Gabi’s Employees Help Power Women to Look and Feel Their Best with Poppy + Pink

It’s only 9 am in Durham, NC, and Kaylee Hobbs has been working for hours. In fact, she’s on her third cup of morning java. Other than the massive dose of caffeine, an incredible drive is fueling this small business owner to grow her online clothing and accessories boutique, Poppy + Pink, with items designed to flatter every body type in classic Southern style. As a business that’s passed a milestone one year mark, she’s now moved into a new stage – scaling by hiring the right strategic partners. That’s where Gabi’s, Powered By Special Abilities, comes in with packaging and fulfillment services.  

“When I started my business I wanted to look for opportunities where I can hire strategically for community impact. Gabi’s is really a natural fit for us. It’s something we were already looking for, and a perfect fit for us because we are really in our early stages, but in order to grow I need some of that time back.”

Gabi’s employees handle all of Poppy + Pink’s packaging and shipping needs, from pulling inventory, packing, stuffing order inserts, to labeling and shipping with order fulfillment complete in 24 hours or less. Found through word of mouth, Hobbs wants other businesses to know that working with Gabi’s doesn’t cost more than working with other fulfillment services, and she’s been impressed with the level of accuracy and quality of the services.

“When people with special abilities are given a chance, they continually show they can provide valuable products and services,” said Mary Angelini, founder, Gabi’s Powered By Special Abilities. “Around 80 percent of people who are disabled are unemployed in this country, and we know a large part of that is due to bias and stigma around the perception of ability. At Gabi’s, we’re proving that our employees, who we say have special abilities, can do high quality work and receive fair compensation for it.”

For Hobbs, Gabi’s will be an important partner for the future as both businesses set their sights on bigger operations and what they can do together. 

“As an ecommerce business owner, there are a lot of opportunities created for manual labor,” said Hobbs. “I’ve always looked at where is there an opportunity to employ men and women who aren’t being given opportunities elsewhere. As a business owner I have an opportunity to make a significant impact with my hiring decisions, and I don’t take that responsibility lightly that I can choose where to spend my money and allocate that investment. I wish more business owners could see the opportunity for where they allocate some of that spend in their budget.”