Troy, TN - October 22, 2025 - Located at 107 West Westbrook Street in Troy, Tennessee, OUTsideIN has been providing opportunity, hope, fellowship, and purpose for countless women since opening its doors in 2013. Known for its line of handcrafted travel gear and accessories, the business has become both a source of empowerment and a symbol of resilience in this small West Tennessee town.
The social enterprise was founded by Troy native LeEllen Smith, who wanted to bring new business to her community while also creating employment opportunities for women marginalized by mental health challenges, substance abuse, and poverty.
“Sort of a perfect storm of things happened,” explained Smith. “One of our county's largest employers left. Unemployment shot to an excess of 11%. Personally, my family had all grown up and I felt like I had a small window of opportunity to do something that would make a difference in my community. Social enterprises were new, and I was intrigued by creating a business that gave back something new and gave back to my community. I had become increasingly aware of the needs of the women around me who were involved in addiction or struggles like poverty—women who had basically been marginalized.”
Situated in a small rural corner of the state with limited foot traffic, Smith says OUTsideIN has relied heavily on e-commerce to sustain its operations.
“We reach all across the country,” said Smith. “We have sold our bags in every state. It's challenging, but we are trying to broaden our impact all the time.”
OUTsideIN specializes in handcrafted travel and lifestyle gear made from upholstery-weight fabric. Products include hanging garment bags (HangUPs), backpacks, crossbody bags, totes, purses, and more. Each item is carefully made by a member of the OUTsideIN team, with a tag identifying the craftsperson attached before shipping. Prices range from $10 to $95, but Smith says the quality remains consistent.
“We say our products are strong and beautiful, just like the women who make them,” smiled Smith.
According to Smith, what truly sets OUTsideIN apart from other businesses is not only the craftsmanship but also the mission behind it.
“Each bag is made with heavy duty, fully lined, unique, and eye-catching, but it's the reason we make our bags that really sets us apart,” she explained. “We come alongside women and model good workplace attitudes and behaviors. We are mentors and strive to make a difference in the lives of the women who come here to work.”
While OUTsideIN began as a social enterprise, its mission has grown to encompass something even larger—a vision that supports women in recovery and transition.
“While the initial mission and vision was to create this social enterprise, we realized a few years ago that we could broaden our impact if we added a recovery residence to what we were doing,” said Smith. “In other words, women could live together, work on their recovery journeys, and have this social enterprise as a place to work. Our vision has broadened exponentially over the last few years, and we have worked to put that plan into place.”
For Smith, the greatest reward of being a small business owner is simple.
“I take the most pride when people recognize the value of our products and what we do in our communities.”
To learn more about OUTsideIN and shop their products, visit OutsideINworks.com.
About The Mill Workspace: The Mill Workspace, a DBA of Northwest Tennessee Entrepreneurship, Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)3 entrepreneur center located in Dyersburg, TN and focused on serving entrepreneurs in the nine counties of Northwest Tennessee. They help businesses through one-on-one counseling, workshops, and multi-week programs all designed to help businesses in the region start up and grow.
Programs at The Mill are funded in part by a grant from LaunchTN.
