NBA Player Donovan Mitchell Will Donate $45,000 To Fund the Education of Jacob Blake’s Children
The latest round of protests has been centered around the police shooting that took place in Kenosha, Wisconsin, when a police officer shot an unarmed Black man in the back seven times as it was caught on video. Jacob Blake, who is paralyzed from the waist down due to the shooting, was shot in front of his three children while they were in his vehicle. NBA basketball player Donovan Mitchell has vowed to financially help Blake’s children with the sales from his latest sneaker release according to The Hill.
The Utah Jazz guard will be donating $45,000 toward the education of Blake’s children. Sneaker company adidas has agreed to match his donation to bring the total of the funds to be given to the Blake children to $90,000.
The basketball player took to Instagram to announce to his more than 3 million followers last week.
“This one is different for me. For the first 45 hours of the #DONISSUE2 spidey-sense drop, I will be donating $45k of the proceeds to support the education of Jacob Blake’s children. I’ve also partnered with Adidas who will match my donation for a total of $90k. #createdwithadidas@adidashoops@marvel
Blake’s three sons are 3, 5, and 8-years-old. They were in the backseat of a car when they witnessed Kenosha police officer Rusten Sheskey shoot their father seven times in his back.
Donovan Mitchell will donate $45k in proceeds from sales of the D.O.N. Issue #2 to a college scholarship fund for the children of Jacob Blake. adidas will match that donation, for a total of $90k #BlackLivesMatter#promotion
Barack Obama Advised NBA Players LeBron James and Chris Paul During Brief Walkout, Convinces Postseason Return
After the Milwaukee Bucks refused to take the court in their playoff game against the Orlando Magic last week to protest the police shooting of Jacob Blake, the NBA canceled all remaining playoff games that day. With players upset about the systemic racism and constant police brutality issues against Black people, the season looked like it was up in the air and may not resume. According to ESPN, the former president of the United States, Barack Obama, had given NBA players advice on how to proceed to push for social justice initiatives while encouraging the players to also continue to play the game of basketball.
From earlier reports, there was a divide among the players on whether to stop playing the season to continue to protest the systemic racism this country has displayed for hundreds of years. Yet, there were many who felt that playing the games would also help send the message that needs to be heard.
Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James and Los Angeles Clippers’ Chris Paul reached out to Obama to get his take on what the players should collectively do.
Obama had advised the players to return to play while seizing the opportunity to work with the league and the owners to help identify and implement actionable items to affect positive and productive change.
Katie Hill, a spokeswoman for Obama, issued a statement last week: “As an avid basketball fan, President Obama speaks regularly with players and league officials. When asked he was happy to provide advice on Wednesday night to a small group of NBA players seeking to leverage their immense platforms for good after their brave and inspiring strike in the wake of Jacob Blake’s shooting. They discussed establishing a social justice committee to ensure that the players’ and league’s actions this week led to sustained, meaningful engagement on criminal justice and police reform.”
Earlier last week, the former president commended NBA and WNBA players and Los Angeles Clippers coach, Doc Rivers, for their stance against systemic racism.
I commend the players on the @Bucks for standing up for what they believe in, coaches like @DocRivers, and the @NBA and @WNBA for setting an example. It’s going to take all our institutions to stand up for our values. pic.twitter.com/rUGETgAt7P
Americans Have Saved Nearly $91 Billion From Working From Home, Report Says
Since the spread of COVID-19, or the novel coronavirus, in the United States, many companies have been forced to close their offices to prevent the transmission of the virus among their workforce. The change has completely reshaped corporate cultures as more companies plan on working from home until 2021. Now, a new study shows that not driving to work has saved Americans close to $91 billion.
The study, done by economist Adam Ozimek of Upwork, explores shifts in corporate structures and workers since the COVID-19 pandemic started. “Since the onset of COVID-19 and the massive shift to remote work, however, many are considering life without a commute,” Ozimek wrote in the study.
“To understand the impact of remote work on commutes, we surveyed 1,000 people currently working from home to see how much time they are saving sans commute. Of this group, 31.4% are working from home due to COVID and 15% were working from home prior to COVID.” The data shows that the average American worker saved $2,000 each from trading in their commute for a home office.
