The Give Back Model

Ashley Janson is the owner of Light & Be, a bracelet company that donates $5 for every piece sold to help fight human trafficking around the world. Today she talks with Christine about her artistic background and passion for creating, the decision to start her own jewelry company during the pandemic, and the devastating statistics that led her to chose human trafficking as her cause. Ashley explains how her social media community has influenced the design of her bracelets, how she has adapted to her growing popularity, and her plans for new products and events moving forward. She also shares the significance behind her company name, Light & Be, and encourages us all to be a light in this world.

 Human trafficking is a $150 billion industry, and the United States leads all other nations in consumption. There is an estimated 40 million people trapped by human trafficking today. If you are a human trafficking victim, or have information about a potential trafficking situation, call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-373-7888 or text HELP to 233733. You can learn more about Ashley’s mission to raise donations and spread awareness for this important cause at ShopLightBe.com.

 For more information, and other episodes on companies and entrepreneurs who give back, please visit www.TheGiveBackModel.com. That’s where you can also let Christine know about companies you’ve found that give back. Thanks for listening!

 Episode Highlights:

• What led Ashley to start her entrepreneurial journey and spread awareness about human trafficking
• Her creative background and interest in creating jewelry
• Deciding to take the leap and launch her company during the pandemic
• The logistics of getting her business up and running, and how quickly it took off
• Using her Instagram page as a platform to facilitate conversations with customers and generate feedback for future designs
• Her growing popularity and Give Back Model of $5 per bracelet sold
• Why Ashley chose human trafficking as her charitable cause
• The heartbreaking statistics of human trafficking and how to raise awareness
• Victims can be of any age, race, gender, nationality, or socioeconomic status
• New products and designs to come
• Including flyers at in-person events that will include information and statistics about the cause
• The importance of talking about human trafficking, educationg ourselves, and spreading awareness
• Operation Underground Railroad Rescue started in 2013 and has since rescued over 4,000 victims of human trafficking (www.ourrescue.org)
• The inspiration behind the name “Light & Be,” and Ashley’s mission for us all to spread light and do good in this world

Quotes:

“In a world where you can be anything, be a light.” 

“In 2020, during the pandemic, me and my husband were talking about it, and doing some more research, getting statistics, watching videos. We were like, We need to do something. Something needs to be done. And I’ve always wanted to create something... I didn’t know what it was going to be.”

“There was a lot of trial and error. I was ordering samples and seeing the quality of everything, and then as far as shipping, I had issues with shipping delays due to COVID… There were some setbacks.”

“In the beginning, when I put out my first collection of bracelets, it was very diverse. I feel like it wasn’t very cohesive. And so I really wanted to hear from the listeners what they liked.”

“We give back $5 for every single bracelet that is sold - [it] goes to Operation Underground Railroad. In the beginning, I knew that I wanted it to be a significant amount per bracelet, so we could make a bigger difference.”

“We have, as of today, raised over $1000 for our rescue, which I’m very excited about!”

“Currently there is an estimated over 40 million people who are in human trafficking today… 1 in 4 of those is a child. And 70% of that 40 million are women and girls.”

“Human trafficking actually generates an estimated $150 billion annually.”

“We’re selling people. We’re selling human beings for profit. It’s the third most profitable business for organized crime behind drugs and arms.”

“Another reason why I chose human trafficking is because people think about this topic and they think about how sickening and evil it is, and so they don’t want to talk about it… But if we do not talk about these things, then nothing changes.”

“I think that it’s important for everyone to know that there’s not a certain box that is put around people who are involved in human trafficking or predators. It’s happening right here in the United States of America.”

“The United States leads all other nations in consumption.”

“As parents, I think it’s important for us to be educated on that as well, to protect our children from being victims of human trafficking.”

