Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Maria Fraietta. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Maria thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?
I woke up in the middle of the night one night and said “I’ve got it! It’s the NOKBOX: The Next of Kin Box! I’d been brainstorming all kinds of names for my little “death box” project, and nothing was sticking. Names like “Estate Box,” “Home Box” or “Organizall” just weren’t cutting it, but the Nokbox: that was a winner. We even finally got our trademark issued just a few months ago!
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
My name is Maria Fraietta and I am a former high school teacher, mom, and entrepreneur living in Littleton, Colorado. I’m also the founder of The Nokbox.
In January of 2021, my father passed away. I traveled to upstate NY to meet up with my brothers and make arrangements. We had never done this before, and while we knew there would be work to do and decisions to make, what we didn’t expect was how hard it was to go through all of his files, laptop, phone, and every drawer and box in his home to close his accounts, manage his house & vehicles, and go through probate. I didn’t even really know what probate was! My dad didn’t have a ton, but he did have a golf cart, a boat, and a camper…and we couldn’t find the keys or titles to any of them! We did unexpectedly find a small amount that he left us in his 401K, but we never would have known about it if we didn’t find one piece of paper at the bottom of a file drawer. We had no idea the process would lead us on a scavenger hunt through my dad’s life that took well over a year.
After we poured the piles and files on my brother’s kitchen table, my first stop was the local office store, where I gathered supplies to organize everything we were finding. I started writing notes for my brothers on different folders with directions on what we had to do next, and I categorized everything and bought a file box with a handle so it would be easier for us to take it into the courthouse, the bank, and the funeral home when we needed to. The first Nokbox was born.
After I returned home to Colorado, I realized that we weren’t the only ones who have had an experience like this, and I needed my own Nokbox. I thought I was covered since I had my trust done a few years ago, but I’m a single mom, and if something happened to me, it would be really hard for someone to figure out and manage my life even if they had the legal means to do so–they would also be on a scavenger hunt! So I made a box for myself. Then I kept going thinking it might be kind of fun to make these for others.
I started writing, and I wrote and wrote for a month until I had a book’s worth of information–66 double sided worksheets, plus a set of instructions. On the front of each sheet, it tells a person what they need to gather or provide to account for a particular account or item, and on the other side, it helps the next of kin (the NOK) organize and account for the item. The finished product was a box with 15 categories and 66 different folders. The box covers bank & investment accounts and insurance policies, but it also covers little details people need, like how to access your storage shed, where your pet’s vet is, what to do with your childhood photos, or which neighbor has a key to your house. We also help with your important documents, like passports and birth (and death) certificates, and provide a great way to organize that pile of keys in your junk drawer.
I researched, held focus groups, iterated, and started selling. I had dozens of neighborhood kids helping me assemble boxes after I sold out our presale launch in just a couple of days and realized there was no way I could keep up with demand. We filled up my house, then my backyard shed, and then my garage. I kept making boxes, and improving them as I went. To date, I’ve sold over $4.5 million dollars worth of Nokboxes (in 2.5 years). My house is still Nokbox Headquarters!
I think the world should know about the Nokbox. It’s an amazing organizational tool, no matter what your age. It covers everything for you (and you’ll feel great when you have it done–you’ll always be able to find things you need), and it is a tremendous gift to your NOK. There’s nothing else like it on the market!
Can you open up about how you funded your business?
My business was started with $50 and some wine and cheese, seriously. I went to an office store, bought some supplies, and then invited a group of willing friends over for snacks, drinks, and to assemble some Nokbox prototypes. I offered the boxes for presale the following day, sold 100 within a couple of days, and have been profitable ever since. I’ve had offers from investors, but to date I’ve never taken any investments, procured any funding, used my own funds, or borrowed any money.
Okay – so how did you figure out the manufacturing part? Did you have prior experience?
Well, I thought my product would be an Esty craft project, so I started by making Nokboxes with folders from the office store and putting labels on every one by hand. By the time I’d put on every label, drop a sheet into every folder, and jam those little plastic tabs into every hanging folder, each box would take about 30 minutes to make. That didn’t count the time it took to print all of the labels and documents, count out 10 key tags for every kit, and stick giant sticker sheets of labels on our zipper bags. When I pre-sold the first 100, I hired every teenager in the neighborhood to come over and build boxes…I had them spread out in every room in the house.
Eventually we found a printer who could help us, and he’s been with us for 2 years. We have a print shop in New Jersey as well, and both of these guys not only print the contents of our kit (which is no easy task), they have teams that hand=collate all of the folders inside the kits. It’s a major operation and we’ve come a long way from the hand-placed stickers on every box (although many of those teenagers still work with us!). I’ve learned that this product is very complex to print…and sometimes I’m thankful for that as it likely keeps competitors at bay.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thenokbox.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenokbox/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNokbox
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-nokbox/
- Twitter: http://twitter.com/TheNokBox1
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPzzU264VmSGxD0ObY_vHtA