How This College Student Built a $1 Million Subscription Box Business

Zarina Bahadur didn’t know it at the time, but watching one overwhelmed mom struggle in a grocery store aisle would change her entire future.

One day at a grocery store, she noticed a mother struggling. A crying baby in one arm, a restless toddler pulling at her, and a cart overflowing with baby products — she looked exhausted. Bahadur, then a college student at UC Irvine, watched and wondered how overwhelming it must be to shop for a child’s needs while managing everything else that comes with parenting.

That moment stuck with her. Parents had more options than ever, but the sheer number of choices made it harder, not easier, to find the right baby products. Why wasn’t there a way to make this process effortless? Big retailers stocked endless baby supplies, but few services actually simplified the decision-making process.

She didn’t just notice the problem — she started digging for answers. Within weeks, she was surveying parents, studying the subscription box industry, and figuring out if she could turn this idea into a real business.

The more she thought about it, the clearer the need became. Parents didn’t just need baby products — they needed a system that made parenting easier. That idea led to 123 Baby Box, a subscription service that delivers curated, age-appropriate baby essentials straight to families each month.

She started small, testing the idea while still in school. Between classes, she squeezed in customer calls. Late at night, she researched packaging suppliers. On weekends, she packed boxes by hand. Without a blueprint to follow, she had to learn every part of the business as she built it.

What began as a simple idea in a grocery store aisle would soon grow into a profitable, fast-scaling company. But getting there wasn’t easy.

From Idea to Execution

The grocery store moment stuck with Bahadur, but an idea alone wasn’t enough — she needed to prove that parents would actually pay for a curated baby box.

Her first step was talking to parents. “I spoke with moms to figure out their biggest challenges,” Bahadur said. “A common struggle kept coming up: analysis paralysis. There are thousands of baby products out there, but new parents don’t always know what’s necessary for each stage of development.” The overwhelming number of choices made it difficult for parents to decide what to buy, reinforcing the need for a stress-free, curated solution.

With that in mind, she built a prototype of what would become 123 Baby Box, carefully selecting products that weren’t just age-appropriate but useful, high-quality, and engaging. “Parents didn’t just need baby products — they needed a system that made life easier,” Bahadur said.

At first, getting sales wasn’t easy. She was juggling school, building a website, and reaching out to parents one by one. “I was taking 11 classes in a single quarter,” Bahadur said. “Between lectures, I worked on the business. I still made time for friends, but every spare second went into building 123 Baby Box.”

Then came the moment that changed everything. “I knew 123 Baby Box was real when I got my first sale,” Bahadur said. “Someone believed in my idea enough to pay for it — and it solved their problem.” That first customer didn’t just buy a single box — they committed to a 12-month subscription, a sign that she had tapped into something valuable.

The early signs were promising, but turning 123 Baby Box into a real business meant figuring out pricing, sourcing, and how to keep customers coming back.

“At first, I was sourcing products in small batches, mostly through wholesale suppliers,” Bahadur said. “It was expensive, but I needed to prove demand before committing to larger orders. Pricing was tricky — I wanted the boxes to feel premium, but they also had to be affordable for parents,” Bahadur said. “At first, I tested different pricing tiers, but realized too many options led to decision fatigue. I simplified it to just a few straightforward plans, which boosted conversions.”

The business was picking up, but Bahadur knew that a few dozen customers weren’t enough to sustain growth. She needed to scale.

Related: 48 Small Scale Business Ideas for Beginner Entrepreneurs

How 123 Baby Box Scaled from a Dorm Room Project to a Million-Dollar Business

With her first customers in the door, Bahadur knew she had a viable concept. But turning 123 Baby Box from a side hustle into a sustainable business meant solving a bigger challenge: scaling.

She quickly realized that three key factors would determine whether the business could grow — market research, supply chain management, and customer feedback.

“Before spending a dime, I studied the baby-products market and spoke to hundreds of parents,” Bahadur said. “Decision fatigue was a major issue. Moms were drowning in choices, wasting hours trying to figure out what their baby actually needed.” That confirmed the demand for a curated, subscription-based solution that saved parents time and eliminated guesswork.