“Of the COVID remote workers, 86% report having previously commuted by car and are now saving, on average, 46.3 minutes per day,” he adds. “Altogether, we estimate that those post-COVID remote workers are saving 32.9 million hours of car commuting per day.”
It also has an economic effect: The study estimates that for every day of the pandemic, $183 million was saved in fuel plus the costs of car maintenance and repairs; $164 million in costs associated with pollution, congestion, and accidents; and $411 million as the value of time saved. That’s $758 million a day saved by workers who used to drive to the office, or more than $90 billion since mid-March for those car commuters now working from home.
Despite the savings, cities are hurting from the shift in the area of public transportation that has seen a sharp drop since the pandemic started and social distancing was implemented. In New York City, the MTA announced that they need $12 billion in aid from the federal government or they will have to reduce their operation by 40% to 50% by the end of the year.
“Expenses cannot be reduced quickly and significantly enough to offset the 40% reduction in revenue we have experienced and are expecting,” the MTA said in a statement, according to The Hill.
With Safety A Top Concern, 60% Of U.S. Companies Requiring Face Masks As Employees Return To Work
Face masks could become standard as people go back to work. Masks will be part of the employee dress code at 60% of U.S companies as offices reopen, a new Clutch survey shows.
Along with the masks, the post-COVID-19 office also will likely feature socially distant seating arrangements (71%) and sanitation stations installed throughout the space (60%). The key is that requiring face masks will be a necessary first step for companies beginning to reopen offices, Clutch concluded.
A ratings and review firm, Clutch’s 2020 Return to Work Survey included 400 U.S. workers.
What shocked Clutch Editorial Manager Shelby Jordan most about the survey findings was that a lot of news coverage framed mask requirements as somewhat of a polarizing topic, but “our data showed strong support. With 60% of companies planning to require masks in the office, and nearly a third of employees ranking them as a top priority, face masks seem more widely supported than I’d expected.”
Some 82% of the U.S. workforce expects its company to apply careful measures before asking employees to return. From socially distant seating to childcare and transportation accommodations, companies are demonstrating a commitment to safety, given employee health is linked to performance.
The survey also asked if people even want to return to work. About 20% want to return as soon as possible, but 28% are hesitant to go back right away and hoping to wait until September or next year. Some 15% of workers don’t want to return to an office at all, while 39% have already returned.
Avoiding the spread of COVID-19 appears to be top of mind for workers and employers, an expanded Clutch survey shows. For many people, safety is the top concern. And remote work works for some but not others. For working parents, it may be difficult to focus with kids in the house. Some employees may feel more productive out of the office, yet others find it more distracting. Working from home also lends itself to additional flexibility but can prove more challenging for a stable work-life balance.
The encouraging news is 9 out of 10 companies are already taking steps to create a safe environment for employees. Clutch found that 91% of employers have implemented at least one of the precautionary measures. The top three most common measures are: social distance mandates (71%), face covering requirements (60%), and improved hygiene practices (60%).
Loft & Bear Carves Out Niche as History-Making, Artisanal Black Vodka Brand
Loft & Bear is the brainchild of Paul Ryan Elliott, an East coast native and one of few Black distillery owners in the country. Elliott learned the art of distilling when his family’s construction company fell on hard times. While unemployed and living in Silver Spring, Maryland, Elliott was faced with the decision to go back to school or continue with his distilling hobby. After careful deliberation, he decided to put his business school plans on hold and instead devoted several years to focused business planning.
During the summer of 2014, in a loft in downtown Los Angeles, Loft & Bear artisanal vodka was born—hence, the name. A notable part of wine and spirits history, Loft & Bear distillery is the second-ever to be located within Los Angeles city limits since the “noble experiment” called Prohibition.