Links:

The Give Back Model website www.TheGiveBackModel.com

Follow The Give Back Model on Instagram @thegivebackmodel

Shop Light & Be website www.shoplightbe.com

National Human Trafficking Resource Centre website 

Phone number 1-888-373-7888 or text HELP to 233733

Operation Underground Railroad website www.OurRescue.org

Show Notes:

Christine is thrilled to welcome her dream guest and one of the reasons she started this podcast, Jess Ekstrom. Jess is the founder and CEO of Headbands of Hope, where for every item sold, her company donates a headband to a child with an illness. She is a rockstar entrepreneur, an inspirational public speaker, and she has her own Mic Drop Workshop that helps bring more female speakers into the industry. To hear her incredible story and the journey of how she started this Give Back company, pick up her book, Chasing the Bright Side, where she dives deep into her journey and gives you a look of what it takes to grab hold of your passion and just do good. 

Jess tells Christine about her experience working with Disney and the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and what inspired her to launch Headbands of Hope. She speaks about the importance of believing in yourself and your idea wholeheartedly, being motivated by other people’s entrepreneurial journeys without comparing yourself to them, and overcoming Imposter Syndrome. Jess explains why she loves the term, “It’s just business,” and encourages entrepreneurs to remove their ego and self-worth from what they’re creating so they can focus on solutions objectively. She shares how a gut wrenching setback early on actually drove her to become more resourceful, resilient, and optimistic. And you’ll hear about the many fun products, partnerships, and fundraisers Jess has underway to help children with illnesses feel confident and beautiful during such a difficult time. You can learn more about Jess, purchase some fantastic headbands, and get involved with her important cause by visiting HeadBandsOfHope.com or JessEkstrom.com.

For more information, and other episodes on companies and entrepreneurs who give back, please visit www.TheGiveBackModel.com. That’s where you can also let Christine know about companies you’ve found that give back. Thanks for listening!

Episode Highlights:

• Jess’s Airstream adventures and her passion for traveling 
• Christine’s moving experience of hearing one of Jess’s speeches for the first time
• Jess’s background with Disney and Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the inspiration behind Headbands of Hope
• Her revelation that your career can be more than just clocking in and out - it can build up to something bigger than us
• The importance of believing in yourself and your idea wholeheartedly
• Asking for help and opinions, and using the promise of free food as compensation
• Being inspired by other people’s journey rather than comparing yourself to them
• Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
• Removing your ego and self-worth from the thing you’re creating
• Embracing the expression, “It’s just business”
• Jess’s gut wrenching setback with a manufacturer early on, and how it led her down the path of optimism and resilience rather than giving up
• Learning from mistakes and doing better in the future
• The idea for Headbands of Hope, and giving headbands to children who have lost their hair due to cancer
• The company’s fun products and website
• Jess’s idea for the Worst Fundraiser Ever, a no-money fundraiser that raises gifts of kindness in place of dollars
• Current collaborations with Under Armor and Sharpie, and personally supporting women business owners
• Jess’s touching story of helping a little girl gain the confidence to go back to Kindergarten after losing her hair

Quotes:

“From the moment you started talking, honestly, until the end - I could probably give that speech. I mean, I have just soaked it up. I laughed. You took us through experiences. You took us through your journey. And I cried. You got me hard. I’ve really enjoyed your transparency of your journey, and just being so open and honest.”

“I worked in the Magic Kingdom at Hollywood Studios, and I was a PhotoPass photographer. So I got to take pictures of people from all over the world. And I got to learn a lot about business and parks. But my favorite thing that I got to do, was I got to take pictures of kids that were there on their Wish through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.”

“I realized all the things that I was doing, no matter how small or tedious they were, it made sense to making a wish come true.”

“That’s why it’s so important to believe in your idea in this really rooted way, because you’ll never work that hard if you don’t believe in it.”

“It’s when you’re just like, absolutely, This is going to make the world better. People need this. There is no problem too big to stand in your way.”

“I used food as so many forms of compensation, especially in the beginning!”