With demand validated, the next challenge was ensuring she could actually deliver boxes at scale. Subscription businesses live or die by their ability to consistently fulfill orders. “A late or incorrect order can easily translate to a canceled subscription,” Bahadur said. “So, I built relationships with suppliers early and negotiated flexible terms. That way, I could scale orders up or down without tying up too much cash in inventory.”

Listening to customers became just as important as acquiring them. “Customers were trusting me to make their life easier,” Bahadur said. “I built direct feedback loops through surveys, DMs, and post-purchase emails. Every tweak, from product selection to packaging design, was based on real customer input.”

One key insight changed everything: “We now fill each box with one product from six different categories,” Bahadur said. “That structure keeps parents engaged and reduces cancellations.”

Refining the product and ensuring reliable fulfillment gave 123 Baby Box a strong foundation, but real growth would require outside funding.

With demand increasing, scaling 123 Baby Box was no longer just about keeping up — it was about preparing for real, long-term growth. Bahadur needed capital to expand inventory, marketing, and logistics.

To scale efficiently, she started pitching investors and entering startup competitions.

Bahadur knew she needed capital to scale, but stepping into the world of startup competitions and pitching investors was a whole new challenge. ‘I had no connections in the venture world — I had to figure it out from scratch,’ she said. Still, she dove in headfirst.

Her biggest breakthrough came when she won first place at UC Irvine’s New Venture Competition, securing funding and credibility that would help take the business to the next level.

With the foundation in place and capital to grow, 123 Baby Box was ready to scale beyond its early success.

Related: 19 Flexible Stay-At-Home Jobs for Moms That Pay Well

Marketing, Customer Acquisition, and Retention

“One thing I didn’t expect?” Bahadur said. “Customer acquisition was actually easier than I thought — keeping subscribers was the real challenge. If you want to start a subscription business, focus on retention early.”

With funding secured and operations running smoothly, Bahadur turned her attention to growth. A subscription box business depends not just on attracting customers, but on keeping them subscribed.

Her first major breakthrough came from influencer marketing. “My first 60 sales came directly from influencers,” Bahadur said. “Instead of paying big names, I sent boxes to parents with 20,000 to 50,000 followers — people whose audiences actually trusted them.”

The strategy worked. These micro-influencers shared their unboxing experiences, and their engaged followers started subscribing.

Beyond influencers, social media became a key driver of growth, especially TikTok and Instagram. “User-generated content was huge for us,” Bahadur said. “Real parents sharing their excitement about the boxes led to some posts getting hundreds of thousands of views.” The organic buzz helped 123 Baby Box go viral, driving consistent traffic to the website.

Influencer marketing fueled early momentum, but scaling brought new challenges. “We had to constantly test new platforms and adapt our ad strategies to stay ahead,” Bahadur said. “You can’t rely too much on any single channel, or growth stalls.”

But acquiring customers was only half the battle — keeping them subscribed was the bigger challenge. “Subscription businesses live and die by retention,” Bahadur said. “If people don’t stay, you’re constantly chasing new sign-ups.”

To improve retention, she tested different strategies:

• Discounted first box. We tested different pricing models and found that offering 50% off the first box removed hesitation,” Bahadur said. “Parents were much more likely to commit when the upfront cost felt like a no-brainer. The goal wasn’t just to get them to try it — but to make sure they stayed.
• Exclusive renewal offers. A small incentive — like a $10 discount at the 12-month mark — helped reduce churn.
• Value beyond the box. Instead of just pushing promotions, Bahadur built email campaigns around parenting tips and baby development insights. “If you provide value outside of just selling, customers stay engaged,” she said.

The approach paid off. By focusing on both acquisition and retention, 123 Baby Box continued to grow without relying on aggressive ad spending.

Related: 21 Low-Cost or Free Small Business Marketing Ideas

The Big Challenges That Nearly Derailed 123 Baby Box — And How She Solved Them

As 123 Baby Box grew, Bahadur quickly learned that scaling a subscription business came with unique challenges. One of the biggest hurdles she faced early on was inventory management.

“Running out of inventory sounds like a good problem, right?” Bahadur said. “At first, I thought selling out meant success. But in reality, it meant we couldn’t meet demand.

Customers expect reliability — if they subscribe, they expect their boxes on time, every time.”

