Episode 62: Creating a Better Life Through Bags with Rebecca Smith

Created for This with Danielle Roberts

Better Life Bags started when Rebecca made herself a diaper bag. When friends and family prompted her to start making them to sell, she started an Etsy shop. She loved giving part of the proceeds of the bags she sold to a company called Kiva loans which allows you to pick a woman to sponsor in a 3rd world company through a microloan. She would add the picture of the woman she was sponsoring to the bag when she sent it to the purchaser so they could learn about the woman who was being sponsored through their bag.

Rebecca and her family moved to Hamtramck, MI where there's a large migrant population. When she started to get too many orders, she looked around the neighborhood and figured out who it was that she would be able to hire. She hired her friend Nadia who was from Yemen. Because of that work, her friend was able to buy bunk beds for her girls. The company now has 15 employees who make Better Life Bags.

Rebecca and I chat about how the business has grown and developed, how she shares her faith with the women and how her faith has grown through the business.

Through the business, she's seen God work and see how he has a plan in mind. Specifically, how we're not in control of our business, we can trust God and rest in knowing that he brings in the orders and the business.

Rebecca has a book coming out next year about the history of Better Life Bags. In the book, she shares lessons learned through the business, about the women who have been impacted by the company and growing slow in business. There is also an anti-hustle theme.

She also dishes on her favorite bags and fabric. The secret menu if you do an all leather bag you can do any fabric on the inside.

You can visit (affiliate link) Better Life Bags and order your bag here and get $10 off!

Rebecca Smith is the founder of Better Life Bags, a custom leather and fabric handbag company whose workforce is made up of local women with barriers to employment. Rebecca loves to encourage and coach young entrepreneurs who desire to use their businesses for good. She is passionate about reminding women that when it comes to pursuing dreams, waiting on God’s nudges always trumps hustling hard. It’s okay being the turtle; life is better when it’s slow. Rebecca and her husband, Neil, live in Hamtramck, MI where they run Better Life Bags together. They have four amazing kids: Jonah, Clara, Corbin, and Gavin.

Better Life Bags Instagram / VIP Group

Rebecca's Instagram