Selectees – Project Elevate

Glow Recipe

Glow Recipe is a clean, fruit-forward, clinically effective skincare brand for glowing skin, sold at Sephora and glowrecipe.com. Co-founded by Sarah Lee and Christine Chang, the brand advocates for real skin acceptance, sustainability, and empowerment.

“Meeting with leaders from teams like the Ad Sales Communications for Disney, was incredibly insightful in expanding our views outside of beauty, pressure-testing our ideas with them, and learning best practices for advertising platforms that we hadn’t tested prior to working with Disney.”

Sarah Lee & Christine Chang, Founders of Glow Recipe

CAVO

CAVO is a home and lifestyle brand based in San Francisco, founded in June 2020 by two sisters, Femi and Naomi Adeyemo. We make soy, non-toxic, eco-friendly, good smells with a curated playlist paired for each scent.

“We’ve found the educational portions of the program most beneficial. The communication portion really opened our eyes to the importance of emphasizing our brand story and values. The research portion was also very beneficial in helping us hone in on our audience and how to best reach them. We were given actionable steps and information that we could employ immediately”

Femi & Naomi Adeyemo, Founders of CAVO

Janet & Jo.

Janet & Jo. is a multi-award winning nail lacquer company named after founder, Kendra Woolridge’s two grandmothers—Janet and Jo. Through Janet & Jo. you can experience beauty without compromise, as all Janet & Jo. nail lacquers are free of the harmful ingredients and carcinogens commonly found in nail polishes.

“It’s the dedication and passion from the team that makes this program so effective. I think the program is very well rounded in the scope of marketing and storytelling, which sets Project Elevate apart from other programs I’ve participated in.”

Kendra Woolridge, Founder of Janet & Jo.

ESTAS

ESTAS which stands for Every Scar Tells A Story was founded by Cristina Beltran and Alejandra Thompson, who both have a number of scars from various surgeries. At age 24, Cristina went into sudden cardiac arrest and later underwent an open-heart triple bypass surgery, leaving her with a six-inch scar down her chest. Alejandra has two c-section scars. Frustrated with the lack of skincare products dedicated to treating scars, they came together to develop a luxury scarcare routine rooted in the belief and desire that scars should be properly cared for and celebrated.

“It has been incredible to have the opportunity to work with some of the best teams in the industry as a young start-up. We are forever grateful and humbled by the opportunity. It was also been amazing having the Project Elevate leaders as mentors, we think of them as family.”

Cristina Beltran and Alejandra Thompson, Founders of Estas Beauty

Sneakky Klean

Sneakky Klean envisions a world where people can easily and conveniently extend the life of their sneakers and keep them looking their best, while also reducing waste and protecting the environment. We believe that everyone should be able to enjoy their sneakers for years to come, without having to worry about the environmental impact of their care. We offer a variety of sustainable options, such as our eco-friendly cleaning products and our sneaker recycling program.

“Project Elevate surpassed my expectations, Disney’s initiative has opened doors for small businesses, granting access to invaluable tools and connections. The knowledge gained from this program will undoubtedly have a profound impact on our businesses, our lives, and the lives of our team members and their families. Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

Devonn Vidal, Founder of Sneakky Clean

Niramaya

Niramaya is an Indian-Inspired food company deeply focused on highlighting the incredible nutrition that heritage driven cooking packs into homestyle Indian recipes. Their jars of dips are bursting with homestyle, streetstyle flavors and will soon be available in natural and organic retail store locations throughout the US. With no cooking requirements, anyone can enjoy these dips at any time of the day – just: dip, scoop or spread.

QHUE LIFESTYLE

Qhue is a dynamic and innovative brand rooted in the vibrant intersection of fragrance, fashion, beauty, and art. Founded with a passion for celebrating individuality and cultural diversity, Qhue Lifestyle offers a curated selection of premium products designed to enhance everyday life with style and sophistication.

“Learning how to strategically delegate, build a team, and lean into systems gave me a renewed belief in my ability to grow Qhue beyond myself.”

