Since our earliest days, we have committed to setting aside 10% of revenue towards the empowerment of entrepreneurs in the developing world through micro-loans. By building this into our business model, our ability to loan has scaled as our business grows.

There has been a lot of discontent and frustration among American youth in the past few years. Having graduated from college in 2010, I can remember the pessimism that existed in the job market my friends and I entered into very vividly. I know people who struggled (or are still struggling) to find a job and even more who are underemployed or took a job they didn't want for the security of a position. The frustration that fueled Occupy Wall Street from the get-go is still felt strongly by many. Especially with the weight of student loans and other debts, many young people are finding it difficult to gain a solid footing. The problems are not new to us and have been vocalized many times over; however, we have yet to see a real conversation on sustaianble and tangible solutions that we can get behind. 

That's why I am so excited about the passion and mission behind #FixYoungAmerica. I had the pleasure of speaking with Scott Gerber of the Young Entrepreneurship Council and could not help but be energized by the passion in his voice about this project. The idea is to engage and activate a community of people who are annoyed with the way things are--by empowering youth to respond and claim a better future for themselves. Basically: Frustrated? Do something. Just like the Manifesto promotes--If you don't like something, Change it. 

Fix Young America is a multifaceted solutions-based approach bringing everyone across all sectors to the table: government, academia, the private sector, and everyone in between. From our personal perspective, Holstee has been such a privilege for us as entrepreneurs to connect with other amazing entrepreneurs and we truly believe that promoting entrepreneurship is a surefire way to drive the economy forward. Fix Young America sets to increase the momentum to support opportunities for entrepreneurship and remove the barriers that often dissuade many from making their dreams a reality. Driving the movement is a 10-city bus tour currently in the works, a book of essays from America's most talented voices on youth entrepreneurship on the way, and a massive campaign to spread the word. 

Check out the IndeGoGo campaign for more information and to discover how you can support the project.

It was Friday afternoon and my To Do List was excruciatingly long, filled with boring administrative tasks: produce monthly journal entries, reconcile credit cards, calculate sales tax, order supplies, etc. When I reached “Kiva loan transfers” on my list, I was prepared to tackle it with my signature speed and efficiency. After all, the quicker these things were accomplished, the sooner my weekend would begin! 

And in fact, I had already identified thousands of dollars of eligible loans before I grasped the enormity of what I had been assigned to do. Here I was prepared to distribute nearly $14,000 worth of micro-loans as if I were simply paying a bill or moving money between bank accounts. So used to breezing through administrative transactions, I had forgotten what each of these loans signified.

Holstee has made a public commitment to “paying it forward” by loaning 10% of sales revenue to entrepreneurs throughout the world. When customers purchase a Manifesto Poster, Black Wallet, or Alpaca Hat, they trust Holstee to act in good faith to fulfill this promise and help contribute to sustainable social change. For Holstee, these loans are one of the concrete ways that we live our values, put our money where our mouths are, walk the walk, etc. Making these loans isn’t something we have to do to stay in business; it is reason why we want to stay in business.

For the recipients, these loans often mean the creation or expansion of a business, creating an opportunity for self-sufficiency and better lives for their families and communities. Even for those receiving their first loan of only a few hundred dollars, the impact can be significant. Micro-lending is certainly not a panacea, but it can provide tangible improvements in real people’s lives without a lot of red tape and middle men.

Ashamed that I had been so flippant and rushed with this responsibility, I took a deep breath, put away my To Do List, and started over. Once I had given myself the time, the stories I found were truly inspiring:

Seamstresses from Togo, Benin, Senegal, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Lebanon, Colombia, Ecuador, and Honduras:

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Emiliana from Bolivia and Sughran from Pakistan, both mothers and shoemakers:

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Fayzamad, a cotton processor in Tajikistan:

Women selling textiles and sewing supplies in Costa Rica and Togo:

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Used clothing and shoe sellers in Rwanda, Uganda, Sierra Leone, and Paraguay:

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And many, many more... Check out Holstee’s Kiva page to see all of our loans http://www.kiva.org/lender/holstee

**Note to Holstee Friends & Family: Although we made loans to entrepreneurs in many different industries, I did try to focus on those working in the apparel, footwear, and accessories supply chain. Next time we disburse loans, are there particular activities or industries in which you would like us to invest? Are there regions or countries you feel passionate about supporting? I would love to hear your feedback!

Next month marks the 10th year of the Acumen Fund and we send many congratulations for ten years of amazing work towards a world without poverty. By investing in social entrepreneurs worldwide, the Acumen Fund has been a consistent leader in empowering leaders and allowing great ideas to thrive. Their vision is that one day every human being will have all of their basic needs met in order to reach their full potential. Changing and challenging the way the world looks at development, the Acumen Fund continues to provide effective ways of closing the gap between rich and poor.

