Billie, the four-month-old women’s shaving start-up, has closed a $6 million seed round.
Billie’s plan is to bring high-quality razors and personal-care products directly to women for less money. The company’s starter kit, $9, comes with a handle, a magnetic holder for the shower and two razor cartridges. Sets of two cartridge refills also cost $9, Shave Cream costs $8, Sudsy Body Wash costs $9 and Dry-Bye Body Lotion costs $12.”We want to be a lifestyle brand that delivers your everyday products, which fits into the lifestyle of the women that we’re talking to,” said Georgina Gooley, Billie cofounder. “We call it everyday TLC to make an everyday routine a lot more delightful and a lot more affordable.”The funding round was led by Silverton Partners with existing investors Female Founders Fund and Lakehouse Ventures. Valuation numbers were not disclosed.Billie’s 2017 launch came several years after men’s shaving start-ups came onto the scene. Dollar Shave Club (now owned by Unilever) launched in 2011, and Harry’s launched in 2013. Both of those business market their products primarily to men.”We’ve been able to accelerate so much quicker than we ever thought,” said Gooley. “The reason we raised the additional round is so we can increase our inventory orders so we can meet demand and start building our team.”The company has already sold out of everything multiple times, Gooley said. Billie’s team stands at six people right now, but it plans to hire across marketing, customer service, design and development. New products are further along the horizon, said cofounder Jason Bravman.“We’re constantly thinking about new product lines and extensions, but all that stuff is still in development so far,” he said. Billie operates as a direct-to-consumer business, and targets customers through paid Facebook and Instagram ads, as well as organic social sharing.”At the end of the day, when we look at the product offering itself, it’s almost an acquisition strategy,” Gooley said. “A really high-quality product at half the price of the competition delivered to your door for free.”The company also provides a “pink tax rebate” referral program so that when friends of customers shop Billie, the customer gets a coupon code. It’s billed as a way to make up for women “overpaying for pink razors,” the company says on its site.
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