As New Year's Eve approaches, our team at Simple Satch reflected on the many lessons we learned in 2020. This year brought unknown to all of us, individually and as a whole. But with every end comes a new beginning. While we prepare for a New Year, looking back on 2020 lends us space to gain knowledge from past experience and hope for a brighter future. Here's what Susie and Corinne the co-founders of Simple Satch learned in 2020...
How you respond to adversity defines your character and future.
"This year has come with a lot of challenges; however I have realized it’s how you respond to adversity that defines your character and future. Leading up to 2020, I had been planning a wedding for my fiancé Zach and myself for over a year and a half. I spent countless nights scouring Instagram, dreaming of my color pallet and how I would add unique elements to the day that celebrated our marriage and allowed for my guests to have the night of their life! After countless dress fittings, venue visits, and planning, my wedding was cancelled at 10PM the night before at our rehearsal dinner due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It felt like something I worked so hard for came crashing down and it was all outside of my control. A week after, my job was affected in fashion as so many brick and mortar locations were closed. I felt emotionally drained and financially concerned, however the saying “when times get tough, the tough get going”. I knew that while my situation was very disappointing, there were so many other people suffering from income loss or health issues with the virus and there was a way I could help.
Insert Simple Satch, a stylish infection resistance kit that gives back to charity. Corinne Daniels, a registered nurse in NYC, and myself dreamed up the concept of Simple Satch virtually during quarantine. With a charitable initiative of giving back as a fabric of our company, we partnered with charities like amfAR, Child Mind Institute, and City Harvest to not only donate charitable proceeds but also held 15 virtual events the past 6 months to raise awareness. We made the impossible possible with a product launch in three short months. We worked countless hours developing product, doing market research, building a business plan, incorporating our company in NYC, and filing for a patent on our unique design. We hustled to get the word about our product out to the community and had amazing features in SHAPE Magazine, INC, Allure, The Wendy Williams Show, The Today Show, NBC, ABC, and more.
In 6 short months, we have a wide distribution base everything from high-end boutiques, beauty brands such as NARS Cosmetics, Alypne Beauty, and Ipsy, as well as national distribution at Von Maur and soon to be airing on HSN (The Home Shopping Network). Our product has been seen on celebrities such as Kesha, E! Entertainment Host Naz Perez, Debi Mazr and more! While this year hasn’t been easy and has been filled with lots of tears and set backs, it’s always in our power to try and overcome those obstacles and do good for ourselves and our community. During the wake of this pandemic, I am stronger because I had to be. Smarter because of my mistakes. Happier because of the sadness I’ve known, and wiser. I encourage all of you to know that during hard times, there is light at the end of the tunnel even though it may not feel like it. Keep pushing, be you, do the best you can to empower yourself and others. Here’s to a better year ahead!" - Susie Levitt, Co-Founder
Persevere. Keep going despite obstacles.
"I think the most impactful lesson I learned in 2020 was the power of perseverance. As nurse and co-founder of Simple Satch, I witnessed the strength of the human spirit from the hospital to business meetings. Memories like the 7 o'clock cheer echoing from the buildings of New York City will leave an indelible mark on my heart. The energy from the community was palpable as people cheered, played music and hung inspirational signs outside of their apartment windows when the clock struck 7 o'clock. This is just one of the many examples of how the community chose to positively persevere. I'm proud to say our team at Simple Satch values positive energy and perseverance. When we created Simple Satch, our mission was to design functional fashion like our stylish safety kit that gives back to charity. That's why we teamed up with Givz, an online platform that allows our customers to donate 10% of their Simple Satch purchase to a charity of choice. After launching Simple Satch and our charitable mission, the community around us came together to raise awareness for charities and gave back to those in need. In fact, people helping other people was my favorite memory of 2020. Although this was an extremely tough year for so many, the human spirit persevered. Thanks to our community, Simple Satch has donated to 36 different charities in 2020. I believe that together we can make a change. Together we can overcome the obstacles life throws our way. Together we can persevere." - Corinne Daniels, Co-Founder