Today Elliott continues to work toward fulfilling long-term, sustainable success and is encouraged by the opportunity to bring inclusivity and diversity of thought to the beverage alcohol industry. Loft & Bear’s commitment to social awareness is seen in its “Distill.Drink.Donate” program, in which 5% of Loft & Bear profits are donated to PATH, a charity aimed at ending homelessness and providing support for distressed families, veterans affairs, and human services throughout Southern California.
Not surprisingly, Elliott and his award-winning vodka have been featured by numerous major media outlets including Wine Enthusiast (40 Under 40), the Los Angeles Times, US Weekly, and more.
BLACK ENTERPRISE sat down with Elliott to discuss the finer details of his artisanal vodka brand and the nuances of his entrepreneurial journey.
Tell us about your vodka and what distinguishes it as a premium, artisanal brand.
Is it too corny to say it is crafted with love? It’s definitely been a labor of love. My desire for developing Loft & Bear was to create a spirit that was approachable, “easy on the eyes and palate” in terms of its flavor profile and ethos. I’ve been fortunate enough to share my personal creativity with the world as our vodka expression: Loft & Bear. We’ve been characterized as smooth, subtle but sweet, and a hands-down favorite for developing cocktails. I found early on that the softer the wheat grains, the more balanced and gentle the mouthfeel. As cocktails generally constitute an element of citrus, we feel the slight alkalinity of our water base is not only more healthy, but also balances out citrus cocktails quite nicely.
I’ve been blessed with tremendous support since Loft & Bear’s inception. As the industry expands and increasing value is placed on diverse consumers, I’m excited to see the growth in equity and ownership amongst Black founders. I believe we currently represent less than 2% of the brand owners within the alcoholic beverage space. In an industry dominated by major market players, my biggest hurdle since day one has always been accessible, consistent capital. While this has been an ongoing challenge for my team, it also presents a great opportunity for up-and-coming Black and minority founders with moon-sized visions of changing the space. I’m likewise encouraged to see more interest and opportunities for Black founders to execute their visions via new initiatives with Constellation and Uncle Nearest, for example. To achieve larger-than-life goals requires collaboration with strong partners and mentors, as well as a departure from some of the traditional industry norms.
Loft & Bear Distillery in Los Angeles (Photo Credit: Caroline on Crack)
Where do you see your brand in the next five-10 years?
Bigger, better, stronger, wiser! As we grow our core spirit selection and continue to innovate around experiences for our customers, one area that we see ourselves owning is the high-end RTD [ready to drink] segment. These products deliver high-quality, convenient, and unique experiences to consumers. In what we internally refer to as the “full-circle” consumer, we’re confident that our products and broader goal to enhance the beverage alcohol experience through innovation and diversity of thought will shine through.
Where can fellow vodka enthusiasts find your delectable wares?
The boutique culinary scene is responsible for much of Loft & Bear’s success and early adoption. We often find shared values with these establishments in terms of curating an amazing customer experience and building a sense of community. We’re currently growing our national distribution footprint within the U.S. and are currently available at regional retail chains such as BevMo, Raley’s, ABC, Bristol Farms, Pavilions, Cost Plus, and others. We also invite clients to shop online via our website to discover distribution partners that deliver to multiple states within the U.S. as well.
(Image: Loft & Bear vodka/File)
You’ve listed a number of fascinating signature cocktails on your website, each of which uses fresh, native Bahamian ingredients to set it off. What are some delicious traditional pairings you can share with us?
•Conch Salad + Sky Full of Stars (L&B vodka-based twist on a local classic made from sweetened condensed milk)*
•Caribbean Lobster + Rose Mango Smash (Mango)*
•Boiled Fish + Lemongrass Switcha (Lemongrass)*
•Jerk Chicken + In Exile (Smoked Pineapple)*
*Signature Bahamian ingredient
‘Mixology in motion’ (Image: Courtesy of Loft & Bear)
What is your best advice for someone set on breaking into this industry?
There’s a funny saying, “If you hang around the barbershop enough, you’re bound to get a haircut.” Is it possible that breaking into the industry is just as simple as that—submerging yourself in the business and beginning to ask the right questions? I believe this is where you begin to identify the evolving needs of consumers and customer pain points. That very attentiveness could be the key to unique value creation for those looking to break into the industry. There’s something alluring about an unforgettable imbibing experience; these amazing moments with friends and family are what could give birth to unique opportunities to have a positive effect on the industry. Improve every day and learn the business, then you have a genuine shot at doing something great!
