," and stuff like that. I love getting those responses because it kinda
just reminds me to keep on going because although, like I was saying earlier, it
is kind of time consuming. But, it's just a reminder that it's all worth it in the end.
- Can you talk a little bit about just what it's been like for you to really innovate
in the space. You know, I think crayons haven't really changed ... what probably in the last 30,
40 years at least (laughs) if not more, and so ... How does it feel to be sort of ... Yeah,
on cutting edge of just making people acknowledge more within the space?
- I see all these companies following after just a 10-year-old little girl. What it means to me,
is I used to be kind of angry, but now I'm just like ... These big brands are kind of intimidated
by this little kid who just hit the double digits. Now, it's kind of funny to me and
amazing that I'm changing the minds of bigger brands with people that are older than me.
- (Hallease) Can you tell me a little bit about the process. Did you get
to figure out what those tones would be? Did you get to help out with that a little bit?
- (Bellen) So, I don't work at the manufacturer obviously, but what I do know
is that the crayons are made out of paraffin wax. We have to add the pigment, add the colors to it.
Then they send a sample for us to test, so we can maybe send back our feedback. Maybe,
"Make this pink a bit darker or lighter," or something like that.
I've change the formula once maybe. I had to do research for all the skin colors.
It definitely wasn't easy. It also isn't free to make these crayons and art supplies. And so,
we also need to make sure we can keep having the money to
make these things. But, in the end it's all worth it.
- What was the first product that you officially launched? Was it crayons
or was it ... Can you talk about the order of operations of which products you had out first?
- The first product that I made was my palette packet. I created my own crayons. And then,
just recently, I created ... back like the summertime,
I created two things. My colored pencils and my coloring book.
Soon, we signed a book deal with Scholastic and my book will be coming out next year in spring.
- What're you hoping that'll happen with your projects? I know this last year has been crazy for
everyone in regards to quarantining and is school happening, is it not? You know.
- Yeah.
- All that kind of craziness (laughs). And yet you have started this project
during a lot of all of that. What are your hopes for
this project once we figure out what life is officially (laughs) moving forward?
- Well, I consider it a business now 'cause it's grown so much. And speaking of
growing, I just wanna continue to grow my projects and I wanna be an all-inclusive art
supply brand. I just want my stuff to be here forever. So, just so no one feels dis-included,
which I know isn't a word, but it's just something I say (laughs).
- Do you remember when you found out that
your product was going to be in Target stores? Do you remember how that happened or where you were?
- I think it was around Christmastime last year.
That was ... my birthday is in December so it was really like, "Oh ... oh my gosh. I'm gonna
be in Target." And I'm super excited. Right now we're only online, but we're hoping that by next
year when it's back to school time again, that hopefully it'll be in stores so kids and parents
can pick it up and be ready for back to school. But I was super duper excited because I was like,
"This is the store that everyone goes to and everyone knows about and I'm about to be in it."
- Where would you like More Than Peach to be in five years when you're 15? Oh my goodness.
(Both laugh)
- That seems so long.
(Hallease laughs)
- It seems so far away but also feels so short.
- Yeah, I was gonna say-
- But anyway.
- It'll be here before you know it (laughs).
- So, I want my project to be in all the stores across the board. I also
want it to be in all the schools and to be on a school supplies list, to be normalized.
- I think it's really interesting to talk to you because you're so much younger than everybody.
I know that a lot of people that watch, think that they can't start a business,
even when they're in their 20s and 30s and 40s. You know. So, what would you say to that person
right now if you could talk to them about starting their own thing?
- Well, it's definitely not just gonna be easy, not just gonna
all of the sudden wake up with a billion dollars because your product just instantly sold out.
It does take a lot of planning and work and thought into it. But definitely, what I like
to say is, there's no coloring rule book, which basically means just there's no limits.
Do stuff your way. And just take your time and don't rush it. Yeah. That's all I gotta say.
- Oh my goodness. What a beautiful way to wrap up this series with Target. If you haven't already,
go check out More Than Peach, now available at target.com. I hope that this series has
given you a few different perspectives on starting your own business or venture,
a few tangible takeaways, and of course as always good vibes all around. Once again, a big,
big thank you to Target for giving me this opportunity to talk to all these amazing founders.
It has been such a joy and a privilege to have these conversations and bring them to you.
Now, it's coming to an end ... or is it. Again, I am Hallease, endeavoring to persevere as always.
If you've made it this far in the video, consider subscribing. I will see you when I see you.
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