Karmela Sediqi

You might have picked up by now that I really admire entrepreneurial women.  It takes a lot of skill, patience, discipline, and creativity to run a business.  It takes all these things and more to run a business in Afghanistan, which is why I am highlighting Kamela Sediqi today. 

Ms. Sediqi has been featured many times throughout the last several years as an emerging woman in Afghanistan.  As the founder of a consulting company that trains men and women to start-up their own businesses, she believes strongly in the power of small business to aid her country, and to aid women in her country specifically.  

She says, "Business is the only way to support Afghanistan.  We can make out country by establishing businesses and supporting businesses and creating more investment."

Ms. Sediqi, and other Afghan women, have participated in Project Artemis, a business development program offered by Thunderbird: School of Global Management .  The program, hosted yearly, aims to equip women like Sediqi with skills they can then take back to their country.

I agree with Sediqi that small businesses are the heart of any country's economy and social fabric, which is why you will consistently find posts related to entrepreneurialism here at Be Adornable.  Best of luck to Sediqi, and to all of the Afghan women and men who are building their country!

Ironically I stumbled across Amy Butler right before Blueprint magazine highlighted her home and work in their December '07 issue.  Needless to say, she has a great design sense, which she carries into her fabric, patterns, stationery, bags, etc., all available on her website.

In addition to her fantastic prints, one of the main reasons I like Amy (and a reason I'm listing her as an "adornable woman") is that she is committed to her community.  Through her business, she and husband, David, contribute to a local food bank, women's shelter, and environmental education program.  Read below in Amy's own words:

"know that a goodly portion of your proceeds are going back into the life stream that takes care of people.  We feel that it is a privilege to be an American small business, not a right, and with privilege comes responsibility to help.  Care for YOUR community and it will take care of you."--Amy Butler

Just another reason to get to know Amy...

For Be Adornable, I am always searching for people who display "adornable" qualities, like being in-touch with world affairs, having a particular ability to put ideas into a larger context, creating beautiful items to buy, or sharing advice on how-to-be enterprising.

Regarding the latter, I was researching today on tips for operating an etsy shop (if you have not heard of Etsy.com, GO NOW and check it out!).  I created my etsy profile last night and look forward to opening my shop soon, thus the research.  Anyway, I encountered this great article, "How to Network Offline," where author and etsy seller, Laura Bray, shares five tips for building a business through networking.  They are as follows:

1.  shop local networking venues (like the Chamber of Commerce, industry groups, etc.)

2.  once you plug in, be an active member

3.  make a point to meet people

4.  follow-up 

5.  keep in touch

If you own your own business, or are just looking for some tips to advance yourself professionally in your current job, Bray's article is packed full of suggestions worth taking.  I, for one, plan on adopting them right away.

Oh, and if you are wondering how to keep all your contacts organized, check out "Highrise" from 37 Signals.  It is a virtual rolodex sure to help you follow through with Bray's networking advice!

Connecting New Dots

After posting exclusively on "pretty things" thus far, I fear you may be under the impression that design is the primary focus of this blog.  It is not.  At "Be Adornable," I also want to highlight ideas and concepts that make me think about current affairs or important topics in a fresh way.

That said, I'd like to draw attention to a popular topic receiving a lot of media coverage today. No, it's not Heath Ledger's tragic death.  It's the economy.  

From my observation, the majority of coverage on the economy has focused on the more personal aspects of the issue--how to recession-proof your job, navigate the housing slump, and manage your investments.  It is because Donald Boudreaux's opinion piece published in today's Christian Science Monitor (don't let the name fool you--the Monitor is a great and well-respected source for independent news) is different that I bring it to your attention.   

Now, I'm not an expert on economic matters, but I appreciate a writer who causes me to think in terms of the big picture.  In Mr. Boudreaux's case, the big picture involves our trade relationships to other nations, our tax structure, and federal spending.  I particularly liked his attention to agricultural policy, which is a topic I have been very curious about (I know, I'm quite nerdy), but had not connected to the current economic situation. 

So to Mr. Boudreaux, I say "thank you" for provoking me to think outside of the mainstream, even if my knowledge on the topics you addressed is lacking.  I appreciate "dot connectors," and this piece connected some dots I hadn't considered.  

In my ever continuing search for good finds on Etsy.com, I ran across Joom this afternoon and immediately bookmarked the shop as one of my new favorites.  Joom is an artist living in the Bay Area in California, and specializes in lovely silkscreened pieces (pillows, cards, framed art) featuring natural themes and pallets in a pop style.  On her website, www.joomk.com, you can even find a selection of fun flip-flops.

Check out her etsy shop to browse her inventory, as well as an extensive list of publications that have highlighted her work.  Apparently she is currently taking a break to develop a new design line, so look forward to more great products to come!

 

I first stumbled across Working Class Studio when I bought a couple paperback journals at Barnes and Noble this past year.  I was immediately drawn to the simple and colorful designs, and was intrigued when I read on the back that the journals were part of a program of the Savannah College of Art and Design.  

In a nutshell, the program connects talented art students with the market, affording them an opportunity to get their creative work into the public.  Working Class Studio is one of the great examples of universities partnering with the business sector to promote entrepreneurship and enterprise.