Early on, she relied entirely on third-party suppliers for products, but that quickly became a bottleneck. “Suppliers ran out of inventory. Shipping delays piled up. Prices fluctuated,” she said. “We had zero control over production speed or stock availability, and customers don’t care if it’s your supplier’s fault — they just want their order.”

To fix this, she made a major shift: developing her own product line.

“We still work with external brands, but our core products are now ours,” Bahadur said. “That means no more surprise stockouts, no unexpected delays, and no compromises.” By taking control of manufacturing, she ensured consistent quality, better margins, and fewer fulfillment headaches.

Another challenge was logistics and fulfillment. While many startups outsource to third-party logistics providers (3PLs), Bahadur kept fulfillment in-house. “It’s a core part of the customer experience,” she said. “Subscription businesses live or die by consistency, and I wanted direct oversight.”

Instead of handing operations off, she built tight coordination between the warehouse, logistics team, and customer service.

“Throughout the day, I check on our inventory, shipping times, and fulfillment efficiency,” she said. “We’re constantly adjusting to prevent bottlenecks.”

By pivoting to in-house production and keeping fulfillment under control, 123 Baby Box was able to scale without the typical growing pains of subscription startups.

To stay ahead, Bahadur and her team continuously tested new growth tactics, ensuring that 123 Baby Box remained top-of-mind for parents looking for an easier way to shop for baby essentials.

Lessons & Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Building a subscription box business from scratch — while still in college — taught Bahadur lessons that most entrepreneurs take years to learn.

One of the biggest? Start before you’re ready.

“Too many people wait for the perfect time, but it never comes,” Bahadur said. “I launched 123 Baby Box before I had everything figured out. If I had waited until I felt fully prepared, I’d probably still be waiting. The key is to start small — test an idea, listen to feedback, and refine as you go.”

That mindset helped her push through early challenges, from figuring out logistics to learning how to market her business.

Time management was everything. Juggling 11 classes while running a business meant making every spare minute count. “I had to be ruthless about how I spent my time,” Bahadur said. “Every free moment went toward making progress. Even if I couldn’t dedicate full days to the business, I made sure to chip away at it every single day.”

Another key takeaway? Listen to your customers — constantly.

Bahadur built 123 Baby Box around direct customer feedback, and that approach never stopped. “Customers will tell you what they love and what they don’t,” she said. “It’s your job to listen and adapt.” One of her biggest pivots — adding one item from six distinct categories in each box — came directly from subscriber input.

Set clear, measurable goals. “Saying ‘I want to start a business’ isn’t a real goal,” Bahadur said. “I told myself I wanted 100 paying subscribers before I graduated. That gave me something concrete to work toward.”

Finally, execution beats perfection — every time.

“I see so many people get stuck in the planning phase,” Bahadur said. “They spend months tweaking their idea instead of putting it in front of real customers. The best way to learn is by doing.”

Now, with thousands of active subscribers and over $1 million raised in funding, Bahadur’s journey proves that taking action — even when things aren’t perfect — can lead to big results.

The Future of 123 Baby Box

Scaling 123 Baby Box to thousands of subscribers and securing over $1 million in funding was just the start.

“We’re not stopping at subscription boxes,” Bahadur said. “Parents love the products in our boxes, so we’re expanding into direct-to-consumer sales. Soon, they’ll be able to buy their favorite baby essentials anytime, without a subscription.”

Beyond e-commerce, Bahadur is tapping into a huge untapped market — corporate partnerships.

“Companies are always looking for meaningful employee benefits,” she said. “A baby box subscription is the perfect perk for working parents.” Her team is already in discussions with corporate partners to make 123 Baby Box part of employee benefits packages, creating an entirely new revenue stream.

International expansion is also on the horizon. “We’ve tested the waters in global markets, and the demand is there,” Bahadur said. “Parents everywhere need high-quality, convenient baby products, and we want to bring 123 Baby Box to them.”

What started as a way to help one overwhelmed mom in a grocery store has grown into a company helping thousands. And for Bahadur, that’s only the beginning.

“This started as a way to help one overwhelmed mom in a grocery store,” she said. “Now, we’re making life easier for thousands — and we’re just getting started.”

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