In celebration of this important milestone, Acumen has launched a beautiful new website and kicked off a wonderful blog series 10 Things We've Learned About Tackling Global Poverty. It is a must read for anyone with a passion for the world and a value for lasting solutions. The blog is updated with a new lesson each week, including a response from one of the amazing Acumen community members. Both the responses and lessons are full of the wisdom gained from practical experience and are so worthwhile to read. It is a privilege to be able to celebrate the great work that Acumen has accomplished and share in the wisdom of the lessons they have learned along the way.

If you have not read the powerful memoir The Blue Sweater by Acumen Fund founder and CEO Jacqueline Novogratz, we would definitely recommend adding it to your book list! (Check out Mike's favorite quotes from the book, too :). Happy Birthday Acumen Fund!

What is needed going forward is a philosophy based on human dignity, which all of us need and crave. We can end poverty if we start by looking at all human beings as part of a single global community that recognizes that everyone deserves a chance to build a life worth living. -Jacqueline Novogratz The Blue Sweater

One of the greatest things about our work at Holstee is being able to connect with other entrepreneurs following their passion and seeking to make the world a better place. We are so inspired and amazed by the beautiful people who are blowing our minds with their creative innovations, empowering ideas, and genuine love for the work they wake up to every morning.

Saba Gul is a wonderful example of the people that we are taking about. With a passion for the education and empowerment of young girls worldwide, Saba co-founded BLISS, Business & Life Skills School. Since 2009, BLISS has been empowering grils in rural Pakistain to claim their education, gain life skills, realize their potenial, and lift themselves and their families out of poverty. 

While many girls worldwide cannot stay in school due to the financial and familial pressures they face, BLISS allows for financial incentives that make it possible for girls to be educated and make money at the same time. These incentives are supplied by profits made from the beautiful handmade bags that the girls design and create themselves. Embracing the reality that a hand up is more effective and sustainable than a hand out, BLISS is truly an amazing example of change that endures. 

We are so impressed by Saba and the wonderful opportunities that she is helping to provide for girls in Pakistan. To discover more about the great work BLISS is doing, check out their website and this 4-minute wonderful clip that was aired as an NBC Nightly News Special. You can also see the beautiful bags made by the girls here (I think this one is my favorite :).

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In this lengthy but worth-the-watch video, the host of NPR Marketplace Kai Ryssdal talks with TOMS founder Blake Mycoskie and GOOD CEO Ben Goldhirsh about the passion and purpose behind their work. We found ourselves nodding in agreement throughout the length of the interview, as the honest words of these two amazing entrepreneurs truly resonate with the mission and values behind what we do everyday at Holstee. It is so encouraging to see other entrepreneurs valuing thoughtful production, sustainability, social responsibility, and community as they strive to grow and succeed. These guys hit the nail on the head in this interview and provide a solid insight into the world of Social Entreprenuership & 'Consious Capitalism.' We'd love to hear your thoughts.

One of the most encouraging and exciting things for all of us at Holstee is to connect with other small businesses and entreprenuers who are following their dream. We have seen firsthand how amazing it is to start small and grow, and we are so energized by the start-ups and small companies that are on the same path. 

The reality, of course, is that money is needed in order for these businesses to grow--and in turn create the jobs and goods that stimulate the economy. In an economic climate where financing for small business is becoming harder and harder to come by, crowdfunding has become a great alternative for start-ups to aquire the capital needed to thrive. 

Similar to a microfinance system like Kiva.org where many individuals each give a small loan towards a larger goal, crowdfunding allows entrepreneurs and growing companies to raise money through small investments by a large number of people. Unfortunately, there is a great amount of red tape and longstanding regulations that have made it super difficult for this to happen--leaving many entrepreners unable to bring their ideas to life.

Right now, a bill is currently in the works that seeks to remove the red tape, strengthen crowdfunding, and get behind growing business and increasing jobs. To learn more about the details surrounding the bill, check out this post by our friends at ProFounder and this article discussing the progress. You can also discover more about crowdfunding by taking a look at the petition here (your voice is needed!). 

Photo credit.

My favorite part about social media is the process of discovering other people out there who think and act just like you do because when you decide to take the path less traveled with your life, at times, you feel all alone. Like totally alone. And that can be a real bummer. 

Meet Caroline Mikolajczyk and her newborn blog My Train B. 

After being raised and schooled in France, washing toilets in Australia, and working as a marketing executive in London, she's decided to return home to start a shoe company with her Mum. 

Why/how do I know all this you ask? Her blog. It's short and sweet as she just started in April, but the post below is still rattling my heart and soul and I felt it was most appropriate to share considering the Manifesto we try to live by everyday. 

Caroline- Thanks for the inspiration and heartfelt stories. It's nice to know we're not alone as we venture off the beaten path towards a life of our own footprints. Please keep creating, and cheers to living your dream. 

And PS- I'm guessing that's not Caroline above. :D 

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Say “Au Revoir” to Your Gold Prison

As you have already guessed with the title, I’m leaving (I hope forever) the corporate world and it feels damn good! Today was my last day as Marketing Executive for a translation company to the North of London. After 1 year and half, I’m finally leaving my desk, the 9 to 5 pattern, the rules and the feeling of being trapped.

