I’ve long been inspired by community service. From being a little kid in church, and involved in my youth group all through high school, to college where I joined the wonderful Service Fraternity Alpha Phi Omega, I’ve always felt a calling to give back. So when it came to my business, to be truthful for a while I felt a little lost. What was the purpose to all this? For me, making money to provide for my family wasn’t enough. Neither to be honest was making my clients happy, although that’s a big part of it. I realized I needed more of a fundamental purpose of inspiring others behind it, to feel accomplished personally. So last year I overhauled everything. And realized in the process that what I needed was to try to make community service a part of my business model. I’m still working on ways to incorporate this, and I’ve started a new program for teens this year that I’m super excited about and I’ll share more on later. But my purpose going forward is to share my talents in such a way that I am allowed to pay it forward. So I started looking at other give back companies, and today I’d like to give a shout out and share with you a couple of my favorites right now.
According to their website, “We’re a Pay It Forward Company. At The Giving Keys, we want to inspire the world to pay it forward, so we’ve built it into how we do business. Through our social impact employment model, every product you purchase supports job creation for people transitioning out of homelessness.” By designing, manufacturing and selling the jewelry, they provide jobs and career paths to the homeless. The idea is to purchase (or gift) a key with a word, whatever word you think fits your chapter in life, embrace it, and then pay it forward giving your key on to another. I LOVE this. The whole concept came out of the founder’s desire to pay it forward. To remind people of their worth. And to be able to wear something unique that reminded them daily of it. Today, The Giving Keys employ 70+ individuals that they’ve helped transition out of homelessness, and have expanded out of LA to selling in boutiques throughout the country.
I have two keys, one with the word Inspire, to remind me of where I’ve come from, and to where I want to go. And also Dream, to remind me to shoot for the American dream – owning and operating my own successful business that can help positively impact my community as well.
I came across Pura Vida Bracelets on Instagram, and the colors and style just jumped out at me. They reminded me so much of friendship bracelets that I’d make as a kid and wanted to give to others. I started researching the company and was so happy to learn they had a giving business model as well. On a trip to Costa Rica, the two founders came across local artisans, who were peddling their bracelets and despite their deep poverty, had such a positive outlook on life.
From their website, “‘Pura Vida’ is Spanish for ‘pure life’, a Costa Rican philosophy that encourages the appreciation of life’s simple treasures. Slowing things down, celebrating good fortune, and refusing to take anything for granted embodies this laidback lifestyle. ‘Pura Vida’ means choosing to live life to the fullest. It’s more than just a saying… it’s a lifestyle.” Pura Vida’s founders wanted to help the Costa Rican locals, and spread the philosophy. So they have partnered with the local artisans and now sell the bracelets worldwide, helping provide full time jobs and revenue to the locals. They now also have Charity Collections that give back to a number of charities, and are members of 1% to the Planet, meaning they give 1% of their yearly company revenue to help worldwide environmental organizations.
It makes me incredibly happy and inspired myself to learn how successful companies can, and have become out of a simple desire to give back. I encourage you to research on your own, and find other companies that pay it forward as well. I’d love to hear about your favorites!
View comments
+ Leave a comment