Selling More, or Selling Out?

Starting a company like http://www.world-shoppe.com/ has been something I've wanted to do since I was little - I just didn't know it was going to look like this e-boutique. The goal was to start a business helping others, especially women, who may not have the opportunities to excel whether that's because of their society, polical climate, religious beliefs, or whatever. Because, I felt, if women could "work" outside the home and make money, their "worth" is looked upon differently because of the way they contribute to their family and community. They also gain a kind of voice that isn't always available to women.

http://www.world-shoppe.com/ was launched to help given women a voice by purchasing products from them - and paying them a fair wage for their work. Sometimes sales aren't stellar and other times they are great. But each day we plug away because we know that each sale does make a difference to that family - women, men, children and entire communities.

When some companies I've long admired started, I imagined they had their own specific goals in mind. In fact, my MBA admission cover letter said that I wanted to start a company helping others, just like Anita Rodham (The Body Shop) or Jerry Greenfield and Ben Cohen (Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream). I admired companies like Tom's of Maine, Burt's Bees, and Honest Tea. Sadly, most of these companies are no longer owned or operated by those forward-thinking entrepreneurs. They've sold their companies to larger companies - and I now wonder if their original goals are still even considered.

I was having lunch with some friends when this topic came out and I was surprised at how few of them knew that these companies sold - what a brilliant marketing tactic. Why not let people, their loyal buyers, think that nothing happened? Makes sense, don't you think, especially if you have an issue supporting the "larger" company for one reason or another? So, in case you didn't know, here are some companies that have sold in recent years:

• Odwalla - Coca Cola
• Honest Tea - Coca Cola
• Rhino Records - TimeWarner
• Cascadian Farms - General Mills
• Stoneyfield Farms - Group Danone
• Tom's of Maine - Colgate
• The Body Shop - L'Oreal
• Burt's Bees - Clorox
• Ben & Jerry - Unilever

There are countless press releases that tout why the founders sold to the larger companies: it was a way to broaden the brand and the mission, create more jobs, etc. I get it. But it just makes it that much harder to "support" their original brand/company/mission when I'm not, directly, supporting another larger company's brand/company/mission through my purchasing power. And that makes me pause and, often, reach out for a new company brand whose mission still aligns with mine.

You can do the same - shop fair trade whenever possible, shop locally, shop farmers market and organic food and clothing whenever you can.

I'm not naive to think I'm going to change the world - but by golly, if I can change the world even for one person, I'll keep doing what I'm doing until I can't do it anymore.

Thanks for sticking around and reading...and supporting http://www.world-shoppe.com/ in any way you can!

Warmly,

-Megy Karydes, Founder

www.World-Shoppe.com