♪ Who run the world? Girls. ♪
(Yes, Beyoncé always knows what’s up. We also apologize if this is song is now stuck in your head.)
American Business Women’s Day is a nationally recognized holiday set aside to honor and reflect upon the contributions and accomplishments of the millions of U.S. women in the workforce. If you’re one of those women, this post is for you.
From Women to Businesswomen.
On September 22, 1949, the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA) was established by Hilary Bufton. This date is now honored as the celebration of such an amazing organization that brings together business women of diverse occupations and to provide opportunities to grow, both professionally and personally.
Like ABWA, our goal centers around the empowerment of women—our artisans and curators are the success behind our mission. Without these women, we wouldn’t have the impact on communities across the world like we do and that will never go unnoticed.
As a Fair Trade company, we do not practice a “give-back” philosophy. We believe our artisans should be paid for their craft at a fair price. We believe our artisans should play a role in the commerce of their own operations. They should be involved because it’s their business that’s involving us. We aspire to build women in developing countries to businesswomen, businesswomen who can take control of their own future and continue shaping their business in ways that will only enhance their lives further.
Our partnerships have given opportunities for numerous women to work and find a purpose for themselves. These opportunities grant a sense of dignity they may have never dreamt possible.
A Social Entrepreneurship.
In addition to our partnerships, our Curator Program makes a significant impact on our brand. We strive to empower women here in the U.S. to also become businesswomen for themselves. These women have committed to spreading hope with us and have committed to impacting change for others. They are the reason our artisans are so successful—they spread the message of our brand to a wider audience than we could reach ourselves.
Becoming an entrepreneur with I Thought of You allows women to receive the resources, training, and mentorship to succeed as a personal business owner as well as earn a generous commission on each sale. Whether a stay-at-home mom is looking to earn some extra income in her spare time, or an aspiring entrepreneur is starting out and making a way for herself, our Curator Program offers the support and mentorship women deserve.
One of our amazing Curators, Katy, has such a heart for social change and is a powerful businesswomen through and through. We asked Katy to talk about her experience as a Curator and her time with I Thought of You.
Katy is one of four owners of Green Man Twist, a Cincinnati-based ice cream trailer that is fully non-profit. She and her coworkers committed their business to using 100% of all profits in the community for entrepreneur training, affordable housing, and education initiatives. They saw the need for positive change in their community, so they took it.
This mindset is what drew Katy into our mission.
Empowered Women Empowering Women.
Like her own business practices, she loves supporting dignity and value in the workplace. And for women in developing countries who often don’t have access to such luxuries, it makes an even more significant impact on their lives to be a part of a company that provides them with the resources they need to thrive. We are a business of empowered women empowering women.
Katy saw the opportunity to continue impacting change beyond her fulltime job. She is now creating outlets for success for others both locally and globally. While no two Curator stories are the same, each started with the initiative to be a part of something bigger than themselves. Like Katy, our numerous other Curators are out there inspiring a movement and bettering the lives of those who deserve it.
On this American Women’s Business Day, we salute the women behind our mission making our success possible. It’s not always easy and it’s not always fun, but the reward is worth the work. Let’s keep running this world and proving our strength each step of the way.
