Kristen Bell Reveals Why She and Dax Shepard Started Baby Product Company Hello Bello: ‘I Wanted to Let Things Be Weird’
Kristen Bell is not only an actor but also an entrepreneur. She spoke about the baby product company she started with her husband, Dax Shepard, called Hello Bello. Here’s why the actors decided to start the company.
Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard’s Hello Bello
Bell and Shepard founded Hello Bello in 2019. The company offers affordable baby products. Their offerings include diapers, sunscreen, and baby wipes. During an interview with CNBC’s Making It, Shepard joked that children are “parasites,” so costs can add up quickly. An affordable baby product line was their answer to an issue so many new parents face.
During an interview with Ellen DeGeneres, Bell said she was proud the company was able to give away more than one million diapers during the first year of operation. “When we started this, we were very honest with the people we collaborated with,” says Bell. “And we were like, ‘We don’t need another paycheck, just to be blunt. We want to make a for-profit company that does really good things in the world that has accessibility and makes sure the parents [don’t have] to choose between their baby and their budget.”
Why Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard started Hello Bello
Bell and Shepard explained why they started their company. Bell says her goal is to offer baby products that are accessible to everyone. Baby products can be costly, so she wants to help new parents who might not be able to afford the items they need.
“There are a lot of people doing great work in the baby space, but there’s an accessibility-affordability junction that’s not being hit,” Bell tells Real Simple. “One of our missions is accessibility. We’re also trying to convey that parenting is hard. It’s gross. It stinks. The baby products I bought for my nursery were all white, cream, and baby pink—but everything smelled like pee and avocado. There’s a dissonance.”
Bell continues, “So I wanted to let things be weird. Let’s put the word ‘poop’ on the diaper box because that’s what it’s used for. It’s for poop! Let’s stop pretending this is a baby angel sitting in a cloud, because kids are disgusting and sticky, and that’s funny.”
Giving back is important for Kristen Bell
Bell says it’s important for her to give back. She wants to make sure those in need are able to provide for their families. Bell also wants to set an example for her children.
“Giveback was a very big priority for me when starting this company,” Bell tells Women’s Wear Daily. “I made sure when we went in with a diaper manufacturer, I knew we were able to give away a couple million diapers a year.”
Bell continues, “I am an ambassador at Baby2Baby and a couple of other great charity organizations that work with kids on or below the poverty line, so the education I’ve gotten through that philanthropy is how often families have to choose between their baby or their budget. What that usually results to is they are ringing out a diaper to use it a couple of times, which I don’t think should be acceptable for any child or caregivers.”
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