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Alumnae Spotlight: Abby Votto Belge '93

April 6th, 2022


Meet Abby Votto Belge '93! 


(Abby pictured on the left)

Abby '93 combined her love of the beach and a passion for style to co-create Lilibridge, a coastal print design company offering chic beach bags, clutches, sarongs, and other adorable accessories found here on their website. Abby is graciously offering the SHA community a discounted promo code: SHA75 for every purchase, saving you 10%. Lilibridge will donate 15% of that purchase to Sacred Heart Academy in support of our 75th anniversary fundraising efforts. Thank you, Abby!! 
 
We know you will enjoy learning more about Abby from our Q&A with the SHA alum below: 
 

Tell us how Lilibridge was started. How has your original vision for the brand and company evolved since?

In 2018, a Boston artist approached me to figure out a way to turn her artwork into a business. Unsure of what to do initially, we spent the next year researching ideas, conducting focus groups and working to determine a strategic product launch and vision for the brand. Ultimately we created a 5-year business plan with a comprehensive sales and growth strategy, which we have been able to accomplish within the first 3 years of business (we’ll be 3-years-old this July). 

Where can we find and shop Lilibridge? We have heard there has been product placement even in shows/movies - can you tell us more about that? 

We do sell directly to customers at www.Lilibridge.com, however Lilibridge products can also be found in over 100 retail shops in the United States, Bahamas and Costa Rica. And yes! We have been lucky enough to have our bags and clutches show up on the small screen recently. Our first appearance was in an opening scene of Magnum PI on CBS, and soon after we showed up in several episodes of Sweet Magnolias, Season 2 on Netflix. We also have 9 additional potential projects in 2022/2023 on Fox, Disney+, Netflix, Apple TV & Amazon featuring some A-list stars, which is really exciting. 

How has SHA influenced you as a business owner? Why do you give back and support SHA? 

Sacred Heart produces driven, hard-working, respectful women with strong bonds to each other and their community. As a business owner, I was able to take that foundation and build upon it with two basic principles for success, which I learned at SHA.
  1. If you’re going to do something, apply yourself and do it right.
  2. If you want a competitive edge, you have to work when your competition is not.
Simply put, I give back to SHA out of gratitude for what it has given me, as well as other women in the past, present and future.