“Everyone has their own path. Everyone has their own timeline. And you really just have to be inspired by people without comparing yourself to them.”

“Everyone has these rocky stories and no one really knows what they’re doing. They’re just not posting about it. We see all the highlights, but we don’t see what’s really happening behind the scenes.”

“The other part of it is removing your ego and your self-worth from the thing that you’re creating.”

“If you can separate your worth as a person from the things that you’re creating, you can become kind of obsessed with the problem that you’re trying to solve instead of riding this emotional rollercoaster, which is natural in starting a business. There’s going to be so many ups and downs. You don’t want to be strapped to that roller coaster all the time, or else it will break you down.”

“That kind of set the tone for my resilience. It happened so early on in the business - it showed me that if I can get past this, there’s nothing too big that’s going to stand in my way.”

“Optimism is really like the gasoline to your grit.”

“I think that we make mistakes in our life in one way, that prevents us from making those mistakes in a bigger way as our life progresses.”

“Failures in your life are really just research to do better in your future.”

“For every headband sold, we donate one to a child with an illness. And we’ve reached every children’s hospital in America… We are really, really close to donating one million headbands.”

“[The Worst Fundraiser Ever] is a really great way to reinvent what giving really is, and think about, What do I have to offer?”

“To have something like that story or those moments that really anchor you - it’s just so important when it comes to your grit and just being able to push through it.”

Links:

The Give Back Model website www.TheGiveBackModel.com

Follow The Give Back Model on Instagram @thegivebackmodel

Headbands of Hope website www.HeadBandsOfHope.com

Jess Ekstrom’s website www.JessEkstrom.com

Tarah Morris of Perfectly Frank Restaurant

Show Notes:

Today on the podcast is Tarah Morris, the owner of Perfectly Frank in Norfolk, Virginia. Perfectly Frank is a “one size fits all” restaurant, making not only delicious hot dogs, but also a mouthwatering menu of grilled chicken, homemade chili, melts, burgers, and milkshakes. But the food is not the only thing attracting customers far and wide. Tarah’s huge heart and everything she has overcome this past year is the focus of this beautiful story. 

Tarah began her career in the restaurant industry at 14. She waited tables before purchasing a business of her own, and began the process of franchising. Tarah tells Christine why she ultimately decided to scale back in favor of the small, hometown feel she enjoyed by having only one location, and how the pandemic made her realize that this was truly the right decision for her. Even though her world had crashed because of COVID-19, Tarah shares how she used this as an opportunity to do good and give back to her community. Tarah’s story is a testament to what a fearless leader she is. By opening her heart and her kitchen, she has inspired an entire community to come together through fundraising, push forward, and provide delicious food for those in need – no questions asked. You can learn more about Tarah’s incredible journey (and menu!) at Perfectly-Frank.com.

Episode Highlights:

• Tarah’s background in the restaurant industry and how she started her own business
• Her informal business approach
• Perfectly Frank’s extensive menu
• Tarah’s experience as the pandemic hit and how it affected Perfectly Frank
• Turning COVID-19 into an opportunity to give back and feed her community
• Tarah’s decision not to franchise and how the pandemic made her realize it was ultimately the best thing she could have done
• Perfectly Frank’s’ fundraising community
• Tarah’s advice for entrepreneurs who doubt whether they can succeed

Quotes:

“We expanded a little bit. We started franchising and opened a couple more store fronts, but I hated it because it took the personal element out of it. I didn't want to bounce back and forth between all these locations - I wanted to get to know my customers.

“At Perfectly Frank, it's just so full of personality and the customers are a huge part of what makes us the way we are.”

“I've always run my business with my heart and the way it felt, and it’s kind of scary because I don't know a lot about the numbers and why things are the way they are in the paperwork, but I just keep moving and it works out.”

