Roozt is a Los Angeles-based social business that sells cause-oriented products, while also contributing a portion of profits to benefit a monthly cause. Operating under the tagline Cool products. Inspiring Brands. Real Impact. Roozt lets customers shop for products, learn how each item will benefit the world, and earn rewards for sharing discoveries.
The idea for the business came after Brent Freeman's successful international trading company collapsed along with the economy in 2008. At this point he had already learned firsthand -- and from his many wealthy clients -- that money can't buy happiness, yet is still essential. He wanted to give back to society while still making a decent living, and just as he was trying to figure out if that was possible, he met TOMS shoes founder, Blake Mycoskie.
Freeman was impressed his scalable business model -- Mycoskie had started a for-profit business with a social mission, giving one pair of shoes to someone in need for every pair of TOMS shoes sold.
Shortly after, Freeman discovered other social entrepreneurs who were running successful businesses while making a positive social impact. Inspired, he partnered with Norma LaRosa and Nick Reder to create their own social enterprise: they would find brands and products with a positive social tie, like TOMS, and sell them from one place.
In the fall of 2010, Roozt.com was launched, targeting cause-conscious Gen Y consumers.
Now a year later, the model is evolving to no longer be restricted to deals, allowing customers to peruse social enterprise brand catalogues, learn about their causes, shop and earn rewards for sharing. Roozt will be relaunching in the coming weeks.
Contact Information
Roozt website
Roozt blog
Roozt on Twitter
Roozt on Facebook
Cause-Oriented Deals
Roozt Lets You Support Social Enterprise Brands and Products
Trend Themes
1. Cause-oriented Shopping - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop a platform that curates and sells cause-oriented products, while also contributing profits to social causes.
2. Social Enterprise Brands - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create a marketplace that showcases different social enterprise brands and allows customers to learn about their causes.
3. Rewards for Sharing - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Build a system that rewards customers for sharing their discoveries of cause-oriented products and brands.
Industry Implications
1. E-commerce - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Integrate a cause-oriented shopping platform into the e-commerce industry to tap into the growing trend of socially conscious consumers.
2. Social Entrepreneurship - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop tools and resources for social entrepreneurs to promote their brands and products to a wider audience and achieve greater social impact.
3. Marketing and Advertising - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create innovative marketing and advertising strategies to promote cause-oriented shopping experiences and increase customer engagement.