What is your big picture vision for adding value, beyond your excellent contributions to the wine and spirits industry?
By leveraging the strength of our brand, which is supported by our core values, we have a unique opportunity to influence large-scale social change and become the voice of a generation destined to shape the future.
What do you want people to know most about your vodka?
We’ve been referenced as a “whiskey drinker’s vodka.” We believe in our artisanal quality and craftsmanship, which boasts a flavor built for sipping. Our bear is a symbol of strength; a passion for making a stronger tomorrow. As a society, we pride ourselves on the concept of building a better future and that is at the core of Loft & Bear’s values. This is a labor of love that everyone deserves to experience firsthand, so we invite vodka drinkers everywhere to sip and enjoy this phenomenal journey with us. Cheers!
This EdTech Founder Is On A Mission To Make Sure Every Kid Has Access To A Computer
As the co-founder and chief marketing officer of edtech startup Tanoshi, a company that makes affordable laptops for kids, Lisa Love is working hard to make sure all children—especially those from underrepresented communities—have the technology they need to succeed.
Love spent most of her career as a corporate marketing strategist for brands like Heinz and Del Monte before striking out on her own as an entrepreneur.
“Being an entrepreneur is in your blood,” she says. “You either love taking the risks and going on that roller coaster ride, or you like a corporate position, working for other people and having that stability. I knew early on that I wanted to own my own business.”
After grad school at Clark Atlanta, Love planned to give corporate life 10 years. “But 10 years turned out to be 15 years and then 20 years and at some point I’m just like, OK, I’m gonna do it or I’m not. I didn’t want that ‘what if’ dwelling for the rest of my life.”
Love worked with and even co-founded multiple startups before “getting it right” with her current company, in edtech. In some ways, she seems destined for the role, having inherited a belief in the importance of early education from her mother, and a passion for technology from her father, an engineer.
“My mom taught in the Los Angeles Unified School District for 50 years. She taught in South Central; she taught mainly Black children. There were definitely inequities in the education system. Growing up with that, it just rubbed off on me,” Love says.
“I guess I took both of their talents and combined them into one because now I’m in education technology, edtech. So it all worked out.”
It was actually her mother’s work that led Love to her co-founder, Brad Johnston, the CEO of Tanoshi.
“We don’t always learn the same ways that white kids learn, right? And my mom knew that. Some of this material that’s out there, it just doesn’t resonate with our folks. So when she was teaching the kids, she had to put her own spin on it.”
Love’s mother has a singing background, and she developed her own teaching materials that incorporated music, rhymes, rhythm, and beats. She also created a way to teach typing to her kindergartners, which she is now developing as an app—at the age of 83.
“I was at a pitch contest here in the Bay Area. And I heard Brad, who started the company, pitch Tanoshi the computer. When I saw him pitch it I was like oh my gosh, this would be great for my mom’s typing app,” Love continues. “So after the contest I went up to him, started talking to him about it, we exchanged numbers, and one thing led to another.”
The edtech startup’s mission is straightforward: to provide all children with equal opportunities and to bridge the digital divide with its affordable and age-appropriate computers.
“The inequities, the systemic challenges, have always been there. But with the pandemic, it just widens the gap. 50 million kids are now trying to learn at home. The kids that are most affected are, of course, the low-income kids that can’t afford devices, they can’t afford computers, they don’t have internet connection,” she says.
“And that’s where we’ve come in with our computer, the Tanoshi 2-in-1. It’s an affordable computer—it’s under $200—and with a lot of the apps that are preloaded, you don’t need a Wi-Fi connection.”
Love puts it simply: “Everyone needs a computer, not just the affluent families’ kids, but everyone needs a computer to to level the playing field. That’s our whole mission.”
