Scarlet Threads

“Like any piece of cloth, many threads came together to form Scarlet Threads.  For two years, we’ve made our home in a poor Chinese village.  We’ve spent a lot of time trying to reconcile the world we see around us with the one we know at home in the USA.

Here, we’ve watched families separated for months so that they can try to earn more money to pay back a loan they borrowed to pay for stitches to sew up a bad cut.  We’ve heard stories of families in our village who couldn’t afford the medical care their children needed, and their children died.  Families who go without meals so that they can save money for their child to attend the village school.  In a heart-breaking succession, the stories go on.

When we moved to China in 2007, we came to work with special needs’ orphans.  As we grew more involved in that work, we began to understand that in many cases, children become orphans due to poverty.  As we learned more and talked to people, we began to understand that so many of the social problems we saw were fundamentally rooted in poverty.  We believe that with knowledge comes responsibility, and we began to explore ways that we could help.

Before we moved to China, we learned about Fair Trade, a growing global economic movement that uses trading partnerships to alleviate poverty.  Quite simply, in traditional trade models, the artisan responsible for crafting the vase on your desk might have worked in a sweat-shop and been paid a few pennies for their work.  In Fair Trade, artisans are paid fair wages and provided safe working environments.  It’s a revolutionary model that results in transformed communities and lives, and we’ve been looking for ways to launch a small-scale Fair Trade project to benefit our community.

In the summer of 2009, we met our first seamstress.  After doing a few small projects for us, we grew more and more impressed with her skill and attention to detail.  We learned that she wanted to do more work to help support her family, and our idea for Scarlet Threads was born.  With the help of others on our team, we now have our first collection ofproducts, and the Scarlet Threads Boutique is now a reality.” – Carrie McKean

Do you want to know more about Scarlet Threads and how you can help the children above during this season of giving? Visit their blog to read about how they are partnering with Seven Hopes United to raise $10000 for New Day Foster Home, an organization that will help these children get the surgeries they need.

Toot your own horn

A few weeks ago, I attended the Texas Conference for Women.  The conference was entitled Live Fearlessly, which is appropriate for what I am about to share with you. Part of the conference included the opportunity to break off into small sessions. The first session I chose was Spark & Hustle: How to Put “Spark” into Your Pitch with Tory Johnson and Cindy Solomon. This session was devoted to selling your story. With your voice. Something I am terrible at. I made pretty great grades in college. My required public speaking class? Grade C.

In listening to them speak, I was taking notes and writing down how I would pitch Homespun (not whyimake.com because I was still working out the details). Then towards the end, they asked if anyone would want to throw their name into a hat to have their pitch critiqued in the next session, The Spark Tank – Pitch to the Pros. They would be drawing names. And I CANNOT believe I did this, but I put my name in.

As I sat their, with a cold, claritin-induced cotton mouth, no breakfast, and lots of coffee I crossed my fingers and prayed that they would not pick me. Because then, I could just leave the conference patting myself on the back having gotten that far. But I am sure you know what happened next.

I waited my turn with the claritin, coffee, and nerves making me shake. Literally. What did my husband tell me that morning? Oh yeah, “Make sure you eat something because that claritin will make you jittery.”

It was a disaster. I did not even tell them the name of my business. When I finally finished my ludicrous pitch, they kind of starred at me blinking (at least that is what it felt like). All three of the lovely women I was pitching to, Barbara Bradley (of Vera Bradley), Jessica Nadeau (of Soletos), Cindy Soloman (pretty much an expert on all things pitches), and Tory Johnson (GMA…duh.) were so gracious and kind not to laugh at me.

You probably want to know where I am going with this, right? No, I am not going to criticize myself any longer. I want to tell you what I learned while attempting to toot my own horn.

You have to do it because no one else will.

I struggle with this. And at the root of it all is confidence.  You know your idea is the best thing since sliced bread, but many of you fail to show it to the rest of the world because you are afraid. Fear of the unknown is pretty powerful. Unfortunately, there is not another person on the planet that knows your art or business like you do. Put your fear aside and go for it. Your story will be better for it.

Practice what you are not good at.

It is my tendency to keep doing the things that I am good at because let’s face it – it feels much better than being humiliated! But, practice develops into habits and habits are comfortable. And if you are one of those weirdos (and I use that term affectionately!) that loves to be in front of crowds of people but you stink at writing about your art or business, practice writing.

If all else fails, just wing it.

As painful as my experience was, in the end it was so worth it because I tried. Had I not tried, I would not have handed out 6 of my business cards after the session. I would not have connected with Tory and Cindy on Linked-in. And  I would not know where my bottom was with regards to my pitch! I now know I can only go up from here.

Do you have any experiences like mine? What did you learn?

Katie from The Caged Yarn

Katie talks beer sox and persistence at Homespun: Houston Handmade.

Shop: The Caged Yarn

Interaction Fosters Trust

There is an art to interaction. The secret?

The purpose of interacting with your customers/clients should not be done with the intention of selling something.

That breeds skepticism.

Communicate consistently, genuinely, and from the heart.

This type of interaction cultivates trust.

Photo by Merideth Farmer

Empty

Pour your heart and soul into your story. Otherwise, what you are making will be just that. Empty. Share your story and you may give an intangible gift. This is true art – art that inspires and interacts.

Connect. Passion. Motivate.

Use these elements when crafting your story and it will resonate with your audience.

{connect}

How do you connect with your spouse? Your children? Your best friend? You talk to them. Open up a dialogue with those around you. Let them in on your thoughts. And listen and respond to theirs.

{passion}

Artists and entrepreneurs usually have no shortage of this. That is probably the catalyst that got you moving to begin with. But, harness your object of enthusiasm and share why it is you are so enamored with it.

{motivate}

What is your motive anyway? Ask yourself this. Is it money? Maybe, but probably not your big “why.” Your audience wants to know what is important to you. Tell them that you are working with a local charity or haven’t had time to finish that project because you just had a new baby. Let them in on your values.

Photos credits: paper dolls, passion, signs.

Heart

Heart. This is what you must put into your story. Be genuine. Tell the truth. Be real. Share from your heart and you will connect.

why?

come back soon!

Daily inspiration and storytelling advice by way of video, photos, and written work – coming soon!