“We fall into this group where we don't have backing behind us like McDonald's or Chick-fil-A or Wendy’s. We're not a big franchise… We're kind of in this weird niche where our prices are pretty cheap. You can come eat there for seven to ten dollars, but we don't get a lot of the perks that these big chains get. So yeah, I was nervous. And I felt comfort that we weren't alone, but it was like, I don't have anybody behind me holding me up.”

“I worked eighty hours a week. I was there all day, every day. I was cooking, doing curbside, you know, whatever it took to stay open.”

“The board that you posted outside says, ‘If you're broke and hungry, we got you. One free meal per customer per day, no questions asked.’”

“Honestly, we don't even know, when we're cooking, if they are paying a customer or not. It doesn't matter. They're treated just like anybody else.”

“We've also put out there, the meal doesn't even have to be for you. It could be for your neighbor. Maybe your neighbor is sitting on his porch, disabled, and you just bring him a hot meal.”

“What's wild is that you start this business, you're in the industry, you're waiting tables, you take on this business. It morphs, it grows. Then total catastrophe hits. This awful, awful, horrible thing hits, and you don't know what to do, you don't know where to go, you don't know where you can get help from. And then you turn it all around and you start thinking, Okay, well I'm going to give out to the community. I'm going to do good. I'm going to give back because I can, and that's what I want to do.”

“This catastrophe, this pandemic, as many bad things as it is it has brought out, it helped me realize that I made the right decision by following my heart, because right now, what's happening, is exactly why I wanted it to not be this big franchise thing. This is what I love about it.”

“I think that if you are a hard worker, and you have good intentions, and you have everyone's best interest in mind, and you’re fair, I think that no matter what you try to do…you'll succeed.”

Links:

Follow The Give Back Model Podcast on Instagram @thegivebackmodel

Perfectly Frank website Perfectly-Frank.com

Alan Donegan of PopUp Business School and Rebel Entrepreneur

Show Notes:

Alan Donegan is the co-founder of PopUp Business School and a legend in the Petrella household. He started PopUp Business School with Simon Paine in 2012 to help others start their own business without debt or formal business plans. Today Alan speaks with Christine about the misconception that making money and doing good are opposites, his frustrating experience seeking support while starting his own business, and how this led him to look for a better way. He talks about his mission to change the way entrepreneurship is taught around the world, and to help people create their own sustainable income. He also explains how his company is able to give courses away for free using corporate sponsorship programs, and how entrepreneurs are adapting their businesses during the pandemic. Alan shares some great advice on finding your passion and turning it into a business, and encourages listeners to get outside their comfort zone to find success. 

Alan’s Rebel Entrepreneur podcast covers a range of fantastic topics, including when to quit your day job and dealing with overwhelm. He also offers a free 10-week personal finance course called the Rebel Finance School, where students learn how to live a financially abundant life. You can learn more about these and other incredible free opportunities and resources that Alan and his team are offering at AlanDonegan.com.

Episode Highlights:

·       Starting a business while giving back and not going into debt

·       Origins of PopUp Business School and Alan’s journey to entrepreneurship

·       His experience growing up in a household with great debt

·       His mission to change the way entrepreneurship is taught around the world

·       Every business makes the world a better place

·       Robin Hood Business Model and using sponsors to offer free courses

·       Example of couple who started an escape room business using PopUp principles

·       How businesses are adapting during the pandemic

·       Finding your passion and turning it into a business

·       Risking time, energy and rejection in entrepreneurship rather than money

·       Free Rebel Finance School offered on Zoom

Quotes:

“The biggest misconception for me is people think that making money and doing good are the opposites. And if I want to do good, I need to take a job with a charity and not make any money. And if I want to build a business, I need to be sleazy, corporate.” 

“I just think entrepreneurship is taught backwards all around the world… Everywhere you go, it’s taught backwards. I’m on a mission to change that, Christine. I’m going to change that around the world, and help people make money, do something they love, and have a bit more fun.”

“The way to get wealthy in life is to help other people.”

