IMPACT Your World…

Le Haute Bags, Inc. was founded in 2009 by Cecily Witcher. A graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, Cecily has worked in the fashion industry as a designer and merchandiser for handbag companies Guess, Kathy Van Zeeland, Charles David.

Le Haute Bags, Inc is an eco-friendly company that specializes in design and product supply of reusable bags. We work with a diverse range of clients that include non-profit organizations and also event planners, helping them build brand exposure while also contributing to the cause of environmentalism (and practicality for the consumer).

Le Haute Bags, Inc was formed when Cecily was directly affected by this economic crisis when the company that she was working for went bankrupt. After going on interview after interview and continuously being told the company loved her but felt she would get bored or some would flat out say with all your knowledge you should start your own company that’s exactly what Cecily did.

While on an ocean side vacation, travelers were observed using plastic bags that hotels supply for soiled laundry. These plastic bags were being used as impromptu beach bags.  Le Haute Bags, Inc. was born from this experience. Cecily decided to design a collection that will not only combine a flair for fashion and handbags but also contribute to Cecily’s environmental concerns and wiser consumer choices that will benefit our Earth.

Le Haute Bags, Inc. has been working diligently to build its brand in this strained? economy. When people ask how do you market your business when you’re a start up without a lot of capital, our answer is “you really must think outside the box, move on faith not fear.” A great example that Cecily always references for ideas is an artist who put his work on canned goods and went into very prominent grocery stores placing his cans with their canned goods. This reminds her of gorilla style marketing but it brought him free press. She still has the newspaper clipping in her office for inspiration.  When you’re passionate about what you are providing, you have to convey that passion and enthusiasm to anyone that you’re speaking with because they could be a potential client or refer you to a client.

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The Science Art of Going it Alone.
By DOMINIQUE DELEON

I lost my job today. When I got the call I was doing 90 in a 65 along interstate 94 somewhere between Madison and Chicago. I was just coming back from the Leech Lake reservation in Minnesota, where I had spent four days researching a Native American gang called the Native Mob, and I was in a hurry to get back and transcribe my notes before an early AM flight back to New York. Not smart I know, but cheese mills are hardly the most entertaining scenery ever invented, and the new Kanye song does wonders for adrenaline levels.

“I’m very sorry” the man, my boss on the other end of the phone informed me in the most formal of tones. “You were phenomenal. Great. I thought we’d have a lot of work for you. But we had to prioritize the guys who’ve been here longer, and we just couldn’t fit you in at this time. But you’re first on our list if we open up another project…”

If you’ve ever worked in corporate America, this tactic is called a ‘rejection sandwich’ (if you’ve ever experienced it, you know it’s called something else behind closed doors). The idea is that you sandwich a piece of bad news between two pieces of good news, thus softening the blow. It doesn’t work, mostly because it’s like being complimented on your outfit and then being punched in the face. And as fortune would have it, the average human being doesn’t like being punched in the face, and usually giving them a hug afterwards doesn’t really help matters. And so after the bad news I went numb, my mind responding in a pre-programmed pattern of politeness that we’ve come to know as ‘manners’ but is really the act of subverting what comes naturally. In reality, I was furious. Days earlier I’d been offered a lucrative contract for the next two months that would allow me to save up, and now due to internal politics I was going from cash flow positive, to…well something less desirable.

And yet I’ve been here before.

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On Wednesday, July 28th, IMPACT hosted its 2010 Summer Intern Networking Reception at Jin Lounge in Washington, DC.  If you are an intern in the Washington, DC area and you missed the reception,
Click Here to make sure you dont miss out again!

July 16, 2010

Washington, D.C. – IMPACT received high honors at the Washington Government Relations Group (WGRG) Inaugural “Tin Cup” Awards for its commitment to enrich the lives of young African American professionals working in government relations.  WGRG recognized IMPACT’s work with the Obama Administrations Transition Team Task Force, created by IMPACT to insure ensure young people of color have a place within the Obama Administration.

IMPACT was also recognized for IMPACTconnection.com, the only website dedicated to finding well qualified candidates of color for job opportunities on Capitol Hill, the federal government, the Fortune 1000 and venture capital opportunities for small business owners.

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