[E4C54] How Mompreneurs Can Start Home-Based Social Enterprises that Change the World, Shannon Keith of International Princess™ Project

Shannon Keith is the founder of a social business that employs formerly trafficked women in India to create beautiful women’s pajamas & loungewear – called Punjammies – which they sell to international markets online. It’s a social enterprise founded by women for women.

In this inspiring interview, Shannon will share with us:

3:00 - A heartbreaking experience in India that compelled her to start a social business.

6:34 - The “A-ha” moment that led her to the idea of creating women’s loungewear merchandise.

9:15 - Her thoughts on Human Trafficking and how it can be stopped.

18:31 - Shannon’s views on how to tackle this complex problem at different levels.

21:22 - The benefits of being a Hybrid type of business.

23.27 - The downfalls of creating “pity-buy” products and how it impedes business growth.

26:58 - Shannon’s opinion on microenterprise and how it can help solve trafficking and poverty problems.

28:57 - Pro’s and con’s of establishing a business with people and profit in mind in a foreign country.

31:57 - A personal story of one of the survivors from a brothel in India that deeply touched and broke her heart.

35:23 - Shannon’s take on how to effectively change the world.

[Tweet "“The most effective way to change the world is to abide by the golden rule” - Shannon Keith"]

Download the Audio Master Class

In Shannon’s masterclass which can be downloaded in the shownotes at www.entrepreneursforachange.com/54, we will be diving into the nitty gritty of what it took for Shannon and her team to set up a social enterprise and NGO that creates beautiful products sold to international markets through ecommerce, while delivering humanitarian help and providing jobs to women human trafficking survivors in India.

In this informative session, you will learn:

1:22 - How to gain traction to discover if a business is viable and how to get it off the ground.

2:54 - Where to find other organizations and tap into their resources and form a sustainable partnership.

6:01 - How to perform market validation and make sure there is demand for your product.

8:45 - Ways to raise money to grow to the next level of your business.

21:55 - Using multiple versions of pitch decks to present to different kinds of investors.

27:55 - How Shannon began to scale from distributing their products at a trunk show level to fulfill bigger orders.

34:11 - Shannon’s tips to aspiring social entrepreneurs who are working on launching similar programs in the developing world.

Mentioned in this interview

Punjammies

Somaly Mam

Lilla Watson

 Where to Find Shannon

Visit Shannon's Website

Join Shannon's Facebook Page

Follow Shannon on Twitter

Subscribe to Shannon's Youtube Channel

Full Episode Transcript

0:55 Lorna: Hello, amazing change makers, welcome to episode 54 of Entrepreneurs for a Change. In this episode, we are bringing on the call with us, Shannon Keith, who is a founder of a social business that employs formally trafficked women in India to create beautiful women’s pajamas and loungewear called Punjammis, which they sell to international markets online. And so, not only is this a company is a social enterprise founded by women for women, Shannon is a mom of three kids and she is going to share with us how it's possible to be able to start a home based business that changes the worlds from home.

Thank you so much Shannon for joining us. Please tell me what it was that inspired you to start this particular business because I can tell you that I am deeply moved by the plight of women in the world that are forced into the sex trade and so, I'm so glad that you’ve been able to find a solution that helps women have another form of gainful employment and dignity through a different line of work, for providing alternatives to some of the women at the base of the pyramid. I'd love to find out how you did it, so we can we learn how to do something similar with our businesses.