On December 17, 2020, Emory Reignz landed at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport following an international trip. After making her way to the rental car hub, she learned it is not open 24 hours. She raced against the clock to get placed in an SUV that she hoped would accommodate her many bags. It didn’t happen.
“Over the course of two days, it took me three trips back and forth to the airport to retrieve my bags,” Reignz said. “I immediately thought, ‘this is ridiculous. Somebody should be able to deliver this for me.’”
Grab My Bag was born.
She decided that if she could create a business model for her “aha moment,” she would launch it at the top of the year.
In just over two weeks, she researched, developed, and created a business plan to stay on pace with her ultra-ambitious launch goals. On January 2, 2021, the business Reignz visualized out of necessity and inconvenience was officially live on grabmybag.com.
She describes the venture as a “traveler-first luggage delivery service” that has been dubbed the “Lyft or Uber for luggage” and employs independently operating “grabbers” to transport checked items from airport baggage claim to the traveler’s requested destination.
“Now when people book a flight and they book their car and hotel, they can book their grab,” Reignz said. “They can land and we deliver their bag to them.”
After only a year of operation, her innovative business efforts led Reignz to be selected as the 2022 recipient of Arch Grant’s Donald M. Suggs Excellence in Entrepreneurship Award.
“For me, when Arch Grants said ‘yes,’ it literally took my breath away,” Reignz said. “It almost brings me to tears as I talk about it because it was a life changing moment for me as a solo founded Black woman business owner.”
The award, which was established in 2021 will be funded by The Ferring Family Foundation for the next five years. “It was equity-free funding,” Reignz said. “Which is huge when you are starting a business and trying to get the footing and figure out what you need to spend, what you want to spend and how much equity if any you want to give.”
The investment includes $25,000 towards relocation so that the company can move its headquarters to St. Louis and $75,000 to finance business growth for a grand grant award total of $100,000.
“The funding allowed me to make moves in the business that I had not been able to do – to hire people and bring a team on board,” Reignz said. “It also helped us put a roof over our head because part of the money that they offer is a relocation grant. To take the weight of the cost of living off of your shoulders so that you can grow and nurture your business as an entrepreneur is huge – particularly in communities of color.”
Grab My Bag currently has more than 2000 grabbers nationwide – and growing.
“It’s one of those companies that comes along where it’s hard to believe that it didn’t already exist,” said Arch Grants Executive Director Gabe Angieri.
“Grab My Bag is certainly in that category of no-brainer great startup ideas.”
Reignz is in the process of conducting individual launches in major cities and says that the business is operating in just about every state as well as the launch of the company’s mobile app in the coming weeks.
She wanted to make sure the app was launched after she relocated to St. Louis as part of the terms of the award – which the Virginia native and formerly L.A. based actress, writer and director did in October of last year.
“We love supporting people with great ideas,” John Ferring said. “When we see people that inspire us, we want to invest in them to try to help them be successful.”
Reignz counts the Ferrings among the many blessings that have come her way as a result of the award.
“They have been amazing beacons of light, not just to this community, but to myself coming here to St. Louis,” Reignz said.
“I greatly appreciate all that they have done.”
She also couldn’t say enough about Arch Grants, its many supporters and the St. Louis business community and region in general. The affirmation and transformative provisions that she has been granted access to since establishing a connection with the area by way of the award have been invaluable.
“The love that St. Louis has shown since we got here has been immense and amazing,” Reignz said. “It is not just a city that talks about – for show – how they want entrepreneurs or minorities to succeed. It is people actually putting you in the rooms with people that can help you with your business and want to help you with your business and help you grow. I’d love a little more heat, but I will take the cold weather for the warm hearts that we have received any day.”
Gabe Angieri considers Reignz an asset to the emerging footprint of entrepreneurial talent organizations like theirs are helping attract to the region.
“Emory herself is super-dynamic, incredibly talented and passionate – her passion and compassion are clear to see,” Angieri said. “We are thrilled to have her in St. Louis to grow the company for at least the next year and hopefully for many more after that.”
For more information on Grab My Bag and its upcoming mobile app launch, visit grabmybag.com.
Additional information regarding the grant opportunities and resources available through Arch Grants can be found at https://archgrants.org/
