Image Source: 123 Baby Box: Monthly Infant And Baby Subscription Box
Welcome back to the Sunstone Way, and congratulations to Spain for winning the World Cup championship. It took defeating the best of the best from around the world to get the job done.
This type of long-term success requires talent and creativity. It also takes perseverance – the ability to work hard for a long time to reach an important goal.
That’s part of our secret sauce here at Sunstone. We have stick-to-it-edness. And we celebrate that trait in our founder-partners. A perfect example is Zarina Bahadur, founder and CEO of 123 Baby Box.
Step by Step
Babies learn to walk one step at a time – founders learn in much the same way. I’ve had the pleasure and honor to watch Bahadur grow and evolve her business over six years now, and I am impressed.
This journey started at the University of California, Irvine, where Bahadur earned a master’s degree in Innovation and Entrepreneurship. She created 123 Baby Box at the same time, working in UCI’s Wayfinder Incubator and winning the New Venture Competition at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business (now called the Stella Zhang New Venture Competition).
We discovered Bahadur – and she discovered us – when she applied to be in a cohort at the Long Beach Accelerator. Our founder John Shen helped launch LBA, and we partnered as a seed investor with many of the companies working through that program – including 123 Baby Box.
Evolution
123 Baby Box began as a mail subscription business providing parents with curated educational toys and supplies for infants to 3-year-olds. Bahadur grew her business with attention to detail for customers and evolving the content of her boxes.
She also continued to participate in incubators, accelerators and seminars to expand her knowledge in business approaches and in her chosen area of early childhood development. While maintaining her core business of subscriptions for monthly Baby Boxes, she pivoted into a new endeavor – her own toy line. Here’s what she had to say about that effort.
“We created our toy line because we wanted to make Montessori-inspired learning more accessible to families. Every product is thoughtfully designed to encourage hands-on, developmental play using sustainably sourced wood, giving children the opportunity to build confidence, creativity, and essential early learning skills. Seeing our toys on the shelves of children’s museums, toy stores, and retailers across the country – including Orange County’s own Discovery Cube – is incredibly rewarding, and we’re excited to continue expanding our retail presence so even more families can experience the joy of purposeful play.”
The wholesale toy branch of 123 Baby Box continues to grow thanks to targeted marketing and networking, according to the company’s quarterly report to investors.
Latest Foundation
Just last month, Zarina grabbed the brass ring for female founders. She was named a 2026 Tori Burch Foundation Fellow – one of only 120 women nationwide. As a fellow, Zarina will gain access to expert resources and strategic support in the flourishing community of entrepreneurs created by fashion entrepreneur and philanthropist Tory Burch.
“Being selected as a Tory Burch Foundation Fellow is an incredible honor,” Zarina said. “The Fellowship is a highly selective program that brings together some of the country’s most promising women entrepreneurs, so I’m truly grateful to be part of this inspiring community. I’m especially excited for the opportunity to learn from and be mentored by Tory Burch herself – a founder who built a billion-dollar global brand.”
This kind of mentoring is a core component of the Sunstone Way – it creates a community where partnership is key. We’re proud to continue to walk alongside Zarina in her journey. She is putting in the work, positioning herself to win the World Cup as the best in her field.
Now that’s the Sunstone Way!
And remember to always be a Sunstone.
John Keisler
CEO & Managing Partner
Sunstone
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Sunstone Investment Group, headquartered in Southern California, is the holding company for the Sunstone family of entities, including: Sunstone Investment Management Services, responsible for administrative services; Sunstone Advisors, an SEC-registered investment adviser, which oversees Sunstone Venture Partners LLC, a private capital fund manager; Sunstone Cities, a government economic development consulting firm; and Sunstone Community Fund, a charitable organization that supports entrepreneurship. Sunstone is dedicated to enriching lives through investment, entrepreneurship, and community. Email us at contact@sunstoneinvestment.com.
©Sunstone, 2026