Over the festive season, Americans planned to spend an average of $907 in 2022 according to a study conducted by CNBC. ReadyFestive is looking to profit from this trend and help you get in the Christmas spirit at the same time.
The subscription-based startup sells personalized boxes for every holiday season. Founders Liz Voelker and Kristina Barnes, pitched the business on Shark Tank and got a deal with Robert Herjavec. As of 2024, ReadyFestive is worth an estimated $1 million.
About the Founders
Elizabeth Voelker and Kristina Barnes are festive moms based in San Francisco, California. Not much is known about Kristina’s background, but it’s known Liz is a marketing graduate from Penn State University.
After learning about international business, Elizabeth started her professional career in New York City. She was hired as a consumer marketing manager at Sports Illustrated and left after a year to join Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.
Liz was recruited to be a marketing sponsorship manager until she moved to the digital sales department. In 2011, she began working at the World Wildlife Fund as a corporate partnership manager.
Founding ReadyFestive
Voelker and Barnes became close friends as they both have three kids. They loved preparing for different types of holidays, which was what inspired them to start their venture together.
The business plan was to make a subscription service for all seasons and holidays. It was customizable because users could choose what occasion they would celebrate, and the company would send them a box filled with relevant decorations.
The mom entrepreneurs sell decorations for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Halloween, and seven other holidays. They also have décor pieces for the four seasons of the year. ReadyFestive officially started in 2019.
Getting on Shark Tank
Not long after the startup launched, the pandemic hit. They expected sales to suffer but surprisingly things got better for them. Retail stores were closing down, so many resorted to selling to customers online.
When the regulations started to loosen up, they retained most of their customers. People realized they didn’t want to spend hours shopping when they could have someone else do it for them. With this, ReadyFestive set out on a mission to be a one-stop shop for all holiday needs.
To grow the company, they need to raise money and boost their profile. Elizabeth and Kristina believed an angel investor can help them scale operations. They applied to appear on Shark Tank and got picked out of thousands of applications. They both did an amazing job pitching on national TV and came across as genuine and likable people.
After Shark Tank
Their episode aired on December 9 2023 and they experienced a huge surge in sales after the show. The customer support staff were much busier than normal over the Christmas period, a message on their website says “We are experiencing unusually heavy traffic.”
Interested viewers can subscribe to their holiday service on their website, ReadyFestive.com. Before receiving any deliveries, you have to answer a 5-step quiz related to your style and holiday preferences. Currently, they cover 4 seasons and 10 holidays. Depending on the size of the box, each one will have 4 to 10+ items and prices start at $69 per box.
ReadyFestive only has 13 reviews on Facebook with a rating of 3.2 stars. This is expected to change after Shark Tank. The business is worth an estimated $1 million. Robert should be a great partner and has already done well investing in Tipsy Elves, another holiday-themed company.
