Meet Joslyn Faust, the Founder and CEO of HeyBamboo, creating eco-luxe bamboo paper products for conscious consumers.
Joslyn’s journey to founding HeyBamboo began during the pandemic when she learned about the environmental impact of traditional toilet paper. As a result, she decided to change her purchasing habits. However, she quickly found the existing eco-friendly options didn’t meet her standards. This sparked the creation of HeyBamboo, a brand that combines sustainability with luxury. Their products feature bamboo cores, recyclable paper wrapping printed with soy-based inks, and paper tape. These details reflect Joslyn’s commitment to environmental responsibility, ensuring that no trees are harmed and no chemicals are used in the manufacturing process.
We asked Joslyn about the founding story behind HeyBamboo, the lessons she’s learned on her entrepreneurial journey, and what lies ahead for her and her company.
Tell us the story behind your company’s founding. How and why did you start working on HeyBamboo?
Before the pandemic, toilet paper rarely crossed my mind. While I try to buy more sustainably in other areas, I just considered toilet paper something that I wasn’t going to compromise for. That changed when I discovered the impact it had on our planet. I had no idea that about 27,000 trees were cut down every day for toilet paper or that it contributed to about 15% of our earth’s deforestation.
I decided that, for my own family, I wanted to change our buying habits. So I started to look for a great sustainable toilet paper brand to use every day. I found that, for most brands, I had to give something up in order to be more eco-friendly. Some rolls were rough and uncomfortable; some rolls were tiny or wrapped in plastic. And all the rolls I tried, even the eco-friendly ones, were bleached, which I prefer not to use on my skin. I wanted a brand that was sustainable, but that was also focused on my wellness and had the softness, thickness, and quality I was looking for. I realized there were others who wanted to make the same impact on the environment that I did but didn’t want to give up on all the values that were important to them. HeyBamboo was born with the idea that we need to make sustainability the easy choice.
What’s one thing you wish you had known before starting HeyBamboo?
If I had to do it again, I would treat the entrepreneurial process as a marathon, not a sprint. One of the hardest things about being a founder is deciding what to focus on and what to tune out. It’s easy to hear the millions of things that a successful founder should do. But most companies don’t have the resources to do everything. I wasted a lot of time and money in the beginning because I was impatient, tried to do too much, and spread myself too thin. I missed things and made some crucial mistakes in hiring, design, and trademark issues. I’ve now learned that the best thing I can do as a founder is to give myself time and space to make the right decisions.
What’s been the most unexpected part of your entrepreneurial journey?
The importance of serendipitous connections. The best thing for a founder to do is be out in the world meeting people and making new connections. You never know who you’ll learn from, who you’ll hire as an agency or partner, or who might help you in your journey. Every time I’ve done a business event or gone to a conference, it has resulted in amazing connections and changes in our business trajectory. There’s power in a community like Dreamers & Doers that lifts each other up and helps each other.
Have you struggled with self-doubt as an entrepreneur? How do you navigate this?
I had always dreamed of starting and running a business, but I never considered myself “ready.” I’ve now learned that nobody feels ready before becoming an entrepreneur for the first time. There is really no amount of preparation you can do for all that goes into being a founder, except jumping in with both feet. It’s definitely scary, and I self-funded, which is doubly scary. But my vision keeps me going. I know the world would benefit by having HeyBamboo out there as a great alternative to traditional toilet paper.
How have you grown as a leader since starting HeyBamboo? What experiences have contributed to this growth?
It’s been one year since I launched, and I barely recognize the entrepreneur I am today. I have emerged as a more confident and focused leader. I still obviously have a lot to learn, but I’m no longer as overwhelmed and scared as I was back then. We’re about to launch new products this summer and setting up new distribution partners now.
What would you tell your younger self if you were to start your entrepreneurial journey all over again?
Get involved with the high-value communities that I’m involved in now. Having the right support network back when I was starting would have made a world of difference. I would also tell myself to try to launch as part of a CPG accelerator program. There are a few out there that I didn’t know about when I launched. Being part of a group like that would have saved me from all the mistakes and headaches that I went through.
How would you describe the journey you’ve had in a few sentences?
Like bringing another baby into the world. It’s the hardest thing but also the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. Funny enough that is what I think about parenthood as well. This year, HeyBamboo is primed for big changes and growth with products, partnerships, and distribution. I honestly can’t wait to see what the future holds.