“I believe that every business, I don’t care what you do, helps other people.”

“Of the 380 people that came along, we started 122 businesses, and of those 122 businesses, 75% were still trading five years later.”

“We have a far higher success rate, without using debt, than people who are lending money to help people start businesses. I think that says a huge amount.”

“I think entrepreneurs quite often don’t know enough about the numbers. They’re passionate about the flowers, the product, the thing. But they forget to look at how much it costs.”

“The message I would have for everyone here is problems are going to happen. Problems are a sign you are alive. There is only one group of people who don’t have any problems, and they’re in the morgue.”

“It’s not that you won’t have problems or crises, it’s how you respond to them and it’s how you react.”

“You won’t know what you’re passionate about until you try stuff. So get out there and try things, test things. Every time you test something and you don’t like it, that’s knocking one off the list and you are making further forward progress.”

“The only moment you get the real truth is when you ask for the money, because up until that point, people will be nice to you. So with a business idea, the mini experiment is ask a bunch of people to buy.”

“It doesn’t matter if it fails if you haven’t gone into debt.”

“We all have many passions. We don’t have to hone in on one. We can use that together.”

“We have focused for a long time on learning how to create a financially abundant life, and we want to give that away.”

“Everything you want in life is outside your comfort zone. Otherwise you’d already have it… So my closing message is please go out there and get a little uncomfortable.”

Links:

Follow The Give Back Model Podcast on Instagram @thegivebackmodel

Alan Donegan’s website www.AlanDonegan.com

Chris Dennis of GivePet

Show Notes:

Today’s guest is Chris Dennis, the founder and owner of GivePet, a premium dog treat company based in Overland Park, Kansas, that gives back to local animal rescues and shelters with every purchase. Chris started his career in the pet industry in 2000, and launched his own company in May 2016. For every bag of treats purchased, GivePet donates enough treats for at least 10 shelter dogs. Chris focuses on growing distribution and retail accounts, along with daily operations of business. Christine chats with Chris about his passion for dogs, his origins in the pet industry, how he made the leap to becoming an entrepreneur, and the details of GivePet’s Give Back Model.

By working with a highly regarded marketing team, and having the support of his family, Chris is leading the mission to help every dog feel special while in a shelter. Chris details the unique process of how GivePet works with distributors to make that happen, and the decision to make their branding and packaging so transparent. Chris explains what sets GivePet treats apart from the rest, why the need for healthy treats in shelters is so important, and shares his advice for new entrepreneurs. To support GivePet and purchase premium, natural treats that give back to animal shelters, visit GivePet.com.

Episode Highlights:

• Chris’s first dog and his family’s passion for rescuing dogs
• Beginnings in the pet industry
• Chris’s idea to make his company work and also give back
• His quick turnaround from employment to launching his own business
• GivePet’s mission and how Chris selects which partners and shelters to work with
• Transparent branding and packaging
• What makes GivePet treats premium - no salt or sugar
• Biggest hurdle Chris has had to overcome
• Need for healthy treats in rescue shelters especially
• Advice for new entrepreneurs - passion and setting weekly goals

Quotes:

“I was kind of entrepreneurial from an early age. My dad owned his own business… It’s kind of in my DNA.”

“My business plan was to run a lean business...not waste a lot of money, and I could give back.”

“People to this day ask me how I can afford to give back, and it’s real simple - we don’t spend marketing dollars on commercials and newspaper ads… We choose to give back and that’s our marketing plan.”

“I worked on setting the business up for about a year and a half.”

“I was really active in the entrepreneurial community.”

“Every dog deserves to feel special.”

“You are very transparent about where that is going, and what their money is doing to give back.”

“Whenever I find out that there’s a business that’s giving back, I’m pretty much going towards them every single time.”

“We use a lot of superfoods, and the ingredients are just clean and legible, and there’s nothing in there that you would wonder what it is, or if it’s healthy for your dog. Everything is all-natural, human grade.” 

