Jeremy Lile
Case Western Reserve University - Weatherhead School of Management
David Cooperrider
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Trades of Hope is an innovative business model based on home party sales that provides a solution to empowering female artisans around the world and empowering compassionate entrepreneurs in the United States. They pay fair market value for products from their artisans, thus giving them the opportunity to provide for their family and prevent numerous injustices that typically plague the worlds most vulnerable. Through home parties held by Compassionate Entrepreneurs in the U.S., they can sell the products and, therefore, provide additional income for themselves and their own needs. Thus, the innovative model helps lift women and their families out of poverty or provide supplemental income that helps meet basic needs, provide education, improve health, and many more benefits.
Founders, Gretchen and Holly, came together from different backgrounds but share a vision and mission. They each had life-changing experiences that profoundly shaped their desire to give back in a sustainable and meaningful way that prevented issues plaguing women trapped by poverty. Through this innovation, they are helping to eradicate poverty, feed the hungry, provide good health and education, and gender equality. All this is happening through decent work and economic growth.
Gretchen Huijskens was the co-founder of an orphanage in Haiti, and she was able to help many children and fundraise to help them; however, she had trouble motivating people to help support preventative measures that would keep women from being trafficked and children from being orphaned. She and Holly Wehde knew that empowering women to make a sustainable income would provide them the best opportunity. Executive Director Erika Solgos quoted Gretchen as saying, “It shouldn’t be easier for a woman to find an orphanage than to find a job.” And so, the two women set out on the quest of starting Trades of Hope. Erika summed up the inspiration for her work first as a Compassionate Entrepreneur and now as an executive director: "You're not selling jewelry…you’re telling a story." Their work provides the opportunity to raise awareness about women living in poverty, not for charity but for dignity and empowerment.
The overall impact of the work is quite remarkable. The below numbers are based on numbers from 2017.
They employ 9,440 people full-time and 3,906 people part-time.
42,890 people are impacted around the globe.
14,541 people are receiving health aid.
16,525 children are receiving an education.
They work in 17 countries around the world - Costa Rica, Guatemala, The U.S., Peru, Haiti, Jordan, Uganda, Pakistan, Kenya, India, North Asia, Nepal, Bangladesh, Vietnam, The Philippines, Cambodia, and Thailand.
For every one actively selling Compassionate Entrepreneur, seven women are being empowered out of poverty.
The artisans receive 3X to 6X more than the average income in their country.
Trades of Hope meets all 9 Fair Trade principles:
- Create Opportunities for Economically and Socially Marginalized Producers.
- Develop Transparent and Accountable Relationships.
- Build Capacity.
- Promote Fair Trade.
- Pay Promptly and Fairly.
- Support Safe and Empowering Working Conditions.
- Respect cultural identity.
- Ensure the Rights of Children.
- Cultivate Environmental Stewardship.
You can find out more about the impact of this work here: https://issuu.com/tradesofhopecatalog/docs/impact
As noted above, over 13,000 people are being employed (part or full time) by Trades of Hope, incredible growth for only eight years of existence. Trades of Hope does not publish their revenue, but the number of employees signifies that trajectory of growth they are on.
Erika noted another benefit experienced by Compassionate Entrepreneurs in the U.S. She talked about how she was looking for a part-time job she could do from home because of a son with special needs and four children. Through Trades of Hope, she can have a job from home that is flexible and meaningful and purposeful which, for her, was an answer to prayer. She shared a particular story about how her team reached revenue of $380,000 in one month (November 2017) and how she realized how far the journey had brought her as a leader and empowerer of others. She shared about earning enough to pay for her children's braces and a recent trip she and her adopted daughter took to Ethiopia.
Erika pointed out that the opportunities for growth and scalability are exponential. If one compares Trades of Hope's model to MaryKay or Pampered Chef, they can see the possibilities for growth.
Moreover, Trades of Hope is continually updating their product offerings and adding new product lines, which encourages innovation and high quality.
Health – Many of the artisan groups find ways to give back (For example, a group in India started a medical clinic). Women in Haiti had heart attacks due to poor health which was brought on by unhealthy eating and high stress from living in poverty. They had some women get trained as nurses to do weekly blood pressure checks. They also started a café with healthy food options. Additionally, Trades of Hope sometimes helps artisans with smaller medical needs or makes it possible for Compassionate Entrepreneurs to earn perks where they can give back to the artisans directly (For example, if you hit $100,000 in sales, ToH gifts prenatal care to a mother/child in India).
Clean Water – Another earned perk is that a Compassionate Entrepreneur can donate a month’s worth of clean water and now they have gotten to the point where they bought a well so that the artisans and their community have constant access to clean water.
Education - Women in Haiti are getting 1 hour of schooling a day in math skills which empowers them to learn things like supply and demand, how to create a spreadsheet, etc. For example, two young women, Maria and Ericka, orphans in Guatemala were chosen by the mother superior to be a part of the artisan community. Now, they are in management (one in quality control, one in sales – opening new markets), and came to the U.S. to share their story at Trades of Hope's annual gathering of Compassionate Entrepreneurs. Erika quoted one of them as saying, "Don’t buy our products because you feel sorry for us. Buy them because they’re beautiful and high quality.” Another woman was able to buy a motorbike so she didn’t have to travel via dangerous buses in Guatemala.
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Erika Solgos, Executive Director
Trades of Hope is a business that connects female artisans from around the world to Compassionate Entrepreneurs (CEs) in the United States. They leverage a home party model to make fashion accessories and home decor items available for purchase at a price that is certified Fair Trade. They pay 100% asking price for the products that are then sold at a mark up at the home party in the U.S., thus benefiting both the artisan and the CE.
The Trades of Hope mission is to “empower women out of poverty through sustainable business.” Or to put it more succinctly, "To inspire hope and create change."