Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Cassie D’Arpino. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Cassie, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

Bella Bags aims to help women facing serious health or situational challenges rediscover their confidence, strength, and beauty for improved emotional and physical healing.

We do this through the sale and donation of Bella Bags; goody bags filled with uplifting surprises and clean-ingredient self-care product samples that are carefully curated from women- and minority-led small businesses. Through this approach, Bella Bags in parallel works to support small business owners with direct purchase funding and by helping to expand their reach and increase awareness.

For every Bella Bag sold, another special Bella Bag is donated to a woman facing serious health or situational hardship. We are the first and only self-care goody bag company to give back in this way.

Bella Bags are filled with six to ten unique self-care surprises that are non-toxic, vegan, and small-batch. Items inside might include body scrub, aromatherapy, tinted lip balm, dry shampoo, organic coffee, jewelry, affirmation mirror decal, gemstone candles, or really anything that is capable of making someone feel GOOD! It’s a fun way to discover new, up-and-coming brands that one might not have encountered before.

Cassie, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Cassie D’Arpino, founder of Bella Bags. This mission-forward idea was actually born following my own life-altering health crisis.

In February 2020, I was hospitalized for nearly six days with a massive pleural effusion. While in the hospital, we learned that my breast cancer had relapsed, spreading to the lungs and bones. I was feeling extremely low. A few days into the stay, my husband dropped off some of my requested toiletries from home. Inside one of the bags was a bright blue nail polish; I decided to paint my nails. That fresh pop of color and moment of self-care completely transformed my attitude. It was then that I realized the impact that self-care can have on our emotional, mental, and ultimately our physical well-being.

Through this experience, I also learned that hospitals and shelters are rarely able to provide beyond the bare necessities (tissue, comb, generic soap). Extended stays or intensive treatment within these environments are difficult for a variety of reasons, but feeling neglected from a wellness perspective shouldn’t be one of them. And so, the idea for Bella Bags was born. Bella Bags provides goody bags filled with samples of high-quality, luxurious clean-ingredient self-care products and uplifting surprises that are intended to increase a sense of well-being from the outside in, and inside out.

In Italian, Bella means beautiful, and Bella Bags help women to feel just that. It also happens to be the name of our Pekingese dog, who helped me through some of the more difficult days of recovery that would follow.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

In a world that is so digital-heavy, sometimes going “old school” is the best way to break through. For every Bella Bag that is purchased, I like to include a personalized, handwritten thank you note. Did it slow down the process when I was trying to fulfill 100 Bella Bags at once (by myself!) during last year’s holiday season? Oh, yeah. Was it worth it? One hundred times over, YES. Personalization touches the heart in a way that nothing else can. Many of the women who purchased from me specifically mentioned the note as one of their favorite aspects of receiving a Bella Bag.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Before Bella Bags, I spent over 10 years in the ad agency world. I excelled at my career, but my heart was never in it. I knew I wanted to spend my life doing something that would touch others in a positive way, but I didn’t know how to get there. The thought of leaving the only industry I’d ever known was frightening.

After experiencing that stage 4 breast cancer recurrence in February 2020, I was eventually let go from my ad agency job due to a merger. The initial shock quickly transformed into curious anticipation. This layoff provided me with the opportunity to dive head-first into the idea of Bella Bags. It was almost as if the universe had patiently waited long enough, and was now forcing me onto the path that had been meant for me all along.

Just when the caterpillar thought her world was ending, she became a butterfly. The moral of this story is that more often than not, when life throws you a curveball, it’s usually a necessary nudge that will guide you toward your greater good and higher path.

Contact Info:

• Website: GiveBellaBags.org
• Instagram: @GiveBellaBags
• Facebook: facebook.com/givebellabags
• Other: This past year, I experienced another cancer-related health crisis that forced me to step back from Bella Bags and focus on stabilizing the disease and regaining my strength. It’s my hope and intent to soon launch a new inventory of limited-edition holiday Bella Bags that will be available for. purchase in November. In the meantime, I’d be grateful to welcome new followers to my Instagram and Facebook pages, where I’ll be posting updates and announcements in coming weeks.

Image Credits
BG Studios Photography