Liz Benditt is a senior marketing executive with 25+ years professional experience with a wide variety of brands, products and services including Lyric Opera, Ace Hardware, Hallmark, SONIC America’s Drive In, Blue Bunny Ice Cream, Mattel Toys, Walt Disney World, and Bluetooth. She is currently President and CEO of The Balm Box, a self-care and gifting site for breast cancer patients.
Liz was named Susan G. Komen Kansas & Western Missouri Woman of Action!
FWM: What led you to launch The Balm Box?
The idea for The Balm Box started when I was undergoing radiation treatment for breast cancer. It was incredibly difficult to predict what tools I would need to go through and recover from radiation until I was in the middle of it, scrambling for bra-alternatives, aluminum-free deodorant, and burn salves. A nurse made me a mini-pillow to hold between my seatbelt and breast so that the belt wouldn’t chafe. There was no central resource, website, or retailer known for all this ‘stuff’ and I found myself up late at night researching page 20 searches on google and amazon looking for solutions. Most of the cancer-treatments and gifts online were pink ribboned cute/sassy t-shirts and mugs – I wanted relief not stuff.
The challenge with most cancer treatments is that patients do not know what they are going to need to help them self-soothe until they need it RIGHT AWAY. I wondered – where is the resource for cancer patients to proactively plan for treatment and recovery side effects?
It didn’t exist.
It wasn’t until 2020 that the moons aligned and gave me a quiet few months at my desk at home during the Pandemic to really build out the idea into a legitimate business plan. I started by sending out a survey to friends and family to validate the idea – the survey went viral and collected almost 600 responses.
My market research revealed that I was most definitely NOT alone in my frustrations and there was a huge level of interest from both cancer patients and caregivers. I was not the only person frustrated by the total lack of functional self-care and gifting options.
The Balm Box launched in Fall 2020 and has grown so much in the past year! We’ve helped HUNDREDS of patients so far, and I am so thrilled with the market response to the business!
FWM: After surviving four different cancers over 8 years (including breast cancer), what did you truly need during your treatment?
Although the melanoma was by far my most potentially lethal cancer, and the facial plastic surgeries for basal cell were incredibly painful, the breast cancer experience and treatment were the absolute worst. Perhaps I was overconfident about my youth and ability to fight it, or it is possible my fair skin was destined to react badly to radiation – it is impossible to know. Regardless, despite thinking I would knock out radiation and be able to continue working full time, leading my daughter’s girl scout troop meetings, and running half-marathons my body failed me and I was flabbergasted by my situation.
I spent HUNDREDS of dollars buying useless aluminum free deodorants that didn’t actually prevent sweat stains and lotions that smelled lovely but did not come close to soothing my horribly burnt skin.
That frustration was compounded by friends and neighbors who all want to DO something … and they predominantly brought us food. It was incredibly kind and appreciated, but honestly my husband and son are super picky eaters and would have preferred takeout. I was not able to exercise and would have preferred lighter / lower calorie fare. It was honestly frustrating because it was all so WELL MEANING but in reality, not awesome to receive.
I NEEDED ice packs that wouldn’t sweat through my shirts, a wire-free bra that wouldn’t rub against my burn or surgical wounds, aluminum free deodorants that wouldn’t interfere with radiation treatments, high quality lotions and lip balms that actually worked beyond clever marketing and packaging gimmicks …. The list goes on and on! What I got was a lot of pink t-shirts, lasagna, and rotisserie chicken.
FWM: What comforting and functional items does the Balm Box offer?
Prior to launching, we interviewed over 500 Cancer Patients and Gift Buyers to curate our self-care and gift packages. The survey asked respondents to rate almost 50 different items – broken down into four categories: Functional, Thoughtful, Motivational and Fun/Silly.
The survey results were very clear – there is a huge disconnect between what patients want and need and the gifts they are receiving. The top five performing items on the survey were all functional: lotion, lip balm, aromatherapy, side pillows, and fleece blankets. The last place finishers were mostly inspirational: Kicking cancer tote bags, worry stones, framed quotes, fidget spinners, and cancer awareness pins. Patients want soothing relief; patients received flowers, food, and t-shirts.
Our boxes are curated to provide non-prescription, functional relief for the most common cancer treatment side effects. You can shop by treatment type (surgery, chemotherapy, radiation) or side effect (nausea, hair loss, dry/painful skin, neuropathy, chemo brain). For friends and family unsure of treatment timing, we also offer generic “Cancer Care” packages with a little bit of everything.
We source most of our products from other small businesses; you cannot find these items at your local drug store or on amazon! We designed and manufacture our Seatbelt Protector and Side Relief pillows ourselves; right now you can only find these on our website. Our care packages both useful and bespoke.
FWM: You were named Susan G. Komen Kansas & Western Missouri Woman of Action! Why is this so important to you?
I was thrilled, honored, and humbled to be named a #WomanOfAction by our local Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation during the October 2020 Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I have enormous respect for the organization, and of course I have run the annual 5K for over 10 years – but being featured by the organization as a leader in Breast Cancer Action was genuinely amazing, and something for which I’ll always be so proud!
FWM: You offer gift subscription boxes. Tell us more.
Most cancer treatments are not “one and done” – especially chemotherapy and radiation treatments, that continue for weeks, months, and sometimes years. You can find our subscription boxes on Cratejoy.com. Unlike never-ending subscription services that must be proactively cancelled, we offer 3-, 6-, and 12-month subscriptions with definitive start and end dates.
Friends and family can pre-plan to ensure their beloved cancer patient receives monthly care packages filled with premium, useful, and functional products throughout their entire treatment journey. Beyond the wonderful products in each box, knowing that your friends and family are thinking of you during your long-term cancer care is an incredible emotional boost as well.
FWM: What do you want your legacy to be?
In general, I’m a fan of being disruptive. Prior to launching TheBalmBox.com, I made a career as a change agent, brought into a variety of companies to challenge the status quo and/or create a strategic marketing function from scratch. Challenging legacy organizations, questioning the value of processes, spending, or business functions are my jam. The key is to start with “the why” and keep asking why, until the insight is revealed.
If you google “get well soon cancer gift” you’ll find countless pink-ribboned shirts and tote bags, chocolate, and flowers. American adults spend thousands of dollars a year on gifting; according to primary market research conducted by Balm Box, about one-third of adults 18+ have purchased a gift for a cancer patient in the past 18 months, spending on average $50-$80.
Balm Box is disrupting the cancer gift market by connecting these two groups: Well-meaning adults purchasing gifts, with recipients who need functional help. Providing cancer patients with functional care packages is a phenomenal, thoughtful, gift.
Wouldn’t it be amazing, if my legacy is to fundamentally change “get well soon” gifting from balloons and chocolate to palliative care packages? I think so too….
