Where We’ve Been, Where We Are, and Where We Want to Go
In the interest of full transparency, we are reflecting and daydreaming a bit today about how life as a small business owner has been so far. Here’s a quick breakdown:
Where We’ve Been:
Ethos Kolekto opened on 1-June-2020. I started this shop with $2000 that came from our first COVID relief check after about a decade of dreaming and making hypothetical plans to open a fair trade shop “one day.”
I, Amy, was the owner/merchandiser/photographer/lead model/graphic designer/marketer/inventory manager/shipping specialist/accountant.
Since the time that we opened, I’ve been able to place 15 orders to re-stock inventory. Though Ethos hasn’t actually turned a profit yet, when things sell, I’ve re-invested back into the original 4 brands that we started with and have started to carry 3 more brands.
Where We Are Now:
Business has been slower than I’d like, but that may be because I also work full-time, have a 2-year old at home with me, and I have another side gig.
I’d love to find a local intern this summer to help with photography and marketing. If you know anyone who would be interested, please let me know!
I am happy to be currently stocking 7 different brands. These brands work with over 8,000 individual makers and artisans and knowing that this tiny shop is plugging along to help support them brings me great joy.
Speaking of artisans, in addition to starting this blog, I’ve just put together a brand new “Artisan Partners” page to help all of you learn more about the people who make the jewelry and accessories I stock here.
I’ve also begun running a book club to connect with other people who are passionate about making positive changes in the world. Our first text was “Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide” by Nikolas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. If you’d like to join the book club and help select the next text we will discuss in April, please sign up and vote HERE.
My handmade (by me) Goods for Good collection is one that I’d really like to publicize more. When I get anxious, I like to knit and crochet, and since making the pieces in this collection has been a great help to my mental health status, I will donate 100% of the purchase price of everything in the collection to UNICEF, the Food Bank of the Rockies, and to Ubuntu Life to support an educational and medical program for students with special needs in Kenya.
Where We Want to Go
My biggest hope is to keep connecting with others and to share all of the good that fair trade can do with the developed world. Our choices can truly make a big impact. Let’s use that impact for good!
In addition to spreading the word, I’d like for Ethos Kolekto to break even so that we can start to give back more. I have 2 new artisan partner brands that I’m looking forward to adding to the shop just as soon as I can.
To extend the reach of what the shop can do, I will be starting to make micro-loans to women in developing countries through Kiva. I will do this with profit from the shop, in lieu of taking a salary for myself (though “one day,” I hope that this shop can be my full-time job).
Someday, a storefront would really make my dreams come true.
I’d also love to start a foundation that does a bit more than just donating proceeds from specific products or making micro-loans. I think it would complete me if I were able to partner with an artisan cooperative somewhere on my very own designs and to be able to support these makers considerably more than I currently do.
Like they say, if you can dream it, you can do it, so I’ll just keep doing what I can!