Lisa Love and the Tanoshi team with local students (Image: Facebook/Tanoshi)
The work that Tanoshi does to make sure all communities, especially low income ones, aren’t left out of the digital future, extends beyond selling hardware.
“We do free kids coding workshops,” Love says. “We’ve done several fifth grade classes in East Oakland. And if you could see the kids when we are teaching them coding, their eyes light up. I mean, they love to code, and they want more.”
The workshops have heightened Love’s awareness of the inequality that exists in neighboring school districts.
“It’s just really sad because we also go into Silicon Valley. And those kids, their parents are engineers. When we ask them who’s coded before, all of them are raising their hands. They’ve done Java and all these different languages. They’re way ahead,” she says.
“But then you go into East Oakland, and a lot of these kids don’t even have a computer at home. So giving them that exposure is critical. It’s so important to expose them at an early age.”
The startup is also giving back by partnering with the nonprofit Be The Change Foundation on a GoFundMe campaign. The money goes directly toward purchasing, so for every $200 raised, Tanoshi will provide a laptop, mouse, and carrying case to one child. So far, more than $12,000 has been pledged.
“Everyone can get involved. You know, Joe Blow can get involved, as well as corporations,” Love says. “We’re raising money, specifically for underrepresented, underserved families that can’t afford computers, especially right now as they head into the new school year.”
As cities across the country figure out their back to school plans, the rise in distance learning, virtual classrooms, and homeschooling because of COVID-19 has reinforced the importance of edtech in general and what Tanoshi does, specifically.
“Everyone is just trying to figure it out, from manufacturers to schools to families. The school systems don’t know what’s going to happen this school year. No one knows. This is completely new territory for everyone,” Love says.
“But I think we sort of have a leg up, simply because we knew that this this needed to happen— that all kids needed computers—and so we’ve been preparing for that.”
18-Year Old to Launch Coffee & Apothecary Shop That Serves as an Incubator For Black Businesses
A barrier-breaking fundraising campaign has launched on Kickstarter by recent high school graduate and entrepreneur, Zachary Hamlett. He aims to open The Hamlett, San Diego’s newest Black-owned coffee and apothecary shop.
Described by Hamlett as “a community hub and incubator promoting Black-owned enterprises and wellness,” the shop will serve fair-trade coffee, specialty drinks, and healthy bites while promoting local commerce and hosting weekly events. Products for sale will include a variety of hard-to-find apothecary herbs, hand made accessories, books, art, and more.
Events will be supported with stadium seating and a stage to feature open mics, workshops, educational lessons, food drives, and networking events for fellow entrepreneurs. With the success of the campaign, the coffee shop will be located at a 1,900 sq ft venue in Lemon Grove and is set to open in January of 2021.
In response to his personal observation of political discord and lack of Black ownership in the Greater San Diego region, Hamlett explains: “Amid another wave of racial injustices against the Black community, I want to be a part of restorative justice by proudly leading my family to be the business owners we wanted to see growing up and to make room for more. My generation and the generations ahead depend on people answering the calls to action.”
Founder of Black-Owned Vegan Soul Food Restaurant Chain to Open 3 New Locations
Tamearra Dyson, the chef and owner of Souley Vegan, an Oakland, California-based Black-owned restaurant that serves vegan soul food meals, is reportedly set to open three new locations in California. As the pandemic continues, the new restaurants will be adapted to take orders for delivery and pick-up.
At the end of July, Souley Vegan will open its location in West Hollywood, followed by a San Francisco location in August, and an additional Oakland location in September. These locations will offer the same menu from its flagship restaurant such as Creole Nachos, Seitan Steaks with Gravy and Mash, Crispy Seitan and Waffles, and OG Southern Fried Tofu.
Opening the new locations is a huge step for Tamearra who decided to leave her medical career to pursue her passion for cooking. In 2007, she started catering and selling food at local events. It was in 2009 when she opened her first restaurant in Downtown Oakland. Now, she is venturing into a new approach to serving food to people.