It was a long journey to arrive to this point because there is always a ton of facts and reasons why you should stay at your job and some people are here to remember you. Fortunately, I don’t really have this kind of people in my life, I actually feel blessed to have such an amazing support from my family and friends. But in the case you do, you need to keep fighting and do what you think it’s best for you because at the end of the day, as Colin Wright says, you won’t be able to get your time back.

You know what? He is so right that I can’t believe I didn’t realize it before… We all live for a hypothetical future that might never happen. We work at jobs that we don’t really enjoy in the hope of getting another better one someday. We try to save money in the hope of traveling again someday. We don’t exercise and eat healthy because we will do it someday (I struggle with this one myself!). So of course, there is nothing wrong with that but what if “someday” never comes?

Instead of planning things on a long term basis, try to do them right now because you never know what might happen to you in the meantime. Can you say that at this time in your life you could die happy? That you are living the life you’ve always wished for? Right now?

If yes, then I’m truly happy for you, you are living your dream. If no, then you should think about what you’re missing in your life and how you can change that. Remember, possibilities are endless and your decisions shouldn’t be dictated by what everybody is doing or by what you feel it’s the “right” thing to do. Become the person you’ve always wanted to be today rather than someday.

What is holding you back in your gold prison?

I was introduced to Our Time just recently by Holstee co-founder Mike Radparvar and after reading their recent blog post Why CEOs need to hire more young people, I am F-I-R-E-D U-P. Big time. 

Our Time is the movement we need. It's the movement we've been waiting for. It's the platform we should firmly construct together in order to say what's on our minds and in our hearts regarding our current state of affairs as the most educated, motivated and ambitious generation in the wealthiest country in the world. Ever.

THAT, right there, is power. While we don't sit in the Whitehouse and write up legislation, we have 1,000+ friends on Facebook and unprecedented reach as individuals and the best knowledge of how to connect under today's ever evolving social umbrella. These things our parents could hardly dream of. For us, it's our way of breathing. And it's time we capitalize on this wave of fierce independence that we first started by carving out untraditional lifestyles and paths towards success and happiness. 

If you give a damn, take a minute and check out Our Time. Read the blog post Why CEOs need to hire more young people. Subscribe to them and read what they send out. 

Say something. 

Say something about Healthcare as +25% of Americans are obese.

Say something about Education as +42% of college graduates never read another book again-ever.

Say something about International Diplomacy as our 2012 defense budget is roughly 1.4 T R I L L I O N dollars.

Say something about Capitalism as poverty rates hit an all-time high at 1 in 7 Americans. You know 7 Americans, don't you?

Say something about Individual Rights as the Patriot Act and Extraordinary Rendition mask the illusion of independence we think we have.

Say something about Environmental Policy as we are on the brink of an unimaginable massive marine extinction. 

Say something. 

Please. 

It's time. It's OUR Time. And you damn well know it. 

At Holstee, one of our core values is to Pay-It-Forward and we do so by contributing 10% of all quarterly sales to Kiva to empower women around the globe thru micro-financing. I'd be lying if I said this wasn't one of my favorite posts to write.

I get the same chills as with my previous Kiva post and I experience the same ambiguous feelings because frankly, it's still a bit strange to be "working" (read: lending money to women in developing countries so they can build their business, support their families, and serve their community) in New York City in the year 2011 on my MacBook Pro so far and removed from the people we are directly affecting. And I'm sorry if this is coming off a bit too altruistic, but I'm merely trying to express the bizarre realities functioning here. 

The drive these women have to take action and control over their lives and well-being is awe-inspiring and their stories deserve to be told as they are the epitome of what the great human spirit can accomplish when opportunistic circumstances are presented. 

The purpose of life is not to be happy-but to matter, to be productive, to be useful, to have it make some difference that you have lived at all. ~Leo Rosten

We continually strive to live a more conscious life and to carry out more conscious business practices and to "walk the walk" here at Holstee. That is our collective contribution to the world. And that is why I love working here. 

The 24 amazing women..

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Lizbeth- Peru, Isabel- Peru, Angelique- Rwanda, Benita Angela Supo De Supo- Peru, Doris- Peru, Enarcita Bacordo- Philippines, Fiorela Juana Apaza Cuno- Peru, Engracia- Mexico, Gladys Karina Lopez Cruz- Peru, Juana- Chile, Julita Daniel- Philippines, Lilian Deloso- Philippines, Lilibeth Catingco- Philippines, Lorna Sarauz- Philippines, Maria Fernanda Aragundy Chica- Ecuador, Maria Marca Incacutipa- Peru, Maria Rosalina Naulaguari Zhinin- Ecuador, Maria Vicenta Pauta Duchi- Ecuador, Ma Eugenia- Mexico, Nadia- Rwanda, Nicolaza- Mexico, Reyna- Mexico, Nadezhda Kuznetsova- Ukraine, Eneria Tuastumban- Phillipines (not pictured)