What do the beach, Grand Central, a crowded M60 bus and Asphalt Green have in common? In all those places, you’ll see brightly colored Bogg bags and purses everywhere.
While the brand has sold 3 million bags to date and is on track to hit $100 million in revenue this year, it all started as a dream for founder Kim Vaccarella while on a family beach vacation at the Jersey Shore in 2008.
“A trip to the beach with two young boys can be chaotic, so I’m always looking for ways to make our outings more organized,” said the 54-year-old Ridgewood, New Jersey, resident.
“One of the biggest hurdles when packing for the beach was finding a bag that could handle the chaos, one that was durable, water-resistant and big enough,” she added.
Once Vaccarella realized the bag of her dreams wasn’t on the market, she knew she had to create one herself. One problem: At the time, Vaccarella had no experience creating a product, had no problem launching a lifestyle brand, and was working full-time in commercial real estate lending as a controller, along with all the the responsibilities of being parents.
“Life was busy and I had every excuse at my fingertips not to pursue my idea for Bogg,” she said. “I didn’t let that stop me and started where I could: sketching out my vision of the bag at my beach house the same day I had the idea, which then turned into creating a prototype from the large foam sheets inside a few days”.
It was this prototype from which the Bogg Bag was created. To this day, Vaccarella remains proud of herself for continuing to pursue an idea she believed in when she “honestly had no idea” about the journey ahead.
In the midst of her “whirlwind” life of trying to start a business with two young children, Vaccarella kept that support from her local community and her boutiques, and loved ones who believed in her, kept her motivated and strong. her soul.
“Pink Bungalow, which was located in Ridgewood at the time and has since closed, was an example of a boutique that took Bogg under its wing and was one of the first to sell the Bogg Bag,” she said of a partnership beloved from the early days of the company. “I will never forget how grateful I was for their partnership and how their sales motivated me to continue with my dream.”
The company has come a long way since its days of being just a local favorite. Currently, the original Bogg bag is available in over 40 colors, with more shades and designs coming to market regularly. Bogg Bag has also unveiled a line of decorative accessories, called Bits, and drink holders, called Bevys.
Everything the company does is designed to fit Vaccarella’s mantra: “Helping those who care a lot keep it all.”
Along with community support, Vaccarella credits her husband, Rosario Vaccarella, for her success, as he believed in her and her vision from day one.
“As a woman entrepreneur and mother, it can be scary to embark on a business journey that has required a lot of courage and perseverance,” she said, noting that she had “the best support system.”
Bogg has remained steadfast as a small, family-run business headquartered in Secaucus, New Jersey.
From all her experience and victories, Vaccarella shared that the best advice she could give other entrepreneurs is “slow and steady wins the race.”
It is possible to face many naysayers along the way and still advance your business. “I’ve learned so much since we started in 2008, how rejection is part of most business owners’ journey,” she said.
Additionally, Vaccarella encourages anyone working to bring an idea to life to connect with other entrepreneurs for guidance and perspective.
“The best lessons can come from those who have walked the walk,” she said, adding that she likes to be that person that entrepreneurs connect with, especially for other moms. (To that point, she encourages readers to connect with her on LinkedIn if they’re just starting to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams.)
Another factor Vaccarella believes has helped Bogg grow is “deep investment” in listening to customer feedback and giving back to those in need. After Hurricane Sandy in 2012, Bogg donated more than 1,000 bags during relief efforts, and in May of this year, the company gave product packages to three nurses through a contest with Nurse.org for National Nurses Week.
The bags are a convenient container for health care workers and in natural disasters, as they are antimicrobial, easily washable and made of water-resistant material.
However, it hasn’t been all sunshine and beach bags. As a mother-turned-entrepreneur, Vaccarella is quick to admit that she faced some unexpected setbacks and obstacles.
“Juggling work-life balance, limited access to mentors and not having years of product experience before launching Bogg were all hurdles I had to overcome,” she said.
In fact, it was far from gone until many of the recipients of Hurricane Sandy bags reached out to the company, wondering where they could get more Bogg products.
“I remember someone sharing with me that the bags were ‘the only bright spot in an otherwise miserable place,'” she said.
Despite the positive feedback about her bags, hearing “no” during her entrepreneurial journey also took its toll.
“Now, at 54, I can look back and really reflect on everything I’ve learned along the way, and how it’s a story that hopefully a lot of women can relate to, no matter what industry they’re in. or the dreams they have. she said.
“As a female business owner, it’s exciting to see the growing number of women owning businesses, succeeding and using your ‘you’ just to add fuel to their fire.”
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