Exclusive: CEO and Founder of Rebelstork Emily Hosie's Mission Is to Make Moms 'Feel Confident' in Their Purchases: 'This Is Just the Beginning'

While attending college, Emily Hosie, who is the Founder & CEO, Rebelstork, North America’s largest marketplace for open box and overstock baby gear, saving new and expecting parents up to 50 percent off retail prices, always knew she wanted to be in retail.

"After volunteering for a charity fashion show as a stylist I fell in love with it. I thought if I could spend this much unpaid time interested in something, then this was a path I should follow. I had always wanted to be my own boss, but I knew that wasn’t possible without first working under skilled leaders to learn how to run a business. I spent the first several years of my career working in New York at the best off-price retailers in the world as VP of Merchandising for the Saks Fifth Avenue, Off Fifth. I later returned to Canada to serve as VP of Merchandising for the TJX Companies," Hosie exclusively tells Morning Honey.

When Hosie was pregnant with her first child, she was searching for the "TJ Maxx of baby gear," but she couldn't find anything that fit what she wanted.

"As I started digging into where the returns in the baby gear industry were going and where the excess inventory was being sold, no one seemed to have an answer. Returns currently cost the U.S. retail industry more than $800 billion annually — and the baby gear industry alone makes up around $16 billion of that. It was shocking to think that millions of pieces of simply returned, never used open-box items were going to landfills. That is when I thought to myself, 'If no one else was looking for a more sustainable option in this industry, then I would.' Four years later, Rebelstork is the largest returns recommerce platform for baby gear in North America," she explains of how her company began.

"Our mission at Rebelstork is to make Parenting Lighter™. We are the largest shopping destination for open box returns and overstock baby gear in North America. Making it easy for parents to save money while shopping sustainably every day," she adds.

As the Founder and CEO of Rebelstork, she focuses "on leading our strong company culture, and shaping the long-term vision for our brand while ensuring that my leaders have the necessary resources they need to execute our strategy," she shares. "A big part of my day-to-day is problem-solving and making decisions that help us scale efficiently while maintaining our core values."

"I also work closely with all our teams — whether it’s marketing, partnerships, or operations — to ensure we’re aligned and all moving in the right direction. I’m deeply involved in building and fostering our company culture, empowering the team to feel motivated and excited by their work. It’s all about creating an environment where people can do their best work while staying agile as we grow," she continues.

So far, the feedback from customers has been "amazing," and it's what keeps her and her staff "motivated" to continue helping others.

"We often hear how thrilled our customers are with the quality of the products they are purchasing — often saying they look brand new — and at prices they didn’t expect to find. It’s that 'wow' moment we always hope to spark!" she says.

Ultimately, Hosie is "most proud of the impact we've been able to make, both for our customers and the environment."

"As the only Certified B Corp in the returns recommerce industry, Rebelstork is leading the way in combining business success with social responsibility. Seeing how we’ve grown a community where parents can access high-quality baby gear at a fraction of the cost while making more sustainable choices is incredibly rewarding. Not only are we making Parenting Lighter™ but we have also kept upwards of 12 million pounds of baby gear from landfills annually," she says. "I’m also really proud of the team we’ve built. It’s a privilege to work with such a passionate, driven group of people who believe in what we’re doing and are constantly pushing to make Rebelstork better every day. Watching the company evolve while staying true to our values is something that I’m truly grateful for."

Hosie has found some learning curves along the way, especially when she first started. Though Rebelstork was "disrupting" an industry, she knew the company could "only thrive if we were able to influence brands and retailers to change their traditional practices and adopt new ways of operating to partner with us," she says.

Since then, "we have invested a significant amount of resources into technology and educating new partners on the positive benefits that the circular economy has. Over the past four years, we’ve helped over 2,500 brands and retailers adopt our sustainable, returns recommerce model," she states.

At the end of the day, Hosie hopes Rebelstork can "make life a little bit lighter for parents."

"We all know how overwhelming it can be when you’re trying to find the right baby gear, especially with how fast kids grow and the costs that come with it. I want moms to feel confident in their purchases, knowing they are getting quality products without the stress of overpaying or contributing to waste," she says. "At Rebelstork, our goal is to create a positive environmental impact by addressing the growing returns crisis. One of the biggest ways we aim to help the planet is by diverting millions of pounds of baby gear from landfills each year. By offering a recommerce solution that extends the lifecycle of open-box and overstock products, we’re reducing waste and encouraging more sustainable consumer behavior. It’s a win for retailers, consumers and the environment!"

"This is really just the beginning for Rebelstork! We’ve already made a big impact in the baby gear space, but there’s so much more we will be doing to expand our reach and further our mission. The sky's the limit!" she concludes.