Metro Detroit mom hires local women to help build diaper bag business

DETROIT – A metro Detroit mom's business is not only growing, but also giving women jobs and confidence.

Rebecca Smith, 31, is the founder of the company Better Life Bags.  The mother of three and former teacher said she discovered the idea for her company when she was on maternity leave and wanted a unique diaper bag.

She created one, showed it off and received tremendous positive feedback.

"I posted pictures on Facebook and started getting comments that were like, ‘Will you make me a diaper bag just like this or will you make me one in pink?'" Smith said.

Better Life Bags business soared. But with more and more customers, Smith needed more help creating the bags. That's where her story took a twist. She decided to hire from within her community.

"A lot of my neighbors, I mean Hamtramck is full of a lot of recent immigrants, a lot of them because of their culture can't work outside their homes," Smith said. "One of my friends in particular is from Yemen and I knew that she knew how to sew and I knew that some extra income would be helpful for their family."

The extra money allowed the neighborhood women to buy furniture for their homes, beds for their children and clothes for their family.

"Now I can provide with my daughter for her school and put dinner on the table and diapers for my son. So I can provide a lot for them," Cassandra Grimes, a mother who works for Better Life Bags.

The business is still growing.

"I just really want us to take care of people well. I want to show corporate America that you can have a for profit business that actually makes a difference, "Smith said.

Better Life Bags are available to purchase online at BetterLifeBags.com.


About the Author:

Karen Drew is the anchor of Local 4 News First at 4, weekdays at 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. She is also an award-winning investigative reporter.