Decoding Bottlecode

NU alum Drishay Menon creates skincare startup for men

n the age of Zoom, tion quiz, an algorithm serve men, we serve wom- Menon (Weinberg ‘14), Drishay Menon Drishay Menon matches customers with en, we serve everyone in describes him as an inher(McCormick ‘10) a set of ingredients that between,” Menon said. ently social person. He said people are address their individual Menon’s wife, Amelia said his brother loves to paying attention to their needs. Then, a list of Chen (Weinberg ‘10) help his friends, whether skin now more than ever products is sent to a team describes Menon as a that’s sharing playlists before. But for him, skin- of skincare experts and walking Wikipedia on of music with friends or care has been a lifelong aestheticians, who recom- skincare. figuring out a work-fromjourney. mend a regimen. She notes that it home setup.

Born and raised in “They’re able to put takes resilience, grit, “He just loves recomJakarta, Indonesia, Menon their personalized touch and commitment to be mending solutions and struggled with cystic acne on it,” Menon said. “That successful in the business how to live a happier, growing up. He said the human touch is kind of world, which are facets better life,” Akhil Menon experience damaged his the last layer that we put of Menon’s personality said. “He’s always kind of confidence, but that there on before it’s sent to our that his family and friends been obsessed with that, were causes beyond just and I’m so crazy proud of genetics. him for what he’s doing

“Men don’t necessarily “Men don’t necessarily with Bottlecode.” know how to take care of Drishay Menon said themselves when it comes building Bottlecode reto skincare, grooming, quired taking a step back and some of the problems and seeing how to pull that we face,” Menon said. together data, intuition “We haven’t been allowed and experience. to talk about it, we’ve not For those hoping to been encouraged to talk create a startup, Drishay about it.” Menon recommends

Through sharing figuring out what excites personal experiences with you early on. Honing your razor burns, dark circles, interests, he said, lets you and acne, Menon and his decide what steps to take co-founders Rob McIn- in your career rather than tosh and Jeffrey Meyers customers.” depend on. letting your career decide realized there was a gap Bottlecode hopes to “Whenever we turn for you. in the skincare industry. establish itself as a trusted to him for something, we “It’s a scary experience They drew inspiration and unbiased partner in have full confidence that to trust and believe in from their time working the skincare space as it he’s going to be there, he’s yourself,” Drishay Menon at Trunk Club, a Chica- evolves, Menon said. He going to give the best that said. “I was able to partner go-based company that added that in an indus- he can, and he’s going to with some incredible blends technology with try historically geared be invested in the prob- founders and incredible a personalized clothing towards women, Bottle- lem,” Chen said. “This individuals that also experience, and in 2018, code’s focus on men is not mission of his to help peo- believed in what we were Bottlecode was born. an exclusive one. ple in the way that he can, doing. And we continue

The online skincare “This is one opportu- it’s really woven into the today to put one foot in and personal care retailer nity for us to get towards fabric of what Bottlecode front of the other and try is geared primarily toward men, but the products and is. It comes from a very to build something that men building healthy hab- solutions that we solve genuine place.” we believe should exist in its. After taking a 15-ques- are for everybody. So we His brother, Akhil the world.” ◊

We haven’t been allowed to talk about it, we’ve not been encouraged to talk about it.

Drishay Menon

McCormick ‘10