New Impact Offerings, Empowering Artisans and Preserving Heritage Crafts, Positive Peace Through Impact Crowdfund Investing, Embracing Our Shared Humanity and Chapter 8: Diligence Is the Key
New Impact Offerings, Empowering Artisans and Preserving Heritage Crafts, Positive Peace Through Impact Crowdfund Investing, Embracing Our Shared Humanity and Chapter 8: Diligence Is the Key
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Nature’s Oasis and KIN Apparel Featured Among New Impact Offerings - April 22, 2024
Each week, Superpowers for Good shares a list of new impact-related offerings added to FINRA-Registered crowdfunding portals and by broker-dealers. We’ll share four separate lists:
Impact offerings as determined by KingsCrowd reviews.
Offerings with minority founders.
Deals with women founders.
Those with LGBTQ founders.
Empowering Artisans and Preserving Heritage Crafts with Navroze Mehta
AI Episode Summary
1. Devin Thorpe, the host of the Superpowers for Good show, introduces the episode and his guest, Navroze Mehta of Mela Artisans, a company supporting artisans primarily in India.
2. Navroze Mehta details the founding of Mela Artisans by his daughter, Sonali Matharu, as a response to the decline of the artisanal community in India, aiming to preserve heritage crafts and empower artisans.
3. The company’s mission is to provide sustainable employment to artisanal communities and sell their handcrafted products in high-end stores and department stores across the U.S., making luxury products affordable and accessible.
4. Navroze showcases various handcrafted items from Mela Artisans' product line, including a wooden bowl, a tray made of sustainable mango wood, jewelry boxes with bone or resin inlay, a candleholder combining multiple materials, and intricate marble and metalwork pieces.
5. The discussion includes the expansion of Mela Artisans beyond India to source from artisans in Vietnam and Bali, Indonesia, increasing the variety of handcrafted products offered.
6. Navroze explains the pricing of their products, emphasizing the goal to offer high-quality, luxurious items at reasonable, affordable prices without sacrificing craftsmanship.
7. The relationship with artisans is based on empowerment rather than employment, with Mela Artisans facilitating infrastructure, financial education, quality control, and design innovation for artisan clusters.
8. Mela Artisans is raising capital through a Regulation A Crowdfunding offering, allowing lower minimum investments from the public to participate in the growth and success of the company.
9. The conversation shifts to discuss Navroze's superpower, which he identifies as a passion for making a difference, inspired by his father's example as a physician dedicated to serving those in need.
10. Navroze recounts how Mela Artisans navigated the challenges of the pandemic, supporting their artisan and employee communities throughout the crisis, maintaining commitment to their mission of empowerment and craftsmanship.
Contributing to Positive Peace Through Impact Crowdfund Investing
Positive peace, as articulated in professional peacebuilding, goes beyond merely preventing violence. It encompasses creating societies where justice, equality, and human rights are actively promoted. Today’s SuperCrowdHour webinar explores how impact crowdfund investing can serve as a vehicle for achieving positive peace by directing capital towards enterprises that build harmonious societies.
Impact crowdfund investing emerges as a novel form of financing where the general public can invest in ventures that promise social or environmental returns alongside financial gains. This participatory approach to investment democratizes access to capital for projects that traditional funding mechanisms often overlook. Notably, it empowers local communities by aligning investor interests with broader societal benefits, such as sustainable development and inclusive growth.
The synergy between impact investing and positive peace is profound. By supporting projects that address the root causes of social injustices—such as inequality, environmental degradation, and lack of access to education—impact investments can foster environments where peace is sustainable. For instance, investing in a company that provides affordable clean water in a drought-prone region not only yields returns but also mitigates conflicts over scarce resources, thereby contributing to positive peace.
Embracing Our Shared Humanity Through "Stranger's Guide"
AI Episode Summary
1. Devin introduces Abby Rapoport, the co-founder and publisher of the Stranger's Guide, highlighting her role in creating impactful journalism.
2. Abby explains the origin of the Stranger's Guide, which was inspired by the divisive political climate of 2016 and the desire to explore sustainable models for journalism.
3. The publication focuses on storytelling from the perspective of locals, covering a broad range of topics from human rights to food, emphasizing the importance of understanding different cultures.
4. Abby shares how the Stranger's Guide has published issues themed around various locations worldwide, aiming to provide a multifaceted portrait of each place.
5. The conversation shifts towards challenging the notions of "good" and "bad" countries, highlighting the complexity of global affairs and the value of understanding individual perspectives within countries.
6. They discuss the rise of authoritarianism globally and the role of journalism in questioning leaders and presenting complex narratives.
7. Devin appreciates the Stranger’s Guide for offering deep insights into different cultures for a fraction of the cost of traveling, underscoring the importance of understanding human commonalities and differences.
8. Abby emphasizes the publication's focus on creating beautiful, memorable issues that encourage people to explore and understand places they might not physically visit.
9. The interview explores Abby's superpower of tackling challenging topics and fostering ecosystems that contribute to community and global understanding.
10. Finally, Abby provides details on how to access and support The Stranger's Guide, encouraging subscriptions and highlighting the publication as a unique gift option.
Chapter 8: Diligence Is the Key That Unlocks Higher Returns
There is a key that unlocks your potential to match or beat the stock market with your impact crowdfunding portfolio. You will likely trail those benchmarks if you don’t turn this key.
The key metaphor is apt. Without this key, the only way to open the door to high returns is to break down the door–requiring much more work and risking all the consequences of smashing through the door, from metaphorical physical injuries to legal consequences.
The key is what we call “due diligence.” It is the label we place on investors' research and scrutiny before backing a company. In other words, it is your homework when deciding where to invest your money.
In this chapter, we’ll explain how investment data demonstrates that effective due diligence makes the difference between mediocre returns and topping 10 percent returns.
To start, I’ll share some basic mechanics for due diligence. Think of this as a primer to help you understand how to start crawling. Once you master these concepts, you’ll want to seek additional resources to help you improve your ability to screen investments you make via crowdfunding.
Ep 150 Navigating Positive Impact: Social Good and Conscious Investing
This episode was originally posted at Apocalyptic Chats - One World in a New World
Upcoming SuperCrowd Event Calendar
If a location is not noted, the events below are virtual.
Impact Cherub Club Meeting hosted by The Super Crowd, Inc., a public benefit corporation, on May 14, 2024, at 1:00 PM Eastern. Each month, the Club meets to review new offerings for investment consideration and to conduct due diligence on previously screened deals. To join the Impact Cherub Club, you must first become an Impact Member of the SuperCrowd.
SuperCrowdHour, May 15, 2024, at 1:00 Eastern. Each month, we host a value-laden webinar for aspiring impact investors or social entrepreneurs. Stay tuned for details.
SuperCrowdChicago, June 12, 2024. This in-person event at Columbia College Chicago features some of Chicago’s prominent citizens and community leaders, along with crowdfunding experts. Use the discount code “SuperCrowd” to save 30 percent!
Recently, we created an AI GPT to help you learn more about The Super Crowd, Inc., a public benefit corporation, and our upcoming events. Click here to try it.
SuperCrowd Community Event Calendar
Move Your Money Month, April 2024, American Independent Business Alliance
Crowdfunding Professional Association Webinar, May 8, 2:00 PM ET
The Reg A & Crowdfunding Conference, June 20, Westchester Country Club (Save 20% with the code Super20)
Crowdfunding Professional Association, Summit in DC, October 22-23
If you would like to submit an event for us to share with the 4,000+ members of the SuperCrowd, click here.