Crystal DaCruz is the founder and CEO of Boxed in Black , which curates gifts that feature premium items from Black-owned and culturally diverse brands. Q: Why did you start Boxed in Black? DaCruz: I felt like gift giving could often fall flat, and Boxed in Black is just a way to make the person receiving the gift feel connected, really appreciated, and not overlooked. As a woman of color, I know there are so many amazing brands and not all of them are recognized — especially when they were founded by people of color.
I’d see other gifting companies promote them only during certain times of the year, such as for Black History Month and Hispanic Heritage Month. That’s great, but I felt like there was an opportunity to do it year-round and on a bigger scale. My mission is to bring these brands to the forefront.
Advertisement How does this fit into your own background? Professionally, I’ve come up in the digital startup world and have worked in the gifting industry. I’ve always worked in e-commerce and the digital payment space. A few years ago, I also launched a blog called Crumb Snatched , which is a food blog I created out of a need I saw to write Cape Verdean recipes for Cape Verdean Americans .
I’ve learned a lot of new skills running that blog that are helping me with Boxed in Black. And, I also do some freelance consulting on the side that helps me sustain myself personally. Your brand focuses on “premium and ultra-high end” products.
Why is that? There’.