The answer, after I started thinking about it- was actually pretty obvious. The thing that makes me happiest, is helping other people. Unlike many small business owners- my main goal is not to make money, or to become rich and famous. Every day, I just want to make sure I am doing something- ONE GREAT THING - to make someone smile. So I asked myself- what can I do to make sure that is happening every day? How can I help someone truly in need? How can I help another mom that is working from home like I am?
My mind kept wandering back to the bracelets I was wearing.
They were hand made in Nepal by a group of women who have little to no education- and making the bracelets provides them with a good income (thanks to fair trade) and a way to help them raise their children in a poverty stricken area. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that there had to be more than just bracelets out there. There had to be women all over the world that could benefit from a company like mine- offering their fair trade products. After all, most of my customers are women, and most of them are like me- helping others makes them happy.
So, after hours of research and email conversations at 1am my time (morning in Nepal) This group of women started working on some bracelets for One Great Thing.
Of course- I never seem to get SMALL ideas. They always come like a freight train (which, honestly is a good reason for me to be blogging- at least this way I am not trying to find all of my random post-it notes!) Here is my basic concept...
✼Although they may not realize it- when someone purchases one of my tie dye items, they are supporting my family! They are helping me pay my bills, enroll my son in t-ball, and pay for groceries so that I can put food on the table. The money they spend on me does not disappear into a black hole of corporate spending.
✼Featuring other women like myself that run websites from home and make hand crafted items helps support them and their families.
✼Offering Fair Trade items made by women from all over the world provides an income (and a good one), to help them live a better life.
✼✼WOMEN HELPING WOMEN✼✼
This all ties into the quote I live by- "Do something good, someone may imitate it." (Schweitzer) For years now, people have assumed that when they see that proudly displayed on top of my Etsy page that I mean,"I make the best tie dye in the world, and no one can hold a candle to me, so they copy me" That, of course, could be no further from the truth. It means- if you do something good, someone else may see your good act, and do the same. You have the ability to INSPIRE others, to make a difference in someones life. To turn a world of despair, into a world of hope. Not just in other countries, but right here at home.
Yes, I still plan to keep making beautiful creations- but it is turning into something bigger than JUST my work now. At Christmas time, I want you to come to my website- not just to buy tie dye for gifts, but to see what beautiful things my artisans have made by hand- and to know when you buy one of those items as a gift, you are doing something good.
Take a moment right now to think back to the last time someone just randomly did something nice for you. It could have been a friend, or a complete stranger. How awesome did that make you feel? Go out tomorrow, and DO SOMETHING GOOD- even if you are just helping a stranger load groceries, or you pay for the person behind you in line at lunch. Send your best friend a random text telling her how much you love and appreciate her. Maybe someone will imitate it- and you will get the love right back ツ
XO
Cass