Quentin Hernandez, Founder of Qhue Lifestyle

NOMADS SWIMWEAR

Nomads Swimwear creates luxe, sustainable swim and resort wear in sizes XS-5X. It is the trailblazing solution to glaring size-inclusivity and sustainability problems in the premium swimwear market.

Through my experience as a designer and plus-size model, I’ve seen how exclusionary the fashion industry can be. My passion for enacting change inspired me to create a swimwear brand that was everything I didn’t see on the market; luxe, size-inclusive, sustainable, and timeless. I hope that Nomads will lead the charge and inspire the fashion industry to design inclusively because it is important and the right thing to do.

“Project Elevate helped me become more confident in speaking up. Having the creative has been incredibly valuable in showcasing us in an elevated light.”

Taylor Long, Founder of Nomads Swimwear

Mabï Artisanal Tea

Mabï Artisanal Tea’s story is a compelling blend of history, tradition, and modern wellness. Rooted in a 200-year-old Caribbean beverage tradition, Mabï has evolved from a drink of necessity to a symbol of health and cultural preservation.

“Project Elevate gave us a renewed feeling of support, and it helped our investors feel like this was a great thing for us and our business.”

Erica Ortiz and Jerry Robert Grammont, Founders of Mabï Artisanal Tea

HA’A & CO.

Nostalgic Scents of Hawai’i by HA’A & CO. started as Mother’s Day gifts for my beloved mom and aunties. We are a home and body fragrance line that captures Hawaii’s beloved flowers and the essence of local luxury. By staying true to each flower’s natural aroma we hope to bring our customers back to their “keiki day” (childhood) memories, a loved one, or your cherished Hawaiian vacation.

“Disney Advertising’s unwavering support, mentorship, and encouragement opened doors to opportunities I never imagined possible and fueled my drive to overcome challenges and reach key milestones.”

Maliana Hamada, Founder of HA’A & CO.

POOFY ORGANICS

At Poofy Organics our mission is to provide humanity with clean, sustainable beauty, personal care and household products that are good for the entire family and planet. We are committed to expanding the use of organic ingredients and maintaining organic certification on products our customers know and love.

During the campaign flight:

52% increase in returning customers
21% increase in new customers
282.7% increase in Instagram followers

“We loved the hands-on mentorship from the Disney experts and the invaluable insights gained. We now look differently at how we tell our story, and we are better equipped to refine our marketing approach and enhance our brand strategy. This will strengthen our business and prepare us to build stronger.”

Auclair Walters and Ana Osuna, Owners of Poofy Organics

IWI NAILS

Iwi Nails was born of a desire to see more of MY culture and identity reflected in the beauty industry. I started to create ʻāina inspired nail designs – designs that were based off of anything that fed me spiritually, mentally and physically. I was finally able to have nail designs that reflected my perspectives – and eventually I was able to share that feeling of belonging with my community.

During the campaign flight:

250% increase in sales
236% increase in online visitors outside Hawaii
298% increase in Instagram followers

“It really helped me to feel like a leader – the staff always reinforced that it is MY business and that we need to ensure that MY vision and brand values are executed, when sometimes I just give in to be easy. But the team really supported me to speak my mind and be a leader for my company.”

Līhau Willing, Founder of IWI Nails

BULLTUG

At BULLTUG, we see ourselves as a company that’s led by dogs and managed by people. Our loyal network of toy tester pups call the shots — and we take notes. Then, we design and deliver feature-packed dog toys that are unique and engaging.

During the campaign flight:

25% increase in sales
Website sessions grew 35-40%
Outreach from new retailers to stock product in-store

“Project Elevate helped us think more clearly about how to build campaigns from start to finish. It reinforced a more structured, data-informed approach, with a strong focus on compliance, impact, and effective storytelling.”

Andres Hinestrosa and Ana Knotschke, Founders of Bulltug

Alumni Corner

Here Are Our Success Stories

Glow Recipe

CAVO

Janet & Jo.

ESTAS

Sneakky Klean

Niramaya

QHUE LIFESTYLE

NOMADS SWIMWEAR

Mabï Artisanal Tea

HA’A & CO.

POOFY ORGANICS

IWI NAILS

BULLTUG