“She Says” with Leeatt Rothschild
The holiday season has arrived, and companies worldwide are preparing to send and receive gift boxes and baskets filled with delectable treats, gourmet goodies, and exclusive items to show their appreciation for others and spread cheer. However, one thing these thoughtful tokens are often missing is a societal benefit. Leeatt Rothschild took notice of this and decided to do something about it. After years of advising corporate executives on how to use their social responsibility dollars to help others, in 2017, she launched Packed With Purpose. There, she not only curates custom gift boxes for consumers, but she also partners with organizations and companies that are embedding purpose in what they produce, thus connecting recipients to the positive impact created in communities across the country.
Since launching, Leeatt and her Gift Concierge team have created a seamless gifting process with their “Always Make it Right” pledge. They have impacted nearly 1.5 million lives, and have sourced products from over 140 purpose-driven organizations that she affectionately calls, “Impact Partners.” Leeatt is on a mission to raise awareness about and connect others to organizations that are doing good so that people can be inspired to help them further their impact.
In this month’s “She Says,” we talk with Packed With Purpose founder and CEO, Leeatt Rothschild on her six impact areas, the importance of selecting products from small, women-owned businesses, and how she is centering the needs of women.
Tell me about yourself.
I am a proud mother of four kids and the founder and CEO of Packed With Purpose, a corporate and personal gifting company with a social impact.
What was the inspiration behind Packed With Purpose?
Before I started Packed With Purpose, I advised chief sustainability officers and marketing executives on how they could take their corporate social responsibility dollars and have not just a financial impact on their business, but also a societal benefit. And as the story goes, it was a typical cold, December day in Chicago, right before the holiday season, and our office was riddled with traditional gift baskets. The products were amazing and delicious, but I noticed that while companies were eager to demonstrate that they were good corporate citizens and gave back to society, the traditional gift basket was devoid of doing any kind of good. That was when I had my “aha moment.” I thought, what if there were a better gift―one that stood out because it actually did good and it gave back―that would make it more impressive than the traditional gift basket?
What kinds of gifts do you provide?
Our gift boxes are generally filled with consumables. So, delicious treats and gourmet goodies. But we also have durable products, like drink wear, journals, little speakers, etc., and the gifts bring that impact to life.
For example, we have granola made outside of Washington, DC by women who are survivors of abuse. They are part of a workforce development program that helps them land back on their feet and gain financial stability. We also have chocolates made by individuals who are experiencing homelessness or are veterans from A Safe Haven. They’re one of our social enterprise partners that we’re really proud to work with. A Safe Haven offers a job training program where people get paid to help package all of our confections, in addition to receiving housing and food. So, it’s a win-win.
We produce wonderful gifts that do good and partner with organizations and companies that are embedding purpose in what they produce. And the recipients feel connected to the positive impact created in communities across the country.
How do you go about selecting the items that are included in the gift boxes?
There are several criteria that we’re looking at. The first is, is this a high-quality item? So that’s anything from how it tastes, to how it looks, to the packaging, to the functionality, is this something that our clients and customers would want? We also look at the price and how we might incorporate it into our gifts. And lastly, does it have an impact?
We have six different impact areas. So, we look at everything from whether the products contribute to women’s empowerment, to sustainability and environmental impact, to youth advancement, to workforce development, health and well-being, and finally, do these products come from diverse and women-owned businesses. We’re really looking to make sure that we have a roster of impact partners. That’s the affectionate term that we give to our product suppliers that come from this suite of impact areas.
How important is it for you to select products that come from small women-owned businesses?
I would say that the majority of our products come from small businesses, and many of them are either women and/or diverse-owned. I say diverse-owned as an alternative to minority. That’s very important to us.
As a woman-founded-and-run company, it’s beautiful and exciting for us to find great products made by entrepreneurs and business owners that might not be found in the traditional grocery aisle, but are just as incredible, and have an impact. It’s amazing for us to be able to shine a spotlight on them by including their products and stories of impact in our gift boxes.
Each of our gifts comes with what we call an impact booklet. Our impact booklets serve as a keepsake that tells the stories and has short vignettes about our impact partners. This is how recipients learn the stories behind our various impact partners, and how they’re creating change and making a positive impact in communities across the United States.
How do you select your impact partners?
Similar to how we select our suppliers, we are looking for partners that align with who we are, our mission, and our set of values. So for example, partnering with Women Employed (WE) for your recent fundraiser, The Working Lunch, was a no-brainer. As an organization that is focused on addressing the challenges that women experience, supporting a wide range of women, and having been at the helm of shepherding this change for over 50 years, it’s a privilege for us to partner with WE.
Packed With Purpose is a certified woman-owned business and is always looking to uplift women. And not just in terms of some of the founders and small business owners. We work with a lot of social enterprises and nonprofit organizations where their primary constituents or beneficiaries are women who, oftentimes, are underserved or might have barriers to employment.
How would you say you are centering women’s voices or centering the needs of women?
Well, I would say a few things. One, I’m participating in a dialog about the needs of women. So, whether it’s the needs of women as working moms or the needs of women as entrepreneurs and business owners. Another avenue, which is different, is thinking about the voices of women that we’re serving. So many of our impact partners are serving the needs of women, and it’s really amplifying the missions and the amazing work that they’re doing on behalf of the women that they’re serving. Sometimes just raising awareness about what those organizations are doing so that more people can be inspired and contribute, whether it’s financially, attending an event, or making some kind of connection that can further the impact of those organizations.
What makes you proud about the work that you do?
There are three aspects that give me the most amount of pride. One is the impact that we create. Impact is embedded in the DNA of Packed With Purpose. Seeing the impact that we have, based on the gifts that we curate, and in the products that we source, fills me with pride. The second is that we’re a gifting company, and there’s no greater compliment or source of satisfaction than hearing our clients tell us how happy they are to have sent a Packed With Purpose gift box. They often share how much praise and thanks they received from their recipients upon receiving their gift. The third is that I’m just so proud of the team that is working at Packed With Purpose. What we have is really special, both in chemistry and our dedication to achieving business goals.
What do you want people to know about Packed With Purpose who might not have heard of you?
Packed With Purpose is based in Chicago, but ships nationwide and internationally. We are proud to work with the largest Fortune 500 companies, as well as small businesses across the country. And we pride ourselves on making sure the gifting process is seamless so that our clients can enjoy sending meaningful gifts. So, whether we’re sending 500 gifts to 500 different individuals on behalf of our client, have complex orders, or need to gather recipient addresses, we’re here to make things easy for you.
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If you’re looking for a unique holiday gift, consider ordering something from Packed With Purpose! From thoughtful treats to the ultimate self-care package, Packed With Purpose has everything you need to spread holiday cheer to friends, loved ones, and colleagues. And best of all, each gift transforms lives and communities. To learn more about Packed With Purpose and order your gift today, visit https://packedwithpurpose.gifts/.
