SURPRISE RIDE

FOUNDERS, DONNA + ROSIE KHALIFE

In 2017 we met with Donna + Rosie Khalife who invented, Surprise Ride, a box of activities for young children.

Watching their then-six-year-old nephew play on an iPad, Donna Khalife, 31, and her sister Rosy, 24, wondered if there was some way to get more children to put down their devices and try other types of play.

“We asked, `What are some of the ways we can engage them in the real world?’” says Donna.

Their brainstorming resulted in Surprise Ride, a company that sells subscription gift boxes for children. After launching to the public in a beta phase in May 2013, the Washington, D.C.-based fi rm shipped more than 40,000 boxes and now brings in more than $1 million in annual sales. Along the way, the duo appeared on Shark Tank last season. “That gave us a huge boost and put us on the map,” says Donna.

Their brainstorming resulted in Surprise Ride, a company that sells subscription gift boxes for children. After launching to the public in a beta phase in May 2013, the Washington, D.C.-based fi rm shipped more than 40,000 boxes and now brings in more than $1 million in annual sales. Along the way, the duo appeared on Shark Tank last season. “That gave us a huge boost and put us on the map,” says Donna.