A new year. A new decade. 2020 marks a significant milestone for Nancy Gale, JAMAH and AMBITION.
On January 20, 2000, Gale founded JAMAH with the goal of becoming known as the first true American luxury handbag brand. Ten years later, on February 22, 2010, she established AMBITION, an entrepreneurial, school-based non-profit with the goal of aiding disadvantaged youth. By design, the two are inseparable. Mutually dependent on each other’s success, one cannot exist without the other.
Gale pioneered an innovative business model, centered on the interconnection of cause with commerce. She emphatically states that this is not “giving back” or “paying it forward.” It is much more than a percentage or a marketing slogan. It is a new way of doing business.
Naturally we had a few questions, and JAMAH’s 20th anniversary was the perfect time to ask.
What inspired your vision?
NG: As a firm believer in capitalism with consciousness, I wanted to build a luxury brand while also investing in the next generation of consumers, workers, artists and business owners.
Tell us about the JAMAH
NG: I grew up in Detroit, during a time of major economic prosperity. The epicenter of iconic American brands and families, I had the opportunity to witness, experience and learn about the benefits derived from manufacturing in the United States and the real value of American craftsmanship. It saddened me when this began to change and we started to care more about price than quality and outsourcing became the American way. I was bothered by the lack of true American luxury design houses. With such superior talent in the US, why was the world only enamored with the allure and sophistication of European fashion houses? That’s when I had my epiphany. JAMAH would become the first true American luxury handbag brand made in the USA. But I wouldn’t stop there. The brand would stand for resilience. The brand would stand for a cause. The brand and the cause would connect so intrinsically that one could not function without the other.
How is it that you came to intertwine two things that really could not be more different: a luxury handbag brand with a program for disadvantaged youth?
NG: Two of my greatest passions are design and youth. I knew there had to be a way to marry them.
Where did this passion for young people come from?
NG: Originally from my dinner table. I was fortunate to have grown up in a stable, supportive family. Our dinner table was a fantastic place to gather, share ideas and explore them together. As I got older and went out on my own, I slowly realized that not everyone had the kind of access and exposure that I had. That’s when I started to develop my vision of “sharing my dinner table” in a way that would provide support and access to young people who didn’t have my advantages.
Can you explain what you mean by access?
NG: When you are from a family that is struggling financially, when you live in an area with underfunded schools, when you are not able to interact with the larger world, it is easy to become trapped in your neighborhood. These young people lack access and exposure to different kinds of people – in different industries, with different professions and educational backgrounds. Because their world can feel very limited, it can leave them feeling stuck. They have dreams and goals, but often they don’t have the tools available to start exploring them.
So, AMBITION does this?
NG: YES! AMBITION meets weekly and is part of the partner high school’s business curriculum. Every week we bring a diverse group of accomplished mentors into the classroom. We build relationships with the students and work together to develop a wide variety of skills. We work on identifying challenges and teach solution-driven thinking. We empower the students with a power-not-pity approach.
Your website states: “AMBITION is a non-profit, school-based, entrepreneurial program for disadvantaged youth that fosters innovation, solution-driven thinking, confidence and positive work ethic through collaborative hands-on participation, real-world business experience and powerful, consistent connections with successful business leaders, entrepreneurs and special guests.”
Are the mentors all entrepreneurs? Are the students all interested in becoming entrepreneurs?
NG: Not at all. Although I do not believe that one can be taught to be an entrepreneur, I do believe that we can be taught to think like one. In AMBITION, all of our lessons, activities, projects and growth-work teach entrepreneurial skills and the type of solution-driven thinking that is helpful in any situation.
Where does the “real world business experience” come in?
NG: To capture real-life experience and anchor its entrepreneurial aspects, the program pairs with host companies from the luxury sector. The students are exposed to numerous aspects of running a business including strategic planning, project management, conflict resolution, time management, research, consumer demographics, product development, marketing and branding . The students work in groups with mentors in these fields and representatives from companies – such as Tesla – come in to guide the project.
So why luxury? Why not a mass market consumer product?
NG: Luxury is a world where the students not only not feel unwelcome, but shunned. I want them to know that they are welcome in any space that they desire, so long as they are willing to do the work. I did not want to just talk about giving access and opportunity – that was not enough for me; I wanted them to actually experience it.
So, AMBITION is JAMAH’s cause-marketing tool?
NG: NO! I fundamentally disagree with how cause-marketing has been defined and promoted. I liken it to “Find a cause -- any cause, act like you care and use it to make a buck!” I wanted to catapult a movement where cause is a part of the mission of every business, where we hold ourselves to a standard higher than the typical “percentage of proceeds” promotion. I envisioned a world where cause and commerce are so intrinsically connected that the question becomes: “what is your cause?” rather than “do you have a cause?”
Nancy, if you are not simply donating a percentage of your JAMAH sales to AMBITION, then how does this work?
NG: The goal here is to not assign an arbitrary percentage of each purchase to AMBITION. The goal is to build both entities so that they support each other’s success. It is about making an investment in something that really matters. Everyone who works with AMBITION is a volunteer, and everyone who works for JAMAH volunteers for AMBITION. Everyone is committed to the success of both entities. In the rare case that a service provider is paid, it is at a greatly reduced rate.
Can you explain what you mean by investment in this context?
NG: A JAMAH bag is an investment. It is true luxury, crafted in the USA by highly skilled artisans. The highest quality materials are used, both in terms of leathers, skins and hardware. We work hand-in-hand with the customer for a bespoke, personalized experience.
But it does not stop there. When someone invests in a JAMAH bag they are also investing in AMBITION. The success of JAMAH provides the bandwidth needed to support AMBITION.
We are not giving back or paying it forward. We are integrated, in the present, in a way that the success of each enterprise is dependent on the outward-looking community who have invested in both. Seeing all this come together and continue to build and transform is magical. This is about making real change both in terms of how we define luxury, how we build a business and how we invest in our youth and our future.
Nancy Gale at AMBITION.