“I usually seek out a partner that has that same philosophy in mind first, and then we work together to tweak it into the formula that I would like to present to the consumer.”

“We took less margin to offer a better product.”

“The biggest hurdle is to gain distribution.”

“Then when you get in with one...you have to educate their sales people, form relationships with them, make sure you get a good launch, and you maintain that business that you have in the stores.”

“Do something you’re passionate about and find a way to make a living at it.”

“One piece of advice that I like to give people is to set a weekly goal, and no matter how small or big that goal is, accomplish something every week.”

“There’s no perfect time to start a business.”

Links:

Follow The Give Back Model Podcast on Instagram @thegivebackmodel

Brad and Bryan Manning of Two Blind Brothers

Show Notes:

Brad and Bryan Manning are two blind brothers on a mission to cure blindness. At a young age, they were both diagnosed with Stargardt Disease, a degenerative eye disease that causes blindness over time. To fight back, they left their former careers to start Two Blind Brothers, a small charitable clothing company that donates 100% of its profits to drive life-changing research for a cure for blindness. Their condition has inspired a special vigilance for details, a passion that carries over into the construction of their clothing line. Two Blind Brothers focuses on quality, comfort, and sense of touch. Today Christine talks with these two incredible entrepreneurs about how a shopping experience sparked the idea to create their own clothing line, their mission to help fight blindness, and how a viral video catapulted their brand to the next level of success very quickly.

By using their sense of touch, Brad and Bryan realized they could embark on a mission to make super soft clothes and donate 100% of the profits to the Foundation Fighting Blindness. This episode will highlight the importance of having passion for your project, having a support system in place on your entrepreneurial journey, and how reaching out and making a human connection can have both personal and professional benefits. Brad and Bryan show us how your greatest challenge can actually be your greatest gift. To learn more about Two Blind Brothers and check out their Shop Blind experience, visit twoblindbrothers.com. It’s more than a clothing line - it’s a movement.

Episode Highlights:

• Brad and Bryan’s background and diagnoses as young children
• The inspiration behind Two Blind Brothers and their commitment to fighting blindness
• Their viral video and the power in telling their story
• “Shop Blind” experience as the cornerstone of their business
• Brad and Bryan’s most touching stories of people they have helped
• Current status in the fight to cure blindness
• Paying it forward and their support for other Give Back Model companies
• Plans to expand and continue engaging with community 

Quotes:

“You have proved time and time again that obstacles in life are merely a stepping stone to help create a massive impact in this world.”

“Your greatest challenge is your greatest gift.”

“The reason that we did this was for fun and to help the Foundation Fighting Blindness.”

“It’s really a team effort.”

“In the course of a month, we had been seen by 14 million people. We thought at that time, no one gets this kind of opportunity, no one gets to have this much fortune early.”

“They’re shopping for your mission. They’re shopping for your cause.”

“When you’re blind or visually impaired, one of the things you learn is just little bits of trust in people.”

“When you’re little, those unscalable actions are your best weapon against big organizations. They have the budget to spend on advertising, but they aren’t getting on the phone.”

“Our goals are just to meet more people, surprise and delight as much as we can.”

“It’s more than a clothing brand, it’s a movement.”

Links:

Follow The Give Back Model Podcast on Instagram @thegivebackmodel

As a former online TV host, Amy will make you laugh until you cry and find a way to make every #momlife moment humorous - even on the days when adulting seems way too hard. Amy has an award-winning sales and leadership background in coaching and managing very dynamic teams. As a coach, Amy has built her career on bringing out the best in everyone around her and helping each person she touches perform at their best, and believe in themselves. As a coFounder of Give Her Courage, Amy has committed her life's work to help women know their worth and break the paradigm that comes with age.

Amy’s website https://givehercourage.com/

Give Back to the Show: https://thegivebackmodel.com/give-back