“I believe the full-service restaurant industry is outdated,” Dyson told VegNews. “This model is something I had been considering for some time and COVID provided the space and time to revisit the idea. Right now my team and I are working diligently to ensure we are providing the same–if not better–experience to our beloved consumers. The goal is to offer the ‘wow’ factor from this perspective that has made us what we are today.”
For more information about Souley Vegan, visit SouleyVegan.com
Entrepreneur Makes History as Founder of One of the First Black Woman-Owned Online K-12 Virtual Schools
Meet Dana Delane-Williams, the owner and founder of American High School, an online virtual school for grades K-12 that has been leading the way in online education in the U.S. for over 18 years. She has made history as one of the only African American women in the country to accomplish this and has committed herself to revolutionizing education to ensure that she gives kids the minimum credentials they need to succeed in life – their high school diploma.
As the effects of the onset of the COVID-19 global pandemic continues to rage on, almost all areas of everyday life have been changed. This truth has led to a paradigm shift in the way we work, interact, and educate students in the U.S. and worldwide. The traditional is now untraditional, with the old path, replaced by a new direction, our new norm.
How it all began
Dana began her foray into teaching classes online while she was an instructor at the University of Kentucky in 1996. It was in 2002 that she created her very first online high school for grades 9-12 with the 24 credits required to graduate, and catering to the homeschool market.
Dana has continued her efforts in creating new and innovative educational pathways since 2002. She has since expanded the school offerings to over 350 online courses to include an accredited online middle school for grades 6-8 and an online elementary school for grades K-5. She went on to create an online adult high school diploma program for those adults who needed to earn their high school diploma for work or college.
She even received NCAA approval, which allows student-athletes who plan to play sports in college on scholarship to attend her NCAA approved school. She continued to innovate and created a Dual Diploma program, in 2016, for her international partner schools/organization’s that allows students to earn a U.S. High School Diploma along with their home country diploma.
A great option for students and other institutions
American High School (AHS) is a comprehensive online/virtual learning school that delivers accredited, affordable, college preparatory, Honors/AP, Gifted, virtual reality, adult education, and career-based online education for Grades K-12 to students throughout the U.S. and Internationally.
Additionally, the school’s online/virtual platform allows public or private schools or organizations, the ability to create their own virtual schools or programs without a significant initial investment. It’s literally a virtual school in a box that can be deployed within 7-14 days.
AHS’s proprietary curriculum, learning management systems, and educational services are designed to facilitate individualized and personalized learning for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. AHS works with over 150 plus public or private schools throughout the United States and in over twenty-seven countries worldwide.
American High School offers the following in online education:
• Provides an excellent, well-rounded, proven online/virtual curriculum for Grades K-12.
• Fully accredited by leading agencies such as Cognia (formerly AdvancED and SACS). AdvancED is the unified organization of the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI). As well as accredited by AI (Accreditation International).
• Students earn a high school diploma online from an accredited school. The diploma is fully-recognized upon graduation.
• Individual Course Program allows students to make up credits within 6 – 8 weeks and graduate on time. Includes online credit recovery and online summer school for grades 6-8.
• A diverse student population participates in the AHS programs including athletes, gifted, homeschoolers, actors/actresses, Olympians, traditional, at-risk, remedial, and/or those experiencing problems in the traditional classroom.
Students can enroll online at AmericanHighSchool.org or by contacting an Enrollment Specialist at 866-936-9654.
How This Black-Owned Luxury Luggage Pivoted When Coronavirus Shut Down Travel
Every frequent flier knows the importance of finding the right luggage. For women travelers, and especially those of us who are constantly packing and unpacking for business trips, getting everything we need into one bag that we’d actually want to carry can be a challenge.
Sonja Salmon lived those frustrations firsthand as she criss-crossed the globe for work, from her home base in Toronto to Bermuda, London, Hong Kong, and Switzerland. In 2014, she traded in her day job as a high-flying finance exec to start Ebby Rane, a line of luxury luggage named after her two grandfathers—who were both entrepreneurs in Jamaica.
Black Enterprise caught up with Salmon to talk about what it’s like as a woman designing luggage for the way women travel, and what happens to your business when travelers around the world are grounded.
