About

Tell us your name and your role at Lotus Box.

Hey everyone! I'm Sarah Orlando, and I'm the founder and CEO of Lotus Box. 

How did you come up with the idea?

It was the combination of hearing my friends say their PMS symptoms were getting worse and hearing myself tell their partners that instead of complaining about women being grumpy during "that time of the month," they should consider bringing her chocolate or wine so she can feel better. I started asking women everywhere, "Ladies, what if a box of goodies showed up at your door once a month right when you started PMSing?" They all had the same reaction: "Yes! Where do I sign up?"

Shortly after that, I suddenly and unexpectedly found myself a single mom of three boys. I knew I had to do something big quick. 

I had a friend who was traveling around the world finding small organizations that support women's access to healthcare, education, and independence and provided a sales channel for them as a wholesaler. I saw one of his videos one day and thought, let's put those products in our box! That way when women are treating themselves they're also helping other women! As a feminist and entrepreneur, I saw all the pieces fall into place and knew I had to do it. 

Thus Lotus Box, a subscription box for PMS, was born.

What do you love most about your job?

I'm spinning so many plates every day, but honestly, I love it that way! I often find myself whining, "I want to work, but I have to clean the house," which I think is a pretty good sign that I love my job. A few years ago I saw a meme on Pinterest saying, "Whatever you do in your free time is what you should be doing for a living." I know that's not realistic for everyone, but at the moment I remember thinking, "So can I get paid for Pinteresting?" Guess what, now I get to spend a decent amount of my day on Pinterest for my job. I love it!

What's the hardest part about balancing owning your own business and raising a family?

Time. Haha! I have to be Mom, Dad, and Business Owner. Developing a routine is crucial. I'm learning that I can't be perfect at everything, which is really hard for me to accept. Sometimes my kids show up wearing the wrong socks for soccer or we have a second frozen pizza night for the week, but I try to keep things as fun as possible. I almost never sleep. The only time the house is quiet is after the kids go to bed, so I typically work until about 1 am. If you're one of my vendors you know it's not uncommon to get an email from me in the middle of the night. Coffee and dance parties in the kitchen are how we get our day going every morning!