Outside the Boxx
Entrepreneurial brothers rethink the way we move
While most small business owners struggle just to keep up in the marketplace, Josh (’97) and Mark (’04) Richardson endeavour to change it. Their Seattle-based company, Karmaboxx, has been attracting attention for its innovative service and its remarkable business practices. But at its core, Karmaboxx is the story of two brothers striving to make a difference—both in the environment and in their community.
Moving house is nearly always stressful. Most can empathize with the headache of finding and assembling cardboard boxes before a move, only to discard them afterward. The Richardsons created Karmaboxx to eliminate this hassle and the environmental impact of moving. Durable, stackable plastic bins are delivered to customers before a move, then picked up once the move is complete.
“Everybody knows the three Rs: reduce, reuse, and recycle,” says Josh. “But recycling should be a last resort. It is far more energy-efficient to reduce and reuse. That’s what we do at Karmaboxx.” Whereas the average cardboard box is used twice and then thrown away or recycled, a plastic Karmaboxx can be reused about 400 times before being recycled. A Karmaboxx also requires 39 per cent less energy to recycle than its cardboard counterpart and generates 29 per cent less greenhouse gas emissions.
“We really believe that business can provide a powerful system for tackling some of society’s tough social issues.”
But beyond eco-consciousness, Josh and Mark designed their business model around social responsibility. And they encourage others to do the same. “My brother and I started Karmaboxx because we really believe that business can provide a powerful system for tackling some of society’s tough social issues,” says Josh. Putting these ideals into action, Karmaboxx donates two per cent of gross sales to local charities—more than double the percentage of philanthropic contributions most companies make. Their current beneficiary, Northwest Harvest, is a local hunger relief agency that operates throughout Washington state. Josh and Mark hope to see more for-profit businesses partnering with local charities. “Before long, I think companies investing in their communities will become a requirement of business,” says Josh, “and I hope it does.”
Though Karmaboxx is young, Josh and Mark plan to expand it into a franchise in the near future, with the hope of eventually taking their concept nationwide. “Our product and service are fairly simple,” says Josh. “But as you can see, we want our company to stand for something big.”
For more information about Karmaboxx, visit karmaboxx.com.
by Jay Jameson ’08
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