The idea for your luggage was born of your own frustration as a frequent business traveler.
I had been traveling a lot. And I literally was somebody living out of my suitcase. I felt like the luggage was really unattractive and I wasn’t that proud of it and I didn’t think there was enough variety. How can it be that I just can’t seem to find anything that is refined and polished; everything has a whimsical or kitschy look to it, if it was considered female. And my friends were like, “No, we don’t know of anything either. That’s why we all carry black luggage.”
Was there one moment when you started to think that you could be the solution?
There actually was an aha moment. A girlfriend of mine was having her birthday in Nassau, Bahamas, and she had mentioned to bring your best. I had all my stuff laid out on the bed. I took out my Prada high heeled shoes, I can’t remember what I would have paid for them, and I started zipping them into a Ziploc bag that somebody would have used basically for marinating meat. And I thought, I can’t believe I’m doing this, surely there has to be a better way. That was the first weekend that I sketched out the concept and the business plan.
Ebby Rane Founder Sonja Salmon
As someone with no experience creating products, how did you go about it?
I thought, what would be the wish list? Like if I took off all constraints off, and many times in my career, that’s how I tried to think. The constraints automatically narrow what you think your options and choices are. But in an absolute complete blank canvas, what would be my wish list of what I would want in luggage? I wanted a California Closet on wheels and I wanted a place for everything that I take: gym clothes, wet swimwear, makeup.
Then I took my very rudimentary idea to New York City, and had a focus group. There were about 10 or 12 professional women, all in a boardroom. I had a prototype built out of plywood, which I’m almost embarrassed to admit. I said “Imagine if the same way that you have thoughtfully considered your trench coat, your shoes, your handbag as an accessory to your overall look, that your luggage would be like that. Imagine if we could have a place for everything, for the way women think about packing the things that are important to us.” And we refined it that day. I remember walking out that day and all those women were like “We’re your first customers.” That’s when I knew I had something, because all of them said, “Sign me up. The day this is on the market, I would like mine.”
Then I had to go back and work with a design engineer. And we basically mapped out down to 21 by 14 by 9, how could I keep everything and still have optimal space for packing. So that was the challenge. But we did it.
So you launched a successful luxury luggage line. And then 2020 comes with the coronavirus pandemic.
The business ground to a complete halt. The business was just zero, because it was travel related; there was not a soul that was even going to consider buying luggage. So maybe about two and a half months into the pandemic, we started to have very open discussions about what are we going to do short term, mid term, long term? How are we going to address this? Life has changed. People aren’t traveling the same way. And that’s how the Live Simple collection came about.
Ebby Rane’s luxury carry-ons (Image: Courtesy of Ebby Rane)
The new collection includes items people would use in their everyday trips, such as canvas tote bags, a wine bag, and produce bags. Tell us about the choices behind it.
We knew we wanted to stay in touch with our existing customers who’ve been so loyal. We knew they might not be traveling but we might be able to connect with them on something that would have helped going to the marketplace, taking a walk to the park as things opened up.
And we said let’s do this at an affordable price point. We, like many businesses, may have to consider what does the future look like. Are we going to stay firmly and squarely in the premium space? It actually felt authentic to say, we’re recognizing that the world has changed and we would love to be able to serve a community of women who still appreciate style and beauty and simplicity with the same ethos we’ve always brought to things, but for a different time in life, where we all may be facing a different set of financial circumstances.
You found a way to pivot but still give your customers something simple, sustainable, and a little luxurious.
We always love to bring our little touch of what makes an everyday product special. And it’s usually the attention to detail. That’s always been what we have put time and thought into. We’re just coming out with it, so I can only hope that it’s well received. Only time will tell.
What’s next for the brand?
We would like to extend that collection, in a thought where we bring organization to everyday life with a little bit of beauty. I think there’s a lot of other things to do in that lane that will be helpful for people when they’re out and about town, or even at home. And it seems like a natural evolution for us coming from travel because we were always oriented and grounded and anchored on the philosophy around simple, beautiful, organized. If we expand that beyond travel, we think there’s some exciting things to do.
