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The wildly popular accessories brand Dagne Dover is a case study in alchemy—a perfect combination of co-founders who were destined to collaborate in making the products they want to see in the world—and thereby enhance the lives of both their consumers and employees. Helmed by COO Deepa Gandhi, CEO Melissa Shin Mash, and CCO Jessy Dover—who have collaborated on every step of creating the brand’s various bags, wallets, and luggage since its 2013 launch—Dagne Dover is a fine example of how putting people before profits leads to success in both.
We sat down with Gandhi to discuss the complexities of building one of the internet’s favorite brands: starting with their “why,” thinking beyond the usual materials, and bringing on the help of TriNet HR to support their growing company by helping them attract and keep the best employees.
Problem-Solving Bags for Problem-Solving People
Just over a decade old, Dagne Dover is today renowned as the accessories brand that marries style and practicality. And the company’s origin story comes directly from the genuine needs of real people.
Gandhi—who had always considered herself more of “a spreadsheets person,” she says—and fashion consultant Shin Mash had been talking at length about why everyday handbags needed to be more utilitarian. “Melissa and I were in business school, and we couldn’t find a bag that actually fit what we needed,” Gandhi says. “We wanted a place for our laptop and water bottle and keys.”
Bringing on Dover as designer, Gandhi and Shin Mash became the initial testers of their launch product. “The whole idea was built around: How do you create something that looks great and you want to carry, but also has that internal organization to feel like you’ve got this right in any situation?” Gandhi recalls.
Deepa Gandhi
The trio spent two years surveying thousands of people before launching a presale in March 2013 featuring just one product: a traditional structured work tote made of coated canvas. They soon found their research had paid off—“we did about $40,000 in revenue pretty quickly with a horrible picture of a really bad sample,” Gandhi says—and Dagne Dover officially launched that June. “We hit an exact pain point on the head. There were women who were like, ‘I need this,’ and they fell in love with the brand and the business and us.”
From that first lone tote, Dagne Dover’s offerings expanded beyond bags of all kinds to pet carriers, wallets, and—most recently—a travel luggage collection. Gandhi remains awed by the love the brand has received from celebrities and influencers: “It’s been a groundswell.”
Remember when neoprene, the scuba-suit-like fabric, started showing up everywhere? “We were the trend,” says Gandhi. Dover, an active athlete, first contemplated incorporating the material in 2015, taking inspiration from her own swimsuits. Dagne Dover launched its neoprene collection in 2017, and today it remains what they’re best known for. “Once we got it in front of people, the build was strong, and then for the past eight years it’s been on fire,” Gandhi says.
A Beneficial Partnership
Despite their complementary talents, the three female founders of Dagne Dover discovered that, as their business grew, they needed support that none of their own expertise could supply. Enter TriNet: a collaborator the company now relies on to provide access to human-resources benefits, as well as payroll, risk management, and compliance for its 50-plus employees. “We started working with TriNet because it was turnkey, frankly,” says Gandhi. “We don’t have to worry about payroll taxes and withholdings and negotiating benefits. We were also able to provide really great health insurance to our employees. They’ve been a great partner, and as we scale, they are able to provide us with additional services. It allows us to focus on other things, rather than the nitty-gritty of HR.”
No Room for Waste
With the company’s rise, the founders have become more dedicated to reducing its footprint. “Since 2020, we’ve committed that any new collections or products that we launch, or new fabrications that we introduce, will be eco-friendly,” says Gandhi, noting that they’re also in the process of retroactively updating the fabrics of legacy products. “As we grew, we saw opportunity, and certain materials, like polyester, became much easier to find recycled.” The brand also hosts an “almost vintage” resale platform to give their goods a second life.
Gandhi has amassed plenty of wisdom in her 16 years since becoming a co-founder. But one of the most vital lessons she’s learned, she says, is about constructing the right teams of people around you to lead to success: “Build your personal board of advisors—mentors, sponsors, investors, peers, cheerleaders. You need diversity, and you need the people who will call you out when you need to be called out.”
She also stresses how important it is to pause once you do find success: “As an entrepreneur, it’s very easy to just be like, ‘What’s next?’ But there’s so many people that never get there—so take stock of where you are and appreciate how far you’ve come.”
Blaze your own trail to business success with the help of TriNet’s customized HR solutions—from payroll to benefits to risk mitigation and more.